CHAPTER 6

ARIN

Adrestia was my dearest friend, my soulmate in past life. I had always believed that even though she was The Goddess of Temptation, she had some passion, some kindness left inside the corner of her heart. Even though she was an evil deity, rising up from the depths of the Underworld….I believed she has overcome all her resentment after the burning forest incident. She apologized to me between those cliffs, after Arisa lightened up Astrea's grey side before my eyes…I always believed there was nothing such as completely evil or completely pure existence in this world…May it be Godly Heaven realm, Lively Earth realm or Demonic Hell realm… Even Gods could act selfish and also Demons could show kindness…. While signing the contract with Adrestia, I knew that she was laying a carpet full of miseries under my feet, I knew that she was about to bring tons of troubles in my married life….Yet, even though having an entire picture painted before my vision, I chose to help her….I trusted her, I trusted my best friend from past life…. To save my love for Hongseok…. To get me out of this Godly trap and finally live a normal human life without any diamond core… I never needed that core, all I needed in my life was…My freedom….

But…Adrestia, kidnapped Iseul right in front of my eyes….At that moment I realized, Is there no ending to this long cold season? This struggle to live on the border line between life and death? Is it my greed to wait for spring to return in my life? Is it my greed to live a happy life…. How long am I going to fight against these supernatural powers….

"Hongseok, can you please pick me up from Han river park?" I called Hongseok while walking alongside the Han river aimlessly….my eyes went blank…. What am I going to do now? She took away Iseul, she just flew away right in front my eyes…All I could do was stare at her, carrying away unconscious Iseul in both of her arms….

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"Arin, what's wrong? Why aren't you speaking a word after we left Han park?" Hongseok was concerned with my blank face, eyes which had lost into depths of sorrow.

I turned my head towards his side, he cupped my face with his warm hands….tears rolled down my cheeks, he hugged me tightly….right now, his warm embrace was the safest place in this whole world…

We entered the house, Hongseok made me sit down on the sofa. He kneeled down before me and placed his hands gently over my lap.

"It's fine, Arin. You can share anything with me. Trust me, I will believe your words. We're married now, we have promised each other our whole lives…. You know it right? I could sense all your miseries, all these illusions you're going through for past two years… I can understand, you want to protect me…you want to protect our married life… But, for once trust me… I can be your shield, I can be your pillar, just pass some of your loads over me… Arin, I'm your man…" His loving yet responsible words were my only reason stay alive after going through so much dark struggle in my life. I held his hands tightly,

"Hongseok….from where should I start telling you? How am I gonna explain you these past-present mysteries….But still, I will have to do that….in order to save Iseul, we need to walk together on this path…"

I told him the story of my life, since childhood… nightmares… encounter with Adrestia… Time travelling of my soul into Arisa's body… Living my past life…. Meeting Astrea… the cold war between these two Goddesses for the ownership of my diamond core… Meeting Hongseok… Astrea's solution to take out the core off my soul… Namiseon island… The great fight between Adrestia and Astrea under Red moon between two cliffs… Immersing Arisa's soul into my present life soul…. Signing a contract with Adrestia…. And finally after six months meeting Iseul at Modo sea tragedy…..

While narrating my whole story, I myself realized what things I've gone through just for the sake of this diamond core…and even after breaking it into pieces, kicking it off into dark clouds… Here I am, still going through the same hardships…

Hongseok stood up and walked near the window. He kept facing outside as the rain poured down from the sky. I went near him and placed my hand over his left shoulder.

"Arin, why were you so afraid to tell me the truth? Was I being that unreliable to you?" He asked facing his back towards me.

