Chapter 33

Dreams and Destiny

Yongsun dreamt of strange things that night. She heard Arah’s cries; the pain and agony in her voice, it felt as if Yongsun’s skin was being peeled off with a blade, as if someone had jabbed a knife through her chest, twisting and turning it.

She stood out in a field, the grass was blue and the sky a pale white. All the Stars were there, glowing, watching her as she fell to her knees. She held her hand over her chest as she panted, controlling the pain.

Fire spun and swirled around Yongsun, at her skin, nipping at her heels like a herding sheepdog. Yongsun winced, pulling away. She wrapped her arms around herself, hoping she would disappear, that the dream would swallow her and she would wake —wake from this place and be back in Moonbyul’s warm embrace.

The fire drew closer and closer, the heat attacked Yongsun’s skin, and Yongsun stood on wobbly legs. She steeled herself as she prepared to jump through the bright red flames that danced in front of her.

She steeled her gaze, sprinted, leapt, fell through the ground and into a lake.

When she opened her eyes she saw nothing but darkness that stretched on for miles and miles. She swam upwards and upwards, but the lake was deep, and with each she took, she remained in the same spot.

Yongsun stopped. She floated in the abyss, it was almost as if she was flying, soaring. 

Something suddenly swam past her. A great beast with a long body. It growled, the water bubbled, Yongsun shivered. She closed her eyes, then looked up and swam again, reaching, stretching herself.

She saw a light shine above her. It was the sun, it had to be. Yongsun swam faster, clawing at the space in front of her, trying to grab the sun’s rays and pull herself up.

The beast swam past her again. Yongsun was pushed to the side by a great force. She closed her eyes, feeling the water against her face. And when she opened her eyes she was met with azure blue eyes.

She gasped, water ran into , filling her stomach, filling her lungs, pulling her down until her feet hit the bottom of the lake, and Yongsun was sure she would drown.

It was cold. It was dark. The night dragged on.

Yongsun resurfaced with a loud gasp, filling her lungs with air. She dragged herself ashore, her wet hair clung to her face. She sputtered, coughing up water.

The wind blew past her. Yongsun looked up and saw Arah looking down at her.

«You’re here.» Arah said. She knelt in front of Yongsun and helped her stand.

Yongsun grabbed Arah’s hand and the World erupted into flames.

They were back in the throne room made from sand. Yongsun’s clothes were dry now. The air was dry and thick with dust. Yongsun searched, looking for Arah. She found her huddled in the corner, shaking, shivering, her arms wrapped around her body, her feet drawn close to her chest. 

«Arah.» Yongsun called, voice gentle.

Arah whimpered, pressing her forehead against the cold wall. She shook her head, telling Yongsun that the old priestesses had made her do something horrible to someone and that she was now a horrible, terrible and cruel person.

Yongsun inched closer and grasped Arah’s shoulder, guiding her away from the wall. Yongsun moved Arah’s sweaty hair from her face and looked at her, searching for scars and bruises. But there were none.

Arah kept healing herself, repeatedly, over and over again, however, what marred the flesh would always heal, but what touched the heart would remain changed forever.

«I killed a woman.» Arah sniffled, tears streaming down her pretty face. «She was shackled to the altar and I slit with a sword because they told me to. I didn’t even hesitate.»

Arah looked up at Yongsun with wide eyes, searching her face.

«I killed her, took her life which was not mine to take. I killed her, took her life which was not mine to take. I killed her, took her life which was not mine to take.» Arah chanted until she became breathless and choked, gasping.

«Help me!» Arah pleaded, grabbing hold of Yongsun’s arm. «Help me, take me with you, don’t leave me alone with them! They’ll make me do it again, and I can’t, I can’t take another life! Please! Don’t go!»

Yongsun felt the burn, like a branding iron pressing against her skin. She inhaled sharply, wincing. Arah would not let go, desperate to be free of this place, begging Yongsun to take her with her.

«I am sorry. I have to stop a war. I cannot help you at this moment.» Yongsun said slowly, trying to hide the pain and guilt in her voice.

Arah pressed closer and the World erupted into flames once more.

When Yongsun opened her eyes again, she was by the lake. Her hair was wet, her clothes damp and clinging uncomfortably to her body. She stood, the water ran down from her head and into the grass.

She saw a woman in white standing upon a hill, far away from her. Yongsun squinted, then walked towards the strange woman. The grass swayed, as if dancing, the Stars shone down on her, the wind blew past her and her clothes became dry. She heard the wind whisper in her ear as she walked:

Seek the crown of silver, seek the crown of silver…

The woman turned when she heard Yongsun’s feet through the grass. She was beautiful and reminded Yongsun of the murals and paintings of Aquila that had once hung on the walls of the Temple of Izarrak. Her dress was made from silk and shone with white jewels. There was a silver thread upon her head and her smile was breathtakingly kind.

Yongsun gasped, feeling tears threatening to fall from the corners of her eyes.

«But you have, you have helped me.» Arah said happily.

Arah was older now, matured. Her hair was long and dark, falling like silk down her back. Her eyes were warm and kind as if she had never been ill-fated, as if her life had been filled with joy, as if she had grown up with a mother who loved her, not old priestesses who tortured her and made her take lives.

«I have?» Yongsun said breathlessly. «You are free?»

