Arcade Castle, Eden

Wednesday, November 26th, 2025 

The atmosphere in the room was tense, heavy with unspoken words and unresolved tension.The air seemed charged with frustration and hurt, as if every word spoken carried the weight of years of pent-up emotions.

“Unnie, why didn't you answer my call? Also, you didn't reply to my chat. Are you still upset that I hid my identity from you?” Yerim sat across from Yena, watching her cousin as she checked the weapons she would use for tonight's mission. Their gazes locked in a silent battle of emotions.

Yerim's heart raced as she anticipated Yena's reaction to her confession. She had been carrying the burden of her hidden identity for so long, afraid of the consequences of revealing the truth to her cousin.

“I'm not upset; I'm disappointed,” Yena replied without looking at Yerim. “You hid your identity from me, but you let Minju know your identity.”

Yerim knew she faced Yena's disappointment. She couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt and regret.

However, their relationship is complicated, and sins in the past that have not been revealed make Yerim unable to decide on a position. Whatever happens, her Ruler Line's interests come above all else, and she knows it will make her and Yena's relationship worse.

“I had my reasons for that, and-”

“And not with me?” Yena interrupted, exhaling a long sigh. “I'm your cousin, Choi Yerim. Whatever happens in your life concerns me.”

“Unnie,” Yerim said, biting her lower lip. She had been anticipating this moment for a long time and had prepared for it, but it still wasn't as easy as she had imagined. “Our relationship isn't as simple as that.”

“What's not simple about it? Is it that difficult to admit that you're gifted? You even knew my identity and fooled me by pretending not to know.”

Yena's disappointment was palpable, her usually composed and playful demeanor betraying the turmoil within. She had trusted Yerim and confided in her, only to be met with deception and betrayal. The realization cut deep, leaving her feeling vulnerable and exposed.

“Don't you understand? Our relationship isn't like Minju and Yujin's. We're on different ruler lines. Not to mention, the conflict between our ruler lines is not that simple. Since the beginning, our destiny has been intertwined in a bad way.”

Their conversation was fraught with emotion, each word a dagger piercing through the fragile facade of their relationship. Yerim desperately tried to explain herself to make Yena understand the complexity of their situation, but her words fell on deaf ears.

“What conflict are you talking about, huh? Aren't our realms allied now?”

“You don't understand.” My Ruler Line wants to destroy yours in the past. One of my Ruler wants to kill your Ruler.

“Then make me understand!”

Yerim her face with tension. “Can you promise me?”

“What?”

“Promise me that you'll listen to my explanation calmly and without assumptions.”

“I can't promise that. Not after what happened between us.”

As they faced each other, the rift between them seemed to widen with every passing moment. Yerim could feel the weight of Yena's disappointment bearing down on her, crushing her under its immense pressure. And yet, Yena couldn't bring herself to promise what Yerim asked of her, not knowing that the truth would only bring more pain.

“If that's the case, suit yourself.” Yerim sighed and stood up, walking towards the safe in the corner of the room, and taking out a dagger she would use for tonight's mission.

“Yah! Choi Yerim!”

“Sooner or later, you'll understand. But not tonight. You can swallow all your disappointment in me, Unnie.” Yerim left the room, and Yena couldn't help but curse the situation.

In the end, they were left without explanation—a forced agreement to bury their feelings and move forward. But, beneath the surface, the wounds remained raw and unhealed, waiting to be reopened with the slightest provocation.

***

In the usually bustling control room, now enveloped in an eerie silence, tension hung thick in the air like a suffocating fog. Every second dragged on, each moment weighed down by the uncertainty of the situation unfolding before them. Jinsol and Chaeyeon sat at the forefront, their faces etched with deep concern, their eyes fixated on the monitors displaying the mission's status. The once vibrant glow of the screens now seemed dim and ominous, casting long shadows that danced across the room, adding to the palpable sense of dread.

An agonizing hour had passed since contact was lost with the field team. Despite frantic attempts to communicate, there was only a deafening silence in response. The atmosphere in the control room grew heavier with each passing moment, a suffocating weight pressing down on everyone's shoulders.

“You must be in serious trouble if you're deciding to contact me.” Yujin's voice crackled through the speakers, a sense of urgency laced in her tone despite sounding groggy, indicating she hadn't fully woken up. ”Who's missing out there?”

“Sooyoung Unnie, Yena Unnie, Minju, and Yerim,” Hyeju replied calmly, covering the worry that gripped her heart. “Yujin-ah, I can't find them using the Ankh heirloom.”

“Neither can I, not yet; we can try again, Unnie.” Yujin's response mirrored Hyeju's calm tone. Faint sounds of typing and clicking the mouse echoed in the background, a stark contrast to the heavy silence that permeated the room. “Why did you let them go without you, Unnie? You know how dangerous that place is. You almost didn't make it out alive months ago. I can feel that jerk and her minions still there.”

