Nine-Tailed Love Story

The agonizing screams filled the dead of the night as a small village in the kingdom of Tamna. Rebels and bandits, the enemy of the current king, attacked the village, killing everyone in their path. The current King was once an illegitimate son of a banished prince. He climbed in rank and into the imperial officials, intending to take over. Taking over didn’t mean he wanted it for the people but for his own selfish need. Thus, rebels, bandits, and invaders have plagued Tamna, and the only ones suffering are the people. Just like what happened at that moment. The people of the village are dying, and only a handful were able to escape such a horrific event. As the rebels soon left the village after taking what valuables they could get, leaving a trail of blood and a pile of dead bodies. In the midst of the burning village, a sole figure walks the bloodied street. A pale-skinned man wearing black hanbok and black gat, a traditional wide-brimmed hat. He walked the path, reciting the names of the people who died in that village, and soon, the souls of the deceased followed him and disappeared in the dead of the night. The man, he was called a Jeosung Saja, or the grim reaper. They act as guides for souls, ensuring a smooth transition to the afterlife. And that is what happened at that moment. The Jeosung Saja has guided the souls of the villagers out of the world of the living to their final destination. Then, on top of a tree not too far from the village, stood a beautiful woman with white hair; her white hanbok moved against the breeze. She watched as the village burned, looking down with a blank look on her beautiful face. As the dark clouds cleared the sky, revealing the beautiful full moon, it illuminated the whole place, at the same time revealing something on the woman. Nine white fluffy fox tails appeared from behind. A Gumiho. She watched there while the whole village burned. She watched with hatred in her eyes. The humans in that land have hurt and betrayed her, so she doesn’t feel an ounce of sympathy for them. She let out a sigh, and then she turned around and disappeared in the dead of the night. When she reappeared, she was under a huge tree near a waterfall. She is the mountain guardian; her life and power tied to the mountain, but she is getting tired of the life she has been living for a thousand years. She wanted to escape; she wanted to see the world beyond the edges of the island and what was at the other side of the sea. But she cannot leave as she is shackled with a curse given to her by the gods. She is trapped, prisoner of the place that was supposed to be her sanctuary.