Do-hari sat upon a bench and folded the orange sauna clothes and towels, secretly sneaking glances at me and watched as I wiped the floors of sweat and small puddles of water with a dry mop. Dong-hee, Gloria, and Xavier sat at the smoothie bar together, Dong-hee keeping a close eye on me while Gloria flirted with Xavier.
Finishing wiping the floors, I wiped my forehead of my own sweat with a towel and looked around, watching customers traversing to and from the lounge area. As I scanned around, my eyes caught Do-hari sneaking a glance from me, her head quickly whipping away to the unfolded towels in front of her.
I chuckled softly at her, setting the dry mop against the wall then made my way toward her, sitting down in the other side of the backless bench and stared at Do-hari. "First you run away from me, and now you're stealing glances?"
Do-hari scoffed at me, rolling her eyes and continued to fold her towels while cursing me softly in Korean. "I did not run from you. I simply forgot that I had an errand to run plus I wasn't looking at you. I was looking at the dove you constantly have on your shoulder."
"Dove..?" Dong-hee questioned, squinting her eyes to get a closer look at me but couldn't see what Do-hari saw withing my appearance.
"Right, right. So you screaming in absolute terror wasn't running away," I asked, raising a brow and crossed my arms as a smirk grew upon my lips.
"Kkwang..." Do-hari denied with a dry tone, continuing to fold her clothes as if she did not see me sitting in front of her.
I snickered softly at her sassy attitude then glanced back at Dong-hee, who was closely watching me interact with her sister. Dong-hee pointing at her eyes then at mine and moved her along her neck, a silent promise of death if I ever hurt Do-hari.
I chuckled softly at Dong-hee and turned my attention back to Do-hari, looking down at the stack of unfolded towels and picked one up. "Mind if I assist you?"
"Aniyo...maeum-daero haseyo. It makes this part of the job a bit easier for me anyway," Do-hari said without taking a single glance at me, continuing her work and placing the folded clothes into a bin.
It was confusing to know if Do-hari was playing avoidant or hard to get, but something in me drove me into pursuing her even further. I helped Do-hari fold the remaining clothes and towels, our combined efforts getting the task done in less than 20 minutes.
I watched as Do-hari stood up to grab the basket of towels and clothes then stood up quickly to take the load instead. "Oh, allow me to carry that for you."
"Mwo? Wae? What's gotten into you all of a sudden?" Do-hari asked, her cheeks becoming a soft pink as she met my gaze with confusion and hesitancy.
"Gotten into me? You're the one giving mixed signals here. One second you're my friend and the next you're scattering like a cat hearing a dog bark for the first time," I said, picking up the bin and getting a good grip upon it.
Do-hari scoffed lightly as she rose up straight and crossed her arms, looking me up and down and sucked her teeth. "Aishh...gwichana..."
"Oh, I'm annoying? You haven't seen anything yet. Now let's get these towels to your aunt before she blows a fuse at me, the new hire," I said, walking off with a light chuckle.
Dong-hee watched as Do-hari followed me with a fuss, seeing how much life I had brought back into her sister with a simple interaction. She began to wonder what made me different than her other two past flames that appeared after her late husband.
I set the bin of clothes and towels on the counter behind Ms. Baek's massage table, letting out a soft exhale and turned around to look at Ms. Baek and Do-hari, watching as Ms. Baek watched over the pool area with a towel over her shoulder.
"It's very fitting you appear after her second lover after Captain Nam-Suk passed away. Tell me, what do you want with my niece?" Ms. Baek said, sitting upon the massage table and watching her customers relax in the hot tub.
I looked over at Ms. Baek and saw her stern expression, my gaze shifting over to Do-hari and noticing her looking over at me. I turned my gaze back to Ms. Baek, rubbing the back of my neck. "I'm sorry I don't understand..."
"This isn't Do-hari's first song and dance y'know. She's been married twice, once to Captain Nam-Suk, second to the first lover after him to a scammer and Kim Il-Song, and now you come around after her third shot vanished after finding out her secret," Ms. Baek said, glancing back at me and turned on the table to fully face me.
"A-Aah, Imo...You don't have to say anything too brash. Nox was just—" Do-hari began, stopping as I rose my hand with a smile.
"It's alright, Do-hari... I'll tell her the real reason I'm here," I said, looking at Ms. Baek with a smile and slipping my hands into my jacket pockets. "I'm actually here because I found Do-hari extremely attractive and wanted to get to know her more including her family."
"E..?!" Do-hari exclaimed, her entire face flushing into a deep red and her body recoiling from surprise. "Huh?!"
