Yerin felt it.

She felt something pierce her chest, straight through her and a numbing sensation following right after.

She didn’t know, nor understand what went on. All she could remember was concentrating as she poured her power to call forth their own giants to battle the enemy’s, only to be interrupted.

Her concentration broken, she could only look around in confusion only to be met by looks of surprise.

“How…”

Yerin turned her head to see Sinb approaching her with uneasy steps, her face white as sheet. When the elf had reached her side and touched the area where she had felt something pierce her earlier, Sinb’s hands were cold to the touch.

She was shaking.

“How…” Sinb whispered one more time, her gaze trained on her chest as if searching for something, anything as she tried to make sense of the situation.

“Sinb?” Yerin held her shaking hand, worrying at how the elf was acting.

“Y-You’re okay…?”

“I am.” Yerin answered, still confused, “What’s the matter? Did something happen? Are you okay?”

Sinb looked like she had just survived a heart attack and it was worrying her that something may have happened and no one is speaking up about it.

“Sinb–” Yerin tried to ask again but was cut off when Sinb suddenly looked behind her, a sudden surge of power surrounding her as her eyes began blazing a hot silver.

In them was anger. Raw, unadultered anger.

“How dare you.”

Sinb spoke in a low tone, but it felt like it had echoed across the entire lands to all directions with how much weight she had put into those three words.

A split second was all it took for Sinb to draw her bow and shoot at an elf standing not too far from them. It was only then that it made sense.

She was about to be killed. It was what that piercing feeling meant, but if that was the case, she was sure that she was hit. How… How was she still alive…?

Sinb had gone to the elf’s side and grabbed his collar, lifting him up effortlessly. The surrounding elves did not even bother to stop their leader, knowing that her anger was within reason.

“I’ve said it once.” Sinb growled, “If anything happens to Yerin, they answer to me and I don’t make exemptions… even if you’re one of my kind.”

“Lea–”

“You’re our enemy now.” Sinb held him over the wall the same time a chimera emerged into the clearing charging in towards them, “And I don’t show any mercy.”

“Sinb.” Yerin called, placing a hand on her arm, “Let him go.”

“No.”

“He is not worth dirtying your hands with.” Yerin said, “So let him go.”

“He almost killed you, Yerin!” the nymph went mum once she met the elf’s gaze, eyes still blazing the same bright silver as earlier, it still screamed anger and vengeance, but at the same time there was fear and pain. The fear that she might have been too late to save Yerin, and pain if she lost the nymph for a second time. It was crushing the elf, along with her reasoning, and she knew she had to stop her before she went out of control.

Yerin reached up, holding the hand that was tightly holding onto the elf’s collar, “I’m okay…” she told her in a soothing tone, “I’m not going away. No one will take me away from you.”

“…I almost lost you again Yerin.”

“But I’m okay.”

“I wasn’t able to stop it.”

“Sinb, do you see me?”

She nodded in reply.

“Then that’s all that matters right now. I’m with you. I won’t leave your side. Not anymore.”

The silver glow slowly died down until it was completely gone. Sinb let out a breath before she trained her gaze on the elf who had tried to kill Yerin earlier.

“You’re still not off the hook.” Sinb tossed him to the side where elves were quick to grab and tie him up before taking him away.

Sinb let out a breath before facing Yerin.

“Now I really need to concentrate, Sinb.” Yerin smiled, “Try to do better in protecting me this time.”

“The only thing you should be worried about is me being a distraction.” Sinb raised a brow, “I just know you can’t resist me after all.”

Yerin just blinked, her eyes going back to glowing green as she tried to connect with the forest one more time. Though she responded that way, Yerin was just more than glad to see the army leader regaining reason and was being her aloof self once more.

Meanwhile Sinb was already used to the nymph looking unamused and ignoring her but…

Her gaze fell to their interlaced hands.

Yerin’s definitely not going anywhere this time.

“There goes another one!” Yuna pointed excitedly as another giant was flung to the air, causing her to laugh out loud at how funny and ridiculous the giant looked, flailing about while in mid-air.

A while earlier, Yerin had managed to complete the spell and all trees, big and small, became mobile and began attacking the enemy forces still hiding within the forest. Such was the power of a forest nymph who was blessed with a sacred relationship with the forest.

The giants were literally being tossed around by the ents, causing Sinb to wince slightly at how she had a similar experience of it just a few days ago and slightly, only slightly, felt sorry for the giants currently suffering the same fate.

