Seungwan

She ends up leaving the box in a pile of gifts. The party is rampant—at least a hundred people are there, all dressed elegantly in suits and dresses. There are no children around. It looks like a political celebration instead of a birthday, but she knows rich people like their parties ostentatious. She feels like a fly in milk, with her blue overall and her red boots. People stare at her for a few seconds before turning back to the event, but not the security guards. They take some time to spot her, but when they do, she knows it’s time to run. 

It’s easy to get lost in the sea of people surrounding her, and it helps that the weird old man gave her a map of the place. It’s now that she comes to think that it is a little suspicious to drop a gift at a party and have to hide like she’s doing something wrong with that. But she doesn’t really care if it brings food to the table. 

She doesn’t look back after crossing the back door, running as fast as her legs allow her. She stops a few buildings away after making sure no one is following her, realizing her chest hurts abnormally. She opens the first three buttons of the overall, looking at the ugly mark on her chest, still black even after Yeji’s effort to get rid of it completely. 

She leans on the wall behind her, recovering her breath. Then, the blast of an explosion hits her, making her fall forward. She stays there a whole minute, unable to hear anything past the ringing of her ears. She hasn’t recovered her hearing completely when someone helps her stand up.

She looks back. The building she just left is on fire and crumbling, and she can only imagine it’s her fault. She ignores the helping faces and hand offered her way, staggering away from the town. She hears screaming, but ignores it too, focusing on the siblings and the farm. She had a good reason to do it, she shouldn’t feel guilty over it.

She leaves the town behind like that, trying to convince herself she didn’t do anything wrong. 

Yeji looks at her like she has grown a second head. Her eyes alternate between Wendy’s aspect and the strange-looking crops occupying what used to be her lab and five more squares of land. The crops are so… bright that she has difficulty coming up with a question. It’s Lucas who asks her instead. 

“How—where?”

It’s then that Yeji recovers her speaking capabilities. 

“Please tell me you didn’t,” 

“What?”

“Tell me you didn’t do him any favors,” 

“You know him?” Wendy asks, shifting her weight from one foot to the other, wincing when she realizes that her leg hurts.

“He’s a myth. It only appears for those in need. He’s a real person as far as I can tell, but he’s a very dangerous one, Wendy. You shouldn’t have accepted his help and definitely shouldn’t have done whatever he requested. I don’t want to know what it was.”

“Sis, don’t be so hard on her. Look at the bright side—we are going to make ends meet. These potatoes look legit radioactive.” He smiles at her, but she doesn’t return the gesture, focusing instead on Wendy.

“We didn’t need your help. We could have found a solution ourselves.” She sounds annoyed as if Wendy had done something unforgivable instead of helping them. 

“Sis, stop. She hasn’t done anything bad. She didn’t know—”

“Shut up, Lucas. We’re not that kind of people, we don’t do questionable things just to make ends meet. You know what? Go back inside, this is a conversation for adults only.”

“Stop treating him like that. He’s just seeing the good side like me. I didn’t do anything questionable. I just delivered a birthday gift.” Even she can see right through her own words, sounding everything but confident. 

Lucas mouths a no silently behind Yeji’s back, but it’s too late. Yeji’s expression goes from mildly annoyed to furious. Her face turns red like a tomato. 

“I treat him how I want to treat him. It’s my ing brother and if I say he goes inside, he has to go inside!”

“I don’t have to do everything you say! You’re not my mother—”

He doesn't get to finish the sentence, receiving a slap instead. It shocks Wendy as much as Lucas, who uses his hands to cover where he was hit. 

“I hate you so much. Ever since dad left and mom killed herself you've decided what I can and can't do, what I should eat, what clothes I should wear, and how I should behave. You didn't even allow me to have friends! I'm all alone because of you! Wendy tried to do something nice for us, why is it so hard for you to be grateful?” He heaves, choking on his own words, fighting against the tears. 

Yeji opens to say something, but he stomps away to the ponds, at the far end of the farm and out of their sight.

“And you,” she begins. “Everything was fine until I made the mistake of saving you. I should have known you were bad news if you were infected by black magic. Do us a favor and leave as soon as you can.” She stomps away, too, after that, but towards the ranch, leaving Wendy all to herself. 

