Somehow Hyeji found herself stumbling through the woods trying to keep up with Leo, or should she say Taekwoon.  Panting as she hurried, she reached over to grab hold of his hand and intertwine their fingers forcing him to slow down to her pace.

“Le-Taekwoon. Slow down. Do you even know where you’re heading?” she gasped out as he turned to meet her eyes.

“Of course I do, I’m going to the spot where the first wolf was buried.” he stated as she gaped back at him. This was the body of the wolf that had attacked her ancestor and somehow that had resulted in Taekwoon’s ancestor being cursed. But how was that going to be of any help?

“But how is that going to help?” she asked, still following him as he continued to hurry ahead.

“I don’t know, but it is the place where it all started.” Taekwoon huffed as he took a sharp turn, tugging Hyeji along. The fang which hung around her neck tossed as she quickened her pace.

The woods were a maze Hyeji realized. Maybe that’s why Joohyun even got lost in it.

She nearly bumped into Taekwoon’s back when he finally came to a halt.

Hyeji didn’t really know what to expect of the burial site, but when she peered at it from behind Taekwoon she was met with a beautiful sight.

The branches of the tree reached for the sky covered in purple flowers whose petals floated gently to the ground. The roots of the tree grew strong, criss crossing over the raised soil which formed a mound. What she thought would be sinister was far too beautiful. This was a place where so many wrongs had taken place and where one family had to suffer the consequences of saving hers.

It was her time to set things straight. To make sure that no one else had to struggle for the goodness they had done. But what needed to be done? What was it that would get rid of this curse that plagued the man so beloved to her?

“Hyeji?” his voice broke through her thoughts as she looked up at him “we’re here...but I don’t know how to go about this.” he said as she grabbed hold of his hand feeling the warmth pass through her.

“Neither do I, but we’re here.” she said, taking a step forward to the mound, feeling almost a magnetic attraction pulling her closer to it as Taekwoon flinched.

“I can’t go closer, something is keeping me away from it. That’s unusual.” he whispered as Hyeji nearly stumbled forward with the strong force that pulled her closer. Taekwoon tried to hold her back, struggling against the force. He wouldn’t let the creature that took away his humanity take away the one precious thing he had left.

“It’s too strong.” he said through gritted teeth as Hyeji tried to fight it off as well as she held onto Taekwoon feeling his fingers dig into her skin as she was dragged away. That’s when it hit her as Taekwoon watched in horror as her body went limp in his arms.She wasn’t fighting it any more as she looked up at him and smiled.

“No…” he whispered hoarsely as she nodded. There needed to be a sacrifice for the life that wasn’t lost all those years ago and Hyeji decided that it would be her, This would end the suffering Taekwoon and his family had gone through.

“If it couldn’t have the original Red, it can have the new one.” she smiled weakly, the only thing keeping her close to Taekwoon was his sheer will power to hold on. His grip only faltered when he felt her lean up and cup his cheeks before pressing her lips against his in a brief final kiss only to have her body torn away from him by the inexplicable force.

A scream tore out of her as Taekwoon tried to grasp at her body once more as he yelled in vain his voice going hoarse when her body slammed against the mound covered in a tangle of roots as she struck her head against them and her eyes fell shut. A trickle of blood trailed down from her forehead, painting the ground red. Red, just like her hair which flowed over the dirt like rivulets of blood. A noiseless scream left Taekwoon’s lips as he fell to the ground.