At that point, they had taken care of the majority of the enemies because of the forest’s help. Yuna kept an eye out for any other potential enemies meanwhile Eunha and Sojung had begun to tend to the injured.

“Yerin.”

“Hm?”

“What happened?” Sinb asked, staring at her then at the spot where she was sure the arrow had plunged itself in.

“My eyes are up here, Sinb.” Yerin teased, causing the elf to be flustered at her words and rapidly raised her gaze, thinking that she might get tossed around like the giants were currently going through.

Only to see Yerin look at her with an amused look.

“Very funny.” Sinb grumbled, relaxing slightly.

Yerin chuckled, “As for the answer to your question, I’m not sure…” she placed her palm on the spot where she felt herself pierced, “I also know that it had pierced me. I felt it and I know that I had not imagined it.”

Yerin didn’t want to admit, but after the numbing sensation, the area below her collarbone– where the tattoo of the curse was placed– had begun throbbing. It wasn’t painful, but it made her uncomfortable and was hoping that it doesn’t mean anything, nor does it get worse. She promises to investigate it once the fighting is over.

“It’s like the arrow never existed in the first place.” Sinb remarked, placing a hand on her shoulder, a bit hesitant since the nymph didn’t like to be touched, but Yerin hasn’t shied away so she took that as a sign that it was okay.

“Hm?”

“What is it?”

“Yerin… there’s something lighting up on your chest?”

Stunned by her words, Yerin quickly looked and saw the elf’s words to be true. And it was the exact same spot where the tattoo of the curse was placed. Sooyoung never told her about anything like this but she had a suspicion that the tattoo may have something to do with her surviving the arrow.

Before she could mull over it any longer, the communication stone lit up, projecting Sojung’s voice to the group.

“The Queen’s here.”

Redirecting their gazes towards the clearing, they found truth in Sojung’s words as they watched the Queen finally make her entrance with armies of kobolds on each of her side and a pair of griffins leading the march.

But what bothered them most was what the Queen was currently riding as they marched.

“That’s definitely a dragon.” Eunha swallowed slightly, her and Sojung joining the group a second after.

“We can’t hurt dragons.”

“How in the world…”

“It’s under a spell.” Sojung mumbled in a grim tone, staring intently at the creature.

Dragons were peaceful creatures that never bothered with any of the other realms and if they did, it was only when they were scouring for food or when someone disturbs their resting place up in the mountains in the northwest.

“Under a spell?” Yerin asked to make sure.

“A very strong one.” Sojung confirmed, “It’s a mind control spell, and only witches are capable of doing it. But I don’t see any witches nearby, I don’t even sense one.”

Yuna sniffed the air, “Me either.”

“Isn’t it possible for the spell to be cast beforehand?” Eunha asked.

“No. Dragons are headstrong creatures. They can only be affected by the strongest spells and if they are under mind control, it’ll last a day at maximum before they regain control.” the mage sighed, “This one looks like a newborn, but they’re still powerful.”

“I don’t want to hurt them…” Yuna mumbled sadly, looking over at the dragon marching steadily towards them. They were peaceful creatures, never harming any other creature unless necessary and when they do, they can be catastrophic if angered. Unfortunately, they will have to fight if they want their realm to be unharmed.

“Focus on the barrier!” Sojung ordered the mages who agreed and retreated behind the wall, a select few staying to help with the offensive, “Eunha, how’s the healing?”

“They need more rest.” Eunha answered, “I advice not to make them fight unless necessary.”

“Archers, positions!” Sinb yelled.

Yuna shifted, letting out a loud howl relaying instructions to the other shifters in secret, but it was basically just her telling them to get ready.

“This daughter of mine.” the Queen finally spoke, “You really are the bane of my existence.”

“You brought this upon yourself.” Yerin answered back, “Is it not enough that you've stained this land with the blood of many for a meaningless conflict?”

“You killed them.”

“Don't act as if you're not at fault!” Yerin glared, “You know very well that it is your actions that caused their deaths!”

The Queen just smiled, raising her hands, “I never raised a single hand against you, daughter of mine.” she taunted, “Nor have I spoken of any war against you… You struck first and we only defended.”

Yerin breathed in deep, trying to calm down her nerves caused by her mother’s words. She knew that she was just doing it to get her to retaliate in anger, but she refuses to succumb to it.

“You know.” Sinb finally spoke up, sensing Yerin starting to get infuriated with the woman, “You’re not going to fool anyone here. After all, you’re the one who tried to turn our kind against us and then you suddenly come over marching with a large army with their weapons raised and looking like they want to kill us. How do you expect us to react to that? Even without you saying anything, it’s obvious you want a fight.”

