Chapter Text
Zoey and Mira stood strong, weapons shining brilliantly, the ethereal blue-white glow a stark contrast against the deep crimson hues immited by Gwi-Ma and the rest of the Saja Boy’s concert lights. The relief she felt in her chest at the familiar blue glow of the blades almost made it hard to breathe, arriving here, at Namsan Tower just after midnight with Demon marks on full display had been undeniably risky, a massive gamble. When she had seen her fellow Hunters, her fellow Huntrix walking listlessly towards the purple-red light of Gwi-Ma she had almost lost faith, it had almost been too much for her soul to bear.
You think you can fix the world?
You can’t even fix yourself.
Gwi-Ma’s words echoed in her head, rang in her ears almost as deafening as the music had been as she’d approached the Saja Boy’s concert at Namsan Tower.
She had to admit, the move had been risky, stupid, suicidal even.
It was exactly the kind of move Celine would never approve of, but Rumi didn’t want her approval, Celine had taught her to bury, to hide, to feel a shame so intense and so deep she’d almost lost herself to Gwi-Ma, had almost let the voice of the Demon King in.
She was done seeking Celine’s approval, following in her mentors carefully laid footsteps, she would forge her own path, a new one.
She could still remember the way the shame had sunken into her bones over the years, had given a cold aching sorrow, a void in her soul, at times she had wondered if Celine had ever thought of slaying her, of riding the world of yet another demon. Especially after her conversations with Jinu.
And now everyone finally sees you for what you really are.
The looks on Mira and Zoey’s faces when her secret, her shame, had been revealed was something she’d never be able to forget, the looks of betrayal, the shock, the horror, the barely there hints of disgust and the sorrow as the summoned their blades though they didn’t hold them with the confidence they usually did. She had been so relieved when the hatred and anger that not-Mira and not-Zoey had shown her on stage during their unplanned performance of Takedown it hadn’t even occurred to her to shun the sense of relief she had so desperately clung to at the time.
It had made her demon marks burn and her golden eye ache, a burning and freezing sensation, an itch and a pain that no amount of rubbing or meditation could relieve. It made it feel like her skin was crawling, setting her nerves a light and raising every hair on the back of her neck.
She had fled to Celine for guidance, to seek help and had been treated with a sickle pointed at her, a pale comparison to the once ethereal weapon of the former huntress but a blade that could still be welded with a lethal accuracy.
She’d begged her to kill her, to prevent her from causing more destruction, more suffering, more damage to the Honmoon, to save the world like hunters were supposed to.
Celine hadn’t been able to love her, not all of her, Celine had known her to be wrong, to be a mistake, something to destroy.
Just another demon.
How could she expect Mira and Zoey to react any differently from their ex demon hunting mentor?
Until she’d met Jinu she didn’t think anyone could love the hidden side of her, the darkness she constantly hid from the world, even from her best and arguably only friends.
Especially after the hatred and resentment that had been poured into Takedown.
Yet here she was, now reunited with her two best friends, her song alone, the song of a half demon, calling them back from the soul crushing ways of the Demons that preyed on peoples weakness from their deepest darkest fears to their most mild insecurities.
The hug had been exactly what she needed, their three part harmony resuming this time without any secrets or lies.
The truth was laid bare just like her marks, which now glowed white with a pearly sheen on them, something that had never happened before in all her life.
The beginnings of a new Honeymoon rippled out from under their feet as the three of them turned to face the Demon King.
“We broke into a million pieces”
Her sword made itself known in her hand, weightless and vibrating with energy just as it always did, ever faithful to her call.
“And we can’t got back”
With Mira on her right and Zoey on her left she confidently stepped towards Gwi-Ma, for the first time tonight no longer alone.
“But now we’re seeing”
The faint blue light of souls began making themselves known amidst the previous crimson void of fans.
“All the beauty in the broken glass”
She made eye contact with Jinu, his two golden eyes locking onto her purple ones.
“The scars are part of me”
She tilted her head up ever so slightly and couldn’t help the slight smile on the last word, giddy with relief of acceptance despite the circumstances.
“Darkness and harmony”
We are hunters. Voices strong. Slaying demons with our song. Fix the world and make it right. When darkness finally meets the light.
She finally had harmony between her darkness and light.
Mira and Zoey saw it.
She wanted Jinu to see that.
She wished Celine could have seen it.
She would make the world to see it.
“My voice without the lies”
Jinu held her gaze never blinking, expression as unwavering as his gaze.
“This is what is sounds like!”
Come on Jinu, she silently pleaded, wishing he could hear her thoughts just this once. I know there’s good in you, you’re more than just your darkness and shame.
“Why did we cover up the colors stuck inside our head?”
The other Saja Boys shoved past Jinu, sneering as they did so.
“Get up and let the jagged edges meet the light instead”
Another rift in the Honmoon appeared and more of the faceless demons poured out, clambering over one another in a desperate attempt to to attack the Huntrix and regain favor, and their faces from the king.
“Show me what’s underneath”
Please Jinu, show them the good I saw, the Jinu I fell in love with, give me a sign the Honmoon won’t seal you away.
“I’ll find your harmony”
Zoey and Mira pushed ahead, cutting aside the demons and giving her a clear course to continue her path towards Jinu and Gwi-Ma.
“Fearless and undefined”
Her fellow hunters made quick work of dispatching the demons, while holding back two Saja Boys each. Yet for all they cut down an endless stream seemed to pour from the void in the stage.
“This is what it sounds like!”
Gwi-Ma called back the faceless demons, drawing them into his gaping maw, consuming them just as he did with souls, his crimson eyes emerging from the flames turning him from an abstract inferno into a flaming something-like-a-face.
“ Your voices cannot defeat me! ” He roared, voice echoing with thousands of others.
She barely had time to raise her sword and channel her energy into her blade to create a shield before the blast of demon fire slammed into her, sending her sliding backwards.
The force behind the beam was crushing, despite her enhanced strength from years of dance and combat training as well as being half demon and her boots being made of the same material that the military used she could feel herself slipping, mentally and physically.
Her marks burned and her arms were beginning to tremble from the strain.
“No”
“Rumi!”
She heard her fellow hunters call to her but she couldn’t afford to be distracted now, she could barely hold her own as is let alone without her full concentration on keeping her arms raised and her song flowing.
Her legs began to tremble and despite her wide defensive stance she was forced to take a knee, barely able to keep her sword just in front of her head.
Opening her mouth in a silent scream of agony she felt her arms begin to fall.
She waited for the all consuming burn, the intense stinging, the nothingness that would follow yet none of it came.
Her arms ached and her legs felt like ramen noodles and the smokey air rested heavy in her longs with each breath she took.
How was she still alive?
Raising her head she met Jinu’s warm brown gaze, not a hint of gold in sight.
His arms splayed wide, holding back the blast as he protected her once more.
“Jinu!” The relief and joy she felt at seeing the familiar face was quickly crushed as she realized how he had managed to hold back Gwi-Ma’s blaze. “No!”
She couldn’t figure out what to say, there seemed to be no good thing to say, no right line, no joke, no song…
Nothing.
“I’m sorry…” the demon in front of her forced out, “for everything.”
The pain lacing his words was obvious, “No.” She felt tears threatening to stream down her face “I wanted to set you free.”
Not like this.
Never like this.
“You did” he said gently, softly, as if e was afraid that speaking too loudly would break her “you gave me my soul back.”
His form began to flake away into magenta embers as it burned.
“And now…” he said with a slight wry smile, “I give it to you.”
He closed his eyes and bowed his head as his chest began to faintly glow.
“No, you won’t.”