I sat outside at a park and watched family and friends walk the trails and play together in open areas like the playground and the sports area, my mind constantly thinking about Luciel and where she was. I took out my phone, noticing a few messages from Luciel and quickly unlocked my phone.
〘Luciel (My Light): Nox, I finally made it to Grushia on the other side of Seolhart. It feels so strange not being near you right now. Did you and John make it to your destination?〙
〘Me (Bubba): Yeah, I'm currently in Bulan. Apparently this is the core city of Seolhart in the Cancer Kingdom. It's quite beautiful here...you should come here when you've got free time.〙
〘Luciel: I most definitely will! Take lots of pictures for me!〙
〘Me: I'll send one to you right now.〙
I switched over to my camera app, glancing around for the perfect shot to send to Luciel. I stood up and began to wander around Bulan Park, walking along a trail with cherry blossom trees growing along the sides of the path. I began snapping beautiful shots for Luciel, getting pictures of the various ponds, animals, and even landmarks of the park.
As I wandered around, I looked at my watch, wondering when Dong-hee was going to show up and slipped my phone into my pocket. I hummed lightly and shifted my attention back ahead, deciding to kill some time while I was out here.
During my peaceful walk, I noticed a stunningly beautiful woman sitting upon a bench along with soft pants, using her hoodie to wipe the sweat off her face from her afternoon jog. I stopped in my tracks, staring at her for a moment and actually felt my own heart skip a beat.
She had long wavy brown hair, caramel brown eyes, and a beauty mark under her left eye. She seemed peaceful, yet her face screamed melancholy, as if she was living in the present but her Spirit was stuck in the past. She was beauty and mystery wrapped into one package, a package wanting to be unwrapped but going unnoticed like an invisible Spirit lingering in the physical realm.
"Your heart skipped a beat...did you find your target?" Sephora asked, glancing over at me with an amused hiss and turned her attention back to the woman upon the bench.
"I don't know if she's my target, but I do one thing for sure...I know her fruits are true," I said, glancing at Sephora with a light smile.
Deciding to cold approach her, I walked over to her with a hint of confidence, but keeping my approach respectful. Seeing her empty water battle beside her, I knew of the perfect way to catch her attention and cleared my throat as I sat down beside her calmly.
The woman looked over at me, bowing toward me and respectfully moving her bottle out of my way, allowing me to sit on the bench as well. "Mianhamnida..."
"Eung.." I replied softly, respectfully bowing back toward her then glanced down at her bottle. "You're on a run?"
The woman nodded shyly, awkwardly rocking back and forth as if this were her first conversation in forever. "Yes... It's nice out today, so I thought to get some exercise.."
I gave the woman a soft smile, reaching out for her bottle and glancing at her for approval. She glanced at the bottle then back at me, wondering what I was planning to do with it and leaned back along the bench with curiosity.
I smiled at her then looked back at the bottle, the clear droplets of water clinging upon the sides of the bottle dropping down to the bottom and reforming until the bottle was completely filled. The woman recoiled back in her seat, her eyes widening in shock at the casual miracle I performed.
"May you never thirst for what's free out here again, the gift of water. My name's Nox, by the way. Nox Winters," I said, handing the full bottle back to the woman with a smile.
The woman took the bottle from my hands gently, her eyes never leaving mine with both wonder and awe, the life in her eyes suddenly returning. "Thank you...my name is Bong...Bong Do-hari..."
Dong-hee lowered the newspaper from in front of her face as she watched me interact with Do-hari and lowered her sunglasses, glancing over at Gloria with a watchful eye. "You saw that too right..?"
"Is the sky blue? Of course I saw that, but it's like...basic water manipulation. Evaporation and shit," Gloria said, stretching her arms and legs with a soft grunt and looked down at Dong-hee. "Why are you even stalking your sister and Nox? What was your mother's dream anyway?"
Dong-hee scoffed at Gloria's uninformed mind and looked back at me and Do-hari, exhaling softly and continuing to watch the two of us. "She had a dream last night that someone with great power would save our family from the curse.."
Gloria glanced over at me and Do-hari, letting out a thoughtful hum. "So that's what Mama was talking about. Aishhh...it wasn't about wealth at all? Ugh... I'm never escaping this swindler lifestyle.."
Dong-hee rolled her eyes at Gloria's one track mind about money, knowing she didn't truly understand the curse the Bong Family was under. "All you think about is money..."
Do-hari gasped softly at the story I told her about my time in St. Meishi, listening to my tales intently and nodding along. "Wow...that's really heavy. So, what brings you to St. Goken? It's not your typical historically focused land as it was back then, but..."
I leaned back against the bench and glanced up at the sky, not knowing if I should jump into my reason fire blazing, but my dove chirped softly into my ear. I looked over at her, seeing her shaking her head and smiled, clearing my throat gently.
