Chapter Text
Mystery could only watch in shock at Jinu's betrayal. As he stepped in front of Gwi-ma's fire, saving the hunter, and damning the rest of them in the process.
That wasn't supposed to happen! The hunters were supposed to win, yes, but not at the cost of their lives. Not Jinu's, and not the rest of theirs either. They were supposed to escape, together. Finally get their freedom after so much time under Gwi-ma's reign of terror. A second chance at life, a chance to be better, together.
Shaking off his shock, Mystery snarled and ran at the small hunter. Anger and pain overrode logic. Instinct over thought. And yet, he still followed their plan, held back his real power. Didn't let out the monster he knew was inside.
The punch was unexpected, but he wasn't surprised at the shinkal that swiped across his face, over his already ruined eyes. He howled in pain, only to choke on blood as the same shinkal ripped his neck open.
He burst into pieces, quicker than Jinu had. Pulled back into Gwi-ma's realm, to reform and face the wrath of the demon king himself.
Moments after Mystery reformed, Abby appeared beside him, collapsing to his knees and looking nauseous.
No. No no no no no. He'd hoped that the others would survive, at least. The hunters must not have been informed of Jinu's plan, Mystery realized. Or maybe they weren't able to look past their biases, their training. Couldn't believe that ugly, evil, unfeeling demons were capable of changing. Maybe only Rumi was capable of seeing that there was more to the demons than they had been taught. Or maybe she didn't actually believe that. For all Mystery knew, she was playing Jinu just like he'd planned to do to her.
Gwi-ma's screams of rage tore into him, making him long to curl onto the ground next to Abby, cover his ears, bite his arm, anything to block it out. He resisted the urge. Abby was in danger. Baby and Romance could appear at any moment. They needed to get away from Gwi-ma. This fight, the sealing of the Honmoon, would weaken him. If they could get to the edges of the kingdom, perhaps they could escape his notice. At least long enough to recover, regain their strength. Maybe even escape back to the human world.
Mystery had no doubt in his mind that Gwi-ma would look on their failure with no mercy. No doubt that he would assume they had all betrayed him, not just the one who saved the hunter's life.
He blinked, focusing on the energy signature that was Abby. It was weaker than usual, and nearly drowned out by the surrounding chaos. When he reached out a hand, placing it on where he knew Abby's shoulder was, Abby jerked in response.
"Myst?"
Mystery squeezed gently. His voice tangled in his throat, but he managed to rasp "I'm here."
He rocked back on his heels as Abby sat up. Gwi-ma's rage grew more desperate, nearly tearing the realm apart around them. The ground shook and an icy wind blew past them. Hundreds, thousands of minor demons swarmed around Gwi-ma, visible to Mystery only through the minuscule blips of energy they gave off.
Mystery stood and held a hand out to Abby. He pulled the other demon up, careful not to press his claws into Abby's skin.
"We need to get away from here. Away from Gwi-ma."
A ear-splitting howl sounded, and Mystery couldn't help his flinch. He felt his patterns activate, icy on his skin. He held back a shiver, a growl, instinctually reacting to the threat. Abby's energy grew stronger momentarily, and Mystery could only imagine what his patterns must look like.
"Where do we go?"
There were very few places to hide from the king. The defeat that was coming would weaken Gwi-ma, limit his perception, loosen his grasp on at least the more powerful demons under his control.
"The cave. Do you remember it?"
Abby didn't respond at first. He had spent very little time there, being the second youngest but newest addition to their little pack. They used it sparingly, not wanting to draw attention to the safe haven. It was where they went when one of them was injured, or when Gwi-ma was paying particular attention to them. It was a meeting spot when they got separated. A calm in the storm of the demon realm.
"I think so, but—"
"You need to go. Now." Mystery growled, feeling his tusks lengthening. It was nearly impossible to maintain any semblance of his human appearance when Gwi-ma raged like this.
The wind picked up, and Gwi-ma's fire grew, drowning out Mystery's perception of anything else in that direction. He doubted he would be able to navigate to the cave safely, not when he couldn't read the energy signatures around him. Abby should be fine, though, as long as he remembered the way.
"Not without you!" Abby's voice was desperate. He reached out, as if to grab Mystery.
It broke his heart, but Mystery took a step back. "Baby and Romance will be coming through any moment." He never underestimated their strength, but unless the hunters became sympathetic very quickly, the others were unlikely to survive the fight. "I'll wait for them and then follow, but you need to get away."
"I'm not leaving you alone."
Mystery felt the shadows ripple around him as he growled, deep in his chest. He knew he must look a sight — patterns flaring like fire, claws and tusks gleaming under Gwi-ma's raging light, his demonic power, which he never wanted to use against the other Saja, whirling around. "Go! You'll be safer away from here. Wait for us at the cave."
Abby hissed, shrunk back, almost cowering.
The demonic hierarchy was hard to disobey. There was a deep rooted instinct to show deference to those who were older, more powerful, than yourself. Mystery didn't like to take advantage of this — it was only one more thing Gwi-ma had used against him, after all — but desperate times and all.
"I…" Abby hesitated, his energy dimming, changing hues, ever so slightly. "Okay. I know you'll protect them."
He was still for only a moment longer, before turning away, jogging off in the direction of the cave.
"Be safe, Abby."
If Abby heard him, he made no sign of it.
Mystery drew his power back into himself, turned his back to Gwi-ma's fire, and settled in to wait.