Chapter Text
Yerim :
My heart pounded in my chest, and the bread I had gripped between my fingers was the only source of warmth I had, offering me some relief from the biting cold. Yells sounded behind me, and I internally cringed at the sound, resisting the urge to immediately turn around and give in. Instead, I ran harder, nearly stumbling over my own feet as I whipped around a familiar corner.
“Hey!” The man yelled, sounding a bit farther behind than he had previously been.
Gritting my teeth, I sprinted down the alleyway towards the far wall, where a relatively large box had been propped up against the bricks. The man’s footsteps sounded behind me, but I wasn’t worried.
I knew I was faster.
“There’s nowhere to go, girl!” the man yelled, sounding confident in his words.
A small smirk made its way onto my face. I thundered towards the wall, leaping into the air as soon I got close enough and using the crate as a stepping stone.
The momentum of the jump propelled me up into the air, closer to the roof of the opposite building. Grunting with the effort, I reached up a hand and latched my fingers onto the ledge of the roof.
The man could only watch in shock as I gracefully pulled myself up and over the ledge. Allowing myself a brief moment of respite, I took a glance back down into the alleyway, clutching the loaf of bread between my hands a bit tighter. Giving the baker one last rueful look, I turned away and started towards the opposite edge of the roof, where I knew there was a balcony I could use to scramble back to the ground.
A familiar feeling of guilt consumed me as I looked down at the bread in my hands. It had been awhile since I'd had to resort to stealing to get by, but this had been a tough winter, and it was difficult to find anything substantial in the trash bins I normally relied on. Even so, stealing, even something so small, left a bitter taste in my mouth.
Regardless, I had gotten enough to last me at least a couple days. Hopefully, I’d be able to scrounge up something myself next time instead of snatching another loaf of bread.
I methodically made my way down the other side of the building, making sure to pull up the hood of my cloak as I did. It wouldn’t do any good to get recognized right now, especially if anyone was still on my tail.
Luckily, the street was clear of people, and I was mostly alone. I hugged the bread closer, as though it were a lifeline. I suppose it was, in a way.
It wasn’t hard to tell why no one was out. It was frigid outside, and even with the proper clothing, it was probably hard not to feel the chill in the air. My clothes were too thin to protect me from the wind and cold for very long, I knew, so it was important that I make it back relatively soon.
Treading the familiar roads and keeping my head down, my heart began to ache as I briefly considered my circumstances. It was always in wintertime that I found myself struggling the most, which wasn’t exactly unexpected. It was cold, and dark, and people weren’t as generous when supplies were limited.
I didn’t blame them.
After a few minutes of walking, I arrived at the familiar alleyway where I had recently set up camp. It was isolated, empty, and it provided a bit of protection from the fierce wind. I ducked into the alley, glancing behind me before pulling my hood down and running a hand through my hair.
At the far end of the alley, tucked into the very corner, I had set up a small tent of sorts, crafted out of torn and stained blankets I had managed to scrounge up. It wasn’t ideal, by any means, but it was something.
With a sigh, I pushed aside the blankets and stumbled my way into the tent, immediately pushing myself away from the cold and hugging my knees to my chest to preserve some sort of warmth.
It didn’t help all that much.
After I had caught my breath, I grabbed the loaf of bread from where I had shoved it into my sleeve. I frowned. It was already cold.
Regardless, I ripped off a piece and eagerly ate it. The taste of the bread was enough to make my heart flutter. I was so hungry, and it took an active effort to not take another bite. I knew I had to preserve the loaf as long as I could.
Still, my stomach twisted with the familiar pain of hunger, and I was left with a bitter taste in my mouth.
When would this end? What was it all for, anyway? I had been living like this for years, now, and nothing had changed.
The burning feeling of injustice and anger twisted in my gut. I was so tired. I was tired of digging through trash bins for food, of accepting handouts from people who looked at me with only pity or disgust, and of not knowing whether I’d even survive long enough to make it to next week.
I’d always managed to tell myself it was temporary, that things would get better. But, it was starting to become obvious that nothing was going to change anytime soon.
And just like that, the anger burning in my gut vanished, replaced only with cold hopelessness.
When would this end?
