I don't know where I am.
Everything is dark.
An immeasurable void wraps around me like an endless embrace.
I can't see.
Only hear.
The voices of the priests.
Won Ho.
My chest burns.
No—
It sears.
A pain so deep it feels like something is stabbing straight through my heart… my soul.
I never imagined…
That someone I trusted so much—
would be the one to do this.
A memory surfaced.
Uninvited.
Unstoppable.
I walked through the school hallways, glancing around to make sure no one was nearby.
I opened my backpack and took out a book I had just bought.
It was expensive.
Too expensive.
I didn't want anyone to see it.
Or steal it.
I sighed in relief.
No one was there.
At least…
that's what I thought.
Footsteps.
Approaching.
—"Hello, nice to meet you. My name is Hae Won Ho. I'm new to this country—I come from the East, and I'm still adjusting. What's your name?"
I looked at him carefully.
He didn't seem like he belonged to anywhere I knew.
Short brown hair.
Light brown eyes.
Soft features.
Strangely… warm.
—"Nice to meet you. I'm Dark. Nighthos Dark."
He smiled.
Bright.
Genuine.
We shook hands.
—"That's an incredible name."
He laughed softly.
—"Would you mind showing me around the school? Only if you want to, of course."
I nodded.
And walked beside him.
I showed him everything.
We talked.
For hours.
About his country.
Mine.
We laughed.
We connected.
That day—
a friendship was born.
One that grew stronger…
deeper…
every single day.
And today—
It shattered.
Like a cup falling endlessly into a bottomless well.
The priests lifted our bodies.
Stacked us in the center of the room like offerings.
Won Ho stepped forward.
He sliced open his palm.
Blood flowed freely.
With it—
he began to draw.
Circles.
Symbols.
Moons.
Triangles.
Stars.
Suns.
Tentacles.
Crossed-out eyes.
And Luminari runes.
—"They're ready. Let's begin the ritual."
A hoarse voice echoed.
The priests moved in unison.
Positioning themselves across the circle—
Cardinal points.
Intersections.
Perfect symmetry.
The runes ignited.
A deep—
violent red.
Then—
they began to chant.
**"O Matusalen, Primogenitum Exteriorem,
Cuius nomen non enunciat,
Cuius forma non videt,
Cuius vox mentes frangit.
Accipe animas illuminorum,
Hoc sacrificium sanguinis et doloris,
Aperi portam abyssi,
Et pedem tuum in hoc mundo pone.
Per lacrimas aeternas,
Per tenebras quae nunquam moriuntur,
Veni…
Et mundum purga—
non per destructionem…
sed per correctionem temporis."**
The last line echoed differently.
Wrong.
Unnatural.
Correction.
Not destruction.
My body wouldn't move.
But my hand—
trembled.
I clenched my fist.
Fighting.
Resisting.
I can't give up…
I won't let them die…
I have to do something…
I have to wake up…
If I don't… no one will save us…
A thought crossed my mind.
Faint.
Desperate.
There's always someone watching…
Please… if you're there…
Come out.
Something answered.
The runes on my neck—
glowed.
Violet.
The light spread.
Slow at first.
Then—
hungry.
Devouring.
Erasing every symbol in the circle.
The house trembled violently.
The wind howled.
Feeding the flames surrounding it.
Trees bent and cracked.
Windows shattered.
Fire grew—
wild—
towering beyond the house itself.
And then—
from its very roots—
the flames turned—
golden.
She had arrived.
—"She's here… the Witch of Greed… Ereos Aether Eclipse…"
One of the priests stepped back.
Trembling.
Won Ho's eyes widened.
—"What are you doing here, you damned witch?!"
He raised a weapon.
Pointed it at her.
But she kept walking.
Slow.
Elegant.
Untouched by the golden flames that parted before her.
Her hair floated.
Her teacher's uniform pristine.
Untouched.
Untouchable.
The priests raised their hands.
Red circles formed in front of them.
—"How dare you interrupt a sacred ritual!"
Eclipse smiled.
Cruel.
Beautiful.
Terrifying.
—"Don't you know…?"
Her voice cut through the air like silk over a blade.
—"It's a crime to use a witch's property as an offering… to beings like those."
The priests froze.
Slowly—
they turned.
Their eyes landed on me.
On my neck.
The runes.
Recognition.
Horror.
—"No… no… that's impossible…"
Won Ho looked around.
Lost.
Confused.
For the first time—
uncertain.
—"Well… I should kill you all."
She tilted her head slightly.
—"But first…"
She raised her hand.
A golden sphere formed.
And she threw it toward us.
Light.
We woke up.
Abruptly.
Disoriented.
Everyone—
except Kim.
She was already moving.
Tears streaming down her face.
She lunged at Won Ho.
—"YOU BASTARD! HOW DARE YOU DO THIS TO US?!"
Her fists ignited with blue flames.
She struck wildly.
Won Ho jumped back, evading.
Then—
a hand rose.
Eclipse's.
—"I won't kill them. Not yet."
She closed her hand.
Every priest dropped.
Paralyzed.
Silenced.
She turned her gaze to Won Ho.
Her eyes pierced into him.
Like she was searching beyond flesh.
Beyond thought.
I turned to Minho—
He looked older.
Mid-twenties.
Again.
—"…Seriously?"
I sighed.
—"Not this again…"
Eclipse spoke without turning.
—"Don't worry. That will fade."
A pause.
—"For now… I need information."
She lifted Won Ho effortlessly.
—"Start talking, child."
Her tone—
cold.
Sharp.
Absolute.
—"Never."
He hissed.
In the next instant—
She slammed him into the ground.
The floor shattered.
His skull struck with a sickening crack.
—"Then I'll begin."
Her voice dropped.
Lower.
Darker.
She pulled a knife from her coat.
Bone.
Organic.
Wrong.
—"I hope you're ready…"
She leaned closer.
Her smile widening.
Eyes glowing.
—"To feel the pain of my venom."