The Wild Wolf Woman

Prologue

A/N: Starts from chapter 18 to chapter 19 of the Shut Hell manga.

P.S. I imagine that what Yurul played for Shut Hell was this song.

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The night before my execution, I was stripped off of my clothes and my hands and feet were in wooden shackles. I was gagged with a white cloth. As I tried to sleep, all of a sudden, the cloth was untied and my body moved backwards, falling to the ground.

I was overjoyed to see a familiar face before my execution. "Yurul! You're not sick anymore!" I cried out in joy. He remained silent though, still trying to break the cage that held me. My smile turned into a sad one. "It's useless, you can't break this cage by yourself."

"Don't feel ashamed, Yurul." I said. "Being the only one to survive, thinking you're a coward, wanting to cry so much that it hurts, I know exactly how you feel. That time, I, alone, survived, but then, I was able to meet you."

I struggled to write characters on the ground but did not falter. "And now look, I can even write like you taught me."

He stopped and dropped the metal pole he had been using to try to break the cage. "I can teach you...so much more, if only...we had...more time..."

"For the one who protects the Tangut's legacy." I began. "For your "nice words"... I tried to change the way I lived...That day, I blamed myself for having survived. I killed and killed, but I was actually waiting for my own demise."

Yurul began to cry, clenching his hat so hard so that he could hide his tears. "It's my fault...my "nice words" will kill you..."

"You're wrong." My face held a look of gratefulness. "You gave me back my life. Don't cry Yurul...thank you. Whether you can protect Tangut's legacy or not, I love you."

I looked up though my face was hidden by my bangs. "Yurul, you don't have to dig me a grave. Instead, could you please, before dawn, play that song for me?" I requested.

I listened to the soulful music until the darkness began to recede and light was starting to rise.

"Don't come to the execution, forget about me." I told him.

"I can't do that, I could never forget you..." He said. I turned to see his eyes red and puffy and still full of tears.

Hmph, silly kid.

"That string..." I muttered and he immediately understood.

He cut it with a knife and then tied into a neat tie. He placed it near my face and I grabbed it with my mouth then swallowed it. "Go, now." I ordered him. "Your song will always be with me."

After he left, the time soon came. I was forcefully pulled out of the cage and started to walk towards my death.