It hurt to hear that, but she doesn't regret what she did. She helped someone, felt useful, and earned time for the siblings to fix their situation permanently. She could tell Yeji was not used to accepting people's help so she didn't take it personal. 

Perhaps it was time to go. She wasn't welcome there anymore, and she still needed to find someone who could really help her put the pieces of her past together. 

Besides, if Yeji got so perturbed over a birthday gift, she would be way worse if she found out about the explosion. 

She stood there, observing the rain falling on the newly grown crops. She had only needed to plant the seeds and put some drops of the liquid on the fresh soil. Without her there, the food consumption would go down one-third, if not more, because she could really eat at times. That would make the food last until the end of the month. 

She stood there until the rain was too much. Then, she went back to the barn,  where the well was, to take a shower and change the blue overalls for a clean one. The boats weren't comfortable enough to walk long distances but using real shoes would have been impossible in that weather, so she put them in the bag she was going to use as a backpack, along with some water bottles and another change of clothes. She knew Lucas would forgive her for stealing his shoes and clothes. He was just that kind of man. 

She finishes with the backpack and uses a stick to open four holes for the ropes, essentially creating the two straps needed to secure it on her back. She had discovered not long ago she was very good with DIY too. 

She takes one last look at Lucas’ back, seated on the pond's docks where they shared their first kiss. In that moment, she hopes with all her heart that he forgives her and that they meet again in the future. 

With that, she sneaks away in the middle of the night, not taking anything else with her. She has nothing else. 

Joohyun

It’s days later when they finally arrive in Death Valley. The castle glows in the dark, with bioluminescence climbing plants all over the walls. It looks majestic, yet old. The stone walls lack maintenance and are eroded thanks to the constant acidic rain. 

Death Valley is not as dark, and the inside of the castle is greatly illuminated by torches, candles, and electric lights too, a recent transition thanks to Winter’s ascension to the death throne. She couldn’t deny Winter was a very competent ruler and the industrialization of Dimland was going faster than expected. The main cities were ecstatic, but the most conservative towns and villages were furious about Winter stripping all their traditions and culture. But it was a necessary upgrade, and in exchange, the blockade had been eliminated and Winter had started attacking the famine issue first, diminishing the poverty levels from fifty-eight percent to thirty in just three months, basically increasing her workforce and creating employment.

She was clinging to the idea that Seungwan didn’t die for nothing and Winter was really doing something good, even when deep down she knew what kind of person her cousin was. 

The army guarding the entrance consists of Joy’s people and Winter’s people mixed, causing confusion when they present themselves. It takes a few seconds, but they are granted access eventually.

They have to stop and adjust to the bright lights installed inside the castle. It’s so weird to be able to walk and see past a few feet away, just like she used to in the Night Palace back in her homeland. It reminds her of her dead family, so she quickly pushes away that thought. After so many months, she can’t really say she’s over it. They lied to her and weren’t good parents, but they were the only parents she had, and at least Taeyeon tried. 

It’s a really cold day or night, Joohyun isn’t sure. She thinks of it as an endless night, which makes her sleepy all the time. 

Seulgi guides them, stopping outside of a big door that can only be the throne room. Two guards stand outside holding spears to block the way. 

“Hello, Miss Seulgi,” Johnny greats her, moving the spear away. The other guard follows. 

“Hi, Johnny boy. How…?” She asks, briefly looking at the door. 

“Not good, Your Majesty. She needs help, and fast.” 

“I’ve told you, I’m no majesty here. Save the title.” She says, biting her nails. “I brought someone who can help.”

“Maybe,” Yerim corrects her, frowning. 

“Johnny,” Seulgi ignores her. “Can you take these two young girls to their bedrooms and show them around while I talk to Sooyoung?” 

He nods, pushing both girls in the opposite direction. Joohyun looks back just to see Seulgi’s head disappearing inside the big door. 

Yerim keeps the conversation light, just catching up on their lost time together, without mentioning the multiple deaths that she was already aware of, but asking the much-delayed question. 

“How did you escape from Yixing? Did he lie to everyone’s face that you were dead?” 

She takes a second to answer, gathering her thoughts and the right words. 

“A friend took my place. She was a shape-shifter.” She adds the last part to clarify the matter for Yerim. 

The shorter girl seems to be processing it, scratching her neck in deep thinking. 

