The heavy sounds of tired breaths echoed throughout the pitch black shadows of the forest surrounding the research facility as the loud barks of their chasers grew louder and louder with each step they took. The light of the Guard's torches loomed over the shadows, threatening to consume them all if they didn't watch their footsteps with caution. Along with the Guards, the organisation had dispatched out the hounds and an entire brigade of private Special Task Force Operators, all with the same goal of capturing and returning the five young teenage boys back into the facility.
In their defense, the children were no mere human beings like the rest of the homo sapien population. They were a group of crucial test subjects projected to becoming the blueprints for the nation's next greatest living superweapon, the Invictus Anima, also known as the Invinsible Souls. For decades, the organisation had spent millions of dollars in resources and time to create the Invictus Anima, with no major success.
As for the researchers, their failures were even more grave as they had nothing to report back to their superiors, living their lives with fear of losing their heads- literally. That was until they stumbled upon the five boys. It so happened that the boys randomly held a unique mutation in their gene sequence which allowed them to adapt and absorb the experiments conducted on them and for the first time in decades, the organisation found great success- the boys controlling their new superpowers. However, to their misfortune, the boys had also develope into an intelligent and sentient being capable enough of having enough independent thought processes to plan and act out their escape, causing a bigger problem for the organisation.
"They couldn't have gone too far! Hurry up and capture them! We must get them all back to the facility alive!"
A familiar voice boomed from behind.
The boys knew too well about who the voice belonged to, the owner being a man that they called Uncle Hong. Uncle Hong, or Hong Daesu, was the Captain of the Guards and had seen the boys on a daily basis, playing with them and even showing them magic tricks from time to time. In their memories, he was a kind and warm man amongst many others who were emotionless, even going out of his way to ensure that they were treated too much like property. However, the face he was showing now was far from what they had seen and known to be Uncle Hong. Indeed, he was now Hong Daesu, a man no different from the mass majority that was wishing to continue using them as sacrifice for the greater good that was money, fame, and riches.
"The fence is just on top of this hill. If we can get over that fence then we'll be able to get into contact with Professor Oh."
Hyunjun, the oldest of the five, said through his uneven breaths, trying his best to encourage the youngsters to keep their energies up.
The hike up the hill felt like they were climbing Mount Everest, only without the bone chilling cold and pneumothorax-inducing pressures of the altitude. They'd already spent a lot of their strength running away and it was evident through their shaking legs that fatigue was quickly catching up to their bodies. Still, even though their breaths were just under their chins and their bodies felt like they were going to collapse at any moment, the boys pushed on in hopes to achieve their freedoms and dreams.
Then, a scream was heard from behind, the children at front turning around to see the source of the cry. It was none other than Sungwoo, the weakest of the five. In surprise and haste, the rest went back down to help the boy back up from his trip over a tree root, Sungwoo showing great pain as his weight was put upon his ankle. Hyunjun lifted the boy's pant leg, revealing a red and swollen ankle, causing the others to look at one another with worry in their eyes.
"He won't be able to run with this injury. Yunho, think you can carry him up?"
Hyunjun asked, looking up at the dark haired boy.
"Of course! Leave him with me, hyung."
Reassured, Hyunjun then turned his head over to the others, who were standing next to Yunho.
"Yein, I'm going to need you to blow the wires on the fence and melt a hole through it since it'll be too hard to carry Sungwoo up over the fence. Got it?"
"Sure thing, hyung. Blow wires, melt hole."
"Taeyoung, can you heal Sungwoo as you're going up?"
"Yeah. I still have enough strength for that."
"Good. Now let's move."
Immediately, the boys organised themselves as per the guidance of Hyunjun, Yunho carrying Sungwoo onto his back as Yein dashed over to the fence, Taeyoung matching his speed with Yunho as he placed his hands over Sungwoo's ankle, a blue light radiating from his palms.
Arriving at the fence barricading them from the outside world, Yein took a moment to fill his lungs with fresh air. Breathing in deep into his core as his eyes closed shut, Yein placed his hands onto the barbed wire, electric sparks appearing around it as he started to absorb it into himself. After a couple of seconds the constant buzzing sound of the electricity was gone, and with the opening of his eyes, the silver haired boy flexed his arm, shooting out all of the collected electricity in one beam, blowing a hole through the metal big enough for a person to fit through. With his mission complete, he gestured over to the others to hurry on up, the boys trying their best to make up for the lost time.
Sadly, the time they had spent looking over Sungwoo had caused the Guards to advance even closer to them now, the two groups being in clear visible sight with one another. Hyunjun turned his head back and forth between the group and the Guards.
"They're going to catch up to us before we can even reach the fence."
He said to himself, quickly devising a plan in his head. The eldest hesitated for a moment, looking at the backs of his brother like friends moving further away from him, before making his mind, turning around in the opposite direction.
Huffing and puffing from the climb up, Taeyoung and the boys hurried through the hole that was blown into existance thanks to Yein, Yunho lighting a flare as a signal for Professor Oh to bring the helicopter over. It was then that the boys realised that their captain wasn't behind them.