The elf remained unfazed at the glare directed at her as she diverted her attention from the Queen to the woman by her side.

Yerin smiled upon feeling a hand slip into hers, bringing her comfort and assurance and reminding her that she was not doing this alone.

“Stop this already, Queen Ayla.” Yerin spoke, imploring the person one more time.

“Queen Ayla, please surrender peacefully.” Sojung stepped up. Though she doubts that she will get the answer that she wants, the mage still wanted to try despite that. She didn’t want anymore needless killing.

“No.”

The Queen’s reply was immediate, at the same time extending out a hand and a burst of black flames emerged from it, aimed straight at Yerin. Sojung quickly chanted a verse from her grimoire, quickly intercepting the attack but was surprised when the Queen’s spell just slipped through hers.

Yerin quickly built up a defense to keep the attack from reaching her but the flames only blew a hole through the wall she conjured.

She was hit.

Yerin felt it, but…

“What–”

The flames merely passed by her like she was nothing.

“Just like the arrow.” Sinb stared, then focused her attention on the glowing spot on Yerin’s chest that has been distracting her since earlier, “Uh, Yerin?”

The stunned nymph shook herself out of her frozen stupor and turned to the elf only to see her pointing at her chest.

Seeing the glowing spot, her brows furrowed, deciding to pull down her dress just enough to reveal whatever it was. Yerin’s eyes widened as soon as she came to recognize what was on her chest.

Right on the same spot where the cursed tattoo lay was the glowing symbol of a sakura flower, pulsing brightly in rhythm to Yerin’s heartbeat. Sinb’s eyes furrowed in confusion upon seeing the symbol, but Yerin knew exactly what it was and it was giving her more questions than answers.

“That’s…” Sojung stared, also surprised, “A nymph’s Seal of Protection… but I don’t understand. What is going on? And that person too... this is so confusing...”

“Sojung?” Eunha looked up at their leader worriedly.

Sojung refocused her attention to the Queen who was glaring defiantly at Yerin, perhaps for having escaped death.

“How can you cast a spell like that?” Sojung demanded, “Only witches are capable of casting dark magic. Who are you?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know, council leader?” the Queen just replied smugly before ordering everyone to attack, only to be quickly intercepted by the ents who scooped up some of the kobolds and threw them away from the clearing as far as they could. Sojung and Sinb also acted, dealing with the remaining targets while Sojung focused all her attention on the Queen.

“Yuna!” the mage called, the aforementioned shifter bounding up to her side immediately, “Yuna, I really don’t want to fight with a dragon so communicate with him… Get him back to his senses.”

'Mind-control magic isn’t a joke, Sojung. It might not work.'

“We’ll have to try. If we kill one of the dragonkin, we’ll have the entire mountain of dragons after us.”

Yuna blinked, 'That actually makes sense. I’ll see what I can do.'

Sojung didn’t respond and just focused on chanting, taking out her grimoire once more and rapidly flipping through it, casting a long spell aimed straight at the Queen.

Amidst the fighting, Yerin was caught up in a daze over the symbol on her chest. As Sojung had said, it was a Nymph’s Seal of Protection, but why did she have it? What happened to the cursed seal? Why did it disappear?

A Nymph’s Seal of Protection allows its bearer to survive any deadly attacks aimed specifically at her, but such a strong protective seal came at the expense of a life, hence the sakura symbol. Only nymphs are capable of placing seals like this, but she doesn’t remember undergoing any ritual. Has the seal been on her since the beginning?

Yerin could still see the symbols of the cursed seal, but only barely as it was overshadowed by the other.

If the seal’s been on her from the very start, what nymph would willingly give up her life just to protect hers…? Not to mention nymphs don’t give their lives up to just anyone.

No one knew of her powers when she was a child except the Queen, so she couldn’t be considered important enough for anyone to sacrifice themselves for. And she can’t remember undergoing any ritual after her childhood, so it must have been before that.

Perhaps something happened during her birth that warranted a nymph’s seal…?

A million thoughts were running through her mind.

Yerin, your mother’s the one who cast the curse on you. Ergo, your mother, the Queen, is a witch.

Only witches are capable of casting dark magic.

The Queen is undoubtedly a witch, as what Sojung and Sooyoung proclaimed.

A witch cannot give birth to one who isn’t. That is the absolute rule of our realm.

Last Yerin checked, she was sure she is a full fledged nymph, so she cannot be the daughter of a witch.

