Blessing Curse (Curse of Blessing)
1. Soul Puller

Moon Gi Tae POVs.

I still continued to run in fear, occasionally looking back to monitor the hunters who were chasing me. In the middle of the dark, strange forest are three hunters who know where I am. I don't know how this happened and right now they're throwing arrows at me in a row.

My breath was heavy and I had no time to think. Although I continued running, strangely my legs did not feel tired, but my adrenaline was racing so fast.

Until finally an arrow hit my left back made me stagger and then fall down.

The three hunters approached me slowly, even though they were so close, yet I could not see their faces at all, it all felt faint. One of them got closer to me by drawing out his sword.

"Coming out..."

Slowly the sword of the hunter that was in front of me came out of its sheath.

He raised his sword high using both of his hands and was about to slash my head.

When his sword was swung almost to my neck.

I'm awake...

I sat down with gasping breaths, sweat pouring down my forehead and all over my body, making my clothes slightly wet. I looked around me until I finally realized I was in my house. The little wooden house I lived in with my father, Moon Yongjae, and my mother Jung Jieun.

"I'm dreaming again" I muttered exhausted.

I stood up to pick up the bamboo glass on the wooden table close to my bed. Gulp down slowly and begin to regulate breathing.

After I guess my blood circulation started to run normally, I prepared to start my usual activities.

Such nightmares often happen to me. My mom and dad have been warning me since I was a kid.

flashback - flashback

When I was 8 years old, I saw a little girl when I went to the village market to look for necessities. The girl looks at me with her flat face, but her eyes are not separated from my every move.

I was curious to try to approach her, of course my mother did not know this until she lost her sight of me.

When I tried to get close to the girl in the crowd, she turned her back to walk towards a more crowded area.

I almost lost it because we were both small. I felt her energy was so strong as to call me to follow her.

'Who is he?', I thought. But without realizing it, he drove me to enter into a small forest on the edge of the village in contrast to the forest near my home.

The small streets made me realize that this was not an area I knew. When I realized I had lost that little girl. The look in his eyes that were so strong I no longer felt.

I was lost, my mother was no longer by my side. I started screaming in panic.

"buuu...!" my cry broke the silence of the forest.

No one said, only the wind that blew made the trees greet each other.

This forest is so desolate, and I'm getting scared.

"momuu...!" I yelled again trying to grab my mother's hearing while looking up at the trees.

"yes my son, mom here" I finally saw my mom's figure after I turned around.

I smiled sincerely looking at him, feeling as if my fear was gone. But not for so long, my smile disappeared as my mother slowly changed face into a stooped and creepy old woman.

I trembled at this sight and slowly walked backwards. But bad things happened to me, again. I fell backwards in fear. I continued to retreat using both my elbows and my feet, my body sweeping the grass-filled path beside his right left below me.

My fearful face had not disappeared and the old woman continued to chuckle as she approached me.

I don't want to die in his hands. 'mother's father.. help me...!' my mind screamed out to whoever came to my mind.

The hand of the old witch finally grabbed my shoulder and pulled me up. He did not have a cane and so, only his old face was so creepy his body also had a hump on his back with ragged camping clothes.

"You are a mantra for a person like me, your energy calls us. Come with me and you will live happily as you wish" the old witch spoke in a heavy voice and chuckled at me.

My eyes closed tightly as he brought his lips closer to me. Fear can no longer be explained through words. My body was shivering and shaking violently. I had no one to help me and only sobbed in horror in front of him.

But not yet had that bad thing happened, I had already been pulled and carried flying by someone so quickly.

I closed my eyes, interpreting my fear.

"Gi Tae, open your eyes son" I heard my father's soft voice.

Is this really what I heard? Strengthening my heart, I opened my eyes slowly.

In front of me were my father and mother sitting on their knees caressing my cheeks with worry.

This time I believe they are my parents, I can feel it from their eyes. I cried while hugging both of them.

After that, my father let go of our embrace. He slowly told me "Gi Tae, don't you ever repeat this again. Never leave your parents' side, no matter what."

I nodded slowly while still sobbing. I regretted the terrible event that day. That day told me that I was just an item that everyone was chasing to be heirloom.

end of flashback -