(Yunho's origin story pov)
~ Back in 1652
Why can't she see me? I am prepared to offer her my entire heart, even willing to sacrifice my own existence, yet she remains entangled with Hongjoong.
I still vividly recall the moment I held her in my embrace, our hearts intertwined as one. We made a solemn vow to never part ways. I promised her the world and more. And yet, it seems that all she yearns for is him.
Seated in the dimly lit town house, my hands clenched tightly. This couldn't be the end, not after all we had built together.
Our life was once filled with such beauty, until his arrival, like a thief in the night, tore her away from my grasp. I had believed that our love was eternal, a bond that could never be broken. Sujin...
How could fate be so cruel as to introduce that repugnant pirate into our lives at this precise moment? The mere thought of him disgusts me to my very core. The bed we once shared, now tainted by his presence, became a place of torment and anguish. And any semblance of joy that dared to approach my desolate existence was swiftly taken out.
Without her, I am nothing but a hollow shell, a mere shadow of my former self. Each morning, I awaken with a fervent wish to be rid of my existence altogether. The sight of her entwined with him fills me with an overwhelming sense of revulsion.
The night was cold and still as my tears fell one by one onto the moonlit ground. My heart was shattered into a million pieces as I kept thinking of both of them together. I tried to shake my head of such thought.
The pain was unbearable, suffocating me. It felt as if the darkness of the night had seeped into my very soul. "Why me? Why can't I be with the woman I love? I did everything I could," Fury consumed me, demolishing everything within the confines of my home. "He can't win like that"
Lost in my despair, I had no control over my actions. A strange idea entered my mind, crazed and desperate. I sprinted through the streets, chased by my own delusions. Desperation gave birth to foolishness, as I found myself standing outside the eerie abode of a witch.
Before I could talk myself out of it, the front door creaked open, revealing a figure cloaked in darkness. A shiver traveled down my spine, but I had come too far to turn back now.
"Who dares disturb me at this hour?" The witch's voice echoed through the night. Her eyes fell upon me, piercing through my soul.
Her voice was deep and sinister as she spoke, "What brings thee to me, young man? A broken heart, perhaps?"
Tears streamed down my face as I nodded, unable to find the words to express my pain. "I want to forget her, to rid myself of this agony," I managed to choke out between sobs. "Please, help me"
The witch's laughter echoed off the walls, chilling me to the bone. "I can grant you your wish, young man. But be warned, there is a price to pay" Her malevolent smirk deepened, her nails tapping against the wooden table.
"I don't care about the price," I declared, desperation fueling my determination. The witch's eyes gleamed with twisted amusement as she scrutinized me.
"I yearn for her to taste the bitter sting of regret, to feel the weight of her decision to abandon me. And as for him, I desire nothing less than for him to suffer just as I have," I added, my voice now brimming with seething fury.
Her skeletal fingers extended toward me, wrapping around my wrist. "Very well. I shall grant your wish, but know this: once the transformation is complete, there is no going back"
Before I could comprehend her words, a flash of blinding light consumed me. When it subsided, I looked down at my hands, only to see pale, lifeless skin.
"What have you done to me?" I exclaimed, panic seeping through my newfound existence.
The witch's laughter filled the room once more. "I have turned you into a vampire, young man. Enjoy your newfound power and thirst"
As realization sunk in, horror and regret engulfed every fiber of my being. What had I done?
A deep hunger began to gnaw at my insides, leaving me feeling empty and void of any emotion.
•••
"Why did you take her life?" Hongjoong's voice quivered with anguish and agony as he cradled Sujin's lifeless body in his arms.
"I... I didn't mean to," I stammered, my heart heavy with guilt as I stood on the dock. The realization of my actions hit me like a tidal wave. "I didn't mean to," I repeated, my words trembling.
The rain poured down upon us, mirroring the sorrow and tragedy of her fate.
His eyes, tinged with sadness and despair, locked onto mine. "Look around you Yunho, you're responsible for the deaths of all those innocent people. Why? Because of jealousy? Couldn't you have set aside your own selfish desires and carried on with your life as any ordinary person would?" His voice trembled with a mix of anger and disbelief.
"You stole her from me. How could I be okay with a disgusting man like you stealing my precious Sujin? You never deserved her, not even for a single moment of your existence" I spat, my voice dripping with venom as I fought to hold back the tears that threatened to betray the seething anger within me.
Hongjoong scoffed in disbelief. "You're insane"
"Let's find out who the true crazy is" I impulsively forced him onto the dock, his body sprawling on the ground. I noticed his hands stained with Sujin's blood. Without hesitation, I tightened my grip around his throat.
"Yunho, you will forever be etched in everyone's memories as a mere murderer" Hongjoong managed to utter between ragged breaths.
"SHUT UP!" Every fiber of my being trembled with a newfound power. The transformation had consumed me, tearing away the remnants of my humanity and leaving behind a monstrous entity fueled by rage and bloodlust. Hongjoong's lips quivered, but he refused to look away from my relentless grip.
"How did we come to this?" Hongjoong whispered, a single tear slipping from his eye.
"Now, you will experience the agony of losing someone you love for eternity" My vision blurred with a red haze as monstrous instincts surged through me, urging me to react. I leaned forward, sinking my teeth into his exposed neck. The taste of copper flooded my mouth as blood trickled down, mingling with the raindrops that cascaded around us.
I turned him into a monster, mirroring my own existence. So that he'll suffer for the rest of his miserable eternal life.
I collapsed onto the dock beside him, the sound of the powerful waves crashing against it filling my ears. Gasping for air, I tasted the metallic tang of my enemy's blood trickling down my lips.
A sharp kick struck my side, jolting me out of my drenched stupor. Hongjoong rose from the wet deck, anger gleaming in his eyes. He didn't waste a moment, lunging forward and punching me in the jaw. Pain exploded through my face, and I could taste my own disgusting blood filling my mouth.
"You've taken everything from me!" His voice echoed through the air, tears of blood streaming down his face. Another blow landed against my body. Drawing nearer, he advanced with each step I took backwards.
"My crew, my ship, my future, my love! You're the only monster here!" His voice dripped with even greater fury, as if such intensity were even possible. I wiped away the blood from my mouth, my eyes never leaving Hongjoong's.
Dodging and blocking his blows, I fought back with equal determination. But Hongjoong was stronger, fueled by his newfound vampire powers. Each strike he landed sent shockwaves of pain through my body, but I refused to back down.
As our fight intensified, the storm above us grew fiercer. Rain poured down, mingling with our sweat and blood. The thunder roared, echoing our aggression. With a sudden surge of strength, Hongjoong pushed me towards the edge of the deck.
"Is this what you wanted, Yunho?" He snarled, his fangs on display. "To drive me to kill you?"
I glanced over the edge and saw the crashing waves below. My feet hovered dangerously close to the edge. Yet, in that fleeting moment, I averted my gaze and directed it towards him. A wicked smirk crept across my lips, sending shivers down my own spine.
"I won"
He stared at me, his eyes filled with bewilderment. And with that, I let myself fall backward into the water.
As I sank deeper, the darkness enveloped me, the battle ending in the depths below. The waves receded, leaving only an eerie stillness behind. Amidst the dark, a flicker of hope remained, mingled with the lingering pain of loss. The battle may have ended, but the scars would forever mark my soul, serving as a painful reminder of what I had become.