If she cast it herself, then there’s no need for her to sacrifice anything else besides a clean soul.

Yerin stopped, “A clean soul?”

Sinb heard Yerin speak and turned to her worriedly, “Yerin?”

“She’s not my mother…” Yerin mumbled.

“What do you mean?”

“She had two curses to choose from.” Yerin mumbled, “But she couldn’t cast the other one because it could only be done to someone of the same blood.”

“Yerin, I don’t understand…”

“She couldn’t cast the other curse on me because we are not of the same blood.” Yerin shook, “The Queen is not my mother.”

Sinb nearly dropped her bow upon hearing Yerin’s words.

“I-I don’t… are you sure…?”

“She just cast dark magic just a moment ago, that further proves that she is a witch and cannot be my mother.” Yerin explained, “Since beings of one kind cannot give birth to another.”

Yerin, a curse has a lot of loopholes, so casting them is a careful procedure. There are a lot of specifics too so it’s not very convenient, especially powerful spells like this one.

“The Queen has control of me because she is my ‘mother’.” she continued.

“Yerin, we were just talking about her not being your mother. Please stop confusing me.”

“Sinb, it only means that since she is not my mother, the curse is therefore invalid. She only made me believe that she is for it to remain in effect.” Yerin explained, “Her words that she spoke that day, ‘You cannot raise your hand against the one you call your mother, or else we will both suffer.’”

'No wonder Sooyoung kept on insisting the loopholes. She must have realized it by then but refused to tell me in consideration of my feelings.'

“So that means we can attack her all we want then?” Eunha asked.

“I no longer call her mother.” Yerin said, “Perhaps that was why she attacked the moment I stopped calling her that.”

“Then we attack full force.” Sojung remarked, blasting a few kobolds away, “Yuna! Yu– what is that woman doing?”

They all turned to see the shapeshifter currently sat on the ground before the dragon, laughing and the dragon seemingly laughing along with her. The creature roared once, Yuna nodding her head in agreement in response.

“…Well you did tell her to talk to the dragon.” Eunha told Sojung.

Sojung heaved out a large sigh, “I feel a headache coming… Yuna! Head over here!”

“Oh, my friends are calling me.” Yuna grinned, standing up and dusting her clothes of dust, “You should meet them too! Come on.”

Eunha raised her arms, “The headache has arrived!”

“I am sometimes really amazed by your capabilities, Yuna.” Yerin stared as the shifter approached closer.

“Thanks? Anyway, guys, meet Dragunov.” Yuna gestured to the dragon who just nodded his head in greeting. The others reciprocated the gesture out of politeness.

“She’s sometimes so weird, but she does amazing stuff while being weird. What kind of magic is this.” Sinb stared.

“What did you call me for?” Yuna asked.

“We’re attacking the Queen.” Sojung briefly explained.

“A-Are you sure? Yerin, will you be okay?”

“If you are asking with regards to my soul binding connection, then I will not be harmed.” Yerin said, confident of her decision, “This needs to be done.”

Yuna nodded, “If you say so. Dragunov, how about it?”

The dragon raised its head, roaring loudly that Sojung had to put up a barrier to make sure they weren’t blown away by its intensity.

“He sounds mad.” Eunha mumbled, appearing from underneath Sojung’s cloak in her fairy form.

“He got controlled, his anger is well-deserved.” Yerin remarked, turning her gaze to the Queen who was ordering the griffins to hold back the mages while she tried to make a run for it, however, the ents got in her way, blocking her escape. She tried to cast a spell, blasting them away but got interrupted halfway and, without the dragon, her allies were already dwindling and it was only a matter of time before she was alone.

Sojung did well to target their healers first before all others.

“You may have mounted numbers against us, but it’s not all about numbers, Queen Ayla. No, you’re not a queen anymore.” Sojung approached the cornered woman, “You’re just a witch now, aren’t you?”

“I am no witch.” she smirked, sounding sure.

“Weird…” Eunha mumbled, Sinb hearing her by chance.

“What is?”

“She’s not lying…” Eunha mumbled, "In fact... I can't sense any emotion from her. It's like she's there but she's so... empty."

“Wh–”

A scream ripped through the silent clearing and everyone turned their heads to the source.

“Yerin!”

“How did she…?”

Right behind them was Yerin being held by the Queen, now witch, in a choke hold. Alarmed, they turned to the person they had assumed was her and only found an illusion of the Queen fading into nothingness.

