The forest quaked, its ancient trees groaning as if the earth itself recoiled from the approaching shadow. Suyeon stood at the clearing's edge, her hands wreathed in silver foxfire, its light pulsing in time with the curse that burned in her chest. The air was thick with sulfur and decay, a stench so foul it clung to her throat like oil. The shadow loomed closer, its form a writhing mass of darkness, too vast to be a mere demon. Its presence pressed against her senses, heavy and ravenous, as if it sought not just her flesh but her very essence. Behind her, Jinwoo gripped his sword, his bloodied shoulder trembling but his stance unyielding. Hana stood rigid, her staff's runes glowing faintly, her gray eyes darting between Suyeon and the approaching threat. The exorcist's binding spell had dissolved, undone by the shadow's arrival, but her suspicion lingered, sharp as a blade.
Suyeon's golden eyes narrowed, her cloaking spell straining to hide her nine tails. The curse pulsed harder, a warning that this was no ordinary foe. She'd faced demons before—centuries of them, from claw-footed imps to behemoths born of forgotten gods—but this was different. Its hunger felt personal, as if it had tracked her through the ages, waiting for a moment like this, when her secrets were fraying and her strength was thin. "Stay back," she said, her voice low, edged with a growl she couldn't suppress. "This isn't your fight."
Jinwoo stepped forward, his sword catching the moonlight. "You don't get to decide that," he said, his voice rough but firm. "I swore an oath, Suyeon. I'm not leaving you to face this alone."
Her lips twitched, a mix of irritation and something softer she refused to name. "You'll die," she said, her eyes flicking to his wound. The bandage was soaked, blood dripping to the ground, yet he stood tall, his amber-flecked eyes burning with defiance. She wanted to shove him away, to scream at him to run, but his stubbornness rooted her as much as it infuriated her.
Hana's staff flared, its runes casting jagged shadows. "He's right," she said, her voice cold but steady. "This thing isn't just after you, Kumiho. It's here for blood—any blood. We're all targets now." She glanced at Suyeon, her expression unreadable. "But don't think this makes us allies. I still don't trust you."
Suyeon's laugh was sharp, cutting through the forest's eerie hum. "Good. Trust gets you killed." She turned to the shadow, her foxfire brightening, its silver glow illuminating the clearing. The mass took shape—taller than the trees, its body a writhing tangle of limbs and eyes, dozens of them, glowing red and unblinking. Its form shifted, now a serpent, now a beast with too many jaws, each one snapping with hunger. Suyeon's stomach twisted. This was no demon. This was a *yeomma*, a spirit of chaos born from divine wrath, the kind that hunted cursed beings like her.
The yeomma's voice rumbled, a sound like grinding stone. "Kumiho," it hissed, its eyes fixing on her, each one a pit of malice. "Your soul is owed. The pact demands it."
Suyeon's blood ran cold. The curse in her chest flared, a searing pain that nearly dropped her to her knees. The pact—her ancient binding to a god she'd tried to forget, a deal struck in a haze of desperation centuries ago. She'd thought it dormant, a chain she could outrun. But this yeomma was its enforcer, sent to claim her. "You're late," she said, forcing a smirk to hide her fear. "I've been running from that pact for a thousand years."
The yeomma surged forward, its limbs lashing out like whips. Suyeon leaped, her body a blur of shadow and light, dodging a claw that shattered a tree into splinters. She unleashed a torrent of foxfire, a blazing arc that struck the creature's flank. The flames hissed, burning away a layer of its shifting form, but it barely slowed. Its eyes multiplied, sprouting across its body, each one tracking her movements.
Jinwoo charged, his sword slashing at a tendril that snaked toward Suyeon. The blade bit deep, ichor spraying, but the yeomma's limb reformed, knocking him back. He hit the ground hard, rolling to avoid another strike. "Stay out of this!" Suyeon shouted, her voice cracking. She couldn't focus with him in the way, couldn't unleash her full power without risking her tails—and her secret.
Hana moved, her staff spinning, runes flaring into a barrier of golden light. The yeomma's claws struck it, sparks flying, but the barrier held, giving Suyeon a moment to breathe. "You can't fight this alone," Hana said, her voice strained as she poured energy into the spell. "Whatever it is, it's divine. My runes can slow it, but not for long."
Suyeon's jaw tightened. She didn't want their help—didn't need it—but the yeomma's eyes were locked on her, its voice echoing in her mind. "The pact cannot be broken. Your soul, or theirs." The words were a blade, cutting through centuries of denial. She'd made the pact to survive, to escape a life of bloodshed, but its price was steep—her freedom, her humanity, her soul. And now, it seemed, the lives of those around her.