“Was she important to you?” It’s a dumb question, she knows, but a needed one. The gears in her brain are already turning. 

“She wasn’t just a friend,” Joohyun replies instead, clear enough for Yerim to fill in the rest. 

They stop on the third floor, each room in front of the other. Yerim opens to say something, but changes her mind, following Johnny’s instructions. 

“I’ll come back to give you a tour through the castle and you to dinner. I put clean clothes on the bed and all the hygiene items you may need are in the bathroom drawer. Let me know if you need anything else.” 

It’s not until much later, after she’s taken a bath and put on the strange blue flowery dress and sandals that Johnny comes back for them. He looks at her more than he should, quickly avoiding her gaze when she catches him staring. Her ankles look swollen and her feet are too bruised to be comfortable to walk like that. She’s used to it, though, so she doesn’t pay attention when Yerim suggests a healer and Johnny seconds her. 

“This right here is the garden, and that there is the old chapel.” He points to a small cabin covered in climbing plants and in very bad shape. The cross that was supposed to be at the top of the chapel is hanging upside down by one of its corners. “We used to participate in the Solar festivals around the land but we are less gullible now. Your Majesty Seulgi has been planning on demolishing it for some time now. I would advise not to get close to it. It may crumble at any second.”  

It seems like a logical advice for her. Besides, she’s not religious anymore. She’s accepted for quite some time now that the so-called Gods don’t exist and that she has to look out for herself if she wants to make it, especially since she’s just a human. 

They follow Johnny back to the main area of the castle, entering a giant dining room with more space than necessary. The table in the center is so big that they can sit and still be meters away from each other. 

Seulgi is already there, waving for Joohyun to sit close to her. On the chair at the head of the table is Joy, the ex-queen of Dimland. She still has her crown on her head, made with obsidian splashed with dried blood, or that’s what she’s been told. It is red, but she doubts that is real blood. In the middle, a ruby gem accompanies it. 

She has makeup on, but it’s not enough to cover the effects of black magic on her skin. She looks very similar to how she remembers Jimin looked, except her eyes are less black and more marble gray, a darker shade than Joohyun’s. 

The crown reminds her of her own and also brings her manners back to her. She half bows, from one royal to the other. 

“It’s nice to finally meet you, Your Majesty,” She mutters, knowing very well Joy may want to hex her for the war her parents instigated. “I’m Joohyun.” 

“You’re a Bae,” It’s what Joy says, looking at her with curiosity. She signals her to take a seat beside her instead of the one Seulgi had offered. “You’re either very stupid or very fearless to come here into my ground.”

“Sooyoung—” Seulgi starts, but Joy puts her finger to , elegantly telling her to shut up. 

Yerim takes a seat to Seulgi’s right, feeling more protected by the assassin. 

Joohyun gulps at her words. She’s still the queen of Dimland, thanks probably to Jimin appealing to Winter’s best self. Her staff is loyal to her still, and to Seulgi, but the newest additions to her lines were a clear warning for Joy to not do anything stupid. 

“I’m none of those,” she says sincerely. “I’m just a human, I have no powers that could represent a threat to you, and I also have no interest in ruling. I’m not my parents, but I want to apologize for what they did. I know that won’t fix years of terror, I’m not that naive, but Seulgi has been a light in my life and I would be very stupid to jeopardize that by coming here with ill intentions. I’m not stupid, or fearless, I’m just helpless.” 

Then, Joohyun kneels, but with both knees touching the ground and completely bending like a servant would do. It’s humiliating for a royal, and that’s why she always hated it when others did it for her in the past, but she hopes Joy will see it as a sign of respect and trust, instead. 

Seulgi quickly stands, grabbing her from her arms and putting her on her feet again. Joy watches silently, raising her eyebrows at her lover’s gesture. 

“Seul, stop!” Joohyun says, shaking her hands off her. 

“Yes, Seul, stop.” She says mockingly, signaling for Joohyun to take a seat again. Seulgi gulps, trying to come up with something but avoiding a scene in front of the others. “Seat, please.” 

Once they are seated again, the servants start bringing the food one by one, a whole feast. Joohyun looks especially worried, swapping her eyes among each dish, one stranger than the next. 

