I don't know where this chapter came from. Things got wild and the next thing I knew I should have been in bed two hours ago and the chapter had double in sized compared to my typical ones. T_T Hope you all enjoy the wild ride that is chapter 6. I know I certainly had fun writing it. xD And thank you again to everyone that stops by! I always love seeing everyone! ♥

Shrieks and wails began to tear through the suffocating fog that covered the forest. Yongsun had to stop her prayer of protection to calm her agitated horse, the frightened animal on the verge of bolting.

"It's ok, everything is ok...Shh..." she said more to herself than the beast, as she ran a comforting hand along its back. 

The forest offered her no mercy as the sound of something being systematically dragged across the damp ground filled her ears. Searching for the source of the noise, the priestess quickly looked behind her. Yongsun felt as if the fog had slithered inside of her veins, replacing her warm blood with something vile and frigid. Panic threatened to overtake her as she tried to process everything at once.

Byulyi was missing, as well as Kyu. The realization caused the blonde's face to turn ashen, the dread that was churning deep inside her stomach almost enough to make her sick. Where had they gone? Had something taken them? Had Kyu done something to Byulyi? Why had she been so stubborn and not warned her about him? The priestess felt lightheaded as the thoughts crashed accusingly inside her mind, her chest tightening at each one. 

The thief wasn't the only one in need of help, as Yongsun looked over to the old guard that had fallen behind. Myon swayed uneasily on top of his horse, his eyes glazed over. "Yes, Mistress. Yes, yes...." the old man mumbled, a distant smile on his face as if he were listening to words that only he could hear. 

"Myon?! Myon! Snap out of it!" Yongsun called out to the guard, becoming frantic as she saw dark shapes in the distance draw nearer. 

He began to hum a mournful tune as his horse slowed its pace even further, seemingly as entranced as the old man. 

"Don't fret... Let him go..." whispered an intoxicating voice into Yongsun's ear, a shroud of chilled air settling around her shoulders. 

"Let him go? But..." the priestess murmured back, her thoughts suddenly becoming increasingly difficult to form as the fog hung heavily around her. 

"Do not resist... Let us have him..." the voice continued, alluring and enrapturing her thoughts, leaving the young woman to feel like she couldn't deny anything it requested. 

The dark shapes were almost upon Myon, his lantern light casting the beings in harsh shadow. Yongsun could now see the dragging noise was due to the shapes being animated corpses, their decomposing arms pulling their disfigured bodies across the muddy ground. A moldering hand reached out for the leg of Myon's horse, grasping tightly as it pulled itself forward, sharp teeth sinking into the beasts leg. A confused whine escaped the great animal, too enthralled to resist what was happening to it. The priestess silently watched on, the horror and revulsion she felt kept at bay by the seductive voice.

Wet tearing sounds filled the air as the ghouls brought the horse to its knees, knocking its rider to the ground. This was wrong. Everything about this was wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong... Yongsun struggled against the cloying whispers, her last bit of resistance about to be completely smothered by it. Her final thought was of their quest, how they had failed their homeland, their world, each other. How she had failed Byulyi.

Byulyi... 

"Back, you monsters!" the Captain shouted then, sword in hand as Chul charged ahead of him.

The large man dropped from his horse and swung his wicked looking axe, the cold steel slicing through the ghouls with ease. Ungodly screeches filled the air as the ghouls attempted to claw at the guard, their sharp nails and teeth scrapping at his armor clad legs. Not breaking a sweat, the heavy axe swung with the force of a crashing wave as heads and limbs we cut away from their torso, a foul stench accompanying the black blood that oozed out of the decaying corpses. 

Yongsun was ripped from her stupor as the Captain shook her, "Sister! We need you!"

Blinking several times, Yongsun felt as if she were beginning to emerge from a deep sleep, her dazed mind trying to make sense of the concerned eyes that bore into her.

"Captain...?" she slowly said, dry and tongue thick. 

The fog still hung heavily around the priestess, and the older man did the only thing he could think of, "Forgive me, Sister," he said in quiet reverence before reaching out to her belt and grasping the vial of holy water she kept secured there. Popping the cork free, he splashed the entire bottle of liquid on the blonde girl's face. An enraged scream split across the mist as the priestess felt herself free of its unnatural hold, her mind clear of the numbing voices. 

Yongsun drew in a shaky breath, her heart racing at the realization of what had happened to her. How could she have let something like that happen? Hadn't she spent time studying about spirits and the dangers involved? Reading about it in the safety of the library at her cathedral had turned out to be a much different experience compared to dealing with it in real life. Burning shame gripped the blonde girl as she followed the Captain to where Myon was, her hands wiping away at the holy water dripping from her face. 

The elderly guard was trapped underneath his dead horse, the animal having been torn into merciless by the undead monstrosities. Chul made quick work of heaving the ghouls away, their bodies making sickening sounds as he tossed the now finally dead corpses aside. The large guard did the best he could to lift the horse as the Captain gripped Myon and pulled him out from underneath. Yongsun rushed to his side to check on his injuries, fear for the old man's safety rippling through her. Myon struggled to breathe, his breaths labored between bloody coughs that wracked his body. His eyes were unfocused as they stared passed the face of the girl kneeling over him. 

