From Decay Fragrance Blooms. (Part 2)

*Rumble* *Crackle* *Boom*

"Uwaaah!"

"Don't be sad Heon!"

*Sob*

"We may lost our house, our citizenship, our everything... But we still have eachother. Your Hyung will be the one to make sure you stay safe..."

*Grip*

"I'll make sure of that!"

***********************************

"Um... This goes here, then here-"

*Boom*

"Awok!"

"Hyung!"

"Hehehe! I'm fine! I'm fine-umph!"

*Hug*

"Don't do something so stupid! What if, what if you dissapear as well?!"

"I... I'm sorry... But I still need to, do it... But in a different way."

***********************************

"W-What the!?"

"W-Who is that brat?"

"How is he so strong?"

"A new King! A new Hyung!"

" "Hail! Hail!" "

*Grip*

"By here on out, the this will be the start of the Hangong Fam!"

" "Hurrah!" "

***********************************

" "HYUNG NIM! HYUNG NIM!" "

"From this day forward, Neul will be part of the Hangong Fam!"

" "YEAH!!!" "

*Pop* *Pop* *Flare*

"Y-You're amazing Hyung! I... I wish I could be like you. No matter how much I train, I could never reach the same level."

*Russle*

"Hehe, what're you saying Heon? You're my brother, you're my guiding light... My God that's embarrassing! Anyways, you'll surpass me, in your own way. Plus you only started training for a few months compared to me by that time, you're doing great."

***********************************

"Ongna, Suhar, Sanchyeon, Ninam, Dalcheol and now the so called old capital Neul. To think it's only been 5 year since I started. Wow, I better start slowing down so they actually get some developement."

"W-What are you saying Hyung!? There's only the bridge of Henyeon and Baram left before the flower capital of Hwanara herself! Do I have to tell you how big this is Hyung!?"

"Come now, Heon, don't get too excited. I hope you remember Hangong is not here to conquer. We're just here to make people's life down here just a bit better. Especially, Neul, maybe if we can make the other half livable... Maybe we can make it like the Capital of our southern kin?"

"But... Hyung...! Uuumph..."

"Hehe..."

*Rustle*

"Listen, Heon, if there's one thing I can teach you is that no matter what happens, never forget why you started. This whole stuff happened because turns out, I'm just good in a fight, but what comes after that?"

*Yawn*

"Woaaah... As for me, I'm just happy that not only do I have you as my cute little brother but my new Hangong Fam as my new family as well."

***********************************

*Sniff* *Sniff*

"Urgh! Uegh! Eheck!"

Amidst beautiful dream, a soothing slumber, a vile scent assaults and tore all dreams asunder. The air thick with with a foul smell cause quite a rude awakening for a wonderful rest.

Reaching his arm out around him hoping to grab one of his warm towels, all he feels is nothing but air and emptiness. Patience slolwy slips as he just rubs his eyes and face with his shirt.

"Did someone just died at the sewers infront? Haah, what an unlucky start."

The boy shuffles around the floor for a while trying to get comfortable but the icky sensation all over his body just makes it seem worse.

"Come on! Did I trip over some mud and oil or something yesterday? Great- Urgh!"

The boy grabs his head as he feels a headache and in that split second, an image of a girl's corpse flash across his mind...

"What the? Can this day get any worse- Ow-ow-ow!"

As he tries to get up, he felt pain all over his body and look to see blue marks everywhere.

"Aaaaah! Fine!"

Finally losing his patience, he lets out his fighting spirit, he grits his teeth and performs a kick up. Swinging his arms to prove his will, he dash outside and face towards the blooming capital lights and shouting:

"You hear me world! Your stupid bad luck won't bring me down!"

He looks around his home and notice how it is more messier than it usually is but maybe that's just his mind. After all, what is a mess in a dumbster?

With weary eyes, he walks back inside. Walking towards the kitchen sink just beside his bed, he looks over the water which is his mirror. He throws yesterday's water away, and wash his face with the new snow water he gathers from the mountain caves. With a bit of magic, he turns the stove and starts cookimh the water. And as he waits, he looks at his mirror to reflect. He may not remember much of what happened yesterday but he simply adjust that by looking at the calendar he rummage months prior.

