A/N:
Typos and errors ahead! No time to proofread sorry🤧
———
Minju is really gone. Yunjin herself couldn't believe it either. She doesn't want to believe. It felt like yesterday when she was still a beggar in the outskirts of Falkari Port, a town on the boundary of Central Empire. She was an orphan with no family to rely on, that until Minju found her.
The palace was Yunjin's home being welcomed with warmth. Her family.
What happened? Yunjin herself couldn't figure out. Chaewon was like her mother, and it hurts her the most remembering the way she glared at her like she was a plague.
Eunchae is all that filled Yunjin's concern. Her safety. And to bring her out of this city is one reason why she enrolled in the Academy. She knew nothing of Chaewon's rage back then. And most definitely she knew nothing of what they will do to Eunchae and herself if they stay longer in Gafrosa.
Even if it means running away from the boundaries of the Empire, Yunjin will. For Eunchae's sake.
Liz's silly idea was an opportunity Yunjin took for her purpose. If it's the haunted ruins they're after, Yunjin will make sure they will be gone by then.
But Yunjin wasn't sure if she can survive this chaos.
"Jiwon— move your butt!"
"It's Liz! Okay? L-Liz— can we stop for a moment please?"
"What have you eaten?? You smell like rotten egg!"
"Just... some be—" she exploded fart.
"Arghhh! Jiwon!" Eunchae.
"I'm inhaling poison!" Leeseo.
"It's the beans— oh fuck this I'm gonna shit. Stop the carriage!"
"THE CARRIAGE IS LEVITATING!"
"JIWON-UNNIE CALM DOWN!"
"I'M ABOUT TO SHIT!"
"YOU WANNA SHIT ON THE CLOUDS?!"
"Your mana Jiwon-unnie! You're taking us up!!"
"MY SHIT!"
Yunjin runs her palm all over her face, more than dismay she felt.
They're levitating up in the air, their carriage reeks of deadly fart.
Yunjin tried to ignore the ruckus inside and kicked the door open. She looks down and instantly knew death will only await them if they fall down. Liz had really taken them far up. She sighs in grieve disbelief.
"LET IT RAIN SHIT!" It was the final resort. Liz lets it go through the hole she punched on the floor.
"Yuck!" "You disgust me!" Leeseo and Eunchae groans as they turned around. Fingers pinching their nostrils close.
"What?? It's good fertilizer for the plants below!"
"Just finish your business quick!"
Yunjin gave up. She opened the door and climbed to the roof of the vehicle where she found Gaeul there, sitting laxly. She was holding horse's leash controlling the direction of their ride.
"Good air, huh?" Yunjin scoffs after she set her foot on the rooftop. It wasn't really a humble greeting but rather a sarcastic one.
Gaeul eyes Yunjin as she sits down in quiet a distance away. "Well... was it wise letting that idiot Choi take your position, team leader?"
"I simply wasn't expecting you'd set me up on purpose."
"You have the experience, have you not?"
"And you are a royal."
Gaeul smiles. The same smile Yunjin finds annoying. "She isn't so bad. Floating means less encounter with spirit beasts than traveling on ground."
"I'm certain she hadn't have that in mind. Merely panicking and let her mana surge out. Unconsciously."
"See forward. The city's just ahead of us."
Yunjin raised her head to look at where Gaeul pertains and indeed, she can see Gafrosa city just beyond the thin clouds.
"I thought you want to run away? And yet you'll be bringing her back there again."
Yunjin pursed her lips. "Just... this time. Once we take the portal we won't ever come bac—" she stopped. Her eyes widened and instantly looks at Gaeul. "You know?"
Gaeul only silenced. Staring blankly at the city ahead.
"Gaeul!" Yunjin moves beside Gaeul, almost no distance this time. She stared at Gaeul's face wanting to read her, but damn if she was a book Gaeul would be a wordless one. "How did you know??"
"From a certain someone. News come whispering to her ears."
"Someone else knew?!"
"Oh," The gray haired gracefully placed fingers on her lips. "Must've slipped off my mouth." It was obvious sarcasm even Yunjin can see.