My depressing thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a small whine, and I jumped a little at the noise.
I watched with furrowed brows as the small nose of an animal peeked its way into my tent, hesitantly sniffing the air. And, just like that, the animal had pushed aside the edges of the tent and marched inside. The tiny dog looked up at me with curious eyes, and I looked right back at it, blinking.
Now that it was closer, I could see that the dog had thick black fur with white spots scattered across his coat. He looked absolutely tiny, and way too slim to be healthy. I sighed as I noticed the dog’s matted fur and the scratches scattered along its torso.
“Hello,” I said, my voice a bit raspy. With a start, I realized just how long it had been since I’d spoken.
The dog tilted his head at me, eyes wide.
“You’re a stray?” I asked, as if the dog could respond.
He didn’t.
“Well, that’s something we have in common, I guess,” I continued, laughing humorlessly.
The dog padded a bit closer to me, and I finally noticed that his eyes were focused on the bread still clutched between my fingers.
My heart ached for the animal as I noticed his hungry gaze, and I knew I couldn’t just give him nothing.
I sighed, tearing off a pretty sizable piece of bread and tossing it towards the dog. I watched him scarf down the bread, and, glancing back down at what was left of my food, I felt unease settle in my gut.
That wasn’t smart, I knew. I didn’t know when I’d be able to get food again, and giving up something so big wasn’t a good idea.
But, then the dog was looking up at me with huge, grateful eyes, and I couldn’t find it in me to regret it. “You probably needed that a bit more than me, huh?” I asked, reaching out and affectionately petting the dog’s head. It nuzzled into my hand, and, before I knew it, it was sitting in my lap, expectantly looking for more pets.
I raised an eyebrow, giving the dog a flat look. His face didn’t change. I laughed a bit before I resumed petting him. As I began to give him a belly rub, much to his pleasure, I frowned when I noticed just how skinny he was. I could feel his ribs sticking out, even through his thick fur.
“You’ve had it pretty rough, huh,” I hummed, absentmindedly running my hand along his fur. The dog didn’t respond.
Looking down at it’s satisfied face, I knew that I couldn’t just let him starve. If I didn’t help, he wouldn’t make it through the next week.
I stopped petting him, and he looked up at me with affronted eyes. Laughing, I titled my head at him, giving him a curious look. “What’s your name?” I asked.
The dog simply whined, nuzzling his head into my hand.
“I think I’ll call you...Lucky.” I decided after a moment’s consideration. “Maybe we’ll both run into some luck at some point.”
The dog didn’t pay attention, settling into my lap and closing his eyes. I glanced down at him, giving him a warm smile.
“Looks like I’ll be scavenging for two, now,” I sighed. Running a hand through my hair, I was grateful for the warmth Lucky provided as he sat in my lap. The familiar chill had crept back in, and the thin blankets of the tent did little to protect either of us from the frigid cold.
I grabbed my bag from the corner of the tent, shoving the rest of the loaf inside for later and taking out another blanket.
It was in bad shape, but it was something.
Draping it over myself and Lucky, I did my best to adjust my position, sinking to the ground and closing my eyes.
As I drifted off, I couldn't help but hope that things would get better soon.
I wasn’t sure how much longer I could last like this.
Haseul :
The blisters on my hand stung, and I knew new ones were already forming. Still, I kept scrubbing the already spotless floor. It felt pointless, and I knew it probably was, but the Lady had always been fond of giving us busy work.
I glanced over to the other corner of the room, where Yeojin was supposed to be cleaning the windows, only to find her seated against the wall and twiddling her thumbs, humming absentmindedly to herself.
I sighed. It wasn’t unexpected, but I had hoped Yeojin would actually do her chores for once.
“Yeojin,” I called over, exasperatedly. My back ached as I sat up, and I set down the brush I had been using, giving my sister a flat look. “What are you doing?”
Yeojin jerked her head up at me, eyes wide, but she didn’t look the least bit remorseful. “My chores,” she replied matter-of-factly.
My look didn’t change.
Yeojin raised her hands in surrender. “No, really,” she insisted, leaning a bit closer as if she was intent on proving her point. “I’m just really considering the best way to clean these windows. What’s the most efficient way to clean glass? Specifically glass that’s already clean? Because we cleaned it yesterday!”
