Departure

Kosdae stood in an endless void, her feet submerged in a cold, dark liquid. She looked around and only saw darkness.

"Kosdae."

A voice called out to her from a distance. Kosdae turned around and saw a familiar figure. She blinked and slowly walked towards it. She felt no emotions as if the darkness was consuming her humanity away. Kosdae stood in front of the figure, the figure's face couldn't be seen even when it was in front of her. Kosdae couldn't decipher the figure's face.

"Kosdae."

The voice called again, closer now. She peered into the figure's face, trying to make sense of it, but all she saw were two dark voids where eyes should be and lips that did not move as they spoke. Suddenly, the darkness shifted, and the figure's features morphed into a familiar figure.

"Su Yoo Jin."

Kosdae muttered as she stared deeply into the transformed face of the figure. A shadow slowly formed in Kosdae's eyes trying to consume it fully.

"Too weak to protect her." The figure spoke. Darkness engulfed the figure's face transforming it into her mother's.

Kosdae stared darkness slowly filling her eyes.

"Meoni Chun," Kosdae muttered to the figure barely audible.

"You left her to die," the figure said as it eyed down Kosdae. The figure extended its hands as it morphed its face once more.

"Hwasan..." Kosdae muttered.

The figure smiled at Kosdae, "take my hand, Kosdae. I'll help you protect your loved ones."

Kosdae's eyes are completely consumed by the darkness, resembling the figure's empty eyes. Kosdae slowly extended her arm to the figure.

"Kosdae!"

"Kosdae!"

A voice echoed to the dark sky above them. The figure dissolved into the surrounding black liquid. The dark sky tore apart and a blinding light engulfed the void.

Kosdae covered her eyes as the sunlight shined over it. She looked around and saw Meoni sitting beside her. Meoni smiled as tears flowed down her cheeks.

Kosdae looked around the room and saw her uncle looking out the window, hands on his back.

Meoni looked at where Kosdae was staring and said, "I called Uncle Wu last week to check on you." Meoni smiled.

Kosdae turned her head to Meoni, "last week?" she asked.

"Yes, you've been unconscious for a week now."

Kosdae immediately asked again, "how is Jin? Is she safe?"

Meoni smiled weakly at Kosdae, "she has returned to her hometown with her master."

Kosdae's eyes widen in shock, "hometown? But Jin lives here. Jin told me that she and her master live in the mountains."

Meoni's expression tightened slightly, a flicker of unease passing over her face.

"There were some complications, Kosdae. Jin and her master had to leave suddenly. They're safe, but they needed to return to their hometown for...reasons beyond our control," Meoni forced a smile to try and lighten up Kosdae's mood.

Kosdae looked at her mother as if she were trying to stare right through her. Kosdae nodded, a slight hint of sadness on her face. Uncle Wu who has been staring outside for a while has finally walked over to Kosdae.

"How's my lovely niece doing?" Wu chuckled.

. . .

Kosdae looked at Wu blankly with no hint of excitement or anything.

!!

Sweat formed on Wu's forehead, and he flailed his arms around, "uhh...Uncle has been traversing the southern continent..."

Meoni gives a sharp glance at Wu as Kosdae stares at his embarrassed expression.

!!

Wu caught on to Meoni's glance and he composed himself.

Cough, Cough.

Wu puts his hand on Kosdae's shoulders, "I'm gonna toughen you out! Because you're too w-ffghhh!!"

Meoni quickly covered Wu's mouth and said, "Kosdae, I hope you understand how grave your situation is. The attacker seems to be targeting you, we didn't know if he was a part of an organization. Uncle Wu will take care of you you're not safe here."

Kosdae remembered the figure's words, she nodded and looked at Wu. Kosdae firmly stated, "Uncle, please teach me martial arts."

Wu pointed at his mouth, still covered, "mmfghhmm, mhhgsbn."

!!

Meoni quickly removed her hand from Wu's mouth. Wu cleared his throat, "I will but first give me a good reason why."

Kosdae looked down, a white blanket covering her legs she remembered the figure's words once more.

-To protect your loved ones.

To protect your loved ones.-

The words echoed in her mind. Kosdae looked back at Wu, "I want to protect those I hold dear," she said with a firm gaze toward her uncle.

Wu smiled, and his gaze shifted to Meoni, "where are most of your disciples? The training grounds seem empty," Wu asked.

"The lower-ranked disciples are in isolation training and most elder and upper-ranked disciples are recovering."

Wu rubbed his beard, "who will escort Meoni to the southern continent then?"

"Don't worry I've hired bodyguards from gon-"

"Southern? Why the Southern continent?" Kosdae asked interrupting Meoni.

!!

Wu waved his hands around, "you see, most of my disciples are in Nam-go." Sweat build-up from Wu's forehead.

Knock, Knock.

