Chapter Text
It’s heavy. Everything feels really heavy…
Where am I? Who…am I?
I had no idea. All I know is that I’m floating. Somewhere. It’s too dark for me to discern anything…
“■■■■”
Then I heard I call. Someone was saying something from a distance.
“So■■■n■!”
I felt my consciousness returning. Then, slowly, I opened my eyes.
“Sooyoung!”
What greeted me was a familiar face. One I could never forget.
“Finally, you’re awake. Don’t go sleeping on your own while were dealing with the epilogue”
Kim Dokja was flicking my head which was enough to get me up. I stretched my arms as if I just got out of bed and slowly scrutinized the surroundings. I seem to be in a western styled room. A few furniture here and there along with tall windows at my side; though I can’t seem to tell what’s outside.
“You should drink some tea. Might help you feel awake”
That’s Yoo Sangah’s voice. She was holding a teacup right next to me. It’s not just her. Lee Jihye was beside her, then there’s Yoo Mia, and next to her is Yoo Joonghyuk. All of which are sitting on their respective seats.
In front of us was a table with a number of food, drinks, and other items on it. There seemed to be a chessboard at the middle along with a teapot next to it; both were surrounded by dessert stands and plates filled with cake slices, cupcakes, macarons and all other kinds of desserts; plus, a set of teacups for each and every one of us. All of which gave off a rather cheery vibe like were on a little tea party or something.
But why are we all here? Aren’t we all supposed to be dead?
“I normally don’t like these kinds of stuff, but this is some really good tea. Here, try some”
Lee Jihye lifted the teapot and filled my cup. I looked at the liquid on my fill before lifting and smelling the aroma. I took a little sip and my eyes immediately widened. She wasn’t kidding. This is good!
“Did that finally snap you awake? I don’t think the story was boring enough to get you so sleepy”
Kim Dokja chuckled beside me.
Story? Oh, that’s right. The story had just ended; which means we’re currently in the epilogues now. A little get together with everyone in the end.
I looked at Kim Dokja and retorted.
“Oh, shut up”
Kim Dokja chuckled again as I sipped my tea. Then he shifted his gaze to everyone else and declared.
“Anyways. I would like to say congratulations to everyone! Although our ending wasn’t really the sweetest; we were at least able to reach the end of the story so cheers to that!”
“CHEERS!”
We all lifted our cups, and uhhh…sweets; almost at the same time as we followed along Kim Dokja.
“Hah…though it kinda sucks that I had to die at the very first twilight. I really wish they could have given me a bit more screentime”
Yoo Sangah let out a sigh as she poured herself another drink.
“Yeah! You got yourself really messed up in your death. Your appearance during the first twilight had really freaked me out”
Lee Jihye grabbed some macarons and started stuffing it in her mouth before she continued.
“It really made it look like her face was bitten off by some demon”
“And then there was the strange locked room scenario in the second twilight. That one really racked my mind”
Kim Dokja then joined in as he snapped his finger.
“There’s no way the culprit could have set up all that and just easily leave the crime scene. There’s gotta be some witch craft in the works then”
“Poor Heewon-ssi and Hyunsung-ssi. They had to be dragged all the way there just for that little irony”
Yoo Sangah took a sip of her tea as Lee Jihye replied.
“Don’t forget about Yoo Mia’s sudden disappearance from the study room. That whole occurrence really creeped me out. Especially from that sudden phone call with her singing!”
“I’m still really lost on what exactly happened there. It all happened so fast that I just instinctively went with the flow”
Yoo Mia then grabbed a few more macarons and stuffed it into her mouth while Kim Dokja took the teapot and poured it unto his cup.
“Then we have this idiot here”
He pointed at Yoo Joonghyuk.
“Plenty of years to learn from and yet you still decided to go off on your own again!”
“Hmm. Well, I wasn’t satisfied with the screentime I was given so I thought maybe a confrontation with the witch might give me an interesting scene”
“Since when did you ever care about your screentime?”
Yoo Joonghyuk took a sip from his cup before putting it down to speak.
“Unfortunately, even she was too strong for me. In a world without the Star Stream; I’m nothing more but a pro gamer after all. Though I have a feeling that I can’t beat her even with all my skills from before”
“Pro gamer my ass. You’re a perfect human specimen. Why the hell did you even choose professional gaming as your carrier path?”