The chef comes out after, standing beside the queen. He’s a young man with long, curly white hair over his shoulders. He has a black uniform and the black hat stands inclined on his head. 

“Good day, ladies. I’m the Chef Yuta. I was told you girls would be accompanying us tonight and as requested by Your Majesty The Queen I created this five-course meal. Starting with the Black Thyme soup which is specially grown and recollected from the best black sand farms. Since it’s not their usual place to grow, it has taken close to a year to cultivate a square of land. These are all special meals and exclusive to the crown feasts and parties.” He goes on to the rest of the dishes, some rare plates like nightshade noodles, stardust fish, and some celestial amaretto dessert, and some others that she has never heard of in all her life. She assumes it must be good just like the Nocturnal Delight Yerim cooked for her. 

She can feel Joy staring at her. She moves on her seat, scratching her head in anxiousness.

Once the chef finishes his explanation, he disappears, coming back with a tray with their drinks on top. 

“This is my Shadowberry Chill. I also have Luminara Infusion, Ember Chai, and many others if you prefer a hot beverage.” 

“Won't you join us today, Yuta?” Seulgi asks him, drinking from her glass. 

“Yes, of course. I've heard we had a very famous guest, the cook of Frogs. Is it true?” He looks between Joohyun and Yerim. Yerim timidly raises her hand. “Marvelous! I'll change and be right back.” 

They eat mostly in silence, with Joy making most of the small talk. She addresses Yerim from time to time, as well as Joohyun. Yuta and Yerim are in deep conversation about ingredients and dishes and Yerim seems quite happy, contrary to her usual scold. She looks like a completely different person from the girl who put a gun to her head. 

“My condolences,” Joy speaks up again. “Your father and brother were certainly hideous people who deserved to die, but your mother wasn't that bad.”

“Thanks? I guess. Unfortunately, I found out about that not long ago and not from the best person.” 

“We are blind when it comes to family, so I can understand that. Your mother even suggested marrying Jimin and you to stop Baekhyun from attacking, but he didn't allow it. He was very closed-minded.” She smiles sadly at the mention of her daughter's name. “You were with her, right?” 

Joohyun nods.

“Is she… still my sweet and kind girl?” The question takes Joohyun by surprise, too intimate for her liking. 

She thinks of Jimin beside Winter and thinks of the black veins on her neck and face, and her black eyes. She thinks of her choosing her side. She briefly looks at Seulgi, who has an alarming look on her face. She doesn't need anything else to know Seulgi didn't tell her the whole truth.

“Yes, she still is.” 

“I failed her as a mother. Is she… alright? Is Winter treating her like she deserves?” 

She nods again, pacifying the queen with her answer. 

“She loves her. I'm sure she would have loved to come back to visit, but given the circumstances, it's very difficult.” She lies so good she almost believes it herself. 

“It's better like that. That way she won't have to see what I've… become.” She says the last part more to herself but just loud enough for Joohyun to hear. 

They finish their plates after that, vaguely listening to Yuta and Yerim explain the common dishes in Frogs. The servants come back right after, replacing the empty plates with a big glass bowl, similar to a fishbowl. 

“No, no. Please move the cocktails to the rooftops. We're heading there.” Yuta says, extending his hand to help Yerim with her chair. 

“I'll pass,” Joy says, standing with difficulty. Seulgi tries to help her, but she rejects her hand. “I have a big day ahead. We're winning land over Waterland, and I need to supervise it from up close.” 

“I'll go in a few,” Seulgi says, returning her hand to her pocket.

“Don't bother.” 

Joohyun looks elsewhere, not comfortable with spying on Seulgi’s private life. Joy disappears through the grand door, turning left and getting out of their sight. 

Yuta stops a few steps ahead, prompting them to follow. 

“Is it my fault?” Joohyun asks her, aware of the effect of her nickname in front of Joy. 

“I wish it was just that.” Seulgi sighs. “That, at least, would have been easy to fix.” 

They follow the couple through creepy spiral stairs up to an open rooftop. They can observe the stars in the always dark sky of Dimland. It’s a peaceful night, so she makes the mistake of getting lost in it, neglecting Seulgi’s state. Johnny joins them sometime after midnight, enjoying the many cocktails the chef prepared. 

She’s also drunk, but not as much as her companion, which is waste to the point of not being able to stand up by herself. 