"Originally, I was here for a baptism by Yochanan...but I wasn't deemed worthy of it yet. I heard St. Goken was very community based taken the vast community of Valkyrias and Heroes. Speaking of them, are you one?" I asked, tilting my head with subtle curiosity.
Do-hari looked straight ahead, placing her hands between her lap and exhaled softly. She nodded her head then lowered it, her eyes filled with deep emotion. "I used to be...I retired long ago after the death of my Captain against a Fallen Leader. I just...spend my time at home and wandering around Bulan, trying to forget that tragic day.."
I could sense the heavy baggage she carried, her Spirit still lingering upon the tragic incident. I placed a comforting hand upon her back, gently patting her and exhaled softly. "I'm sorry for bringing it up..."
Do-hari sniffled and shook her head, wiping her eyes and clearing her throat gently. "Aniyo...it's alright. I wanted to get it off my chest...I've been carrying this weight for years and it's the first time...anyone has asked about my past."
I stared at her for a moment, knowing she needed someone to be there for her during her moment of grief, only wanting a shoulder to rest upon during her moments of darkness. I stuck beside her as she dropped her mask in front of me, her tears flowing nonstop down her cheeks.
"It's just a lot...I have two children and I've been absent for most of their lives due to this trauma and I...just feel like I haven't been the best mother for them at all," Do-hari softly spoke, leaning forward with her head resting again her arms, her hair falling over her face.
Picking up on Do-hari's past from what she spoke, it immediately clicked to me that Do-hari was a widow. A grieving widow who wants to move on for her family, but her Spirit was cursed to relive the one painful memory that overrode any happy memory she could revisit.
"I'm sure you're doing all you can to do better for them, I can see it all over you. However, I can also tell you're isolating yourself from your family," I said, gently rubbing Do-hari's back.
Do-hari sniffled softly and leaned upward slightly, stroking her hair from her face and stared at the ground. "I know...but it's hard to face them. To be there for them...when I can't even be there for myself."
I glanced out into the open of the park, taking a moment to think about how to at least help Do-hari feel better. I stood up on my feet and turned around to face Do-hari, placing my hand upon her shoulder. "Then how about we go out...and I can help you be there for yourself."
Do-hari glanced up at me, meeting my eyes with her own glossy stare. She glanced down once again, wiping her tears and let out a soft exhale. "I don't know...maybe it could help. I just don't know..."
"You won't know unless you give it a chance," I said, holding my hand out toward her with a soft smile on my face. "There's no need to stay in a cell that has the door wide open."
Do-hari felt her heart fluttering at my gentle words, her eyes catching the sight of my dove perched upon my shoulder. In her eyes, I was the only one who had color, the only one who could see her Spirit, her pain and hidden laments.
Slowly, she reached for my hand, hesitantly taking it and gulped lightly as she stood up slowly. I helped her grab her things off the bench and gestured for her to follow me, the two of us setting out on our own mini adventure to help her cheer up.
Dong-hee's jaw dropped as she watched Do-hari walk away with me then rapidly pat Gloria with urgency while standing up. "C'mon! There on the move!"
Gloria grunted and swatted Dong-hee's hand then quickly stood up on her feet. "Geez! I get it, you don't have to keep hitting me!"
The two of them hurried upon their bikes and cycled after me and Do-hari on the bike lane, Dong-hee keeping a close eye upon me and her sister. Gloria pedalled behind Dong-hee, her attention splitting between the road ahead and me before hitting a bump and exclaiming as she tumbled off her bike.
Dong-hee let out a yell as well as she crashed safely into a group of bushes to the right of her, groaning lightly and rising up from the lush greens with a frustrated look on her face. "Hey! Watch where you're going, Swindler!"
"It was an accident, Bong Don't Eat! Besides, why are you cycling so slow in front of me?" Gloria argued back, hissing lightly as she rubbed her ankle.
"Tch...aah, you are so not worth the work," Dong-hee groaned, getting out of the bushes and made her way to Gloria to help her off the ground, draping one of her arms around her shoulder. "Use your legs, sheesh..!"
"I have a sprained ankle, genius. Thank you for your generosity, I'm okay!" Gloria fussed back with extreme sarcasm, hopping on her good leg to maintain balance.
--------------------
Do-hari and I walked side by side down the sidewalk, Do-hari's body language being very reserved as she was still unsure of what to do in the moment. I glanced around for any attractions we could go to so we could break more ice between one another, the division of Bulan having many options to choose from.
I gently tapped Do-hari's shoulder, pointing over at the large mall with a bright neon sign above it reading Bu~Lalan, with sparkles raining down from the sign. She glanced at the mall then back at me, gently holding her arm and let out a soft sound of resignation.
"I dunno... Ah, maybe we can find somewhere more quieter!" Do-hari muttered softly enough that I couldn't hear before quickly slipping away, her hold upon her bag growing tighter with nervousness.
