The Straw Doll's Curse

From the moment he laid eyes on the doll, Yeong-hwa's expression turned sharp and cold.

He looked to Clan Head Namgung Shin and asked,

"Clan Head, can the members of your household be trusted?"

"They are all collateral branches of the Namgung Clan. Betrayal is unthinkable."

"Then what, exactly, is this?"

Namgung Shin lost his words at the straw doll Yeong-hwa held out.

"No matter how I turn it over in my mind, there is no one who would hold a grudge against me this deep."

He sank into thought for a moment, then answered with firm conviction.

"I have both debts and grudges in the martial world, certainly—but I am confident I have never lived so basely as to deserve this."

"It is highly likely a matter of passion that you yourself do not remember."

Yeong-hwa stroked his chin as he ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠examined the doll in careful detail.

"From the look of it, this is a talisman painted in ox blood."

He began to read the characters written upon it.

"Sever Offspring. Seize the Fetus."

At Yeong-hwa's words, anger flared across Hyeonsong's face.

"To cut off children and snatch the life yet unborn?"

Hagun clicked his tongue.

"This is no ordinary grudge. This is hatred bordering on obsession."

Yeong-hwa studied the talisman further and drew out the length of blue silk draped around the doll.

"One thing is now certain."

Namgung Shin turned to him.

"Daoist Yeong-hwa, what is it?"

"A force with wealth to rival the Namgung Clan itself has cast this curse."

"Why do you judge so?"

"Ox blood carries excellent spiritual power, but it is far too expensive for ordinary sorcerers even to dream of using."

Yeong-hwa continued without pause.

"Moreover, to have stolen silk that once belonged to the Namgung Clan says everything."

"Are you thinking of a merchant caravan, then?"

"No. Merchants lack the guts for work like this."

He met Namgung Shin's eyes as he went on.

"At the very least, unless someone is determined to wipe the Namgung Clan from the face of the earth, they would never even conceive of doing such a thing."

At those words Namgung Shin stroked his wine cup with a hollow look.

"Wishing for the destruction of my house…"

"There are almost certainly several more of these dolls."

Yeong-hwa's voice remained steady.

"From the energy clinging to this one, I have a rough idea of where your son may be."

Namgung Shin shot to his feet.

"Is that true, Daoist Yeong-hwa?"

"Now is not the time. Your second son will likely come seeking us of his own accord."

Yeong-hwa refilled Hyeonsong's empty cup and the clan head's as well.

"The night is cold. The two of you should finish your conversation tonight."

A measure of relief softened Namgung Shin's face.

"I shall do so."

"Clan Head, may I walk the grounds of the Namgung Clan?"

Flutter—

At the request, Namgung Shin laughed and slipped off his own long outer robe, holding it out to Yeong-hwa.

"The clan head's token is in the inner pocket. Show that and you will be free to go where you please."

"My thanks, Clan Head."

Yeong-hwa bowed and tugged at Hagun's sleeve.

Hagun, who had been stealthily draining his cup, offered a reluctant farewell to Namgung Shin and Hyeonsong before following after him.

Watching the two depart, Hyeonsong turned to Namgung Shin.

"Why did the Namgung Clan Head remain still when Yeong-hwa drew his sword?"

Namgung Shin smiled bitterly.

"Sect Leader, there was not a shred of killing intent in Daoist Yeong-hwa's blade."

He refilled his own cup and continued.

"And yet, Sect Leader—why could I not sense an object so thick with ghostly energy?"

"Clan Head, divine power and inner energy are not the same."

Hyeonsong poured for himself as well.

"Yeong-hwa feels things that others cannot."

A warm smile touched the elder's face as he regarded Namgung Shin.

"Trust him, just this once."

"This house has no other path left."

"You have already summoned other sorcerers, I take it?"

"The famed sorcerers of Anhui Province all spouted nonsense until, finding no solution, they fled in terror of my wrath."

The clan head's words seemed to amuse Hyeonsong; he covered his mouth and laughed quietly.

And so the night of the Namgung Clan grew deeper still.

Yet the blood-red moon hanging above the Namgung estate only thickened, darker and darker.

Early winter. A cutting wind blew, yet every window of the dark chamber stood open.

Bathed in the light of the blood-red moon, a disheveled old man offered up his prayers.

Before him stood a sacrificial altar. At its center a freshly severed ox head dripped blood, and before it twelve candles burned. Behind the ox head stood ten straw dolls, each wearing a scarf of blue silk.

The old man chanted his mantra in a frenzy.

In that instant a gust of wind toppled one of the straw dolls.

The old man's mouth split wide in a mad grin, and he threw back his head and howled with laughter.

"Heh… heh… kuhahahahahahaha!"

A cold voice answered from behind the black curtain at the rear of the chamber.

"What is so amusing?"

"I have met an interesting opponent."

The old man flung the fallen doll aside without a second glance.

"Those who can track down the deathly aura I send… there are only a handful in the entire Central Plains."

The voice behind the curtain trembled with unease.

"You mean one of them has come to the Namgung Clan?"

"No. We always keep careful track of one another's whereabouts."

Suddenly the old man seized the ox head and thrust his hand deep into the severed neck. When his fingers emerged dripping with blood, he smeared it across his own face with an expression of pure satisfaction.

"Let us see which little fox thinks to play tricks."

With his bloodied hand he scrawled characters in a frenzy across a length of blue silk laid before the altar. When the talisman was complete, his grin stretched ear to ear.

He passed the inscribed blue silk above the twelve candles.

Fwoooooosh—

The silk burst into flame and was gone in an instant.

The old man spoke toward the curtain.

"Tonight, the second son of the Namgung Clan dies."

Jingle—

Maids emerged from behind the curtain carrying a chest heavy with gold.

"You will take responsibility for those words?"

