The Shadow's Final Wish
The shadow reached out with a gentle hand, carefully helping Suji settle into a comfortable position on the ground. For a brief moment, it gazed at the sleeping girl with an enigmatic expression, then drew the blanket up to her chin. At that instant, Suji murmured softly. “Mom… Dad…” Was she dreaming? Would her dream bring her family? Why? Once again, a sharp pain stabbed through the center of the shadow’s chest. Thump… thump… Yet it could not linger here indefinitely. From outside came the sound of footsteps on gravel, and the shadow’s expression grew steadily colder. As it stepped out of the tent, a man stood before it. A human scent drifted from him, yet something felt wrong. Almost as if he was half one thing and half another. Beside the man stood a woman who wore an aura that she made no attempt to conceal. “Are you trying to steal the child’s soul?” the man asked. The shadow turned its head slightly to glance at Suji inside the tent, then faced the man once more. Well… it did not answer. No, it could not. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say it simply could not. Do I even want the child’s soul? I don’t know. I don’t understand my own heart. Suji was nothing like the other children the shadow had met. She had not grown plump with greed. She was withered, frail, and pitiful. Naturally, it felt unsatisfying. It would never have paid her any attention otherwise. Such a soul was unnecessary. Yet why did it cling so tightly… “I will take the child back.” The man spoke with firm resolve, as if declaring war if anyone dared to stop him. The shadow let out a soft snort. The man before it looked arrogantly superior, as though forgiveness would never be granted if interference occurred. “If I give up now and leave, will you release me?” The man paused, then nodded. The shadow was startled. Was this man not here to kill it? Had he come only to retrieve Suji? Just as he took another step forward, the shadow suddenly blocked his path. “I don’t want to fight. I don’t want to fight you.” “Why? I have claimed the souls of countless children so far.” “You have lost yourself.” “What?” The man’s face twisted into a bitter grimace, but he tried to move toward the tent again. Once more the shadow barred his way. “This child’s soul is mine!” “The family is looking for the child. Moreover, the child needs treatment.” “Family? Treatment? Hah! They know nothing. They do not understand how the child must be healed, or what the child truly wishes for.” “It is not right to let the child be separated from its parents.” “Hah! Merely because you gave birth to it does not make you a parent.” The shadow ground its teeth. Tremendous rage surged from it. The man’s face tightened as he sensed the danger, and the shadow unleashed a swelling wave of fury. “This child’s hospital is nothing but a prison. I will protect her…” Finally the shadow charged. The man clicked his tongue and dodged by hurling his own body aside. Boom! A deafening noise erupted where the man had stood. The ground sank inward as gravel shot up like a fountain. The surrounding mountain range, where a river flowed, shook violently. Birds that had been sleeping in terror took flight, their dark wings blotting out the sky. The shadow growled like a beast as it glared at the man. Its eyes burned an even deeper red. “I don’t want to fight. You—” “Enough! You will not take the child from me!!” The shadow roared. It paid the man’s words no heed and charged again. In an instant the shadow darted forward, its massive fist swinging. The man once more dodged by throwing himself backward, then wore an uneasy expression as he watched the shadow. The shadow panted like an enraged bull. It seemed words would never reach him. What else could it do? Glancing at the woman watching them with interest, the shadow wore a bitter smile. The woman reached out to the man, and the moment his fingers closed around hers, a red flash burst from her body accompanied by a sinister aura. The shadow could not bear to look at the light and squeezed its eyes shut. Only when the glare faded could it see. A longsword drenched in black blood rested in the man’s grip. “I’ve heard that hunters of gwoeui carry bloodied blades. So you’re the one.” The man shrugged, then aimed the dripping blade at the shadow. The shadow tensed once more. It knew the weapon was no ordinary blade… it breathed roughly, on guard. For a moment they faced each other in silence. Their auras clashed within the heavy stillness. Then the man spoke. “Do you remember what you once were? Do you know your name?” What nonsense was this? The shadow believed the man was trying to deceive it. It did not wish to hear. It would never let Suji be taken. “Recover the name you lost to sorrow and rage.” “Shut up!” The shadow threw itself forward, charging with immense rage. The man finally gripped his blade and charged as well. Their forms collided with a thunderous boom. Boom! Thick dust exploded outward. The nearby mountain trembled. Snowflakes began to fall from the sky. ////// The shadow dripped black blood. Its breaths came in ragged gasps, so precarious they seemed on the verge of death. Even standing proved difficult; it staggered pitifully. Yet it stubbornly rose and once again blocked the tent. How tenacious. The body was filled with wounds. Its left arm was even missing. Compared to that, the man before it looked little different. Not a single drop of sweat fell. Not the slightest irregularity marred his posture. Rather, he radiated sympathy and pity. The shadow could not understand. Why did this merciless man pity it? Why did he feel compassion? Why did his eyes look so sad? The request to recover its name had made no sense. “I truly don’t want to fight you.” “Hah! Why have you changed your mind… When we first met, you didn’t want to kill me?” “At first I didn’t know.” “Then now that you know who I am?” “Yes. I know what you are. That’s why I don’t want to fight.” The shadow spat black blood mixed with saliva and looked at the man with disgust. Arrogant. Superior. The man’s pity made it dislike him. “Hah! Stop trying to deceive me with such nonsense.” The shadow snorted and refused to listen. Instead it poured out sticky power once more. Yet the shadow already knew it had never been able to match the opponent. From the moment it had first encountered that strange man, it had sensed that it was no match. Fighting him would be little different from suicide. Ah, yet why? It did not want to flee. Yes, it did not want to. The shadow glanced toward the tent behind it. Suji… It whispered the child’s name. Each time, the cold heart inside it stirred violently. The pitiful child’s agony flashed before its eyes. Tears that had once stained the child’s heart now lay heavy within the shadow’s own. It could not send the child back to that prison-like place. It did not wish to return the innocent, foolish parents to her side. Teeth clenched, it hurled itself forward. “You will not take the child from me!!” “Kyahaaaaah!” Accompanied by a terrifying roar, the outstretched hand transformed into a black whip that slammed down upon the man. Once more he dodged effortlessly. Instead, he slammed the ground hard and charged straight toward the shadow. At the same time, the blood-red blade in his grip flashed with lethal sharpness. Ah! It could not avoid it. The shadow thought. The battle had been pointless. It closed its eyes in surrender. The blade was about to carve a fatal line. “Stop!” At that moment a small voice squeezed between them. The shadow opened its eyes in surprise. The man wielding the sword froze as well. A dry cough followed. It was so severe that the man’s state was clear even from that sound alone. The figure who appeared was a frail girl who looked as though she would collapse at any second. Tears and snot streamed down her face as she barely managed to shout, “Stop… stop… You’re hurting him… cool… please… cool…”