The Quest Begins
The Choi Residence
Baekhyun felt the weight of his new life. Yesterday he was a Korean idol; today, after the Honor Ceremony, he was a hunter. He looked at his sister, who was surrounded by a chaotic spread of high-tech gadgets and ancient-looking tools.
"Jin Ae, let's start the hunt for the Sigbinan," Baekhyun said, his voice serious. "Where do we even begin?"
Jin Ae didn't look up. She was busy calibrating a strange device, flanked by Catherine and Jasmine.
"You're a genius, Jin Ae," Catherine remarked, picking up a metallic sensor. "I can't believe you built all this in a single night."
"Exactly," Jasmine added. "But Catherine's right—where do we start looking for a shadow-creature?"
Jin Ae finally paused, looking at her friends with a pained expression. "No. Not this time, girls. I don't want you involved in this mission. This was tasked to us—to the Bellator. I couldn't live with myself if something happened to you because of my family's legacy."
"Do you agree with that, Jasmine?" Catherine asked, a playful but firm glint in her eyes.
"Not a chance," Jasmine replied. "Whether you allow it or not, we're coming with you."
Catherine smiled. "Same here. I'm ready."
Jin Ae opened her mouth to argue, but the heavy footsteps of her grandfather, Mr. Choi, silenced the room.
"Accept their help, Jin Ae," Mr. Choi said gently. "This mission is far from easy, and you will need every ally you can get. Thank you, girls, for standing by my grandchildren."
"But Hal-abeoji," Baekhyun protested, "what if the creature hurts them? They're just—"
"Don't worry," Mr. Choi interrupted. "The Sigbin is blind to ordinary mortals. To its eyes, they are invisible. It only sees members of our bloodline and those with supernatural abilities."
Jasmine grinned, nudging Jin Ae. "See? We're safe."
Beside them, however, Catherine's smile faltered. She went quiet, her mind racing. If only supernatural creatures are visible to it... then the Sigbin will see me.
The Predator at the Mall
Kaito and Calista's Point of View
Calista led Kaito through the crowded corridors of the shopping mall, trying to introduce him to the nuances of human life. She hoped—perhaps foolishly—that he might change his perception of them. She wanted him to see them as people, not just a convenient meal.
But as they passed a fountain, a man in a tight white T-shirt stepped into their path, smirking at Kaito.
"Hi there. You look familiar," the guy said, his eyes scanning Kaito's face. "Have we met somewhere before?"
Calista leaned in and whispered urgently in Kaito's ear, "He's a 'stripper'—or at least, that's his pick-up line. If you respond, he'll think you're interested in him. Let's just keep moving."
Kaito didn't move. He stared at the man, his gaze unnervingly still. A slow, dark smile spread across his lips.
"Calista," Kaito said smoothly, "I'm hungry. Go back to the castle and wait for me there."
"Kaito-san, please..." Calista whispered, sensing the shift in his energy. She knew that look. It wasn't interest—it was hunger.
Kaito ignored her, stepping closer to the man named Alexis. "You're right. You do look familiar."
Alexis winked, completely unaware of the shadow looming over him. "I'm Alexis. Can I buy you a drink?"
"I'd love one," Kaito replied, his voice a velvet trap.
Calista watched them for a heartbeat, her stomach churning with guilt. She had no power to stop him. With a final, worried look, she turned and disappeared into the crowd, leaving Alexis to his fate.
The Choi Residence
"Where are you going, Oppa?" Jin Ae asked, watching her brother pack his gear with frantic energy.
"I need to find Ethan. I've heard he's gone missing," Baekhyun replied, his jaw set in a hard line as he zipped his bag.
Jin Ae crossed her arms. "And what about Minjoon? Are you going to see him, too?"
"I got a text from him," Baekhyun said shortly. "He's back in Korea for now."
"You seem... unusually focused on Ethan," Jin Ae probed, her voice dropping. "Does Minjoon know you're cheating on him?"
Baekhyun snapped his head up, his eyes flashing. "Minjoon and I are fine. And for the record, I wasn't the one who started the cheating. I love Ethan, Jin Ae. No one is going to stop me. He's mine."
Jin Ae sighed, realizing there was no arguing with him. "Fine. So, what's the plan?"
"I'm leaving now. We'll meet at the base of Mount San Cristobal in four days. Please, be careful."
"Don't worry about me," Jin Ae said, gesturing to the girls behind her. "I have my sisters, Catherine and Jasmine, to watch my back. Good luck with your 'true love.' I just hope he still accepts you once he finds out you're a Bellator."
Baekhyun gave her a sharp, silent salute and vanished into the night.
"The Devil's Mountain," Catherine whispered, pulling a small, leather-bound book from her cloak.
"What's the book for?" Jasmine asked, peering over her shoulder.
"Just... notations for the journey," Catherine lied smoothly. She ran a thumb over the cover; it wasn't a notebook, but her ancient grimoire.
"Honestly, Catherine, buy a phone!" Jasmine teased. "Taking notes by hand is so old-fashioned. Once we finish this mission, I'm buying you a smartphone. And please, throw away that brick you're carrying. No one has used a phone like that since the early 2000s."
Jin Ae smiled as she packed the last of her gadgets. "Let her be, Jasmine. As long as she can text her grandmother, it's fine. But she's right, Catherine—we're definitely getting you an upgrade after this."