Looking up at the wall, this old Owlian paper with his goals etched to it may soon run out as this year seems to be the last, but he will make do with it. He hovers over the dates and see which ones he cross last to tell the date and determines his daily routine from each day. Rather than every morning, he would scratch every night when he sells his scraps to date his savings. As he sees how today's he's suppose to dove into the mountains and gather snow, something clicks as he tilts his head wondering,

"Oh? I'm suppose to gather more snow? But then where did this water come from?"

He looks at his face reflected upon the sink and,

"Argh!"

The sight of him dragging a girl's corpse across with his favourite cart sends shivers down his spine. That shiver instinctively cause him to look around and now he notice how everything is a mess. While the dumps outside is understandable, the inside must at least be organized.

"Sheesh, no wonder I didn't find my towels. What was I doing yesterday?"

His house spacious as it is, thanks to the fact this building is suppose to be a small warehouse. Filled with junks he loves to hoard in hopes he can piece them together, but also essential stuff like food cans hidden beneath the secret floor doors beneath the junk pile but...

Slowly piecing together the clues since this morning, he walks over to where he put his pile and found water marks everywhere and how much of a wreckage it has become.

"Urgh!"

Soon the sight of him being beaten up by those goons surface and something... From the reflection of the broken shards, he caught something horrible moving behind him.

"No... Hehe, no way..."

The pain all over his body, the wrecked home, his broken valuables and... He looks at his broken door and concluded,

"Yeah, yesterday was the last day. I must've been late in payments so they beat me up... Screw them! But, what in Harihwata's name compeled me to even call those thieves? They would never find me at my house unless I called them or that traitor sent... Hmph! No matter! You hear me world, I'll continue my day and struggle until I fufill my dreams!"

He rubs his finger on a black stain and cross the date before washing himself again humming at today's date as it is suppose to be his free day, more specifically his training day.

"Hum~ Hum~ Huhu~ maybe I'll make today an exception. If the world won't give me a good day then I'll just give myself one. Hehe, one step closer."

*Splash*

"Hm?"

The water ripples calms, he look at the water's reflection. Standing silently behind him with a captivating smile is a vagrant woman with long brown hair. Slowly her reflections comes closer without any sounds of steps as if she's floating, her smile widening as she nears. His hand shakes uncontrollably before he even realize it as the ripple hides her face yet not her smile. He wants to turn around but his neck won't move, his whole body freezes and his breathing becomes so heavy as if gasping for air.

"Hey, did you have a nice sleep?"

Her voice enters his ears like wonderful choir chiming upon the coming night. Her reflections comes ever nearer as he then feels a cold breathe upon his ears and instinctively he calls out,

"Hyung..."

"Hyung?"

Slowly the memories of yesterday starts to resurface, and tears swells from his eyes.

*Grab*

He felt a soft touch on his shoulder and feels his head slowly twisting back. As he turns, all the memories flooded him like a dam breaking. A warm sensation wash over his pants and his tears flow. He may have dealed with thugs, crooks, scammers, and even monsters. All of those he can handle since he can simply run or beat them, but evil spirits...

"I.. I... I sniff sniff... I just can't..."

"Can't what?"

As he come face to face with the Gwishin, he simply,

"Uweeeeh!"

"E-Eh!? N-Not again!"

***********************************

After hearing the boy waking up and running in and out shouting atop of his lungs, I return to his house after scouting and trying to find food in the neighbourhood. Hearing him have his self reflection, I start to recall what I experience while bypassing traps near his house and ascend the hill with some of the meal I acquired.

This place is a completely hopeless paradise, while from the top this place looks like a wonderful neighborhood with lights all over looking like a normal city, but they're turning the lights on to hide the rotten insides it seems. With there being two roads to descend, I decided to use the good old metal stick to decide my fate.

The resident homes lining across the streets when I arrived are either destroyed, ransacked, vandalized, or those that are intact is occupied by some unfriendly individuals and beggars while being completely surrounded by tents and make-shift homes. Stores and diners are all always destroyed or closed, and some that are open are usually barricaded and barbed with huge bonfires while the steel fences courses electricity, with scary people wearing make-shift scrap iron tied together to look like armoured knights patrolling the area or watching with the tall watch towers. The roads are not any better, with holes everywhere on the roads and walkways, streetlights are being use as gibbets as rows upon rows leading to open facilities are lined up with hanging rotting corpses.

