The North Mountain

-You... You did it for me? You attacked him for me? Why? Jeongin was left speechless by Hyunjin's confession.

-Because I love you, Hyunjin shrugged. I couldn't stand him bad mouthing you.

-You're such a child, Jeongin wrapped his arms around his neck in a tight hug. Idiot... He wanted some friends as well.

-I know... Now I know my judgment was beyond wrong. Unspeakable.

-Then apologise. Start over. You can still build on top of the ruins.

-I'll try, Hyunjin flashed a quick smile.

-Where the fuck are they? Jeongin yelled.

-You cursed, Hyunjin laughed. The colocvial language is surely appealing in this kind of situations.

-Hyunjin.

-Yeah?

-WE LOST 4 LIVING CREATURES! In 5 minutes. On a snow mountain. And one of them is a human who doesn't resist to this low temperatures.

-Oh.

-He will freeze to death if we don't find him. Also...

-Also what?

-This is the North Mountain.

-Which means?

-Here lays the son of Boreas and Oreithyia.

-Oh, Hyunjin's eyes widened in realisation.

-Yeah! Oh! We need to find Felix before he does.

Screams of battle and weapons clashing filled Felix's head in the form of an atrocious nightmare.

When he woke up he felt the cold drops of sweat stinging his blue pale skin.

He looked around and saw only ice. Walls of ice surrounding him. With every expiration he could see his breath.

-You're awake!

Felix looked to the right and met with a half human half God with black strains falling somewhere above his shoulders, blue eyes, purple tunic and a beautiful pair of white wings. Way bigger than Jeongin's. Way powerful.

-Who are you?

-I'm Beomgyu.

-Where are my friends? Felix looked around confused. What happened?

-Hopefully they are dead. But who needs them, right? I can be your new friend.

-I can be your friend. But I also wanna make sure my other friends are alright. Please tell me what you did to them, Felix tried to keep himself calm.

-They are buried in the snow. They already have too many friends. Why should I give them another one when I have none?

-You don't have friends?

-No. I am alone here.

-Why? Why do you stay here?

-My father told me to. This is the only place I can't hurt anybody. It's provisory until I learn to control my abilities.

-How long have you been here? Felix stared at the scratches on the walls.

-Years. I don't know. But I am not ready yet.

-How do you know that?

-Because outside it's scary. I'm not ready, he replied with pure fear in his sparkly eyes.

-And your parents? Do they visit you?

-They are busy. My father is responsible for the North wind and the arrival of winter. My mother is forced to stay with him every second of her life. She told me she has been abducted and forced to have me. She is not very fond of me.

He looked like a puppy in the rain with those sad eyes. Felix approached him on his knees, careful not to slip on the thin ice and hugged him, giving all the warmth he had left in his body into that specific hug.

-What's this?

-A hug. Friends do that to make each other feel better.

-I like it, Beomgyu smiled. I want to get hugs for the rest of my days.

-You can, Felix tucked the older's hair behind his ear gently. If you come with me outside, you can have lots of hugs.

-I don't wanna go outside. I can't, Beomgyu pushed Felix back.

The latter fell on his shoulder, hearing something break.

-You're wrong. I can have hugs here too. I can have friends here too. I just need to keep you here.

Felix tried to move but his legs were stuck in the ice.

-What are you doing?

-You will stay here with me forever. Become part of this place!

Somewhere close to the peak of the mountain, a portion of the snow started melting, revealing Changbin spitting snowflakes disgusted.

-What was that?

-It looked like a demigod, Jisung answered.

-How are you so calm and not wet?

-Phrometeus's fire, he replied with a smile. Now where is Minho? Minho? Minho? he looked around him.

A hand crawled up from under the snow like in a zombie movie and made Changbin let out a shriek.

Minho used his sword to crawl to the surface. He was beyond mad.

-Where is Felix? Changbin started freaking out.

-He took him, Minho answered bluntly.

-We need to find him! He will freeze to death!

-If so lead the way. I wanna kill that demi-god with my own hands.

-No killing. Let's find the boy first, alright? Jisung added.

-How?

-Jump on my shoulders.

-Excuse me? Changbin raised an eyebrow.

-Trust me. Look around and when you see him, pinch my neck. Got it?

-No?!

-Just hold on to my back!

Changbin looked confused at Minho who was almost laughing at him.

-I would do what he said if I were you.

Changbin sighed in defeat and wrapped his arms around Jisung.

Then he closed his eyes and felt his legs balancing from side to side in the air. He held tight to the material of Jisung's tunic and opened his eyes in horror when he noticed the height he was at.

-How did you-

Jisung was now at least 27 feet tall and Changbin was holding on for his life to not fall off his shoulder.

-He can't talk when he's in this state! Minho formed a cone with his hands and yelled at Changbin. Look for the freckled one! He can't be in titan form for too long!

Changbin nodded and spotted a cave near them. He found them.

He pinched Jisung's neck and in the next second he found himself going down as Jisung's body was becoming smaller.

