Chapter Text
X 1600s X
“Somin, I—”
“Please don’t.” Somin says as she cradles Jiwoo in her arms. Her skin is starting to burn, but that doesn’t matter if she can hold Jiwoo just a second longer. “This isn’t it, please?” No matter how much Somin begs, Jiwoo just keeps smiling. She knows how this ends. It’s not the first time and it won’t be the last, but she is so grateful to have found Somin, Taehyung and Jinseok in this lifetime. Her happiest moments have been with them.
With a weak gesture she motions Taehyung and Jinseok closer to her and Somin. They’d been standing on the fringe for too long. She wants to see them in her last moments. She wants to etch every crevice of their faces into her memory and never forget their glowing eyes that churn something fiery in the pit of her stomach. Because when she is reborn, she will find them, she swears it. If she has anything to say about it, she’ll find the three of them again.
“Don’t cry, baby.” Jiwoo wants nothing more than to cup Somin’s face — caressing her soft velvety skin one last time and remember her on the tips of her fingers — but her joints are on fire. Moving even the slightest muscle is almost excruciating at this point. The fire within her is expanding and consuming, reclaiming the life it once granted her.
Taehyung is blinking back tears, but Somin has let them go. They cascade down her cheeks and fall like dew drops on Jiwoo’s face. She really doesn’t mind, it’s cooling against her enflamed skin. Jinseok is rubbing at his eyes, letting out a few soft hiccups, but still trying to keep it together. If her chest didn’t hurt so much, Jiwoo would be laughing at how strong her baby boy is trying to be. She’s grateful because Somin will need their strength after she’s gone. She is thankful Somin will always have Taehyung and Jinseok by her side, even when Jiwoo can’t be there.
“Don’t cry, please? I don’t want this to be the last memory.” Jinseok rushes to her side, careful not to displace her in any way, causing her pain, but he gets as close as possible. The heat emanating from her body really doesn’t bother him. He’s used to hellfire after all. If he wasn’t so consumed with Jiwoo Jiwoo Jiwoo he’d be concerned that Somin is still holding a phoenix about to burst into flames. Somin has never been able to handle their hellfire before, but maybe Jiwoo is different. She always has been.
“I’ll find yo—you again. It’s not o—over.” Jiwoo says with the last few breaths she can manage.
Somin has so much she wants to say and not even close to enough words to express herself. So she just cries. She sobs as the fire consuming Jiwoo from the inside out grows too hot for her to handle and she has to let the phoenix go. She sobs because there will never be enough time for her to tell Jiwoo how special she is to her. The tears keep coming because an eternity together will never be possible but just one more second would be enough. But Somin knew when she met Jiwoo a couple years ago this is how it would end.
Taehyung comes up behind her and pulls her back. He loops his arms around her waist gently pulling her away and brings her crying frame into his embrace. He doesn’t really know what’s about to happen, but if he can feel the heat coming from Jiwoo then they must be close. Too close that Somin can no longer be near her. It absolutely breaks his heart, he knows Jiwoo wouldn’t want Somin to get hurt.
None of them have ever seen a phoenix die before. No one has. They always die in seclusion in hopes of protecting the baby phoenix that will be born in their place. Somin feels so honored that Jiwoo loves and trusts them enough to share her last moments with them. There is so much she wishes she could do and say. But in the end she pulls Jinseok to her side, knowing that the hellhound would rather stay by Jiwoo and burn with her than leave her side. However, she won’t be losing Jinseok along with Jiwoo today. Other demons have said that a phoenix’s death could wipe out an entire forest, the fire bursting from their body can span miles and endless destruction. But the ashes left behind sprout a new beginning.
Taehyung takes hold of Jinseok’s hand and heaves Somin up in his arms. They start running.
That night — just before the sun has grazed the sky — red and orange flames expand for miles, painting the sky like a sunset. But they know this is not the case. A supernova of red, orange and yellow burst around them. Jiwoo is gone. Like a star that became a supernova. The flames she held inside her body gave one last show, a final goodbye before fizzling into nothing and leaving the sky dark once more.
Somin can feel the air hot and heavy against her skin. It’s bristling. As far as the eye can see is grey. The last flames of a phoenix left everything charcoal in its wake. Burned branches hanging loose off of charred trees. The smell of smoke is almost too much, but then right before their eyes green starts to sprout. Black and grey boulders begin to grow moss. Charred bark peels off, brown replacing it and in its wake new branches with small leaves begin to sprout. All around them the wasteland left behind by Jiwoo’s flames begin to sprout anew. Somin has never seen something so mesmerizing in her entire life. And she’s been alive for a long time.
Taehyung’s hand around her waist is almost painful, but she really doesn’t mind. It’s actually rather grounding, it’s what she needs right now. Jinseok’s hand tightens around Taehyung’s, he is looking up at the sky. Taehyung follows his gaze and it’s almost like a set of fiery wings have taken off, lighting up the sky like a meteor passing by.
“Jiwoo,” Jinseok gasps out, but the fire is gone. She’s gone.
They’ll find her.