Ms. Baek rose an eyebrow as she stared at me, trying to discern any ill intentions from me, but couldn't find anything. She scoffed softly and looked back at Do-hari, crossing her arms. "You know nothing about her and want to be with her for her beauty?"
"Of course it's more than that, Ms. Baek. I can see she needs someone to be with her and I want to be that shoulder she can lean on when no one else is there. Of course, with your and Mrs. Bong's approval," I said, giving Ms. Baek a respectful bow.
Ms. Baek followed my figure as I bowed and rose back up then let out a soft exhale, standing up from the table and wiping it down with her towel. "If you really want to get close to Do-hari, you're gonna have to see her for more than her beauty, y'know."
"I know that much. She's Ascean correct? Her mother had a vision of me," I said, crossing my arms and smirking, noticing Ms. Baek had stopped in her motion.
Do-hari's eyes widened sharply as I revealed to both her and her aunt that her mother had a Prophetic Dream that had actually came true. "What..? You're saying...you are the person who will save us from our curse?"
"Impossible...that woman hasn't had a vision since Captain Nam-Suk died when she predicted his death. Who exactly are you, boy?" Ms. Baek asked, glancing back at me with glowing green eyes.
"I am Nox Winters, born and raised at Morgan in Exzodia... specifically the lone Ophiuchus Kingdom, Genessi City. However, I know you've seen the news...so you know me as the notorious Dark Lord of Redemption, Noxius Ascea Exzodia," I introduced, my butterflies materializing around me at my declaration.
"I see more and know more than you think. Though I may not know what you're specifically cursed by nor how to truly lift it, I will help you," I said, looking at Do-hari with a smile.
Ms. Baek and Do-hari glanced at each other then back at me, the two of them too stunned to even speak. Dong-hee, who was lurking around the corner, nearly fainted at the sight of my base form, unable to grasp the divinity of my normal image.
"Whoa, come look at this everyone!" A man said, going to the edge of the hot tub to look at the TV.
Ms. Baek glanced over at the TV screen and noticed the news playing. "Huh..? Breaking news? What could this be about? We're gonna have to put our conversation on hold."
"Do we though? Can we just forget about all this?" Do-hari whined softly, gently clenching Ms. Baek's shirt and lightly tugging it in a childlike manner.
"Absolutely not, not as long as this boy is around," Ms. Baek said, pointing at me with a perfectly straight finger.
"I can still hear you y'know..." I said, rubbing the back of my neck with an awkward expression.
Everyone glanced over at the TV on the wall to see the news broadcasting a segment about a Wanted Figure in Grushia for breaking and entering. The image on the side showed a picture of a rough sketch of a Korean woman with platinum hair wearing an oversized cat hoodie.
Hiding behind a convenience store with a bright yellow hoodie over her head, Su-Yun watched the news broadcasting on her phone while stress eating a candy bar with hungry cat noises.
"Aiishhh ahhh!!! What can I do to fix this..?! I can't go around a wanted target..!" Su-Yun fussed, flailing her arms around in a tantrum and pulled her hood over her head. Her stomach began to growl again, the various candy bars not being enough to sustain her. "Ugh...I haven't eaten all day..."
Su-Yun rose up quickly with a hatched idea and gasped, looking back at the convenience store behind her with sparkling green-yellow eyes, planning to steal small items like chips and ramyeon from the shelves. However, she immediately got convicted for having the idea, yet her stomach growled even louder.
"Ugh...God, you cursed me with this...I can't eat because I'm wanted! Is this retribution for a past sin?! I'm so hungry God, spare me!" Su-Yun plead, dropping to her knees and rubbing her hands together.
"Su-Yun?" A familiar voice called out to her, immediately ending Su-Yun's moment of despair.
Su-Yun looked over to her right, covering her eyes from the blinding sun and squinting to see the figure more clearly. Her eyes immediately widened and she gasped with happiness at the sight of the figure approaching her. "Luciel!"
Su-Yun sprung up from the ground and leaped over to Luciel, covering a large distance and throwing her arms around Luciel tightly. Luciel grunted loudly at Su-Yun's immense strength, tapping Su-Yun's back repeatedly for a chance to breathe again.
Su-Yun let go of Luciel and held her arms with a bright smile, her eyes glossy with tears of relief. "Wait, how did you know it was me? No one else recognized me! You can see that I'm Lee Su-Yun right? I'm me!"
"Uh..." Luciel began, looking Su-Yun up and down and physically seeing Sa Nu Rim. "Spiritually, yeah you are still Su-Yun?"
"Gah! So it's not a dream?! I actually transformed? Why did this happen? What happened... okay let's think..." Su-Yun said, pacing back and forth as she brainstormed. "I was rejected from Manaport after seven years, I encountered you, we went home and I got drunk...then...Mr. Kitty..."
