Veil of Secrets (34)

The man's gaze softened as he noticed the confusion and fear in Minsu's eyes. He knew this was a lot to process. He took a step closer, lowering his voice as though he were about to reveal something far more personal, something dangerous.

"You saw him, didn't you?" he asked, his eyes narrowing with understanding. "The man who looked like you."

Minsu nodded slowly, feeling her pulse quicken. She had seen him—the stranger who seemed to mirror her every movement, someone who should not have been there, someone whose presence seemed impossible. "Yes," she whispered. "He was standing outside… watching me."

The man's lips curled into a faint, sorrowful smile. "That was no coincidence. The entity that haunts this village doesn't only deal with the living. It manipulates the fabric of fate itself. It reaches into the past, into the future, and alters lives to suit its purposes."

Minsu's mind spun as she tried to understand. "So, this man… he wasn't just some… some stranger?"

"No," the man replied, his voice heavy with truth. "He was you. Or, more precisely, he was a version of you—a version that never fully existed, wiped from history. He was created from the forsaken cycle, just as you were meant to be."

Minsu felt her stomach churn. "What do you mean, 'created'?"

"The entity… it feeds off of power and control," the man continued, his eyes intense with the weight of his words. "It doesn't just demand sacrifices—it tries to break the cycle of fate. It manipulated the time before you, creating a version of you that would never be allowed to live, a version that would grow to become someone who could fight against the curse. But it failed."

Minsu's breath caught in her throat. "So, that man... he was a failed version of me? A version the entity created and erased?"

"Yes," the man said, his voice now quieter, as though acknowledging the tragedy of it all. "The man you saw was meant to be a soldier in the fight against the curse. But he was erased from history, wiped away in an attempt to prevent the truth from ever surfacing. Your aunt… she must have known. And when she protected you, she put herself in danger, but she also gave you the strength to survive, to uncover the truth."

Minsu's heart pounded in her chest. She had thought she was simply trying to find her aunt—find answers—but now, it seemed the answers were far more dangerous than she could ever have imagined.

Hyowon, who had been standing in silence beside her, finally spoke, his voice low. "So, what does this mean for us? For Minsu?"

The man looked at them both, his eyes filled with a mixture of pity and hope. "It means you have choices. The entity has already tried to destroy the possibility of breaking the curse by eliminating the versions of Minsu and those like her. But the key, the forsaken key, is not just about the past—it is about the future. It is still in your hands to break this cycle."

Minsu swallowed, struggling to keep her composure. "But how do we break it? If my aunt couldn't stop it, if he couldn't stop it—how can I?"

The man gave her a grave look. "Your aunt tried, Minsu. She protected you because she saw your potential, your strength. She knew the time would come when you would have to face this curse head-on. As for the man you saw—he was a version of you meant to guide you. In some way, he's still a part of this. His sacrifice, his erasure, was the last step in ensuring that someone like you would come back to finish what was started."

Minsu's mind was reeling. She was meant to be the key to ending this, but how could she possibly fulfill this role when the very nature of her existence seemed tied to something dark, something impossible?

Hyowon placed a hand on her shoulder, steady and reassuring. "We'll figure this out. We don't have to face this alone."

Minsu nodded, her gaze turning back to the scroll and the names written there. Im Minsu. Her name. And Hyowon's, too. It felt like the weight of the world was pressing down on her.

The man's voice broke through her thoughts once again. "The only way to break the cycle is to face the entity directly. You must find the forsaken key and destroy the source of the darkness that surrounds this village. Only then can you truly be free."

Minsu took a deep breath. Her aunt had tried to protect her. She had fought against the fate that had been forced upon her. Now, it was her turn to take up the mantle, to fight not just for herself, but for everyone who had been consumed by this village's curse.

She turned to the man, her voice steadier than she expected. "Where is the forsaken key?"

The man hesitated. "It's hidden deep within the village—somewhere only those marked by fate can find. But it won't be easy. The entity has its own guardians, and they will not let you reach it without a fight."

Hyowon's gaze darkened. "Guardians?"

The man nodded. "They are not quite human anymore. The entity twists those who serve it, making them stronger, more resilient. They protect the village's secret, ensuring the cycle continues. You've already encountered them—those who watch from the shadows, those who know your name without you ever speaking it."

Minsu shuddered, thinking back to the whispers, the figures lurking at the edges of her vision. They had been watching her from the moment she set foot in the village.

"Then how do we defeat them?" Hyowon asked.

The man exhaled. "You don't, not entirely. Fighting them head-on would be a mistake. Your best chance is to outmaneuver them, find the key before they realize what you're after. Once you have it, the balance will shift. The entity's grip will weaken."

Minsu exchanged a glance with Hyowon. He was right—they couldn't afford to waste time. Every second they spent hesitating, the entity grew stronger.

"Where do we start?" she asked.

The man studied her for a long moment before finally answering. "The burial grounds. That is where the key was last seen, long ago.

Minsu's fingers tightened into fists, her voice steady despite the weight pressing on her chest. "If we find the key… if we take it to the shrine… will this finally end?"

The man was silent for a moment, his expression unreadable. Then, he shook his head slowly. "No. Finding the key is only the beginning."

Minsu's heart sank. "What do you mean?"

The man exhaled, glancing toward the darkened sky beyond the window. "The key is a fragment of something greater—a seal that was broken long ago. Bringing it to the shrine will weaken the entity's hold, but it will not destroy it." His gaze settled on her, firm and knowing. "For that, you must make a choice."

Hyowon's brows furrowed. "What choice?"

The man hesitated before answering. "To sever the cycle completely, a sacrifice must be made. The key alone is not enough."

Minsu's breath caught in her throat. "A sacrifice?"

The man nodded. "Blood has kept this entity alive, bound to the village. Only blood can unbind it."

A heavy silence settled over the room. Minsu felt a chill creep up her spine, her mind racing. Did he mean… her blood?

Hyowon stepped forward. "There has to be another way."

The man's gaze flickered to him, then back to Minsu. "Perhaps. But if there is, no one has ever lived long enough to find it."

Minsu swallowed hard, determination flickering in her chest. "Then we'll find it."

The man studied her carefully, a small, grim smile crossing his lips. "You remind me of her."

Minsu's breath hitched,"Who?"

The man clenched his fists,"The one who tried before you."