«I am.» Arah nodded, still smiling. «Don’t you remember? Oh… »

Arah suddenly became worried, and she touched Yongsun’s face, drawing a line down Yongsun’s cheek with her thumb. Yongsun shuddered, feeling the warmth from Arah’s thumb sink into her skin.

«Your scar is gone. And your hair is black, like it was when I first met you. I was six —no, I was seven when I saw you for the first time.» Arah laughed heartily, her smile had returned.

Yongsun drew back, touching her own hair. «What happened to me?» Yongsun asked carefully, suddenly afraid.

«Am I…» Yongsun stammered, «am I dead, Arah?»

«No, you are not. You don’t die, Yongsun. And I’m not Arah. Not anymore. You came and freed me after you had saved the World. I remember when I saw you, and it wasn’t some illusion, it was truly you, your hair was silver, like stardust, and you had a scar on your cheek which a Shadow had given you.»

«After? I saved the World?»

«It’s all right. I might’ve not understood then, but I do now. And I forgive you for it, for making me wait.»

Arah held up her hand, and Yongsun saw a silver ring on her finger. On the ring there was a small red stone which glowed a vermillion. Yongsun reached into her own pocket, looking for her pendant, but it was gone.

«You’re Vega.» Yongsun breathed. «Who am I?»

«You’re Kim Yongsun. You’ve always been, and you always will be.»

The words washed over Yongsun, overwhelming her. She took a step back, trying to gather her thoughts.

«Where’s Altair? What about Moonbyul?» Yongsun whispered shakily.

She looked back at the lake, expecting to see the Azure Dragon shoot out of the water, but the water was quiet, peaceful.

On the other side of the lake, Yongsun saw two figures standing on the grass. They turned, and Yongsun cried. She saw Moonbyul waving at her and Heeyeon standing beside her, wearing that charming smile of hers. 

Yongsun descended the hill quickly. She looked back one last time and saw that another woman had appeared.

She had raven black hair that stood out against her pale skin. Two antlers poked up from the top of her head, blue scales crept up her neck, over her jaw and across her left cheek. Her eyes glowed an azure blue.

«Don’t come for me yet. Save the World.» Arah called out to Yongsun. 

But she was not Arah, not anymore. She was Vega, the Vermillion Bird of ancient old, and Yongsun was no longer bound so strictly by the Stars. She was free.

Yongsun writhed and turned in her sleep, the dream was fading quickly. The darkness crept closer, she felt a cold fingertip digging into her chest, trying to scoop her heart out.

She saw a face in the dark; a horrible dead face that stared back at her with empty eyes and an open mouth that shone with light. Yongsun screamed, thrashing, and fought back against the Shadow that tried to steal back their heart.

«Yongsun! Wake up!» Moonbyul shouted. «You’re dreaming!»

Yongsun woke with a loud gasp. She was on her back, staring up at the tent ceiling. She was panting, as if she had been running all night, as if the strange things in her dreams had chased her from Couronne to Altair, to Nordfjord to Sul-fur-zaar and back.

Beside her was Moonbyul, who gathered Yongsun into her arms and held her tightly. Yongsun clung to Moonbyul, burying her face in Moonbyul’s shoulder. She was shaking, still frightened, still confused by what she had seen, and what she had come to know.

« —Ironsmith?» Yongsun mumbled.

«What?» Moonbyul pulled away, keeping her arms around Yongsun as she looked at her.

«Are we still in Ironsmith?»

«Yes,» Moonbyul nodded, «yes, we’re still in Ironsmith. We fell asleep in the Head Angel’s tent.»

Yongsun turned, looking over at the night stand and saw her red pendant lying there. Yongsun breathed a sigh of relief and then fell forwards against Moonbyul.

They held each other. Their hearts beat with life, stardust swirled like whirlpools inside them. They breathed, slowly, waiting for time to pass. They felt it slip through them like the wind passing through thin cloth. Soon they would have to go because time waited for no one.

«What did you dream about?» Moonbyul whispered, her voice was low, gentle, soft.

«Arah.» Yongsun breathed.

«You saw her again?»

«Don’t worry. It was the last time. I won’t see her for a while. At least that’s what she told me.»

«Is she all right?»

Yongsun frowned, she felt guilty. «No. But she will be.»

Moonbyul nodded slowly. Yongsun slipped free from Moonbyul’s grasp and went to put her clothes on.

As they dressed, Yongsun cast a glance over her shoulder, and asked Moonbyul a question that had been occupying her mind for some time.

«Have you met them?»

«Met who?»

«The next Altair?»

«No,» Moonbyul shook her head as she buttoned up her shirt, «I haven’t.»

«When do you think you will?»

«I’m not sure. But it will happen, eventually.»

Yongsun was nearly finished dressing, she only lacked the red armband with the cross on it. She carefully slipped it around her arm, then looked at it, feeling a wave of nostalgia wash over her.

She looked away, then to Moonbyul. Yongsun felt small, terribly small in such a vast and ever-changing World. Nothing really stood still here, time went and changed things; turning mountains into rocks, rivers into lakes, trees into houses.

«What happens afterwards? What happens to us when we hand over our magician’s stones?» Yongsun asked, scared. «Can a magician even survive without their stone?»

«I don’t know yet.» Moonbyul admitted sadly. «I suppose we die. Or we don’t.»

Yongsun was not surprised, or saddened, or even angered by Moonbyul’s words. It was a logical answer, one that Yongsun could not escape or run from.

Neither of them could run, and perhaps she should be angry, should cry her heart ou