"Uh... actually it's Ms. Kitty. The cat was a girl," Luciel lightly corrected, clearing her throat and holding her arms.
Su-Yun quickly glanced over at Luciel and hurried over to her, grabbing her arms. "We have to find Mr. Kitty! He's the reason we are here!"
"She!" Luciel corrected again, awkwardly looking at Su-Yun with an uncomfortable grin.
"She! Right, yeah! She! We need to find Ms. Kitty!" Su-Yun said, hurrying off then stopping in her tracks as she remembered she was a wanted target. "Wait...I'm wanted right now.."
Luciel sighed softly and lowered her head, her hand covering her face. "It's gonna be a loooong day..."
Suddenly, both girls heard the sounds of police sirens approaching the area, law enforcement patrolling the area and asking the civilians if they've seen Su-Yun anywhere. Quickly, both girls made a run for it down the street without a second thought, a policeman noticing them and pointing at them.
The chase began again, some of the forces chasing Luciel and Su-Yun on foot while others drove after them with their sirens blaring in the air. Su-Yun pointed over at an alleyway and made a sharp right into the alleyway with Luciel, the policemen on foot chasing after them while the others inside their units waited for their call.
"We can't keep running forever! We're gonna have to fend them off!" Su-Yun blurted out, the Spirit of Sa Nu Rim speaking for Su-Yun and surprising even herself.
"What?! We can't fight law enforcement and risk getting put in prison! Are you crazy?" Luciel questioned, her head jerking to look at Su-Yun as if she was insane.
"I might be, but for some reason I feel like these guys are not here to only arrest! I sensed their weapons were powered by Anti Energy! Those weapons can nullify a Stigmata!" Su-Yun replied, coming to a skidding stop then pivoted around into leap backwards.
Luciel halted in her tracks as well, turning around as well and watched as Su-Yun rushed into battle courageously, engaging in combat against the ACU Forces with her incredible speed and strength. The ACU struggled to keep up with Su-Yun's agility, each attempt at apprehension met with a slippery maneuver from Su-Yun.
Frustration began to build up within the ACU, one enforcer using nano energy to construct his mace, the energy lines on the blunt end glowing a deep red and pulsed with Anti-Energy. He swung the weapon with great force, cracking Su-Yun upon her midsection and releasing an Anti-Energy blast which sent her flying backwards.
Luciel caught Su-Yun and grunted as she slid backwards, manifesting her wings and flapping to stop her momentum. She looked up and noticed each of the ACU manifesting their weapons to neutralize Su-Yun. "Who the heck are these guys..?"
Su-Yun grunted softly and winced slightly in pain, her hand holding her stomach as she got out of Luciel's arms. She looked up at the ACU Forces as well, panting softly and let out a huff of frustration. "They are units deployed by Manaport to the Stigmata Capture Division of the St. Goken Police Force."
"Stigmata Capture? This looks more like they are planning to execute us!" Luciel exclaimed, worriedly looking over at Su-Yun as she's never been in this position before.
"That's why we must fight!" Su-Yun blurted once again, Sa Nu Rim speaking for her once more and her Stigmata glowing brightly upon her back.
Su-Yun's hoodie began to shine brightly, transforming into a white cropped military jacket, her t-shirt beneath becoming a black long sleeve undershirt. Her pants transformed into gray shorts with black stockings underneath and her shoes became brown thigh high boots.
Around her waist were a belt of bullets, each bullet having the word "Nya~" and "Cha~" inscribed upon them. A black long coat appeared around her shoulders like a cape, a golden cat chain dangling from one of the buttons with a cute cat face upon it.
One of the ACU Units gasped in awe and fear, grabbing his radio to contact dispatch. "We have a Code White, I repeat we have a Code White. The Level 4 Stigmata: Sa Nu Rim, Vow of Night and Day, has been righted and is an active combatant. Moving forward with apprehension using force."
"Dispatch to Unit Boon, Apprehension with Force authorized," The dispatch replied through the radio before ending communications.
"Today just gets even more bizarre..." Luciel sighed, summoning her scepter and transforming into her Warden Form.
The Gunmen in the backlines aimed their rifles at the two girls, laser beams shooting from their scopes to assist their aim. Each of them pulled their triggers, firing Anti-Matter bullets at the girls, but Luciel quickly warped them out of harm's way using her Warden Butterflies.
Once in mid-air, Luciel launched Su-Yun toward the middle of the group and Su-Yun let out a battle cry as she landed upon the ground with a stomp, releasing a wave of golden energy across the alleyway to push the ACU Forces back. The forces groaned as the shockwave of energy launched them in every direction like a small explosion.
