An Innocent Sacrifice

“If you must know, little girl,” began Woohyun, “the curse I laid upon this Mirror and this cave itself is strong enough to affect even the most oblivious passersby. You have heard how no one has managed to climb until this cave? That is part of my magical doing. The only reason how these men have survived the climb is because I let them. They are all part of my master plan.”

“Was… Was I part of your plan?” whispered Sungjin. But the silence within the cave was great, and everyone alive within it heard her.

“I must admit: you took me by surprise. That is why I couldn’t just kill you,” continued Woohyun. “You are to play an important part in this story.”

“H-How?”

“Patience, sweetheart; I will tell you in due time,” said Woohyun. If he intended to make his voice alluring and gentle, he didn’t succeed. At least, not to Sungjong.

“Now, this curse I created, it’s not… It’s not infallible,” the sorcerer continued. There was difficulty in his deliverance; it’s not easy to admit short-comings. “There is a loophole that I overlooked, and that may be the cause of my downfall.”

Now some of you might be thinking how foolish this is of Woohyun. But although the sorcerer may be a little careless and prideful, while his mouth speaks, his mind works. The situation he found in front of him was a little trickier than how he liked. So as to pass time, he is telling the omitted part of the curse.

“The ‘loophole’ was created by the Warriors of the Sun; one Warrior in particular: the one who battled me: Kris. After he had managed to dissolve my human form, he consulted with the other Five High Warriors and to make sure that there is an end to my plans, they put a spell on the Mirror shards the same way I did; that when a willing sacrifice offers themselves to my Cursed Fire in this very room, the curse will be broken and the reign of darkness will end.”

Woohyun paused. Sungjin could almost feel the silence swallowing her up. She looked at her brother, wounded and bleeding, and her uncle, twisted and tortured. Sungjong shook his head at her, tears mixing with the blood on his cheeks. Her own tears had dripped off her chin from the sheer amount. They wouldn’t stop flowing.

“If I sacrifice myself to you, everything will turn around and it will all be alright?” said Sungjin silently, asking herself more than the sorcerer.

“I have no completed idea of what will happen. After all, I didn’t create it,” said Woohyun. Sungjin nodded.

“No, Sungjin, you don’t have to do this!” yelled Sungjong and Jungryeol at the same time.

“But, little girl, being a sacrifice isn’t that simple,” added Woohyun. “Other than being willing, the sacrifice must be pure and innocent; someone who cannot be affected by the Mirror’s cursed nature; someone who doesn’t have any insecurity and therefore cannot be tempted.”

Woohyun looked at Sungjin with regard. Sungjin looked up at him suddenly, confusion written over her face. Sungjong looked up abruptly as well, ignoring the invisible ropes rubbing his neck raw.

“Someone who cannot be affected?” squeaked Sungjin. “B-but… That… That’s not me.”

“What?”

Sungjin looked at her brother. “I can’t be the sacrifice you want, because…” She paused. “I’ve always looked at my brother and wished I were him. I’ve always wished that I could be as great as him, that I could excel like him.”

Sungjong was taken aback. “S-Sungjin…”

Then he realized it.

The sacrifice had to be him.

He had traveled long and hard all the way up the Mountain, and not once did nightmares or negative effects haunt him. And he had been holding the shard very close to his skin: only separated by the thin lining of his pockets.

Woohyun had paused. Again, another surprise hit him, and when he did, Sungjong felt the bonds holding him loosen. He didn’t have to think; he didn’t want to. He just did what impulse told him and broke away from the wall.

“This is your end, Woohyun!”

Sungjong yelled and jumped into the fire, and it roared and grew high until the ceiling.

Wind picked up and whirled around the cramped room, and rocks began flying all over the place. Even outside the Mountain, a squall started and grew more intense by every passing second. The clouds darkened and lightning flashed. Thunder rolled and rain began to ravish the land.

Woohyun lost his balance from all the forces—both magical and natural—that spun around him. Sungjin yelled in terror at what Sungjong had done and was about to run idiotically to him when Jungryeol, released from his own bonds, yanked her down.

“Let me go! Sungjong oppa is burning! I’ve got to save him!” she yelled hysterically. She fought against her weakened uncle, but age gave him extra strength to hold the flailing girl down.

“Listen to me!” roared Jungryeol over the noise. “Your brother has chosen this fate to save you! Don’t let his sacrifice be in vain and come!” Tears were running down his cheeks unnoticed by him, but Sungjin was silenced by the sight.

Jungryeol tugged at Sungjin and pulled her away from the scene. She looked back at the roaring fire and fresh tears sprang from her eyes. Nevertheless she let herself be led away.

When stubborn village boy jumped into the cursed fire and the storm picked up, Woohyun was forced off his feet. He watched from the ground as the fire grew hotter and bigger. Then a glowing figure rose from amongst the flames. It was white-hot and blinding at such a close proximity. The immense fire died down and was reduced to glowing embers. The figure rose until it was out of the mountain.

The tempest that had started was smaller in scale compared to the Great Storm Woohyun the sorcerer had caused years before, but in a land where storms and rains didn’t frequent, it was still an abnormality. Everyone rushed out of their houses and homes to see what curse had brought about such terrible rain and saw how everything was centered on the Mountain, as it had been nine years ago. Their silenced fears were awakened again as they contemplated on what burden had caused this. But they stopped gossiping when they saw a glowing form rise above the Mountain.

When it reached a certain height, sparks errupted from it, and all the dark clouds surrounding the Mountain dispersed. The thunders ceased and the lightning disappeared as soon as it had come. A pure light spread from the Mountain all the way down to the closest villages and spread as far as the ocean. Every man and woman and child and livestock living in the land felt a sense of relief they didn’t quite understand.