Vagrants that are not living near or around the intacted homes are either always hiding in the alleyways or scavenging the corpses pushed at the corner of the eyes to make the road clear. As I was travelling from the broken rooftops, remembering the whole sight always give me the chills, to think such anarchy and lawlessness that make the ruined and abandoned city of Mohyunsig look like paradise is baffling. I wonder,

(Did Sis and Yoo-Sui knew this despite none of this ever written in the reports and files she gaved me? From the pictures I see, the flower capital and other places actually look much better than- hm?)

"Food!"

"Supplies!"

"We're eating lavishly tonight, girls!"

"Quick! Before the Hangundan or the others gets them!"

As I was wondering, from the dark clouds, something fell from the sky. Huge crates descend like a wishing star with a huge round cloth that helps it slowly descends while shooting colourful flares towards the sky like fireworks. From the top, I see the vagrants at the alleyways start moving to where they would land, alongside vehicles and other scary people, basically everyone is going towards the falling star.

And as I wonder why, I heard how all of them say food and that got me interested as I'm absolutely blemished.

That was kinda a huge mistake.

When I arrive to the closest crate, the entire scene devolve into an open battle royale where countless people of all ages rush in fighting eachother. The strong devouring the weak, the weak group together in uncertainty to crush the strong with sheer numbers, the wise ambushing the unsuspecting, and the lucky ones could only celebrate theit brief victory...

Seeing such spectacle, I did try to intervene, but the moment I stepped in, everyone seem to gang up on me before I could say anything. The elderly, kids, teens, adults, and even mothers carrying their babies rush over as if its planned. With shivs coated by something dirty, broken burning bats, bent needles with something inside, pipes with sharp objects fused to it, and all make-shift weapons... I easily blow everyone away with my physical force alone.

All their improvised weapons and tools prove ineffective as they can't even pierce my open wound even with magic. One by one, I knock the assailant unconscious with my bare hands, one hit each so that I don't accidentally kill them but it certainly breaks their bones. Some group even tries to grapple me with each person grabbing one limb and force me to drag their bodies. Some shabby mages that wears shabby clothes similar to when I first met Moriz, they all carry a staff that's more like broken canes molds the ground to grapple my feet as they fire all kinds of elements but mostly ice which I easily break away. Then someone who seem like a leader of sorts surrounded by many scary people with spikes did manage to perform an arm lock and tear my recently attached arm off, but I accidentally put too much pressure and smash his helnet, caving his face in by using my detached arm like a mace.

One by one I easily crush everyone attacking me and soon the numbers coming at me simply decreases until I finally reach the rear mages at the crate. They all kowtow and fell to their knees begging for forgiveness and mercy while saying how important they are and how much they're willing to pay if I let them go, which I did.

Realizing how much I struggle to reach here, I look back to see how much damage I did. What I did can be called a massacre where no one died (Hopefully). Countless bodies are scattered, piled, and littered all around my path as the streets are filled with blood but not as blood drenched as my fist. Contrary to their confidence at the beginning, everyone's either running away or completely paralized in their knees.

Feeling absolutely horrible, and wondering how they are going to open this reinforce crate with their poorly made tools, I decided to help and contribute by cracking open the crate with my fist. Pummeling the crate proved to be harder with one arm, as my punches echo loudly and the ground caved before the box finally pried open to find countless canned food, crystals, clothes, and other commodities very much needed in this hell hole... Except for owlians goods.

(So there's not even simple medicine or salve? Well, either way I finally get some food).

"You all better share."

I remember myself saying that as I grab just 2 canned food to bring back. After finished eating one can, I walk back and destroyed anyone that comes rushing to me, I was excited to finally have a conversation but...

"Uweeeh! I don't wanna die! Please spare me, Gwishin Nim...! I swear I'm not a bad boy..! I sleep early! I don't steal anymore! A-And I follow night rules! Uwaaah!"

The boy drops on his knees as he continues to wet himself and I can't help but feel terrible.

(What did I do to warrant this?)

I put the canned food down and pat his head trying to calm him saying:

"Hey, I brought you lunch... Or dinner? It's hard to tell time when I can't see the sun or time."

