𝕭𝖑𝖔𝖔𝖉 𝕻𝖗𝖎𝖓𝖈𝖊───
"Dance for me." The figure on the throne said.
Her throat felt dry. Even in the dark, she could sense his eyes on her, tracking her every move.
She couldn't place what it was, but something about his intimidating aura made...
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Jungwon's voice echoed in her mind. Ji-ah's eyes snapped open, her heart jolting back to life. The stillness of the snow was no longer a refuge—it was a reminder. She couldn't stop here. Not yet.
Then, the wind changed.
It howled differently now, sharper, carrying with it the rustle of dead branches. She pushed herself upright, her body stiff and trembling.
Blinking against the flurry of falling snow, Ji-ah glanced around, her breath hitching. The world had shifted.
She was near the edge of a steep cliff, its jagged drop disappearing into a sea of endless forest. A deep, thunderous roar met her ears.
Ji-ah sat up, her heart hammering. How did she get here?
She looked down at her stomach instinctively. No wound, no blood.
Slowly, she staggered to her feet, the wind tugging at her hair and clothes. To her left, a towering waterfall roared in the distance, its spray misting the air and glittering like shattered glass.
She crept closer to the edge of the cliff, peering over cautiously.
Far below, a massive river churned violently, its frothing waters crashing against jagged rocks. The current was relentless, roaring like a thousand voices clamoring at once.
The scene was beautiful yet ominous.
Ji-ah shivered, not just from the cold but from the realization. This is where Ae-ra fell. And now, it felt like this is where she would meet the same fate.
Behind her, the crunch of boots on snow shattered the stillness.
Ji-ah whipped around, her breath catching.
Sunoo stood there, his long sword still stained with blood, his expression unreadable. He moved toward her with deliberate slowness, the blade dragging across the ground, leaving a faint trail in the snow.
Fear rooted Ji-ah to the spot, her legs trembling and useless. The cliff's edge was just a few steps behind her.
"S-stop. Don't come any closer!" she stammered, raising her hands as though they could form an invisible barrier between her and the man who haunted her nightmares.
Sunoo stopped, his eyes glinting with an unreadable emotion. For a moment, silence stretched between them, broken only by the wind's howl and the distant roar of the river.
"Why are you doing this?" Ji-ah said, her voice sounding small.
He looked down briefly and scoffed.
"Why am I doing this?" he repeated. "You know why."
"I don't,"
Sunoo's lips twisted into a bitter smile. "Not only I lost the throne to him, I lost you too."
Ji-ah remained silent, unsure how to respond. She felt as though one wrong word could seal her fate. Silently, she prayed this nightmare would end, that she'd wake up soon.
"I don't want to kill you," he said softly.
"Then don't," Ji-ah's voice wavered.
"I have to, I have to make him suffer."
"What did Jungwon ever do to you? I thought you were brothers." Ji-ah demanded, her voice growing steadier despite the fear coursing through her.
Sunoo laughed, a hollow sound that sent chills through her. He dragged a hand across his face, smearing a streak of blood across his cheek.
"I showed you everything you wanted to know,"
"This dream," he said, stepping closer.
Her stomach dropped as realization dawned. She met his gaze, her heart pounding.
"Jungwon abandoned you, can't you see that?" he said, his voice low and deadly.
"He left you in the forest and never came looking for you."
"That's not true," She wasn't going to believe anything he says. He was trying to manipulate her.
He sighed.
"You still haven't realized it, Ji-ah?"
She stilled. He'd called her by her present name.
Before she could react, he advanced forward, forcing her closer to the edge of the cliff. The ground felt unsteady beneath her feet as she closed her eyes, bracing herself for the inevitable fall.
But the fall never came.
When she opened her eyes, Sunoo's sword was still at his side.
He leaned closer, his breath warm against her frozen skin. His eyes glinted with something unfamiliar.
For once Ji-ah forced herself to meet his gaze, and noticed something.
Sunoo's eyes were hazel, but now, they were a a swirling mix of grey and green.
This wasn't Sunoo.
Ji-ah's breath caught as the man before her smiled faintly. "I've been searching you for so long, Ji-ah."
His form began to blur and twist, his features changing right before her eyes.
Suddenly, Alex was standing in front of her.
Ji-ah's mind turned blank. "Alex..?"
He grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him.
"My real name, is Yoo-jin," he whispered against her ear. "But you probably know me as, Eugene."
"You..?" was the only thing Ji-ah could mutter, before he shoved her backward.
Ji-ah's body lurched as she toppled over the edge of the cliff. The world tilted, Alex's face shrinking into the distance as she fell.
The wind roared past her ears, an icy howl that drowned out her thoughts. She couldn't even scream—her breath was snatched away, her clothes whipping violently against her skin.
The freezing water slammed into her like a wall of ice before she even knew it. Pain jolted through her body, and for a moment, everything was a blur of cold and darkness.
She sank, the river's furious current dragging her deeper into its depths. Her limbs felt heavy, unresponsive, the cold sinking into her bones.
Her eyes snapped open, stinging from the frigid water. All around her was endless black, the river swallowing her whole.
Her chest burned, a desperate ache for air, but the water seemed determined to smother her.
The strong current flushed her body aimlessly, and it was matter of time before she would get slammed into a jagged rock.
She kicked weakly, her arms flailing against the relentless pull of the river.
Panic clawed at her mind. She couldn't die here. Not like this.