“I would have gone with them if only I had permission. Stop lecturing me. It's better now that you start looking for ways to find them. You're being awfully chatty for someone who just woke up.” Hyeju hissed and made Yujin chuckle.

“I can’t sleep well, Unnie. I lost my pills.” Yujin's words came out rushed, tinged with frustration. ”Jiwon must have taken them from my bag, and now she's off to Tokyo. That brat! I'll deal with her later, but right now-”

“Jang Wonyoung is here and can hear you blabbering, An.”

“Ahhh, thanks for the reminder, Unnie,” Yujin's nervous chuckle grated against the tense atmosphere. ”Wonie, I- Ummm... I'll talk to you later, Dear.”

“Yah! Shut up and do your job. That's my missing girlfriend out there, Brat,” Hyeju's gaze darted briefly to Wonyoung. Wonyoung's expression turned grim as she registered the conversation between Yujin and Hyeju. It was evident that trouble was brewing for Yujin after this mission.

“That's my silly cousin with your girlfriend, Unnie. Hold on!”

Nervous energy crackled in the air as some bit their nails while others took deep, steady breaths in an attempt to calm their frayed nerves.

“Unnie, can you check around the downstream side of the river? I can't check it with Gaia's network, it ,” Yujin's voice sounded determined, her words were laced with urgency, followed by the sound of typing.

“We'll do.” Chaeyeon's response was swift, her fingers flying across the keyboard as she navigated the requested location.

“I can sense Sooyoung and Yena's energy nearby, but the others are nowhere to be found,” Jinsol's brows furrowed in frustration.

The tension in the control room reached a fever pitch as they watched the monitors intently, their eyes constantly shifting from one screen to another, searching for signs of life or activity around the location. Their hearts were pounding in their chests, desperate for any sign of life from the missing team.

Suddenly, a low rumble reverberated through the room, followed by a voice cutting through the silence like a knife.

Sooyoung's voice filled the room, her breaths coming in ragged gasps, the sound of hurried footsteps echoing in the background. ”We've lost contact with Yerim and Minju.”

“They knew we were coming and ambushed us in the forest. We split up and agreed to meet at the starting point, but it's been an hour and they're still missing,” Yena's voice crackled with frustration.

“You should return to Eden,” Chaeyeon's instructions were swift and unexpected, a sharp contrast to the chaos unfolding.

“Chaeyeon-ah, we can't just leave them behind. We need to find them. The Necromancers outnumber us, and I fear-”

“Sooyoungie, come back. You're injured and need medical attention,” Jinsol's voice was firm, cutting through the chaos with a sense of urgency, realizing her girlfriend would be stubborn.

“Yena Unnie, you need to come back too,” Wonyoung's voice rang out, directly asking Yena to return, her tone tinged with concern for her missing comrades.

The tension in the room was palpable, each person was on edge, and their nerves stretched taut as they waited for any news.

As Sooyoung and Yena returned to the control room, their faces drawn with worry, the atmosphere grew even heavier. Jinsol rushed to Sooyoung's side, to check on her injuries, adding to the frantic energy in the room.

“I'll be okay with Kahei Unnie. Go back and find them, Sol,” Sooyoung Jinsol's cheek and gave her a quick kiss on the lips before signaling for Jinsol to return to Chaeyeon's side.

“We were attacked here,” Yena said, pointing to a location on the map. “We were supposed to meet here, but they never showed up.”

Fear gripped the room like a vice, squeezing tighter with each passing moment. The air grew thicker as if everyone in the control room could feel their heartbeats accelerating.

“Unnie.”

“Wonie.”

The simultaneous voices of Hyeju, (Park) Chaewon, and (Kim) Chaewon cut through the tension, their eyes pleading with Jiwoo and Wonyoung for permission to search for Yerim and Minju.

Jiwoo and Wonyoung shared a knowing look, the weight of their decision heavy on their shoulders. They couldn't leave their comrades behind, but the danger was too great to ignore. They wouldn't leave Yerim and Minju there without help, but now, they need to plan everything before going back to the mission location.

“I know that area well. Let me go,” Hyeju walked towards Jiwoo. Her voice lanced with determination, her eyes locking onto Jiwoo's, silently pleading for approval. “Unnie, I can't feel Yerim's presence at all. What if she-”

“Hyeju, it's too dangerous,” Jiwoo's voice wavered, her concern evident as she met Hyeju's gaze.

“But, Yerim-”

“Hyeju Unnie, you better stay there. We need to do as we used to.” Yujin's voice chimed again. ”Wonie, can you let me join this mission? I promise I won't get hurt. In two days, I'll be in front of you intact and unharmed, without a scratch. Just tonight, Dear. Let me join this mission, please.”

