Erased

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VOLUME LXXIII: Erased ~ Dark Tunnels

Jun reached out his hand and awkwardly patted her back. Ki stood there watching the two for a moment before taking a couple of strides towards them. Just then, they heard the dogs barking nearby.

“What the… they don’t usually hunt at this time, do they?” Ki acted as if he didn’t know anything.

“The princess’ mother must have told them to look for us.”

“More like ‘hunt’ us. You know that woman doesn’t like either of us, Jun.”

“Well… we did steal the princess away from the castle…”

Hye was silent as the two brothers spoke to one another. She looked anxiously around her because the sounds were getting closer. She could now hear the hunters’ voices shouting.

“I bet you if it wasn’t for the rules, she would have had us both killed by now.” Ki said bluntly.

“Don’t say such a thing. She is-“

Hye couldn’t take it anymore. The hounds were already closing in and they kept on talking nonsense among themselves.

“Since you two seems so interested in talking to each other and don’t care if we get caught. Why don’t we just go back?” Hye looked a little annoyed, only a little.

“Okay, let’s run then…” Jun grabbed on to Hye’s wrist and jerked her to her feet. His action caught her by surprise. No matter what the situation was Jun was always gentle to her. Ki saw it and he gave a fake cough. Jun turned to Ki and saw his eyes move down to Hye’s hand. Jun finally realized he was hurting her and so he let go.

“How about we go into the tunnel? They won’t follow us down there.” Ki suggested in attempt to move things along.

“Let’s go.” Jun and Ki rushed to the large moss covered boulder. They rolled it to one side with ease. Under the boulder was the entrance to the underground passages. By reflexes, Ki was about to jump down into the hole but Jun held on to his arm and gave him “the look.” Ki understand right away and moved aside. Jun jumped down first so he could catch Hye when she dropped down after. Ki hopped into the hole last. After all three of them were in the tunnel, Ki pulled on the chain attached to the boulder and it rolled back in place.

That was when everything went pitch black. They had forgotten to bring a source of light.

“Well this is great. Jun, you forgot to bring the light, didn’t you?”

“It is not his fault, we were in a rush to get in the tunnel-“

“Princess, I should have been prepared. Forgive me.”

Somehow, Hye felt relieved after hearing Jun say those words. He was back to his old self.

“It is alright.” She replied. “I know these tunnels by heart so just hold on to my hand and I’ll lead us to that passage we never got to go through.”

What she said made Ki uneasy. It wasn’t the “hold my hand” part he was nervous about. It was the “going through THAT passage” part he was worried about.

Hye fumbled through the dark and found Ki’s hand. “Ki…” she called out. “Hold onto Jun’s right hand. I’ve already got his left.” Those words caught them off guard. Without her eyesight, Hye relied on her sense of touch and she could tell the real Jun by just holding his hand. This wasn’t a good sign for them.

She led them towards the room underneath the castle’s garden. Ki extended his hand as much as possible so he could huddle at the back with Jun as they walked.

“What are we going to do now, Ki?” Jun’s whisper was barely audible. He waited to see if Hye heard him. She didn’t and he continued, “She’ll find out right now if we don’t do something. She’ll know I’m not you and you’re not me…”

“She could have figured it out back there when you grabbed her like a barbarian if it wasn’t for my clever-”

“So? You would have blown it too if you had jumped down first like you always do.”

“Let us just put that aside for now. There is more pressing matter-“

“What is more pressing than Hye finding out?”

“You used her name, Jun. Don’t slip up like this in front of her or the others when I’m gone.”

“Gone…? No way you were serious about being ‘gone’…”

“I am dead serious but right now, we must not let her go into that room at the end of this tunnel.”

“Why?”

“I’ve gone there by myself. It is a torture chamber and it is still in use.”

“Lord. We really can’t have her see that-”

They were interrupted by Hye’s voice, “What are you two mumbling back there? I feel like I am pulling two heavy weights.” She took a breath and continued, “If we want to get there and back by supper, you two apes had better pick up your feet.”