The moment his feet touched the ground, Changbin backed off while Jisung fell on his knees and started chocking.

-Wha-what's wrong with him? Changbin asked confused.

Minho took Jisung in his arms and laid him down flat on the ground while holding his hand.

-Can I borrow your fire? Minho asked the son of Hades.

-My...my fire?

-Yes! Hold your hand above him and create the blue fire!

-O-okay?! Changbin was too scared of Minho to even question what was going on.

Minho put his hand on top of Changbin's palm and pushed it on Jisung's chest, letting the fire spread inside his body.

The latter rose as from the dead and coughed violently.

-Nice save, he said when he regained his voice.

Minho smiled proudly and nodded in silence.

-SOMEONE EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT JUST HAPPENED! Changbin freaked out.

-He is half titan half water nymph. He is the perfect balance. When he got out of the snow he used his fire too much. He also used it to increase his size, so the balanced dropped to the side. He needed some powerful source of fire to maintain both the fire and water levels equal.

-This seems tiring. Have you always been doing this?

-Pretty much, Jisung replied exhausted. Minho was a big help once he learned about my condition. I was scared to tell him at first because it's also my weakness, but he said he would never take advantage of an ill rival.

-I want a fair fight. No shortage.

-Thank you to both of you! Jisung added. Now let's find Felix, shall we?

After arriving at the cave, that looked around, shouting after their mortal friend.

All they could hear was the echo of their voices hitting the frozen walls.

-No... Felix! Felix! Changbin shook an ice statue shaped like his friend.

Minho came to take a look and pushed the statue on the ground, making it shatter to pieces.

-What did you do?

-It's fake. Pull yourself together, he replied bluntly.

-Guys... Jisung found the end of the ice tunnel and called for the others.

In the sky there was Beomgyu flying around and carrying Felix with him.

-He has the advantage. We cannot fly, Minho clenched his jaw.

-Birdy can, Changbin looked behind and spotted Jeongin and Hyunjin out of breath.

-What? Jeongin asked, confused of why everyone was looking at him.

-Go and save him!

-I can't! I can't fly that high.

-Innie... Hyunjin tried to calm his cousin down.

-I can't, Hyunjin! It's too high.

-Innie, I'm sorry... But you need motivation.

-What do you mean?

-Felix! Hyunjin shouted at the latter. Let yourself fall!

-What? Jeongin widened his eyes.

Felix nodded and used one of Hyunjin's dagger to injure Beomgyu.

The demigod let him go and Felix found himself free falling.

Jeongin didn't even hesitate. He flew until he reached the boy and warped his arms around his body.

He felt his wings giving up and covered Felix's body with them as both fell with an inhuman speed to the ground.

At the impact, Jeongin lost his conscious and Felix remained under his wings, hugging the god with his eyes shut.

Beomgyu landed and rushed to the scene before being cornered by Jisung and Changbin with their fire and Minho and Hyunjin with their weapons.

-Are you okay, Felix?

That was the very first thing Jeongin asked after he woke up.

The boy nodded and got off Jeongin.

-Is your hair lighter? he squinted his eyes.

-What? Felix asked clueless.

-Nothing.

-Are you hurt?

-Miraculously no. Must have landed on a pile of snow.

It wasn't the case.

He landed on rocks covered with a thin layer of ice. Yet his back was very much not injured at all.

-You can have friends, Beomgyu, Felix approached him. You need to leave this place and search for them. You won't find any here. I know it's scary. But if you stay in the same place forever because of fear you will have lived for nothing. I am scared sometimes as well. But I've come this far. I won't back off now. You need to start a new adventure, alright?

The demi-god smiled weakly and hugged Felix sincerely.

-I'll think about it, he replied.

-Was it true what you told him? Changbin asked Felix.

-What?

-That you're afraid.

-I am a mortal, Bin. I can't protect myself. Fear is in my nature. Sometimes I fear that my weakness will injure the others as well.

-Well, don't be. I'm your guardian. I'll make you feel safe!

They stared in each other's eyes for a while before Changbin's face burned red.

-I mean... that's what I promised Birdy, he averted Felix's gaze.

-Right...

Hyunjin gathered all the courage he had and went to Minho.

-Hey...

-That's new. You coming to me willingly.

-I was wondering... Wanna train together? I have to learn to work with the daggers and you can have the pleasure to hurt me, he joked.

-Why would you want that?

-It would be like a game. Just the two of us. What do you say?

Minho got up from the ground and walked past Hyunjin in silence.

-I tried...Hyunjin sighed.

-Move! I don't have all day! Minho's voice hit Hyunjin from the back.

-Coming! he smiled.

Back to the Forest

-Where is he?

Artemis stepped in front of Kai to defend him and stared at the god in front of her.

-Who are you looking for?

-Son of Aphrodite. He took something from my mother and I was sent to kill him. I know he passed by here. Tell me which direction he went and I let you live, he pointed the tip of the sword towards the neck of the Goddess.