Hyeon Bae and the others arrived at Tanchon with Jiahn parking the van on the side of the road, each of them stepping out into the rainy evening. Each of them ran down the street, using whatever they had to protect themselves from getting too wet from the rain.
Making it to the dark alley, the path seemed to be dark despite some light being present from the faint sunlight. Citizens walked by them front and back, none of them paying any attention to the alley beside them nor the students. The phenomenon surprised each of them, their heads turning to Hyeon Bae for an explanation.
"They can't see us because I'm shrouding us in Liminal Energy, which is needed for you all to enter into the Road of the Border. Liminal Energy makes your being act as a Spirit, unseen to the eye unless they have the eyes to see like So-Yi," Hyeon Bae explained, watching as people walked by her as if she wasn't even there.
Everyone glanced around as the citizens of Tonchon walked by them as if they were ghosts, the act becoming unsettling for the others but Hyeon Bae seemed to be used to it. They watched as Hyeon Bae pulled out a wind-up flashlight from her pocket and spun the lever to light up the darkness of the Road of the Border.
"Let's go...I'll explain more of the Road as we go," Hyeon Bae said, taking a shaky breath as she began walking down the dark alley.
The others followed her lead, each of their hairs on their arms immediately standing up as the coolness of the air hit them. While they traversed the road, Hyeon Bae began explaining more of the rules of the Road of the Beyond, the rules expanding on the ones she had already told.
The Road of the Border was home to two sets of Strangers, the Butterflies, those who did not want to harm those within the Border, and the Moths, Strangers who wanted nothing more but distress and destruction for humanity. Without their wings visible, it would be nearly impossible to tell the two apart without Discernment.
"Walking down the endless road, trying to find my way home..." A singing voice echoed down the streets, the boys voice sounding scared and lonely.
Anaise stopped in her tracks immediately, hearing the voice and glancing around before Hyeon Bae grabbed her arm, causing her to shriek. "Wh-What the heck?!"
"If you acknowledge the Spirit, you will have to test it...and if you test it you'll be bonded to them. The Spirits here are wandering Living Stigmata...ignore the anomalies as best as you can while we get to Aetherpoint," Hyeon Bae warned gently, giving Anaise a reassuring gaze.
"Test...every spirit..? Here?" Anaise asked, looking around at all the homes surrounding the alley with the lights off.
"This place gives me the biggest creeps I've ever gotten...all the lights are off in the houses, the air here is colder than out there, and it was sunset before...now it's purely night," Kim Eun said, rubbing her arms as she scanned the area.
"The Border's time works differently here as day and night here are completely dependant on God. If it's night here, it's because He says it's night. But, at the same time...the days here are different. One day here is equal to five minutes outside," Hyeon Bae explained, her gaze shifting over to Kim Eun.
"One day is five minutes..? The time here definitely doesn't follow the same laws...and it's even confusing for me to understand. Does it ever turn day time here?" So-Yi asked curiously, wanting to understand more about the Road of the Border.
"It does, but none of the Stigmata are active and this road acts as a normal alley during the day unless you have Liminal Energy or special permission. So, no you can't enter Aetherpoint during the day as it becomes a normal light shop," Hyeon Bae explained, continuing to wind up her flashlight to keep the area well lit.
The group continued down the road, the rain still pouring down from above onto the slick concrete below. As they traversed the roads, the singing boy's voice sounded once again, but this time everyone heard the voice, each of them letting out a scream.
Hyeon Bae screamed as well with frantic hand motions, the flashlight flickering as she stumbled onto the ground. The flashlight suddenly flickered off, drowning the group into darkness as the singing boy's voice came near to them.
"The light! The light, Hyeon Bae!" Jiahn said fearfully, glancing around the dark alley as she tried to find her bearings.
Hyeon Bae quickly grabbed her flashlight, winding it up and pointing it forward to reveal high school boy wearing Grushia High uniform. She gasped then stood up quickly, backing into So-Yi and Jiahn's arms. "Oh no..."
The boy looked at the group with fearful eyes as well, panting heavily with his hand upon his chest, his legs shaking under the fear of his body. He carried a basketball with him closely to his body, studying the group and noticed the main four were also wearing Grushia uniform.
"Who...are you all?" The boy asked, his gaze subconsciously shifting toward Hyeon Bae.
Before anyone else could answer, Hyeon Bae held her arms out and awakened the Rauch Hakodesh stigmata, a silver pulse appearing on her body. "My name is Yoon Hyeon Bae. Do you know...no, who do you submit to in the Border?"
"Yesha..." The boy answered plainly, a faint shimmer of light blue butterfly wings coming into view. "I don't want to bond...I just want to find my way home."
"Home?" Kim Eun whispered to Hyeon Bae, gently placing her hand upon her arm.
"Is...is he one of those Living Stigmata?" Jayden asked with slight uncertainty, gulping lightly as he watched the scene.
Hyeon Bae studied the boy's appearance, a faint image of the highway accident popping into her mind. She noticed his legs constantly shaking then took her eyes off them, noticing there were broken bones sticking out of them.
