Kingdom

124. Nightfall (10)

Nori manages to snatch the lantern from the table, yet the King doesn't slow down or allow her to do much else. He acts as if possessed by an unnamed demon and no amount of pleading convinces him that going into the cave in the middle of the night is a bad idea.

"You want to see me for who I am, I will show you." He says forcing her to follow him down the dark tunnel. The uneven rocks under Nori's bare feet are as cold as ice, the wind entering from the gaps in the rocks whistles a sinister melody that makes her blood freeze.

Walking inside the pitch black cave is as scary as being in one of Yoongi's dreams, only that this is not a dream and Nori cannot wake up from it.

"Please, Yoongi, let's go back." she says, holding on the lantern for dear life.

"We are not going back. Not before we see how hideous I am." His grip over her hand tightens. "You have to be brave and see it for yourself. So you never dare to be nice to me again. If I can't keep the boundaries between us in check, then you should. You should stay away from me."

They enter into the dark cave, the cold wind welcoming them with another of his gloomy, ominous songs. The plants hanging from the ceiling dance to its rhythm, twisting their branches in endless pirouettes. Scattered leaves fly around in the air, yet none of them lands over the unnaturally calm waters of the lake.

The small piece of the sky visible above them is crystal clear; the stars shine brighter than usual, yet their light feels colder and more distant than ever.

The lake shines.

It shines in a pale white light, as if a small moon is hiding inside of it. The faint light glowing from the lake's depths seems unreal, strange and a bit scary.

The whole cave feels different, as if inhabited by invisible creatures that are staring at them from the shadows. Every rock and every drop of water is filled with wild magic - untamed, unpredictable and dangerous.

Nori's skin crawls with fear, yet Yoongi remains unbothered. He leads her to the shores of the lake and leans over its waters, forcing her to do the same.

At first, their reflections are dim and unclear, like two faceless shadows standing amidst the moonlight. Then, little by little, the reflections clear up, resembling their faces more and more. Yet, despite its white glow, the lake surface remains somehow murky as if the water is filled with diluted paint, unable to show them the details of their features.

"He is ugly." Yoongi says, frowning at his reflection. Drops of blood fall from his face into the water, disturbing the calm surface, making the image of his face turn twisted and deformed.

"So ugly and repulsive." Yoongi adds, taking a step backwards. "Even I can't stand to look at him." He squeezes her hand so strongly that she doesn't feel her fingers. "What a disgusting creature..."

Nori bends down to leave the lantern on the rocky ground and turns to face the King. His eyes are tense, troubled, full of madness and misery. He stares at the lake unseeingly, drops of blood breaking over and under his eye and sliding down his face.

"What is wrong?" she asks. "What happened to upset you so much?"

He doesn't answer, yet a shift occurs in his magic, a familiar fear rises in his heart and fills the space around them like thick black fog. It's the same fear the King experienced in the presence of the tiger. Suddenly Nori knows exactly what to ask.

She takes his chin and turns his head around, looking straight into Yoongi's eyes. "What did you promise him?"

The King presses his lips together. His scar breaks into an open wound, hot blood streams down his face and drips all over his bright hanbok.