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When disaster struck and all was lost, there was little Yongguk could do to keep the few regalia that he had. They begged to be released from their turmoil, released from him, and he granted their requests with a heavy heart. Name after name disappeared from his body, name after name crumbled to dust. As much as they have hurt him, he loved them like family and he would not allow them to become nora, spirits with multiple names from multiple gods, looked upon as traitors and treated as one might treat a prostitute. “My lord, please. Let me keep my name so that I may continue to serve you as exemplar.” “That is not fair to you, Himchan, for me to release the others and not allow you the same courtesy.”“I do not wish to be released, Yongguk. Let me serve you.”There seemed to be no earthly explanation for Himchan’s unwavering loyalty, but Yongguk eventually stopped trying to convince him to seek another master. Secretly, he was glad, for a god was practically useless without his regalia, those pure, untouched spirits who may become a divine weapon. Without his regalia, Yongguk would have long since become a disgraced and forgotten god. His regalia gave him strength, but they also brought him pain.Himchan had served him the longest and yet had never once tainted him. If he truly wished to stay (and Yongguk believed that he did), then he would stay. “Let us start a new family, my lord. I promise you that this time, I will not allow them to bring you such agony.”-
“Spirit, you are lost and adrift. You have nowhere to go and nowhere to return to. Thus, I grant you a place to belong.
My name is Yongguk. Bearing two names, you shall remain here. With these names, I make thee my servant. With these names, I use my life to make thee a regalia fit to be wielded by a god. Thou art Himchan. As regalia, Tats-ki.
Come, Tats-ki!”
And thus, Himchan was reborn with no memories of his life as human and yet bearing all the emotions that came with being one. As it turned out, Tats-ki was a gilded dagger and with him, Yongguk could slay the phantoms that humanity prayed for him to destroy.
-It was years after Yongguk was forced to begin anew that they came across a lost spirit. The skies had opened up that day, spilling its tears upon the earth and, perhaps, that was for the best, as Himchan often wondered if this spirit would have accepted the knowledge that Yongguk knew he had been crying the day they met. Sadness, after all, had been the reason why his former master stripped him of his name and purpose.But Yongguk had always been peculiar. He suffered the pain of his regalia without a word. Negative emotions, he’d always said, was a part of being human. He did not wish to take that from his regalia, no matter how much they tainted him, no matter how much they hurt him and betrayed him. Himchan hadn’t been able to protect Yongguk from the blight once before, but he had been given a second chance. He would see to it that the god’s regalia never hurt him like that again. So he tried to warn Yongguk about the spirit, tried to keep him from naming it. But Yongguk did not wish to leave the spirit to wander adrift any longer and Himchan was powerless to change his mind.Thus, the spirit was granted the name Daehyun. As regalia, Keke-gi. He was divine armor, taking the form of a leather jacket. Begrudgingly, Himchan accepted this as a necessary addition to his lord’s regalia and took the lost spirit under his wing. -No more than a week had passed before Daehyun first blighted Yongguk. The god didn’t complain, but Himchan caught sight of the growing, purple rash on the nape of Yongguk’s neck one morning as he entered the god’s bedchamber to wake him from sleep.“Daehyun. What did you do?”The younger spirit was sitting on the balcony overlooking a small pond. Yongguk was no major god, but the humans feared his powers enough to hold him in their memories, tell of him in their folk tales. And so, he had his own shrine and his own home in the heavens, where all the recognized gods dwell. It was modest, but enough to comfortably house several regalia. “Nothing. I didn’t do anything.”“The master has been blighted, and yet you refuse to confess? No wonder your previous master released you.”Daehyun turned to glare at him, tears welling up in his eyes. “I can’t help it, ok? I can’t just pretend to be happy all the time. I know I’m not the perfect regalia. Heck, I’m not even a good one, but that doesn’t mean I don’t-” A sob overcame him and the regalia turned away, pulling his knees to his chest, covering his face with his arms. Himchan watched, silent and unsure. “I won’t be surprised if Yongguk releases me, too. I won’t even be mad. I’m too emotional. I’m…” Another sob. Himchan hesitated, then moved forward, sitting down next to the young regalia, reaching out to hold him. “I’m so sorry!”For half an hour, Himchan held Daehyun as he cried. He understood, then, that the reason for Daehyun’s sadness was an oversight of his previous masters. For as long as he kept being rejected for tainting his gods with sadness and guilt and regret, he would only feel those emotions more. Himchan was surprised that a phantom hadn’t taken advantage of the boy’s vulnerability yet. “Yongguk is different, Daehyun. He will not cast you aside for tainting him. He is not that type of god.” “He won’t?”