The afternoon sun blazed down on the five travelers, its relentless heat beginning to burn the tops of their heads. Yet, they pressed on, following the mystical map towards their unknown destination. Along the winding path, they encountered many other travelers heading in the same direction. Yul walked beside U-ri, observing as Hajime, Abrafo, and Michio effortlessly struck up conversations with the passersby.
"They certainly do like to talk," U-ri remarked to Yul, a slight smile playing on his lips. "Why don't you ask for directions?"
"We already know where we're going, thanks to the map," Yul replied, his voice low. "We don't need to talk to those travelers. The less we speak about our mission, the less we expose ourselves."
"Those three must have gotten along well," U-ri said, sighing contentedly as he watched them. "I was worried that the three of you wouldn't be able to take care of two elderly people like us."
Yul looked at Hajime, who was laughing easily with the travelers. The carefree smile on Hajime's face struck him as odd, bringing back an uneasy memory of the night Hajime had cried and begged him not to leave. Yul knew from experience that the bright, carefree smiles of deeply hurt people are often fake, a fragile mask to conceal profound pain.
"Let them enjoy themselves," Yul said, "until we part ways with those travelers."
It was almost noon when the five men and their temporary companions arrived at a crucial intersection. The men bid farewell to the travelers, who continued down a smaller path, while they themselves began their ascent up a winding mountain road.
Along the mountain path, U-ri was the last in line, his weak knees protesting with every step. He desperately tried to keep pace with the energetic younger men, but he simply couldn't catch up.
Michio turned to Hajime and Abrafo, a triumphant grin on his face. "Hey, buddies, look… look at what one of the female travelers gave me!" He proudly displayed a woven basket filled with an assortment of fruits, a parting gift from their brief companionship. "Hmm… don't know why these fruits are called 'dragon eggs.'" He picked up a plump, pink, round fruit from the basket. "Do any of you want one?" He scanned the group, but his gaze fell on U-ri, still lagging far behind. He put the fruit back in the basket. "How about we rest and eat before continuing?"
"Why?" Abrafo asked, ever practical. "I have no problem walking and eating."
Yul turned to see U-ri still a considerable distance away. "We'll take a break before continuing," he decided. "It's not like we're on a time-sensitive mission."
"Good idea," Hajime agreed, a hint of concern for U-ri in his voice.
"I'll cook," Michio offered enthusiastically.
U-ri finally caught up to the men just as they began to drop their belongings to the ground. He was panting heavily, and a displeased frown creased his brow as he looked at the four of them. "Do you know that I'm already sixty?" he grumbled, wiping sweat from his forehead. "I can't keep up with you! You have to be considerate of your elders."
"We are considerate of you, old man," Abrafo said, a teasing smile playing on his lips, "that's why we stopped here to rest. You see, Michio has already started cooking."
Hajime smiled warmly and took U-ri's hand, leading him to a shaded spot beneath a sprawling tree. He gently helped U-ri sit down. "I even made this seat for you," he said, pouring a cup of water from a bamboo water bottle and handing it to U-ri.
U-ri took the cup, a grumpy chuckle escaping him. "Don't give me a cup of water as a bride. I won't fall for this kind of bribery."
Michio laughed, joining in the playful banter. "How about a dragon fruit, then, Your Highness?" He knelt theatrically in front of U-ri. "Please eat and rest; your humble servants will prepare your meal."
The four men burst into laughter, leaving U-ri alone in the shade to drink his water, a contented smile now replacing his frown.
Although U-ri held no official position at court, he was a very famous figure, known and respected throughout the palace. Everyone knew that Jawara had always favored U-ri's insightful ideas and meticulous logistics, as U-ri had served the royal family faithfully for three generations.
Abrafo watched U-ri sitting contentedly under the tree, enjoying his water and fruit. "The old man was spoiled by servants and maids in the palace," he remarked to the others. "I was thinking, are we going to be his servants all the way?"
"He knows that we are not his servants," Michio said, still grinning.
"From now on, let's not rush," Yul declared, his voice firm but gentle. "We should walk at U-ri's pace. We are in this together."
Michio stood up and waved enthusiastically at U-ri. "U-ri, lunch is ready!"
"Bring it to me!" U-ri shouted back, a twinkle in his eye. "I can't get up!"
After lunch, Hajime summoned his three loyal wolves. The five men agilely mounted their powerful steeds and continued their ascent up the mountain road. The wolves, sensing their purpose, led them deeper and deeper into the heart of the ancient, towering peaks.
They slowly entered an old, forgotten road, overgrown with weeds, a testament to how long it had been untouched by human feet. The path narrowed, becoming a mere trail. As they looked to the side, they began to notice strips of old, faded yellow clothes tied to gnarled branches, like forgotten prayers. Then, only a few feet away, almost hidden by the tall grass, they saw them: numerous dilapidated, broken sedan chairs, their frames twisted and splintered. If they hadn't looked carefully, they would have missed these eerie relics.
Hajime turned to Yul, a sense of unease creeping over him. "Are you sure we're heading in the right direction? This road doesn't look like it leads to a village; it's more like a path to a cemetery."
Yul pulled out the old map. It still glowed faintly, showing they were headed in the correct direction. "Based on the map, we're still on course," he confirmed, though his own expression was grim.
