Shadows in the Joseon Dynasty
The night air in the past was heavy and unnatural. Inside the guest quarters of Joseon's home, the group sat in a tense circle.
"I can't sleep," Ethan admitted, his eyes darting toward the paper-thin walls.
"I can't stop thinking about it," Kaito whispered. "Why would Joseon offer his home to total strangers? He doesn't even know us."
"That's the thing," Akihiko countered, his voice low. "He doesn't know us, but we know exactly who—and what—he is."
Zac rubbed his arms, trying to ward off a chill that had nothing to do with the weather. "He seemed so calm earlier. Everything felt... normal."
"Don't be fooled," Baekhyun warned, his gaze sharp and cold. "Demons are masters of the mask. They excel at pretending to be human until the moment they decide to stop."
Ethan looked around the room, a sudden realization hitting him. "Wait... where are Jasmine and Catherine? Did they manage to follow us through the rift?"
No one had an answer.
The Failed Ritual
In the present-day forest, Catherine stood before the fading remnants of the sigil, her brow furrowed in concentration.
"Anoíxte mou tin pýli kai afíste me na epistrépso sto parelthón!" she commanded.
Nothing happened. The air remained still; the gate stayed shut.
"Are you sure those were the words Ethan used?" Catherine asked, looking at Jasmine.
"I'm positive," Jasmine replied, her frustration growing. "Why isn't it working?"
"Maybe the timeline is rejecting us," Catherine mused. "It might be that the era Ethan is in won't allow more than five travelers at once."
"But we're his guardians!" Jasmine cried. "How are we supposed to protect the Sigbinan if we're stuck here?"
"He isn't alone," Catherine reminded her. "He has the Fire, Air, and Dark foxes with him."
"And the Merman," Jasmine corrected. "But still, what do we do now?"
A slow, knowing smile spread across Catherine's face. "I have a better idea." She grabbed Jasmine's arm, her fingers glowing with a new spell. "We're going to visit our 'sister'."
The Demon's Heir
Within seconds, the forest blurred and reformed into the opulent interior of the Choi mansion. Jin Ae was standing by the window, her silhouette framed by the moonlight.
"Jin Ae!" Catherine called out.
Jin Ae spun around, her eyes wide with disbelief. "Catherine? Jasmine? Are you real, or am I finally losing my mind?"
Without a word, Jasmine stepped forward and firmly bit Jin Ae's hand.
"Ow! Jasmine, that hurts!" Jin Ae yelped, pulling her hand back.
"See? We're real," Catherine said with a small laugh, watching Jasmine prepare for a second "test" bite.
"Okay, okay! I believe you!" Jin Ae laughed breathlessly, before her expression turned somber. "But where is my brother?"
"They're on a mission, Jin Ae," Jasmine said, her tone becoming serious. "But we have to know... how did you convince your grandfather to hand over the family wealth so easily?"
"I had to make a deal," Jin Ae said, turning her back to them. "For the safety of my mother and Baekhyun."
"Jin Ae," Jasmine said softly, "do you know the truth about Baekhyun? About who he really is?"
Jin Ae stood tall, her shoulders tensed. "I know he isn't my biological brother. I found out recently. That's why the deal was necessary."
"And about your grandfather..." Catherine started, "did you know that he—"
"Is Lucifer? Yes." Jin Ae interrupted, her voice devoid of emotion. "I saw everything. I saw him take the Sigbin I captured from the sanctuary."
"What? But how?" Catherine gasped. "That place is guarded by ancient creatures!"
Jin Ae turned to face them. As she did, the light in the room seemed to die. Her eyes, once a warm brown, bled into a terrifying, solid ink-black.
"I am half-human and half-demon," Jin Ae said.
Her voice was no longer her own; it was a dual-layered, masculine growl that vibrated in the girls' chests. Catherine and Jasmine recoiled in pure terror, their breath catching in their throats.
Seeing their fear, the darkness receded. Jin Ae's eyes returned to normal, and her voice softened back to its sweet, melodic tone. "I'm sorry," she whispered, looking at her trembling hands. "I didn't mean to scare you."
"No, it's okay," Catherine said, her voice steady. "No matter what happens, you are still our friend."
"She's right," Jasmine added with a supportive nod. "You're the brilliant inventor who always finds a way to help others."
"We are all different—none of us are perfect," Catherine continued, stepping closer to Jin Ae. "But we have one goal: to save the supernatural creatures and bring peace to all the races."
Jin Ae looked at them, the darkness in her eyes fully receding. A genuine smile touched her lips. "Count me in, Witch Leader."
"Me too! Don't forget me!" Jasmine chirped.
Jin Ae teased her, "As if I could forget a Banshee. I've known your secret since we helped Aling Marites, remember?"
"True, true," Jasmine sighed dreamily. "And that hunky policeman... he was so handsome."
"Jasmine!" Catherine and Jin Ae shouted in unison.
"What? Did I say something wrong?" Jasmine asked, blinking innocently.
"That's enough," Jin Ae laughed, gesturing toward the house. "Come inside. I'll prepare something for you both."
"I hope it's not human meat," Jasmine joked, winking. "Unless you're serving up a handsome man. I'd happily eat his—"
"Jasmine, watch your mouth!" Catherine interrupted, blushing.
Jin Ae shook her head. "Sometimes I wonder if you're a real woman or a predator in disguise, Jasmine. The way you stare at men... it's like you're undressing them with your eyes, ready to force them into bed."
