“A human,” Famine had said. Neither she nor Death had noticed me watching from the entrance of the stables. But what I had heard…it sounded more than a little preposterous.
A human that can see us? Archangels wandering around in the daylight? And Famine having to give a solitary report to The Messenger. I never thought I’d see the day -- not for many decades. Famine’s anhedonia had always tugged at me like an itch I could never quite scratch, perhaps because I came to this title at the tail-end of the time where Famine enjoyed her time...existing. Now, I only hope that our resident eccedentesiast may have more light behind her black eyes; I hope that her ever-present smile actually reaches her eyes now.
A human.
War running around and raging at the world is nothing new, nor is even his interest in Death’s movements; it is no lie to say that he often follows her around like a naughty puppy, nipping at her heels to get her attention. But to see Death...unsure? It is something I have never witnessed, and is more than a little alarming.
The answers to this paradigm shift must be in Gyeongju. Everyone’s change began when Death visited Gyeongju, with no apparent reason -- or, at least, not one she has been willing to share
A prickling sensation skitters down my neck, pausing to tap at the seal that is branded at the base where neck meets shoulders and back. Here, it says without words. I close my eyes and the world lays out before me like a map, closing in and in and in and in until…
I open my eyes.
I am in a hwarangdo studio, by the sound and smell of it. To be more precise, I’m in its locker room. I am alone save for one human. I step closer; this must be the human who has sent the world as we knew it out of joint, even if by but a single red strand of thread.
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The human changes out of his dobok, pulling all his bags out of a locker. I peer closer to see what else might be inside, only to feel him run into me. The collision sends him falling to the ground, back and head hitting the lockers with a metal clang. It sounds like it hurt.
He pushes himself up onto his hands and shakes his head. My manners are the only thing which outweigh my surprise; I hold out a hand, wondering if what Famine said was true. He takes it and confirms her words, cheeks flushed in what I would assume is embarrassment. I lift him easily; humans are light to a Horseman regardless of their size.
I watch his face as he opens his mouth to speak, but stops; his lips remain parted. He stares at my face, and I wonder what exactly it is about my appearance that has startled him to the point of speechlessness. I also wonder how long he would last in a fight before I claimed victory. The white of his dobok peeking through the open athletic bag brings out my natural urge to compete and conquer -- to fight and to win.
I realize I am still holding his hand; I let go. The human stumbles back on their feet, nearly falling back down again. Thankfully for him, he manages to remain upright.
“Thanks,” he says, still staring; this time he doesn’t blink. He holds my gaze intently, to the point that I see what appears to be determination settle in their dark colour. I arch a brow, daring him to look away first; he does not.
Well, if he wasn’t competitive, I suppose he wouldn’t be much of an athlete. Interesting.
“Careful,” I smile. “Wouldn’t want you to hurt yourself.”
Wouldn’t want you to end the game before it has even begun...before I have even learned what the rules are.
I walk out the locker room door, pausing only to rankle my nose at a smell worse than sweat: putrid flesh. My eyes scan the short hallway until I notice, there in a corner, a black stain. Crouching down, I dip my fingers in and rub the viscous, foul-smelling liquid between my fingers: it’s ichor. Some sort of demon has been here, and they bled.
The imaginary baduk board for this yet-unknown match sets itself in my mind, several white and black stones already in place. There is no time to ponder the positions, however, and I vanish back to my quarters at the sound of the locker room door opening at my back.