My gaze softened a bit at her comment, hearing the familiar frustration enter her voice. “Yeojin, I know it’s hard -”
“No, Haseul,” Yeojin interrupted, standing from the ground and throwing her hands in the air in exasperation. “It’s not hard. It’s ridiculous. ”
I frowned, but I couldn’t exactly argue with her.
“That woman has us working all hours of the day, and for what?” Yeojin spat. “No one comes here! We’re the only ones who even see this place.”
“There’s Lizzie and Ella,” I reminded her.
Yeojin rolled her eyes. “Those two don’t count.” she said. “They live here too. And they’re the worst.”
Again, I couldn’t argue with that.
“Haseul, when is this going to end?” Yeojin asked, and my heart ached at the slight desperation that shone through her voice. “Dad died over a year ago, and we’ve been living this hell for months. You know it’s time to go.”
I swallowed. It had been awhile since Yeojin had spoken to me so directly, since she had mentioned dad at all.
I still remembered when I had used this room to practice my ballroom dancing, giggling with Yeojin as we stumbled over our own feet and tried our best to play the grand piano propped up in the corner of the room. Our dad would come home and give a big smile, laughing at our horrible efforts. He’d ruffle our hair and set his stuff aside to dance with us. By the end, we were all roaring with laughter and our cheeks hurt from smiling so wide.
And then that... woman had arrived.
“Haseul?” Yeojin asked, ripping me away from my memories. Her voice was a lot quieter this time, as if she knew exactly where I’d just gone.
I shook my head, pushing away the memories. “You know things have changed, Yeo,” I told her. “Dad’s gone, and we don’t have anywhere else to go. This is our home. ”
Yeojin looked at me with tired eyes. “Is it really our home without dad?” she asked quietly. “He’s gone, and now this witch -”
“Oh
dear.”
a sickeningly sweet voice interrupted Yeojin mid sentence.
My stomach dropped.
I turned to find the Lady of the house standing at the doorway of the ballroom, giving us a sharp look. In her right hand, she gripped the end of the long black cane she carried everywhere.
At first glance, she seemed unassuming, even kind, but I knew better. The clench of her jaw, the ever-present smirk on her face, the way she carried herself with an air of superiority wherever she went.
She was anything but kind.
The Lady tapped the cane twice against the hardwood floor, and the sound of it echoed throughout the empty room.
I couldn’t control my flinch.
“Did I interrupt your conversation?” The Lady asked in a tone that sent chills down my spine.
I looked over at Yeojin, only to find her pale face staring back at the Lady. “N-no, ma’am,” Yeojin stuttered. “We were just working on our chores -”
The Lady tapped the cane against the floor again, and Yeojin snapped her mouth shut. “Enough. Don’t lie to me.” she said. “If you think this time is an excuse for you to slack off and gossip, you are sorely mistaken.”
“Ma’am, please, we were just -” I tried.
She jerked her head towards me with a sharp glare, and my words caught in my throat.
“If the floor and windows aren’t spotless by dinnertime, you’re both spending a night in the shed.” she said, her words leaving no room for protest.
My face drained of color at the mention of the shed, and Yeojin and I both nodded at the Lady, eyes wide with alarm.
And with that, she was gone, turning and walking out of the room.
After the click of her heels had faded, I allowed myself a small sigh of relief. Turning back towards my sister, I found her already beginning to clean the windows.
I swallowed. I had wanted Yeojin to do her chores, but the sight of her dutifully scrubbing every single spot on the glass, her face pale and blank, was...unsettling.
Unease settled in the pit of my stomach as I turned back to my own work. The room was silent, aside from the sound of scrubbing and the occasional splash of water.
I sighed. Yeojin was right.
We had to get out of here.
Vivi :
“I’m going out!” I called over my shoulder as I made my way towards the exit of the bakery.
My mom’s head jerked up, and she gave me a warning look. “You better be careful, girl,” she said, eyes narrowed.
I laughed a little. “Of course, Mom.” I replied easily, continuing to walk out the door.
“And be back before dark!” my mom yelled. “It’s dangerous to be out so late!”