Yongsun called for her medicine pack as she examined for the source of blood seeping out of the old man's side. Chul held his lantern close by, providing enough light for the priestess to see the puncture wound. Myon's hard leather appeared to have been pierced through by a sharp object. She couldn't tell how deep the wound went, but by the size of the injury and the state he was in, Yongsun felt her chances to save him rapidly slipping away. The Captain sat down her pack beside her as he stood vigil nearby, cautious eyes roaming from his wounded friend to the surrounding area. 

"This doesn't look good," Chul rumbled out, brows furrowing as he glanced around for the cause of the injury. 

The priestess was in another world as she quickly grabbed bandages and a poultice to disinfect the wound. She gingerly peeled back the ripped leather enough to apply the disinfectant, worried about the severity of infection with puncture wounds. She had begun to apply bandages to the source when Myon coughed heavily, his breath coming out as a pained wheeze. 

"It's ok, lass... Leave me..." he gasped, his eyes finally meeting the soft brown ones above him. 

Yongsun could feel her hands shake as she shook her head, "Don't say that! I can still save you, let me just band-"

She was cut off by another violent cough. 

"You know it... punctured my lungs..." he wheezed out as if to prove his point. 

Hot tears spilled down the blonde's face as she clenched her fists. She wasn't going to let him die. She couldn't let that happen under her supervision. She was a healer chosen by the Gods to save the world. Surely someone such as her was meant to heal everyone, and yet here was a dying man that had risked his life to make sure she was safe.

But try as she might, she knew his words rang true. His lungs would be filling up with blood by the second until he eventually suffocated from it. Bitterness filled her at her inability to do anything. What was the point of being chosen if those close to her only ended up harmed because of it? For the first time in her life she resented the Gods, her gaze falling upon the brand on her skin, the glow and golden sheen diminished by the evil forces in the forest. The darkened sun stared back almost mockingly as she let her hand fall, her other reaching out to hold onto Myon's clammy one. 

"I'm so sorry," she said through her tears, feeling the man's grip on her hand weaken. 

"I was proud... to serve..." he breathed out, a bloody foam gurgling from his mouth as his body went slack. 

Yongsun remained kneeling, staring in disbelief at the lifeless eyes. Myon had been a constant companion during their travels. The old man had always kept an eye out for the young woman, his stories of past adventures filling the lull in their travels. He had taken it upon himself to cook every night for the small group, and Yongsun had grown to depend on the elderly man. Now he was gone, his life snuffed away in a forsaken place. She feared his spirit would be trapped in the forest, and offered a silent prayer that his soul might continue on to the ether, closing his eyes in the process. She felt numb as she struggled to stand up, the deep ache in her chest awaiting to hit her with full force later on. 

Both the Captain and Chul offered a moment of silence for their comrade, the Captain's eyes shining in the lantern light. 

"We need to continue on, but what happened to Miss Moon and Kyu?" their leader questioned, eyes scanning the darkness as Chul went about collecting Myon's belongings. 

The larger man slung Myon's spear and pack over his own gear, causing his horse to whine as he climbed back up, "I don't know where they went, but it's still not safe out here. We should reach the temple and then decide upon a plan," Chul said, his deep voice knocking Yongsun from her revere. 

She spared Myon's lifeless form one last glance before climbing up onto her own horse. She hated how they were leaving him out in the open like that, but knew that there was no time to waste. More ghouls could return, and they still needed to find Byulyi. The missing thief troubled her the most, and she attempted to try and seek her out through her brand, but once again the Gods were failing her, as nothing formed within her mind at the attempt. She noticed how her brand was oddly devoid of life, and she wondered if some sort of cruel joke were being played on her.

Sighing, Yongsun wanted nothing more than to run off and search for Byulyi, but the forest seemed never ending. After what had happened to her earlier, and now to Myon, her brain told her that wouldn't be wise, no matter how much her heart disagreed. Gripping the reigns, she pushed aside the pain in her chest as she focused her thoughts on rescuing the thief. Finding the other girl was her priority as they once more traveled through the forest, the bright torchlight of the temple greeting them in the distance. 

-----

Byulyi felt as if all of her senses were on fire as she pressed her back against the cold wall, her eyes blinking uselessly in the complete darkness. She tried to calm her breathing as she crept away from where she last saw Kyu, worried that he would find her. She knew she shouldn't have followed him here, but once she found out whatever he had done to Yongsun, she was going to beat him senseless and then be free of this hell hole. For now, she really needed to find a light source. The pressing darkness was causing her to feel claustrophobic, and the fear of being trapped here forever spiraled throughout her mind. 

With the wall behind her, she reasoned if she continued to follow it that it would eventually lead her to a new section of the cavern, unless this was one singular room, in which case... Well, she didn't want to continue that line of thought. She lightly ran her fingers along the chilled stone as she used it to guide her blindly around the room, constantly on edge for Kyu. Several minutes passed in this manner, and she was beginning to feel like maybe she did escape him, when he called out for her suddenly. 

