Sssss... The Heavy and Vicious Fog
Sssss... A heavy, vicious fog flowed in. An owl perched on a tree branch let out a crude cry as it took flight. Even the frantic wingbeats of owls fleeing the fog failed to disturb it; the mist steadily encroached on the forest. Before long, the surroundings were filled with darkness saturated in fog.
"Hoo."
Ha Su-yeong wiped the sweat from her forehead and let out a sigh. She looked up at the night sky, where the pale moon was veiled by the fog, tinged purple. The landscape felt desolate. But before fear could take hold, she felt a swell of pride. She'd just finished all her practice for the day.
"Su-yeong, you're the only one who can revive the Voodoo Cult. You have to become the cult leader. I'll handle that Third Cult Leader somehow, so just keep preparing steadily..."
Those were words she'd heard from her father so often they made her ears numb. Become the cult leader. Become the cult leader... His voice had trembled as he said it. Her father always longed for the golden age under the Second Cult Leader, Do Myeong-jun, before the Voodoo Cult's downfall. And he hated the current Voodoo Cult, plunged into darkness under the Third Cult Leader, Do Seon-woo.
Watching her once broad and sturdy father's back shrink into a pathetic shadow after the Holy War. Seeing how he couldn't hide his joy when speaking of the Second Cult Leader, but couldn't conceal his grief when mentioning the Third. Ha Su-yeong felt sorrow. That was when she resolved to become the cult leader herself—not for her father's sake, but of her own will.
"..."
Snapping out of her reverie, she realized the fog had already scattered on the wind. Her hair whipped about, branches rustled. The wind felt stronger, sharper than before. The darkness had deepened too. It was probably time to head back to the cabin.
Wooooo—!
The owl's cry echoed low. Riding the wind between trees, it twisted into something more eerie and melancholic. A sudden terror surged. Her body hair stood on end. The mountain's darkness was never as kind as the city's.
Crack—!
"...!"
As she pushed through the gloom, a dry twig snapped underfoot. The sound echoed, haunting the air.
"Not scary at all. What kinda lame thing's trying to freak me out..."
She vented at some random branch and pressed on into the dark. But no matter how far she walked, only more darkness stretched ahead—no sign of the cabin's light. Changing direction yielded the same. Mountains and shadows everywhere.
She remembered marking trees on the way in, just in case she got lost. Following those should lead her back. But in the pitch black, one tree looked like any other. No way to tell which she'd marked.
She was lost. Realizing it, the fear she'd ignored crashed over her like a wave.
Rumble—!
Thunder boomed. A sharp gust grazed her side. Thick, heavy raindrops tapped her forehead. Dark clouds had gathered unnoticed, blotting the moonlight. The mountain darkness deepened.
Caw, caw...
Mountain beasts cried out chillingly. Ha Su-yeong shuddered and bolted blindly into the impenetrable dark. She stumbled and slipped countless times, but felt no pain. Terror had numbed her nerves.
"Ah...!"
Finally, light. Ha Su-yeong gasped in delight without thinking. But despair flooded her face again. Too late, she realized that savior light wasn't from the cabin.
Hiding in the underbrush, she peered at the glow. An open circular clearing ringed by candles. The light came from them. At their center stood a man—not on the ground, but treading air.
Rumble—!
Lightning split the sky, thunder shook the earth. Ha Su-yeong clutched her head in shock but couldn't tear her eyes away. He was definitely floating, standing on air, not earth.
Whoooosh...
He gestured from midair, and the wind shifted. West to east. Another gesture, and the rain intensified. Drizzle to downpour. The savage storm that seemed ready to uproot the mountain fell silent as a mouse, then raged anew. With each gesture, it morphed into fresh fury. A true conductor of tempests.
"...Do Seon-woo."
Ha Su-yeong knew his name. The current cult leader, the cause of the Voodoo Cult's ruin... The man her father cursed at every chance.