Wonyoung bit her lower lip upon hearing Yujin's words. She looked at Hyeju, trying to find an explanation for what Yujin would do. Hyeju understood her concern and tried to explain, but Yujin's voice was heard again.

“Wonie, I can feel their energies, but both of them are not in a good situation. We need to get them out of there. Usually, the Odd-Eyes can do that, but not in this case. The area they entered had an Ankh Heirloom owner. There's a risk in confronting them directly, so only Hyeju and I have a chance to bring them back without going there physically. Can I?”

“Did Gaeul Unnie and Rei still be there with you?” Wonyoung asked, and Yujin knew what it meant.

“They're still in their room. But, I'll tell them if I'm not feeling well after the mission.”

Wonyoung sighed, she didn't have another choice. “Do it without getting hurt. You promised me, Unnie.”

“I promised you.” Yujin chuckled, still sounding calm despite the increasingly pressing situation.

“Yujin-ah, is it okay if we do this in separate places?” Realizing what she would do with Yujin, Hyeju bit her lip.

“Do we have a choice?” Yujin's laughter cut through the tension, though it did little to ease the heavy atmosphere. ”You can't be by my side, and neither can I. We'll do it in a minute, Unnie.”

Amid the tense situation, every second felt like a heavy burden. They all realized the importance of bringing the team out of there. Hyeju walked towards (Park) Chaewon and (Kim) Chaewon, seeming to discuss something serious, before approaching Jiwoo and Wonyoung.

“What should we do to help you, Unnie?” Wonyoung asked Hyeju and touched her arm. She frowned when she felt no reaction from their contact. They came from different Ruler Lines, and she should have felt at least a tingling sensation or energy clash when touching Hyeju. But it didn't happen. Hyeju looks familiar—too familiar. This can't be real, right? How come?

“What's wrong?” Jiwoo, noticing the change in Wonyoung's expression, asked.

“Nothing, Unnie,” Wonyoung said, looking back at Hyeju. “What should we do to help you?” she asked again.

“Can you create a protective layer for Eden? Just in case they chase us,” Hyeju gave instructions calmly. “I think they're not in a favorable situation, but judging from Yujin's tone, it's still bearable. We'll fetch them and bring them back.”

Hyeju walked to the corner of the room and sat cross-legged, closing her eyes. Suddenly, a purplish light enveloped her body.

Amid the chaos, every second felt like an eternity, each moment weighed down by the uncertainty of the situation. The air crackled with tension, the collective fear of the unknown hanging heavy over the control room.

***

“Hyeju…” Yerim's voice quivered as she beheld the sight before her. Hyeju stood like a shield against the relentless onslaught, her movements a dance of defense and counterattack amidst the chaos, deflecting the attacks aimed at her and Minju.

“Damn it!” Hyeju cursed as attack after attack came their way. Her brow furrowed in concentration. With agility, she returned each blow with one hand while simultaneously erecting a protective barrier around them, a last line of defense against the relentless assault.

“I’m going to take them back. Are you sure you’re going to be okay?”

Yerim didn't understand who Hyeju was talking to. But a mixture of anxiety and determination is evident in her voice, which makes Yerim stay alert. Yerim's eyes darted between Hyeju and the approaching figure in the mist, descending upon the mountain slopes.

Yujin.

“I’ll be okay.” Yujin's voice cut through the din, her calm demeanor a stark contrast to the chaos surrounding them. With a reassuring pat on Hyeju's shoulder, she moved with purpose towards Yerim and the unconscious Minju. Yujin reached for Minju's wrist, checking her pulse.

“How’s her condition?” Hyeju's voice trembled slightly as she kneeled beside Yerim and caressed her back, feeling relief to see her girlfriend's condition. But her concern for Minju is evident in every word.

“As usual.” Yujin's tone was clipped, her focus solely on assessing Minju's condition as she placed her palm on Minju's chest and provided the necessary aid.

“Sorry, Unnie.” Yujin's apology hung heavy in the air as she channeled her energy into Minju's body, the tension palpable as they awaited any sign of improvement. Not long after, Minju's body jerked, and she coughed up blood, prompting Yerim to tilt Minju's head to help her breathe.

Despite this, Yujin remained calm and continued to channel her energy into Minju's body. Through the touch of their chakras, Yujin could sense Minju's condition.

“Unnie, can you hear me?” She smiled faintly as Minju slowly opened her eyes.

“Yujinie…” Minju’s voice trembled as she called Yujin.

“Hmmm… Yujinie is here.” Yujin's voice was a beacon of reassurance as she gently squeezed Minju's hand, her eyes reflecting both determination and concern. “Hyeju Unnie will take you back. The effects of clashing energy might make you feel nauseous and dizzy, but that’s okay. Just cuddle with Chaewon Unnie until you feel better.”

Another barrage of attacks shattered their protective barrier, the sound of impact reverberating through the air like a thunderclap. Yerim instinctively pulled Minju closer, her heart pounding