• Sowon wait ! 

Everyone in the room turned their heads towards the owner of the voice. Umji was the first one to react: 

• Calm Snow ! she said with a tone half-surprised and happy. 

But SinB didn’t even react. Her eyes were focused on Sowon as SinB walked towards her. Surprised could be seen on Sowon’s face. 

• SinB ,Sowon eventually said. 

• Yes it is me. Now that you have what you wanted, let them go. 

Umji was confused:

• Wait, who’s SinB ? What did she want ?

SinB had totally forgotten that she was supposed to be amnesiac. But it didn’t matter anymore. So she just replied:

• It’s me. I have got my memory back. She lied. She wanted me. 

Umji was happily surprised but then she frowned:

• Wait … what does she want with you ? 

Suddenly, Yuju took Umji’s hand. 

• It is none of our business, common. she said as she dragged her towards the door.

But suddenly fire appeared in front of the door preventing them from leaving the room. 

• No one will leave this room ! screamed Sowon. 

• Let them go ! They are not concerned by this issue ! cried out SinB. 

Sowon glared at her. 

• Everyone is concerned because everyone in this kingdom will die with it ! 

• I know the real Sowon would have never wanted such thing. said SinB.

Sowon surely looked surprised but then she seriously stated: 

• That Sowon doesn’t exist anymore. She is dead and soon her kingdom will die too. 

• No, she is still here inside. I saw her. SinB argued while pointing her finger at Sowon. 

• Or you rather witnessed her death. laughed sarcastically Sowon. 

SinB then thought about when she saw Sowon the previous night convulsing on her bed. So it wasn’t just an impression, she was really dying. And SinB couldn’t do anything about it.

SinB was looking down. She didn’t know why but she was feeling a huge sadness: Sowon was dead. Sowon noticed the pain in her eyes: 

• Now surrender to me, SinB. said Sowon with a sweet and calm tone. And everything will be over. The pain will end. 

SinB looked at her. But suddenly a voice echoed in her head « Don’t let her get under your skin » « Don’t listen to her » « Run before it is too late, I will make sure you can go through the fire »

That voice, SinB knew it … it was her magic. 

• Don’t listen to the voice, SinB. Even if you leave where will you go ? Is it worth to keep on living when you have no goal when you’re all alone ? 

• Yes it is worth it. suddenly interrupted a voice.

​​​​​​​

Both SinB and Sowon turned towards the owner of the voice: it was Umji. 

• You again ! Who are you anyway to give lessons. mocked Sowon.  

• I am Umji, a little girl who was found in the forest, who then was adopted by a loving old couple of shepherds but then after their death was all alone again. Then I was adopted by families in the village. They never loved me. They treated me badly. I was still all alone. But then Yuju came into my life and everything changed. So don’t say that it is not worth it ! Like everything else loneliness has an end. And the goals they will come naturally to you. contended Umji with a defying look at Sowon. She walked towards SinB and took her hand. 

Amazed, SinB looked at Umji and the latter gave her a little smile. 

Sowon was boiling up but at the same time she felt weak. It was that Umji girl. She had to get rid of her. She was going to do something when SinB talked again: 

• Sowon in case you still inside here. Please, wake up. Don’t let that black magic consumes you. If I can ignore the demands of the magic inside me, I know you can too. I know it is painful, it gives you a headache but once you carry it out successfully you get stronger against it. It’s then easier to reject their demands. 

It looked like Sowon was weakening. So she tried an attack against SinB. Indeed, suddenly a fireball appeared and went directly to SinB. 

SinB closed her eyes. Was she dead ? 

SinB reopened her eyes. Everything was white around her. But soon it dispersed and she could see again. Umji was looking at her with a really shocked face. SinB looked down, her hair it was blond. 

« Leave SinB ! Before I can no longer protect you » It was the magic’s voice. So her powers weren’t infinite ? Or maybe they weren’t strong enough to defy Sowon’s ones ? 

But again, SinB ignored it. She looked down at the fireball - now more ice than fire - spread on the floor. Her magic protected her but it wouldn’t last. She had to find a solution to cope with the issue. 

Sowon was looking at her with a rictus:

• Surrender SinB, it is the only way ! 

• And then, what will happen ? asked SinB 

• Why do you care ? You won’t be there anymore. laughed Sowon. 

• Ok but on one condition: you let the girls go. 

• Haha ok but they will die with this kingdom’s fall anyway. 

• No they won’t if they reach the Sun Kingdom. 

Suddenly Sowon’s eyes turned serious. Was it fear ? 

• NO ! she screamed and suddenly fire appeared around the girls. EVERYONE WILL BURN ! 

Umji was definitely scared for Yuju who was with the other girls. But she was even more frightened when suddenly Sowon took out her sword and jumped on her. Hopefully she didn’t reach her because SinB went just in front of her at the last second. Umji still fell on the floor as she felt the arm of one of the women hit her ear. SinB was clearly weak because of the impact so much that her power disappeared. Now Sowon was straddling her with the blade under her neck. 

• For the last time, surrender to me. she said as her face was just inch away from SinB’s one. 

Having nothing to lose anymore, SinB played her last card: 

• Sowon, none of this is your fault. You weren’t responsible of the loss of your little sister in the forest back then. I know you miss her … I know you miss Yewon. 

Suddenly Sowon dropped the blade. SinB took it and throw it randomly beside Yewon. However Sowon shook her head and grabbed it:

• No ! 

She stood up and then ran towards the blade. She was going to take it but something else on the floor caught her eyes: it was an earring. She took it. 

• Yewon, she suddenly said as her hair went back to their normal color. 

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Chapter 17 done

What an intense chapter, I went through several feelings while writting it. I hope you liked it. 

Thanks 

xoxo