‘Mothers can be very over protective.’

Ga In spoke towards her partner, her head resting upon his shoulder as he shifted in his seat.  The elder sat across the room making a pot of what was probably tea, Sunye circling at her feet trying to help her the best way that she could.  The elderly lady had already apologized for the woman’s rude behavior, but J.Y Park had already explained that it was not necessary; they were new and it was often that many people did not take well to their appearance.

‘I do hope that this tea is to your liking, we only use fresh herbs from the forest so it probably nothing likes your tea back at home.’

The Elder spoke, slowly walking over to the two of them with a try held tightly in hand.  Both of them took a cup from the tray as they bowed, careful to take a sip.  Ga In was the first to make a squeak, her eyes widening.  It was much better than what she had been expecting.  Leaning towards J.Y Park formed into an ‘o,’

‘Taste this honey!  It’s like liquid gold in your mouth!’

Ga In preached, gesturing to J.Y Park to try the tea in hand, seeing as he only let the cup rest in his lap, he looked over to Ga In who was pouting her lip to him, nudging him to drink from his cup.  He rolled his eyes at the females face but lifted the cup to his lips anyway.  A sweet and minty scent filled his nostrils, causing his face to scrunch up, the cup being pulled away from him, his eyes narrowed towards Ga In who was looking rather confused.

‘It’s so sweet smelling, I hate sweet drinks.’

J.Y Park complained, sticking the cup out in front of him so that the Elder could take the cup away from him, his head shaking back and forth.  The elder only shrugged her shoulders, taking the cup out of his hands and lifting it down so that Sunye’s little fingers could wrap around it and sip it carefully.  J.Y Park couldn’t help but smile at the small child.

‘She’s so mature for her age.’

He spoke, the elder leaning down to run fingers through the girl’s short hair, a smile forming around the edge of the cup before she dashed off to go sit down at the nearby table.

‘Well, she will lead this village one day; she must develop quickly and gain knowledge that is better to teach at a young age.’

She replied, turning to look at the young girl who was blowing casually into the cup, laughing as the liquid splashed up from the cup then back in.  Ga In watched her with a lovely smile, the thoughts of asking about the child’s parents forming in her mind, but she kept from asking; who knew what Sunye had known, she kept that smile on her face as she drank her own drink, turning to look at the elder when she cleared .

‘So tonight you are planning to head out for good?  I’m still so sorry that you didn’t get to greet everyone in the village properly,’

The Elder stated, her face decorated with a frown, which caused wrinkles to form a long her eyes and forehead, it made her look older than normal; Ga In felt pity for the aging woman, she felt bad for any woman whose skin became wrinkled and the brink of death was only a few short years away.

‘Afraid so, we have a long journey a head of us; Seoul isn’t an easy journey, and the more of a head start we get, the better.’

J.Y Park explained, shifting in his seat again, resting his hand on top of his partners, Ga In wrapping her fingers around his large hand, it was so much smaller than his, almost frail looking.  Shifting herself, the Elder seemed a bit flustered when a knock to her door echoed through the room.  There was no waiting for the door to be opened by her; a young lady entering with a frantic motions, eyes a little wild.

‘E-Elder, my husband,’

She stuttered past what looked like tears rolling down her eyes, Ga In and J.Y Park where on their feet as the Elder approached the shaking girl, her hands resting carefully on her shoulders, but the woman was in such a hurry, she shrugged off the Elders hands and pulled at her garments frantically.

‘There is no time to explain, M-My husband, he was caught under a fallen tree, his legs!’

She stammered, managing to get the Elder out of the house, they all held a horrified look on their faces, J.Y park stepping forward.

‘Maybe we can help?’

He asked, he was strong, and maybe with a few others, they could lift the tree off the man, someone get him out from underneath the tree.  He knew medical attention was nothing for this village, but were any of the men strong enough to help him lift a tree, or did they all look as thin as Jae Hwa?  The elder shook her head back and forth towards,

‘No worries, this is an emergency, but nothing we have not dealt with before, Sohee, I need you to go get Mi Hi and Jae Hwa, stay with Chansung so that they will not worry.’

The elder instructed, the woman, Sohee, nodding her head before turning to charge towards the houses nearby.  J.Y Park cocked an eye brow, looking towards Ga In who only shrugged her shoulders out of confusion too.  This seemed like something for a whole village, not just two people.

