{Palace Grounds}

She ran like the wind, her tears cascading down her sullen cheeks and onto the tumbles of the blue grass.  She didn’t care anymore, she couldn’t take it anymore.

Her wings begged her mind for permission to spread; to allow her to take off into the crying sky without the thought of ever coming back.  Her muscles screamed in agony; her body was slowly reaching its limit of endurance and pleaded for rest.  But she kept on going. 

A heartbroken sob uttered out of her lips, and then she felt herself collapse onto the wet ground in fatigue.  Her body curled up in a fetal position, the rain and dirt soiling her white dress and making it look ragged and grimy-looking. 

How foolish of me to hope for his return, Areum smirked bitterly through her tears.  She lifted a limp hand and a black flame began to erupt from her palm in mid-air.  With a sudden force, she slapped the hand over her heart, coughing violently as she felt the flame her skin and soon, disappear into her body. 

Let him suffer the same consequences, Areum whispered as a thin trickle of blood ran down the corner of , and she left the raging fire consume her inner being.  A shadow soon fell over her, and she closed her eyes. 

“WHERE IS SHE?”  The deafening roar echoed between the walls of the palace.  Every servant and maid alike, cowered in fear as their prince thump up the stairs with frightening strength, each step rumbling and shaking like an earthquake. 

“WHERE IS AREUM?”  The battle-scarred leader yelled at his older brother, who was calmly examining the pieces of parchment obtained from their successful mission raid.  The operation was top secret, and the duration took more than five months to complete with many casualties, but nonetheless proved to be crucial to the imperial government to gain information about their lands overseas and ensure that other clans were not disrupting their peace and control.

Junhyung, having stepped up for the position of king now that his mother had retired, has reigned the demon realm under his strict, yet compassionate ruling.  Yoseob relinquished his position as crown prince to become second-in-line, seeing that his brother deserves the title of king and knows he will be a good leader to his people. 

Meanwhile, the young prince is happy to be spending more time with his beloved fiancée, but the mission raid caused them to separate due to his duty as the head leader of the operation.  Now that he’s back and relatively well, he wants nothing more than to see her again.

“Areum was waiting for you down by the piers,” Junhyung answered coolly, and flipped another page, “She was wearing white, you know.  It’s not that hard to miss.”

Yoseob clenched his fists.  Sure he made up with his brother years ago, but Junhyung still likes to annoy the hell out of him at times and right now, it’s driving him nuts.  “I know that, I’m not blind!  But I searched everywhere for her, and Areum was not there!”

“Then track her scent, or do you not know how to do that either?”  The king said with sarcasm.  Yoseob wanted to hurl something at him.  “I tried, babo!  Her scent is not found in the palace, or outside!” 

Junhyung sat up with an irritated groan.  “Arasso, let me do this.”  He held out his hand and concentrated on the hovering swirl of energy spinning around his palm.  It did not flash with her reflection within the frame.  Junhyung blanched. 

“This is not good,” He mumbled as the energy disappeared into thin air.  Yoseob was beside him in less than a millisecond.  “What did you do to her?!”  He grabbed the older man’s collar in fury.  Junhyung smacked his hands away. 

“I didn’t do anything to Areum.  She most probably did this on herself!”  He snarled back.  Yoseob was furious, but he bit back the anger long enough to ask, “What did she do?”

“It’s a technique I invented during my younger years, a spell that allows the caster to hide their complete presence against others.  This also allows them to erase their scent, and only the caster can undo the spell.  Tracking charms and any other spells of uncovering will not work. ” Junhyung explained, and stepped down from his throne.  Yoseob trailed after him, frantic thoughts whirling inside his head. 

That’s impossible, why would she do this?  I thought she wanted to see me…

“She did, Yoseob-ah.”  Junhyung turned to look at him, his expression softening slightly.  “Every day she would go down to the piers and wait there, hoping that you would return.  A bit tiring after a while, if you ask me.  Omma almost had to drag her back a couple of times when she would skip her training to anticipate your arrival.”

Even with his mind running turmoil, Yoseob’s heart fluttered when he imagined Areum standing by the harbour, her hazel eyes searching and the twinkle that would appear when she finally spots his face.  The blonde-haired demon tightened his fists. 

“You have to find her now.”  Junhyung cut in, a grave look on his face.  “Areum does not have complete control over this spell, and there could be still some side-effects.  If she continuously uses this and her time exceeds a day, then you might never be able to find her again.”

“Then why didn’t you tell me this earlier?”  Yoseob yelped, his wings fully spread and he shot out the door.  Junhyung just shook his head, staring at the spot where his brother disappeared from.  Areum-ah, I hope you’re making a wise decision…       

“Yoseob-hyung!”

Yoseob grumbled as yet another person invades his path, congratulating on his success of the mission.  He was seriously going to explode soon.  “WAE?!”

Dongwoon stopped, panting for breaths.  “It’s Areum, she’s –” 

“You saw her?!  Dongwoon, where is she?”  Yoseob demanded urgently.  His eyes blazed so many emotions that Dongwoon had to look away.  He pointed to a clearing just beyond the forest.  “I saw her collapse on the ground, and—”

“Thanks, Dongwoon-ah!”  Yoseob yelled over his shoulder as he sped off in that direction, leaving the younger demon hovering in mid-air confusion.  Yoseob suddenly stopped and flew back to Dongwoon.  “And call Hyunseung to come over here, now!”

I think I know why you’re acting this way, Areum-ah… 

He landed clumsily on the grass, his wings beating heavily down and then slowly retreating behind his back.  Crimson eyes peered around, and they fell upon a single white strand snarled amongst the thin branches of a tree.  He strode in front of it.  “This is worth a try,” Yoseob mumbled as he untangled the lock of hair and held it between his fingers.

He channeled his energy into the lifeless strand, and it began to glow red.  All of a sudden, sparks began to emit from the furthest corner of the grass clearing.   Bingo, Yoseob smirked.  And he says his spells are perfect and impenetrable.  What a liar.

The demon walked to the place where the remaining sparks still sizzled in the drizzling atmosphere.  However when he tried to take another step, the demon’s body was propelled backwards and he fell flat-faced into the ground. 

“What the hell—!”  Yoseob sputtered, but soon the words faltered to a stop as an outraged Areum towered in front of him.  Tiny threads of lightning crackled around the protective shield that encased her entire body.  Her hair spun wildly in the rotating barrier, and a finger pointed daggers to his face.     

“How dare you betray me like this.”  The unrecognizable voice that thundered from his lover’s pale red lips spoke out to him.  Yoseob stood up slowly, and wiped the dirt off his cheek. 

“It’s not what you think, Areum-ah.  The woman you saw me with earlier was my friend.”  He tried to explain to her, but ended up getting thrown back onto the ground.  Yoseob winced as the collision opened up one of his earlier wounds from the raid.  He got up again, this time to see her smiling maliciously. 

“Your precious Areum isn’t here anymore.  And even if she was, do you think she would believe you?”  She laughed insanely, her girlish face morphing into a demonic creature with no eyes, mouth, or any other facial features.  Yet somehow, the robotic voice sounded crystal clear from the place where once formed.    

“I am the seed that dwelled in the deepest parts of Areum’s heart.  A virus, if you will.  I first came into being after you left her on your oh-so-important mission, and this gave me plenty of time to manifest in her beating chambers.  Her desire for your return and disappointment has made me grow stronger, and I fed off that energy until her heart was consumed by her ultimate fear: you being with another woman.” 

“But I guess that’s to be expected.”  The creature made a mock-shrugging gesture.  “Her heart was always weak, and your departure only made it worse.  Demon or not, this girl’s soul is