Everyone just chuckled on Kim Dokja’s reply; lightening up the already bright mood.
Yoo Sangah then put her tea down as she spoke.
“Either way. I think we can all agree that we’ve all completely lost to the witch”
“Yeah. I don’t think there was any way for us to beat her in the first place. Her magic was too complex to understand; even for me”
Kim Dokja chuckled as he grabbed a cake slice.
“I really thought this was going to be a murder mystery genre. I didn’t expect it to end up as just another fantasy. Guess we all owe her an apology”
“Either way; we’re all still gonna be invited to the Golden Land”
Lee Jihye said.
“And everyone else is gonna be joining us soon!”
“To the Golden Land!”
Once again; the mood brightened from Lee Jihye and Yoo Mia’s declaration. Everyone was laughing; continuing with their fill. Drinking tea, pouring one for others, stuffing their mouths with sweets while making the sounds of clattering spoons and plates; giving off the same peaceful vibe we had on the yacht. A moment that could last a very long time…
“Why did you all just agree that it was the Witch’s doing?”
I asked. I just had to ask.
“It’s weird that you guys can just acknowledge the witch like that without giving it enough thought. I mean we could come up with plenty of human explanations for these murders. It doesn’t have to be the witch”
The mood immediately went silent and they all looked at me in a weird manner.
Kim Dokja spoke first.
“Uhh what do you mean, Sooyoung?”
“What’s there not to get? What I’m saying is that the person who killed us is most definitely human. For example: the grotesque scene from the first twilight. Anyone can make a scene like that as long as they have the right tools in hand. They could use a buzzsaw or some grinding just to mimic the look for being devoured by a demon.
“And Yoo Joonghyuk, you said it yourself: these people are just making these elaborate acts in order to blame the witch. They’re hiding themselves behind the illusion of something that doesn’t exist”
“I hate to break it to you unnie, but how would you explain the locked room of the second twilight?”
Lee Jihye replied as she gave a wry grin.
“We’ve already mentioned it during then. It can easily be set up if the culprit has access to hidden passages that we haven’t found. The same argument can be used for Yoo Mia’s disappearance from the study room”
“But didn’t she mention that she just suddenly appeared outside? And what about when she actually encountered the witch herself?”
Yoo Joonghyuk narrowed his eyes at me.
“Of course she’d say that. They probably drugged her and was confused the whole time due to some side effect thus making her story a little unreliable”
“Then how about the fact that you encountered the witch yourself?”
Yoo Sangah’s question caught me off guard.
“That…A projection! Yeah! They just used some kind of 3D visual effects to trick my eyes. Either that or it all happened so fast that I just mistook certain details”
That’s right. There’s no such thing as a witch in this world. All of these were simply done by human acts while making them look like the witch’s doing. It all becomes pretty obvious once you consider the fact that they’re purposely following the epitaph’s ritual.
But they all just looked at me. All their faces covered in worry while staring in silence; as if they were looking at a mad man. Then Kim Dokja spoke.
“Why are you so insistent in denying the witch? It should be easier to explain everything that happened if it was her doing”
“That’s because witches don’t exist in this time and age! The Star Stream is already dead along with every skill and magic it had! No one should be capable of doing these shit anymore! And even then; I don’t remember there being a witch in any of the world lines. Even if there is; it’s certainly not this one!”
There isn’t. There really isn’t. I should know this. I’m one of the few people who knows everything about this world.
“How can you be so sure about this claim?”
Yoo Joonghyuk said and for some reason, it just pissed me off. I abruptly stood up.
“BECAUSE I’M THE AUTHOR OF THIS UNIVERSE DAMN IT!”
Why am I doing this?
“I wrote every story, every lore, every f@#%$$ detail of each and every character in this world so I sure as hell know what’s in it and what’s not! Kim Dokja, you should know about this too, right?”
Arguing like a silly child who thinks they know everything even though it’s nothing more but unnecessary rambling with no real purpose.
“Sooyoung, just calm down”
“You should know the genre of this story and we all should know how it ended! There are no more scenarios. No more dreams. No more regressions or other dimensions. Just nothing more but the regular world us humans have been living in since before the scenarios began.
