Today there was a celebration going on in the capital. It was not really the perfect time to be chasing a soul shifter. But both of the twins were doing just that.

Da-hye and Dang-gu landed on top of a boat. The people who were watching applaud them. Da-hye had to admit she liked that, being the center of attention. Da-hye created a foothold in the water as she followed after the soul shifter. Dang-gu was right behind her. He had also become the new leader of Songrim after their uncle decided to retire.

For the past three years, Songrim was working on catching the soul shifters. Uk had been helping Songrim all these years. So far, all of the soul shifters had been caught by Uk. Da-hye had to admit that it was a bit embarrassing how Uk was the only one who had killed these soul shifters. But the Unanimous Assembly agreed that was the only way for Uk to be able to use the ice stone's powers.

Eventually, Da-hye and Dang-gu ended up running into the other Songrim mages who were looking for the soul shifter.

"Did you lose her?" Dang-gu asked Sang-ho.

"She fled into Jinyowon of all places." Sang-ho said.

"Jinyowon?" Dang-gu asked. Remembering how he did not get to marry Jin Cho-yeon.

How would they be able to catch the soul shifter? Jinyowon had not let anyone inside for the past three years. And why did the soul shifter have to go into Jinyowon? Now Dang-gu would have to go and talk to Jin Cho-yeon. But still, Dang-gu decided to go to Jinyowon.

"Outsiders are not allowed to enter Jinyowon." The Jinyowon soldier said.

"I am aware that for the past three years, Jinyowon has forbidden outsiders from entering." Dang-gu said. "But this is an urgent situation. A soul shifter has hidden inside. Ask Lady Jin to come and see me." Dang-gu explained.

"She will still say no." The soldier said.

"He is the leader of Songrim." Da-hye said. "How dare a low-ranking priestess refuse to relay our leader's message?" Da-hye did not know about Dang-gu, but she was not going to take that level of disrespect.

"My apologies." The soldier said.

"Open the gate this instant." Sang-ho said.

The gate opened to reveal Cho-yeon standing in front of it. Da-hye sighed deeply. She knew her brother got nervous over his former betrothed.

Jin Cho-yeon stepped forward and bowed her head.

"Young Lady Jin." Dang-gu said nervously. "I have not seen you for three years. Have you been well?" Dang-gu asked. Da-hye rolled her eyes. She did not know why Dang-gu bothered to make a conversation. She just wanted to get straight to the point.

"I did not come out here to send my regards." Jin Cho-yeon said.

"Neither did we." Da-hye said coldly. "But we are here because there is a soul shifter inside Jinyowon." Da-hye explained.

"My mother refuses to allow outsiders to enter Jinyowon." Jin Cho-yeon responded. "So you should go."

Da-hye scoffed in response. "It is a dangerous situation." Dang-gu said. "A soul shifter has harmed dozens of lives at Yeongpo Dock." Dang-gu explained. "The people of Jinyowon could get hurt too."

"Just like my father did?" Jin Cho-yeon asked. "How could you possibly save anyone when you failed to save the father of your betrothed?"

Da-hye was just about to say something but Dang-gu beat her to it.

"After what happened, you never gave me the chance to apologize." Dang-gu said. "So it laid heavy on my heart." But it was not even Dang-gu's fault! Da-hye had tried to convince him of that but he did not listen.

"Then keep feeling guilty." Jin Cho-yeon said. "I hope you never forget it."

Da-hye scoffed. "It was not his fault that your father died. It was not his responsibility to save him." Da-hye said. "If anything, your father deserved to die for what he did. That was his punishment. " Da-hye said. "He was only alive to admit to his crimes and for questioning." Dang-gu gave his sister a look so she could stop talking. He knew how much it hurt Cho-yeon.

"You should go." Jin Cho-yeon said. She looked hurt by Da-hye's words. But Da-hye did not care. She deserved it for thinking she could speak to Dang-gu that way. Suddenly, Da-hye felt a gust of wind pass by her. It was Uk. Jin Cho-yeon gasped as she had also felt that gust of wind.

"Did someone just enter Jinyowon?" Jin Cho-yeon asked.

"Yes." Dang-gu said. "I believe it was Jang Uk. He has been chasing the soul shifter with us." Dang-gu explained.

"Jang Uk?" Jin Cho-yeon asked. "Are you saying he just stepped inside?" Jin Cho-yeon asked worriedly.

Da-hye understood that it was probably because no one was allowed into Jinyowon. But, Da-hye had a feeling there was another reason why Jin Cho-yeon was worried. And now she wanted to find out. "He is only obeying the order of the royal family and the Unanimous Assembly." Dang-gu said.

Jin Cho-yeon sighed. "I shall close the gate." She said. "You should go." Jin Cho-yeon turned around to walk away and the gate closed.

"There is no doubt that Uk will catch the soul shifter." Sang-ho said. "We can just wait here."

"Sure." Dang-gu said quietly. Da-hye felt so bad for him. But there was really nothing she could do. She did not know how to comfort him.

Jang Uk was the last mage of Jeongjingak. Everyone else had left because of him. Da-hye was not a Jeongjingak mage anymore either. Since Dang-gu was the new leader, Da-hye had become a Songrim mage. And she was more like his assistant. Even though Dang-gu was the leader, Da-hye did most of his duties for him. And Sang-ho helped him a lot as well. Because, Da-hye did not want to be mean, but Dang-gu was in no way ready to lead Songrim.

They waited and eventually Uk came out with the soul shifter's body. The songrim mages took it back to Songrim.

Dang-gu, Da-hye, and Master Heo were now looking at the soul shifter's body. "This soul shifter got on a cargo boat at Yeongpo Dock and slaughtered everyone onboard the ship." Dang-gu explained. "We are constantly finding soul shifters running rampant. And Uk killed them all." Dang-gu told Master Heo.

"That is because everyone agreed that would be how to make use of Jang Uk, who was reborn with the power of the ice stone." Master Heo said.

"That is not true." Dang-gu said. "He just complied with that decision."

"Are you two still....awkward around him?" Master Heo asked.

The twins felt awkward around Jang Uk because of the way he was now. Even though he had come back to life, it felt like a piece of him had died that day. He was not the same bubbly and fun, person he used to be.

"Yul has returned to Seoho Fortress." Master Heo said. "You two are the only friends he has left. You should not distance yourself from him."

Da-hye had tried to make small talk with Uk sometimes but it was hard to. They were never really that close and now with everything that happened, they were even less close than they were before.

"That is not our intention." Dang-gu said. "I just...do not know how to act around him. I cannot laud him by claiming to envy the great power he holds. But I cannot empathize with him and tell him to give up either." Dang-gu explained.

"Things are not how they used to be." Da-hye finally spoke. "Everything has changed."

"Since he used the ice stone's power to kill this soul shifter, he will have trouble sleeping tonight as well." Master Heo said. "Oh, dear." Master Heo sighed. "Since he used the energy of the sky, the wraiths will swarm toward him to feed on that power. They are noisy, cold, unsightly, and pitiful." Master Heo explained. "That is the price one must pay for taking the ice stone and using the energy of the sky."

𝗢𝗸𝗮𝘆, 𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗺𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗰 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿. 𝗔𝗻𝘆𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗜'𝗺 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝟮 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝟭😭