Chương 69: S.04 Memory of the Clock 12(04)_The LAST of S.04

Scene 07_08. Ji-young: This is, my final request, in this first crisis. Corpse-puppets, fully laden with black blood vessels, came pouring in like a torrent. In the middle of the wide veranda of Ji-young's quarters, only Ji-young stood alone. The black shadows rising up jet-black, the black currents, the infernal creatures of the world of the dead and the corpse-puppets, with grotesque gestures, rushed at Ji-young in an instant. The continuing noise registered as nothing at all.

Even the sound of the fiercely blowing wind could not be heard. As deep as the deep night, it was a deep and quiet stillness. Even the sound of the moonlight, brimming full, could not be heard. Only Ji-young's clear, ringing voice could be heard. Ji-young: Let no one, be harmed, nor die. I will, never, permit your wounds, Around Ji-young's two eyes, blood vessels carrying black water were drawn, and her once-clear eyes were filled, in an instant, with black water. Ji-young: I will, never, permit your deaths.

As Ji-young's hand was clenched with full force, every wire that had spread out from her wrist whipped through, fine and cold, like flickering black starlight. It was a beautiful sound. Beyond the black wire, the clear sound of a black 요령(Yo-ryeong_Ritual Handbell) rang out resoundingly. All, I shall take upon myself, all, please go your way well-tended. Gyeong-seo's Hemp cloth scattered as if spreading in every direction.

The drifting Hemp cloth — moving sharply, fiercely, as if sweeping through, then unfurling like a turtle's shell as if to shield everyone — was lightly knocking aside the murderous intent of the corpse-puppets. Following the rhythm of the 거북춤(Geo-buk-chum_Turtle Dance), Gyeong-seo's slowly winding dance ground was severing every approach of the corpses with swift dispatch. Whenever Gyeong-seo's Hemp cloth was drawn back, So-hui's Red Thread was scattered.

Their breaths, taking no synchronized count, did not show the slightest sign of becoming winded. The path you go, I shall tend deeply. The memories that linger, I shall bear deeply within. Beyond the scattering Red Thread, a 청사(Cheong-sa_Blue Thread) skein set in place was, in an instant, returning the senses of the corpses Su-jeong had seized. The corpses, having recovered consciousness, were sinking limply to the floor.

With neither hostility nor murderous intent left in them, the failed puppets — as if being discarded — were being broken apart, one after another, by the black currents Su-jeong had drawn through them. A single blue breath of yours, that lingered upon the wide field, A single glance of yours, that watched the narrow stream's flow. I-seon came down from the eaves and faced head-on a corpse trailing thin smoke. The countless corpses set in place atop the eaves fell to the ground.

Every Headquarters person stationed in each building was stepping outside. The countless corpses, which had been moved by something, were quickly slipping into the shadows beyond the Ghost Light with one unified motion. Every Headquarters person in combat garments was, to the very end, pursuing the corpses to drive them back. The black currents tied to the corpses' necks began, little by little, to grow thicker.

Someday it sets, someday it falls, even should it remain only as a trace bearing fading sorrow and a wistfulness left behind, Yeon-su's Black Sand, shaped like a blade, severed in an instant the murderous intent surging at So-hui and Gyeong-seo. Carrying on the broad, swift, straight footwork of the 해남검무(Hae-nam-geom-mu_Haenam Sword Dance), she scattered Black Sand shaped like blades with both hands. Beyond the opened paper-paneled door, Yu-seok's leisurely smile and turned back briefly came into view.

As she was about to move her step for a beat to keep from missing Yu-seok at the gate of the training ground — The single liquor-flask draped at one's bosom, listen to the sound of it swaying alone whole, the single liquor-flask laid open, shall be set down upon the cold rock-mountain, The gate Yu-seok was about to step through was torn apart in shards.

Beyond the shattered gate, Grey Sand came surging in, and pushed back, far off, Yu-seok and Yeon-jin and the Northwest Province shamans who had been standing around the two. Seon-woo: Wow. Damn — there were a fucking ton of you all gathered here, huh? Behind Seon-woo, who stood at the very front, a fairly large number of personnel were pouring in like a flood.

Should you fear that this voice of mine, with no certain promise, may not be heard, should you worry that this voice of mine, with no answer returning, may be buried, Yu-seok, sprawled across the courtyard, let out a deep sigh, slowly lifted his body, and dusted the dirt off his clothes. To the East Province Deputy of the Province standing beside her, Seon-woo issued an order. Seon-woo: Absolutely. Absolutely don't kill them, just sever the wrists, the ankles. Every single one. Not one missed.

If it can't be helped, even cutting the arms or the legs is fine. The moment Seon-woo's order ended, all the personnel, in a sweeping rush, took the wide courtyard in an instant. As the staggering people could not even mount a response, Seon-woo, holding Grey Sand in her hand, moved her step toward Yu-seok. Seon-woo: Hey, trash. You been keeping well? 비나이다, 비나이다. I beseech, I beseech. The voice that fears being buried, give it over to me, the gaze that had nowhere to go, please turn it toward me.

The corpses, beyond the hostility they had faced, swiftly converged toward the north gate they had come through. Their intent was first to block the deepest death set near the north gate. They headed for the one who had vowed to be the first to be persecuted. Beyond every shaman of Headquarters, every corpse and every infernal thing set in place at Headquarters poured toward her in a flood. Above the voice that lingers, I shall open the ear that will hold it.

Before the gaze that wanders without place, I shall show the eye that will meet it. Upon the path you go, I shall lay down the step you may set. Ji-young's footwork — bearing the surrender of 삼남태(Sam-nam-tae_The Threefold Southern Womb) — lightly knocked aside, as if scattering them, the black currents that had been bearing down with violence. Alone and in silence, she carried out her rite, and was driving back, as if consoling, the wistful deaths that came pouring in. 가시리, 가시리잇고, 가시리, 가시리잇다.

Will you go, will you go now, will you go, are you going at last. The black wire shaped in Ji-young's two hands sat in place, like a great 광수소매(Gwang-su-so-mae_Wide-cuffed sleeve), holding within it the trace of Ji-young's hand. To the Butterfly Dance scattered as if cast in profusion, every death dispersed as if fading, into radiant blossom-buds.

Beneath the snow piled high, your voices that lay held for so long a time — I shall draw them out and listen, within the flowing currents, your sorrows that wandered for so long a time — I shall draw them out and meet them. Si-yeon was, without a word, standing in place. They were eyes very clear, holding not even hatred. Beyond Su-jeong and Si-yeon, who were locked in a standoff, countless deaths were fading. Empty, fleeting greed was being severed. Si-yeon's two hands were empty.

Like the clear eyes, in the fair hands nothing at all was held. Su-jeong: Why are you just standing there. You said you'd kill me. Si-yeon: Ah, I think I get it now. Your question. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Su-jeong: What? Si-yeon: You said sis was sorry to you. You asked me earlier. Why she'd done that. Beyond Si-yeon's plain voice, no scream sounded.

The number of hostilities fading in an instant was rapidly drawing forth a stillness. Even if a scream did sound, it could not push back the stillness between Su-jeong and Si-yeon. Their conversation could be carried on by the two of them alone. Sorrows of no certain promise, buried and buried, become a deep 한 (Han_Grief-resentment), should the piled-up rage flow beyond the dam, Su-jeong: Right. Then, answer me. Why she did that. Si-yeon: I, was originally a whore.

I'm not seriously fucking smart like Ji-young sis or you. I was never properly taught, either. Su-jeong: So what. Si-yeon: So, I don't know what the exact words are. But, yeah. I think the same way too. Su-jeong: You, too, are sorry to me?? Si-yeon was only letting out a long breath, without a word. Si-yeon, having thought it might mean something a little different, shook her head and carried on her voice. Si-yeon: You said — if you're broken apart, you can't meet your younger sister. Even after death.

