Chapter 106 Rapacious Part 7

Haneul's heartbeat accelerated as he looked at the slowly advancing black mist, turning everything on her path into stone.  Haneul asked, "What do we need to do to stop this? Tell me?" 

Zoya said, "You can't stop it unless the person who casts the spell dispels the spell, but your highness can seal the culprit in the city. Over time, once the life energy of the people being swallowed is exhausted, the spell will weaken and stop spreading, but what is destroyed cannot be restored." 

Haneul said worriedly, "What spell do we have that is powerful enough to imprison that person inside." Haneul closed his eyes and went over all the spells the mages taught him. 

Sukh led the horse to Haneul's side and said, "The Fairy Ring Circle formation, can not only prevent the dark energy from spreading to the forest, but also keep the person who casts the spell inside." 

Haneul smiled at Sukh and said, " "What are your plans?" 

Sukh said, "I will ask the mages to place four Fairy Ring circles on the west, north, east and south to surround the capital. With these four Fairy Ring Circles, negative energy can be prevented from escaping from the city to hurt others, but the Fairy Ring Circles cannot stop people from entering." 

Zoya grabbed Haneul's hand and asked, "Your Highness, would you mind if you lost a handful of hair and some blood?" 

Sukh asked, "What do you want his hair and blood for?" 

Zoya said, "Creates soldiers to guard the city gate." 

Haneul turned to Zoya and said, "I don't mind. Hair can grow back, but life cannot be restored." He turned to Sukh. "Your idea is the best we have yet. Let's follow your plan. Let's work together to stop this madness from spreading." 

Haneul turned to the three hundred mages and said, "Fifty mages in each direction and create the Fairy Ring Circle as quickly as possible. The other one hundred mages, please try your best to help the villagers." 

Haneul and Sukh watched the two hundred mages fly towards the designated area. The mages used their powers to pull the rocks out of the ground and place them according to the design of the Fairy Ring Circle. They began chanting incantations to hold the rock in place. 

Hearing the mages chanting loudly, Zoya said, "I need three clay figures." 

Sukh knelt, grabbed a handful of dirt, and looked up at Haneul. "It's just regular soil," he said, shaking his head. 

Haneul grabbed the leather water bag from his side, squatted down, and poured some water onto the soil. "We need to improvise," he said, looking up at Zoya. "Does it matter what soil we use?" 

Zoya said, "No, as long as there are three human figures made of dirt." 

Haneul and Sukh quickly made three clay figures. Sukh grabbed the three figures and stood up. "We have three humanoid clay figures." 

Zoya said, "Good, my king, please cut off some of your hair." 

Haneul drew the dagger from the sheath on the side of his belt. He cut off some hair and gave it to Zoya. 

"Give me one of the humanoid clay figures," she said, holding out her hand. 

Sukh handed a humanoid clay figure to Zoya. Zoya started chanting mantras and tangled Haneul's hair around the humanoid clay figure. After she finished, she said, "Your Highness, your blood."

Haneul looked at Zoya's palm and saw the humanoid clay figure lies in the palm of her hand.  Haneul slashed his left palm and let his blood drip onto the humanoid clay figure inside Zoya's palm. Zoya continued to chant, and the humanoid clay figurine slowly rose inside Zoya's palm.  Zoya handed the humanoid clay figure that was wrapped with Haneul's hair back to Sukh. 

Zoya said, "Give me the other two now." 

Sukh put the last two humanoid clay figures into Zoya's palm. Haneul opened his palm, and his blood dripped onto the two humanoid clay figures inside Zoya's palm. After Zoya finished chanting the spell. She gave the humanoid clay figures mixed with Haneul's blood to Sukh. 

Sukh asked, "What should I do with this?" 

Zoya said, "After the mages have placed the Fairy Ring Circle array, we will place them in front of the city gate." 

Sukh looked at Haneul and said, "Let me tend your wound." 

Haneul smiled at Sukh and said, "This is a small wound. It's not deep, I'll wrap it up myself." 

Zoya took out her handkerchief and said, "Your Highness, please allow me to treat your wound."

