Chapter 3 : Third Dream

Yi Shin jolted up in bed with a loud gasp as if she was revived from death. Her luscious straight black hair which normally used to fall an inch below her collarbone had been disheveled and was all over the place.

Soullessly, she dropped her head forward, still half asleep. Had it not been for the warm morning light rays that peeked through the long white curtains, one could mistake that she was being possessed!

However, her appearance was the least of her concern right now. Rather, it was that dream!

How come, for three nights straight, this one consistently revisited her?! She's never experienced such phenomena before. And as far as she could remember, yes, she may have several recurring dreams, but it happened only after months or years later!

It's creepy!

Still buffled, she brought her palms to her face and inhaled deeply.

"Am I being haunted?!" She concluded.

But as she surveyed all corners of her regular hotel room, its sleek modern business interior didn't look eerie at all!

"Hmm. What could it be?" Throwing herself back into the whites of her bed, she placed a forearm over her eyes to block the daylight.

Dark.

She was always greeted by a pitch-dark night. A new moon!

Then, Yi Shin's dream from earlier swarmed her thoughts...

For the third night, she manifested earlier enough to witness herself stealthily sneak into the largest household she will be terrorizing so far!

Alas! The loot she obtained this time was the most useless one! It was a warrior's helmet which was a part of an armor set. Such a shame that she had to kiss goodbye to the gold bars sitting prettily and enticingly at the shelves surrounding the heirloom's room.

This petty controller of her body did not let her take charge until they bumped into a cowardly male servant who's high-pitched scream alerted the guards.

"Ugh, curse you! Leaving when it's already time to escape. You really wanted me to die early, huh?!" Yi Shin blurted.

Even if this was only a dream, she would never let these people hack her precious body, most especially her face! Never! Thus, she had to suffer several mini heart attacks from tackling and evading the swordsmen!

Slowly getting the hang of it, climbing walls became a piece of cake!

Using her stock knowledge of the ancient household's layout she trailed the walls and headed for the courtyard with the highest roof. From there, it took her a lot of squinting through the moonless night before she was able to find the mountain's faint outline.

"If my hunch is correct, the horse will be waiting over there somewhere," she mumbled.

Yi Shin untied her robe's belt and slipped it into the helmet's holes before tying it back to her waist. When she was all set, her eyes caught a glint of lights from afar which she deducted as reinforcements.

Not forgetting the hard fall she got from her very first pursuit, she quickly resumed her sweet escape.

However, the forest this time was different from the last.

Running aimlessly as she found out that the terrain was plain, she had already gone deeper into the forest when she realized that the woods only consisted of tall pine trees! Not even a tiny rock formation came to her sight.

What rotten luck!

Her nervousness drastically worsened when the cavalry's approach grew audible. Cold sweats beaded her nose and forehead as she desperately turned around to find her direction, not wanting to give up from the fear of getting brutally killed or tortured in her dreams.

Subconsciously, she headed to the direction where she heard the sound of running water. She only hoped that it's the same as in the dramas wherein waterfalls came in handy for escapes.

To her dismay, not only was the river full of bun-shaped rocks of different sizes, the water wasn't even knee-deep! With the amber lights from the woods getting brighter, she couldn't help but think, could this be her end?!

Just as she was about to lose hope, it was as if the heavens took pity on her. She heard a soft neigh from across the river bank!

It was the be damned horse!

Huge relief moistened Yi Shin's eyes. With her heart leaping in joy, she didn't spare a little care nor flinched at the ice-cold water of the river that soaked her clothing and assaulted her shin.

In no time, she reached the opposite bank. But something was off. Her stead wasn't alone. There was another horse with a silhouette of a person in a cape riding its back!

This person did not have a feel of enmity in him. It almost seemed like he was really just waiting for her.

Before Yi Shin could even ask who he was, something icy suddenly pricked her heart. The way it throbbed projected and incontrollable resentment onto her eyes.

Instantly, her soul was thrown out of her body!

In what seems to be her astral form, she stood beside her figure, eyes widened. Her mouth slowly hanged open when her figure moved on its own accord. Somebody had dominated her body once again!

"My lord." Her figure greeted, cupping both her hands as she bowed lightly.

"I will not be staying any longer." A rough, low voice came from the looming figure. Judging from the quality of his voice, he must be older than her dad but younger than her grandfather.

"Yes," she agreed while maintaining her head down, waiting for his orders.

"Proceed to Yan. I have arranged for your Aunt to meet you there. In the meantime, find what you can learn about the Elixir of Eternity."

This man's words turned her figure stiff at the mention of her said Aunt. At the same time, since Yi Shin felt all of her physical body's reactions even in her soul form, she was more curious at the other instruction. What is he talking about?

"Elixir of Eternity?" Her figure repeated.

The caped man hummed and then added, "If you find somebody who possesses it, take it and bring it to your Aunt. I have already instructed her what to do."

'So, he's the mastermind of this absurdity?! He's making me steal things for his own benefit?' Yi Shin's eyebrow arched and lips pursed.

Curiously looking at her own face, although creeped out, she couldn't help but wonder. What were this man's relationship to her and her so-called aunt? She could feel that the controller of her body loathed this man so much yet why did she willingly give in to him?

Without a word, a pouch landed near her figure's feet.

Her figure immediately picked it up and kowtowed to the ground saying, "With all her heart, this lowly thief wants to thank you, My Lord."

Yi Shin's lips parted in disbelief. "What's going on? I thought you hated him?!" She asked even if she knew that nobody could hear her. Then, casted a deadly glare at the man.

Despisingly, Yi Shin watched this wicked man who merely scoffed at her folded figure on the ground. Needless to say, her face turned red as her blood boiled at his arrogant action!

When her figure stood up, the man maneuvered his horse in the opposite direction as he set to leave after spitting these words.

"That helmet. Just throw it away. It's useless."

Hearing this, all Yi Shin could see is red! How dare he toy with her like this? She balled her fist in fury. Her finger nails dug into her palms painfully but her anger cannot be quenched. Hah, she risked her life and her gold bars for that trash and yet... Arg! She screamed in rage to the direction where the devil's figure dissolved in the darkness.

Yi Shin nagged nonstop at her sullen figure. How could she let him be like that? Why didn't she let her take over so she could give that guy a hard beating? But the thief girl was oblivious to all of that. All she could hear were crickets. Then, a ghostly laugh halted Yi Shin's tantrum.

Facing her own self, Yi Shin saw how her figure's aura has darkened drastically. It was trembling in anger like a ticking bomb about to explode but when Yi Shin thought that her figure would lash out, it did the opposite. Tears trickled down her face as she fell down on her knees.

All feelings drained.

Yi Shin felt how tired the controller of her body was. Physically, emotionally and mentally.

She felt it's hopelessness. That 'It' wanted to give up this life but couldn't...

As Yi Shin's thoughts drifted back to the white ceiling of her hotel room, she finally understood one thing — the girl in her dreams... it wasn't her.

Who is she?