Fox Sister

The sky erupted with a deafening roar as an enormous shadow blotted out the horizon. It was the Mountain Lord, emerging with a thunderous crash that shook the earth beneath my feet.

Sharp claws tore through the grotesque monster’s twisted flesh, while jagged fangs sliced through the cold night air, tearing chunks from its writhing body. For a moment, relief washed over me as I thought we might survive this nightmare.

But celebration was short-lived.

The monster’s counterattack came faster and more ferocious than anything we’d faced before. Dark energy seethed from its warped head, wrapping around the Mountain Lord like sinister tendrils. With lightning speed, massive hands struck true, sending the Mountain Lord hurtling across the battlefield in a sickening crunch.

I couldn’t breathe. My body froze in terror as I watched the horrifying scene unfold. Fear coursed through me like ice-cold water, making every nerve ending scream in panic.

With a growl of defiance, the Mountain Lord charged again – but his movements were slower now, weaker. The monster only grew stronger, pressing its advantage with relentless fury. Blow after blow forced the Mountain Lord back, until finally…

A single claw ripped open the Mountain Lord’s back, spraying crimson blood across the ground. His agonized scream echoed through the valley, causing me to clamp my hands over my mouth to stifle a scream of my own. My heart pounded wildly as if trying to escape my chest, while my breath caught in my throat.

Then it happened.

The monster delivered its final blow, sending the Mountain Lord flying through the air with a devastating impact. Dust billowed around his fallen form, which lay motionless on the ground. The monster loomed over its fallen prey, its twisted head tilted at an unnatural angle as it regarded its kill with cruel satisfaction.

From its mouth came a low, chilling laugh – the sound of victory echoing through the night like some demonic hymn. Every hair on my body stood on end as that horrible noise pierced my very soul.

Just then…

Footsteps approached from behind, distinct even in the pitch-black darkness. They were the same steps that had been pursuing me for what felt like an eternity.

“Quite the swift little thing you are,” a mocking voice drawled.

I turned slowly, my trembling hands revealing the scholar I’d briefly encountered at the marketplace earlier that day. Moonlight illuminated his face, highlighting a sinister smile playing on his lips as he surveyed the scene before him.

“Tsk tsk,” he clicked his tongue. “To think curses have spread so far… Truly, these are dark times.”

Despite his casual tone, his hand gripped a sword firmly, its blade humming with otherworldly energy. Strange inscriptions glowed faintly:

“Imperial Seal of the Blade”

“By Royal Command”

“Heaven’s Will Be Done”

“With This Sword, Evil Shall Be Severed”

“The Blade That Destroys Wickedness”

As reality bent around me, all I could focus on were those words etched into steel. The scholar moved with preternatural grace, slicing through the monster’s dark form with practiced ease. A smirk played on his lips despite the deadly dance unfolding around us.

“Ho ho… You’re quite persistent,” he chuckled, his eyes gleaming with amusement though his grip remained steady.

His movements became impossibly fluid, dodging attacks like autumn leaves caught in the wind. Each strike of his blade caused fragments of darkness to shatter and dissipate into nothingness.

When the monster made one final desperate attack, I thought it was over. But instead, blue flames erupted from a talisman in the scholar’s hand, blocking the assault with explosive force.

“This ends now,” he declared solemnly.

With one decisive swing, the monster vanished without a trace, leaving only wisps of silvery smoke to mark its passing. The oppressive aura that had weighed upon the world lifted instantly.

Only then did I realize I’d been holding my breath. As tension released, I finally got a proper look at our savior. Sweat glistened on his brow, and countless talismans adorned his disheveled robes. An ethereal blue aura surrounded him like mist.

Our eyes met.

His gaze was calm, deep like still waters. “This isn’t good,” he murmured.

“Young lady, listen carefully. It seems you’ve always possessed some divine ability… But your encounter with these dark beings has awakened your spirit eye.”

His hand gently touched mine, examining something intently before furrowing his brow. “You weren’t destined to possess such sight… Are you a fox?”

At the word ‘fox,’ dread settled heavily in my chest. Memories of Fox Valley flooded back unbidden.

“I am Hwi, an exorcist of the Heavenly Nine Assemblies by royal appointment.”

The titles meant nothing to me, but his next words sent chills down my spine. “Your fate is dire. You won’t live past twenty.”

Despair threatened to consume me. Twenty? I barely had three years left!

“Out of pity, I’ll teach you magical arts,” he offered.

Magic? The idea seemed absurd.

Doubt warred within me. Could I trust him?

Images of that bloody night flashed before my eyes – my sister gnawing on pig liver, her hands covered in gore, her eyes colder than ice.

Tonight, those memories had returned with devastating clarity.

“Will you come with me?” the scholar asked seriously.

I hesitated, conflicting emotions threatening to overwhelm me.

Before I could respond, the Mountain Lord’s booming voice cut through the night. Despite his battered appearance, his voice remained strong and full of life.

“Thank you, sir! I owe you a debt!”

He approached me, offering a peculiar bracelet that shimmered with dark light. “This is made from the tail hairs of our eldest tiger. Wear it, and tigers will leave you be.”

The moment I accepted it, both warmth and weight settled over me, imbuing me with a strange sense of protection.

Even the scholar seemed impressed. “To see such a sacred artifact with my own eyes!”

His fascination with the bracelet was palpable.

“The power of your destiny is extraordinary,” the Mountain Lord added gravely. “Even I sense ill omens surrounding you.”

After much deliberation, I reached my decision. Homeless and adrift since leaving home, perhaps this was my fate.

“…I’ll go with you.”