"Catiger and Nangoony! Go!" Su-Yun exulted, aiming her twin pistols at the Gunmen with a grin.
Six bullets from her belt dissolved into magic energy and entered her twin pistols, the barrel of her guns glowing red with superheated energy and magic circles appearing in front of the barrel. She began firing six bullets at the Gunmen, all six landing their marks on the Gunmen and striking them down.
One ACU Unit rushed behind Su-Yun with her Anti-Matter Mace in hand ready to strike, swinging down with deadly force at the back of her head, but Luciel intercepted the attack for Su-Yun with her scepter. The two began clashing repeatedly, equal in movement and speed, but Luciel flawlessly dodged the next swing and left behind a Spirit Clone.
"Su-Yun, we have to break free from the alleyway to a more open area!" Luciel called out, dodging a Shield Bash from another ACU Unit and sprinted down the alleyway.
Su-Yun evaded multiple attacks coming for her from all directions with swift and cunning steps, swinging her coat to temporarily blinding the units before disappearing from their sight. The remaining ACU Forces searched around frantically, each one trying to track the two girls but losing sight of them.
"We have two Code Whites, The Stigmata and an unknown combatant, likely a Warden Class Valkyria. High level for sure," Boon said, helping one of his allies upon her feet as he spoke into his radio.
"Getting their coordinates now," The ACU dispatch said, the sound of her fingers working the keyboard playing through the radio.
Luciel and Su-Yun panted heavily as they quickly rushed down the street, both of them hearing the sounds of sirens blaring around them and helicopters flying over them to track them down. Su-Yun quickly searched for an escape route and pointed toward the countryside area before booking it across the street.
The horns of cars blared as the two girls ran for their lives, the ACU Forces in their vehicles racing across the asphalt behind them in a high speed chase. One armored vehicle aimed the turret gun upon the roof at Su-Yun, the barrel beginning to spin rapidly as they began firing shots at her.
"Su-Yun, watch out!" Luciel warned, taking cover from the raining bullets and covered her head.
Su-Yun looked back and noticed the bullets heading for her at high speeds, her blood racing through her body and her heart beginning to pump faster than before. Her eyes began to glow, everything around her seemingly moving in slow motion as golden lightning began to crackle around her body.
With a powerful exertion of her body, she began moving at lighting speeds with cat like reflexes mixed with an ancient Valkyrian experience, the bullets missing their mark with every attempt. One girl screamed as a bullet headed straight for her, the same girl Luciel encountered last night.
Without thought, Su-Yun sprang into action, hurrying toward the girl and picked her up, leaping out of the way of the next set of bullets then used the building to wall jump higher into the air. She manifested a large cat paw around her foot as she came down with a powerful stomp upon the armored car, crushing the front of the car and flattening the engine into scrap metal.
"Su— Ack! I mean Sa Nu Rim! It's time for us to go! Come on!" Luciel called out to Su-Yun, gesturing for her to follow her through a backroad.
Su-Yun glanced over at Luciel, still carrying the young girl in her arms then leaped off the armored unit and ran after Luciel. The trio now were on the run out of Grushia City, heading toward Dotari, a countryside sitting between Bulan and Grushia.
Luciel began to use her Divine Discernment, scanning the area for a place they could hide until finding a cornfield to her right. She led the trio into the cornfield and began charging through using her discernment, so they could not be lost in the midst of their confusion.
"Genesis! This is so crazy! Why did Nox get the more peaceful mission!" Luciel cried out, pushing each crop out of her way and huffed heavily.
"You think you're having a bad day? I literally transformed into a Balkiria Cat Girl while escorting a high schooler through to safety! This day can't get any worse!" Su-Yun whined, panting quickly as she followed behind Luciel with the young girl's hand in hers.
"All I wanted to do was go to Aetherpoint to get a Stigmata for my mom! How did I get dragged in your mess? And aren't you wanted ma'am?! Are you using me for ransom?!" The young girl asked, holding onto Su-Yun's hand tightly and ran behind her.
"What?! I saved you from being an autopsy report! I might be broke and desperate, but I'm not that damn desperate!" Su-Yun cried out, letting out an impulsive hiss from Sa Nu Rim's mannerisms and covered her mouth.
As the three girls charged through the cornfields, one ACU Unit found them and landed in front of them with a large fiery circular slice, clearing out an arena then casted fiery walls around them. Luciel, Su-Yun, and the young girl stopped in their tracks as they faced the lone ACU Unit, each of them bracing themselves.
Luciel....
Can you hear me..?