"This place gives me the creeps," Abrafo muttered, his voice barely audible.
Michio sneezed suddenly, rubbing his nose. "Why do I feel cold all of a sudden?" he asked, looking nervously at the side of the road.
Hajime opened his mouth, and a cloud of condensation ghosted into the cold air. "It's not just you," he said, his voice flat. "I also suddenly feel cold."
Suddenly, three long, thick strings, glinting strangely in the dim light, shot out from the dense, dark forest. They wrapped tightly around Hajime's waist, instantly yanking him from his wolf's back and dragging him violently towards the impenetrable wall of trees.
"Hajime!" Yul yelled, leaping off his wolf. With a swift, practiced motion, he drew the sword from the scabbard on his back and severed the three dragline silk threads with a single, powerful swing. Just as he turned to help Hajime up, a scream tore through the air. Abrafo had suddenly fallen from his wolf's back, pulled away from the pack and into the thick woods beside the road.
"Ah!" Abrafo's scream echoed through the trees as he vanished.
"Abrafo!" Michio bellowed, his voice filled with alarm.
Yul rushed forward, but he was too late. Abrafo had disappeared beyond the trees, swallowed by the forest.
Yul dropped his bag and belongings to the ground. "Hajime, you stay here with U-ri. Michio and I are going to find Abrafo."
Michio quickly dropped his own bag and stabbed his spear into the ground next to his belongings. "U-ri, I'll leave this for you just in case," he said, grabbing his three-section staff, his face grim.
Hajime quickly put down his backpack and belongings. "I'll go with you, too," he insisted.
"You don't have to go," Yul said, his voice firm. "One of us must stay and protect U-ri."
Hajime, acting quickly, took out his bangle and threw it into the air. With a shimmering flash, his bangle lengthened and expanded, forming a protective, translucent barrier that covered U-ri and all their belongings. "U-ri," Hajime instructed, his voice grave, "you have to remember that no matter what you see or hear… don't step out of this bangle."
"What do you mean?" U-ri asked, his eyes wide with concern.
"Just remember my word," Hajime emphasized, his gaze unwavering. "Never step out of this bangle under any circumstances. Even if the person approaching is one of us."
"I see," U-ri said, a chill running down his spine. From Hajime's expression, it was clear they had entered some truly ominous place.
"Do you still have the talisman I gave you?" Hajime asked, recalling their earlier encounter.
U-ri nodded, patting his robe.
Hajime reminded U-ri again, worried that the elder might not fully grasp the danger. He emphasized strongly, "Remember my words. Whoever you see, whatever they say, don't go out. Tell them to come within the protection of the bangle."
"I know," U-ri said, his voice now firm with understanding. "Go save Abrafo."
Hajime left with a heavy heart, but he quickly followed Yul and Michio, plunging into the dense, silent forest.
Hajime, Yul, and Michio stared in horror at the field full of corpses. The overwhelming stench of carrion, thick and putrid, made Michio and Hajime immediately gag and vomit onto the forest floor.
Yul, grim-faced, turned to Hajime and Michio. "It looks like there's a village down in that small valley."
Hajime wiped his mouth, still trembling, and grabbed Yul's arm. "Are you going to that village?" he asked, his voice strained.
"Maybe whoever took Abrafo took him there," Yul suggested, his eyes scanning the gruesome scene.
Michio, having emptied his stomach, opened his eyes and saw a glistening, thick white mucus trail on the ground to his right. "Yul, look at this," he managed to croak.
Yul looked down, his gaze following the sticky white trail as it snaked deeper into the forest. He sighed, a heavy weight in his chest. "This path looks like it was freshly made not long ago."
"Then it must be where the individual took Abrafo," Hajime said, his voice flat with grim determination.
"Follow me closely," Yul instructed, his hand already on his sword.
Nearly an hour passed. U-ri remained faithfully standing next to the belongings, protected by the shimmering bangle. Just as he was about to sit down, his lower back aching, he saw him. Abrafo walked out from the side of the old road, his form appearing through the trees. U-ri looked up at Abrafo, relief flooding his face. "Abrafo!" he called happily, waving. "This way! Over here!"
Abrafo stumbled closer, his clothes covered in thick, white, sticky strands. "Why are you in that thing?" he asked, trying to pull the strange, thick silk from his clothes. "Get out of that thing quickly and help me get the gunk off my clothes!"
U-ri, remembering Hajime's strict instructions, stood firm within the bangle's boundary. "No, you walk in," he insisted, his voice clear. "It's easier for you to get in than it is for me to come out."
Deep in the dense, suffocating forest, the only sounds Abrafo heard were his own ragged breathing and the horrifying rasp of his body being dragged through the dead vegetation. He felt a chilling paralysis from his waist to his toes. He wriggled his toes with all his strength, but there was no sensation in his feet, no response. He wanted to open his mouth, to scream, but it seemed his mouth was sealed with some invisible, terrifying spell; he couldn't speak. He looked left and right, his eyes wide with terror, but he had no idea where he was. He forced his gaze upwards, following the enormous white silk thread that bound him, and found that he was being dragged by the belly of a truly huge spider. His eyes widened in horrified realization. Half of his body was paralyzed. How could he possibly escape this nightmare?