"Who told you?! Who else knew??"
"We're here," the city is just below them. Gaeul stands up as if she didn't say anything a few seconds ago. She made a little stair of ice and made way into the carriage, greeting her was the sight of the kids shaking the soul out of the unconscious Liz.
"Gaeul-unnie!" Leeseo cries. "Help! Jiwon-unnie is dead!"
Eunchae smacks the back of Leeseo's head.
"Ow!"
"She's not dead!"
It surprised Gaeul somehow. She stared at Leeseo and figured her tears were... genuine.
"Hey what's going on?!" Yunjin peeked her head from above. "The carriage is going down a little too quick."
"Wake up!" Eunchae slaps Liz but she's not waking up.
"Unnie!" Leeseo came to the unconscious one, more tears fell. "Wake up!"
"Why are you crying?! She's not dead!" Eunchae argues.
"What if she won't wake up?"
"Hyunseo...."
"Don't worry," Gaeul went inside and patted Leeseo's shoulder. "She only exhausted her mana. She'll wake up." She wiped the younger's tears.
"Hey!" Yunjin peeked her head again. More worry in her voice this time, "the horse here is panicking!"
"Hold Jiwon," Gaeul instructed the two younger ones and stepped out. The air strikes her immediately as soon as she exposed herself out the carriage. "Calm the horse, Yunjin," she told seeing the poor animal causing the carriage to shake.
"I'm trying! Tell Liz to float us back up we're falling!"
"She's asleep."
"She what?!" Yunjin pulled the leash to make the horse stable. It's hard containing it due to the fall. "The speed's catching up, Gel, do something!"
"Oh, keep calling me that name I like it."
"Be serious! The kids are inside!"
"They'll be safe. Hold on," Gaeul waited. Her eyes narrowed as she look down, patiently waiting for the perfect height, before she opens her palms and throws platforms of ice below like a slide.
The carriage landed on the ice and it follows the path Gaeul had continuously created. Eunchae and Leeseo held Liz tighter while Yunjin secured the horse.
They made themselves prepared for the impact. The carriage shakes as it slid downwards. Till they hit the ground, a wreckage it caused. Dust of soil exploded upon impact while pieces of woods from the carriage flies.
"Argh," Yunjin groans, wincing from the pain on her front. She landed flat on her stomach. She rubs the back of her head and pushed herself up with her elbows. She looked above when she heard the horse neigh, only to realize it ran away.
"The kids," that woke up her entire system. She bolted up and looked through the wrecked carriage i front. "Jiwon? Hyunseo!" She calls, lifting up the woods. "Manchae!"
"No need to shout."
Gaeul's voice made Yunjin turn around. She then sighs in relief seeing a ball of ice beside the gray-haired, it slowly melts until it revealed the three younger ones hugging each other.
Yunjin came to them and checked, relieved to see that they received no injury.
"The city's just ahead. Let's enter," Gaeul ordered, took the lead. The gates of Gafrosa is just in front of them.
"Leeseo, let's go," Eunchae calls when she noticed Leeseo fell behind. She realized she lifts the woods and buried further within the carriage as if she's in search for something.
"What are you looking for?"
"My..." she didn't tell and just continued searching. Her Mom's sword... her eyes had already shed tears as she desperately looks for it. "Help me find it, Eunchae." She digs deeper, her nails already bleed, "Mom..."
Hearing that, Eunchae immediately came and helped her dig up.
"Is this it?" Yunjin showed them a sheath she picked from the ground. She handed it to Leeseo.
The younger then wiped her face and smiled, "yes, thank you." She tied the rope around her waist and let the sheath hang securely.
"I'll take Jiwon to a healer. You watch over them," Yunjin told Gaeul. She lifted Liz over her shoulder and disappeared from their sight.
They walked for a while. Leeseo and Eunchae only following where Gaeul goes. Until the older turns to them, "do you want to go to a healer?"
"We're fine." Eunchae.
Gaeul takes a second look at them and they seemed fine. She stopped for a moment, eyes gazed at the atmosphere the Gafrosa City has. Bright, very different from Blizholde.