I nodded, waving goodbye to her before finally exiting our family bakery. It was early evening, so the streets weren’t too crowded yet. It was easy for me to make my way towards the edge of the city, especially since our bakery was located on the outskirts anyway.
There was a large wall surrounding Mobius, but I knew ways around it. Specifically, the hole in the wall from years ago that still hadn't been fixed. Luckily, it worked in my favor.
I easily slipped out the city boundaries and began to make my way to the west. The area outside was mostly grasslands, flat and uninhabited, which made it relatively easy to see the rather large mansion in the distance. It was far, but I didn’t mind making the journey.
An involuntary smile crept onto my face at the thought of seeing Haseul again. We had begun seeing each other nearly every day now, sneaking in quick meetings at the side of the estate when her stepmother wasn’t home or wasn’t paying attention.
It had started innocently. I’d been making a routine delivery, albeit a little further from the city than I was used to. Haseul answered the door when I knocked, and there was an instant connection. I began making excuses to take care of all the deliveries since then, on the off-chance that I might see Haseul once again.
Luckily, even when I wasn’t delivering to the estate, we organized time to see each other. It was always too short, and Haseul was always nervous and on-edge the entire time, scared that her stepmother might find out, but it was enough for me.
Any time at all with Haseul was enough.
And it was with that thought in mind that I made my way towards the estate, a smile on my face and butterflies fluttering in my gut.
The walk was long, but it went by pretty fast as my mind was consumed with thoughts of Haseul.
Today was the day. I would ask her to run away with me. She deserved more than what she had, and she deserved to live a happy life away from those monsters in that house.
As I got closer to the estate, I made sure to crouch down in the tall grass to avoid being seen, creeping along the perimeter of the mansion and moving towards the large tree planted on the side of the building.
I made sure I was out of sight as I took a seat on the grass, leaning against the trunk of the tree. Fiddling with my fingers, I couldn’t help the wave of nerves that washed over me. I wondered what Haseul’s response might be. I knew she wanted to get away from this place, but I couldn’t help but worry about what I was asking.
After all, it was a big question, asking someone to leave their entire life behind.
I was consumed with my thoughts as I waited anxiously for Haseul to arrive. I absentmindedly fiddled with the small box in my pocket, taking a deep breath to try and calm my nerves once again.
Finally, after what felt like hours, I heard hesitant footsteps approaching the tree from the left. I stumbled to my feet, peeking around the side of the trunk to find Haseul walking towards me.
She looked radiant, even in a simple sundress. Her eyes shone with happiness as she met my gaze, and her face broke into a beautiful smile. I couldn’t help the smile that spread across my face, either.
We embraced, and Haseul nuzzled her face into my neck, releasing a shaky breath. It wasn't hard to tell that something had happened since we’d last spoken.
When we separated, I reached out and grasped both her hands in mine, giving her a concerned look. “What happened?” I asked, furrowing my brows.
Haseul shook her head, waving me off, but my face didn't change. She sighed, gripping my hands a bit tighter. “It’s just something that happened this morning.” she said. “Yeojin and I nearly got in trouble with the Lad - with my stepmother.”
I scowled at the mention of the woman of the house. I knew how poorly she treated Haseul and her sister, and the very thought of anyone hurting either of them left a bitter taste in my mouth and a burning anger in my gut. “But you didn’t?” I pushed. “You guys are okay, right?”
Haseul nodded. “We’re fine, it was just a close call.” she assured me.
I released a small sigh of relief, but I could still see something was bothering her. “There’s more, isn’t there?” I asked.
Haseul swallowed. “It’s just something Yeo said this morning,” she answered. “She wants to get out of here as much as I do, but I’m just - I don’t know. We have to leave, I know that, but I don’t know where we’re supposed to go.”
She looked up at me, eyes shining. “This is our home,” she told me. “We don’t know anywhere else.”
I swallowed. Now was the perfect time to bring it up, the perfect time to spring the question.
Still, I was terrified. I opened my mouth to speak, but the words caught in my throat.
Haseul’s brows furrowed. “Vivi?” she asked, picking up on my sudden show of nerves.