"No, he isn't. He's a resident here. Your home is the house with the lights still on...you just have to seek it," Hyeon Bae said, reaching in her bag and pulling out a piece of candy from her bag, placing it in the boy's hand with a smile. "He shall guide your paths straight..."
"Hyeon Bae, what are you doing..?" Jiahn asked with a grunt, watching the boy's butterfly wings manifest.
The boy smiled at Hyeon Bae, accepting her piece of candy then looked out into the distance to see lights of one of the houses turn on by itself. The boy thanked Hyeon Bae and flew off, leaving behind a fragment of Butterfly Essence behind.
"Did you just bond with him?" So-Yi asked in slight disbelief, looking at the small orb of iridescent energy in Hyeon Bae's hand.
Hyeon Bae nodded, looking back at the group with a smile and exhaled lightly. "He was a Living Stigmata, but you have to remember the rule...never call it out to them. Some know they are dead, others don't so it's important to treat then as if they are normal, even if they are a Butterfly Stranger."
"Huh, this doesn't seem too bad...I think we can make it through perfectly fine," Jayden said with a grin, nodding his head as he smacked his fist against his hand energetically.
"Yeah, this shouldn't be too hard.." Anaise said with soft breaths, still processing the event mentally.
Continuing forward, the group stuck closely to Hyeon Bae as the beam of light illuminated the darkness ahead. Taking a few turns through the alley, the group noticed a woman with long black hair with a trench coat walking down the road.
Seeing she was getting wet from the rain, Hyeon Bae pushed forward and held her umbrella over the woman's head, looking at the woman with a smile. "You'll get sick if you stay in the rain.."
So-Yi glanced down at the woman's feet, noticing she was wearing red heels and exhaled softly as she continued to study the woman's appearance. Awakening her Beshin-Keh, she tried to analyze the woman with Discernment only to see nothing out of the ordinary.
"Do you see anything, So-Yi?" Jiahn whispered to So-Yi, following cautiously beside her.
"No... nothing," So-Yi said, realizing her Beshin-Keh wasn't honed enough to discern the liminality of the Border.
Everyone continued to walk down the road, trying to remain as normal as possible but the woman's energy was too unsettling to ignore. Hyeon Bae cautious glanced over at the woman, noticing she always looked straight ahead then turned her gaze down to see the woman's hair growing and falling on her arm.
Jiahn and the others began to notice the woman walking abnormally, as if she couldn't keep her balance, her bones cracking with each step. Hyeon Bae could do nothing but watch as the woman grew in height, her gaze lifting up in horror as she backed away.
Her flashlight began to flicker as she looked at the woman, her legs beginning to tremble lightly in fear. The others also watched in terror and disbelief, the woman's gaze shifting down toward Hyeon Bae with a cold gaze.
"I-I just remembered that someone needs us somewhere," Hyeon Bae stammered, turning away quickly as if she saw nothing and began speed walking ahead. "Come on everyone! Let's go!"
Jiahn and the others jogged forward, looking at the woman and saw her gaze followed their every step. As they followed behind Hyeon Bae, they heard a snap behind them, all six of them stopping in their tracks after hearing the first step.
"You noticed...didn't you...?" The woman asked eerily, veins slowly growing on her pale hands as she stared directly at the group.
Hyeon Bae quickly turned around, pointing her flashlight at the woman, the flashlight going out as the woman began charging toward them. She let out a terrified scream, running away from the woman with fast pants and tears forming in her eyes.
"Oh fuck no!!" Jayden yelled out, lifting his shirt and pulling out his gun then began firing bullets at the woman, only to watch them phase straight through her body. "Yo, run..! RUN!"
Everyone else stumbled over their own feet as they ran away from the Tall Stranger, her movements quick and unsettling as the chased them down the road. They turned every corner to lose the woman, but she was still quickly on their trails not letting them out of her sights.
Hyeon Bae noticed Aetherpoint ahead as she screamed for help, noticing Aetherpoint's shopkeeper stepping out with sunglasses over his face. "It's you! Uncle! Samchon Woo Jinyoung!! Help us, over there!!"
Woo Jinyoung listened to their whimpers and looked ahead, noticing the Tall Stranger still chasing them in the distance. He held his arm out, pushing them into the shop as he stood outside in the rain. He watched as the woman grew closer and took off his sunglasses, his eyes glowing an amber light as he stared at the woman.
The Stranger glanced at the man, staring into his eyes and felt his immediate authority in the Border. She began to revert to normal, her body returning to size as she began making her way back to her home.
Woo Jinyoung walked into the shop and noticed everyone sitting at the small table with Hyeon Bae, each of them catching their breaths. He went back behind the counter, sitting down in his seat with a soft exhale. "Hyeon Bae."
Hyeon Bae looked up at her uncle then stood up, making her way to the front counter with excitement then noticed him placing a piece of butterscotch candy on the desk. "Ooo~ My favorite!"
Woo Jinyoung smiled at her lightly, watching her sit down in front of the counter on the small stool then looked over at her friends. "I see you brought your friends with you. It's dangerous for them in Tanchon, you realize?"
