"It's Okay." "……." "It's Okay, So Tell Them Not to Be Scared."

"It's okay."

"……."

"It's okay, so tell them not to be afraid."

I approached Yuk Eun-hyeong as I spoke. Near the staff, a purple glow that hadn't fully faded yet rippled in the air. Yuk Eun-hyeong stepped back, sweat beading coldly on his brow. I didn't want to read his expression, but the emotions etched so clearly on his face were impossible to ignore. He was visibly afraid of me.

I gripped the staff tightly.

"Hurry."

"Understood. The Cult Leader will—"

"I'll head back at dawn tomorrow. I'll rest in the tent until then."

I said that and slipped into the empty tent like I was fleeing. My breath came in ragged gasps. I was hungry, thirsty. The tent trapped the summer sunlight's heat, making the air thick and heavy. There wasn't a scrap of food or water stocked inside. I wanted to go out and ask for some, but I couldn't bring myself to leave. Facing their terrified expressions was too much.

"……Just stay still, please……."

The staff trembled. I couldn't tell if it was my hand shaking or ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the staff itself. So I said it loud enough for anyone to hear. By the time the trembling stopped, my chest felt tight, and I was panting hard. Was it thirst, hunger, or just the heavy air? Breathing was a struggle. Only then did it hit me—it was because I was still wearing the mask.

Crack.

I pulled off the mask. Blood had pooled and crusted on the inside. The dried blood stuck to my face, sticky and gross. I rubbed my dry hands over my face to wipe it away. It stung. Finally, breathing eased up a bit. I shook my head, and dust and dirt rained down.

I hugged the staff to my chest and curled up on the ground. Exhaustion crashed over me.

"It's been a while, Legba."

I replied with ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠my eyes closed. In the darkness, Legba's form flickered briefly before vanishing.

"Because it's flashy."

"It's not pointless. Warnings need to be flashy to stick."

"No way."

I shifted uncomfortably. I was bone-tired, but sleep wouldn't come. Voices drifted from outside the tent—Yuk Eun-hyeong and the mercenaries chatting. I closed my eyes and listened. I couldn't make out the words, but the mood seemed pretty lively. A far cry from when the staff had slammed the ground on its own, and everyone feared me.

"……I've never tried to die. Never even thought about wanting to."

I said it because I didn't want to hear their conversation anymore.

"Because I figure if I go this far, dying wouldn't be a problem."

Legba asked. I had no idea why he'd bring it up now. He never asked stuff like this.

"Not often. Sometimes."

"No, not sometimes—occasionally?"

I pondered for a moment before continuing.

"What's the difference between sometimes and occasionally anyway?"

"Yeah, tell me about it."

I agreed quickly. Truth was, I was so wiped out that nonsense just spilled out. Must've dozed off then. When I opened my eyes, it was night. The murmurs outside from Yuk Eun-hyeong and the mercenaries had gone quiet. I stepped out of the tent. The late summer night air was a touch cool. In the deep silence, faint waves lapped at the shore. The night sky was thick with stars, hanging low like they might spill down any second.

I stared up for a long while, then grabbed the staff, poncho, and mask before heading to the beach.

"Damballa."

"Yes."

I had to go now. Damballa clicked her tongue in mild dissatisfaction at my firm tone. Soon, scale patterns etched onto the staff, transforming it into a massive serpent. She lowered her head, offering her forehead. I climbed on. She writhed side to side, cleaving through the waves as we crossed the sea. Without calling Bade, the waves were gentle, and Damballa seemed tired—our speed was slow. But it was fine. I could afford ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to take it easy now. All the urgent stuff was done anyway.

All?

Not everything, but still…….

"Huh?"

Then Damballa picked up speed. Her body rocked violently side to side.

Splat!

Droplets hit the poncho. I gripped her scales tight. But no matter how hard I held, I couldn't keep balance. My hands clung to her scales while my body dangled in the air, flailing. I tried to say something to Damballa, but her wild thrashing made words impossible. Open my mouth, and seawater rushed in.

"Mmph, Dam—!"