"No, you were and you'll be my most supportive pillar, always. But…as a scientist I am myself so lost with these supernatural incidents happening with me…like there's no logical reasoning I could've given you…still I cannot relate these things with science which I've learned for my whole life… They are just happening with me… after returning back from Namiseon, I'd even visited psychologists for mental therapy, attended so many meditation sessions…just to find the answer for why these things happened with me… What was I going to explain you when I'm the one who's completely lost in front of these other worldly creatures…"

"Hmm….I can understand, actually right now it's even difficult for me to process this sudden information, but I believe you…not just because of my love for you…but also due to the dreams , hallucinations I've been experiencing since the day before our first blind date… The strong magnetic connection I've felt the moment you entered Bi café… All the things you've told few minutes ago, I can connect all those incidents with my dreams now after knowing the whole truth…."

"Which dreams are you talking about? You've never…." Hongseok's sudden unexpected confession left me confused. But he didn't allowed me to get panic over this issue and diverted my focus over Iseul again.

"Arin, we need to find Iseul…. Now this thing we can't even report it to cops…. Tell me if there's any other way to bring back Iseul from the clutches of Adrestia."

"I have no way….no solution… When I had the diamond core, if such tricks were played by Adrestia… I had Astrea beside me, she would help me find way out of those magical tricks…. And… Now, what could I do more, other than waiting for Adrestia to give me some clue….." I walked away from Hongseok and went inside the kitchen to get some water for us. Hongseok followed behind me.

"Arin, is there any way to contact Astrea?"

"What?? Seok, she's a Goddess… You think I could call her through cell phone or something? And anyways, I don't even know where's she meditating for all this duration of six months…in which corner of heavenly realm…."

"There has to be some way, Arin… Did you forget? Namiseon island… Our ancient palace, the Astrea temple guarded by Grandfather!! I am quite sure, Grandpa will show us some or other way to try reaching Astrea…there are so many of the Ancient manuscripts lying down in dust of store room inside palace!! Come, let's leave right now!" He grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the Kitchen. I tried stopping him but there was some different spark igniting within him…the same spark which I had seen in Astrea cave temple that night… But on a serious note, exactly who was Hongseok? Was he related to me through my past life?

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Next Day. Namiseon Island.

"Hongseok-ssi, are you sure we're driving in correct direction? Why do I feel like….we're taking some different route…." I said while sliding up the car window. The last time we visited Namiseon, a day after our wedding , Grandpa drove us to the palace and road was covered with snow. But right now after six months, it was raining heavily…. Red wood trees were dripping down wet, green tall grass covering the fields beside the road. Our Jet black Vantage roadster was being hammered with heavy rain drops and puddles on the rural muddy road.

"I told you!! To not bring out our convertible in this horrible monsoon!!! Are we out for some road trip ? You could've just brought usual suv!!" I shouted over Hongseok who was struggling with muddy roads.

"It's Okay….. We're about to reach the palace…." Hongseok replied calmly.

"And what is even this road? I really don't think so we're going in correct direction….See…there's no road!! It's a Forest!! We've reached at the mouth of Black Forest?? Oh my…. What are you even doing?!!" My head was spinning around with the fact that we've lost our way to palace.

"Can you please stay quiet, Arin…. I know this is the shortcut road towards palace…. Close your eyes and go to sleep wifey!!" Hongseok pushed behind my head on the seat and closed my eyes with his fingers.

" I'll wake up after one hour, and if we're not inside the palace till then…I'm going to eat you up!!" I said while biting his fingers.

"What a pervert….as if you don't eat me up every night…." He teased me with his dramatic eyeroll.

"Ahhhhhh!!!!" I threw away my cell phone towards him with red flush on my face.

I closed my eyes and…. Yes… this was the time to travel through different realms…. I realized as the sound of flute pierced my ears…

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Realm Of the HELL.

Time seemed to have frozen from sky to the iceberg on which I stood. Red Moon shined up in the sky throwing out blood red light over frozen forest. I walked down the iceberg….surprisingly there was no water below, but land covered with layers of snow…. I stepped down in the snow with bare feet… Looked around for any life whom I could interact with… The darkness seemed to have been left behind by the cruel wind as it blew around my body… The darkness kept on growing darker and deeper….All I could think at that moment was…I should get away from this darkness….