The Gates of Biringan
Akihiko's Point of View
When Akihiko stepped through the portal, the air changed. It became heavy, smelling of ozone and ancient gold. He looked up to see a massive, shimmering gate made of solid gold, guarded by a creature that looked like a nightmare brought to life.
"Where am I?" Aki whispered.
A massive, bull-headed man—a Sarangay—stepped forward. Jewels dangled from his ears, and his muscles rippled like stone. "What is a Kitsune doing at the gates of Biringan?"
"I'm here to see Ethan," Aki said, trying to keep his voice steady.
The creature, Marco, let out a booming laugh. "So, you are the Last Kitsune. Interesting. I am Marco, the Sarangay Guardian. If you want to pass through this gate, you must defeat me in a duel."
"I didn't come here to fight," Aki insisted. "I just want my friend."
"Are all Kitsunes this stubborn?" Marco sneered. "You deny the fight, just as you deny your own feelings. There is no shame in that kind of love, little fox."
Suddenly, Marco slammed his fist into the earth. The ground buckled, a powerful earthquake radiating from the impact. "Fight me, Kitsune, or the city will swallow you whole!" A massive axe manifested in Marco's hands, and shadows began to stir behind him—terrifying creatures creeping out of the golden mist.
"I am not prepared for this," Aki hissed. He reached into his bag, pulling out his service weapon and aiming it at the charging Sarangay.
The Viewing Spring
The Hidden Facility
Inside the heart of the city, the elders gathered around a shimmering spring that acted as a window to the outside world. Ethan stood among them, his breath catching as he watched the water.
"What's happening?" Ethan asked, pushing past the guards. Minjoon stepped up beside him, his expression grim.
"Look," Minjoon whispered.
In the reflection of the spring, they saw a man. His clothes were torn, and sprouting from his head were fox ears. Behind him, nine ethereal tails lashed through the air in a blur of power. He was fighting like a man possessed.
"A Kitsune?" one elder gasped. "I thought their kind was extinct."
"Look at how he handles that weapon," another noted.
Ethan's heart hammered against his ribs. He recognized the way the man stood, the way he held his breath before a shot. "Aki? What is he doing here?"
"Who is that?" Minjoon asked, narrowing his eyes at the screen.
"He's my best friend," Ethan said, his voice trembling with shock. "How did he find me?"
Minjoon's face went pale. "If your 'best friend' is the Last Kitsune, we are in more trouble than we thought. If Kaito finds out he exists, Biringan won't be able to protect any of us."
The Witch and the Hunter
Baekhyun's Point of View
Following the same path as Akihiko, Baekhyun finally arrived at the humble nipa hut. The air around the house shimmered with a strange, distorted heat.
"Greetings, handsome," a voice chirped. An old woman sat in the shade, watching him with a knowing smile. "What brings a man like you to my humble home?"
Baekhyun didn't waste time. "Are you the great witch, Ester?"
"Not quite," she replied, her eyes twinkling. "And for the record, my name has an 'H' now—so call me Esther. How can I help you, young hunter? I can smell the Bellator blood in your veins from here. Are you here to hunt me?"
"No," Baekhyun said firmly. "I'm here for my boyfriend. My search for him led me directly to your door. Can you help me find him?"
Esther chuckled, a dry, raspy sound. "How ironic. A Bellator who doesn't want to hunt his prey. Very well. But before I allow you to step through my door and into the portal, you must offer a trade. What is it worth to you to see him again?"
Baekhyun's eyes wandered to the wall of the hut, where a photograph was pinned. He froze. It was a picture of Ethan... and Akihiko.
"That picture," Baekhyun said, his voice tightening. "Did Ethan give that to you?"
"No," Esther said, pointing a gnarled finger at Akihiko's face. "This man gave it to me. He claims to be your boyfriend's 'best friend.' Though, I don't think that's quite right... I can feel his heart. It seems you two share the exact same feelings for the same man. How very complicated."
Baekhyun's jaw tightened. "So, that's Akihiko." He reached for his wrist and unclasped a silver bracelet he always wore. He handed it to her. "Take this."
As Esther's fingers brushed the metal, her expression softened into one of awe. "A gift from a lost mother... this is a rare and heavy trade. Do not worry; once your journey is over, it will find its way back to you."
She stood and pulled open the creaking wooden door, revealing a swirling vortex of golden light. "You may enter. But be warned, Bellator: the place where your boyfriend hides is treacherous. Especially for someone of your kind." She let out a cackling laugh as he stepped into the light.
The Journey to the Devil's Mountain
Jin Ae's Point of View
The air grew colder as Jin Ae, Jasmine, and Catherine began their ascent toward the peak of Mount San Cristobal. The trees here seemed to lean inward, as if whispering secrets to one another.
"We need to stay alert," Jin Ae cautioned, checking the scanners on her wrist. "We're going to encounter things here that don't belong in the human world."
"Is it true?" Jasmine asked, staying close to Catherine. "That your 'third sense' is fully open now?"
"Yes," Jin Ae replied. "I don't need technology to see the Sigbinan anymore. My eyes can track their shadows naturally now." She reached into her pack and pulled out two pairs of high-tech, sleek eyeglasses. "But you two will need these. I built them specifically for this mission."
She handed the glasses to her friends. "Put them on. Without these, the creatures will be right in front of you, and you'll never see the strike coming."
Jasmine put hers on immediately, but Catherine hesitated, clutching her hidden grimoire. She knew that with her own magic, she might see much more than just the Sigbinan.
TO BE CONTINUED...