Goddess of souls

In a desert ablaze with golden-hued, shifting sands beneath a searing sun, stood a lady, meters apart from several men.

The lady's visage was drenched in blood, once pristine snow-white tresses now stained crimson.

Clutched in her grasp was a massive blade, its steel dripping with gore.

Six men lay prone on the ground in a pool of blood.

Her heart raced, the blade trembling in her hands. As she laid her right hand on her stomach, she discovered a gaping wound, exuding a strange cerulean hue.

Surveying the faces of the seven men before her, a sinister smile graced her lips. She knew her demise was imminent, pierced by a cursed arrow.

Yet, she harbored no regrets. She had vanquished six of the twelve gods, leaving behind an indelible legacy.

A goddess once perceived as frail, she had felled six of the mightiest deities in the heavens.

The seven men before her watched in somber silence as vitality seeped from her, her once-vibrant form fading to an ethereal pallor.

Among them, an individual with cascading white locks and a beard sweeping the ground, notched a gleaming arrow into his bow.

The man drew the string taut and loosed it toward the lady. Her waning strength rendered her unable to evade the assault.

The arrow found its mark, piercing her heart and compelling her to her knees.

Blood trickled from the wound, vision blurring.

Resigned to her fate, she relinquished her hold on life, her form crumpling onto the scorching sand.

***

The world reveled in peace and accord until twelve gods descended from the skies to dwell among mortals.

These gods bore the semblance of humans, yet wielded formidable powers, which they later shared with select humans known as "Mages."

Within the pantheon of twelve, a goddess harbored disdain for her divine kin's descent to the mortal plane.

She embarked on a quest to amass an army of infernal souls and subjugate the Earth.

Her aspirations were thwarted when her brethren discovered her treacherous plot and extinguished her existence.

With the goddess's demise, the remaining seven gods retreated to the heavens to avert further strife.

***

A narrow road was flanked by thickets, where four horses strained to pull a carriage.

Inside, three young women sat in hushed anticipation, dressed in modest, pragmatic attire.

One of them appeared to slumber, but the galloping of the horses roused her from her repose.

Regaining consciousness, she surveyed her surroundings, encased in wooden confines. Two ladies, garbed like servants, occupied the opposite bench, evidently destined for a new master.

'Where am I?' she mused. Her last memory was succumbing to the final, resolute gods.

How had she arrived here?

Her eyes fell to her form, now attired akin to the two ladies.

'What is this? Where is my armor?'

Everything seemed alien. No longer adorned in her signature azure panoply, she was now draped in servile garb.

'Perhaps my soul traversed ere my demise.' It was the sole rationale that seemed plausible.

She was the goddess of souls, her dominion the transference of souls into fresh vessels, bestowing immortality upon mortals.

'I must locate my original vessel. But first, I must halt this carriage.' With deliberate motions, she raised her hands, fingers weaving arcane patterns that riveted the two attendants in bewilderment.

'Why does my sorcery falter? Have I forfeited my powers with this new incarnation?'

In her previous soul-shifts, she retained her sorcerous prowess, her vigor undiminished.

Now, as she strove to halt the carriage, impotence was her sole reply.

A mortal, bereft of divine endowment.

'How can this be? Did that arrow shatter my Energy Zen that fateful day?'

A blow to the chest could rupture a god's Energy Zen, the core of both heart and magic.

With uncertainty clouding her thoughts, the carriage jolted to a halt.The coachman dismounted and swung open the carriage door.

"We've arrived," he announced.

The two maids disembarked, leaving the girl deep in contemplation.

"Saebyeok, please alight. Your new owner awaits." The coachman beckoned to her.

Saebyeok—this was the name of the girl in whose form the goddess of souls had transmigrated.

Given her attire and the coachman's words, Saebyeok realized she was being consigned to a household as a servant.

'For now, I must navigate this enigma as Saebyeok. Min-Soo, the goddess of souls, is pursued by the gods. Once clarity dawns, I shall resume my quest.'

Saebyeok ruminated, disembarking from the carriage.

Her gaze swept the surroundings. Towering mansions dotted the landscape, while affluent mages perused potential domestics.

The royal mansion stands as a grandeur of opulence, its façade adorned with intricate stonework and towering spires that touch the sky.

Encircled by a series of stately edifices, each bearing the mark of regal architecture, they form a protective embrace around the central estate.

A cobblestone courtyard stretches before the entrance, lined with meticulously maintained flower beds and statues of historical significance.

Horses, their coats gleaming in the sunlight, are stabled nearby, attended to by diligent caretakers in traditional livery.

Their presence adds an air of nobility and vitality to the scene, as they stand ready to carry out the bidding of their royal masters.

"I'll take this one, haha," a man jeered, his hands trespassing over Saebyeok's frame.

Though she resisted, his grip was unyielding.

"Who knows, you might warm my bed as well as my hearth, haha."

Laughter echoed through the crowd at his crass remark.

"Release her!" A resolute voice sliced through the mockery.

Turning, Saebyeok beheld a striking young man, his obsidian locks cascading, garbed in pristine white, his blade leveled at the insolent mage's throat.

This was Chang Feng.

"She's designated as a maid, not your plaything," Chang asserted, his gaze not on the offending mage, but on Saebyeok's neck, as if detecting something extraordinary.