"Where are you? I know the way out of here," he offered, his voice coming across reassuringly, but Byulyi knew better.

I'm sure you do... 

She could gauge by his voice that he was far enough away that she wouldn't accidentally bump into him. Her free hand closed around her knife just in case, the tension still tight between her shoulders as she continued on. Every now and then she'd hear a foot crunch against something from behind, alerting her to the fact that he was still actively moving around, but also allowing her to somewhat maintain his position in relevance to her. Her fingers eventually rounded the corner, and she could feel cool air coming down from what she assumed to be a new tunnel. The soft breeze that blew through was a welcome change from the stagnant air in the previous section of the cave. 

The darkness seemed to be not as deep in the new area, her eyes able to make out the odd shadows occasionally. She wondered whether the shadows she saw belonged to rock formations, or if something else was in here with her. Her body tensed even further at the thought, the young woman so wound up she was ready to snap. The hilt of her knife bit into her palm from how tightly she squeezed it for reassurance, the blade the only thing between her and any potential horrors.

She felt confident she had covered a good distance of the cavern when her foot stepped forward, connecting with nothing, sending the thief plummeting down a hole in the floor. A startled cry escaped her as she slammed against the winding tunnel wall, twisting this way and that as she continued to tumble roughly downward, the spiraling chute rudely dumping her out on a lower level of the cave.

Groaning, she tried to pick herself up before tipping back to the cold stone beneath her. Byulyi's vision swam, her consciousness ebbing away as she looked ahead, the sputtering light of a brazier illuminating the tunnel she had landed in. Something or someone had noticed her, and were making their way towards the collapsed thief.  Try as she might, she couldn't stop the sweet release her mind offered as she passed out. 

An unknown amount of time had passed when Byulyi momentarily regained consciousness, her vision blurry, disoriented, and realized she was being dragged by her feet. The wound on her back cried out in protest as sharp rocks jutted against the damaged tissue, causing her to wince and breathe in sharply. She couldn't tell who it was that was dragging her down the cave tunnel, but they appeared to at least be human from what little she could see. Before she could think about it further, her mind submerged her back into the abyss.  

When Byulyi awoke for the second time, she found herself in the process of being strung up by rusty chains. The shackles bit into her wrists as her arms were pulled up to the point that her shoulders burned. Her feet were thankfully left planted on the ground, but each ankle had earned its own shackle, the chains tight enough that she could barely lift her legs. As her vision cleared she stared at the person who had just finished locking the shackles in place. A hooded black robe covered their body, the red symbol she saw painted above the stone door earlier also crudely painted across the chest area of the robe. Their build suggested a male, and Byulyi half wondered if it was Kyu, an angry scowl forming. 

"Who the hell are you, and what are you doing with me?" she demanded, her eyes traveling from the hooded individual to the room she found herself in. Makeshift bookshelves lined the far walls, the shelves overflowing with a variety of tomes and strangely filled jars. To the opposite of Byulyi stood an imposing wooden structure, the skull of some sort of large creature resting on top. A wide copper bowl sat beneath it with a suspicious reddish brown residue coating the bowl and table it rested upon. Unease quickly spread throughout the thief, her eyes darting from the hooded figure in front of her to any possible escape route. 

A deep laugh rumbled out of her captor, his hands performing some sort of ritualistic sign before stepping back, "The moon is full tonight. The Mistress will be pleased," he said, ignoring her question and pointing to the space above Byulyi's head. 

Glancing up, she noticed how a long shaft had been carved out of the ceiling above her, gnarled roots stretching across the hole as it continued far enough to go from stone to dirt, and then up into the outside world. The moon was barely visible from her position, its light not bright enough to reach the young woman below. The sight of the night sky, no matter how far away, sent a deep sense of longing throughout her body. She hated being trapped underground like this.

As her eyes lowered, she glanced down at her shackled feet and realized for the first time that she was standing on top of something. A red circle had been painted around the outside edge, with the same crude symbol painted in the center where her boots were firmly planted. What the hell was this? Wild thoughts started to stagger throughout Byulyi's mind. Was she about to be sacrificed? Who in the hell was this Mistress the man had spoke of? She felt panic build up in her chest as she pulled against her chains. 

The man shook his head dismissively, "There's no point in struggling. The Mistress will be here any moment, and then you'll want for nothing anymore," he explained, his voice taking on an almost sense of wonder as he spoke about the mysterious woman that would soon be visiting Byulyi. 

Meeting anyone who referred to herself as The Mistress was definitely not on the list of people Byulyi wanted to meet in her life. The thief tried to calm her breathing, telling herself that this wasn't the first time she'd been chained up, and that she'll certainly make it out like all of the other times. She had just started to regain some of her confidence when a deep chill filled the room. A gong could be heard sounding in the distance, the echo reverberating down the long tunnel on the other side of the room. 

"She's here..." the man feverishly whispered out, before bowing deeply and excusing himself. 