‘I know what you are thinking, but trust me, Jae Hwa and Mi Hi are the only two people we will need,’

She stated, J.Y Park couldn’t disagree, these people had been living out here for years, what did he know about its entire people living here?  Keeping his hands wrapped tightly around his wife as the sound of a door slamming being heard and within a matter of seconds, Jae Hwa was  approaching the elder, dark black marks covered both of his arms, his neck also sporting a symbol, but Mi Hi wasn’t with him, Sohee had come back.

‘Mi Hi said this was all I needed.’

Jae Hwa explained, he didn’t seem happy as the Elder gave him a frustrated look, but nodded her head, gesturing to him to follow, though Sohee was the only one that had seen the accident, The Elder seemed to know exactly where to go.

The forest was very thick in the area that they were going; J.Y Park nearly tripped a few times with his tall stature, but managed to keep up with the other three who looked as though they were gliding over all the brush and debris from the forest in front of him.  He sighed, exasperated, but was glad when they had finally found the fallen tree, and sure enough there was a man pinned beneath it, blood oozing out from underneath it.  The man barely looked conscious, but he was still clawing at the ground, Sohee instantly darting to his side.

‘Oh honey they are here!  The elder and Jae Hwa, you must stay with me while they get this tree off you.’

She explained softly, caressing the man’s sweating face; he looked in so much pain.  J.Y Park couldn’t help but cringe at how large the tree was, he was sure the man’s legs were not going to be saved, but maybe they could keep him alive?  Glancing over to the Elder, Jae Hwa was leading her to a part of the tree that was on the other side of where the man lay, his eyes scanning over the tree as he spoke to the Elder, nodding before tapping it twice.

You really couldn’t call it a shocking moment; it was something more than that, a little over the edge of crazy maybe.  Watching as Jae Hwa’s arms began to glow, the tree slowly coming off the ground as he lifted it.  He didn’t even look as if he was straining with the task, the elder dashing quickly around the tree to help Sohee drag the man from out beneath the tree.

‘We have him Jae Hwa!’

The Elder shouted, Jae Hwa carefully dropping the tree, the tree hitting the ground again with a loud thud that had Ga In covering her ears, it was like it had fallen over yet again.  J.Y Park watched Jae Hwa now; he hopped over the tree and knelt to the ground in front of the injured man. J.Y Park couldn’t find an ounce of strength to move, his wife dragging him over to the tree so that they could get a better look.

‘I need you to take deep breathes.  This is a difficult process and it will hurt, but if you ever want him to walk again I suggest you keep his upper body as still as possible.’

Jae Hwa instructed calmly, his hands coated in blood from the man’s injury.  His legs looked sickening, and if he hadn’t had a strong stomach, it probably wouldn’t have been a pleasant sight to see him throwing up whatever he had in his stomach.

Sohee was holding her husband close now, whispering loving words into his ear as Jae Hwa placed his hands upon the others broken legs, the elder who had pulled out a small bottle from her pocket was pouring a saliva over his hands before offering another bottle she had grabbed to Sohee, who quickly took it and made the man drink from it.  Jae Hwa was staring down at the man’s legs, gripping them firmly, his mouth moving saying words that were picked up by the wind.

Suddenly a loud piercing scream of pain escaped the man’s throat and Sohee was gripping him tightly, it was amazing at how still she was keeping this man, only his head whipping back and forth, his mouth wide open with pain.  J.Y Park leaned against the tree trunk, watching as the man’s sickening legs began to mend and mold back into their normal shape.

‘Witch craft…’

Ga In spoke up now, making J.Y Park realize that she was right, this was witch craft this man was performing.  He tilted his head in a curious way, Jae Hwa pulling his hands back, the man’s legs looking perfectly normal, only stained with blood from the earlier wounds.

‘He won’t be able to walk properly for a few days, but once he can start feeling his legs completely again he shouldn’t have any problems, there is a lot of nerve damage and I managed to fix most of it, but some had to remain from how badly the tree crushed his bones and tore his ligaments.’

Jae Hwa spoke, using his shoulder to wipe away the sweat on his face, he was pouring with it when he stood up, and he looked as though he might fall over.  The Elder stood and reached out a hand towards him,

‘This is why Mi Hi should have come; her spells make you stronger but so much from you once you use them.’