Suddenly I felt the burning sensation on my left ankle, as I kneeled down to have a look at it…. There was orange burn scar ringed around my ankle…. Orange light shimmered through that scar….my legs were burning….I couldn't step a feet forward on cold snow… I sat down and cried in pain as the icy winds blew around me depositing the snow all over my body…..

A royal manly voice echoed in that frozen forest, "Arin. You cannot enter the Underworld Hell realm without your diamond core. Please go back to Earth realm."

The loud celestial announcement woke me up from my numb mind, I stood up after struggling with my legs.

"I never entered Underworld realm with my own will…..Adrestia is the one who brought me here with her flute melody!! I was drawn towards her!!"

"Your body is waiting for you on earth. Take back your soul to your body. You can enter Underworld only after your death."

A few moments passed….And the snow under my feet started cracking up….the ground trembled with sudden force…. One of my leg slipped inside the crack and I realized there was no ground at the first place, the bottom of the snow was filled with water… I was dragged inside the pool of ice and went on drowning deeper down in the water….I closed my eyes tightly as I drowned inside in depths of cold darkness….

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"Arin…are you okay? What happened to you suddenly? Was it Adrestia again?" Hongseok helped me to sit back on the bed.

"Did we reach? Are we here…inside palace?" I asked him. My hands were shivering with cold. He took my hands and warmed them into his hands.

"Yes, we've already reached two hours back. Don't stress yourself, lay back on the pillow and get some good sleep." He said while patting my head with a bright smile on his face.

"No way….how can I relax back?? When Iseul has been trapped with Adrestia into underworld….Hongseok, let's go to Astrea temple…"

"No!! I deny! Listen to your husband and close your eyes! We can start our journey to Astrea temple tomorrow morning!" He pretended to become angry and pushed me down on the bed.

Next day Grandfather woke us up at 5 AM and made some rice cakes for breakfast. He seemed curious about why our faces were darkened up with nervous mood.

"Hongseok-ah, is there any issue you both are so nervous about? Since last evening, y'all are so quiet…." He asked in concern.

I had taken a promise from Hongseok, to not trouble Grandpa with these supernatural things. As being old it might be more panicking for him.

"No…Grandpa, there's nothing much to worry about. Uhh…Arin wished to visit Astrea temple…. That's it…You know, just to pray for our future life…" Hongseok said while eating rice cakes.

"Arin-ah, it's good to that you are mixing up with Yang family rituals so well. Even though you're from a different country, you've well-immersed yourself with Korean culture. Goddess Astrea is our Bloodline Guardian since Joseon dynasty. Maybe, even before Joseon…. Only Yang family could enter Astrea temple on the mountain as it is the only place where temple of purity is situated for past 1000 years. Now, I can rest back in peace as our Hongseok and Arin is going to take good care of Goddess after my death. Seok-ah keep visiting our temple every month…Arin, you too…." He said while collecting the dishes and went inside kitchen.

"Grandpa!! Could you please lend me store room keys…just for one day…I wanted to read some ancient manuscripts…" I stood up and helped Grandpa to wash dishes.

"Ohhh…But there are no manuscripts in the store room. I've shifted them inside temple iron chest… Wait a minute, I'll give you the keys to iron chest.." Grandpa went inside his room and returned back with big rusty iron keys. He handed them over to me and said, "It's been 10 years…. We've never required those manuscripts after that incident…when Hongseok used to dream nightmares…. I don't know why do you need them today, but whatever it is… take them out of the chest box with utmost care and keep them inside after your use. Do not bring them out of the cave, sit right in front of Astrea idol and light up a candle….read it loudly…. Arin, I am trusting you with these treasure keys of Yang family…don't disappoint me."

"Don't worry Grandpa, I'll be your best daughter in law!" I said cheerfully and all three of us burst out with laughter.

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Astrea Temple, Nami Mountain.

We entered inside cave temple and washed our feet with water flowing through stream.

"Hongseok, we need to find iron chest box." I said while my eyes roamed around whole cave in search of iron box.

