A mysterious thief grabs hold of one-half of an ancient artifact that threatens the lives of the wizarding community. Byulyi, a magical law enforcer bands together with Jungkook, her mentee, and Jin, a peculiar time-traveling wizard, to collect piec...
Wooden beams and pillars were charred black. Windows exploded from the intense heat, and walls crumbled down to rubble.
Byulyi crouched in the remaining corner of her home and covered her ears. Each crash made the five-year-old scream and fresh tears flow down her soot-colored cheeks.
She held unto the cracked jade stone tightly.
.
It was no ordinary fire.
Water and earth put out flames effortlessly. This one refused to be extinguished.
Mr. Moon mentally cursed as he slashed his wand through the fire, making a path for his family. He reached out for his wife's hand as she carried a wailing Seulgi in one arm and a petrified Minhyuk in the other. Mr. Moon took his son and rubbed circles on his back.
"It's okay, Minhyuk-ah. It's okay," he said as they ran through the hallway.
Reaching the top of the stairs, they found Byulyi on the middle landing.
"Byul-ah!" Mr. Moon yelled.
Byulyi lifted her head and broke out into a cry.
Before they could take a step downward, a sudden crash of a burning pillar separated them. Mr. Moon met Byulyi's anxious eyes, and for a split second, he could have sworn Byulyi turned her head side to side. Don't save me.
Mr. Moon jumped through the flights of stairs, one arm on Minhyuk, and the other crashing unto the wall next to Byulyi.
"Da!" Byulyi hiccuped. "I'm sowie! (sorry!) I was not stwong (strong) enough!"
Mrs. Moon landed next to them and pulled Byulyi into her arms. "My starlight!"
Byulyi pushed herself away. "I'm sowie (sorry). I'm sowie (sorry).The- the -,"
She opened her fist. In her palm were remnants of the norigae- a cracked stone, and singed threads. Like bleeding candle wax, the remaining tassels dripped down onto the floor, causing fire all around them.
"The norigae," Mr. Moon gasped.
"Da!" Minhyuk pointed to the floor where the melting tassels landed.
The brown floorboards separated and revealed white nothingness. Everywhere, reality as they knew it was being undone- was being eaten.
"The norigae is taking whatever magic it can consume!" Mr. Moon yelled.
"Aaah!" Byulyi shouted as she looked at her hands. Her tiny fingers raveled into white strands.
"Mum! Da! What's happening?!" Minhyuk cried in panic at his own hands.
Mrs. Moon bit her lower lip and passed on a secret message that only she and Mr. Moon could understand. She placed her hand on her husband's cheek. Both their eyes glistened with the harsh truth of their decision.
They were guardians of the Moon clan. The guardians of the symbol of Joseon. They were the guardians of their families.
Mr. Moon brought his hands-on Minhyuk's shoulders, making the boy face him.
"Minhyuk, son. I need-," Mr. Moon let out a shaky breath. "I need you to take care of your sisters."
"Da! What are you saying?!" Minhyuk's eyes quivered as he watched his mother hand him Seulgi and Byulyi.
"Just know that we love you all very very much," Mrs. Moon broke a pained smile as she stroked Minhyuk's hair.
"No! No!" Minhyuk and Byulyi cried, both clutching onto their parent's clothes. Seulgi wailed and reached out for her mother.
Byulyi panicked as Mrs. Moon took the jade stone. "No, Mama! No!"
Confused and scared, all three children pleaded for their parents. Mrs. Moon held back a sob. She then took her husband's hand and enveloped the children in a tight embrace.
(Soundtrack: You are my sunshine)
It was the most beautiful and devastating thing Byulyi had ever seen. Twisting and curling, the golden threads that made up her parent's bodies untangled and circled them. At that moment, Byulyi could only stare at their brown eyes. Brown eyes much like her own.
Her father grinned with pride, as Byulyi sat on his lap to read the alphabet. She may have missed a few letters, but her father taught her gently and pressed a kiss on her temple. Both had the same grin. Both saw the world in wonder.
Her mother beamed with beauty as she put her hands on hers. Her mother guided Byulyi's tiny fingers as she pressed the keys on their piano. Both sang in joy and giggled at each other. Both noses scrunched up cutely, and their eyes twinkled like stars.
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