Crossroads Exposed
I quickly slipped the staff that had somehow ended up in my hand into my bosom. Han Dae-ho and several others had visited the Crossroads, and they'd seen Legba holding it. If they realized the staff he had been wielding was now in my possession, it would raise suspicions. No, suspicions weren't even the issue anymore. Everyone had gone to the Crossroads and seen Legba. That meant they now knew a Voodooist was here—none other than the Voodoo Cult's Third Cult Leader and prophet.
"Return to the dorms and stand by."
Fortunately, it didn't seem like they'd figured out it was me. Han Dae-ho ordered the clerics to escort us back to the dorms. His face was etched with clear bewilderment as he loaded us into the car. The other kids' expressions weren't much different. Even Ma Yu-hyeon, who knew my identity, looked strangely unsettled. None of us said a word in the car. It wasn't just because the clerics were with us. Everyone seemed too shell-shocked by what they'd witnessed in the Crossroads to speak.
"What the hell did I just see...?"
The long silence broke only when we arrived at the dorms. We got out under the clerics' guidance, and that's when Yeo Min-seo muttered to herself.
"An old man. I don't know what it means, but he called it the Crossroads."
"What's a Crossroads? Some local religion thing? But that grandpa just whacked me on the head. What was that?"
Kang Dae-man and Han Su-ryeon chimed in next. They were still mulling over the Crossroads.
Seong Ha-yeon listened quietly before shaking her head and speaking up.
"It's Voodoo."
"Voo—what? Why the hell would Voodoo be here?"
Han Su-ryeon tilted her head in confusion. I listened to their conversation without a word. This was practically the first time they'd openly discussed Voodoo like this. Better to keep my mouth shut and avoid any slip-ups.
Seong Ha-yeon glanced at Ma Yu-hyeon before continuing.
"I don't know about that, but... only they use the term 'Crossroads.'"
"So the old man we saw was the cult leader?"
"No, from what I know, the cult leader is..."
Yeo Min-seo cut off Kang Dae-man.
She shook her head and went on.
"Not the old man. The prevailing theory is he's not that old."
"Then maybe the prophet."
"Nah, dumbass. This time they said the cult leader and prophet are the same person."
"Is that even possible?"
Kang Dae-man tilted his head. Yeo Min-seo shot him a dirty look.
"It must be, since that's how it's known."
"Fair point. Wild experience either way."
"...Where'd those black-robed guys go?"
"If it's Voodoo, probably spells."
Kim Jin-seo, who'd been silent, responded to Han Su-ryeon.
"Spells manipulate the mind."
"So they chased everyone out with spells? Not as brutal as I thought spells would be."
"Just chased them out?"
"Gives me another reason to train. Toughen the body, resist the spells."
"No... Does that even work, logically?"
The kids tossed in their two cents. Ma Yu-hyeon and I stayed quiet. From their chatter, I gleaned one key fact: far less info on Voodoo had leaked than I'd thought. They vaguely knew the cult leader's age and that he was the same as the prophet—that was about it. Seong Ha-yeon's knowledge of the Crossroads was probably from Seong Yu-da. But on spells and Loa powers, it was all baseless guesses; no one spoke with confidence. I was stunned that even after the Holy War just seven years ago, Voodoo intel was this scarce.
And it wasn't just the info shortage. They didn't even see Voodoo as the "enemy." Probably because the flashy Satanists hogged that role. Good or bad? Hell if I knew.
But it pissed me off anyway.
"Whoa, Jin-seo! Your arm...!"
Then Han Su-ryeon, mid-chat, pointed at Kim Jin-seo's arm. She'd torn her skirt and wrapped it like a bandage, but it was soaked through with blood. The wound must've reopened. Kim Jin-seo noticed late and looked shocked.
"God, that much blood... You okay? Does it hurt?"
"Nah, doesn't hurt... But I should change the bandage or get it healed."
Han Su-ryeon freaked out, but Kim Jin-seo was chill. She glanced around, eyed me up and down, then headed my way.
"There's gotta be a healing priest around. I'll go get treated with him."
"Why me?"
I asked since I couldn't fathom why she insisted on me. Kim Jin-seo scoffed like it was obvious.
She pointed at my leg.
"You're hurt too, dummy."
"..."
