“So, where is your home exactly?”

Himchan asked admiring Jongup’s silver hair.

“I… don’t know.”

Jongup’s head was hurting, He was still confused.

“I think this is not even the same world”

“What world are you talking about?”

Yongguk asked coldly.

“Oh, I’m pretty sure this is another world.”

Jongup said thinking aloud.

“I mean, there are no witches like that where I come from and no… witch hunters like you guys.”

He said looking at Himchan and Yongguk from head to toe.

“What’s wrong with us?”

Yongguk asked confused.

“That’s it!”

Himchan shouted.

“He could help us!”

He said to Yongguk.

“No…”

“He could!”

Himchan insisted.

“And we will help him too, right? So we’re even.”

Yongguk thought about it for a moment.

“Alright”

He said.

“That is, if Jongup agrees of course.”

Jongup nodded in agreement. He had no other choice than to follow those strangers now, but he had no idea where he was getting himself into.

“Are there a lot of witches like that around here?”

Jongup asked.

“Not as much, thanks to us.”

Himchan said confident. Jongup smiled and Yongguk rolled his eyes.

“This is our job.”

Yongguk explained.

“We get paid to get people rid of those pests. Now enough talking, let’s go find a place to sleep tonight I believe there’s a town nearby called Hubleona.”

A couple of hours later they arrived to Hubleona. It was getting dark, but soon they found a place to stay.

“We should eat something.”

Himchan said immediately. He grabbed Jongup’s hand and got inside.

Yongguk stayed behind. Something was leaving him restless. He looked around but there was nothing out of ordinary. It was a normal town at nightfall, with normal people living their lives. He got inside Uclos.

There was a lot movement around. Men and woman eating and feasting. Himchan and Jongup were seated at a table on the corner.

“Hi, I’m Daehyun. What can I get you?”

A boy asked them. Yongguk noticed he had black hair with two strands of red.

“Oh this?”

The boy noticed him looking at his hair.

“I have it since I was born. My grandmother says my mother had it too. I wouldn’t know because I never met her. Nor my father… Oh, I’m sorry, I talk a lot.”

The boy smiled.

“What can I get you?”

“Three soups and bread please. Also cheese, and ham, and…”

“That’s all.”

Yongguk interrupted Himchan.

“Yes sir, I’ll be right back with your order.”

The boy had a bright smile on his face.

Jongup was looking around speechless. He was concerned. It looked like he was so far away from home. His mother would be so worried by now.

“Here you have it. Three hot soups, and your bread sirs.”

The boy came back.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

Himchan said with a mouth full of bread.”

“My grandmother doesn’t like people to carry around weapons around here. What are those for?”

He asked pointing at the huge crossbows.

“Oh, those are only for our job.”

Yongguk assured him.

“We just wish to stay the night and we’ll be on our way by morning. We wish to cause no trouble.”

“Of course. It’s just that my grandmother is so worried these days. You know… There a lot of bad things happening...”

“What sort of bad things?”

Jongup spoke.

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

Daehyun smiled.

“I souldn’t burden you. Enjoy your food.”

He went away.

“What was he talking about?”

Jongup asked terrified.

Yongguk and Himchan looked at each other and decided to tell him.

“Well, since you’re coming with us. We think you should know.”

Himchan spoke quietly.

“There is actually an evil wave surging here in Astela. I’m sorry, you just arrived but… things were not always like this.”

“How evil? Like witches and stuff?”

Jongup asked.

“They want our land.”

Yongguk responded very serious.

“And they don’t want us in it.”

Jongup swallowed.

“You should eat.”

Himchan told him.

“We’ll need all our strength to fight.”

“Fight?! No, I can’t fight.”

Jongup said nervously.

“You don’t understand, I have no control over my powers, I can’t help you. Please, just get me home.”

“Shut up!”

Yongguk said suddenly.

“Look, we don’t know how you end up here, and we said we’ll help you get home, but for now just shut up, or people will hear you.”

“Yongguk, don’t be so harsh. No one is paying attention to us.”

Himchan said.

“It’s ok Jongup, he acts tough but truly he cares. Somehow we found you and I think there has to be a reason for that. So you’ll come with us and we’ll help you, I promise.”

They finished eating. But suddenly Yongguk felt a dark presence near and reached for his crossbow.

“Don’t!”

Said Himchan.

“There are a lot of people, we can’t fight here.”

“But there’s one of them here.”

Yongguk said. His eyes were bright with anger.

He couldn’t see, but he was sure there was a witch among them.

On the other corner of the room, there was someone with their face covered with a hood. It could be it.

“Hey, Daehyun!”

Himchan called.

“Who is that?”

He said motioning to the dark figure on the other corner.

“I don’t know. It’s the first time I see them here, like you guys.”

“Did you see their face?”

“Yes, it looked like a young man. He said he’s name was Youngjae. Can I help you with anything else?”

Daehyun smiled.

“No, everything’s ok, thanks.”

Daehyun turned away and the dark figure got up.

Suddenly Jongup started floating above his chair.

“What are you doing?”

Himchan asked alarmed.

“I don’t know! I told you, I can’t control it!”

Yongguk and Himchan tried to put Jongup down while the man in the hood got away.

What no one noticed was that Daehyun was gone too.