"I know, and I explained the rules and we all followed them...but that woman's strangeness was just too hard to ignore! She literally grew in front of me!" Hyeon Bae whined then mumbled as she played with the golden candy wrapper.
Woo Jinyoung chuckled lightly at her, reaching over to her then ruffled her hair. "I understand. So, what brings you here this time? You already have Rauch Hakodesh."
"I know, but I think something is wrong...I can't call on The Echo and the stigmata just glows faintly. Our school is in danger, and this is the one moment we need Echo the most," Hyeon Bae said worriedly, looking into her uncle's gaze directly, seeing her own reflection in them.
Woo Jinyoung glanced at the silver stigmata glowing upon Hyeon Bae's chest, letting out a soft hum then tapped his finger against the counter. "He's simply resting. Even The Father rested on the seventh day after the creation of the Earth. Whoever is Echoing Him is also resting."
"So, you're saying there's no way we can ask Nox for help?" Jiahn asked, walking over to the front counter. "The Overseer of St. Goken Institution is about to start a deadly seminar on campus grounds and he's just resting?"
"The stigmata still responds, so a higher power is operating it. At the moment, it seems as if you trust the Echo more than the Voice. Has He not already given you what you need?" Woo Jinyoung asked, turning in his chair to pour himself a cup of instant coffee.
"Man, we didn't come here for riddles and parables. A school is being targeted right now, and you're just gonna drop knowledge on us?" Jayden said with light impatience, standing up from his seat and walked over to the counter as well.
"God has given you a Prophet and a Teacher, they give you milk but at some point you need to learn to brave the wilderness on your own while knowing God's Grace is sufficient enough. That's why you have His Spirit...after all, you have only called on Echo, but what about Ascea?" Woo Jinyoung asked, sipping his coffee and turning back over to the group calmly.
"Ascea..? Not even Mr. Nox goes by that name...and isn't that the Qutsadian Hebrew word for Holy Spirit? I've never dove that far yet..." Hyeon Bae said reflectively, glancing down at the desk to see her uncle as an older man in his reflection.
"So you're saying...Hyeon Bae can literally call upon the Holy Spirit at any given moment? What does Ascea even look like?" Kim Eun asked in disbelief, crossing her arms with light doubt.
"You've seen Ascea in many forms already, but He's mainly a Butterfly or a Dove that will descend down from the Heavens. I've only seen it once while in the Borders, but it's real. You don't have to take my word for it, test Him at the Seminar," Woo Jinyoung said, taking another sip of his coffee and rose his brow.
Hyeon Bae activated the Rauch Hakodesh stigmata once again, watching it glow silver upon her heart and noticed it was the only stigmata that could shift positions on her person. "Okay... I'll try it.."
---------------------------------
Ha-Rin stood on the stage inside the vast theater, looking around at the empty audience then glanced up as she heard the sounds of a blimp flying over the building. She exhaled softly as she turned toward Nu So-Hee, who sat on the front row.
Nu So-Hee laughed as she scrolled on her phone, watching videos on social media as she waited for the event to start. "Oh my god...I can't believe Sunmi would post this crap!"
Cho Jin-Hyan walked behind Ha-Rin, placing his hands upon her shoulders with a light exhale and felt her body tensing up uncomfortably. "My dear Ha-Rin...are you ready to be annointed? Today is a momentous day for all of us...the Kan Clan and the Cho Clan will finally own all of Seolhart, St. Goken..."
"Then soon, we conquer all of St. Goken from the Chinese and the Japanese within the Capricorn and Cancer Kingdoms. You will bear a heir to continue our clans. Everything has been set up perfectly for this moment..." Cho Jin-Hyan said in Ha-Rin's ear, gently squeezing her shoulders.
Ha-Rin closed her eyes, trying to keep her composure as well as she humanly could, forcing a smile on her face. "I understand, uncle. I'll be sure to see everything goes accordingly..."
"Good..." Cho Jin-Hyan said, kissing Ha-Rin's cheek with a cold chuckle before walking off. "Be sure to make your father proud...it would be a shame for you to disappoint again. My sister can't save you anymore."
Ha-Rin opened her eyes slowly and looked at her uncle, watching him leave the auditorium then huffed lightly before storming off outside with frustration. Nu So-Hee looked over at her, grunting as she hopped up out of her seat and rushed after Ha-Rin.
"Ha-Rin, hold on! What's wrong? I thought you wanted this? You finally gain the power you wanted as the Valkyrian Princess, you're an A Rank, and you're going to surpass Woo-Chi," Nu So-Hee said, gently placing her hand upon Ha-Rin's arm.
Ha-Rin placed a cigarette in her mouth, lighting it up with her silver lighter then took a drag before exhaling and looking up at the sky. "Not like this...I want to be the best. The Queen of Valkyrias, surpass everyone in my way. But not like this..."
"Not once did I think to sell myself in a seminar to obtain this power, but who am I to bite the hand that feeds me? At the end of the day, I'll be powerful enough to truly surpass Woo-Chi," Ha-Rin said as she looked up at the Wits Blimp with a distant stare.
Nu So-Hee noticed Ha-Rin's spaced out expression as if she were lost in thought, taking her hand off her arm then looked up at the blimp as well. "This is a Grushia High School Meet, so Hyeon Bae and the others will be here. They will try to stop it."