She whispered, Jae Hwa waving her off, reaching down to help Sohee lift her husband, but the elder pulled him back, causing him to stumble and nearly toppled to the ground, thankfully The Elder had caught him mid fall. She sighed keeping him steady,

‘Sohee is capable of carrying her own husband home, you go home to Mi Hi and have her give you something to boost your strength.’

The Elder instructed, Jae Hwa grunting, looking down at his bloody hands but nodded and was heading back towards the village while The Elder was watching Sohee lift her husband to his feet. He hissed out of pain, but limped along with his wife towards the same direction.  The Elder now turned to the couple with a genuine smile,

‘I’m so sorry you had to deal with that.’

She announced, approaching them as Ga In shook her head,

‘By no means do you need to be sorry, we are just shocked at what has happened…  We had no idea Jae Hwa was that strong?’

Ga In replied, watching the elders face change as she gestured for them to follow her back to the village,

‘No, No, he normally isn’t that strong, but his wife, well she has something special that she can give to him when tasks like this require heavy lifting.’

The Elder explained, J.Y Park narrowing his eyes,

‘So…  Mi Hi is a witch?’

He asked carefully, The Elder having to pause, turning so that she could look over her shoulder, her face serious,

‘Well it is no secret within out village.’

--

‘I want that baby.’

‘We agreed on Sunye.’

‘Have you seen the child’s parents, his mother is a witch!’

‘Yes, but his father is a human and he may not possess his mother’s abilities.’

‘Even then, boys are stronger then girl’s and though Sunye is a very mature girl for her age, Chansung could be wonders if trained right, he belong in this village to which means if we teach him he could learn things far beyond what most children know, he could be better than Sunye.’

‘B-But, what if…  She’s a witch. She will know if we take her child!’

‘She sleeps like a normal human. She won’t hear a thing.’

‘But…  Tonight…?’

‘Tonight,’

--

‘Are you happy they are gone?’

Jae Hwa whispered, hovering above his wife who stared up at him with half lidded eyes, her hair splayed out around her, Jae Hwa barely brushed his fingers along her jaw bone as she smiled,

‘I no longer feel as though my baby is threatened.’

Mi Hi admitteded, lifting her own hand so that she could cup her husband’s face, pulling him down to her so that she could press her lips gently to her husbands; his lips caressing hers before pulling back with a cheesy grin, Mi Hi giggled lightly, wrapping her arms completely around his neck and hugging him tightly.

The night outside was shining brightly through as Jae Hwa made himself comfortable next to his wife, pulling her close so that they could snuggle.  Her sweet scent drifting to him, it was peaceful to him, and sort of lulling as they cuddled closer, Mi Hi threading her legs into his.

‘I will never allow anything to happen to you or Chansung.’

He spoke quietly to her, running his fingers gently through her long hair, twisting it playfully in his fingers.  He knew this helped her stay at ease and sometimes even make her sleep faster; she gripped at his shirt tightly, kissing his neck and jaw line before closing her eyes, Jae Hwa kissing the top of her head.

‘Thank you Jae Hwa, I love you.’

She whispered to him, Jae Hwa continuing his actions with her hair but whispered the same words to her, resting his cheek on top of her head, closing his own eyes and drifting off to sleep.  Mi Hi’s soft breathing making it easier for it to become a deep slumber…

--

He couldn’t believe the sound his ears were hearing right now, the sound of shattering glass, wood tearing apart, his eyes felt like they were bleeding and the sound of someone screaming was making it ten times worse.  Jae Hwa’s eyes flew open from the shock, his hands automatically feeling for Mi Hi, who was supposed to be next to him, but she wasn’t there, and it didn’t take long for the panic to sink into his gut as he covered his ears and rolled out of bed.

Rushing out of the room, the screaming and shattering hadn’t stopped even as he entered the main living area, where everything seemed to be shaking, cups, plates, everything rolling around the house like it was an earthquake, the glass in the windows were shattered and the wood of the door was beginning to splinter.  Jae Hwa gripped his ears tighter, trying to calm his beating heart as he hurried through and went straight for his son’s room.  Where most of the noise seemed to be coming from,

Chansung’s door was wide open, and shattered glass and splintered wood was scattered all over the room, even his baby toys had been torn apart and spread everywhere.  Jae Hwa looked horrified around the room, trying his best not to stumble in, and dodged a rather sharp looking wooden piece, was that from Chansung’s bed?

