GUNS & ROSES | ꜱᴇᴠᴇɴᴛᴇᴇɴ

xxxvii.

𝒙𝒙𝒙𝒗𝒊𝒊.

D-2 to the Eclipse

As Jangmi returned to reclaim her title as the High Queen of the Rose Clan, her appearance seemed almost unchanged since her departure from Soyeon Academy to enroll in Sakura High School.

However, there was a discernible shift in her aura, a newfound menace that left the members of the Rose Clan in disbelief as they watched her pass by.

It was as if they were trapped in a surreal dream, unable to fully comprehend her resurrection.

Amidst the whispers and murmurs, a familiar voice called out Jangmi's name, causing her to pause in her tracks. She turned to find her sister, Joohyun, standing just a few steps away.

"You're not going to say hello to your sister?" Joohyun questioned, her voice laced with a mix of concern and trepidation.

Jangmi let out a weary sigh and gracefully flipped her long hair. "Hello, sister. It's nice to see you again," she replied, her tone tinged with a hint of detachment.

Joohyun couldn't hide the worry etched on her face as she bit her lip, struggling to find the right words. Finally, she mustered the courage to voice her concerns.

"Are you certain about this, Jangmi?" she asked cautiously, her gaze locked with her sister's. Her question carried a weight of uncertainty, questioning Jangmi's choice to fully embrace their father's monstrous mission: the resurrection of their mother.

Jangmi's expression remained stoic as she processed Joohyun's words. The implications of her sister's questions cut deep, striking at the heart of her own conflicted emotions.

"What are you trying to say, Joohyun?" Jangmi inquired, her voice betraying a trace of vulnerability beneath her composed facade.

"I'm asking if you've truly considered the consequences of the ritual. What if it doesn't work? Will you still choose to exist? And what about Seungcheol? What if his life is sacrificed for your selfish desires? And most importantly, what about Dani? You know that your continued existence relies on draining her life force. Are you prepared to let Dani perish for your own sake?" Joohyun's words hung heavy in the air, laden with a mix of anguish and pleading.

Jangmi winced, the weight of her sister's words pressing upon her soul. She understood that they had long surpassed the point of no return, descending deeper into a path from which there seemed no escape.

"We have gone far beyond the threshold of redemption," Jangmi replied, her voice heavy with resignation. "There is no turning back now. Our choices have led us to this precipice, and we must face the consequences, no matter how dire they may be."

With those final words, Jangmi turned away from Joohyun and made her way toward the underground lake, where the ritual that held their mother's resurrection awaited.

The stakes were high, and the sacrifices were unavoidable.

As she ventured further into the depths of darkness, her heart carried the weight of her decisions, grappling with the morality of her actions, but driven by an unwavering determination to see their mission through to the bitter end.

***

Upon our arrival at Soyeon Hill, my half-brother Bomin greeted us, providing crucial information about the current situation.

"They've evacuated most of the students from the perimeter," Bomin informed us. "The Supremes are guarding the lake as we speak. As for Seungcheol, I believe they are keeping him somewhere within the underground chamber beneath the lake."