Byulyi's breath came to a halt as she stared down the dark tunnel, noticing how fog was beginning to spill out of it. The mist appeared to be alive as tendrils coiled out and twisted along the edges of the room, rapidly filling the surface space until a heavy blanket of it covered the floor. Byulyi saw movement then as a young woman slowly approached her. Her eyes traveled to the long slit that went up the side of the revealing crimson robes that barely covered the woman's body. She could feel her face grow warm as her eyes glanced at the partially exposed cleavage before resting on the woman's face. Her skin was impossibly pale, her lips standing in stark contrast due to the red tint that covered them. Byulyi couldn't tear her eyes away from the black orbs that quietly watched her, a satisfied smile forming on her perfect lips. 

"I see we've captured someone special today," she spoke softly, her voice a delicious nectar that Byulyi suddenly found herself parched of. 

The woman drew closer as she observed the young thief, her slender fingers gliding along Byulyi's collarbone and down her chest, pleased at the shiver she pulled out of her in response. 

"Why are you here?" she asked, her expression offering a look of encouragement to the young woman. 

Byulyi felt compelled to answer, every fiber of her being attempting to resist, but whatever spell this woman had put her under was far more powerful.

"I'm here on a mission for the Gods," she replied, suddenly finding herself eager to please the older woman. 

She tilted her head then, a thoughtful look appearing as she tapped a finger to her lips.

"A mission for the Gods? Are you Branded?" came the simple enough question, Byulyi's conscious screaming at her not to answer, but was quickly smothered by the enrapturing pull the other woman had on her. 

"Yes," the thief answered, elated at the satisfied smile that crossed the other woman's face. 

She gripped Byulyi's shirt then and pulled her close, her hand reaching out to touch the other girl's face, "You're bleeding," she stated, her fingers reaching up to a small cut on the thief's cheekbone. 

She must have cut herself when she fell down the trap earlier, and felt displeased that she had caused the woman in front of her to be concerned, "It's nothing serious," she reassured, her voice sounding almost monotone in her ears. 

The woman gently tilted the thief's head towards her, caressing it for a moment before her tongue slipped out between her parted lips. Slowly, gently, with a restrained hunger, she the trail of blood from Byulyi's face, giving the cut a soft before releasing the girl.

A tense heat erupted in the thief's abdomen, her face flushing as she watched the other woman's eyes roam her body. 

"Where is your brand located?" she wondered, her cool fingers sliding up underneath Byulyi's tunic. 

Before the thief could further incriminate herself, the full moon had moved far enough into the sky that the entire force of its light spilled down upon Byulyi, her brand regaining its silvery glow, and the cloying fog that had filled her mind evaporating. Returning to her senses, the thief jerked away suddenly, feeling disgusted with herself for how she had felt and behaved moments before. 

"What do you want?" Byulyi growled, her rage overcoming any sense of fear she felt at the woman. 

An exasperated sigh escaped her as she watched Byulyi regain control of her thoughts, "Well, this is disappointing... If you won't tell me want I want, then perhaps you'd rather share with your pretty little priestess?" she taunted, yanking Byulyi roughly towards her once more. 

The thief watched in horror as the fog slithered up and around the older woman, completely covering her momentarily, before dissipating almost as suddenly as it had appeared. Yongsun now stood where the Mistress had been moments before. Byulyi gawked, feeling her knees grow weak at the insatiable look Yongsun directed her way, their faces much too close as she pulled her tightly against her. 

"You're not real..." she gritted out, as the blonde moved her warm mouth towards the thief's ear.

"I'm as real as you want me to be," she whispered, breath hot against her skin before gently biting a trail down the tender flesh of Byulyi's neck. 

Byulyi's breath quickened as she squirmed in Yongsun's hold. This was wrong on so many levels, and Byulyi wished the Gods would just smite her right then and there. They of course wouldn't offer such a kindness, and so it was up to Byulyi to somehow deal with the fake priestess, her chest aching at seeing the other girl, even if it wasn't actually her. 

Focusing all of her anger, Byulyi jerked back as far as the chains would let her, before slamming her body against the blonde girl. Yongsun fell back to the floor with a heavy thud, her face a mask of pain and rage at being denied once more by the thief. 

"If that's how you want to act, we'll just wait until the moon is further in the sky, and then you'll be back to telling me everything I want," spat out the priestess, anger flashing in her eyes. 

"Yeah, whatever. You should go back to your original form, you don't deserve to look as pretty as her," Byulyi retorted, feeling pleased with herself at the irritated scowl that was now aimed at her. 

"Feeling smug, are we? I know a good cure for that," the priestess seethed, as she made her way over to a nearby lever that caused the chains above Byulyi's arms to raise. 

Searing pain pulsated through the thief's shoulders as her feet no longer touched the floor. She wondered if it were possible for her arms to pop out of their sockets as she hung there, a grimace forming across her face.

"I'll leave you here to think about your disobedience," the older woman declared, transforming back to her original self before exiting the room, the fog flowing behind her. 