"Nox!" Luciel gasped, closing her eyes and letting out a deep sigh as she heard my voice. "Nox, it's getting pretty bad right now. I need some guidance right now and Genesis won't answer me right now..!"
She's silent because she's watching you...
But using my Yaoke to see you, I can see that you're in serious trouble.
That unit in front of you is a Captain, a Valkyrian Captain.
Getting her on your side is KEY.
"But how? She looks like she wants to kill us," Luciel said, opening her eyes and facing the Valkyrian Captain in front of her.
Sa Nu Rim is your key...
Or whoever that girl is next to you.
I did my own research.
Sa Nu Rim is the captain that died and caused the Aetherian Squad to disband.
I heard that she rebelled against Manaport, but I don't know why...
Luciel glanced over at Su-Yun, humming lightly then turned her attention back to the Captain in front of her and noticed she was preparing an attack. "Alright, I'll get back to you Nox. Love you, gotta go!"
Quickly, Luciel and Su-Yun separated to avoid the fiery cutting wave launched at them by the Captain's great sword then charged toward the Captain together while the young girl watched from behind. Luciel launched the first attack with a spiralling roundhouse, but the Captain swiftly evaded her attack then countered Su-Yun.
The Captain sliced in a large arch, striking Luciel cleanly and sending her flying backwards then flew after her, seeing Luciel as the main threat. Luciel landed on the ground, manifesting a Warden Butterfly and phased through the Captain's next slash, iridescent energy pulsing around her body.
'Iridescent Energy..? It's the same energy as that Messiah from the News a week ago..!' The Captain said mentally, pulling back her next attack then leaped backwards as goosebumps began to crawl along her arm.
"She's backing off? Heh, must've gotten scared of our amazing teamwork!" Su-Yun said confidently, rubbing under her nose with her finger.
"Teamwork? Looked like a circus act out there," The young girl criticized, tilting her head and rose an eyebrow.
Su-Yun lowered her head, all confidence lost at the young girl's brutal honesty. "Aaand the parade is over..."
The Captain lowered her weapon and her gaze shifted between Luciel, Su-Yun, and the young girl. "Who are you two and why are you with Sa Nu Rim? A better question is how is Sa Nu Rim alive?"
Su-Yun and Luciel glanced at each other then back at the Captain in front of them with slight hesitation and confusion. Neither of them knew what to respond with at the moment, both of them biting their tongues to speak until the young girl stepped forward.
"My name is Hyeon Bae, and I attend Grushia High School and I have no ties in anything involving these two! I just wanted to go to Aetherpoint to get a Stigmata for my mother," Hyeon Bae confessed, clutching both straps of her bag and giving the Captain as confident of a look as she could.
"A-And I am Luciel Winters, from Exzodia City. We mean no harm, but truthfully you all have put citizens in harm's way more than you claim Sa Nu Rim has! You nearly gravely injured a young girl!" Luciel said, stepped forward as well and shielding Hyeon Bae behind her.
"Luciel, Hyeon Bae, you don't know the dangerous game you're playing here. Sa Nu Rim was my old Squad Leader that rebelled against Manaport and died! She was killed by Prince Zephyr himself! If she's willing to betray royalty, what makes you think she won't betray your trust too?" The Captain asked, giving the two girls a stern look.
Su-Yun gulped lightly and glanced over at Luciel nervously, fidgeting with her fingers and bit her lip with a hint of stress in her demeanor. Luciel glanced back at Su-Yun, physically seeing Sa Nu Rim with her eyes but in her Spirit, she saw Su-Yun.
"Because I see her...I See You, the real you, Sa Nu Rim," Luciel began then turned back toward the Captain and awakened her iridescent energy around her body with a determined smile. "So if you want her, you'll have to get passed me! And I guarantee you with the power of YUVAH on my side, I can walk through the valley of shadows and still fear no evil!"
The Captain grunted heavily as Luciel's aura was strong enough to knock her backwards, high winds blowing through out the fields as Warden Butterflies began to fill the arena. "This chick...isn't a Code White..! She's a Code Rainbow! She is a Messiah Level Threat!"
Just as the Captain went to call for help, her radio began to malfunction, Hyeon Bae holding her hand out and distorting the communication signals in the area like a specter haunting the fields. The Captain quickly glanced at Luciel and Hyeon Bae, seeing how much effort they were putting in to protect Su-Yun.
"Luciel...Hyeon Bae...Nya..!~" Su-Yun said with extreme gratefulness, not caring about her Sa Nu Rim slip ups in the heat of the moment. "Alright, let's take down Captain Haru!"
Luciel nodded, spreading her angelic wings and manifesting a light energy blade at the tip of her scepter. "Let's go!"