“So, for the last time. There is absolutely no such thing as WITCHES!”
I slammed my fist unto the table; causing most of the items to bounce up; creating brief clattering sounds before getting replaced by silence as everyone fell into their own thoughts from what I’ve spoken.
Yeah, that’s right. You all have to think about it again. There’s no way we were all just killed like that; it’s unacceptable. Witches certainly don’t exist in this story.
After a period of silence; Kim Dokja finally spoke.
“Sooyo-“
But he was interrupted. Something had happened. Everyone was looking right behind me; seemingly anticipating something…
I looked back and saw two doors appear out of nowhere. Then it opened as something emerged from them. A surge of bright gold started flowing out of the gaps as it pushed the doors wide open; they were butterflies; golden butterflies. What followed was a certain figure of a familiar looking woman.
Her blonde hair tied with a rose a rose ornament; her eyes blue as the swaying seas and the clear morning sky; adorned in a brown-red palette dress with lines of golden strips shaped like an eagle. Her right hand held a golden smoking pipe as her entire figure was covered in a swarm of golden butterflies before they flew away and disappeared into nothingness.
Many words could describe the person that is in front of me, but no description ever comes close to that of a ‘Witch’.
“Wh-…Who the hell are you?”
I asked. The woman smoked a puff from her pipe as she walked past me.
“Isn’t it quite rude of you to not recognize the hostess who invited you to this tea party”
A golden light then glowed in front of where she faced as a fancy looking chair suddenly appeared from it. As the woman approached the chair and sat down; Kim Dokja took the honors and gave me an introduction.
“Han Sooyoung, this is Lady Beatrice. [The Witch of Endless and Golden] and [The Master of Rokenjima’s Night]; that’s the name of the island we were in”
“Please forgive this fool for her rudeness. She doesn’t exactly know the situation she is in”
Yoo Joonghyuk said so as everyone else awkwardly nodded in agreement. The Witch simply smiled and took another puff out of her pipe.
“It’s alright. Us witches have to live for thousands of years in boredom so it’s always interesting for us whenever humans do their ridiculous antics. Hehehe. Besides, it has been a long time since I’ve spoken with a fellow author”
Beatrice? As in the lady from the painting? She exists? No that can’t be. She wasn’t written anywhere in the story and was only shown during that incident so it can’t be possible.
I snapped out of my trance and started collecting my words.
“Ah, Hehe. I see how it is. You’re the illusion of the witch that hides the real events of the story. A disguise to make me believe you actually exist within this setting”
“Hehehe. You remind me of a certain someone who spoke a similar proclamation. Though he has already long left that mindset and went out to fulfill a much more admirable belief. Hehehe”
She then took another puff before I voiced my reply.
“Yeah. Though sorry for putting down your efforts in showing up in front of me, but I’m not entirely convinced of your existence just yet. I might even have to kick your ass out of here if I have to”
“Hehehehe. Interesting, very interesting! I like you already. It makes me really curious as to how you would look like once you’ve surrendered to me while you lick my foot”
The Witch gave me a twisted grin; licking her lips as if imagining all the things that she could do to me. It admittedly scared me a bit but it wasn’t enough to make me back down. I once again collected my words before speaking my reply.
“Over my dead body! I’ll deny your existence as much as I can as you do not belong in this story!”
“Hahahaha! To say that to a witch who has control over life and death is such irony. Very well! You have amused me enough already so why don’t we begin with your explanation?”
The Witch raised her pipe as the whole room was suddenly engulfed by the smoke coming out of it. I closed my eyes and covered my mouth as my hands swatted the smoke away, but a few seconds later; the smoke cleared and we were now within the mansion’s boiler room where Jung Heewon and Lee Hyunsung’s bodies were found.
The witch chuckled as I looked around in confusion.
“Now then. Tell me how the culprit was able to set up this incident?”
She was talking about the locked room setup of Heewon and Hyunsung’s murder. The state of the room as we’ve found it wasn’t something the culprit could easily escape from thus making it look like an impossible feat only a witch could pull off.
I began to scrutinize the surroundings and spoke.
“As I’ve said before: this can easily be achieved through a secret passage”
“Secret passage? And where exactly would this secret passage be in?”