Byulyi's mind wandered over to the real Yongsun as she hung there, alone with her thoughts and pain. She had no idea where Yongsun was, if she was ok, or whether she had even noticed a certain thief had gone missing. How would she find her down in this damnable place, if in fact she was even looking for her? Byulyi mentally chided herself then at the last thought. Yongsun had already proven she would come to the thief's aid. It felt strange being able to depend on someone that wasn't Hyejin.

Groaning, the thief tried not to move too much as she looked up at her brand, the crescent moon still glowing softly in the moonlight. The power of the full moon coupled with the fact that the source of its light reached her from beyond the forest, seemed to have ignited her brand's power, if only temporary while she was trapped here. 

Filling her mind with images of the other girl, she attempted to call out to her through their shared connection, willing her to see where she was deep beneath the earth. Time stood still as she waited, not even daring to breathe as she feared any sudden movement would break her chances. As the silence began to drag out, defeat reared its ugly head and began its slow crawl across her heart as she took a shaking breath in. This wasn't going to wor-

The image of Yongsun in her nightclothes, pacing anxiously in a bedroom flooded her mind in a rush. Tears pricked the corners of her eyes as she watched the priestess fret over something. She was alive, she was safe, and Byulyi had a suspicion that she was stressing over her. A choked sob escaped the thief as relief filled her aching body. 

Yongsun, come find me....

-----

Nothing had gone right for Yongsun since the moment they arrived at the temple. Upon arrival the trio had been practically dragged before the Matron to explain why they had arrived by crossing the forbidden side of the forest. The Captain did his best to try and explain that they hadn't been aware of that, and that they had only traveled the way they did at the behest of one of their companions, who unfortunately was currently missing in said forest. The old crone's scowl deepened with each passing word the Captain said. With a wave of her hand she cut the man off, and focused her attention on the young priestess. 

"Step forward, child," motioned the elderly woman, her raspy voice as dry as kindling ready to burn. 

Yongsun took a hesitant step forward, feeling the eyes of the cloister on her as she bowed deeply, her eyes remaining on the floor. 

"Tell me why you are here, Sister," the Matron asked.

Yongsun clasped her hands together in front her as she gathered her thoughts, "My companion and I have been selected for the Brand. We've traveled here to learn what we can about the marks before we continue on our journey," she responded quietly, very much aware that her companion in this endeavor was currently missing. 

The crone noticed this as well, as her white eyes moved from the priestess to the two men kneeling nearby. Word had traveled to her about how a priestess and some lowly thief had been selected for the Brand. She couldn't recall ever reading about a Branded not belonging to one of the noble houses. The Gods could be fickle indeed. 

"And where is this companion of yours? This thief that I've heard so much about?" replied the crone, her eyes intently watching the blonde girl despite her apparent blindness. 

The priestess's jaw tightened at the way the Matron referred to Byulyi. The other girl had saved her life, risking her own in the process, and was forever connected to her now through their brand. She had come to hate how dismissive others could be towards Byulyi, all because she hadn't been raised with gold being showered down upon her. 

"She is... She's currently lost within the forest, Matron. We request that you allow us to leave and search for her as soon as possible," Yongsun pressed, daring to look up into the crone's eyes. 

The Matron was silent for a long moment, content with observing the blonde girl before her. She took note of the kind brown eyes — eyes that had been tempered with loss, and heartache, overwhelming fear, and the relief at realizing one was not alone. A pleased hum could be heard when the girl didn't back down from her gaze. 

"I'm afraid that no one is allowed to leave this late at night. As I'm sure you're all aware, there are dangers in this forest, and even more so during the night of a full moon," she explained, her eyes never leaving Yongsun's face.

"Matron, please forgive me, but I must ask that you reconsider. Byulyi, my companion, is one of the Branded. Surely we can't leave her to her fate? Morning is still hours away. We've witnessed first hand the monsters that prowl the forest. I fear that she won't survive the night on her own," Yongsun petitioned, the desperation she felt flowing through her words. She also wasn't entirely sure Byulyi was alone out there, as the thought of Kyu entered her mind, causing the priestess's chest to tighten uncomfortably. 

"I understand your request, Sister, but as I said, it's much too dangerous out there right now. I won't risk my people on a fools errand. If this thief of yours is indeed destined to help save the world, then she'll find a way to return to us," the old crone said dismissively, as she arose form her seat within the audience hall. 

"I suggest that you and your guards get some rest in the guestrooms we offer here. We'll discuss the fate of your companion tomorrow," and with that the Matron was escorted out of the room, Yongsun still remaining where she was, fist clenched as she stared at the empty chair. 

————

The priestess now found herself pacing in the guestroom, at a loss on how she was going to save Byulyi. Her nightgown spun around her legs at the constant movement, feeling as if she were about to go crazy with worry. Myon's death flashed throughout her mind, and all she could imagine Byulyi suffering the same gruesome fate. She had to think, she had to-

Yongsun...

Byulyi's voice briefly filled the blonde's head, startling her so bad that she almost cried out in shock, "Byulyi?!" she called out, confused on where the voice was coming from. 

Silence greeted her once more, causing the other girl to wonder if she had in fact stared to lose her mind. She brought her hands up to rub wearily at her face when she noticed it. The sun on her hand was glowing softly once more. 

