Hotel Blue Moon (Inspired by Hotel Del Luna)

Chapter 29: Know That Stillness Shatters

(Some parts of this chapter contain mentions of violence and might be upsetting for some readers. Your discretion is advised.)

There were a thousand more cases all around the world, all involving the same thing. Mostly graveyards, unmarked fields were infested, but a few downtown areas had reports of rising as well. Thankfully it wasn't contagious as popularly depicted in apocalypse films, and it was easier to control with the police and the spirits. Do Hwan took it upon himself to check the entirety of Southeast Asia, flying from one area to another, battling the dreadful army. Chan Seong and Chang Min received the information of the hoard through the ghosts and relayed it to Hyunijn who was manning the control station in Seoul headquarters. Everything was going smoothly so far, but they did not know when the exhaustion would kick in, and when this whole thing would be over.
On the other hand, the one thing the group could not control was the rising paranoia. News broadcasters were having a field day with the whole thing, and the social media's trending pages did not help either. People were afraid, understandably so, and often resorted to violence among each other. The police now had to control both the dead and the undead, and the time was ticking.  

Meanwhile, Aghui woke up on what looked like a vast desert with no life around. Few members of her undead army survived with her, but the vast majority she raised were left on Earth. The Grim Reaper and King Jumong were on the other side, with the Emperor's loyal soldiers, standing proud with their weapons drawn.
"Where did you bring us to?" Aghui spat out. King Jumong smiled gently. 
"This is the world between worlds. Somewhere you cannot hurt any living beings again."
"This does not make a difference. Once I take care of you and your lackey, I will destroy everything my mother created. You cannot stop me."

"I pity you, Aghui. It should not have come to this." King Jumong shook his head. Aghui's blood boiled just by looking at him. 
"Silence! You dare pity me?" Aghui screamed. "You, a mere human, pitying me? You will pay for this."
"I am many things, Aghui, but I am not a mere human." Jumong smiled. He lifted his sword and ordered his army to charge. The Grim Reaper joined the fight and quickly, Aghui's army was subdued. As the three battled it out, Emperor Jumong aimed his famed arrow at Aghui, which pierced through her chest. Aghui let out a loud cry, shaking the space surrounding them. 
"You! How did you do this?" Aghui spluttered. She could not accept defeat, and how could she? In her head, King Jumong was nothing but a nosey pest of a human. But here she lay, bleeding from the wound. 
"Your mother gave this bow and arrow to me." Jumong mused. "I have always believed that its purpose was to hunt down the monsters of the deep, but not for a moment did I thought she left it for her own daughter." 
"Alas, your demise is not in my hands." King Jumong continued. The Grim Reaper stood by the Emperor in silence, for he knew what will transpire. "Only your mother can do it." Aghui snickered at Jumong's words.
"Yet another cruel trick played by someone you call the goddess of life." 
Jumong did not have anything to say but wordlessly looked at the figure walking towards them from afar.

*

The situation on Earth turned out to be a lot better. The rising zombies ceased to exist all of a sudden, but the mania of the people was still the same. Do Hwan realized that people were far more difficult to control than ravaging beasts. He had help this time, however. Police forces and militaries around the world lend their hand to the cause and were able to control the public. The news channels continued to bait their viewers into resorting to violence by spreading downright false news, but with the help of few ghosts, they were able to identify those channels and suspend their broadcast. Who knew a bit of haunted mansion action would deter the human spirits this quickly? Do Hwan shook his head, smiling. One moment humans were dangerous murder machines worse than animals, and the next they were afraid of things they could not see.

"If the zombies have suddenly disappeared, do you think Aghui is, you know, dead sir?" Kyung asked Do Hwan. He shook his head in response, plopping down on the floor. "I'm not sure, Kyung. I hope this is over because I'm tired from running all over." 
"What do you think will happen to Miss Jung? She is dead, isn't she?" Do Hwan was quiet at Kyung's question. As silly as it seemed, all of them held out hope that she will be okay. 
Come to think of it, the Moon Tree had sprouted again, started blooming even and Ae Ra's body was covered under the thick foliage. The thin thread of hope that they held was not enough by any means, but it was better than nothing.