"Sniff, Sniff... H-Huh? Y-You're not going to eat me? Gwishin nim?"

I ruffle his hair as if gesturing him to change his mind saying:

"Of course not! I'm not some kind of mon... Well, either way I worked hard to brought you something to eat."

Swallowing my own words about being a monster as I'm aware of my circumstance, I try to gain his trust with some food. The boy seem hesitant with his puffy eyes and shaking body, but immediately upon seeing the huge can he jumps pointing at it saying:

"Wait, Gwishin nim, how did you get that!? I'm not saying you're using witchcraft but where did you get that?"

(Witchcraft? Is that any different than magic?)

"Of course, from the falling crate. Boy, did you know how many people I had to go through? But then again prying the crate open is much harder than fighting all those people."

I rub at my knuckles that already recovered enough thanks to the food and my fingers too which regrew both flesh and skin...

(Even though the food is completely bland or maybe I have been spoiled by Yoo-Ah's meal it did help me recover. Also, having different lighter coloured skin on my new flesh feels weird or is this how those geckos feel whenever they regrow their tail?)

As I was wondering and looking over my new hands, the boy who's tilting his head finally starts replying:

"Y-You pry open the crate? That reinforced Ruccinium crate? But that would also mean you somehow beat the fam stationed near there?"

The boy is simply in disbelief as he hesitantly grabs the can and inspect it before he looks at me, scanning me from head to toe. I look at the clothes I'm wearing and realize,

"Ah right, since you did brought me here I suppose you don't mind me borrowing your clothes right?"

While a bit of a tight fit since it's half my size, I mostly use his clothes as wraps to cover the holes in my body. As I am now, I'm going bare feet since most of my clothes is already destroyed.

"Huh? Wait, that is my clothes! But... But... I suppose I'll let it go since you did bring me a month worth of food. (Wait, she's not trying to fatten me up right?)"

Ignoring the weird thing he's spouting, I start to look at the can and wonder,

(A month? That huge can? Am I just that much of a glutton now? Well, I mean Yoo-Ah certainly have been feeding me a lot but...)

As if lost for words, the boy's ruby eyes are shaking as he pursed his lips hugging the can as if it's his life, like he doesn't even know where to start asking, his eyes darts back and forth between my arms and legs which is still smeared by dried blood. I hide my hands on my back and cross my legs, seeing his eyes remind me of Saya when we first met and I use this chance to begin asking:

"Boy, will you help me out?"

"H-Huh?"

"I won't ask you to fight or bring yourself in danger, I just need you to guide me."

"Guide?"

"Yea, this place is very big, and no matter where I go here everything looks the same. Just ruins upon ruins."

The boy hugs the can tighter as he then says:

"That's... I-"

"Hey! Over here Hyung! This is where the Gwishin is last seen, I can also smell your favourite canned meal trails here too."

The boy's answer was cut short when someone shouted from the outside. Hearing a ton of footsteps marching up, I peeks outside the window. From the distance, a group of people wearing familiar spiky outfit walks closer here as they disregard the traps at the way. The boy peeks at the window beside me seeing the group starts to shiver and shake, from the clattering teeth I heard him say,

"Do-Saeng Hyung..."

"Hm? You know him?"

I look at the boy as I ask and he doesn't frowns at my question. Shaking his head as he doesn't wish to answer. Wondering and weighing my options on what to do, by simply continue relying the boy or just do things myself for now with how dangerous this place is, fate seems to wish that I be quick on that decision as they soon arrive infront of the house.

"Eyo? Where are you taking me?"

"To hide from their sites."

Seeing how close they are, I decided to duck my head and pull the kid back as to not get spotted. The leader of sort, a guy with slick black hair with a lot of cow licks, a slim but toned built visible from his expensive red suit, but most remarkable is how instead of a coat he wears a jacket with the letter [Han] inscribed and a huge burn mark on his neck. He is a guy in his late teens who seem to look the same age as me but doesn't feel so. He inspects the house before he turn his head towards the group and a familiar trio of sort comes forward rubbing their hands.

"Hehe, yes Hyung nim, how can we help?"

"Yes, yes, we are ready to answer everything!"

"How can we help you, Hyung nim?"