"They can't...I got news that Mr. Nox is in a coma currently, so Manaport is free to move however they please while he's out. Yet, that unsettles me...part of me likes it when someone like The Echo challenges my authority. It makes me think...what makes Hyeon Bae and Woo-Chi so special..." Ha-Rin said, looking at her arms to see she carried no stigmata unlike the others.
"If anything...I am the special one. All I have is my Valkyria Form and high spirit energy reserves, so why am I not getting any special attention? I am more capable than them...so where are my gifts?" Ha-Rin questioned at the sky, scoffing lightly as she only watched the stars twinkle.
"Where is my savior..?" She added in a soft tone, her heart slightly breaking at her own question.
"Ha-Rin..." Nu So-Hee said sadly, gently rubbing her shoulder.
"Where is your Savior indeed... That is a good question, and you've already met Him through a specific person who echoes His qualities on Earth," A voice sounded behind the girls, startling them into turning around.
Behind them stood Chester and Queen, two Council Members of St. Meishi Academy now students of St. Goken Academy. Chester smirked at the two, taking his hand out of his pocket to give them a wave while Queen studied them with her hands in her pockets.
"It's your two...Chester and Queen. Where is your Forensic, Chemist, Biologist teacher at? I doubt you two came alone, not that it matters since Nox is out of commission," Ha-Rin said, her gaze actively studying the two and their body language.
Chester walked past them with his hands in his hoodie pockets, glancing around with a soft inhale and exhale. "She's around here. Collecting data, DNA, ENA, and much more. After all, Cho Jin-Hyan is here in the flesh...and this time we're not missing the mark."
"The mark? What mark? Tch, I hate people who speaks in codes and mysteries. Why don't you people just be clear for once!" Nu So-Hee scoffed, crossing her arms with sass and tapped her foot against the ground.
Queen smirked at Ha-Rin and tapped the temple of her head with her index finger. "This Meet has been compromised, but not by Manaport. Ha-Rin, today...you are at a crossroads. Haven't you noticed it yet..?"
Ha-Rin rose an eyebrow then glanced around Battle Zone 14, noticing Sovereign Butterflies clashing with Abyssal Moths in the distance then rose an eyebrow. To her left, angels and demons clashed in the far distance, the Therris' Towers in Battle Zone 1 glowing brightly with energy.
"We aren't here for you, but your friends will be coming for you. What they will do will not matter at the end of the day, it's what you do. They already have faith they can save you...but do you?" Queen asked, her Holy Fire sitting upon her tongue as she spoke.
"Hyeon Bae and the others are coming here? Without Nox? Without Ms. Winters? Are they crazy?! Do they want to die here?" Nu So-Hee asked with genuine shock, looking over at Ha-Rin with slight distress.
"This will be one of the most dangerous Meets in history for Grushia City, and it all rides on you, Ha-Rin. You have no one in your corner, not even your own uncle. The Jury is coming, and it is not Cho Jin-Hyan who will stand on trial...but you," Chester said in a prophetic tone, his Holy Fire also sitting upon his tongue.
Ha-Rin looked ahead in the distance where Battle Zone 4 sat, the vast forest whispering her name and her desires. Within the forest, she could see two flashing lights, one silver light that rested steady and peacefully and one dimmed light that wandered on its own path, aimless and without direction.
"The Meet is starting soon, and everyone has their minds made up. It's time for you to make yours," Chester said, tossing Ha-Rin a card before walking back inside the building.
Ha-Rin caught the card and looked down at it, seeing it was a Queen of Hearts. Knowing Wonderland rules, the Queen of Hearts meant the Wits Meet was going to test her very heart, test who she truly was inside. Her words no longer mattered in this moment, only the intentions of her heart mattered in this moment.
The sun slowly began to set as the night sky arrived, the theater lights finally coming on as students with invitations from Cho Jin-Hyan began to arrive to the Battle Zone. Ha-Rin stood on the balcony of the theater, watching as everyone entered the theater.
"Ha-Rin, it's almost time...your dress looks beautiful on you," Nu So-Hee said gently, tying the ribbon around Ha-Rin's waist into a bow.
Ha-Rin continued to stare down at the ground, her gaze noticing the last six people in the back, her heart skipping a beat as she saw them. "They're here...they actually showed up. They weren't invited to this.."
"I know...but now all of Class 12-A is here including a few Academy students. It's too late to stop now. Let's go before your uncle gets angry that you're missing," Nu So-Hee said, gently taking Ha-Rin's hand and leading her back inside.
The security guard checking everyone in looked at Hyeon Bae and the others, stopping them and closing the doors of the theater. "Sorry, you lot were not invited to the Seminar. Unless you have a special pass, you can not enter."
"What? We needed an invite to one of these?" Kim Eun asked, scratching the side of her head in confusion and looked at the others.
"Why weren't we invited specifically but everyone else was? This is phony business here.." Jiahn sighed, placing her hands in her luxury letterman jacket.
