10: The Earth Revolution
"The earth is shifting," someone whispered, their voice trembling in fear.
"That's not the earth," another replied. "It's the people. They've awakened."
From my vantage point in the shadows, I watched as the palace crumbled under the weight of rebellion. Seok Hoon stood on the balcony, gripping the rail as the ground beneath him shook violently. "Hold the line!" he shouted to his remaining soldiers, but even they faltered, their loyalty waning.
I wanted to scoff, to tell him that the kingdom was already lost. But my voice, like my body, was bound to this cursed plane.
---
The gates were flung open, and a flood of rebels surged into the courtyard. "Jeonha!" a soldier called out, running toward Seok Hoon. "The nobles have turned against us. We've lost the eastern walls."
Seok Hoon turned to him, his face pale but his tone defiant. "Cowards. Every one of them. We fight until the end."
"You'll fight alone," Hyejin's voice cut through the chaos as she stepped into the chamber. Her hanbok was torn, her face streaked with ash. "The people aren't just revolting against you, Seok Hoon. They're revolting against everything this kingdom stood for."
He glared at her, his eyes wild. "You think I don't know that? But this is my legacy—our legacy. I won't let it die."
"It's already dead," she said, her voice breaking. "And you killed it."
---
Outside, the cries of the people grew louder. "The slave trade ends today!" someone shouted.
"Burn the palace!" another voice roared.
I felt the rage of the crowd, their pain and their determination. It resonated in the air, shaking the foundations of the castle. This wasn't just a rebellion—it was an earth revolution.
---
Seok Hoon turned to his advisors, but they had already begun to retreat, slipping through hidden passages. "Traitors," he muttered under his breath.
"Seok Hoon," Hyejin said softly, stepping closer. "End this now. Surrender before more blood is spilled."
"Surrender?" he repeated, laughing bitterly. "To whom? The people? They're no better than the nobles who betrayed us."
"Then surrender to yourself," she said, her voice firm. "Admit that this is over. Admit that you've lost."
---
As the walls trembled, a deep rumble echoed through the palace. The ground cracked, and the rebels paused, their eyes wide with terror. "What's happening?" one of them shouted.
"The curse," I murmured, though no one could hear me.
Seok Hoon turned to Hyejin, his face pale. "What did you do?"
"This isn't me," she said, shaking her head. "This is the land itself rejecting you."
"The land?" he repeated, scoffing. "The land obeys me. I am its king."
"You're nothing," I whispered, my voice lost in the void.
---
The earth shook violently, and the palace began to collapse. "Jeonha!" a soldier called out, grabbing Seok Hoon's arm. "We must leave!"
"No," he said, pulling away. "I won't abandon my throne."
"There is no throne!" Hyejin shouted, her voice echoing. "There is nothing left!"
---
The rebels surged forward, their anger turning to panic as the ground beneath them gave way. The palace crumbled, its walls collapsing into dust. I watched as Seok Hoon fell to his knees, his sword slipping from his grasp.
"Min Soo," he whispered, his voice trembling. "This is your doing, isn't it?"
I stepped closer, my presence heavy in the air. "No, Seok Hoon," I said, though he couldn't hear me. "This is yours."
---
The scene shifted abruptly. One moment, I was watching the collapse of the kingdom; the next, I was standing in a brightly lit room. The palace was gone, replaced by glass cases and polished floors.
I turned, disoriented, and saw people walking past me, their faces calm and curious. They were staring at artifacts—my artifacts. The throne, the swords, the remnants of a kingdom long forgotten.
"Min Soo," I muttered to myself, my voice echoing in the empty void.
A black vortex appeared in the corner of the room, swirling and pulsating with an unnatural energy. I felt its pull, dragging me toward it.
---
"Help!" I shouted, reaching out to the people around me. But they didn't react. They couldn't see me.
I stumbled, my hands grasping at nothing. The void grew stronger, its darkness consuming everything in its path.
"No," I said, fighting against it. "I won't go."
But the void didn't care. It pulled harder, and I felt myself slipping.
---
"Appa!" a child called out, her voice cutting through the noise.
I turned, desperate, but the girl walked past me, her hand in her father's. "What is this place?" she asked.
"It's a museum," he replied. "A place to remember the past."
"But who was Min Soo?" she asked, pointing to a plaque.
"No one important," he said with a shrug.
---
The void pulled harder, and I screamed, my voice lost in the emptiness. The world moved on, unaware of the curse that still lingered.
The earth trembled, and the void consumed me. But even as I disappeared, I knew one thing: I wasn't gone. Not yet. This is my story, Am a ghost of 2 century.