"If not for the Loa powers, you bastaaaaard—!"
Whoosh!
Muttering vows of resolve, Ha Su-yeong's body suddenly lifted into the air. A sudden gale. She crashed roughly into the clearing's center.
"Aaaah...!"
Landing on her waist, the pain was excruciating. Amid it, she felt his gaze. She looked up. Do Seon-woo stared down from above.
Ha Su-yeong had vowed to meet him with hatred and rage. But face-to-face, fear dominated.
"That's enough."
Do Seon-woo spoke, lightly clenching his fist. Rain and wind halted, thunder and lightning ceased. The storm-ravaged mountain returned to stillness as if nothing had happened. In the silence, he rode the breeze down to land gracefully.
Ha Su-yeong could only stare. Reality felt overwhelmed by the surreal, a dizzying vertigo.
Before she could recover, Do Seon-woo approached.
"Getting tough already, 「Bade」?"
"Obviously, 「Sobo」! Save me!"
"Ugh... ughhh..."
The three Loa—Sobo, Bade, and Dan Wedo—who'd confidently summoned the storm, now wailed in agony.
"Can't tire out already. I'm still fine."
But it wasn't time yet. I gripped the screaming Loa and forced their powers. Their exhaustion let me wield them more stably—dropping lightning precisely, adjusting rain thickness, levitating with wind. For stability while airborne, I added Mighty Strength Blessing. Only then did it truly look like "flying."
Not planned, but I was practicing Loa powers and Mighty Strength simultaneously.
"「Sobo」! I see Baron Samedi...!"
"Snap out of it, 「Bade」! Hallucination!"
"Dying... soon... aaah...!"
"Prophet! Time to stop!"
"Hold on a bit longer. The offering's almost here."
The wild ones begged through death rattles, but I shook my head firmly. I'd contracted them via prayer: obey, get offerings. Perfect for Loa obsessed with sacrifices like Sobo, Bade, Dan Wedo. Same as training Bosu—with treats like a pet dog.
"Alright, real last time—five more minutes!"
"How many 'last five minutes' is this aaaah—!"
"Baron Samedi, save me from this tyrant prophet...!"
"Another... five minutes... only death...!"
The moment I declared last five minutes to the spent Loa—
Swish—!
Through wind-tossed trees, a familiar face. Ha Pan-seok's daughter, tipped as next cult leader. Spying from bushes as I handled the Loa.
"..."
Good idea struck.
"Bade."
"Aaah! Again, me?!"
Whoosh!
I summoned Bade's wind, yanking her hiding body before me. She tumbled roughly, trembling in terror, staring up.
"That's enough."
Signaling the Loa, I mimed a fist in air—"stop the storm."
"I'm out! Won't come for days—no, years!"
"My prayers answered! Baron Samedi!"
"Finally... life..."
Loa voices faded, storm vanished abruptly. Rule by offerings, but these rascals obeyed—mission accomplished. Feeling quietly proud, I approached her, still gaping from the ground.
"Hi?"
Friendly greeting, even smiled. A mask hiding intent.
"..."
No reply. Shock glued her mouth shut. Needed more words. Approaching with max brightness.
"What's your name again? Ha..."
Stuck on first word. Knew Ha Pan-seok's daughter, but name escaped. Heard from Kang Ji-a earlier. Ha, Ha...
"Ha Su."
"...Ha Su-yeong."
"Right. Ha Su-yeong."
She replied curtly, a bit miffed. Etched the name in mind.
"How'd you end up here?"
"Practice."
"What kind?"
"Spells."
Ha Su-yeong was terse. Maybe deliberate. I didn't mind, but she clearly disliked me. Influence from father Ha Pan-seok and the "starless night" incident.
"Why still here, not back?"
"..."
She looked down, no answer. Dark hid expression. I brightened the candles; purple glow lit the area. Her wide eyes stared up—scratches everywhere, deep on knees from falls, dirt-caked.