"Ow!" Leeseo bumped onto Gaeul's back, not really paying attention to her path, resulting to Eunchae stumbling on her.
"Look where you're watching!"
"You bumped too!"
These kids... Gaeul is worried. Eunchae having to possess no magic while Leeseo refused to use magic. The world is too dangerous for them, especially now that they're venturing out to the unknown.
Gaeul looks at them, watching them bicker nonsense. Her eyes subconsciously looks down towards the sheath hanging on Leeseo's waist. A thought popped out her mind.
She smiles. "Now I know what you need."
———
"No— DON'T TAKE ME THERE!" Leeseo persisted. She forced to pull her hand off from Eunchae's grip.
Eunchae is slowly filled up. Leeseo has no match for her strength yet she's too annoying to hold. If it ain't for Gaeul telling her to do so, she could've already let her wonder to wherever and get lost.
"It's not a torture room, Hyunseo," Eunchae pulls her inside.
Leeseo keeps persisting with a wail. "Noooo! I already have a sword!" Certainly, that's enough to tell she hated weapons as much as she hates magic. Just recalling back at the physical exam, the discrimination and those laughter she received because she couldn't lift a sword crush the dignity in her heart. She swore by shame to never wield any weapon again.
Yuna's sword will be the only one.
"No!" She cried. Dramatically.
"Gaeul-unnie is already in there!"
"I can't! Mom's sword will get jealous if I touch other weapons!"
"Your Mom's sword is n—" Eunchae stopped herself. Oh for all glory does she not want to make Leeseo cry. Crying Leeseo is just so annoying.
"Hong Eunchae."
They both froze. Damn Gaeul's voice alone is frostbite.
"Why me?" Eunchae gulps. On the side of her vision she can see well Leeseo's smug face.
"Come in. Something awaits you." She turns around and walks back inside.
Does Leeseo have a choice?
Clearly. No. Even if Gaeul called only Eunchae, Leeseo had seen how the older's eyes pierced her before she turned away. It was the warning.
So they entered. Weapons of different sorts greets them. Swords, daggers, bows and arrows, whips, and other more. Eunchae was mesmerized. And one thing that caught her eyes were the displayed daggers.
"Dagger, is it?"
"Huh?"
"Follow me," Gaeul led the way. Leeseo and Eunchae looks at each other doubtingly before following the older.
They proceed to the stairs next floor. And up. Until the top most section. The two younger noticed there's less people— no, rather they're the only people.
"Lady Kang," one man, in formal clothing bowed at them and not only Gaeul. "I am Min Relo, this floor's owner. Let me show you the weapons you had asked." He led the way and showed then a box of glass where inside lies various blades. Swords, daggers, needles, and such.
"All made of top quality materials. This, the Sun Spear, made of the the finest sun obsidian. That arrowhead on the corner contains the deadly poison of the Cloud Serpent."
"I need a dagger." Gaeul cut him off.
"A dagger I see. Fortunately, we have the finest dagger made. Here," he showed him another box of glass, a smaller one contains only one blade displayed very carefully.
Eunchae had her palm over the glass, mesmerized by the weapon. The curved blade was total darkness. It was so black that Eunchae couldn't see her reflection in it. The handle being beautifully carved, and on its end there was a figure of a scorpion where lays on top of it a gem of pure black.
"This dagger was hand crafted from the spirit beast that once destroyed Mihuabre Sanctum. The Fiend Scorprion, also known as the Soul Eater. Its tail was made into this blade, it produces venom more deadly than the Cloud Serpent's. And the handle, as you can see, is made from its external bones. And that on the handle is the beast's spirit gem. It still possess within it the mana of the Fiend Scorpion." He looks at Gaeul, hinted in his eyes his uneasiness. "Are you sure of this, M'lady?"
"Why do you seem as if you don't want me touching that thing?"
"Well... this dagger is cursed. The Scorpion's destructive desire is still well alive in its gem. It was held once.... he was petrified."
"I see. I want it."
