18 // Across The Border

 

 

Yumi shuffled around in her sheets restlessly. Ever since witnessing that particular scene from the night before, she couldn't help but feel uncomfortable every time it popped into her head.

 

She sat up abruptly, sighing listlessly as she stared at the row of clothes that AeMi had left for her. The deep blue dress instantly caught her eye as she reached forward to grab it. It would be a nice change from the usual red clothing she wore, and besides -- this colour matched how she was feeling on the inside.

 

She made her way into the main room where she found the Yoo siblings talking to a fully geared Daehyun, dressed and fit for combat. Next to him was Jongup who smiled brightly at Yumi when he noticed her. Sunhwa was also seated at the low table elegantly enjoying a cup of hot tea.

 

"Oh, Yumi-ah." AeMi came over to her. "Did you rest well?"

 

She nodded with a little smile and looked over at the boys, letting herself gaze over at Daehyun for a fraction of a second before quickly looking away again. "Are you guys... going somewhere?"

 

Daehyun averted his eyes uneasily while Youngjae stepped in to answer for him.

 

"Lady Sunhwa knows of a certain person residing in YuNan who can assist Daehyun in creating a new spell that will be effective against the demons, so the two of them will be travelling over to find that person."

 

Yumi allowed her eyes to subtly flicker between Daehyun and Sunhwa. "Just the two of them are going?"

 

"I'm going too, to lead the way," Jongup added, "since I do come from YuNan."

 

She nodded, while feeling herself release just the slightest breath of relief. *Wait, relief?* She slapped herself internally. There was no reason for her to feel anxious in the first place. Or at least that was what she kept telling herself.

 

Daehyun made his way over to the open doorway, breaking Yumi out of her thoughts.

 

"We should start on our way now."

 

Jongup and Sunhwa got up and followed suit.

 

"Have a safe trip guys," AeMi called out.

 

The demon slayer nodded in response. "We'll be back in a few days."

 

He shifted his attention over to Yumi, who averted her eyes for a moment before meeting his gaze again with a small smile so as to wordlessly send him her sentiments.

 

Daehyun seemed to understand her thoughts and returned a somewhat diffident smile before turning on his way.

 

 

~~~

 

 

Fifty needles pierced through the air as they were swiftly swept aside by two narrow streams of water with impeccable accuracy. A few lone needles managed to make it past the water as it soared closer and closer towards the controller. With a sharp swing of her arms, control over the narrow streams were abandoned as a wall of ice rose up from the snow at her feet, effectively deterring the needles from puncturing into her flesh.

 

The wall of ice collapsed back into its snowy form shortly after, revealing a breathless Yumi.

 

"That was way too close for comfort," she gasped.

 

Her training partner, AeMi, let out a soft chuckle. "You've improved your control significantly over these past few days, and that is no easy feat in such a short amount of time."

 

Yumi stared hard at the ground. "But it's still not good enough. I can't even generate my own water yet. Every time I try, the water just keeps coming from the snow."

 

She huffed in frustration as she shook her head at herself.

 

"I'm not even anywhere near where I'm meant to be if I want to defeat that-- that other Guardian. The real one."

 

AeMi glanced over at Yumi worriedly as she went over and put a comforting arm on her shoulder. Ever since their encounter with the so-called True Guardian, Yumi had been on edge, wanting to train with every waking second she had. There wasn't much anyone knew about how to train a Guardian since they started to disappear over a century ago. Most of the records were either destroyed or went missing after the demon uprising.

 

"I might not be strong enough now, but…"

 

Yumi smiled gratefully at her friend.

 

"… thanks for training with me these past few days. I wouldn't have managed to get to this stage without your help, AeMi. I'm really grateful for everything."

 

Yumi slowly paced back and forth in the outdoor courtyard as she eyed the footprints she left in the snow.

 

"I know I'm no match for that other Guardian with my current state, and it frustrates me how that's the way it is right now, but I'll just have to take it step by step. I have my abilities and the transformation for a reason, so I'm not going to let her tell me I'm an imposter…"

 

She whipped around to grin at AeMi.

 

"… isn't that right?"

 

AeMi nodded fervently as she beamed back at her. "You know, Daehyun was right. I didn't need to worry about you after all."

 

Yumi flinched ever so slightly at the mention of his name, which AeMi easily detected with her sharp eyes. "R-Right about what?" she stammered.

 

"About how you were a lot stronger than you looked, and that you weren't just any ordinary girl."

 

The younger girl eyed her like a playful child up to no good. "It looks like Daehyun understands you quite well, Yumi." She swiftly sidled up next to her. "Is there something you're not telling me about the two of you?"

 

Yumi felt her face heat up as she stepped away from her. "I think you're misunderstanding something here. There's nothing going on between us so there's nothing to tell."

 

"Oh please. I saw the way you two were staring at each other before he left for YuNan. I'm sure the sparks I saw had nothing to do with his lightning magic."

 

"There's nothing between us," an exasperated Yumi repeated before lowering her voice to a mutter. "If anything, there might be something between him and Lady Sunhwa."

 

A surprised AeMi stared at her with round eyes. "What?!"

 

Yumi clamped a hand over . The words just came out on their own.

 

AeMi hovered around her as she tried to get an explanation out of her. "Yumi, you don't just drop something that surprising on me and not elaborate."

 

Yumi sighed. "Well it's all purely speculation…" she began, before proceeding to explain the events from the night before.

 

"Well, from what I know so far I think it's safe to say you have a thing for him," AeMi stated bluntly.

 

Yumi flushed a deep red. "N-No way! I don't know what you're talking about."

 

"I would think that any other person would be able to infer that their meeting had something to do with their trip to YuNan," the younger girl explained. "I mean, right after their meeting last night, they abruptly said they were going to YuNan this morning."

 

A few seconds of silence went by as Yumi mulled over her words. She was right.

 

"The only reason why you would think otherwise..." AeMi continued, "… is because you're particularly concerned over who Daehyun is alone with. Isn't that right?"

 

Feeling embarrassed, Yumi avoided all eye-contact. "Don't be silly," she replied unconvincingly. "And besides, I don't have time to be worrying over things like that anyway. I'm already busy with all of this Guardian stuff now anyway."

 

AeMi stared at her in amusement. Yumi could deny it all she wanted, but the pink hue on her cheeks alone had already answered her question.

 

 