"What...? How is it working again?" she wondered aloud, running her fingers along the warm golden lines. She had been so preoccupied with the Matron earlier that she hadn't noticed the brand ignite once again. 

Perhaps the temple itself was preventing the evil energy from seeping beyond its protective walls. Yongsun decided to look into it later, and was ecstatic as she summoned up the image of Byulyi in her mind, reaching out as hard as she could to the other girl. There in her mind's eye she saw her, bruised and hanging from shackles that suspended her painfully in the air. Yongsun's heart felt like it were being squeezed to the breaking point at seeing the state the other girl was in. Where in the world was she? How did she end up in a situation like that? What was with her and being shackled? The priestess had many concerning questions, but the most important one was how to find a way to the thief. She could sense that she was underground, and not a terrible distance away from the temple. 

A sense of urgency surged her forward, not bothering to change her clothes as she slowly opened her bedroom door. The hallway was thankfully clear of the temple inhabitants. They had been warned that a curfew was in place after hours, and that they weren't to roam the halls during the late night. Yongsun wasn't exactly sure what would happen if you were caught being somewhere you shouldn't be, but in this case it was worth the risk.

Before leaving she threw her medicine pack across her chest, and reached out and grabbed the golden statue that resided on a pedestal near her door. The statue was the size of her forearm, and was the chisled figure of Avyros, the Sun God. Arms outstretched, a sharp, jagged edge metal sun was lifted high above his head. Yongsun hoped he didn't mind being used as weapon, as she had nothing else to bring with her. 

She stressed over whether to grab the Captain and Chul, as both men we staying in the wing on the opposite side of the temple grounds, designated for their male guests. There wasn't enough time to sneak over to them, wake them up, and then hope to sneak back out with them all the while trying to find a way underground. No, Yongsun would have to do this on her own. She'd have to prove herself to both the thief and herself. The invisible line between the branded pair provided enough sense of direction that the priestess suspected somewhere within the temple grounds would lead underground. She tried to channel the other girl as she slinked down the hallway and down the first set of stairs. 

Yongsun attempted to recall whether she had seen anything in the temple grounds that would imply going deep underground. The only thing that came to mind was the large well that was near the stables, not too far away from her guesthouse. A small shack was nested beside it, and she suspected it was a storage cellar. The cathedral had their own out back, and it ran deep beneath the earth.

She had one floor left to clear, and was close to the exit when a servant walked by with fresh laundry. She bit her lip hard to stifle the cry of surprise that threatened to spill out. Pressing tightly against the wall, she was thankful for the deep shadows that covered her from sight as the servant passed. Yongsun had a moment where she wondered if this was what Byulyi felt like during a heist. There was something... oddly exhilarating about it, and the priestess wasn't entirely sure if she liked that she felt that way. The thief seemed to be rubbing off on her. 

The blonde allowed herself a moment to breathe in deeply, savoring the night air as she crept along the tree line, mindful of everything around her. Thankfully it didn't take long to reach the suspected storage cellar, the old wooden door free of a lock as she slipped inside. Darkness greeted her once the door closed shut, and she was forced to rummage around in her pack for a candle and some small sticks of pinewood and flint. The pinewood had sulfur packed inside, and created a sort of temporary light as she struck the flint, the flame of the candle springing to life. The small flame provided a soft glow around the room as the priestess looked around. Dried goods and other supplies lined the shelves as she moved further in, her eyes scanning for anything that would take her deeper into the earth. 

At the far back of the cellar she noticed a rug that had been bunched up on one side, and upon closer inspection realized it had been covering a trap door. The small smile that tugged at her lips was short lived as she opened the hatch and stared into the abyss below. Anything could be down there. Kyu, some sort of ungodly creature, the spirits from before. Yongsun paused as she continued to stare into the black void, feeling the fine hair on her arms raise up. She was afraid. Despite that, Byulyi needed her, and that was all the pushing she required to grip the ladder tightly and slowly descend into the unknown. 

-----

Byulyi felt delirious from the pain in her shoulders. She had no idea how long she remained hanging there, the shackles biting deeply into her wrists. She took comfort in the fact that Yongsun was coming to rescue her. The thief saw flashes in her mind of the blonde girl making the trek here, their connection fading the closer she got. Byulyi was only lucky enough that the moonlight allowed her temporary power while within the realm of the forest. Yongsun wasn't given that benefit, and she gauged how far away the girl was by how their connection continued to fade, until it was completely gone. She felt strangely empty as the connection was severed, her eyes gazing upward at the ever changing moon, and how its light was almost beyond her grasp. A slow, exaggerated clapping could be heard as a hooded man approached her from the shadows.This one was different from before, as he was more lanky than broad. 

"Ah, Byulyi, I see you're almost out of time" came the familiar voice.

Kyu.

Her eyes followed him as he approached, pushing his hood back to get a better look at her. 

"Such a shame that it had to come to this. If only you had let yourself and that stupid priestess give your lives to Malachai in Gimhwa, we wouldn't be in this situation, eh? But no, you had to play the hero and save the girl so she could alert the others, and then I was forced to help. Such a waste..." he spat out in annoyance, his fist raising up to punch her in the stomach. 