To Si-yeon's plain voice, Su-jeong was being warped. Her expression was not warped. As if struck, she was warping her own head and chest from within with a vacant face. Si-yeon: Then we couldn't even console you, could we. You. Lay it down upon the dry rock-mountain. Let it spill among the damp wood. Every dance posture of Ji-young settled. Around her, only the traces left by Ji-young's consoling lay strewn upon the dirt floor. The black water was simply filling the wide courtyard.

Ji-young, drawing her breath quietly, with her eyes still black, only turned her step around to look behind her. The black water — pooled deep across the floor — rose like a wave and came surging at Ji-young. Ji-young only watched, without a word, the bearing-down black wave. Take up the single shaped, set-down liquor-flask, come to face me, the one who waited for you, let it flow through my eyes and my ears, hold it within my voice.

To Si-yeon's composed voice, Su-jeong — who had warped her self to the very limit — turned her vacant eyes mechanically toward So-hui, who had been carrying out the dance. With a sneer drawn upon her lips, Su-jeong turned her gaze back toward Si-yeon. In Su-jeong's two eyes, glaring straight ahead, hatred and rage were filled to the brim. Su-jeong: The same goes for you, too.

With Su-jeong's composed hatred as the final word, the black water draped beneath So-hui's feet swelled, in an instant, and swallowed So-hui whole. Gyeong-seo and Chae-rim, who had been protecting So-hui, halted the rest of their dance posture for a beat with a flustered look. Si-yeon was, in fact, only watching Su-jeong's outburst without a word. Su-jeong burst her own body open. Before the burst current could fade, Si-yeon slowly moved her step and brought her body into the black current Su-jeong had shaped.

비나이다. 비나이다. I beseech. I beseech. The eyes of dead people, filling all around, were filling the blood-red mire densely, all at once. Their once-still gazes turned all together and glared at Ji-young, who had stepped in. Ji-young, who had briefly lost consciousness, smelled the metallic scent of blood and opened the eyes she had closed. Ji-young's blackened eyes had returned to their original form. Holding the metallic-smelling blood-water, which had come surging at her, fully within her, she swam deeper inside.

The cruel grasps of the bearing-in blood-red mire came surging at Ji-young, who held life within her, but Ji-young — at some point — had loosened the black bracelet she had retrieved, shaped the wire, and severed every grasping hand that came pressing in. The arms severed in the blood-red mire did not gush blood. Rather, they faintly disturbed the black current as they faded. Ji-young grasped the hair laid upon the floor and pulled her body up with full force.

Ji-young's body, having driven downward, surged out as if leaping from water and fell downward. Taking the laundry-sound of the woman seated beyond as our side-dish, taking the wind-sound of the spinning fire-play as our chatter. Before reaching the black sky and the black ground, Ji-young sent her bracelet whirling in disarray and drove it into the stone statues set in every direction. The speed of her own falling gradually slowed.

It was not smooth, but having rolled her body — which was not falling fast enough to injure itself — she landed safely upon a ground shaped of some black wooden flooring. Ji-young, with red blood-water flowing down her, gathered back the bracelet she had scattered in every direction. The stone statues stood in a row around her, as if guarding her, as if hiding someone, watching Ji-young with smiles. Ji-young, looking at the distorted Buddha-statue, carefully offered a 합장(Hap-jang_Buddhist palms-pressed bow).

Only the statue to which Ji-young had offered the palms-pressed bow was utterly battered. After Ji-young had offered the bow and drawn her hands back, she looked at the statue — perilous, as if it might shatter at any moment. The perilous statue, dropping crumbling stone fragments, tore down its outer shell. Seated facing each other upon the bamboo mat woven of long ceremonial robes, unspool the deeply held tale, and give it over to me. It was a place dyed black in every direction.

The wide sea, with no end in sight, and the endless sandy shore — all of it was black. The sky, too, was black, and the wind, too, was black. It was a place where no living person could easily exist. For So-hui, who was alive, it was a burdensome place. Su-jeong, having taken into her grasp So-hui — barely managing to pant for breath while unconscious — slowly walked from the collapsed statue and faced Si-yeon, who had pursued and entered with her.

