Chapter Twenty-Nine Sunny
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Sunny
I kick my legs, struggling to breathe, as the creepy tentacle does its best to strangle me. Desperation fueling me, I claw at the strand of the Amheuk until my nails crack and bleed. With a tug at my heart’s center, my hands flare with white fire and burn the tentacle to ashes.
Sucking in a heaving lungful of air, I sprint out of the Queen of Water’s inner chambers. I have to get to the portal before the dome collapses. I put my head down and pump my legs harder. Then I stumble to a halt just outside the gates of the inner courtyard.
All hell has broken loose.
Countless tentacles have crashed through the dome, and they whip and slash at the shinbiins remaining in the palace. Anguished screams tear through the night, and blood and water swirl on the ground, rising higher by the second.
“No.” I summon the Shin’gwangdo and slash at the closest tentacle. I help a guard up from the ground and shove her in what I hope is the direction of the portal. “Run. Don’t look back. Get to the portal.”
Drawing from the strength and speed of the gumiho, I stab and cut as many tentacles as I can, helping as many people as I can. But soon, my arms, legs, abs, and chest burn, and I taste iron in the back of my throat. Still, I fight on until my swings grow sluggish and ineffective.
There are too many of them. I will never cut enough tentacles to save everyone.
I need to attack the source of these monstrosities.
I trace the snakelike cords of darkness to the top of the dome, wiping away the water raining down on my face.
I almost expect to see the body of a kraken up there, but the Amheuk has no bloated, misshapen body or scary bulging eyes.
It is a vast darkness.
But when I peer closer, I see a concentration of it—from where the tentacles stem.
That is where I need to attack. I reach for my Yeoiju, and it hums quietly at the center of my soul.
I can’t count on nature’s life force in the Kingdom of Water, and the Yeoiju might siphon my gi to fuel itself, but it’s a risk I have to take.
“Let’s do th—”
My words—my body—are swept away by a tidal wave. The force of the water flooding the dome twists me around in disorienting circles, and my back strains painfully as I fight against the current. But as suddenly as it sucked me in, the vortex spits me out into the dark water.
I calm my pounding heart and struggle to get my bearings. But once I do, I get the sinking feeling that I’m drowning. He-he. I choke on my morbid humor as I take in the carnage around me.
So many bodies . . .
They float in the water, their life forces sucked dry by the parasitic tentacles of the Amheuk. Then even the bodies disappear into the darkness. I should’ve done more. They’re dead because I couldn’t save them. My body sinks deeper as desolation drags me under.
The light shimmering from the open portal is gone. Even if I had the air and strength left to swim, I wouldn’t know the way out of here. I try to think—I shouldn’t give up—but shock and exhaustion shroud my mind like a dense fog.
Then something as thick as a tree trunk wraps around my waist, and I’m dragged through the water.
Did the Amheuk find me again? But it doesn’t feel like a tentacle, but a warm, strong arm.
I blearily focus my gaze on the owner of said arm, and an enraged screech escapes from my mouth in a blast of bubbles.
What are you doing? I yell telepathically at Haesan. Why didn’t you go through the portal? I told you to leave when all hell breaks loose.
Of course, he doesn’t answer. The big oaf won’t even meet my eyes. No, no, no. His life is more valuable than mine. He is so kind and unpolluted. My scarred, battered soul is not worth his life.
I have one vial, the token to the Kingdom of Sky, around my neck.
Haesan has to use it. I have to force him to use it.
I clench my jaw to stay conscious. I tilt my head and see the portal ahead of us.
With black edging into my vision, I tug the vial free from around my neck and tie it around Haesan’s arm, hoping he doesn’t notice.
I’m so sorry, Ethan. Grief wrings my heart until it burns. I can’t watch another friend die.
It’s okay. It’ll be okay. Ethan is my fated love. If I can’t be with him in this life, then I will be with him in the next.
I will always find you, Ethan.
When we reach the portal, I’ll rip myself away from Haesan and push him through. He’s strong, but I’m a gumiho—I am stronger. I just . . . have to stay . . . conscious. My head lolls back and forth.
Gods damn it, Sunny. Hang on. A few more . . . seconds.
But I’m fading away. I lose time, and we’re already at the portal. I try to pull Haesan’s arm away from my waist, but I’m too weak. I can’t . . . The in’eo rips off the token I tied to his arm and meets my eyes at last.
No, Haesan. Please, I beg telepathically, my body too limp to move. Don’t do this.
“Bye, Sunny.” He smiles sweetly.
Then he throws the vial against the portal and propels me through with the power of the waves. I want to claw my way back out, but my body won’t . . . listen.
Everything fades.