Ji-ho’s heart thudded in her chest as the gravity of the situation pressed down on her. The figure’s words echoed in her mind, each syllable a reminder of the mounting danger. Her parents were close, but they were trapped within the Veil, just like the countless others who had come before and failed.
Elysia’s hand on her shoulder was a steadying presence, but it did little to calm the storm inside her. The mountain demanded a price, but what exactly was that cost? Would she lose herself in this pursuit of truth, just as her parents had?
The figure, still shrouded in darkness, took a slow step forward, its voice a cruel taunt.
— You are like them, you know? Desperate, clinging to hope even when the truth is unbearable. The mountain has seen countless souls like yours, all seeking answers but never ready for what they find.
Hwan stepped in front of Ji-ho, sword raised. His expression was hard, determined, but his eyes held a flicker of concern.
— Enough riddles. Tell us what you want.
The figure chuckled softly, the sound grating against the tense silence that hung in the air.
— What I want? It’s not about what I want, mortal. It’s about what the mountain needs.
The ground beneath them trembled again, and the stone ruins pulsed with a dark, sinister energy. Ji-ho could feel it now—the pull of the mountain, ancient and malevolent, reaching out to claim them. Her legs wavered as the weight of the unseen force pressed against her, as if the very air was trying to suffocate her resolve.
— Stop this! — Ji-ho shouted, her voice shaking but firm. — I won’t let you keep them trapped here. Whatever the price is, I’ll pay it.
Her words shocked her companions. Hwan’s eyes widened, and Elysia’s grip on her shoulder tightened.
— Ji-ho, don’t! You don’t know what you’re saying, — Elysia warned, her voice filled with worry.
But Ji-ho wasn’t deterred. She had come too far, sacrificed too much. She would do whatever it took to save her parents, even if it meant paying a steep price. She could no longer stand idly by, haunted by unanswered questions and an uncertain past.
— If this is the only way to free them, then I’ll do it, — Ji-ho continued, her gaze fixed on the figure before her. — Just tell me what you want from me.
For a moment, the figure was silent, observing her with an intensity that sent a chill down her spine. Then, slowly, it spoke.
— You are willing to sacrifice yourself for them? Interesting. But the price is not your life, mortal. The mountain seeks something far more valuable.
Ji-ho’s brow furrowed, confusion flooding her mind. What could be more valuable than her life? What was the mountain after?
— Your memories, — the figure said, its voice low and dangerous. — Everything that makes you who you are. Your love, your pain, your joy. If you are willing to give that up, then the mountain will release the souls it holds.
The weight of the offer hit her like a tidal wave. Her memories. Everything she had experienced, every moment she had shared with her parents, with her friends—with Hwan. The idea of losing all of that, of becoming a shell of who she was, left her breathless. But if it meant saving her parents, could she do it?
Hwan stepped forward, his voice sharp.
— No. That’s too much. Ji-ho, you can’t do this. Without your memories, you’ll lose yourself. You won’t be you anymore.
Ji-ho’s eyes flickered toward him, his words pulling at her heart. She didn’t want to lose herself. She didn’t want to forget everything that had shaped her into the person she was. But her parents… they were out there, trapped in this cursed place because of her. How could she walk away now?
— I have to, Hwan, — she whispered, her voice trembling. — I can’t leave them here. I won’t.
Hwan’s face hardened, his fists clenching at his sides.
— And what about us? What about the memories we’ve made together? You’re going to throw all of that away? For what?
His words stung, each one cutting deeper than the last. Ji-ho turned away from him, tears pricking at her eyes. She didn’t want to hurt him. She didn’t want to lose what they had built. But her parents… they were her world before everything else.
— I’m sorry, — she choked out. — I have to do this.
Elysia stepped forward, her voice soft but resolute.
— There must be another way. The mountain isn’t invincible. We can find a solution without losing you.
The figure’s laugh rang through the clearing, cold and mocking.
— Foolish girl. There is no other way. The mountain demands what it is owed. Either she gives up her memories, or they remain trapped forever.
Ji-ho’s heart raced as she weighed her options. Could she truly give up everything—her memories, her identity—for the chance to save her parents? And if she did, would she still be able to live with herself after?
Hwan’s hand reached out, grabbing her arm gently but firmly.
— Don’t do this, Ji-ho. We’ll find another way. Together.
His words were a lifeline, pulling her back from the edge of despair. She looked into his eyes and saw the depth of his feelings, the desperation in his plea. Could she really turn her back on that?
The figure sneered, growing impatient.
— Time is running out. Make your choice.
Ji-ho’s chest tightened as the weight of her decision bore down on her. There was no easy answer, no clear path forward. But in this moment, surrounded by the people she cared about, she realized something.
— I can’t, — Ji-ho said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. — I can’t give up everything. Not like this.
She turned to the figure, her resolve hardening.
— We’ll find another way. I won’t play by your rules.
The figure’s eyes glowed brighter, anger flickering in the depths of its gaze.
— Then you will all suffer.
With a flick of its hand, the ground beneath them split open, and the ruins began to crumble. Ji-ho’s heart pounded as the world around them shook violently, but her mind was clear. She wouldn’t give up. Not now.
Not ever.