Wha-?
“W-well…I don’t exactly know but that doesn’t deny the fact that it could exist”
“Just like the witch before you?”
Shit. She’s a lot smarter than I thought. I had to rethink my theory. Come on Sooyoung! What other clichés do mystery novels use for this kind of stuff? Damn it, this genre isn’t my forte at all!
“Then it could be a perfectly aligned setup. The culprit may have used some contraption that would push the cupboard unto the doors as he closes them. Or they could fiddle with the chain from the backdoor and somehow reattach it back as they left through it”
“Hmmm. Is that all?”
Damn it! She’s mocking me. Everything I just said is just as absurd of a claim as a witch being the murderer. But I can’t quite figure out a good explanation for this.
“Would you like me to show you how I did it?”
The Witch spoke. Just before I could question about her claim; she raised her right hand as her pipe’s smoke started surrounding her.
“Come and rise my children, for I am the guide of Purgatory. Come and forgive the deadly sins with the stakes of seven”
As she spoke the magical words like a psalm; the smoke then cleared as seven stakes appeared right in front of her; all of which were the same weapon that pierced everyone from the second up to the eighth twilight.
“What?”
“Allow me to introduce you to the seven stakes of the purgatory. They are my beautiful furniture; capable of launching themselves in very high speeds; bouncing through walls in order to maneuver their directions and pierce their target before they could even blink”
There was nothing I could say. I just stared at them dumbfounded; completely lost at words.
“Come Satan, Belphegor, forgive thy sins. Release the souls of thy sinners”
As she finished her speech, the two corresponding stake immediately launched themselves through the air and bounced out of the boiler room’s entrance and out into the corridors. I didn’t have to wait another second as the next moment had Jung Heewon and Lee Hyunsung’s already lifeless bodies appearing next to me and the witch.
A single flick of her hand made Jung Heewon fly into the furnace; her body caught in flames, while another wave sent Lee Hyunsung into the cupboard before it was flung into the doors; completely reenacting the murder of the second twilight.
Witnessing that has really spooked me. I don’t even know what to say at this point.
“No…that’s impossible. No one should be capable of that anymore…”
“Kihihihi…KYAHAHAHA! This is nothing more but trivial work to me. Magic can do even more than just that. KYAHAHAH!”
Smoke covered the setting once more as we’ve returned to the tea room where everyone else was at.
“Sooyoung? Are you alri-Ah!?”
Yoo Sangah saw me and stood up but suddenly halted. Something was wrong. She seemed to be in pain; both of her hands instinctively holding her face as she groaned on her knees.
“Gah!?”
Yoo Joonghyuk was the same. He was holding his head as if having an intense migrain.
“SANGAH-SSI!”
“OPPA!?”
“Wh-what’s going on?”
Kim Dokja and Yoo Mia quickly rushed to them while Lee Jihye stood frozen; completely confused. Not before long; the Witch has given them their answer.
“My magic is indeed powerful however its effects are only fully utilized on humans who truly believe in it. Since one of you haven’t fully acknowledged my existence…Well’ let’s just say that they’re now beginning to remember what they were”
And I just stood in place. Witnessing all of this as my mind is incapable of processing whatever the hell is going on. Not even knowing what I am currently feeling. Just frozen and confused.
Yoo Sangah’s face was suddenly getting covered in red as if experiencing a terrible rash; Yoo Joonghyuk too had a red spot growing on his forehead. The two groaned louder as their pain were enhanced each second. The moment lasted for seconds until Yoo Sangah finally lets out a blood curling cream before-
SPLAT
Blood sprayed out from Yoo Sangah’s face and Yoo Joonghyuk’s forehead before their lifeless bodies fell to the ground as they returned to the state of their respective deaths.
“SANGAH-SSI!!!”
“OPPA!!!”
The Witch then walked past them as Kim Dokja and Yoo Mia shouted; standing behind Lee Jihye; right at the other side of the table. Lee Jihye then tried to distance herself from the witch when she too started to feel weird. Red marks were seen appearing in her exposed skin as she fell to the floor groaning in pain. Yoo Mia saw this and tried to help her when she too fell as the same thing was happening to her.
Kim Dokja and I just looked at this scene dumfounded and confused as the Witch smoked another puff before speaking.
