You awoke from a jolt of pain in your abdomen and a gust of air filled your chest allowing you to breathe life into your lungs. The smell of burning wood from an old fire stirred your senses reminding you of the memories from Mt. JingShen. When you pulled yourself up, you looked around the unfamiliar room full of herbs and woven baskets.

“Doctor Chul! The lady is awake!” Jan yelled as he ran out of the house. You watched the little boy disappear and in a few seconds he brought back a much older man that could be your father.

Without suspension he stated, “Miss, we must head to the capital city where the palace resides.”

You noticed the little boy hiding behind the man with his small beady eyes shyly staring at you.

“No…I can’t go there…” you replied and got up. After thanking him and giving him a quick bow of appreciation you hurried passed him.

“You must go there,” He spoke stopping you in your tracks. You listened to him dismiss the little boy he called Jan and the obedient boy jogged away without hesitation. When silence lingered in the room Doctor Chul continued speaking, “My name is Chul, I am the doctor of this town. The phoenix beads in your body has a very strong curse. If you do not go to the palace, you will die painfully…and so will he.”

You listened to all the words that you already knew as Doctor Chul added, “I am sure you have met Chief Medicine Jung who has now passed away. I’m his first apprentice, Anwon was his second.”

You looked at him and then watched him pull out the black silk that belonged to you from his sleeve. Before you could plead for it, Doctor Chul continued speaking.

“This rag has an incantation on it. There’s a message hidden within this silk. There are words spoken into it that are stained with the blood of Chief Medicine Jung.”

From his explanation, your eyes widened with surprise and confusion.

“I will be heading to the palace tomorrow. There is no choice. You will be my company.” He demanded and then threw the silk rag into the ashes of the dead fire. Unwilling for it to perish you motioned over to the rag that was now wrinkling from heat. In the remains of the ashes, the piece of silk garb burned a bright blue flame lighting the room to every corner