After casting their spells, the mages flew back to Haneul and Sukh. 

The dark mist stopped spreading, and some people escaped from the capital alive. Once their fear of death subsides, the cries of the bereaved fill the air. People looked back at the capital and called the names of their loved ones with tears in their eyes. 

Zoya took Haneul's hand and asked, "Your Highness, have you seen Fang and Prince Ming? Are they among the survivors?" 

Haneul looked at Zoya and said, "I do not see Fang and Prince Ming among the survivors, sorry Zoya." 

Sukh asked, " Can we go into the city?" 

Zoya said, "No, the dark energy in the capital is too great now. Anyone who enters the city will turn into stone like everyone else." 

"I'm already this age and I don't even have any relatives anymore. There's no point in living," an old woman said as she rushed towards the capital. 

Zoya shouted, "You cannot go back and forfeit your life energy to help the culprit strengthen his power." 

Some women standing next to the old woman helped her up and pulled her away from where the mages were standing. 

"Listen to Priestess Zoya," one young woman said. "You're not the only one who has lost a loved one today. Everyone standing here has lost someone, too." 

"We have lost enough lives today," another woman said. 

What slowly emerged from the black mist was Lan Huan, who was standing among the dead at the city gate. 

Haneul stepped forward, pushing the mages aside. "Lady Lan..." He was surprised when he saw Lan Huan standing in front of him. 

Zoya walked forward quickly with Sukh's support. "Huan," Zoya said with trembling lips. "Why?" 

Lan Huan looked at Haneul and said, "When the mist stops spreading, I suspect that the person who has the ability to stop the spread must be you and your mages." 

Haneul asked, "Why killed so many innocent people?" 

Lan Huan said coldly, "They deserve it." 

Zoya shook her head at Lan Huan and said, "It's not like you. You know very well what happens to those who use the Life Curse.  Why Lan Huan? Not everyone should be punished if some deserve it."

Lan Huan said, "You and I know best what will happen to these so-called innocent people once we fall into their hands." She looked at Zoya. "Your prophecies have always been correct. I accept my fate that death will follow me wherever I go. I know this to be true. More than a thousand years have passed, but history still repeats itself."

"If you had not chosen another master, history would not have repeated itself!" Zoya roared at Lan Huan. "History repeats itself because you refuse to let go, Huan... Untouchables are supposed to have no attachments, but you refuse to give up your desire of seeking companionship." 

Lan Huan said, "I can't help and forgive those who have hurt me." She looked at Haneul. "If you refuse to break the spell that imprisons me, that's okay, but please give me the sword on your back." 

Hanuel asked, "Why do you need this sword?"

Lan Huan said, "The stone on the sword can protect the prince's body from rotting. If you imprison me here, I can't go out and take it away from you. As a friend I ask for that sword." 

Haneul said, "This sword was given to me by Hamza." 

Lan Huan said, "You have fulfilled your promise to Hamza and others, so this sword is of no use to you, but I need that sword to fulfill my master's last request to me. So, as a former friend, please hand over your sword." 

Haneul looked at the frozen stone people behind Lan Huan and said, "Huan... As a good friend, I can help you solve any difficulties. The sword on my back, as long as used to do good, I am willing to give it to you with no hesitation." He thrust his spear into the ground, loosened the strap on his chest, and held the sword in his left hand. "As a good friend, please lift the spell." 

Lan Huan said, "If I lift the spell, every soul here will tear my soul apart." 

Haneul's lips trembled with anger. "If you knew this would happen, why did you cast this spell?" he roared at Lan Huan. 

Lan Huan looked at Haneul and said, "I have no other choice." 

Haneul said, "Everyone has a choice." 

Lan Huan said, "You can say what you want, but unless you put on my shoes and step on my footsteps, you will never understand the feeling of losing your most precious person." She looked up at Haneul. 

Haneul said, "Even though it's difficult for you, that doesn't mean you can sacrifice someone else's loved one." 

Lan Huan looked at Haneul and said, "My dear friend, one day, when your moment comes, you will do more than just sacrifice some innocent lives."  She reached out her hand.  "Please give me that sword."