Hyeon Bae looked down at Rauch Hakodesh that rested now on her hand, noticing it glistening with silver particles. Activating the stigmata, a strong wind began to blow and a flock of doves began to quickly fly from the forest in the distance.
As everyone guarded themselves from the sudden strong winds, a man began approaching the six, his clothes ordinary yet fit for the occasion. His features were ordinary as well, yet anyone could tell he wasn't from Qutsade.
The security guard looked up after lowering his arms, noticing the man politely squeezing his way through Hyeon Bae and the others, his eyes immediately noticing his timeless white hairs. "Who are you..? Do you have an invitation or a special pass here?"
The man reached into his pocket, taking out a Manaport Seminar Pass, showing it to the security guard. "I am..."
As the man spoke, the Sovereign Butterflies around the area began to swarm toward him, their wings shimmering various colors. Hyeon Bae and the others were in awe of the man, feeling at ease by his presence but their bodies still experienced fear toward him.
The security guard took a shaky breath, glancing around to see where the man could have come from but saw no origin. He gulped lightly, unable to deny the pass and opened the door. "You...you may enter...s-sir..."
The man looked back at Hyeon Bae and her friends with a light smile, allowing them to pass first before turning his attention to the security guard. He placed his hand upon his heart, giving him a smile as well. "...Ascea."
"What..?" The security guard asked before witnessing the man walk inside and vanish from his view. He quickly looked inside the theater, Hyeon Bae and the others also long gone. "What...what just happened? Was that...no...I had to be dreaming...after all liminal energy is spread throughout the zone."
Hyeon Bae and the others entered into the auditorium, the sounds of open chatter immediately hitting their ears. Jayden and Anaise noticed how much larger Grushia's Battle Zone 14 was compared to their old school, their eyes unable to take in the beauty all at once.
So-Yi and Hyeon Bae looked around the auditorium together, remembering their first year here standing against Ha-Rin in the same exact scenario. Now, two years later, they find themselves in the same location, this time to try to save Ha-Rin.
"Hey, this time...you aren't alone," Jiahn said, placing her hand upon Hyeon Bae's shoulder and smiled lightly.
"Yeah, we got a common goal now...so I suppose that makes us cool now. So let's do this," Kim Eun said, gently bumping her shoulder against Hyeon Bae as she walked forward with her arms crossed.
Jayden and Anaise watched as the four girls walked forward, and as they were about to enter, a hand grabbed them and pulled them back. Before they could make a sound, Warden Butterflies fell upon their mouths to silence them. They looked back to see Luciel and the others, their bodies relaxing.
"I can't believe you idiots would just walts in here without a proper plan," Luciel scolded lightly, holding the two back with a protective hold and frowned at them. "I'm responsible for you all...do you even know how dangerous this is?"
"Luci, hold on...they are here to help their friend. Give them some grace, it's our fault for speaking so freely," Su-Yun said, placing her hand upon Luciel's tense shoulder.
Ahn peeked his head around the back of the stands, noticing the seminar was about to begin shortly. He exhaled softly and looked down at his phone, his hand slightly shaking from anxiety. "This is it... there's no turning back from this..."
As the lights finally dimmed, the stage lights turned on and the chatter inside the auditorium began to die down as Cho Jin-Hyan walked out onto the stage with Ha-Rin. On the stage were props of Ha-Rin's forged childhood and her achievements, trophies, and other accomplishments in her life.
"Greetings, all of Grushia High School students, faculty, and friends to the Grushia Seminar where we will go over Ha-Rin's life and her accomplishments! Today, we shall crown her Queen of Valkyrias and God will bless her with her first stigmata," Cho Jin-Hyan began, extending his arms out as the auditorium was filled with applause.
"Realm Manifest: Heavenly Jury," The man said quietly on the empty top row of the stands, crossing his arms and closing his eyes.
Ha-Rin glanced at the empty section of the auditorium then suddenly noticed it become filled with Virtue Angels, her heart nearly stopping as she flinched physically. She tried to keep her composure, but her body began to shake with fear uncontrollably.
"Is she okay..?" Jiahn asked, leaning over to So-Yi with light whispers. "It don't take Beshin-Keh to see she's trembling with fear.."
"I know, but I can't tell what's wrong. Cho Jin-Hyan can see liminal energy and Beshin-Keh is a Stigmata with that form of energy, if I activate my ability he'll catch us," So-Yi whispered back, exhaling softly as she glanced around the auditorium to see Ye-Won and Li-Na in the front row.
Hyeon Bae could sense the man's energy, feeling an overwhelming angelic might slowly filling the room, gradual and not intense enough to put Cho Jin-Hyan on alert. She looked down at her hand, noticing Rauch Hakodesh had shifted to her heart.
"Whatever is going on, it's got even her nervous. What do we do now..?" Kim Eun asked quietly, leaning forward between So-Yi and Jiahn.
"Just watch for now..." So-Yi whispered back, pushing Kim Eun's face away from hers.
The seminar began as Cho Jin-Hyan began going down Ha-Rin's life from early childhood. "As a child, Ha-Rin has always had a perfect image about her. She was pure and innocent in her years. Look at that picture of her playing with her father and mother."