~~~

 

 

"We're almost at the border!" Jongup announced enthusiastically as he pointed at a bustling city looming in the distance. "See, there's the border town between YoungNan and YuNan."

 

The border town, JoongDo, acted as the cardinal element in maintaining the survival of the land of YoungNan. It was the centre of trade and commercial affairs between the two nations that allowed food and supplies to be delivered to the snowy land where the hardships of poor agriculture meant that the people would otherwise starve if not assisted via this method.

 

Ever since the land's capital had fallen into ruins following the appearance of the water demons, JoongDo had unequivocally become the new capital after it was taken under control by the land's most respectable noble family. Unlike the other noblemen who had fled for the safety of the two bordering nations, the Kim family established a continuing line of trade with YuNan in order to support the vast number of poor people who had no choice but to remain in the snowy land. 

 

The borders at JoongDo was the only way of entering YuNan from YoungNan and vice versa. The entire stretch of border between the two nations was heavily guarded from the side of the former. These measures were put in place in order to prevent KangRang forces from easily infiltrating YuNan by using the snowy land.

 

Daehyun studied his surrounding environment as they approached the city. The layer of snow covering the ground became thinner and thinner with every step they came closer to the city until the brown earth beneath eventually became visible upon arriving at JoongDo's entrance gates. Of all the towns that currently stood in YoungNan, Joongdo was by far the most lively and busy of them all.

 

The three travellers unmounted their horses as they entered the city by foot. Countless carts of supplies were being stacked by workers throughout JoongDo as they were readied to be taken to towns throughout YoungNan.

 

"This is quite remarkable to see," Sunhwa observed as they made their way towards the other side of town where the border lay. "To think that a sole family of noblemen were able to maintain such an unconceivable level of support throughout generations for an entire century... is quite astonishing indeed."

 

"The Kim family has always had a strong commercial foundation in their businesses in YuNan since long ago," Jongup piped. "Or at least that's what my mother told me."

 

Daehyun was still marvelling at the illustriousness of the city. Despite his own town having received the Kim family's support on a regular basis, there still wasn't much he actually knew about the nobles. He was much more occupied with slaying demons, after all.

 

"What businesses do they do for them to be able to support an entire nation?" he asked.

 

"Various things," Jongup replied, "like gold, jewellery, metals, textiles and fine materials. All those sorts of things."

 

He led them all towards the entranceway of a grand estate, where people were lining up in the courtyard behind a number of wooden tables. Red-uniformed individuals were seated behind each of the tables with guards at their sides.

 

Sunhwa swiftly observed the activity in the courtyard. "I suppose we need to get a pass to cross the borders?"

 

Jongup nodded, which evoked a deep sigh from her. She eyed the long lines behind each of the tables.

 

"Oh that is much too tedious."

 

"Well actually--" Jongup started as he pointed to a table on the far right with a much shorter line, "--it'll be a lot easier for us to get passes for the two of you since I already have a permanent one." He held up a bronze medallion for them to see.

 

Daehyun studied it closely. "You have a certified merchant's pass?"

 

Jongup blinked. "Well yes. My mother needed me to go around looking for rare ingredients, so I got myself one for convenience. How else could I have gotten here?"

 

The demon slayer sighed as he watched the YuNan traveller jump into line. He assumed he had gotten here the same way he managed to sneak them all into KangRang -- by using his Guardian abilities over earth. But that wouldn't have been possible seeing as how heavily guarded the border was.