Someone knocked outside the door. They turned their heads toward the door.

"What?" Meoni asked.

A voice comes out from the outside, "Lady Meoni the Bodyguards from Gong-ja have arrived."

A few hours later Kosdae entered the carriage, Wu sitting across. Kosdae looked outside the window and saw her mother with a hint of loneliness on her face. Kosdae opened the window.

"Mother! I'll be back soon!"

Meoni smiled her mood lightening up, and she nodded.

"I swear, I'll come back and I will have the ability to protect you, Jin," Kosdae whispered to herself.

Wu, who has been observing Kosdae smirked as he crossed his arms.

Dozens of Bodyguards escorted Kosdae out of Yeon-in. Kosdae and Meoni said their goodbyes.

Kosdae looked at Wu, "how's the southern continent, Uncle?"

Wu looked at Kosdae feeling victorious, "finally! My niece has talked to me! How long has it been? 4 years? No 6 years! 6 years! Oh, my sweet Kosdae my dearest niece...."

"Uncle?"

"Uncle!"

!!

Wu jolted out of his thoughts when he heard Kosdae. "Huh?"

Kosdae's irritation grew by the second, she closed her eyes and spoke.

"I said. How Is The Southern Con.Ti.Nent!"

Wu cleared his throat, "Southern continent, eh? You can only know if you entered it."

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-7 days ago.

Babo carried Jin home. Jin was covered in bruises, blood covering the dress he wore. Babo laid Jin on the ground and took out a set of needles in his pocket.

Babo tore Jin's dress and with calm precision, Babo administered acupuncture all across Jin's body.

"You almost had your soul sucked out of you. All because of that girl."

Babo took out a cluster of herbs and boiled it, making a herbal tea. Jin still unconscious remains still on the ground, Babo puts the hot herbal tea in Jin's mouth.

"You're unconscious so you'll probably feel nothing." Babo stood up and spread his palm towards Jin, he channeled Qi in his palms and expelled it towards the needles in Jin's body.

Qi transferred from the needles to Jin's body. Babo shakes his head, "still not enough." Babo took out the same pill he used in the waterfall before and force-fed it into Jin. Jin's eyelids opened on their own, his eyes glowed along with his body.

Babo holds Jin in place and applies pressure on Jin's forehead. Babo put his palm on Jin's stomach, applying pressure.

Jin woke up in the middle of an ocean. Jin tried to get to the surface but to no avail.

"No use. It never ends. It seems the same place that I ended up when that old fart force-fed me that pill," Jin thought.

!!

Suddenly, Jin remembered the PyeongHyeong technique, "my body has been strengthened because of the training maybe I can do it here."

He focused his mind, recalling the steps of the technique. Slowly, she began to channel her internal energy, directing it towards her limbs. The water around her seemed to respond, pulsating with a strange energy.

It was dark when Jin woke up in his bed, he looked around and saw Babo sitting. Jin's body is screaming in pain, and he can't speak or lift a finger.

Babo stood up, "you owe me three. I'm heading outside I have some business." Babo headed out and entered the dense forest.

Babo arrived at the place where he and Jeong Su fought, no, where Babo killed Jeong Su. Babo looked around the place, the soil was destroyed, and the trees were slashed and pierced by Meoni. Babo walked to where Jeong Su's body was lying.

!!

But there was no body, only splattered blood. Babo quickly shook his head and walked away.

"Maybe the wild dogs got to him while I was away."

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A large eagle soars the skies, a man carries Jeong Su's dead body as the eagle flaps its wings the man looks at Jeong Su's. Tears flowed from the man's eyes.

"Don't worry Jeong Su, Master Li will make sure you receive the honor you deserve," the man whispered, his voice cracking. The eagle let out a mournful cry, echoing the man's grief as they flew over the dense forest, leaving the battleground behind.

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Babo returned home and saw Jin standing outside looking at the stars above.

"Jin," Babo called Jin and walked up to him.

Jin turned around and saw Babo, "master?"

Babo grabbed Jin's shoulders, "you should be recovering." Babo dragged Jin back to his room, "you're not leaving the mountains for a month! I'm training you!"

"What?! Why a month!?!!"

"You owe me 3 lifetimes, Jin!"

Jin sighed heavily, "fine...."

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-Back in the present day.

Back in the carriage, Kosdae stared out the window as the scenery passed by. Wu tried to entertain his niece by saying some words but it just came off as weird, further unsettling Kosdae. She continued to gaze out the window, lost in her thoughts. The passing landscapes blurred together, a mix of lush greenery and occasional clusters of small villages.

Kosdae remembered when Jin protected her, "Jin protected me but I can't protect her.... Once I come back I will repay you, Jin."

-Part one, end.

(W/n: Part one seemed too short to me so I promise that when I come back Part 2 will be longer and better than the last.)