"Hmm, let's light up candle first… You go there and sit in front of Goddess Astrea, till then I'll try looking for chest box…" Hongseok went deep inside dark cave with torchlight in his hands.

I approached Astrea's black stone idol stood right at the center of the cave between four strong, huge stone pillars. I thought it might be last time….me seeing Astrea's burning face on the cliff…. But fate has brought me here again to beg for help from Goddess I hated most…. Just because she lied to me…she used me like a piece of chess to acquire the Throne of Almightiest Goddess in this Universe.. To reign back her powerful status… Under the cloak of kindness… she tricked me inside her trap… But again… I had to kneel down at her feet… to save Iseul. I just cannot let Adrestia use Iseul for the spread of darkness… Iseul is a child…just a young child with bright future ahead in her life.

I sat down near feet of Astrea and lighted up candles which brightened up the dark cave. I looked up at her peaceful, calm, loving expressions carved in stone. I wondered who might've sculpted Astrea's idol here….who had seen her standing in this graceful pose….She was indeed epitome of purity… Purity like untouched fire…

"Arin-ahh!!! Come here quickly!! Bring those keys!!" Hongseok called me out from dark cave.

I rushed inside with candle in my hand, as I walked deeper inside the cave the cold icy winds increased. The lighted candle in my hand made way for me till iron chest also I noticed series paintings on inner side of stone walls.

I went near Hongseok, he pointed his finger towards iron chest. The rust had deposited all over that box…. As I touched it, my hands were taken aback with ice cold current from iron. I took my candle near the box and warmed it for few minutes. Hongseok took out his handkerchief from denim pocket and dusted the zinc rust over box. I held up iron keys, but there was no lock hole to insert the key… We tried searching for lock on box and found out a mold exactly the same shape as key. I inserted the key inside that mold and….Clack….Iron chest opened up with slight creaky sounds….

"Arin, carry those manuscripts and let's read them outside in front of Goddess." Hongseok said tapping on my shoulders as he realized my eyes were zoning out again as I touched those manuscripts.

"Ohh?? Ahh…ohh…ok…Seok…could you please carry them… It doesn't seem like I can keep myself awake in their presence…" I said while standing up with heavy legs.

Hongseok grabbed those books in one hand and wrapped other hand around my shoulders. We walked towards Astrea's idol, and sat down at her feet.

"Arin…are you feeling good? Only then we'll move forward with these manuscripts reading!"

I nodded my head in approval. He caressed my face lovingly, "Just hold my hands tightly whenever you feel like zoning out from this place. I'm there beside you, always."

I smiled at him and turned my head towards manuscript book, flipped the first page…. The book itself was worn away through several centuries… I held the first page near candle light… The words appeared… It was written in ancient hangul language…. I looked at Hongseok for help as I had never studied ancient hangul…

He came forward and took that page in his hand.

"It says…. The Moon hung between the trees grows bigger…. The Moonlight that melts the heartbreak…. Tears are filled up through milky way…. Only the one with pure fire in heart would survive this flood of tempting poison covered under milk…. Follow the path laid by Goddess of Purity… Flow yourself into the fire of purity…. Escape the temptation of Moon….Embrace the Chastity of Sun…"

As Hongseok continued reading that script, I felt like my body was gaining weight like stone… My eyes, ears, arms slowly went on collapsing at the feet of Astrea…. The grip of my hand in Hongseok's hands loosened down…. And I fell down unable to control my body with unbearable ice cold weight on my back…. All I could hear were diminished words Hongseok murmured…

"Arin!!! Arin!!! Control yourself!!! Look at me…. Don't leave my hands!!! I'm here for you, Arin!!!"

What could I do? My body was stiffened like a hard rock…. I realized… Astrea was calling me… I've to go through this fire pit of her anger towards me…. After all I had betrayed her by kicking away diamond in the thunder clouds… Anything was fine with me, as long as I could save Iseul from the trap of Adrestia….