I took a deep breath, steeling myself and reaching a hand into the pocket of my pants. “I wanted to ask you something.” I said, presenting a small box.
Haseul gasped as I opened it, revealing a necklace that I commissioned a few weeks ago. It was a simple piece, a chain with a charm attached at the end, a miniature bird figurine, but Haseul looked near-tears as I presented the necklace to her.
“ These past few months with you have been...amazing,” I breathed, my voice a little shaky.
Haseul reached a hand up to cover her mouth, carefully lifting the necklace up to give it a good look. Her eyes shone with love as she took in the small details of the jewelry.
“You deserve better than this, Haseul,” I told her, my voice becoming firmer. “I want to give you better.”
Haseul looked up at me in confusion. I smiled at her, noticing the way her eyes shone with unshed tears. “Vivi, I - what?” she asked.
“Run away with me,” I finally managed. “I won’t be able to give you everything you deserve, but it’ll be better than this. And we’ll be together.”
Haseul blinked, and her eyes filled with shock. “B - But Yeojin?” she asked, shaking her head.
“She can come with us,” I told her.
Haseul shook her head, clearly overwhelmed. I reached out and placed my hand on her shoulder, meeting her gaze. “Haseul,” I said, urging her to listen. “You need to leave this place. You and Yeojin.”
Haseul seemed at a loss for words, and I sighed, squeezing her shoulder to offer her some assurance. I knew this was an overwhelming decision, and I was willing to give her however long she needed. “It’s okay, take some time to think about it,” I whispered. Leaning forward and pressing out foreheads together, I took a deep breath. “I’ll wait for you.”
Haseul said nothing, but her slow nod and the soft smile she gave me said enough.
We stayed like that for a while, simply enjoying each other’s presence, until a screeching voice from the mansion made us both jump.
Haseul jerked her head back towards the building, alarm clear on her face. “It’s her. I have to go,” she told me with a frown. “I’m sorry I can’t give you an answer just yet.”
I nodded at her, but a frown overtook my face as well. Our farewells were always bittersweet. “It’s okay, Haseul.” I assured her. “Take all the time you need.”
Just as Haseul opened her mouth to say more, the voice sounded again, louder this time. I felt anger burning in my gut as Haseul flinched at the sound and looked back over her shoulder. “Go,” I said, waving towards the mansion with a scowl on my face. “I don’t want you to get into any more trouble over me.”
Haseul’s eyes lingered on me for a moment, and I furrowed my brows in confusion. Then, she leaned forwards and pressed her lips against mine, reaching up her hand and cupping my cheek.
My brain stopped functioning for a moment as we kissed, and, too soon, Haseul was pulling away, giving me a sweet smile.
I could only watch as Haseul began moving back towards the mansion, looking over her shoulder to call, “You’re worth a little trouble,” she called. “Trust me.”
My heart fluttered, even after Haseul was long gone, her silhouette fading from view as she entered the mansion once again.
With a sigh, I began my long trek back to the bakery. Although our time together was short, I was grateful to be able to see Haseul at all.
My gut twisted with anger once again at the thought of Haseul and her sister staying in that place with that horrible woman. It was unfair that they should be subjected to such treatment, especially by someone who should care for them.
A couple weeks after she and I began our meetings, Haseul had told me how she and Yeojin ended up with their stepmother.
Apparently, the woman had come into their life a couple years back, charming their father with pretty words and a beautiful face. Yeojin and Haseul had known better, easily seeing through the woman’s fake smile and personality, but there was nothing they could do to stop their father from marrying the woman, especially after the recent death of the mother. She brought with her heavy debts and two bratty daughters, whom Haseul and Yeojin both hated. They didn’t like it, but they didn’t want to ruin their father’s happiness.
However, their father died only months later, under mysterious circumstances.
I grit my teeth at the thought. They were trapped in that house, and I wanted nothing more than to get them out.
I just hoped that the next time I saw Haseul, she’d have an answer for me.
With a sigh, I glanced up at the sight of the city in the distance. While it was clearly visible, just as it normally was, something was wrong.
A dark cloud was hovering over the town, looking rather ominous and scary.
When I looked back down, a chill ran down my spine as I finally realized what exactly was wrong.