Ha-Rin glanced at the picture, exhaling softly as she looked at herself as a child, hearing a few chuckles and claps in the audience. 'Who is that man on the top row looking at me..? Where did he even come from..?'
"Now, to her adolescent years, Ha-Rin has always been very ambitious and powerful. From the ages of 12 to 15, she has won first in nearly every Meet she has been in even winning the Penta Crown Meets all three times," Cho Jin-Hyan said, walking over to the large rainbow trophy on the table.
Ha-Rin stands accused of forging the year 3 win of the Penta Crown Meets,
erasing Woo-Chi's victory over hers to make her record perfect.
Ha-Rin heard the voice of the Accuser, her gaze subtly shifting over to a man cloaked in black with a large Abyssal Moth hovering beside him. She froze in place, noticing she was the only one who could see him at the moment. Hyeon Bae noticed the Accuser as well, placing her hand upon So-Yi's shoulder so she could share her vision.
The Moth Stranger came into view for So-Yi, her body jolting slightly and her ears beginning to ring in her right ear. The sight unnerved So-Yi to the point of freezing herself, a Resident of the Border brought outside Tanchon being the most unsettling thing to her tonight.
Ha-Rin's breathing became shallow as time seemed to have slow down for her, nervous sweats building on her forehead as she saw the Prosecutor of this Jury before her. Her body shook uncontrollably as she noticed the Moth approaching her, her eyes watering as she stared at it.
"No! No, I didn't! It was my uncle!" Ha-Rin blurted out, holding her hands over her head and panted heavily.
Suddenly, a Sovereign Butterfly flew toward the Abyssal Moth like a speeding bullet and struck its abdomen, knocking it backwards with ease. The Accuser chuckled softly at the man, his gaze continuing to ravage Ha-Rin with uncontrollable desire.
Cho Jin-Hyan chuckled nervous, clearing his throat as he walked over to Ha-Rin, holding her shoulders gently. "S-Sorry about that everyone, she's just a bit nervous right now. Today is a huge day for her!"
The crowd murmured as they watched Cho Jin-Hyan talk to Ha-Rin quietly about her outburst, this being the first strike for her. They couldn't tell what he was saying, but they knew he was scolding her quietly and pointed at something that wasn't there to the crowd.
Luciel watched in the distance, noticing the Accurser as well then balled her hands into fists, white lightning crackling around her arm. 'My God, my God...how much longer? Take the chains of stillness off of me, not by my will but by yours...my sheep...she's being sheered of her wool...'
Su-Yun could tell Luciel was growing more antsy by the second, her will to protect equally as strong as mine but her patience for the Lord's timing being much stronger. She placed comforting hands upon Luciel's arms, subtly hiding behind her as she was no longer Sa Nu Rim.
The man watching on the top row kept his gaze upon Ha-Rin, lifting one of his fingers from his crossed arms and gave her some peace of mind for telling the truth. The Scales shifted toward the right, symbolizing mercy, but the trial was not yet over.
"Moving forward from this, we have the School Achievements. Two years ago, Ha-Rin perfectly led her team of Class 10-A to victory against her rival captain Woo-Chi in Battle Zone 4, gaining perfect marks in score," Cho Jin-Hyan said, presenting a large Class War trophy on the table.
The Class War event played in Ha-Rin's mind clearly, every moment never going unrecognized. She held her arms and closed her eyes, unable to face the crowd as guilt began eating away at her. She lowered her head and curled her lips, tears welling in her eyes.
Kan Ha-Rin stand accused of coveting against Woo-Chi during the Class War,
Causing her to lead Woo-Chi away...
and savagely attack her while alone,
leaving Woo-Chi to die alone...
Faced with such a heavy accusation, Ha-Rin didn't know how to respond but she knew answering truthfully would garner some reaction. However, she replayed her own actions in her head, knowing she was truly jealous of Woo-Chi.
Ha-Rin took a deep breath before speaking, carefully choosing her words. "I didn't win cleanly during the Class War...it was a dirty victory. I am jealous of Woo-Chi, and it's because she could easily smile and laugh all the time like she didn't have to strive! I can't afford to be joyful because my fam—"
Cho Jin-Hyan covered her mouth before she could finish her sentence, looking into her fearful eyes with a burning glare, his patience with her running thin. He looked back up at the crowd, giving them a smile and chuckled. "Give us a few moments..."
Everyone watched as Cho Jin-Hyan dragged Ha-Rin behind the curtains, confused about what she was talking about and why she was speaking so honestly out loud. The Accuser chuckled lightly, his gaze shifting toward the man and laughed sinisterly.
"You sit idly on your throne, watching Ha-Rin defend herself in court... knowing she is already guilty. Coveting is a sin, and she admitted to sin in court," The Accuser said, his Abyssal Moth buzzing lowly as his red eyes stared at the man's butterflies with hunger.
"She has representation, and you've seen her defense. Do you truly believe you can have one of my own? She is exactly where she needs to be. You think you're shearing her wool? You believe your verdict matters? We will see," The man said calmly, closing his eyes and waiting for Ha-Rin and Cho Jin-Hyan to return.
