You opened your eyes from the intense light that shone through a small window enclosed with bars. The floor felt cold beneath you and your lips were dry from dehydration. You felt dizzy as you sat up in a daze. The air was stuffy and the feeling of exhaustion overtook your body while the wound on your neck ached from insanitation. When you heard keys rattling behind you, you turned around to see who it was.

Mobon Jeon Wang hooted loudly in pleasure as he stared at the metal charm that burned a deep red. He threw his head back as he gulped the bitter booze in his cup down in one swallow. He knew this day would come when King Taemusin could no longer hide his secrets. He had witnessed the fire sparks 3 days ago during the lantern festival and his suspicions were verified when the charm ablazed with heat.

He slammed his cup down onto the finely chiseled black table as it cracked in his hand. Sorcerer Anwon smiled and bowed his head in silence.

“Im Yura!” Mobon yelled and when a young beautiful girl answered him he added, “You’ve done well. Take the keys to visit your mother.”

Yura walked over to the silver keys sitting on the table that were strung together by a metal loop and walked out of the room. Approaching rusty metal gates miles away from Mobon, she unlocked the creaking door and walked into the dark cell.

“Mom?” Yura called and ran over to her mother who was sitting at a worn out wooden table.

“Yura, is that you?”

“Yes, it’s me Mom,” Yura replied and hugged her mother.

Since she was young her mother had been blind. Her mother tells her it was from being caught in a fire years ago and that was all Yura knew. Master Mobon had taken Yura and her mother in but it was a harsh environment. She couldn’t be with her mother unless permitted by him and at the age of 14 was ordered to be a maid in King Taemusin’s palace.

When she was in the process of being selected to be a maid she learned of the palace rules and the consequences that came with defying and leaking information outside the palace. She knew that what she was doing was wrong but it was the only way she could keep her mother alive. She had no choice for the sake of her mother’s safety.

“Taemusin! Try and stop me! Goguryeo will finally be mine.” Mobon claimed vociferously and stood up from the tab