As if having taken a slight wound from the wire Ji-young had scattered, Su-jeong's slender throat had been split open. The black currents rose, hideously, revealing, in countless numbers, the gestures of hungry-ghost hands trying to reattach the split throat. So many grasping hands had wedged their way up through Su-jeong's throat that they could be mistaken for human hair. Set it behind the cold rock-mountain, when the wind-sound is held within the stream's water.

The time without you, I shall watch hopelessly from the watchtower. The time you remained, I shall carve and hold deeply within. Su-jeong, having seized the limply trailing hair of So-hui, let her two eyes turn black. As the black blood vessels swelled and protruded, black water came pouring out of Su-jeong's eyes as if spilling forth. Drawing up black water with her toes, she summoned the desiccated gestures of hungry-ghost hands.

The hand-gestures, flailing in the air as if grasping for something, seized So-hui's limbs and the nape of her neck and were coveting So-hui's breath. Within the current, countless faces had appeared. They opened and closed their mouths in time with the longing gestures. Si-yeon shifted her stance and at last gripped her 은장도(Eun-jang-do_Ornamental dagger). 가시리 가시리잇고, 가시리 가시리잇다. Will you go, will you go now, will you go, are you going at last.

I, who at last face the time without you, remembering you, shall complete my remaining share. Behind Su-jeong, who had pinned So-hui down, Ji-young's step took its place. With Si-yeon set before her and Ji-young set behind her, Su-jeong pushed a little more black water into So-hui's faltering breath. Countless hungry-ghost hand-gestures held So-hui's limbs and were coveting the longed-for breath. Ji-young and Si-yeon stood, without a word, with Su-jeong set between them.

Su-jeong: You, too, won't be able to do what you wish. In the end. Hearing Su-jeong's sneer, neither Ji-young nor Si-yeon conveyed a word. There was no laughter, either. Unlike the two who were composed, Su-jeong, as if thrashing, only sneered and looked back and forth between them. Su-jeong: Why, why aren't you doing anything!! Why!! In place of a belated answer to Su-jeong's thrashing question, Ji-young only quietly conveyed her intent. Ji-young: What I was sorry for back then — there was no other meaning to it.

Su-jeong glanced back as if peeking behind her. Su-jeong: What. What is it. Si-yeon: Because once you go, you're empty. you're voided. 비나이다. 비나이다. I beseech. I beseech. Ji-young: I, we, will stay and console. May the deeply held sorrow be left behind no more, may all the tears sent flowing far away be drawn back. Yes. Sorry. I was sorry. I'm sorry, but, we will stay and console. The voices that reached us, the voices conveyed to us — we will hold them deeply, and console them in earnest. 가시리 가시리잇고, 가시리 가시리잇다.

Will you go, will you go now, will you go, are you going at last. Su-jeong's eyes flew open. It was atop black water with nothing else. In the empty place, only black water filled, rippling. Belatedly registering the green skein of thread settled, drifting limply, in every direction, Su-jeong realized what state she herself was now in. She lifted the body that had been seated on its knees. At the sound of footsteps from a far place, she turned her head. Aaah — why, do you keep doing this, would you stop!!

It was a familiar voice. Because it was a voice she had thought could not possibly be, Su-jeong moved her lifted body just so, taking a slightly quicker step. The splashing sound of water reached Su-jeong's black 운혜(Unhye_Everyday traditional shoes). The black everyday traditional shoes and the black socks she had put on after a long while were soaking in the black water, but Su-jeong did not mind. She followed the voice that came carrying toward her. And she could meet her. That was all.

As if having sensed Su-jeong's halted presence, a very small child stopped her grumbling voice and slowly turned around. Su-yeon: I'm telling you to stop already!! Aigoo!! How tiresome! The unfinished sorrow, hearing my song, will go lightly. The unfinished tears, hearing my song, will go without a trace. The small child, turned around, faced Su-jeong and conveyed a raised voice. To the child's voice scolding her as if reprimanding, Su-jeong, before she knew it, sank to her knees.