In the distance, Mobius was burning.
Jinsol :
I groaned, slamming my head in the desk with a bang. I had been reading this damn spellbook for the past two hours, and I was still no closer to being able to cast an invisibility charm.
“It’s no use!” I called, exasperation entering my tone. “You know I can’t cast anything. I barely even have magic.”
There was no response, but I could hear a familiar sigh from the other room. As footsteps sounded throughout the small house, I shrank a little as my master came into view at the doorway of the room.
Despite her young appearance, Chungha had lived for many years, and she was the wisest person Jinsol knew. In addition, she was also the kindest, considering she had still taken Jinsol as her apprentice despite her inability to cast even the most basic of spells.
Chungha frowned. “Don’t say that, Jinsol,” she chastised me. “I know you struggle with some spells, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have magical ability.”
I felt a familiar annoyance enter my gut. “What else is it supposed to mean?” I asked, standing from my seat at the table and throwing my hands into the air in exasperation. “I can barely do anything.”
Chungha sighed, but she still offered me an understanding smile. “I’ve told you before, and I’ll tell you again,” she said, approaching me and resting her hands on my shoulders. “This takes time. You have to stick with it, or else you’ll get nowhere.”
I held her gaze for a moment before offering a stiff nod, slumping over a bit. Taking a seat back in the chair, I shot a scowl at the book still lying flat on the table.
Chungha seemed to pick up on my distaste, and she laughed a little, shaking her head. “C’mon, you’ve been studying for a while,” she said, waving me over. “Come help me with dinner.”
I shot her a grateful smile, and wasted no time before slamming the old, dusty book shut and leaping up from my chair.
Chungha rolled her eyes, already walking over to the kitchen. I followed gleefully, curious to see what she was working on for our meal. Walking into the kitchen, my eyes widened at the sight that greeted me.
All around the kitchen, utensils were flying through the air, stirring stew in a pot and slicing vegetables and other ingredients. The dishes in the sink were washing themselves, splashing water haphazardly on the tiled floor, which was almost immediately cleaned up by a floating towel.
“You need my help?” I asked, confused. “Looks like you’ve got it covered in here.”
Chungha shot me a devious smile over her shoulder as she walked up to the pot on the stove. She reached out a hand, snapping her fingers.
The knives cutting the vegetables ceased their movements and fell to the counter with a clatter. “Cut the vegetables.” my master said, jerking her head to the counter as she tasted the stew in the pot. “It builds character.”
I gave her a disbelieving look before scoffing and accepting my fate. Trudging over to the counter, I begrudgingly picked up the knife and began slicing. I muttered a few choice words under my breath, only for Chungha to jerk around and throw a stray over mitt at my head.
“Hey!” I cried, reaching a hand up and cradling the spot where I’d been struck with the mitt. Still, even as I tried to remain angry, I couldn’t keep a smile from my face.
Seeing a similar smile from Chungha, I took it as my signal to pick up the mitt and throw it right back at her.
She simply caught it midair and rolled her eyes at me. I stuck out my tongue in response, turning around to continue my vegetable slicing.
“Once you finish, go ahead and go out to the well to grab some more water,” Chungha told me, resuming her assessment of the stew in the protest.
I turned around to complain even more, but Chungha shot me a sharp glance, raising her eyebrow as if daring me to say anything. I quickly swallowed my complaints and turned to finish cutting the vegetables.
Once I finished, I wordlessly made me way towards the door, grabbing the bucket propped up against the frame. I met eyes with Chungha very briefly, sticking my tongue out at her and bolting out the door before she could hex me.
Even as I left the cabin, I could hear her annoyed yells from outside.
Laughing to myself I began the trek towards the well.
The cabin was rather isolated, a couple miles out from the busy hub of the city. It was convenient both for practicing magic and avoiding any sort of resistance from the close-minded people living in the city. I was used to hearing anti-magic propaganda, so it wasn’t surprising that Chungha chose to live so far out. Besides, it wasn’t exactly out of the ordinary for people to be opposed to magic. After the Park family had taken control of the kingdom, nearly all magic had become taboo.