“No. He would sooner bear your pain than release you to bear it on your own. But please, for his sake, try to be happy.”-“Uh...what?”“A Borderline, Youngjae. It helps us separate the entities of the Far Shore from those of the Near Shore. Watch.” Daehyun held up his right hand, index and middle fingers extended in a halberd shape. In one swift motion, he brought his arm down in a diagonal sweep. “Borderline.”Youngjae yelped and stumbled backwards as a wall of flickering blue light rose up from the ground between him and the other regalia. From off to the side, Himchan laughed.“Why don’t you try it, Youngjae? In the event that you are attacked by phantoms and Yongguk isn’t present, a Borderline will be your only defense.” The blue light faded and Youngjae watched the ground from whence it had come cautiously, as though expecting the earth itself to retaliate. “And even if you never find yourself in such a situation, with the type of regalia that you are, being able to draw Borderlines will be an essential skill.”When Yongguk found him, Youngjae had been a spirit that somehow managed to cross from the Far Shore, the land of the supernatural, to the Near Shore, the land of the living. He hadn’t been a conscious spirit, just a drifting one, a little ball of light floating in the air. Or, at least, that’s what Daehyun insisted. What he knew for sure was that he’d never been a regalia before. Drawing his fingers together to form the halberd, just as Daehyun had done, Youngjae took a deep breath. As a regalia, his name was Joko-ki and he took the form of a necklace, a black and silver charm of an eye encircled by a crescent moon, hanging on a loose silver chain. He still wasn’t quite sure what his purpose was. Himchan was clearly meant to attack and Daehyun to defend, but what purpose would a mere necklace serve? And for a god, no less? “Hey, don’t worry if you don’t get it the first time! It took me a couple tries to get it right.”“Yeah, and Daehyun’s actually useless without his Borderlines. The only thing a piece of armor does is draw Borderlines.”“Hey! That’s not-”
”Borderline!”
A shimmering wall of light came to life, mere centimeters from Daehyun’s face. Silence. “Uh...sorry?”-“There are...there are so many of them…” Himchan frowned at the wavering tone of Youngjae’s voice. He’d grown so used to the little brat mouthing off at home, screaming and yelling with Daehyun in the dead of the night. But he supposed that, to such a new regalia, a giant monster of a phantom such as they were faced with was nothing short of horrifying. “Don’t lose your nerve, Youngjae. Do not fear them. Remain calm, lest you cause harm to Yongguk.” “...right.”The people of this town were afraid. They had been calling to the gods for ages now, begging and pleading for someone to come help rid them of their plight. Of course, they had no idea it was phantoms causing them harm, possessing the most vulnerable amongst them, exemplifying their worst and most vile thoughts. Past their infant stage, humans were unable to see the phantoms that preyed upon their kind. “Come, Tats-ki, Keke-gi, Joko-ki!”The gods did not often visit the small towns. It was rare that an infestation would occur in a place with a sparse population, but for some reason, phantoms had been attracted here. And because the major gods, swamped as they were with wishes and requests, had been too busy to spare a glance at a measly town, the people had eventually turned to Yongguk. They assumed, correctly, that he could rid their home of evil.From their vantage point, Yongguk could see a dark substance hanging over the center of town. Many phantoms resembled individual animals, but this one seemed more like an amalgamate. There was sharp pain at the base of his neck - the blight - but he paid it no mind. It was Youngjae’s first job and they were up against this monster of a phantom, of course his faith might waver. As long as the blight was not enough to be noticeable by his other regalia, there was no reason to do anything about it.“There it is.” He murmured, watching the phantom’s form pulse around the building it lay upon, nearly consuming it, dozens of round eyes darting here and there, unblinking, searching. “It can smell me, I think. Best if we move quickly now. Are we ready?”“Yes, my lord.”“And you, Youngjae?”No. No, Youngjae was not ready by any means. He couldn’t take his eyes off the phantom and, even in his regalia form, he was shaking. But this was his duty now, his purpose. Whatever he felt, he had to keep Yongguk’s best interests in mind. So he clenched his fists and took a deep breath.“Yes. Our target is eighteen kilometers north, northwest. I can sense no other phantoms nearby, but do not let your guard down. There may be some around that are small enough to have escaped my notice.”