Art by @_kasumi_mai
The cold from the flagstones seeped into Jihye’s skin as she scrambled to her feet. Her mind reeled from the abrupt shift in surroundings, her body tense with instinct. The vast chamber loomed around her, its vaulted ceiling lost in shadows, dimly lit by floating orbs casting slow-turning light across ancient stonework.
She whirled toward the only other presence in the room. The man who had brought her here stood a few paces away, calm and unthreatened. Her fists balled, knees bent, weight shifted to bolt.
“Where am I?” she growled, fire flashing behind her amber eyes.
“You’re in my tower,” he replied evenly. “The exact location isn’t important yet. For both our safety.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Why did you bring me here?”
“Because you don’t know what you’ve stumbled into. And you won’t survive it without help.”
She stared at him, searching for the trap. But he didn’t move. Just stood there, letting her gauge her options. She took a slow breath and turned to grab her bag from the floor. Her muscles still buzzed with adrenaline.
“What do I need to know?” she asked as she swung it over her shoulder.
“Come to my study. I’ll explain what I can.”
He turned, his cloak whispering over stone as he headed for a staircase at the chamber’s far end. Jihye hesitated, her fox senses bristling. But curiosity outweighed fear.
She followed.
The stairs twisted upward, then broke into a corridor lined with closed wooden doors. She counted five. Each held an aura of mystery, silent guardians of secrets she itched to uncover. At the last door, the man stopped, drew a key from a pouch at his side, and unlocked it.
He stepped aside and gestured. “After you.”
Jihye slipped past him into the room.
It was warmer than the hall, lit by a hearth where a copper kettle steamed over dancing flames. The walls were lined with shelves crowded with books, jars of herbs, strange totems, and glimmering stones. Two armchairs faced one another near the fire.
He crossed the room, took the chair to the right, and gestured to the other. She sat, stiff-backed, keeping one hand on her bag.
He poured tea from the kettle into two cups and slid one toward her.
“My name is Rafael,” he said, taking a sip from his cup. “And I am a sorcerer. The last sorcerer of the Ara-sin, in fact.”
Jihye blinked. “The Ara-sin?”
He nodded. “An old tribe. Not known to most anymore. They lived in this region for thousands of years, guided by sorcerers who drew magic from the land itself. Their society thrived on balance, creativity, and protection. But magic is fickle. Over the generations, fewer were born with the gift.”
Jihye listened, her curiosity overcoming her scepticism.
“They tried everything. Matching powerful bloodlines, rituals, and desperate experiments. Nothing worked. Magic faded. Their safety systems failed. They fell to plague, famine, and outside raids. Eventually, the Ara-sin dispersed. This tower, once a hub of learning and defence, was abandoned. Only I remained. And Caleb.”
“Caleb… your assistant?”
“Yes. A ward, of sorts.”
Jihye’s brow furrowed. “And you stayed because of a prophecy.”
He gave a small smile. “I stayed because this is my home. But yes. There is a prophecy.”
She rolled her eyes. “Always a prophecy.”
“This one spoke of a girl. A fox-spirited girl, bound to the tides of magic. It was ignored for centuries. We had magic then. We assumed it was a tale of the past. But when the magic faded, we reconsidered.”
“You think I’m her.”
“I know you are. I felt your magic. I saw your fox. You carry both fury and focus—the traits of a vessel and a key.”
She looked down at the untouched tea. Her fingers tightened around the mug, but she did not drink.
“I don’t know why this happens to me. I don’t know how to help anyone.”
“I believe that. But the forest you were in isn’t just wilderness. A splinter cult of the Ara-sin survives there. And they believe if they sacrifice the fox-girl, their magic will be restored.”
Jihye’s blood turned to ice.
“The people with the arrows.”
Rafael nodded. “Exactly.”
She lifted the tea and took a cautious sip, the warmth surprising.
“Why bring me here?”
“Because this place is still sacred to the Ara-sin. Even the cultists won’t breach it. They fear the old power.”
She stared into the fire, mind spinning.
“But I do wonder,” Rafael said softly. “Why is a fox-spirited woman wandering into the jaws of an Ara-sin cult in the first place?”
Jihye met his gaze.
“I killed a man.”
Rafael raised an eyebrow. “Did he deserve it?”
“Yes.”
He nodded. “Then that part doesn’t concern me.”
“His father might.”
“Who?”
“Valerian.”
Rafael sat straighter. “The crimelord.”
“The same.”
He gave a low whistle. “Impressive. Possibly reckless.”
“Don’t I know it?”
He tapped his fingers on the arm of his chair.
“I can protect you, for a time. But not forever. Not alone.”
“I’m not asking you to.”
“Then what is your plan, Jihye?”