A sickening grin suddenly lit up his features as he pulled back his fist, "Do you want to know why the priestess was so upset that night?"

Byulyi didn't want to give him the satisfaction of answering as she simply watched, her stomach muscles tensing for the incoming blow. 

"I'll take that as a yes. You're not very good at hiding your emotions from your eyes. I can see that hatred burning inside of you," he sneered, his fist rushing forward to slam into her gut. 

The wind was knocked out of Byulyi as she gasped for air, the vibration of the hit causing her arms to burn in pain. She saw his fist positioned for another punch as he continued, he face slightly disappointed at the lack of reaction from the thief. 

"You remember how she went to go bathe that night, yeah?" he began to say, pleased at how tense Byulyi became. "Well, I made sure to watch every second of it. I have to say, your little sun girl has an amazing pair of-" his words were cut off as Byulyi's knee slammed into him, the suspension of her arms from above having provided her extra slack with her feet. 

Sputtering, he angrily spit blood out from where his teeth had sliced into his tongue. Kyu rounded on Byulyi, punching her in the stomach again and again until a sickening crunch filled the air. His eyes rolled back into his head as he fell over on the floor, blood seeping out from the golden statue that was lodged inside his skull. There in his place stood Yongsun, blood splattered across her beautiful face and nightgown. She looked like she was on the verge of being sick, just barely keeping herself together as she ran to Byulyi, her tear streaked face pressing into the girl's stomach from where she was suspended.  

"Are you real...?" Byulyi quietly asked, almost afraid that she was just another trick caused by the fog. 

"As real as you are," she choked out in response, her fingers grasping tightly to Byulyi's shirt. 

Byulyi had started to reply when the gong from before sounded down the dark hallway, instilling an overwhelming sense of dread into the thief as fog slowly began curling its way towards them. The moon had decided to thoroughly abandoned the thief as it moved on, causing her brand to fall silent once more. Yongsun looked on in confusion as Byulyi felt ice settle itself deep inside her stomach.

"Yongsun, listen to me. There's a lever over there that you need to pull. It should lower me back to the ground, hurry!" Byulyi attempted to calmly say for the priestess's benefit, but the panic was apparent on her face as Yongsun rushed to do what she asked. 

Byulyi fell to her knees as the chains lowered, her arms feeling heavy and numb. The fog was growing thicker by the minute, and she knew they didn't have much time to make their escape. She was free from hanging in the air like an easy target, but she still had the shackles stuck to her wrists and ankles. The rusty chains clanked against one another a she pulled as far as it would go. Nothing in sight appeared to be the answer to unlocking them, and the thief began to feel desperate.  

"Yongsun, there's some sort of... woman that leads these black hooded guys Kyu was a part of. I don't know who she is, but she's evil and controls some sort of magical power. She... clouds your thoughts, makes you agree with what she wants," the thief rushed out, feeling disgusted as she thought back to how she had changed to Yongsun to try and get Byulyi to break. 

Eyes wide, Yongsun glanced down at the large red symbol on the floor where Byulyi had been chained up. She recognized the marking from somewhere before... She had stumbled across it in a old tome that pertained to the great evil. The symbol represented a type of cult that worshiped the evil that had been banished, and the priestess felt her blood chill at the thought that the leader of such a cult was almost upon them. 

"How am I supposed to free you? I don't see anything to break the chains," Yongsun panicked, her eyes searching for anything that could possibly free the younger girl. 

"Check Kyu's pocket's, he might have had a keyring on him," she offered, her eyes glued to the hallway that was rapidly filling with fog. The entire floor was almost completely covered as Yongsun approached the dead guard. 

Yongsun's stomach threatened to empty as she tried to avoid looking at the head wound she had caused. Her small hands had started to rifle through his pockets when she was violently thrown back against the bookshelves. A pained cry escaping her as she fell to the floor, the fog coiling around her body possessively. 

"Yongsun!" Byulyi cried out, unable to go to her as she pulled against the chains. 

"How amusing, that girl really did come to your aid," said the silky voice of the older woman as she appeared before the two of them. 

The fog twisted around Yongsun's body, pulling her upright before dragging her over to the other woman. The blonde was shaking as the Mistress pulled the priestess close, turning her to face towards Byulyi. 

"I'll make you an offer, Moon Byulyi. If you swear to serve me for eternity, your brand and soul, I'll let her live," the older woman said, her red lips curved into a smile at the distraught look Byulyi was giving her.

"Byulyi! Don't-" Yongsun yelled, before a tendril of fog slithered across , forcing her to remain silent. She struggled as the fog continued to coil around her body, restraining her as if the mist held substance to it. 

Byulyi felt a calmness settle over her as she knew what she would decide to do. Yongsun could see it on her face a she struggled even harder against the fog, forcing it free form momentarily. 

"You can't do thi-" the priestess attempted again before she was once more silenced. 