Shaking away my thoughts, I turned my focus to the well located far across the field. Unfortunately, it was nearly a half-mile away from the cottage, for whatever reason. It made getting fresh water rather inconvenient
Still, the long walk passed relatively quickly, and, before I knew it, I had arrived at the well. I reached out for the rope, beginning to pull up a bucket of water. It was an arduous task, and I was sweating by the time the bucket emerged from the darkness of the well, despite the chill in the air.
I took a breath, leaning against the wall of the well and peering out into the distance, narrowing my eyes at the city. The sun was beginning to set, so it was difficult to see, but my eyes widened at the sight of a large smoke cloud emerging from the center of the town.
The city seemed to be...on fire?
At least, that’s what it looked like. Distantly, I could see black shadows swarming around the center of the city. They were too dark to be clouds, and the way they moved was...unnatural.
Regardless of what they were, something was very clearly wrong. I shook my head, immediately dropping the bucket of water back into the well before turning back towards the direction of the cabin, intent on informing Chungha of this new development.
However, horror twisted in my gut as the shadows swarming the city seemed to separate, splitting up into all different directions. My heart pounded in my chest as I watched one of the shadows start to speed directly in the direction of our cottage.
As the shadow got closer and closer, my eyes widened in horror as I recognized it for what it really was.
A demon of some sorts was flying through the air at inhuman speeds, its twisted, black form barely visible as it sped by.
Before I knew it, my feet were carrying me in the direction of the cottage. I knew, logically, that I would be unable to get there before the demon, no matter how fast I ran, but my mind was consumed with only thoughts of Chungha.
She wasn’t ready, she didn’t know what was coming.
I had to warn her.
My heart thundered in my chest as I pushed myself harder, but the cabin was simply too far.
The demon shot through the roof as if it were made of straw, bringing down the ceiling with a huge crash.
I stumbled, nearly falling over as the roof collapsed and the cottage shuddered with the impact. Still, I didn’t stop. If there was even the smallest chance that Chungha had survived, I had to help her.
But I was still going too damn slow.
Tears pricked the back of my eyes as I heard a very familiar shout ring throughout the air. I was still rather far away, but the sound rang clearly in my ears. I stumbled again, briefly falling to the grass before recklessly pushing myself up and forcing my legs to keep running.
I knew I was too late, though.
I was nearly at the cottage when the demon once again burst through the roof, perching on the edge of the cottage like a demented gargoyle.
Now that I was closer, I could see the demon’s form even more clearly. It was vaguely humanoid in figure, though far too tall and skinny to be natural. It’s limbs twisted into unnatural angles and on the ends of both its arms and legs lie deadly claws that looked sharp enough to cut through anything. Emerging from its back was a pair of huge, leathery wings.
On pure instinct alone, I dropped to the ground, praying that the tall grass of the field would hide me from the creature.
However, even on the ground, I still had a good view of the creature still perched on the roof of the cabin. Its eyes scanned the grass, and a chill ran down my spine as I looked into the soulless black pits of its eye sockets.
Its gaze lingered on the grass for only a moment longer before it was leaping into the air once again, already headed back towards the city, the thunderous beats of its wings echoing through the empty field.
I stayed still for a moment, my heart beating impossibly fast. I forced myself to take a breath, steeling myself before pushing off the ground and stumbling back to my feet.
Tears filled my eyes as I took in the ruins of what had once been my home. The roof was completely caved in, the wreckage of which had crashed into the sides of the cottage, as well as the windows, destroying almost the entire house.
Still, I needed to find Chungha. She might still be alive somewhere in there.
I stumbled forward, brows furrowed in concern as I tried my best to enter the wreckage.
I found a way around the rubble, pushing aside the ruins of what had once been our front door and stepping into the cottage. It was quiet, other than a small, repetitive tapping sound. Glancing around, I found the source was a kitchen knife trapped under a fallen bookshelf. It was still affected by Chungha’s magic, desperately attempting to free itself from its entrapment.
I decided to help it out, lifting the bookshelf just a bit to allow the knife to go free. I barely dodged the blade as if it flew out from under the shelf, speeding through the air and back towards what remained of the kitchen.
I took it as a good sign. If Chungha’s magic still had effect, that meant she was still alive.
