Jihoon woke up screaming. His whole body was covered in sweat. He tried to swallow, but his mouth was as dry as a desert.
He quickly looked around searching for his family but the only thing he saw was the dark and quiet forest. Three moons were up in the sky, illuminating his surroundings slightly as they shined through the thick leaves of the trees.
He quickly calmed down. He knew that he was not alone inside the forest. Jihoon stood up and scanned the area, making sure his screams did not attract any unwanted guests.
His eyes scanned the area while his ears were searching for even the faintest whisper or cracked branch. Luckily it seemed like nothing was attracted to his screams. But he would not let his guard down so easily.
Jihoon walked towards the small stream of water. He was still alert but thoughts kept interrupting his focus.
I need to go back to sleep. Tomorrow I should reach the village.
As terrifying as the nightmare was, he would not let that slow him down. If sleeping meant experiencing a nightmare, then he would confront it.
He clenched his fist as his eyes burned with determination yet behind the fire there was an ice-cold darkness that slowly seeped in.
Jihoon remembered the horrified faces of the bandits. He remembered the execution of his family. Their faces. Their smiles, as their heads lay there in front of him. He wanted to yell. Express his frustration.
But he held it in.
He clenched his fist, his knuckles whitened as his fingers punctured his palm leaking blood.
He remembered his sister's words. He would be strong and not let weakness decide his life. He would pursue strength no matter what.
Jihoon arrived at the stream of water. He quickly washed his hands and face. Immediately after he cleaned himself up, washing away the blood and sweat from before. He took a couple of big sips before turning back around and walking back to his cave.
Once he arrived at the cave he quickly checked his surroundings one more time. Before laying back down to sleep.
His breathing slowed, as his thoughts quietly drifted into darkness.
There he was again. The odor of death and decay flowed inside his nostrils as he wrinkled them in disgust. He could not get used to the smell. Jihoon stood there as his gaze slowly killed every plant and tree.
He looked around trying to find the bandits. But not out of guilt.
I did what I had to do.
He told himself, but he knew it would take some time for him to completely stop blaming himself. He tried to look for his family but he did not think that they would appear again nor did he want to see them executed again.
Suddenly bodies materialized from the air. Jihoons face broke into a small smile as he saw the bodies. However, he was also a little terrified of the thought that he would lose his family a third time.
Nevertheless, his hope was broken again as more bodies started to appear and their faces morphed into ones that he did not want to see. The bandits were back. Their bodies were translucent yet their faces held unimaginable pain. Their hollow eyes looked into his as their mouths cried in agony.
Jihoon felt a slight pang of guilt, at the sight of the bandits.
However, he quickly took a deep breath to calm himself down. He closed his eyes and loosened his fist that he unknowingly clenched the moment he saw them.
He opened his eyes this time the ice-cold coldness that he buried before rose to the surface. This time it was not a type of determination that was after hard work, but one that was ready for survival.
But that hunger would not be satisfied with merely surviving. He would thrive in this world. He would be one of the strongest.
Suddenly a sword materialized from the air and quietly landed in his hand. It was the same he used to kill the bandits before. A long and sharp silver sword with a dark handle and a simplistic yet sleek design.
Now he would use it again.
He raised his arm, looked at the ghosts of the bandits unflinchingly, and swung it down. With one swing of his sword, he beheaded every ghost that stood before him. He quickly moved forward swinging his arm again and beheading the last two.
Their shrieks echoed across the forest, as the decaying began to speed up. After a couple of seconds, everything died. First the ghosts, then the grass, and then the trees.
As everything died it lay there completely rotten the smell however did not worsen. In fact, it got better. It felt like spring arrived with the smell of beautiful flowers.
The moment Jihoon noticed the smell everything turned to ash and dust. It slowly disappeared as the wind carried it away. Suddenly the earth started to shake and the seeds of flowers and saplings started to sprout from the ground.
Jihoon could barely stand as his body swung left and right by the earth's trembling. Green lush grass grew from the ground. The flowers started to bloom as new colors greeted the world. Thick trees that stood like skyscrapers with leaves as thick as one's hand grew from the saplings.
Suddenly the night turned to daylight as the suns shined brightly upon the ground creating an angelic scene.
Jihoon was captivated by the scene. He wondered how the thing that brought him unimaginable pain last time brought him peace this time. As he walked around the forest, plucking flowers and sniffing them an angelic yet familiar voice sounded in the distance.
He remembered the melody that was sung right now. He quickly sped up and ran at full speed towards the sound of the melody. He ignored new flowers he had never seen as he quickly maneuvered around the trees.
Jihoon quickly arrived in front of an altar. There he saw a female back with white wings attached to her back. Her long beautiful black hair flowed down her back as she played with a flower. She was wearing a beautiful white gown as she sat on the back of a kneeling bandit.
Jihoon however did not notice it as he stared at his sister's face.
"Hyeon!" He cried out as his sister slowly turned around. "Hyeon! Can you hear me?!"
His sister however only smiled and did not answer him. It was at that moment that Jihoon noticed the kneeling bandit.
He quickly looked around and saw each bandit being held captive. Their hands were held above their heads by chains and their feet were barely touching the floor. Their faces showed exhaustion as their eyes looked into his he did not see the hatred from before nor any type of will to fight.
He only saw a plea. A request.
A request to end it all. To end the pain. They did not want to fight, they did not even want to live, they just wanted to go.
Peacefully.
Jihoon felt not only guilty but also bad. His breath quickened and his heartbeat accelerated but he did not waver.
He would not let weakness penetrate his mind.
"Good, " His sister's angelic voice said as she smiled upon him.
Just as he was about to answer her, her face turned serious and she continued.
"You are mind is not as weak as before. Remember you are a Kang."
Her smile returned but instead of a loving one, it signified pride.
The pride of a big sister.
"Remember, mercy towards an enemy is cruelty towards oneself."
The petals of the flower in her hand suddenly fell apart and dropped to the ground. However just as the petals were about to touch the ground she lifted her hand and they started to float.
She looked back at him and said.
"Listen and watch."
Suddenly she began to change. Her white wings slowly turned black. Her white gown turned into darkness. At the same time, her black hair turned completely white.
"No matter how deep the darkness grows, never let it consume you entirely. You hold the power to choose who sees your shadows and who basks in your light..."
The flowers slowly started to flow towards the bandits.
They stared in anticipation, tears began to stream down their faces, and traces of small smiles hovered on their faces as they whispered thank you, they knew their time had come.
It was time to go peacefully.
The moment the petals touched them they disintegrated and turned to dust and the wind carried them towards the suns.
Jihoon stood there still captivated by everything that had been happening. He was confused but he quickly looked back towards his sister but she was nowhere to be seen.
The only thing that lingered was her voice.
"I am proud of you JiJi."
He looked around but could not find anything and slowly the world began to fade as he began waking up.
Slowly his eyes fluttered open. This time he did not wake up screaming and sweating but peacefully as if he had a good night's sleep.
The nightmare, no the dream was over. Instead of being terrified and weak he grew stronger. He had been reborn just like the world in his dream had. He changed. He accepted the darkness not only within himself but also around the world.
However, he would not let it dictate his life. He would not be consumed. He would decide when, where, and to whom he would show it.
I did it...
He thought peacefully.
He had conquered his demons, by confronting them.
A small smile tugged across his lips. This time it was not there to distract himself from the pain he hid in his heart but a genuine smile.
He accepted his weaknesses. He accepted his strengths.
But more importantly, he accepted himself and everything that came with it.
This was a type of peacefullnes nobody could take from him nor would it be shaken by outside events.