ENCOUNTER

Colors swirled and blended with ethereal grace, painting a landscape reminiscent of a watercolor masterpiece. Amidst the abstract scenes, she caught glimpses of a beautiful girl. Her features danced between focus and blurriness, like fragments of a fading memory.

The girl smiled at her, her face radiant with an otherworldly charm. Yet, the dreamer couldn't quite discern her features clearly; they remained tantalizingly elusive, shrouded in a veil of uncertainty.

“So beautiful,” she heard herself say, her words escaping before she could fully comprehend them.

She sensed the beauty girl's amusement, a gentle laughter that danced in the air, and couldn't help but smile in return. It was a moment suspended in time, a fleeting connection between two souls caught in the whims of a dream.

Despite the ambiguity, an undeniable pull stirred deep within the dreamer's soul, a sense of familiarity and connection that transcended the blurred lines of reality.

Lost in the mesmerizing beauty of the dream, she found herself reaching for her paintbrush, eager to capture the essence of the mysterious girl on canvas. With each , she poured her heart and soul into the painting, as if trying to unravel the enigma of the girl's identity. 

In the throes of her creative fervor, she felt a surge of emotion welling up inside her—a longing so profound it bordered on obsession. It was as if she were falling in love with the ethereal beauty she sought to recreate on canvas.

But just as the painting began to take shape, a sudden jolt ripped her from the dream world, yanking her back to reality with cruel abruptness.

“Seulgi... Seulgi, wake up!”

Blinking away the remnants of sleep, she found herself lying in bed, the memory of the dream fading like mist in the morning sun. Yet, the feelings lingered, swirling around her like wisps of smoke, leaving her heart heavy with a sense of longing and loss.

“Oh, I thought you were dead again,” a voice came from her side, jolting her fully awake.

“Wendy?” she groggily uttered.

“Are you okay?” Wendy asked, her face etched with worry.

“What happened?” she asked, her confusion evident.

“You passed out,” Wendy answered.

Suddenly, it all came rushing back to her—the scary creature resembled the Dementors from Harry Potter, with its long, flowing cloak and its skeletal hands. The terror, the pain she felt, like her soul was burning, tormented her. Then, she remembered the cries of pain from Yerim.

“Where is Y-Yerim?” she asked, fear engulfing her.

Wendy pointed at the other bed beside her, and Seulgi saw Joy looking at the sleeping Yerim with curiosity, as if expecting the latter to awaken at any moment.

“She's just sleeping, don't worry,” Wendy assured her.

“What is the scary creature that attacked us?” Seulgi shivered, remembering the terrifying encounter.

“That's a soul- fiend. They usually appear when they sense you are feeling too happy or too sad, and then they attack you,” Wendy explained, her tone grave with caution.

“So, it's really like the Dementors from Harry Potter.” Seulgi concluded, drawing a parallel to the familiar magical creatures.

“Well, you can say that; they're essentially the same,” Wendy confirmed, nodding in agreement.

Seulgi looked at Wendy in disbelief. “W-wait, did you watch Harry Potter here in hell too?”

“Yes, of course! We really love movies here too!” Wendy answered happily, her enthusiasm undiminished by their infernal surroundings. Seulgi couldn't help but chuckle and shake her head. 

Well, at least I won't be bored here, she thought, contemplating the unexpected entertainment options in hell. 

“I wonder if they have cellphones here.” she mused aloud, half-jokingly.

“But you must avoid them, the soul- fiend, because they will just attack you if they want to, or without you even knowing,” Wendy explained, her voice tinged with seriousness, a reminder to Seulgi of the importance of steering clear of the ominous creatures resembling Dementors.

As if the reminder had triggered a reflex, Seulgi made a mental note to steer clear of any encounters with the frightening entities.

“I'm sorry we tormented you. That's your punishment for failing your tasks,” Wendy continued, her words heavy with the burden of guilt, each syllable weighed down by the remorse of the said failures.

“It's alright, I think it's just a part of hell that we need to become accustomed to.” she answered, her voice steady despite the lingering unease in her heart. 

She knew they had to adapt quickly to survive in this merciless realm, even if it meant facing terrifying creatures and enduring relentless punishment.

Then her eyes wandered to Joy, who was still silently watching the sleeping Yerim. Curiosity overtook her, and she wondered why she is looking at Yerim like that.

“Oh, just don't mind her. She's usually like that, enjoys watching demons sleep,” Wendy whispered, dismissing Seulgi's curiosity.

But Wendy knew why Joy is looking at Yerim like that..

Wendy and Joy watched as the soul- fiend continued to torture Yerim and Seulgi. Wendy couldn't bear to watch, despite it being a normal occurrence for her to witness souls being tormented. Perhaps it was because she had grown close to Yerim and Seulgi.

“I think that is enough already,” Wendy said, wanting to intervene, but Joy stopped her.

“No, wait—”  Wendy glanced at Joy, whose face was filled with disbelief.

Yerim's scream pierced the entire palace, echoing with fury and despair. Wendy's gaze fixated on the screaming soul, unable to comprehend what was happening. 

Then, she witnessed something astonishing: Yerim unleashed an unknown power, causing the soul- fiend to recoil in fear.

As the soul- fiend backed away from Seulgi and Yerim, who both now collapsed to the ground, a sense of relief washed over Wendy and Joy. However, their relief was short-lived as the soul- fiend, determined to continue their assault, lunged forward once more.

Suddenly, Yerim's body ignited with a fiery light, and she unleashed a powerful attack, obliterating the soul- fiend in a blaze of righteous fury.

Now, Yerim lay unconscious on the ground, her body spent from the exertion of her newfound power. Wendy and Joy stood in stunned silence, unable to comprehend the magnitude of what they had just witnessed.

“What was t–that?” Wendy stuttered, her voice trembling with disbelief.

“I don't know...” Joy whispered, her mind reeling with confusion and awe.

They both approached the sisters, who now lay passed out on the ground, their appearance still the same as if they had not been tortured earlier. 

Then, their gaze shifted to Yerim, their expressions filled with a newfound sense of respect and awe.

As they stared at each other, a silent understanding passed between them..

“I think we need to report this to Azazel,” Joy said, her tone grave with the realization of the significance of what had transpired. 

They knew that the revelation of Yerim's newfound power would shake the foundations of hell and could potentially alter the course of their existence.

Aware of the magnitude of their discovery, Joy and Wendy swiftly reported their findings to their superior, Azazel, detailing the events surrounding Yerim's unknown power.

“She even killed the soul- fiend,” Joy said, her gaze steady as she looked at Azazel, conveying the gravity of the situation.

They were now in a palace where the sleeping queen resided. The palace exuded an air of enchantment, its elegant architecture standing with majestic allure, captivating anyone who laid their eyes upon it.

But only devils like their superior Azazel and them could enter the said palace. It's invisible to the eyes of normal demons, this palace existed in a realm beyond the comprehension of ordinary beings, hidden from the prying eyes of those who were unworthy.

“Is that so?” Azazel could only utter, his voice barely a whisper as he gazed upon the sleeping queen.

Wendy and Joy exchanged glances, sensing the weight of Azazel's words. They knew that their discovery had stirred something within their superior, something that perhaps even he did not fully comprehend. 

The air hummed with a sense of reverence and awe as Wendy and Joy stood in the presence of such majesty. They felt a deep sense of privilege to be in the presence of the sleeping queen, knowing that few were granted such an audience. It was a moment of solemnity and respect, a reminder of the power and grandeur that surrounded them in the realm of hell..

They admired the ethe