It was a memory passed over to her. It was something that had happened. She had simply not faced it as an adult. Before she knew it, Su-jeong — having shrunk small like the small child she had once held — held the Su-yeon in her embrace a little tighter. Only then did Su-yeon's raised voice settle. Su-yeon's plump two hands were stroking the back of small Su-jeong. Su-yeon: Even when I said it like that, sis, you didn't listen. Su-jeong: I'm sorry. In Su-jeong's child-voice, only tears were set in place.

Su-yeon: The 삼신할매 (Sam-shin-hal-mae_Birth Goddess) Crone used to tease me so much, telling me to stop you, sis. She'd say, "What's with that older sister of yours, anyway?!" To young Su-yeon's grumbling voice, young Su-jeong, too, was crying and laughing. I beseech. I beseech. The tales not yet at last unspooled, leave with me, all that remains of them, that the sudden step you take may go in peace, I beseech. I beseech.

Su-yeon: Sis, Su-yeon's voice was, at some point, draping the voice of a fully grown adult, like Ji-young's age. Su-jeong, too, at some point set in place in her present form, was holding the fully grown Su-yeon in a tight embrace. Su-yeon: We won't, see each other again. Us. To Su-yeon's plain comfort, Su-jeong, holding Su-yeon deeply, nodded. Su-yeon: But, you don't feel sorrow over it now, do you? To Su-yeon's plain question, Su-jeong belatedly drew her body apart and looked Su-yeon straight in the face.

Looking at the Su-yeon who somehow seemed different from herself yet similar, having met the wholly present Su-yeon she had so longed for, Su-jeong, in a voice clear and ringing, painstakingly prepared, conveyed the intent she had carried for so long. Su-jeong: Sis is, sorry. It was Su-jeong's apology. Su-yeon, hearing Su-jeong's apology, smiled brightly and shook her head. Su-yeon: Eh, what for. It's all right. Now. Su-jeong: That day, for not protecting you, I'm sorry. Su-yeon. Su-yeon did not shed tears.

Su-jeong: That day, for being the only one to run away, I'm sorry. Su-yeon. Su-yeon's plain smile, having forgiven everything, warmly held Su-jeong's sorrow. It's all right, I'm telling you. Now. For real. Only the voice remained. It was a voice no longer heard, but there was no sorrow over it. Su-jeong slowly let go of her own emptied embrace. Lifting the knees on which she had been kneeling, she sent ripples across the surface of the black current. Around Su-jeong's neck, a green skein of thread was wound.

Su-jeong let out a hollow laugh. Su-jeong: You all knew everything. You. To Su-jeong's composed voice, So-hui answered through the skein of thread. So-hui: Yes. Su-jeong: The first Guide who can see beyond death. So-hui: The younger sister, was the one who called her. I don't know how to do the Welcoming Rite for the Birth-Goddess Path. I'm sorry. If I'd known how, you wouldn't have suffered. Su-jeong: Who.

To the skein wound around the neck of Su-jeong, who had been standing alone in stillness, the small sound of someone clearing her throat came through. It was an unfamiliar voice. There was a brief sign of bickering, but the voice that had been clearing its throat quickly composed itself again and conveyed her existence to Su-jeong. Jeong-seon: I, you see, know the map of the world of the dead. At the voice that came through, Su-jeong briefly closed her eyes.

Su-jeong: I do not know who you are, but — Su-jeong slowly lowered her knees and offered a deep bow upon the black water. Su-jeong: I sincerely thank you. When Su-jeong's bow ended and she lifted her body again, Su-jeong sent a slightly heavy voice flowing into the empty place. Su-jeong: Thanks to you, I have been consoled. Thanks to you, Su-jeong let out a great breath. Su-jeong: I think I'll be able to be broken apart, in peace. Su-jeong's expression carried a sincere apology. Su-jeong: So I dare, The Oldest.

Guide. To say to you. It is not yet over. Here, I am not the only one. Had I known you would console me this deeply, I would not have taken his hand. Truly, I am sorry.