“She’s an expert illusionist.” Sojung mumbled, “Perhaps most of the enemies we had earlier weren’t even real…”

“Let her go witch!” Sinb notched her bow aimed straight at the woman, but hesitated with how she had made sure that Yerin completely covered her view of her.

The witch grinned, “Hesitating, elf?” she taunted Sinb while hugging Yerin closer to her, “Fire. Or are you scared that you’ll kill your precious nymph?”

“You…!”

“You can’t kill her.” Sojung remarked, “Until that seal exists on her, you can’t do anything.”

“I can’t kill her, that is true, but I can make her suffer… The seal only keeps her from absolute death, but not completely from harm. Or did you forget that?”

She chanted a spell before flames burst forth from her hand, bringing them close to Yerin’s face. Swallowing, Yerin tried to keep her face away from scorching flames.

“Stop!”

“Will you still love her even if I ruin this beautiful face?”

“What is it you want?” Sojung spoke before she could hurt Yerin any further.

“Your crests.” she was quick to answer, her tone finally turning serious, “Give them to me.”

The whole group hesitated.

“Is your friend not important enough for you to surrender them? Are your statuses as council leaders more important than your friend’s well-being?”

“You can’t give them!” Yerin yelled, struggling against the witch’s hold.

The crests the witch spoke of were the symbols of power given to each representative that signified their leader status in their region. Each crest has been blessed by all regions and by possessing the crest, they are given enhanced abilities depending on their kind hence why their eyes glow whenever they tap into their powers.

If they give the witch their crests, they may as well have given her the entire realm’s powers, easily making her the strongest person in the area.

“Yerin…”

“Do not submit to her demands.” Yerin told them defiantly, “If you do, then it will be our end.”

“But still…!” Sinb took a step forward, distress in her tone as Yerin screamed as a flame touched her arm.

“You, Yerin, you have always been a hindrance to my plans. First your mother, then you!” the witch snarled, letting a bunch of flames Yerin’s arm, further burning her.

Yerin’s jaw clenched, ignoring the excruciating pain as she continued to listen to the witch, "She should have just accepted her fate but she instead used her life to save yours. If only she agreed to be the sacrifice, you would not be going through all this pain!

It hurts, doesn’t it? Tell your friends to give up their crests! And you, and the rest of you will remember this day, the day I, Grimina, finally get what I rightfully deserve!"

Yerin swallowed as more of her arm burned, shw mumbled, “Indeed... you will get what you deserve..."

Grimacing, the nymph yelled, "Sinb!”

“Ye–”

“Shoot me!”

The elf’s eyes widened at the request, “No! Of course I can’t do that, we’ll–”

“It’s the only way.” Yerin breathed as she felt her strength disappearing bit by bit as the pain was becoming too much to bear, “Sinb, please.”

“I refuse!”

“Do it…” Sojung placed a hand on the elf’s shoulder.

Sinn turned to the mage in disbelief, “Sojung…?”

“Yerin knows what she’s doing. Do it.”

“But…!”

Sinb knew why she was asking for her to do it. She was confident that the arrow will pass through her like how the past attacks towards her did and hit the witch instead. But she was scared. What if killing intent was what triggered the protection seal to take effect? What would happen if she fired without that intent to kill? What if it didn’t work? What if she ends up killing Yerin instead? What if she missed again?

“Sinb please…” she heard Yerin speak, panting heavily. She could visibly see her strength ebbing away, tears staining her cheeks as the pain from the burns made her weaker the more time passed.

“I-I can’t…” she shook her head, “What if I kill you?”

“You won’t.” Yerin assured her, “Trust me.”

“I don’t–”

“Sinb, you have to.” Yerin begged, “Please.”

Swallowing deep, Sinb watched as Yerin cried out in pain once more, feeling her chest constrict at how much agony she could feel from that one yell. She can't let this go on any longer. 

The elf finally made up her mind and clutched her bow, unable to take the sight of Yerin suffering any further.

Her eyes glowed as she conjured a silver arrow in her hands.

“Ha! Will you shoot? Will you take that risk!?” the witch taunted.

“I-- if this fails, I'll atone with my life." she mumbled, feeling her heart thundering loudly in her chest, "If I fail, then I'll join her. After all, nothing can take her away from me, not even death.” Sinb mumbled, pulling the string but everyone could visibly see that she was shaking uncontrollably and was only putting on a confident façade to fool her, “Right Yerin?”

The nymph just chuckled, “You are taking my words too literally.”

Sinb just smiled with a bit of sadness, her gaze not leaving the nymph's, “…I’m sorry.”

She let go of the arrow.

last chapter? 🤔