Ki thought about what the real Ki would say and this was it: “If your mother heard you all un-lady-like… what would she think?”

“Stop teasing her-“

“I’m telling you, Jun. It must be this tunnel that is changing her back into the girl she was before that evil castle corrupted-“

The wailing of a woman reached their ears from down the passageway. There were other voices but it was muffled by all the crying.

Then suddenly…

The wailing abruptly stopped.

Using this time, Ki stomped on Jun’s foot. He pulled his hand away from Hye’s at the same time Jun yelled out in pain.

Hye turned around but she couldn’t see the two of them, “What is it, Jun? Why did you let go of my hand and screamed?”

Ki quickly found Jun’s mouth and covered it to keep him from replying. “I think something poisonous bit Jun’s hand. That must be why he took his hand away from yours.”

“Oh no. What should we do? Maybe we could-“

“Hye, don’t say anymore. Just lead him back to the castle without touching his hand.”

“Okay. Jun, give me your right hand. I’ll lead-“

“No,” the brothers said in unison.

“Jun, just hold on to her dress.” Jun did what Ki told him to do.

“I’ll see what is going on in that room and report back to you later.”

They could hear Ki moving away from them.

Jun felt ill just thinking about the consequences if Ki was caught, “You should come back with us.”

“Don’t worry about me, Jun. I’m already a gone… umm, hurry back before that bite kills you.”

Hye was afraid for Jun, “We have to hurry then. Before…” there was a pause before she continued again hastily, “Ki, we’ll see you back at the castle. Don’t take too long.”

Five minutes passed before Hye and Jun finally reached an opening that lead to the watermill near the castle. In the light, she could see that there were no bit marks on Jun’s hand.

Jun chuckled, “I guess Ki was joking around again to scare me.”

She didn’t look all too happy. “Ki always makes me want to scream.”

“He does?” Jun was curious but he shook the thought from his head. He was no longer Ki. He was Jun. Clearing his throat, he began again, “Well… look at it this way. I’m not going to die.”

Hye smiled, “That is true.”

They were both a little more relaxed, oblivious to the fact that Ki will never be returning to the castle again.



Sykotica Notes: I found these scribbles in her scrap pile a few days ago. She frequently uses the back of discarded printing paper to doodle so we're in luck! I might borrow a few of these. Yoloswag. It wasn't originally erased. I did it afterwards... with a very bad eraser.

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January 13, 2016: If you are having trouble viewing the layout on your stories, read the latest notice. Chapter 189.

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MovedGirl
#1
Hello I am sorry to bother I have a problem. I bought yesterday a layout from you the 'Winter death' and put it on my foreword of my story but when I press view next to the rose it writes: [CONTENTID3]Surround text in your story with these tags to display it here[/CONTENTID3] [CONTENTID2]Surround text in your story with these tags to display it here[/CONTENTID2] [CONTENTID2]Surround text in your story with these tags to display it here[/CONTENTID2] [CONTENTID2]Surround text in your story with these tags to display it here[/CONTENTID2] [CONTENTID2]Surround text in your story with these tags to display it here[/CONTENTID2] How can I put that away?
dancingpasta
#2
Chapter 37: how can i buy this layout?
Suhyo07
#3
Chapter 90: Bought this as well, thxxxxx
Dreamying
#4
Chapter 118: Loving this one
Dreamying
#5
Chapter 17: Brought it so pretty.. and gonna buy many more.. all are lovely
Suhyo07
#6
Chapter 62: Bought this~ so pretty thanks a lot! Will definetely come back ;)
toska-
#7
Chapter 40: all of these layouts are just- such beauty /cry/.
bought this one but will probably be back for more tbh haha.
Blaqpearl
#8
Chapter 41: I'm using this one and oh my God I really have to say--you're amazing! Keep up the great works! :D
solcompass #9
Scrolling through and I would like to compliment you on these layouts. They're lovely!
MoroccanBlackDragon
#10
Chapter 123: I have some vampire stories, but I don't know what Layout to use for them (I have everything in this shop in my layout list) Can someone suggest things for me? It is angsty and romantic