She darted forward, her foxfire forming a spear of light that pierced the yeomma's core. The creature screamed, a sound that shook the stars, its form collapsing into a writhing mass before reforming, larger, angrier. Suyeon's spell faltered, three tails flickering into view, their silver light illuminating the clearing. Jinwoo's gasp was audible, but she couldn't look at him. The yeomma lunged, its jaws wide, and she barely dodged, a claw grazing her arm. Blood welled, hot and sharp, and the curse flared again, a warning that her power was draining.
Hana's barrier shattered, the exorcist staggering back. "It's too strong!" she shouted, her voice edged with panic. She pulled a talisman from her belt, its red ink glowing, and hurled it at the yeomma. The paper ignited, binding the creature's limbs in chains of light, but they snapped within seconds, the yeomma's eyes blazing with renewed fury.
Jinwoo was on his feet, his sword slashing at the creature's flank, drawing its attention. "Suyeon, hit it now!" he yelled, ducking a swipe that tore the ground apart. His recklessness gave her an opening, but it also put him in the yeomma's path. She cursed, her hands weaving a new spell, foxfire coiling into a blazing orb. She hurled it, the light exploding against the yeomma's chest, forcing it back. The creature's form wavered, its eyes dimming, but it wasn't enough.
"Get back!" Suyeon roared, her voice raw. She couldn't hold back anymore. Her cloaking spell shattered, all nine tails unfurling, their silver glow blinding. The forest seemed to hold its breath, the air crackling with her power. Jinwoo froze, his eyes wide, and even Hana paused, her staff lowering as she stared. Suyeon didn't care. The yeomma was here for her, and she'd face it as what she was—a Kumiho, cursed and unbroken.
She leaped, her tails weaving a storm of foxfire, each one a blade of light that struck the yeomma. The creature screamed, its form collapsing under the assault, limbs dissolving into ash. But it fought back, a tendril wrapping around her ankle, yanking her to the ground. Pain seared through her, the yeomma's touch burning like divine fire. The curse in her chest roared, a voice not her own echoing in her mind: "You cannot escape. The pact is eternal."
Suyeon clawed free, her tails slashing through the tendril. She staggered to her feet, her breath ragged, blood dripping from her arm. The yeomma was weakening, its eyes flickering, but it wasn't dead. She needed more power, more than she could spare without risking everything. Her gaze flicked to Jinwoo, who was back on his feet, his sword raised, and Hana, who was chanting, her runes glowing faintly. They were fighting for her, despite everything. It made no sense, and it terrified her.
"Enough!" Suyeon shouted, her voice shaking the clearing. She raised her hands, her nine tails flaring brighter, and unleashed a wave of foxfire that consumed the yeomma. The creature screamed, its form dissolving into a cloud of ash and embers, the forest falling silent except for the crackle of dying flames. Suyeon collapsed to her knees, her tails fading, her cloaking spell snapping back into place. Her body trembled, the curse pulsing like a wound.
Jinwoo rushed to her side, dropping his sword. "Suyeon," he said, his voice urgent, his hands hovering as if afraid to touch her. "Are you all right?"
She laughed, a weak, bitter sound. "Do I look all right?" Her arm bled freely now, the wound resisting her foxfire's healing. The yeomma's touch had left a mark, a dark burn that pulsed with divine energy. She'd fought it off, but it had seen her, known her. The pact wasn't done with her.
Hana approached, her staff lowered but her eyes sharp. "That was no demon," she said, her voice low. "That was a yeomma. A divine hunter. It was after you, Kumiho. Why?"
Suyeon met her gaze, her strength fading but her defiance intact. "You're the exorcist. You tell me." She pushed herself up, swaying, and Jinwoo caught her arm, steadying her. His touch was warm, grounding, and she hated how much she needed it.
"We need to move," Hana said, glancing at the forest. "That thing might not be alone. And the village will come looking soon." She paused, her eyes softening slightly. "You fought to protect us. I don't understand it, but I saw it."
"Don't get used to it," Suyeon said, pulling away from Jinwoo. "I'm not your savior." But her words felt empty, the weight of their survival heavy on her shoulders. The yeomma's words echoed: *Your soul, or theirs.* The pact was waking, and with it, a truth she'd buried for centuries.
Jinwoo's eyes met hers, steady and unyielding. "We're not done," he said, his voice soft but firm. "I'm with you, Suyeon. Whether you like it or not."
She wanted to argue, to push him away, but the forest was silent, the stars watching. The pact's shadow loomed, and with Jinwoo and Hana at her side, Suyeon felt the first stirrings of a path she couldn't escape—one that might break her curse or burn them all.