“Don’t you remember? The three of you were devoured by demons during the tenth twilight. I used my resurrection magic in order to bring you back and invite you to the Golden Land, but alas…”
Lee Jihye then grinned and looked at me from the floor.
“Damn it….I should have known this would happen….unnie….don’t worry about us….just….don’t lose to her….and give her a….good beating for me….while you’re at it….”
I then looked back at her and thought for second before finally collecting my words for a repl-
SPLAT
Then, they exploded; both of them exploding into a splash of pure red as some even went as far reaching my clothes. Cutting my words into a halt. Then Kim Dokja stood up.
I didn’t know what kind of face he had as he looked at the Witch. Then he turned to look at me with his signature smile. I could see patches of the same red also forming around his exposed skin, but he didn’t groan in pain; he just smiled; slowly approaching my as he spoke.
“Kim Dokja…?
“Damn it…she really got us. Guess I wasn’t able to think hard enough to notice all the oddities”
His movements wobbled as he tried to walk, like a drunkard in a late night as they approached their house. After reaching a few steps in front of me, his legs suddenly gave out which caused him to fall out balance. I instinctively caught him in my arms with his head lying on my shoulder.
“Kim Dokja…?’
I couldn’t hold my tears at that point as my voiced started to crack. But then his hand started caressing my head; making me listen to his soft voice.
“It’s alright…I’ll be fine….You don’t have to blame yourself for any of this….I already lost so….I won’t be able to help you….But you’re different….heheh….You’ll get through this just fine….just like you always do….and I’ll be waiting for you….alright?....So please….don’t cry….everything….is gonna be okay….”
I tried to move him closer to me. Hug him tighter; never letting go-
SPLAT
But I couldn’t. His figure vanished from my arms as I instead caught the splash of red blood. I kneeled to the floor where the pool of his blood still remains; seeing my reflection before hearing the cackle of the Witch.
“HEHEHE. Such a beautiful performance. Haah…You know, none of this would have happened if you simply accepted my existence”
“You damned bitch…”
The Witch then grinned in silence. My fists curled as I slowly stood up from my spot.
“Do you think you can just walk into my life. My story. Take over my role and just F#@%$* LIVE WITH IT!?”
I slowly approached the table under the silent gaze of the figure before me.
“Then come. Enter my story. I’ll make sure to write you a terrible tale. Give you a horrible life. Grant you a fate THAT YOU COULD NEVER IMAGINE! I will destroy you! Kill you! Deny your very existence! Erase every speck of dust you have left from MY UNIVERSE! AND MAKE YOU REGRET EVER MAKING AN ENEMY OUT OF ME!!!!!
“KuhuhuhuhuHaHaHaHaHHAHAHA! KYAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!”
My hand stretched out into the center of the table; putting my fingers under the chessboard.
“I’LL NEVER BELIEVE IN WITCHEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!”
And flipped it over.
When The Stars Died Episode 1: Return of The Golden Witch
--The End--
CAST
Demon King of Salvation Kim Dokja
Director of the False Last Act Han Sooyoung
Iron Blood Supreme King Yoo Joonghyuk
Moonlight Empress Yoo Sangah
Judge of Destruction Jung Heewon
Emperor of Steelsword Lee Hyunsung
Monarch of the Great Sea Lee Jihye
Insect King Lee Gilyoung
Beast Lord Shin Yoosung
Demon-Like Judge of Fire Uriel
Lily Blooming in Aquarius Gabriel
Most Ancient Liberator Sun Wukong
Abyssal Black Flame Dragon The weird chuuni kid
King of Transcendents Jang Hayoung
Armed Fortress Master Gong Pildu
Heavenly Doctor Lee Seolhwa
Yoo Mia As Herself
Special Guests
[The Witch of Endless and Golden] Beatrice
[Servant and Protector of the Golden Witch] Ronove
[Dokkaebi King] Biyoo
Written and Directed by
■■■
Produced by
The Golden Witch, Beatrice
Special Thanks to:
[Sorcerer of Endless and Requiem]: Battler Ushiromiya
[Witch of Endless and Resurrection]: Ange Ushiromiya
[One who Guides the way to Beatrice]: Virgillia