I hadn't noticed because it didn't hurt, but my pant cuff was soaked in blood. I rolled it up. Not huge, but deep. Better to get it treated with all the bleeding. Probably from the fight with those black-clad guys. No wonder walking felt off earlier.
Almost became Legba for a sec there.
[This punk...]
Legba muttered lowly.
Han Su-ryeon nodded, eyeing us both.
"Yeah, yeah. You two go get fixed up. Anyone else hurt?"
"I'm good! Body's a bit sore, but probably just muscle ache."
"Me too... Nah. Fought dirty, no injuries."
Kang Dae-man and Yeo Min-seo said. Ma Yu-hyeon just shook his head without speaking. Seong Ha-yeon was the only one who didn't answer. She peeked at her palm, then looked at me and shook her head.
"...I healed myself earlier. I'll head up first."
Her tone and expression were icy. She took the elevator up alone. The others followed. Left me and Kim Jin-seo in the lobby.
She grabbed my arm and dragged me out of the hotel without a word.
It was dark outside. Sudden rain had emptied the streets compared to yesterday; lights were dimmer too. The storm clouds I'd summoned were gone, leaving a clear night sky. Ground dark, sky bright. Stars everywhere.
Kim Jin-seo started walking somewhere; I followed.
"Healing priest outside?"
I asked. She shook her head.
"Nah, inside."
"...Then why'd we come out?"
"Just. You can heal too. So can I."
"I'm not good at it."
"Liar."
Kim Jin-seo grumbled bluntly. She must still remember that day at the hospital when I "healed" her finger. But I'd used restoration spell, not healing. Tricky spot.
She led me to a nearby park. Bench was wet, but she sat anyway.
"Your clothes'll get soaked."
"So what. Gonna toss 'em anyway."
Fair, with her skirt torn up. My pants were blood-soaked too, so I brushed off the bench water and sat.
Kim Jin-seo untied the cloth on her arm. Wound exposed: big, deep, split open from the fight. Still treatable with low-grade restoration spell. Unless it was amputation-level, low-grade could handle most wounds.
"Hurry up and heal it."
She brazenly thrust her arm at me.
"...Saying it like that makes me not wanna."
"It hurts. Do it."
"Close your eyes then."
"Why?"
"Just do it."
"Feels like you'll do something weird."
"...Won't heal if you don't."
"God, you're picky. Fine."
Kim Jin-seo grumbled and shut her eyes. Reason for the eyes closed: spells. Low-grade restoration didn't need Voodoo magic emission, but safer with eyes shut.
I pressed my palm firmly to the wound for better spell uptake. She shivered faintly. Toughing out the pain.
Then, restoration spell. Wound closed instantly. My skill had improved.
"...Done?"
"Yeah."
She opened her tightly shut eyes, checked her arm, and nodded satisfied.
"Not bad. Your turn."
"My turn for what?"
"Your leg. How many times I gotta say it?"
"..."
I silently extended my leg. No hemostasis earlier; bleeding was bad. Kim Jin-seo rolled up my pant, checked the wound, emitted divine power, and deftly drew a healing circle. Healing light touched it; wound knit slowly. She was surprisingly good at healing.
"You're good too."
"Duh. Full marks in healing practice."
"Impressive."
"No soul in that. Wasted my healing."
She glared. I just grinned vacantly.
Healing done, she sat back beside me. Brief silence.
"But if it was just healing, hotel would've been better."
I asked out of curiosity. If healing was the goal, hotel facilities made sense. Foreign land, divine power hesitation maybe, but felt like another reason.
Kim Jin-seo stared into my eyes with an unreadable expression. Then looked away.
"Earlier... Voodoo and Satanists came to the museum, right?"
"Probably."
"...How'd they know we were there?"
I shut up. Nothing to say. Avoid slip-ups.
She continued.
"Maybe a Satanist or Voodooist among the staff."
"..."
"Or... one of us."
She dropped her gaze.
"Started thinking that, and the kids got scary. Needed out."
"...And me?"
"You're fine."
Instant reply, no hesitation.
"Least you don't seem like one. That's why I brought you."
"...Thanks."
"What, think I'm the spy?"
She teased. I shook my head.
"Nah."
The Voodoo cult leader and spy at the museum? Both me. My smile felt less natural than before. Scary.
(To be continued in the next chapter)