"Lost, huh?"
Applied low-rank Restoration Spell to her wounds. Only spell I'd mastered to "embodiment" realm—no circle needed. Scratches vanished cleanly.
"Night hiking loses you."
She frowned at my words.
"...You're hiking too."
"I can get back."
"With Loa powers?"
Hid surprise, nodded. First time hearing "Loa powers" from someone else. Makes sense for next-leader candidate.
"Yeah. Loa powers."
Extended hand.
"Wanna go together? Can't alone."
"No."
Smack! She slapped it away, blunt refusal. Hand stung.
"Why not?"
"Hate your kind."
"Oh... Why?"
Her "you" grated, but pressed.
She swept messy hair, glaring coldly.
"You ruined the Voodoo Cult."
"Not just me."
Not my fault. Cult was ruined when I took over. If "still" ruined because of me, fair point.
Ignoring, she continued.
"I should've been leader."
Conversation felt scripted, like AI with canned responses. Ha Pan-seok's influence.
"Your dad say that?"
Her face hardened, eyes piercing—like how'd you know? Then shook head firmly.
"Not Dad. Me."
"Uh, sure."
Eyes burned with resolve, hostility. No point talking. Gazed at her: shorts, light purple hoodie—too thin for chill spring night. Wet leaves scattered ground. Kicked them together.
"Marinette."
Marinette's power: flame in palm.
Fwoosh!
Transferred to leaves. Her flames ignited wet tinder easily. Ha Su-yeong looked puzzled.
"Whatcha doing."
"Dry off."
Left like this, hypothermia or beasts. Not abandoning—her sin was father's.
Sat beside, warming by blaze. Marinette's heat thawed my chilled body.
"Hate your kind."
She repeated emphatically. After fire, mood soured.
Stared; she stared back.
"Fun playing leader? Can't do shit but trust Loa."
"I do spells."
"I do better. Should've been me..."
Face twisted in injustice. No convincing her back together. Force? Hate that.
Rustle...
As we warmed, ominous from bushes. Small, quick thing brushing leaves.
Swish...
Continued. Wild animal likely. Taebaek Mountains boomed post-ban: more species, numbers.
Deer or cat ok; boar or wolf trouble. Spells don't work on mindless beasts—like demons, magic beasts.
Crunch!
Something leaped from bushes, claws bared at us.
"Marinette!"
For emergency, Marinette to scare off. But no flame came.
Grrr...
Before dodge, beast yowled thin, collapsed. Bewildering.
"Some leader, felled by one lynx."
Ha Su-yeong muttered scornfully behind. Alternated stares: limp lynx, her. Voodoo magic from fingertips, spell circle ahead.
Meep, meep...
Faint cries; kittens scampered to fallen mother.
Meeeep...
Three-four kits wailed sadly. Examined her circle.
She shrugged uncomfortably.
"W-what. Didn't kill. Faint spell, just knockout..."
True: mother stirred, fled with kits.
"See? Alive."
She sighed relief. No clue her talent's special. Faint spells usually fail animals. Hers worked. Waste as enemy. Wanted her.
"Not like rumors."
"...What?"
Frowned, glaring, voice quaver. Slight prod, she flared. Strong ego. Good—bait would hook easy.
"Execs called genius, expected more."
"Meaning?"
Snapped irritably, advanced with Voodoo magic from fingers. I smirked.
"What else?"
"Wanna die? Knock you out, bury you."
Face twisted fury, clear in dark. Mouthier than thought. Flow positive.
"Try. Your spell? Dizzy at best."
"...Ha!"
Disbelieving scoff, eyes aflame.
"Bet? Knock you out or not. I win, you get buried."
"I win?"
"Huh? I'll win."
So confident. No thought of loss.
"I win, obey nicely."
She smirked.
"Fine. Think you can, retard?"
She bit. Her Voodoo magic rapidly formed spell circle.
(Continued next chapter)