“I think it’s to go back inside,” Johnny announces and Joohyun agrees. The rest boo them but still follow. “Yuta, do you want to help Seulgi and I’ll take Yerim? Your Majesty likes you more than me. She will be more… indulgent.” 

Yuta laughs, not drunk enough to agree.

“Nice try, my guy. There’s no way I’ll fall for that again.” 

Johhny sighs, grabbing Seulgi like a doll and putting her on his shoulder. 

“She can sleep with me,” Joohyun speaks up, startling everyone. She hasn’t really talked much all night. She didn’t feel like it. “I don’t think it’s a good idea to wake the queen up with a drunk Seulgi.” 

They all seem to agree, or as much as Yerim can agree without losing balance. She’s not completely drunk like Seulgi, but she comes close. 

“At least walk in front of me so I won’t fall in the dark. I can’t see with her in my shoulders.” Johnny says, sending Yuta to the front. 

The walk to the dorms is very noisy, with Yuta and Johnny discussing multiple topics over their shoulders, making sure not to hit Seulgi’s head with the walls and different ornaments. They include the girls in the conversation, both giving their opinions and laughing so hard that their lungs hurt from the lack of air. 

“I’ve heard you’re a powerful witch,” Yuta comments, his voice hoarse and words a little slurred. 

“I am, yes.” 

“Queen of modesty, is she?” Johnny laughs along with Joohyun. Yerim laughs too, hitting Jhonny in the back, almost making him fall. 

“So, are you a necromancer like Your Royal Highness Karina?”

“Yes, but not quite. We all start with easy dark magic spells, then go onto necromancy, and there we all go into our own path. She’s a blood ritualist. I consider myself a healer, I cure dark magic infections, perform resurrection rituals, that sort of thing.”

“Both strong necromancers, but different areas, then.” Seulgi slurs from Johnny’s shoulder, making everyone else laugh. 

“You should be sleeping already,” Yuta tells her, helping Johnny onto the stairs to the second floor. 

“You resurrect people?” Joohyun ponders a few seconds later.

“When it’s possible, I do. I’ve mostly done it with souls infected by dark magic or when there’s a body. It doesn’t always go well, though, so I do it for recently deceased people, one month max, to avoid problems for myself.” 

They finally arrive at their rooms on the third floor. Joohyun opens the door for them, fiddling with it for a few seconds until she makes the key fit. 

Yuta stays outside, helping Yerim to open her door. 

“Have you thought already what are you going to do now?” He asks, already well-informed on who she is and what she’s doing there. “If you’re looking for a job in a secluded city, let me know. I have friends around the land. I bet I can find something that fits your skills.” 

She thanks him, saying goodbye to him and Johnny. 

“Well, see you tomorrow,” Yerim tells her, and her smile gives away that she’s more drunk than it looks. 

“Wait!” Joohyun grabs her arm before she has time to close the door. “Can you help me bring someone back? She’s… been dead longer, some months. I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important to me.” 

The request seems to sober the short girl. 

“There are really bad consequences every time I break my own rules, Joohyun. I don’t know if I should do that.”

“Please, it will be between us two. You can tell me the consequences and I won’t hold you responsible for any of it.” 

Yerim changes her weight from one foot to the other, anxious about the request. 

“Look,” Joohyun says. “Think about it tonight, and let me know tomorrow. It’s fine if you don’t want to do it, but you can at least teach me how.”

“You could seriously injure yourself doing something like that without knowledge!” Yerim raises her voice, this time with a serious tone. “You know what? I’m very drunk right now. We can talk about this in the morning.” 

Joohyun opens to thank her, but Yerim closes the door in her face, with more force than needed. 

She gets the message, disappearing through her own door and locking it after. Seulgi waits for her splashed all over the bed, barely leaving space for her. 

“Hyuun!” she smiles with all her teeth, creeping Joohyun out. 

Joohyun half laughs half winces. Her head has been hurting all night since she started drinking. She feels dizzy and her scalp burns, but she assumes it is because of how much alcohol she had.

Deep into her memories, she's reminded of Jimin when she was still Doctor Karina, checking her head for gun damage. She's too drunk and feels too awful to make sense of the memories, throwing her shoes around the room and getting into bed with the smiling assassin. She decides she can address whatever it is tomorrow morning.