 

And so it wasn't long before Jongup happily trudged over to the two spellcasters with two paper passes in hand and the three of them found themselves on the other side of the border in the nation of YuNan. Unlike the hot, dry climate in KangRang, YuNan was pleasantly warm and was filled with terrains of luscious green vegetation.

 

"So where is this person we're looking for?" Daehyun asked as they mounted their horses.

 

Sunhwa pulled out her crystal ball from her robes. "That person…"

 

She held it up towards Jongup so that he could see the image.

 

"…should be here, at this place."

 

Jongup furrowed his brow as he tried to make out what he was seeing. "Uh… what am I supposed to be seeing?"

 

"Images of the town where this person resides," she replied. "I, for one, am not familiar with this land, so I wouldn't know where it is. But you may."

 

He stared deep into the crystal ball as the images keep shifting and changing scenes until it finally settled on a wooden sign hanging from what appeared to be a small store of sorts. His eyes widened in recognition.

 

"Oh hey, that's the potion store in my town! The one that can cure any poisons in the world!"

 

Daehyun's interest piqued at this. A cure for any poison in the world? His eyes flickered down to his left wrist. Perhaps they had a cure for him as well.

 

Jongup galloped away on his horse excitedly. "Come on, it's not too far from here! It's been awhile since the last time I was home."

 

It took them less than an hour to reach their destination. Upon arrival at the town, Jongup's eyes glittered like a child's as he beamed at the liveliness around him.

 

"Yep, this is home alright."

 

He turned to the other two. "Follow me, the store's on the other side of town."

 

The Guardian led them through the back alleys as they avoided the bustling streets of the town. "I practically grew up here so I know all the short-cuts."

 

It wasn't long before they unmounted their horses and was standing outside the potion store entrance.

 

Sunhwa smirked as she glanced around the exterior. "To think a curer so renowned would settle for such a modest little wooden hut. I'm rather disappointed."

 

"I'll leave you guys to it then," Jongup chirped. "I'm going to visit my parents' restaurant for awhile, but I'll be back to pick you two up in an hour or so. Bye!"

 

He left before the two even had a chance to object.

 

"Honestly, it's better like this," Daehyun mused. "Then I wouldn’t have to risk him knowing about this condition of mine and telling the others."

 

The first thing the two spellcasters noticed when they stepped through the entrance was the fresh fragrance of fruit and flowers. The smell came from the colourfully lit candles that were spread throughout the store.

 

"Welcome, customers," a soft voice called from behind the counter. It was a young girl with pigtails. "How may I help you?"

 

Sunhwa went up to her. "Is the store owner here?"

 

The girl shook her head. "He's not here at the moment."

 

The door behind her suddenly opened to reveal and beautiful young woman dressed in white and green. She was holding a clear bottle filled with a lavender-coloured solution. The young girl turned to look at her.

 

"Older sister, these two customers asked for the owner."

 

The young woman smiled at her sister and handed the bottle over for her to stock on the shelves before turning back to the two spellcasters.

 

"My apologies, but my father is not here at the moment--"

 

"No worries at all," Sunhwa cut in. "In fact, the person we are looking for is you."

 

The woman looked surprised at this.

 

Sunhwa stared at her in a way that looked like she was challenging her. "Despite being my born nemesis, we have never actually met in person now have we, Queen of Cures… Song Jieun."

 

The female spellcaster flipped her hair over her shoulder and scoffed when Jieun just continued to stare at her blankly.

 

"Oh, please don't tell me you still don’t know who I am. Never have I, Han Sunhwa, the Queen of Poisons, ever been so humiliated--"

 

She was stopped by a hand being shoved into her face.

 

"Enough of this personal quarrel," Daehyun simply said as he retracted his hand. "Onto the more important issues…"

 

He held out his left arm and pulled up his sleeve to reveal the line of purple growing from the base of his wrist.

 

Jieun gasped in shock at the sight of it. "Oh dear, how did you get that?"

 

"I was wounded by a knife," Daehyun replied. "Do you have a cure for it?"

 

Dread settled in the demon slayer's stomach at the small silence that followed. Jieun looked at him gravely.

 

"This is no ordinary poison. Designed for a painfully slow but eventual death, it is infused with the blood and life force of the one who created it… "

 

The young curer stared ruefully at his poisoned wrist.

 

 

"… and there is no cure for it."

 

 

 

 

---

 

It has been extremely long since I last updated, and I am extremely sorry about that x'(

On top of writer's block, I have been really busy with studies and life in general.

But I am personally a huge fan of action-fantasy genres, so I will complete this story no matter how long it takes.

 

I was a little disappointed with how this chapter turned out, but the events are still needed for the story to go ahead :S

But anyway, I hope there are still some of you out there who are reading this story. Thank you to all the subscribers who stuck with me ^^.

 

Until next time,

~~~ Mistlea.