‘M-Mi Hi?’

Jae Hwa mumbled now, his gaze wondering the room till he found the woman huddled near where the crib used to be.  She was on her knees with blankets clutched tightly in hand; empty blankets.  Everything went still the moment her face lifted.  It was like every emotion she had in her entire body was flooding into his body.

‘Jae Hwa.’

She mouthed; lifting the child’s blanket into the air, showing him that what the two of them had never dreamed would be gone was gone.

‘No, No Mi Hi… No.’

He muttered himself, dropping his hands from his ears, and straight to his sides, Mi Hi not moving as Jae Hwa stumbled where he stood, having to grab the door frame for support.  Mi Hi was clutching Chansung’s blankets tight to her chest, her face hidden behind its cotton material.

‘How the did they get in?’

Jae Hwa shouted, pushing off the door frame and straight to a wall, to which a fist instantly made contact with it, denting the wall, the sound of knuckles cracking throughout the room; dots of blood dripping to the floor as Jae Hwa only punched the wall again, over and over as he cursed at it.

‘How are we so ing stupid?!  How can we not notice are own son being taken out from underneath us?!’

He roared his fist bloody and broken by the time he pulled away and the sound of a door being forced open and a couple of voices filling the house. Jae Hwa only forced his head against the wall as Mi Hi leaned forward into a tighter ball on the floor.

‘Mi Hi, Jae Hwa, dear lord…’

The Elders voice spoke, her tone quieting as she apparently was looking around the room, he could hear her footsteps as she kicked things out of her way and apparently made her way to Mi Hi; Jae Hwa was the one breathing deeply where he sat, trembling from head to toe as he forced back ever sentence that wanted to form on his tongue to the Elder who was kneeling next to Mi Hi; who was refused to be moved from her position, she too was trembling, worse than Jae Hwa.

‘Mi Hi, Mi Hi, what happened?  What happened here, tell me why is Chansung’s room like this, where is Chansung?’

She was asking, and it brought Jae Hwa back to reality, his eyes wide and wild as he lolled his head around towards his wife and the Elder.  He lifted a bloody finger up to point at the older woman, more people starting to crowd the door way with frightened faces.

‘You, YOU; this is all your ING FAULT YOU DAMN OLD HAG!’

He growled, snapping towards the Elder who held his glare with a firm and heavy look, she remained by Mi Hi’s side, which was wise and smart, knowing Mi Hi was the last thing he would lay a hand on.  He stumbled forward, five people darting forward to hold him back from doing anything rash.

‘This is your fault they took him!  Your fault our only son is now gone and probably miles away with that devil couple! ‘

He screeched, struggling to fight off those who were on him, but he only failed as he was shoved against the wall, pinned there with no way to move, tears streaming down his eyes as the Elder stood, her fists clenched at her sides.

‘You do not know if it was them or not Jae Hwa…’

She spoke, sternly, holding her stance as Jae Hwa laughed coldly, hitting his head back against the wall, but was stopped before a second round could happen.

‘You are the one who doesn’t know anything, just like I don’t know anything…  I can’t feel anything, I couldn’t feel the demons, Mi Hi could, and she knew they were bad.  ING BAD, and yet you having those feelings too and know who people really are, but you didn’t feel a damn thing from them, not like Mi Hi who was practically yelling it in my face.  You just let them in and let them leave with our son without even hesitating.  We were live bait from beginning to end.’

He moaned, his head hanging forward, the thoughts just sinking in deeper and he could feel every nerve in his body ache at the thought of Chansung being gone.  He was slowly lowered to the floor, and was let go when no struggle came; it was obvious to him now that struggling was pointless and yelling was useless because Chansung couldn’t just walk back into the house…

The Elder took in a deep breath of her own, she had started shaking as well, was this really her fault, was she really going to blame herself?  Taking a step forward, she wanted to look at Jae Hwa’s injured hand, but before she could move any further, fingers had wrapped tight around her dress.  The Elder quickly looked down at her feet where Mi Hi was now sitting up, her skin a pale white and her lips a bright pink, even her eyes looked bright in color like she was suffering from a fever.  Her head slowly lifted, even the tear stains on her face looked painful as she in a small amount of air.

‘E-Elder…  T-This is my entire fault…’

--

A/N: Again~  To be continued in the next chapter~  xD I’m sorry for all the cliff hangers!!