The old man raised his index finger, eyes blazing with madness.

"Even after witnessing the last affair, you still speak so?"

"Then I shall trust you and take my leave."

As the owner of the voice moved toward the door behind the curtain, the old man's voice followed.

"Love is truly a terrifying thing."

"…"

"As time passes, the only force that digs into a human heart is twisted love."

At those words the departing figure halted. Anxious fingers fretted at a necklace around the throat.

"I have examined the heavenly secrets. It is neither fatherly affection nor motherly love…"

He chuckled low in his throat.

"It is clearly the romantic longing between man and woman that time itself cannot erase."

The voice behind the curtain shook.

"Watch your tongue."

"If you intend to use me as a disposable chess piece and cast me aside, you would do well to abandon the thought."

The old man let out a bone-chilling whistle.

"For I already know exactly who you are."

Bang—

The door slammed shut with violence. The sound of the figure behind the curtain leaving the chamber.

The old man paid no heed to the gold. He simply watched the wavering candle flames.

"In this tedious human world… let us see just how much entertainment you can provide me."

The chamber filled with nothing but the old man's laughter and the light of the blood-red moon.

"Yeong-hwa!"

Hagun called after him.

Yeong-hwa walked with his hands clasped behind his back, carefully studying every pavilion of the Namgung estate. Hagun kept yawning against the early-winter east wind.

"Can we not go inside now?"

"Senior Brother, this is truly fascinating."

Yeong-hwa continued peering beneath eaves and up at ceilings. Then he broke into a wide grin.

"Well now, look ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠at this. To think someone in the Central Plains possesses divine power of this caliber."

"What are you talking about?"

"Common curses are usually hidden in places like these."

Yeong-hwa's eyes sparkled.

"This is no ordinary sorcerer."

"Yeong-hwa. It is freezing."

Hagun sniffled.

"A full shichen has already passed. Tomorrow morning—"

His words cut off, for Yeong-hwa had suddenly raised a hand.

In the same instant the cutting wind that had been sweeping the Namgung grounds fell utterly still.

Yeong-hwa urgently drew out the straw doll he had tucked into his robes. Clutching it, he began to chant.

Fwoooooosh—

The straw doll in Yeong-hwa's hand burst into spontaneous flame.

He opened his eyes and gazed toward the mid-slopes of Huangshan that rose behind the Namgung estate.

Hagun had already recovered his focus; every meridian in his body stood razor-sharp with circulating energy.

Yeong-hwa spoke without looking away.

"Someone has accelerated the deathly aura."

"Deathly aura? What is that?"

"The curse!"

Yeong-hwa unfolded the Jeunjong footwork at full power and streaked past the pavilions of the Namgung Clan. Hagun followed hard on his heels.

"Where are we going?"

"Huangshan."

"Why there?"

"The Ancestral Shrine!"

"The Ancestral Shrine?"

"The power of the Namgung Clan's ancestral gods is concentrated there."

They reached the foot of the mountain and immediately launched into lightfoot techniques, racing up the slopes of Huangshan. Yeong-hwa spoke urgently as they climbed.

"If someone has sent the deathly aura and the second young master of the Namgung Clan has gone mad, there is only one place he would go in the end."

"To beg the protection of the ancestral gods."

"Exactly, Senior Brother Hagun."

Shiiing—

The moment the words left his mouth, Hagun drew his sword. Yeong-hwa's blade left its scabbard as well.

As the Ancestral Shrine came into view, Yeong-hwa prepared to surge forward—only for Hagun's hand to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠bar his path.

"We are not alone."

Hagun closed his ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠eyes and spread his spiritual sense.

"Twelve of them. Every one trained in martial arts."

He opened his eyes and sent a silent transmission.

"Kill your presence as much as you can and follow me."

Yeong-hwa answered with a single nod.

Even in the dead of night the Ancestral Shrine of the Namgung Clan blazed with torches on every side. A thick reek of blood struck Yeong-hwa's nose.

The Namgung warriors who had been guarding the shrine lay sprawled across the ground, their heads severed from their bodies.

From within the shrine rose a chorus of uncanny voices.

"I was wrong… I was wrong… I was wrong… I was wrong…"

Yeong-hwa and Hagun approached with careful steps. Hagun motioned for Yeong-hwa to stay back; Yeong-hwa obeyed and withdrew a pace.

Bang—

Hagun flung the shrine doors wide.

His breath caught in a single horrified exhalation.

"What in the name of…"

Thirteen figures stood within—identical faces, identical clothing. As one they turned and fixed their eyes on Yeong-hwa.

"So it is you."

Shiiing—

Those who had been kneeling in prayer rose, drew their swords, and charged.

Yeong-hwa parried a thrusting blade and stepped back.

Thud—

In the same instant Hagun's kick smashed into the attacker's ribs.

Crunch—

The sound of breaking bone cracked through the night. The man crumpled—then rose again as though nothing had happened.

Hagun slid to Yeong-hwa's side.

"Are we caught in some sorcery?"

Yeong-hwa shook his head. He pressed his thumb against the edge of his sword until blood welled, then drew that thumb across the Black Tortoise pattern on the back of his hand.

Shaaaaa—

Black snakes uncoiled around Yeong-hwa, tongues flickering toward the thirteen approaching figures. Yet unlike before, the serpents could not bind them.

"They have lost their reason, bound by another god."

"Then we take them down first—"

"No."

Yeong-hwa stopped him cold.

"While I walked the pavilions earlier I saw a portrait."

"Don't tell me…"

"Every one of them wears the face of the second young master of the Namgung Clan."

Dismay flooded Hagun's features.

"Simply subduing them is out of the question."

Rage filled Yeong-hwa's eyes.

"Then we find him. By any means necessary—we find the real second young master of the Namgung Clan!"