After a moment of scolding, Ha-Rin stumbled back onto the stage with her head held low, her hands holding her arms tightly as she couldn't face the crowd. Nu So-Hee covered her mouth as she noticed a red mark around Ha-Rin's neck, her eyes watering lightly.
Cho Jin-Hyan adjusted his tie and cleared his throat then slicked back his hair, a smile returning to his face. "My apologies for the delay, but we shall continue. Now, onto my niece's dreams and aspirations. Her greatest dream is to become Queen of Valkyrias and become the greatest in St. Goken."
'No...no I don't...' Ha-Rin said mentally, gripping her arms tighter.
"Then she wants to start a family who will take over the Cho and Kan Clans as the heir of both clans, and expand Manaport's reach beyond so all can become like her. A Voice for the Voiceless, a Symbol, Icon! A Valkyrian Goddess!" Cho Jin-Hyan announced boldly with a wide grin on her face.
'Please...stop this...I don't want this... someone stop it...' Ha-Rin begged mentally, her breathing becoming unstable and her body shaking under the weight of the situation. 'Why me..? Why am I being tried..? Why am I being humiliated..?'
Kan Ha-Rin stands accused of attempted murder
of Min Woo-Chi two years ago...
Desiring to kill her and take her Butterfly Essence...
She stands accused of conspiring murder against Min Woo-Chi....
She stands accused of defamation of Min Woo-Chi...
She stands accused of bearing false witness against Min Woo-Chi...
As the Accuser continued to pile accusations and evidence against Ha-Rin, everyone could see her slowly breaking down until she sunk down onto her knees with a soft weep. The man stood up from his seat, making his way down the stands with calm steps, each step filling the room with Holy Energy.
"I'm sorry...I'm sorry...please end this...I don't want this...Eomma...Mr. Nox...Ms. Winters...please anyone..." Ha-Rin softly cried, gripping her hair as she began to break down in front of everyone. "I'm so wreched...why..? Why can't I just be happy..?"
"This is the last straw, Kan Ha-Rin!" Cho Jin-Hyan roared, yanking her up off the floor by her hair.
"Yo! Let her go!" Ko'rai yelled out, standing up from his seat with fury.
"What are you doing, Mr. Jin-Hyan!?" Nu So-Hee screamed out, hurrying to the stage then grunted as a barrier separated herself from her best friend.
Woo-Yi bit her nails nervously, watching everything suddenly unfold into chaos as she watched Ha-Rin fall prey into Cho Jin-Hyan's hands. "Is...is anyone gonna stop this..?"
Luciel grit her teeth, her hair slowly rising up and becoming fizzy as white lightning coursed through it, her anger toward Cho Jin-Hyan and the Accurser reaching a boiling point. Her Holy Fire began to erupt from her chest as she tried to contain her rage within, each huff becoming a soft growl.
"Luci, you have to calm down..! You can't storm in just yet..!" Su-Yun warned, trying to hold Luciel back with the help of Ahn, Song Boon, and Kaguya.
Ha-Rin cried out as Cho Jin-Hyan gripped her neck, holding onto his wrists before softly crying out one name she knew from Luciel's teachings. "As...cea...please..."
Suddenly, a kaleidoscope of Sovereign Butterflies swarmed around Cho Jin-Hyan and the Accuser, pushing them both away from Ha-Rin then the man warped toward Ha-Rin. He caught her before she could fall, everyone gasping as they noticed Ha-Rin behind held up by an invisible force.
Cho Jin-Hyan grunted softly as he noticed a dove gracefully descending from above, flying between him and Ha-Rin. He glanced in the crowd, noticing Hyeon Bae and her friends in the audience. "So, the mutts have infiltrated the Seminar."
"Well, too bad! It's too late for you all!" Cho Jin-Hyan announced, awakening one of his Stigmata and summoned Drevas onto the stage. "You will not stop me from taking Ha-Rin to new heights! She will be the perfect vessel to awakening Aetheria once again! With her power, we will rule all of Exzodia!"
"Like we will allow that to happen!" Jiahn yelled out, transforming into her Holy Form then vaulted over the stand railing before dashing toward the stage.
"You're not going out there alone!" Kim Eun said, leaping over the railings as well and charged down the isle.
Drevas smirked at the two before charging toward them, the audience panicking and escaping the area as quickly as they could. Jiahn leaped toward Drevas with a spinning kick, but Drevas became intangible with his moths then landed a heavy elbow against her back.
Kim Eun used a burst of wind to charge toward Drevas, launching punch toward him but he caught her fist with ease. "What the—"
Drevas release a powerful Gaia Blast, the greenish black beam of energy launching Kim Eun through the stands with an explosion. Hyeon Bae and So-Yi exclaimed as they fell down from the collapsing stands on the ground, both of them landing hard on their sides.
Ye-Won looked back at the aftermath of the attack, gasping as she noticed Kim Eun walking out of the rubble with a grin on her face. She turned to look at the imposing Drevas, remembering her fight against Drevas in Battle Zone 1.
"We ain't leaving Ha-Rin alone here with that creep! Class 12-A, we are all friends right? Why are we running off instead of freeing out sister?!" Ko'rai howled, his draconic tattoos glowing brightly upon his body as his Alrean blood began boiling.
