Prologue (2)

(Morning time)

In the echoing serenity of Juknokwon, the Bamboo Garden Woods, laughter resounded through the air like the sweetest melody. Joon, the boy with the fiery red eyes and sun-kissed brown messy ponytail, frolicked happily among four frisky puppies. Each pup, a bundle of fur and boundless energy, scampered and tumbled through the whispering bamboo stalks, their small barks and yips forming a lively chorus.

"Come on, then!" Joon called, his voice bubbling with joy as he dashed through the woods, the puppies in jovial pursuit. His heart felt lighter here, away from the judging eyes of the town. Here, he could just be a boy, not a pariah. Even his eyes seemed less of a curse among the enchanting mysteries of Juknokwon.

As they ventured deeper, Joon knelt by a twisting brook, the water clear and cool, burbling over smooth pebbles. "Look, pups," Joon whispered, pointing to a swirling pool where tiny luminescent sprites danced on the water's surface. "Water sprites. They keep the brook clean and sing to the moon."

The puppies, intrigued, wagged their tails and tried to catch the playful sprites, albeit clumsily splashing into the chilly water. Laughing, Joon scooped up one of the pups, its fur soaked and dripping, and said, "Be gentle, little friends. The sprites are shy."

They continued their exploration, wandering past ancient trees that stretched high into the sky, their leaves whispering secrets of old. Suddenly, a shadow loomed overhead, sweeping gracefully between the bamboo stalks. Joon shielded his eyes, looking up to see a majestic crane, its feathers shimmering with an ethereal glow. "That, my best friends, is a Sky Painter," he explained with awe in his voice. "They can touch the clouds and paint the colors of the dawn."

The puppies barked joyously, chasing after the enchanting bird as it soared lightly on the breeze. They couldn't reach the crane but delighted in the attempt, their little legs carrying them across the forest floor covered in a quilt of fallen leaves and soft moss.

After the excitement, Joon found a quiet glade, bathed in dappled sunlight filtering through the bamboo. He gathered the puppies around and shared his humble meal of hard bread and a bit of cheese, their little eyes gleaming with hunger and affection. "Even the smallest meal tastes better with friends," Joon remarked, ruffling their wet fur.

'This is the best feeling ever..'

Post meal, the adventurous band came across a grove where the air shimmered with a strange magic. Tiny creatures with wings like dragonflies fluttered around them. "These are breeze fairies," Joon lectured, a grin playing on his lips. "They choreograph the wind and teach the birds to sing."

As the day waned, the group stumbled upon a clearing where the ground sparkled with natural crystals, emitting a soft, radiant light. Joon and the puppies lay down, the ground warm under the evening sun. The puppies snuggled close, and Joon felt a peaceful solitude, his earlier loneliness washed away by their unconditional company.

"I'm glad to have you guys with me."

It was then that he noticed her—a girl standing at the edge of the clearing. About his age, she wore a simple dress of muted green, her dark hair cascading down her shoulders in gentle waves, and her eyes, wide and curious, sparkled with the pale hue of jade stones. She seemed as much a part of the woods as the bamboo and the breeze fairies.

The girl's gaze lingered on Joon, her expression one of wonder rather than fear or judgment. She stepped closer, her movements hesitant but graceful, as if afraid to disturb the magical scene before her.

Joon sat up, brushing leaves from his hair, his heart thudding with a mix of nervousness and hope. Could she see him, really see him, beyond the red eyes that so many found unnerving?

Their eyes met, and there was a silent understanding, a moment suspended in the tranquility of Juknokwon. The puppies, sensing a new friend, bounded towards her, their tails wagging in friendly greeting. She laughed, a sound as clear and melodious as the brook they had played in earlier, and a smile broke across Joon's face as he too stood, feeling suddenly shy.

'Who is she?'

She knelt to pet the puppies, her touch gentle, then looked up at Joon with a smile still gracing her lips. Breaking the serene silence, she extended a small hand in friendship and said simply, "Hello."

In that word, Joon found not just a greeting, but an invitation—a chance perhaps, to finally belong.

Joon, flustered, said, "H-Hi. Are you not…?"

"Scared of your eyes? No. Why would I be?"

"Becauseeeee you know…they're dangerous. I think."

"Hm. You think or is that what people tell you?"

Joon sighed, looking down, "It's what people tell me."

"Damn them."

Joon laughed out loud, and the girl asked, "What happened?"

"You cursed, I'm not really allowed to."

"I hear it from my mother all the time."

"Who is she?"

"Elder Mingxia of the Zhuque sect."

"How did you get alll the way down here?"

"Your sect called a meeting with its ally sects this morning. Says its urgent."

"Oooh, I hope everything's okay."

"It should be. Anyway, wanna go have fun?" She grinned.

"Yeah! Does that mean we're friends?"

"Duh. Come on."

"What's your name?"

"Hana. Yours?"

"Joon. Where will we go?"

Hana, with a flicker of mischief in her eyes, laid out a section of the vast, detailed map before Joon, pulling it out. This section, marked with swirls of dark ink and speckled with foreboding symbols, detailed the regions tainted by a malignant force known as Sooyeong Qi—(demonic qi) essentially, areas influenced by demonic energy.

"There are places," Hana whispered as if the names themselves might unleash their lurking dangers, "like the Sangrim Forbidden Forest. It's said that shadows move against the will of the wind, and creatures with eyes like ember coals watch from the thicket. The volcano was once guarded by the Haneuljin Sect,  volcano guardians, but after the corruption, none have seen them."