"Do-hari!" I called out, letting out a soft exhale and slipped my hands into my pockets, following after her to make sure she didn't wander off too far. "She's...a very interesting one..."
"The key here is Patience. Think of this like Claudio's Love System. He has Ambition, Lust, Talent, Charm, Romance, Flirting, Empathy, Luck, and Passion. You need Joy, Kindness, Faithfulness, Self-Control, you know the Fruits," Sephora explained, watching Do-hari walk off with small yet quick steps.
"I know that much, and Patience isn't the issue here. She's skiddish now, afraid to be around crowds of people or even in open areas. I believe there's something more going on," I said, continuing to follow Do-hari and attempted to awaken my Yaoke, but Sephora awakened her own to cancel out mine.
"You were going to read into her Past weren't you? That's a bit invasive don't you think?" Sephora asked, softly hissing at me with disapproval.
"What? I'm just curious about her and want to help her the best way I can. Is there something wrong with the method I'm using?" I asked, glancing down at Sephora and rose an eyebrow.
"You're supposed to build a relationship with her, not become Sherlock Holmes. This is something Claudio would do, invade her secrets for answers. Ask her and the door will be opened for you," Sephora said wisely with a hint of sarcasm with her Sherlock jab, my dove chirping in agreement with her wisdom.
"Alright, alright, I understand," I said with a smile, letting out a soft exhale and jogged forward to match Do-hari's pace. "Hey, if you don't mind me asking...what are your children's names?"
Do-hari glanced over at me quickly, her grip tightening upon her bag with uncertainty. "Mwo..?"
"Too strong...recover quickly," Sephora coached, shaking her head at my dry delivery.
"A-Aah, sorry, I have children of my own as well, three to be exact so I'm sure curious is all," I said, giving her a sincere bow and stopped walking as she did.
Do-hari looked up at me and rose an eyebrow, tilting her head and lowering her guard. "You have three children? You look really young, no older than your early twenties.."
"Believe it or not, but I do," I confessed with a light chuckle and took my phone out of my pocket and pulled up a photo of my Church at St. Meishi. "Here's the three of them. Scarlet, the second youngest one, the eldest is the one in the middle, Rozalin, and the Tree of Life is currently sanctifying my third, Clover."
"Aishh...and here I thought my family was a gang of misfits and atypical people. You're... actually like they said on the news, a Messiah Class Being," Do-hari said in awe, looking up at me and meeting my eyes once again.
I chuckled softly at her and put my phone back into my pocket, inhaling sharply and clearing my throat. "Messiah Class...yeah, we can go with that."
Do-hari let out a soft exhale and brushed her hair behind her ear, reaching inside her purse to take out her own phone to show me a picture of her family. "Here's my family.."
I looked at the photo of her family, seeing her between her two children and to the left of her was Dong-hee. At the center was the head of the Bong Clan, Mrs. Bong and to her left was her husband, and finally at the right end of the couch was their second eldest son.
"My children are Bong Ae-Ri, my eldest daughter, and Bong Minsu, my youngest son, ten and eight. To the left of me is my eldest sister, Bong Dong-hee, and my eldest brother is Bong Nam-Sun," Do-hari said, pointing each one of them out for me.
"Are your children in school?" I asked, looking up from the screen at Do-hari.
Do-hari nodded, turning off her phone and looking up at me as well. "They go to Bulan Elementary, but their uncle picks them up or they take the bus home. There's a strain between us, Ae-Ri doesn't talk to me and Minsu follows her footsteps..."
"I see..." I replied softly, slipping my hands back into my pockets and letting out a slow exhale.
Suddenly, Do-hari's phone began to ring, the caller being her mother and she curled her lips slightly. "I should be heading back home...Sorry that we didn't go out today, but...maybe if we meet again we can try?"
I smiled at her and nodded. "Of course, I'll be glad to."
Do-hari's lips curled into a small smile then she awkwardly hurried off, taking the call from her mother as she retreated down the walkway. I watched Do-hari walk off and smiled to myself, my mind wondering of all the surprises the Bong Family had in store for me.
"I would say all went well taken she was a complete stranger. With that said, we should get acquainted with our new home. Let's do some Odd Gigs," Sephora suggested, uncoiling herself from my body and taking on her Human Form, a figure hidden behind a white cloak and a hood over her head.
"Ugh...I dislike Odd Gigs more than anything else..." I sighed softly, making my way down the walkway as well toward the heart of Bulan, Central Bulan.
Across Seolhart in Grushia, Luciel sat along a hill in an open field, staring out into the open with a Whispering Clover in hand, the soft whispers of the Gospels filling her ears. She had me on her mind constantly, wondering how I was doing in Bulan and if I was taking it easy.