Splash!

As I tried to speak, her body tilted. I lost my grip and plunged into the sea.

It was bewildering. Confusing. Had Damballa betrayed me? Because I ignored her? Or because I pushed her too hard in the fight? I couldn't understand. My body sank endlessly. The night sea was pitch black—nothing visible. Just faint, milky dust floating around. I held my breath and thrashed. But the more I struggled, the more the poncho tangled around me. Soon, I couldn't even flail.

"……."

Nothing to do but sink. Once I got used to it, I barely felt myself sinking anymore. It was like lying on a soft, cozy bed. Comfortable, even.

Then Damballa's voice echoed. My descent stopped. She'd slipped into the depths unnoticed and caught me. Her yellow eyes gleamed in the dark, peering into me—like two massive moons in the night sky.

I grabbed her scales and climbed back on. I breathed. Underwater, but air filled my lungs. Still, breathing down here felt unnatural—my chest tightened a bit. The pitch-black sea gradually brightened. Countless sea creatures hidden in the dark revealed themselves. A school of fry darting swiftly. Rippling sand trails and vibrant corals swaying with the current. Damballa carried me deeper.

Fish big and small formed massive schools. A colossal whale lumbered through the water. It was awe-inspiringly huge. Every living thing in the sea moved somewhere. I couldn't tell where, but it looked like they circled the same spot endlessly.

Damballa continued.

Countless schools orbiting the great whale. Cute ones, scary ones, bizarre ones—all these lives. The currents they entrusted themselves to. Everything began following me. They swirled around Damballa and me like an escort, swimming alongside.

Amid the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠throng, a mystical being appeared. A mermaid. Fish tail below, human torso above. Her long hair undulated in the water. Scales covering her lower half sparkled like jewels, mesmerizing. La Siren, Loa of the sea.

"……."

La Siren spoke to me from the depths. But I couldn't hear it. Whatever she meant to say, she finished with a small smile my way. A smile so beautiful I'd never seen the likes—and probably never would again.

I rode Damballa, wandering the sea with the fish, whales, and La Siren. I took a deep breath in and out. So refreshing, so invigorating.

When I came to, I was on the beach. Damballa was gone. Instead, the staff lay haphazardly on the sand, as if washed ashore. The sun pushed back the darkness, rising over the horizon. Waves crashed. It all felt like a dream. But it wasn't—my body was soaked and heavy with seawater.

I dragged my wet self over, picked up the staff from the beach, and stood listening to the waves for a moment.

"Do Seon-woo—!"

Someone called me. I turned. Far off, my uncle waved from the car he'd driven up.

"Everything sorted?"

Uncle asked as he drove. I neither nodded nor shook my head.

"Not perfectly, but sorta."

"If you came back in one piece, it's sorted."

"Trying to think of it that way. Oh, yeah—how's Ji-a noona?"

"Groaned for half a day, but woke up fine. Lucky."

"Good."

I nodded and rolled down the window. I'd ditched the poncho before getting in and changed clothes, but my hair was still damp with seawater. Figured the wind would dry it. Once it did, I ran my fingers through—ends stiff from the salt.

"Uncle, do I ever scare you?"

I said, rolling the window back up.

"What bullshit is that?"

"From the spells or powers and stuff."

"Oh, that? Eh…… not really?"

He tilted his head, glanced my way, then chuckled.

"Right now, you should be scared of me. I snap this wheel, and you're dead."

"Then you'd die too."

"Nah, I got my seatbelt on."

"True."

Click.

I finally buckled up.

Back at the chapel, Ha Su-yeong was the first I saw.

"Ha Su-yeong, you……."

"Yeah, what?"

"……Never mind."

I started to ask her the same thing I'd asked Uncle but stopped. Pointless.

"Why start and stop? What is it?"

Ha Su-yeong pressed, irritation lacing her tone. I shut my mouth and headed to my room. When she tried to follow, I locked the door. The knob rattled violently, followed by her voice. Yeah, no way she'd ever fear me. No need to dwell on it anymore.

(To be continued next time)