"Ouch! Coming from my own sisters? That hurts!" Jasmine pouted.
The laughter died instantly as they stepped into the foyer. Mr. Choi was standing at the top of the grand staircase, his shadow stretching long across the floor.
"You didn't mention we had visitors," he said, his voice like grinding stones.
Jin Ae stepped in front of her friends, her posture defensive. "Don't you dare touch them. Don't even touch a hair on their heads, or I will do something you'll regret."
Mr. Choi chuckled, a cold, hollow sound. "They are your friends, and I have seen them before. Don't worry, mi nieta bonita. I will leave these lovely ladies to you."
"Then stay away from us," Jin Ae snapped.
Mr. Choi began to walk away, but paused, casting a chilling glance over his shoulder at Catherine and Jasmine. "It was a pleasure, Witch Leader. And you, Banshee... tell me, have you already sensed who is next to die?"
When he saw the terror drain the color from their faces, he threw his head back and laughed—a booming, demonic sound that echoed through the entire mansion.
"Crazy old man!" Jin Ae hissed once he vanished.
"Jasmine... what did he mean?" Catherine whispered, her hand trembling.
Jasmine didn't answer. Her eyes were fixed on the hallway. "Jin Ae, where is your grandmother?"
"Why? She's abroad. I sent her to Korea for her safety," Jin Ae replied, confused.
"No... she's dead," Jasmine whispered.
Before Jin Ae could protest, Jasmine bolted down the hallway. Her friends followed, their footsteps thundering on the hardwood until they reached the glass doors leading to the conservatory.
"The garden? Why here?" Jin Ae panted.
"Catherine, you see her, right?" Jasmine pointed toward the rosebushes.
Catherine nodded and closed her eyes. She focused her energy, pulling back the veil and opening her Third Eye. The world shifted into shades of blue and gray, and there, standing among the flowers, was the pale, translucent spirit of Jin Ae's grandmother.
"She's here," Catherine confirmed, her voice cracking. "And I see how it happened."
The spirit drifted toward them, its face twisted in a silent scream. As it touched the air between them, a psychic flash hit Catherine and Jasmine, showing them the brutal reality of her final moments.
"What's happening?" Jin Ae cried out, seeing her friends freeze in horror. "What are you seeing?!"
A Crimson Feast
Back in the Joseon era, the travelers were jolted awake by a blood-curdling scream echoing from the adjacent room. They burst through the doors, only to freeze in pure horror.
The room was painted in red. Joseon crouched on the floor, his face smeared with gore as he consumed the flesh of his own wife. He looked up, his eyes void of humanity. Before they could react, he lunged toward the window, crashing through the paper screen and disappearing into the night.
"We have to stop him!" Kaito roared, his eyes glowing as he prepared to shift into his fox form.
Suddenly, the air shimmered, and a woman dressed in a flowing, crimson gown stepped into their path. "You will not interfere," she commanded, her voice vibrating with authority. "Traveling through the currents of time is a violation of the laws of existence. You are here to observe, not to rewrite."
"We can't just let that monster escape!" Kaito snarled.
The Lady in Red merely snapped her fingers. In a blink, the bloody room vanished. They found themselves standing on the outskirts of the village as the morning sun rose, watching historical officers examine the crime scene from a distance.
"Your quest is to learn how to defeat the threat to peace, not to play hero in a century that isn't yours," she said coldly. With another snap, she vanished into the mist.
"Who was she?" Akihiko asked, his breath hitching.
"I don't know," Ethan whispered, looking at the distant village. "But we're being watched. The past is a locked room, and she's the keeper."
"Which is exactly why you guys shouldn't touch anything," Zac added nervously.
"But where is Joseon now? What are we supposed to see next?" Baekhyun asked.
Suddenly, a red-gloved hand gripped their arms from behind. "Oh, right! I almost forgot to take you to the next act. Let's go!" the Lady in Red chirped, her tone suddenly playful.
The world blurred. When the colors settled, they were standing on a lush, windswept hill.
"I know this place," Kaito whispered, his voice trembling.
"Where the grass is greener?" Ethan joked weakly, trying to break the tension.
"California girls, unforgettable..." Zac started to hum, but Akihiko cut him off with a sharp look.
Kaito didn't hear them; he was already sprinting toward the gate of a small, traditional town in the valley below.
"I think I know where we are," Baekhyun said, his face paling.
"This is Kaito's home," Ethan realized. "The place where the Nogitsune was born out of pure hatred and rage."
The Present: The Mirror's Curse
In the garden of the Choi mansion, the air felt stagnant and cold. Catherine and Jasmine stood frozen, their eyes still glazed from the psychic vision granted by the grandmother's spirit.
"What happened? Tell me!" Jin Ae pleaded, her voice cracking. "How did she die? Who did this?"
Jasmine stepped back, her face pale. "She was killed right here, Jin Ae. In this garden."
"But by who? Tell me, Catherine!"
Catherine finally looked up, her Third Eye closing as tears welled in her eyes. The truth felt like a physical weight in the air.
"She was killed by... you," Catherine whispered.
"Me?" Jin Ae recoiled as if she had been struck. "That's impossible! I loved her! I was trying to save her!"
The spirit of the grandmother looked at Jin Ae with a mixture of pity and terror, her ghostly finger pointing directly at her granddaughter's heart—where the demon's blood now flowed.
TO BE CONTINUED...