"Wait. Where's Hyunjun hyung?"
Yein asked, his eyes widening in surprise.
"What do you mean- oh? He was right behind us..."
Yunho looked around for the young man, scratching his head.
Taeyoung thought for a moment, immersing himself into Hyunjun's thought process. Realising what must have happened, he ran back through the opening in the fence and looked down to see that his worries were true. The others followed behind, their faces turning pale at the scene unfolding before them.
"HYUNJUN HYUNG!" He shouted with a distressed expression, standing frozen in his spot, not knowing what to do.
To beings such as themselves, there was a stage in their powers that was never to be reached. Named the "Deal of Blood", it deemed the user great amounts of power but at the cost their blood. No one had been able to make it out alive after unlocking this stage in their powers. Hence why the boys were all shocked at Hyunjin's state. He had unlocked the final stage.
In his hand Hyunjun held a crimson sword created from his blood as two black horns shaped like the antlers of a deer protruded through his fringe, making him resemble those monsters fairytales often talked about. Yet, his actions were much like the heroes, fending the Guards from approaching any closer to the boys.
Turning his head back to the boys, noticing that they had seen him, he shot a smile towards them as if he were trying to reassure them despite the dire situation.
Just then, the helicopter flown by Professor Oh had arrrived, the ladders unravelling down to the ground.
"Don't worry about me! Hurry up and get on the chopper!" Hyunjun shouted as he continued to push the Guards back.
Despite his words, the boys seemed to hesitate, Taeyoung even almost rushing forward to join him. However, knowing that his fate was already sealed with the breath of death, Hyunjun couldn't allow the other to meet the same fate when their freedom was right around the corner for them.
Swirling his sword onto the ground, a ring of purple flames appeared across the vicinity, separating him and the Guards from the others. A barrier that no one could push through.
"HYUNG!"
"You're the eldest now, Taeyoung! I need...I need you to look after the boys for me, okay?" Hyunjun shouted back, almost choking on his words as tears threatened to fall down his cheeks.
Though he knew the reality of their situation, Taeyoung didn't want to accept it, taking a step forward as he shook his head.
Desperate to stop him from doing anything idiotic, Hyunjun shouted for Yunho to grab him, the younger dragged the thrashing Taeyoung back to the chopper, forcefully carrying him up.
That was the last sight they saw of Hyunjun- the warm smile of their leader, brother, father, and friend disappearing into the flames.
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Three years since their escape, the boys were now attending Seoul Joongshim Highschool as juniors (11th grade), blending in with their fellow peers as normal highschoolers.
Having lived only in the research facility with no interaction with the outside world, the boys had trouble adapting to all the new information and stimulations of their environment at first but with the help of the professor, they were slowly making process over the days. Nevertheless, there were scars left over from the incident that night, Sungwoo suffering the most.
Blaming himself for the loss of Hyunjun, the shock and guilt caused him to go through a severe case of post-traumatic stress syndrome, even endangering himself at certain times. Luckily, Professor Oh continuously consulted with him, helping to treat his episodes. His conditions grew better over with time but Sungwoo developed selective mutism, causing him to have trouble speaking in certain situations.
Still, they all tried to live on to fulfill their dreams of being a normal human.
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"Hey hey hey hey hey!"
Yunho came rushing into the classroom, almost crash landing into his seat, making it impossible to not look at him.
"What is it?"
Taeyoung asked, taking his earphones out.
"Big news! We're getting a transfer student in our class today!"
"Really?"
"Yeah! I just overheard Miss Kim talking to him when I was passing the teacher's office."
"Oooo~ Now that our class is an even number, Sungwoo can finally have a seat buddy then." Yunho playfully nudged Sungwoo, the boy smiling softly.
"Try having some fun and practice talking with the new kid, Sungwoo."
"Though you don't need to pressure yourself too much." Taeyoung added onto Yein's words, ruffling his hair.
The school bell signalling the end of recess rung as all the students scurried back into their classrooms, settling down in their designated seats. Just as the last student sat down, the doors opened to the homeroom teacher for Class 2-1, the middle-aged lady standing at the front of the classroom.
"Did you enjoy your recess?"
"Yes, Miss Kim."
"Great! For those who didn't know already, from today onwards, there shall be a new addition to our class."
The students all cheered, some even hitting their hands on their tables as if they were drum rolling. Miss Kim allowed them to have their fun for a few seconds before lifting her hand, the noisiness dying down.
"Since he just recently came from overseas, everything will be unusual to him so everyone better be on their best behaviors and be helpful. I don't want to see or hear any kind of tricks or bullying to the boy, understood?"
"Yes, Miss Kim!"
"Alrighty then. Come on in!"
Everyone's eyes focused on the door, looking at the young man stepping into the classroom. Unlike the others, the boys from the facility were shocked to see who it was, Sungwoo even dropping the pen that was in his hand.
"H-Hyunjun hyung?"
Sungwoo softly said under his breath, tears welling in his eyes.
"Nice to meet you all! Name's Na Hyunwoo."