disfunctionality | HwanHee ✅

Ninth Toll

I snapped out of my daze and opened the front door. I hurried to the sidewalk and looked around for Keonhee. "Where did he disappear to that fast..." I looked at Lutin who appeared from my hair then shook his head. "He's gone...?" Lutin nodded then tugged on the back of my shirt to drag me back in. "Even if we split ways here, I still want to know where he was planning to go." I hurried back towards the forest in hopes of catching him before he goes through.

I stopped to catch my breath as I had run all the way from the house to the portal. I looked around but there was no sign of Keonhee. "Lutin, we're going back in." He tugged on my hair which stopped me in my tracks. "Why? I just told you, I want to know where he was trying to go. Maybe I could help direct him." He let me go and I felt the familiar tingling sensation as I passed through. I looked around and saw nothing but trees. "He's this way." I followed behind Lutin feeling happy that he decided to help me out.

I saw a figure in the distance and knew it was Keonhee by his scent. I ran up to him and he jumped in fright. "Why are you here?" "I want to ask you something." "What?" "Since we'll be splitting ways, I want to know where you're heading to or trying to." He walked around me and kept walking. "Keon..." "Him." "Him...The Him?" "Yes." I was surprised that he was seeking out a being that no one has seen for many many generations. The last time he was seen was before the war broke out. "How? No one has seen Him, so how can you know where he resides?" The fact that he remained silent told me that he had no idea.

"Then, why are you seeking out Him?" "I want to be fully human." "Fully human...? Why?" He didn't answer me but instead looked straight into my eyes. "I already told you, so now go." He ran off. "Happy now?" I should've been, but agreeing hearing his reason, it had the opposite effect. "No." "Well, let's head back. We'll die out here alone." I couldn't deny that fact and started back towards the portal. One of those weird creatures jumped out from behind a tree and almost got a hold of my leg. I ran away as fast as I could. "Lutin, do something!" "I'm trying! Nothing is working!" "What kind of spawn of Satan..." I remembered my last encounter with one then transformed into a squirrel. I quickly climbed the tree then looked down. "What the-" I hastily moved to another tree as this one was climbing up after me.

I heard shouting and saw somecreature running away from a group. I barely dodged the creature's attack as I was too focused on what was going on below. I noticed Lutin had put his hands out and created a big blinding light. I saw that the creature was now ashes and Lutin had lost most of his glow. "Lutin..." "It'll be okay. Go on without me." I picked him up with my tail and followed the group from the trees. I noticed that a cliff was coming up and I worried for the animal being chased. They slowed to a stop then looked behind before jumping. I quickly made my way to the tree by the edge and looked down.

I scaled down the cliff in hopes of being able to help the poor animal. I looked around and saw a trail of blood. I quickly followed it and ended up at a cave. I slowly walked in and knew this scent all too well. "Keonhee!" He and Nisse looked in my direction. "Are you okay? Scratch that, do you need anything?" He didn't respond and Nisse continued to heal his wounds. "Who were those animals chasing you...?" "Hired assassins." "Who wants you dead?" I figured he had his reasons for not answering, so I quietly dropped the topic.

"Are you not going back?" I looked in his direction. "No." I don't know why I said that. Maybe because I didn't want to be alone. Maybe I worried for him. Maybe I depended too much on him. Who's to say it wasn't all of them? Whatever the reason was, it kept me from leaving Keonhee's side.