Another place marked was the Gureum Harbor, once a bustling port filled with laughter and the jingle of merchant coins. Now, it lay abandoned, shrouded in an ever-present mist thick as despair. "Sailors tell stories of ships that sailed into the mist, seeking legendary artifacts , only to vanish as whispers into the fog," Hana recounted, her voice tinged with both awe and sorrow.

"And there's also the Mireu Plains," she continued, tracing a line across a vast area that seemed to bleed darkly on the map. "Once golden with grains, now it's a blackened marsh where the ground seeps poison, and the air stifles with the wails of the damned. It's avoided by all, for the tales speak of a darkness that clings to one's soul."

"But," she added quickly with a brightening smile, turning Joon's attention to the more colorful parts of the map, "we're adventurers of joy, not sorrow-seekers. Let's chart our course through delights, not despair."

With a renewed zeal, she pointed towards Yunhae Gardens, a mythical place where flowers bloomed with the luminescence of the stars. "Here, every blossom radiates light and color, untouched by shadows. The Yeorae-seok, enlightened stones, keep the dark energies at bay. It's a spectacle of perpetual spring, where night and day merge beautifully."

As she explained, Joon could only imagine what those places were like based on her descriptions, a small glimmer of hopeful play in his heart, anxious to go there.

"Then there's the crystalline paths of Bicheon Valley," Hana described another wonder, her eyes gleaming. "Here, waterfalls cascade in slow motion, their droplets shimmering like falling stars, creating melodious tunes as they touch the crystallized surface. It's said that melodists from the Iseul Sect choreograph their ancient, water dances aligned with these celestial rhythms."

Lastly, she spoke of Haengbok Town, nestled within the Ringing Mountains—so named because of how the peaks naturally amplify echoing laughter from the town below. "Here, joy is a tangible scent in the air, and the people celebrate every day as a festival. The Baram-kkun, wind chasers, form vibrant parades, their laughter as infectious as their enthusiasm."

Hana's selections painted a route of wondrous discovery, consciously steering clear of the darkened stains on the map. "The meeting is gonna be super long, so we have time to kill."

"I'm ready!"

And so, with the map meticulously rerolled and safely tucked under her arm, Hana grabbed Joon's hand, and led Joon and the bounding puppies away from the somber tales of yore and towards the beckoning songs of serene valleys, mystical gardens, and joyful towns.

As Hana and Joon set off with the puppies bounding by their sides, the world seemed to open up before them like a bouquet of vibrant possibilities. Their journey was a patchwork quilt of laughter, wonder, and the purest joy, threading one magical site into the next. A montage of moments unfurled, as vivid and lively as the lands they traversed.

Yunhae Gardens was their first stop, where the night never fully fell. Instead, flowers glowed with an iridescent light, casting playful shadows that danced alongside them. Joon and Hana wandered through this living starlight, their faces illuminated by the luminescence of the blossoms. The puppies, meanwhile, chased the glowing bugs that floated lazily among the petals, their youthful yelps and the crinkle of soft petals mixing into the night air.

Next, they explored the Bicheon Valley, where the river whispered secrets as it flowed slowly over gem-like stones. The beauty of the valley was surreal, with sparkling waterfalls creating melodies that could have been composed by the celestial bodies themselves. Joon and Hana paused often, sitting on the crystalline banks, tossing pebbles into the water, and watching the ripples refract light into rainbows. It was here amid these melodies that Joon realized the weight within his chest was lifting, replaced by an effervescence he hadn't known he'd been missing.

"Whoaaa…" Joon smiled im excitement.

"Cool as hell huh?" Hana smiled.

"It's amazing.."

In Haengbok Town, the real festival of their journey came alive. The town was a riot of colors and sounds. Banners fluttered in the wind, and music filled the air, from deep drums to high flutes. People dressed in bright traditional garb invited them to join the dance. Joon laughed freely, the sound mingling with the rhythmic tunes, as he and Hana danced around, led by their exuberant puppies who seemed to have endless energy. Food stalls lined the streets, offering them tastes of joy: sweet, spicy, savory delights that exploded with flavor in their mouths. Joon chomped down food fast, scarfing it down faster than the big men that were out there trying to compete with him.

"Who the hell is this brat with the red eyes?!"

"Those eyes are scary as hell, but damn can he eat!"

Joon burped, "More!" He even gave the puppies some of his food.

Everywhere they went, the puppies, now integral companions, brought smiles to faces and bridged gaps between strangers. Children would run up to pet them, and old folks would offer them treats, each interaction weaving Joon and Hana deeper into the fabric of the lands they visited.

In these moments of quiet reflection, Joon found himself overwhelmed by a profound sense of peace. He turned to Hana, gratitude shining in his eyes. "I never really knew what happiness felt like until now, until these adventures with you and ... these little dogs of mine," he chuckled, nodding at the puppies who were, for once, tired and snoozing quietly at their feet.

Hana smiled, "I had fun too. Like you, they avoid me but respect me because of my position within the sect. We're a team now."

"A team? What should we call ourselves?"

"The outcasts."

"I was gonna say that."

"Lies."

"R-Really!"

"Haha, then maybe we're more alike than we both know."

Joon grinned, but he didn't notice that his right hand was leaking with a red and black aura.