"Genesis, is there a reason why you had us separate..? I don't mean to question your intentions, but there has to be a deeper reason that I'm not getting," Luciel said, looking up at the sky and gently hugged her knees.
Usually getting an immediate answer from the Sovereign Mother, Luciel was now met with silence as if Genesis did not want Luciel to concern herself with my mission. She let out a soft sigh and looked back out into the open, shaking her head and clearing her mind from all confusion and doubt.
"Aniyo, Eomma! I didn't get the job...ugh! It's so hard for a C-Rank like me to land a decent job, Eomoni..." A woman whined on the phone, stomping down the pathway while rolling her bike.
Luciel turned around at the sound of a woman's voice, her keen eyes quickly noticing an Aetherian Stigmata upon the woman's lower back. She quickly shot up from the soft grass, gasping softly as Genesis had finally given Luciel her first Aetherian to connect with.
"E-Excuse me!" Luciel called out, hurrying after the woman with urgency.
The woman turned around to see Luciel bolting after her like an olympic runner, her eyes widening and she let out a panicked squeak before charging away from Luciel. "Mama! Mama! Eomma! There's a crazy Javonah Witness chasing me!"
"Javonah Witness?! Hey, I'm from the True Denomination, Ascean!" Luciel replied to the woman's panicked and snarky insult, continuing to chase after the woman up the hill.
"I promise I have no money and I have done nothing! My name is Lee Su-Yun and I'm from Seolhart Academy, stop chasing me! I'm a student!" The woman cried out as she continued dashing away from Luciel.
Luciel and Lee Su-Yun continued to run up the hill until reaching the peak of the hill, Su-Yun dropping her bike and pivoting around with a strike at the air, releasing an energy blast in the shape of a cat head. Luciel yelped as she quickly dodged the energy blast, noticing Lee Su-Yun had entered fight or flight mode.
"Wait, wait! I'm don't want to fight you! I'm just here to ask you something!" Luciel reassured, holding her hands out in surrender to try and calm Su-Yun down.
"I want nothing to do with your cult!" Su-Yun retorted brashly, charging forward at high speeds with a leaping kick.
Luciel swiftly avoided Su-Yun's kick then pushed her forearm down as she went for a swift punch, countering with a backfist upon Su-Yun's cheek then twirled around into a high spinning kick. Su-Yun recovered quickly and blocked Luciel's kick, grappling her leg and tossing her along the ground with surprising strength.
The two women continued their dance of misunderstandings, their fists clashing upon every attempt to deliver a meaningful blow. Luciel awakened her iridescent energy around her body, phasing through each of Su-Yun's vicious attacks then countered with her Origin Palm, a burst of wind blowing Su-Yun away into the lone standing tree on the top of the hill.
"Ow, ow, ow, ow...!" Lee Su-Yun whined, clutching the back of her head and kicking her feet against the soft grass.
Luciel quickly covered her mouth with a panicked gasp, hurrying toward Su-Yun and crouching down beside her. "I'm so sorry..! Are you okay?"
"Ne... I've been through...a lot worse," Su-Yun groaned softly, falling along the ground and stretched out her arms with a deep sigh, her eyes looking up at the setting sky.
Luciel sat beside Su-Yun with her arms hugging her knees, her gaze shifting down to Su-Yun with gentle curiosity. "You're surprisingly fast and strong..."
"Me? No, no, no...I'm not that strong. I'm a C-Rank Valkyria...not even B Rank so I don't even see combat," Su-Yun said with a light chuckle, her tone oozing with an inferior complex.
Luciel smiled softly at Su-Yun then turned her gaze out to the sky, interlocking her fingers as she hugged her knees. "I heard you were talking to your mother earlier...you were trying to get a job?"
"Mmm," Su-Yun nodded, letting out another sigh and whine as she kicked her feet again. "Stupid Energy Corporation won't even accept someone as knowledgeable as me. I spent seven years of my life studying for this moment! I'm 28 and without a job after the death of our Squad Leader..."
Luciel's eye twinkled as Su-Yun explained her situation, her mission truly starting with the first piece literally laying right next to her. "Energy corporation?"
"Mhm... They're called Manaport. They basically extract Mana from the Earth to make electricity and help fund the Aetherian Combat Units, the ACU. And they won't even accept an analytic like me," Su-Yun muttered with self deprivation, sniffling softly as she stared at the sky with glossy eyes.
"I told my mom that I would get a job by this year and it's already October!" Su-Yun cried out, turning on her side and covered her face.
Not a confident girl is she..?
You have a power that Nox currently doesn't have...
A power to become a Valkyria to help people like Lee Su-Yun...
Luciel heard Genesis's voice clear as day then turned to look at Su-Yun once more, letting out a soft, empathetic sigh and noticed her Stigmata was glowing on her back due to her deep emotion. Knowing what her mission was, she now had to find a way to fulfill that purpose.