"Isn't it written that we are all one body? Hyeon Bae and the others showed up and they weren't even invited! We see the truth! Cho Jin-Hyan is an enemy!" Ahmed spoke up, his Sorien Graywing butterfly appearing next to him.
Cho Jin-Hyan laughed at Class 12-A and walked to the center stage, rolling his neck then cracked his knuckles. "Oh? So my Seniors want to stand against authority now? I see that allowing Luciel and Su-Yun into the administration was a miscalculation."
"Don't worry, Mr. Jin-Hyan, I'll be sure to take care of these delinquents," Ray said, standing up from his seat and turned to face the class and adjusted his tie. "I hope you know, a Seminar like this...we will have to expel at least 3 to 7 of you!"
As Ray charged forward, Luciel dashed forward like lightning and roared as she struck Ray with an Origin Palm against his midsection, staggering him and surprising the students in the area. She let out an angered yell as she landed a Lion's Fist against his face, sending him crashing against the side of the stage.
The man, Cho Jin-Hyan, and the Accuser looked at Luciel, watching as she transformed into her Warden Form, unable to hold back her anger anymore as the trial was now over. The man stood behind and looked down at Ha-Rin, gently placing her against the wall and felt her latching onto his sleeve.
"Please, don't leave me alone here! I'm so scared...I don't want to be alone..." Ha-Rin begged, tears streaming down her cheeks as she looked up at the man.
"I have already brought you back to the 99 others, so you are no longer alone. It is up to you to accept them, the body of the Church...or come into agreement with your Accuser. I will not make you choose, but if you want true life...follow me," The man said, walking off the stage to join the class.
"Kan Ha-Rin!" Cho Jin-Hyan roared, looking back at Ha-Rin and awakened another Stigmata to bind her in place with black chains. "You will not move from that spot! I will deal with you after I deal with your friends!"
The Accuser laughed at the man, pointing at Ha-Rin in her binds then grinned eerily at him. "Look at her, Lord, binded in her own sins! She won't even move! She's guilty! Cast the verdict and try Luciel for contempt!"
"Contempt..?" Luciel asked, looking up at the Accuser, her left eye shadowed by the bangs of her hair as her right eye shimmered with the Yaoke present. "The verdict is already casted...she's not binded to her own sins..."
"What are you talking about? She confessed! Who are you to come into the court of Divine Law? What authority do you possess! You stand accused for contempt of divine court!" The Accuser yelled, launching his Abyssal Moth toward Luciel.
"She's innocent," The man spoke up, his words being enough to knock the Abyssal Moth away. "However, you are right about Ha-Rin...she is not innocent nor guilty, yet. We can standoff all night...the moon will not move until Ha-Rin makes her choice!"
The pressure began to build in Ha-Rin, her worries being amplied as she feared the repercussions of leaving her family's expectations to follow the mysterious man she only just met. She looked at Cho Jin-Hyan, noticing his glare shooting daggers into her heart and looked away from him.
"You dare make a move, and I'll completely destroy your life! I will have both clans hunt you down! You will be nothing! I'll be sure to destroy everything you ever cherish, starting with your mother!" Cho Jin-Hyan threatened, his voice sounding like the barks of a pack of wild dogs.
'Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
'Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.
Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Ha-Rin heard the man's voice over Cho Jin-Hyan's barking and turned her gaze toward him and Class 12-A, tears falling down her eyes as she crawled forward, wanting to be safe more than anything. The chains binded her down, causing her to grunt and struggle as her own guilt weighed her down.
The man held back Luciel, watching as Ha-Rin fought against the chains with groans and screams. She clawed her way forward, her heart growing heavily as she watched Cho Jin-Hyan march toward her and stomp on her back to pin her down.
"Let me go!" Luciel screamed and cried out, struggling against the man's protective hold with all her might. "How much longer do we have to sit through this!?"
"Until she chooses like I know she can. She has the willpower, the strength because of me. I give her life, I give her strength, I have shown her the way, given her the water needed, and placed the leaf directly in front of her. She has to choose," The man said, watching Ha-Rin with a slightly pained expression.
"I've given you too many chances! Now, you will suffer!" Cho Jin-Hyan yelled, stomping on Ha-Rin and kicking her repeatedly as she was chained down.
Ha-Rin cried out as she protected herself as best as she could, the memories of the abuse playing in her head over and over again from childhood to now. Unable to hold it in anymore, she let out a primal scream and unleashed her aura emotionally which threw Cho Jin-Hyan off him.
Transforming into her Valkyria Form, she flew forward but the chains continued to hold her down. With each yell, the chains began breaking under the weight of each propulsion. Soon, Ha-Rin broke free from the chains and flew straight into Luciel's arms with a viseral cry and held onto her.
"The verdict has been casted," The man said, snapping his fingers and dismissing the Accuser from the location with ease.
Cho Jin-Hyan grunted as he stood in the stage alone but chuckled coldly, having another plan up his sleeve in case Ha-Rin did fail. "That is fine...you can have her, but I have something else in store for you! Prepare yourselves!"