"Time is slipping away. Have you made your choice?" she asked in a sweet voice, her fingers gliding through Byulyi's dark locks. 

"I have. If you promise to let her go, I'll serve you," the thief replied with every ounce of courage that she could muster. 

The Mistress clapped her hands together like a delighted child.

"Wonderful! I'll have your priestess deposited over on the far side of the room. Now shall we seal the deal with a kiss?" she practically purred out, not bothering to wait for Byulyi to answer as she moved in close. 

"Can you... can you change to Yongsun when you do it?" she asked, refusing to look at the blonde girl. 

The older woman smirked, before nodding once and allowing the fog to transform her body once more to that of the young priestess.

"Better?" she asked in a near replica of the blonde's voice. 

Byulyi could feel the real Yongsun's eyes burning holes into the pair as she was forced to watch from afar, the fog still holding her captive. The fake priestess was almost gentle as she slid her fingers into Byulyi's dark hair and moved close, their lips just barely grazing each other when Byulyi attacked. The chains from her shackles were whipped forward and lopped around the blonde's neck, cutting off her source of oxygen in the process. Eyes bulging, she clawed at the cold metal cutting into her skin. An enraged howl filled the cavern as the fog released the actual priestess and converged on the thief. No amount of the beating from the fog was going to cause her to release her death grip on the chains as she tightened her hold. 

Yongsun ran towards Byulyi, and threw herself at the thief, using her own body as a shield between the younger girl and the fog. The mist was merciless as it lashed out and tore at both girls, trying desperately to rip Yongsun from her hold locked around the thief's stomach. 

Byulyi gritted her teeth as she pulled as tight as she possibly could, arms shaking, fingers numb, until the body of the Mistress dissolved into a pile of black sand, the fog blowing away as if it never existed. The thief sank down to the floor with Yongsun still clinging to her back.

"Is it...over?" the blonde whispered out, her face pressed tightly into Byulyi's shoulder.

"Yeah, it's over," Byulyi said shakily before turning around in Yongsun's hold and hugging her. 

They clung to each other, the reality of what they went through together still heavy in the air. Byulyi couldn't hold her tightly enough as Yongsun buried her face into the girl's neck. They remained like that for a long while before the thief gently pulled back a little, a comforting hand running up and down the blonde's back. 

"We should get out of here. Still need to find a way to get these shackles off," she offered the priestess a rueful smile, watching as she rubbed the remaining tears from her eyes.

"Yeah, you're right. Do you think he might still have the key?" Yongsun replied back quietly. 

"It's worth a shot," Byulyi encouraged as she sat back and waited.

The Gods were shining down upon them for once, as Yongsun returned with a small keyring and the barest hint of a smile. It took three tries before she found the right key, and made quick work of removing the four shackles from the thief. Byulyi gently rubbed at her sore wrists, wincing in pain at the circular cut around each of them. The priestess rummaged around her in medicine pack to bandage the shackle cuts on Byulyi's wrists, satisfied with her work after a few moments. The pain was already fading away as she twisted her arm this way and that, admiring how fast Yongsun was able to do it. 

"Thank you," the thief said, gratitude pouring out of her as she pulled Yongsun in for a proper hug now that she was free of the rough chains. 

Yongsun easily pressed against her, her arms looping around her waist for a few moments before pulling back, her hand seeking out Byulyi's. 

"When we return to the temple, can we sleep for the next 5 years?" Byulyi suggested, earning a soft laugh from the priestess. 

"That sounds wonderful to me," Yongsun replied back, as the prospect of getting to sleep after everything that happened tonight sounded amazing. 

-----

The sun was just beginning to rise when the pair slipped back into Yongsun's guestroom. The priestess tossed Byulyi one of her old shirts she had kept from training, while she stepped into the bathroom attachment to wash the blood and grime from her face and hands. The face that stared back at the priestess was one she no longer recognized. Gone was her innocence from what she had seen and done. She had failed to save a friend, and had now killed another man with her own hands. The thought caused her hands to shake as bile made its way up . 

Byulyi stepped into the bathroom then, a look of concern on her face, "You didn't answer when I called for you..." she trailed off, her observant eyes taking note of the way the blonde's hands shook. 

"I..." Yongsun began, her voice cracking as Byulyi reached out to the other girl, her hands rubbing comforting circles across her back as she held her. 

Everything came crashing out of her then. The hopelessness she felt over Myon's death, how useless she felt when she realized Byulyi was missing, and the ruthless death of Kyu. Byulyi held her the best she could as the priestess cried her heart out, her hands grasping onto the thief's shirt so tightly as if she feared the other girl would disappear. Yongsun had no sense of time as the sobs wracked her body. She mourned for the person she had been, for the people they had lost, for who she had become.

Byulyi's shirt was thoroughly saturated with tears by the time she calmed down enough to be moved out of the bathroom. Yongsun followed the thief's lead as she led them to the priestess's bed and motioned for her to join her under the blankets. No words were exchanged as she snuggled as close as humanly possibly to the thief, feeling safe inside her arms as Byulyi held her close, her rhythmic breathing lulling her to sleep as exhaustion claimed her body.