Tightening his grip on his gloves and tie, he points at the building asking:

"What of the boy living here?"

One of them comes forward half bowing saying:

"O-Oh! W-Well, we don't actually know-"

*Smash* *Crack* *Crash*

"Eek!"

"Eep!"

Hearing that undesirable answer, the Hyung smash the back of his hand in response and send him flying toward the junk pile tumbling down burying him. The trio now duo and the group behind the Hyung tense and straighten up in response of his hostile response. He wipes the blood at his hands as his face darken with anger asking:

"The report said you three are the last one here. So let me ask again, what happened to the boy living here?"

"He threw him!"

"W-What!?"

One of the duo points at the other accusing him before he then kowtow shouting:

"We received a call from Heon that he's willing to finally pay his debts! But turns out he's giving us a bloated and shambled corpse instead! So he starts beating him up before Gaeyong hyung stop him-"

"You son of a bitch! You're the one who start beating him up first! And let's not forget you're the one who throw him to the Gwishin!"

*Smack*

"Argh!"

"You fucking traitor-"

"Enough..."

"Eep!"

The duo stops what they're doing and gesture at the group behind them saying:

"Take them to soapland."

The scary spiky people and shabby mages starts dragging the duo as they try to retaliate and resits but it proves futile.

"W-Wait! Hyung nim!"

"No! Nooo! Stop! Aaaargh!"

Seeing the two get dragged out of sight, the Hyung look back at the crowd as if anticipating someone. The spiky boys make way for a girl of similar age to come forth. Wearing seemingly a stylized school unifom underneath a jacket with a huge [Han] letter inscribed, she comes out cheerful and swinging a intricate staff saying:

"Hey~ Hey~ bumbum!"

(Han? That's definitely Han).

Comapred to everyone, she seems much more laxed and casual around the Hyung before he sighs and folds his arms saying:

"Great, so you're here too? Shouldn't you be at school at this time?"

Her bright red hair sway back and forth as she moves with her staff and float around the Hyung replying:

"Bumbum, you should know better than anyone there's no real teacher at that institution or any schools in this country. No wonder they sent their kids abroad, adults can't be trusted at all."

"Hmph, don't say that as if you're not one."

"Pssh, I'm definitely still 17 can't you tell? Still how can I not come here now that you're here beinging in my mages? Also, my right hand man and his elite squad got their face literally caved in by some nobody and the trails lead to here. I mean shouldn't that be my question? What's the mighty Warden of Hansaeng doing here?"

"Tch! Just stay out of my way."

Compared to everyone's shabby, dirty, and cobbled attire, the two have their own distinct, clean, and unique get-up. The man with his expensive patterned red jacket and suit, and the girl with her expensive jacket and uniform, seeing the two is like seeing a royalty walking down the sewers.

"Oh no..."

I panic a bit as this place has become quite a gathering of scary folks and ready myself to escape. But what's worse is the boy's scared when he sees her... No looking closer, rather than clattering, he's gnashing his teeth in anger.

*Stomp* *Stomp* *Vroom*

(Hm?)

"Hey! Hey! Hey! What do we have here~?"

Coming from the opposite direction, another group comes marching in with weapons on the ready. Carrying crossbows, make-shift rifles with bayonets, they move in formation as I realize they're what I call the junk knights with those make-shift spiky mails.

*Vroom*

From one of tallest pile, someone wearing a dazzling scale armour leaps across, landing and drifting his massive bike with multiple large pipes extending like horns. The dust and fumes he exude makes his entrance more grand as he then swings his rifle to his shoulder saying:

"Woah, woah, woah, both the Warden AND Lady strawberry. Don't tell me I caught you in some secret meeting? Well, if that's the case."

*Kachick*

He cocks his rifle... Which turns to be a shotgun as he then open his visir to reveal a glowing blue eyes showing his clear hostility.

"Well, why don't you try finishing that sentence."

"Hmm~ this day can't get any worse can it?"

(She said it).

The Hyung or Warden ignores both of them and starts walking to the building but,

*Bang*

The biker knight shoots near his shoes saying:

"Nuh, uh, uh, don't make any sudden movements now. To think the chance to wipe out lady Strawberry AND the Warden would come so easily. Soon this whole city will be under us Hangundan."

(What in the world is happening!?)