"B-But—"
"A million platinum coins in this ring." Before he can even speak, Gaeul had already handed him a spatial ring which contains the amount. He was stunned. A million is too much, the dagger worths less than that. But after he got pierced by Gaeul's sharp gaze, he didn't oppose more and packed the dagger.
"Here it is," after a while, Relo returned with a box. It was made of gold. Gaeul opened it and the dagger was carefully laid inside as well as its own sheath also made from external bones of the beast. It matched well with the blade. She nods in satisfaction.
"Eunchae," she calls.
Eunchae hesitated. Does Gaeul want me petrified? Because if so, she's definitely dead. She even looked back to Leeseo only to see the younger being mindless, frozen, staring at nowhere. Eunchae had no hopes asking help from her. She heard Gaeul calls her again so she walks near.
"This is yours."
"Well... Thank you? Indeed. But... well, your majesty—"
"Majesty sounds aberrant coming from you." Gaeul handed her the box in a way she'd have no choice but receive it. "Do you trust me?"
Such sudden question, Eunchae wasn't able to answer immediately.
Gaeul judges she might not yet. She leaned away and smiled. "The day you touch that dagger is the day I gain your trust. I'll wait for that day, Eunchae."
Eunchae looks down at the box, feeling the carved sculpture before she opened it. The finest dagger... she can't believe it's just on her hands. But the fear of its petrifying curse made her close the box again. She sighs.
"A shadow is worthless in a sea of darkness." Gaeul said before she left.
What was that supposed to mean?
Before she could ask anything, the older had already left. Even Relo is gone.
"Where'd she go?" She asked. There's no answer.
She turned around, only to crease her eyebrows seeing Leeseo in the same position as earlier. Mindless, frozen, staring at nowhere.
"Leeseo," she calls. "Hey!"
Only then Leeseo was snapped back to mind when Eunchae waves her hand on her face. "Y-yeah?"
"Is there something wrong? You don't have to wield other weapon if you don't want to."
Leeseo shakes her head. "It's not that.... Nevermind. Let's follow Gaeul."
There's definitely something wrong. It's unlikely of her how she addressed Gaeul without honorific. Eunchae stared at how Leeseo walks away. She just sighs and follows.
While Leeseo... she can't get her mind straight.
Mihuabere....
———
"How are you?" Yunjin slid in from the curtains and sat beside Liz's bed.
"What happened? What is this place?" Liz had just gained consciousness. Blinking her eyes, she slowly sat up.
"Healer's infirmary. You wasted too much of your mana."
"I did? I don't even remember using magic."
"You panicked, Jiwon. The fact that you don't realize exerting your own mana tells me how dumb you are." Yunjin slaps the younger's head with the back of her palm.
"Ow?? You just injured a patient— and it's Liz!!"
Yunjin knocked on her head like a coconut.
"Ow! What're you— hey!"
"Hmm.... It seems you're fine. Stand up and let's go."
"Huhh?? Where— wait up!"
Seeing Jiwon being well, Yunjin had no more reason to stay longer. She has to reunite with the others so they could leave immediately.
"Where are the others?" Liz asked as they walked through the streets.
"Searching for us probably."
"And we're looking for them too! Wait, how does that work?"
Liz wasn't paying attention. She bumped into Yunjin. "Ow! Have you found— hmm!"
"Shush you loud mouth," Yunjin covered Liz's mouth with her palm. She pulled her into one corner and squeezed into the small space.
"Are we hiding??"
"I said shush!" Yunjin screamed in whisper. She peaks out, only to hide back again when she saw royal knights on patrol. "Shit!"
"Why are we hid—"
Yunjin shoved a cloth in Liz's mouth.
She looks behind the wall, biting her lips. It made her nervous because there's not only one. A lot of knights are scattered all across the city. Fuck. I completely forgot the patrol.
"Liz."
Liz spits out the cloth. "Finally you called me that! Now why are we whispering?"
Yunjin handed her a knife. "When I count to three, I want you to stab me."
Liz observes the knife. "Oh sure. Easy as fart— WAIT WHAT?!"
"2!"
"Where's the one?!"
"3!"
"YUNJIN WHAT THE FUCK!"