From the kitchen, I heard a quiet cough. My heart stuttered in my chest at the sound, and I immediately moved towards the kitchen, eyes wide and searching for any trace of my master.
Unfortunately, the sight that greeted me wasn’t a pleasant one.
Blood was splattered across various surfaces of the kitchen, and the ruins of our counter and stove were scattered haphazardly across the floor.
In the very corner of the room, weakly propped up against the wall, Chungha was pressing her hand against her abdomen. Both of her hands were covered in blood, and she looked rather pale.
I wasted no time before stumbling over to her, nearly tripping over the fallen pot of stew as I did. “Master!” I yelled, my voice cracking and tears filling my eyes.
Chungha looked up at me with a weak smile. “Jinsol,” she managed. “You’re okay.”
I looked at her in horror, my eyes filling with panic as I took in the extent of her injuries. Her dress was torn, presumably clawed open by those vicious claws that I had seen earlier. The source of all the blood seemed to be four wicked gashes torn into her abdomen, too deep to be anything but fatal.
“Master, I - I’ll cast a spell, I’ll heal you,” I stammered, blinking the tears out of my eyes and desperately looking around for anything to help.
“Jinsol, stop,” Chungha told me.
“No, no,” I murmured, running my hands through my hair and looking at her with panicked eyes. “There has to be something! Tell me what to do!”
Chungha simply shook her head at me, releasing a strained breath. “It’s too late for me, apprentice, we both know that.”
“B - but, I could cast -”
“No, you need to listen to me,” Chungha told me, her voice hard despite her shaky hands. She pointed towards the living room. “Go to the where the bookshelf was and find the panel on the wall.”
I gave her a confused look, but, seeing the urgency in her eyes, I wiped away my tears and walked back towards the living room.
It took me no time at all to find the compartment, and, when I looked inside, I found a long, rectangular box.
“I got it,” I said, running back into the kitchen with the box held tightly in my grasp.
Chungha nodded at me and reached out with trembling, blood covered hands to take the box. I watched with wide eyes as she opened it to reveal a wand of some sorts. It was ornate, clearly hand crafted and carved with intricate designs all down the sides.
“Is that -” I stuttered, shocked that Chungha had a wand. I didn’t even know there were any wands left at all, not after the great purging of magic.
Chungha paid me no mind, lifting the wand from the box and raising it to her lips. As I watched in awe, Chungha muttered a series of words under her breath, too low to be audible. The wand seemed to respond, the cracks in the wood and the creasings of the carving lighting up with a light blue glow.
As soon as it started, it was over, and the wand was back to normal, the glow quickly fading after Chungha stopped talking.
Chungha coughed, and I immediately went to help, reaching out to help her sit up a little. She simply waved me off, fixing me with a serious look.
“Jinsol, I need you to listen very closely,” she told me. “This wand is the last in existence. You have to keep it safe.”
My eyes widened, and I shook my head. “No, no, I can’t take that -”
“You can, and you will,” Chungha said firmly. “You are my apprentice, and there is no one I trust more.”
My eyes lingered on the wand for a moment before I finally gave her a resigned nod, taking the wand from her hand and returning my gaze to meet hers.
“Keep it safe, and let no one know you have it,” Chungha said, her voice becoming more and more unsteady every second. “The only ones who can know are those you truly trust.”
She coughed, and tears filled my eyes as she slumped over a bit more, her eyes becoming slightly glazed over.
“Only one can wield the wand,” she said, but her words were slurring, becoming less and less intelligible. “You have to find her.”
“What?” I asked desperately, my voice cracking. “I don’t understand.”
Chungha simply looked up at me with unfocused eyes. “I’m so proud of you, Jinsol,” she said, and I felt my heart physically break. “You are my legacy.”
“Master,” I cried, reaching out and grabbing her hand, squeezing it tightly, as though it were a lifeline. “Chungha, I -”
“Be safe, Jinsol,” Chungha sighed, closing her eyes and slumping over completely. “You are so much more...than...what you think.”
“ Chungha!” I yelled, my voice raw with emotion. My hands were white with how much I was squeezing my master’s hand, but it was no use.
Chungha was gone.
And I was alone.