-Until Jongup showed up, all Youngjae ever did was talk and point out things that Yongguk could probably figure out on his own. Until Jongup showed up, he couldn’t fully understand what Himchan meant when he spoke of Youngjae’s divine purpose as being separate from Daehyun’s and his own. Until Jongup came to them, Youngjae wondered every day and night why Yongguk acted as though he were somehow special or important. As a regalia, Dada-ki was a strong weapon. His attack power was incredible, the likes of which Himchan had never seen before amongst Yongguk’s regalia. Dada-ki’s only weakness was that he could not, for the life of him, aim. So overwhelmed is he by his own power that he can barely draw Borderlines in combat, thus forfeiting the ability to distinguish between Far Shore and Near Shore entities. Every shot with the pistol was a gamble, for no one knew if Dada-ki would hit his target or if he would accidentally hurt an innocent. Yongguk would not use Dada-ki because of this. Himchan, though less powerful, was much more reliable. The god trusted Tats-ki’s blade to pass harmlessly through any Near Shore being, be it human or animal or plant, and to slay only what he wished to slay. He could not trust Dada-ki. It hurt, knowing that. Of course it would. To not be able to serve the god that named him weighed heavy on Jongup’s conscience, but he was careful not to let himself become emotional, lest he cause more harm to the Lord Yongguk. Even in human form, the Borderlines he drew were weaker than those of the other regalia. No one cared if the Dada-ki was powerful if he could not control his own actions. Every master he encountered would eventually release him.“Hey, Jongup, whatchu moping around for?”He turned and was immediately assaulted by Youngjae’s bright, happy smile. Sitting up from where he was, on a green hill overlooking the city, Jongup shrugged. “Not moping.”“Ah, no, of course not! How could a strong regalia such as you mope!”He frowned. Was Youngjae mocking him? “I’m just saying, like, you could probably teach Daehyun a thing or two. He’s such an emotional wreck, probably causes lord Yongguk all kinds of pain without even knowing it.”Him? Teach Daehyun? How ridiculous. He’s seen Daehyun’s Borderlines, how powerful they are. He’s seen the Keke-gi protect against sword and spear and he’s even seen it move Yongguk’s arms for him when the god was tiring in combat. How could he possibly have anything to teach such a regalia?“You don’t believe me? I’m serious. Look, it must suck to know that Yongguk won’t be using you, but you haven’t blighted him once because of it. That takes a lot of self control.”Jongup didn’t respond, turning his gaze towards the skyline.“Listen. I think I can help you. I guarantee Yongguk will use you if you let me help.”-When Youngjae came to him with his proposition, Yongguk was ecstatic. But he kept up a skeptical image and merely agreed to let him try. The regalia claimed that he knew of a way to help Jongup’s aim, something he’d learned from his friend who served the god Namjoon. Now, when Youngjae had had time to make friends, Yongguk couldn’t be sure, but if there was a chance that he would be able to employ Dada-ki, he would take it. It would be cruel and unfair to Jongup if he just kept the regalia around for much longer like this.“Right! Jongup, you just focus on your power. I’ll aim for you.”“Wait..what! Just like that?”“Just trust me! Lord Yongguk, give me a second...” One day, while he was admiring the river that ran through the city from a bridge, he’d come across a regalia by the name of Seokjin. They became friends within the hour, neither of them having met regalia that served other gods before. Youngjae wasn’t quite sure how the subject had come up, but at some point, he’d shared that Yongguk was having some trouble with one regalia’s aim. What Seokjin told him had been practically earth-shattering.
“Ah! Well...you know, perhaps one of you other regalia could help him with that. There are some regalia who help their masters with such things as navigation and...well, if used correctly, that ability can also be used to help others aim. Or even draw Borderlines.”
“Really? ...How would I know if I could do that?”
Youngjae’s eyes were squeezed shut, his arms stretched out in front of him, searching for Jongup’s energy. He always did feel more connected to the spiritual side of himself in regalia form, probably because as a regalia, his human body was non-corporeal. His soul was trapped within the confines of the necklace and he went wherever that went, but his mind conjured up a human form for him to take. Come on, Jongup. Yongguk’s aura was almost too powerful for Youngjae to feel for anything else, but he wouldn’t allow himself to give up now, not when there was even the slightest possibility of him being able to help Jongup. And if he managed that, then maybe he’ll have found his purpose. There! Fleeting, but it was there. His fingers brushed against a piece of thread and he twirled it around his index finger, pulled it taut. I got it! “Lord Yongguk, I’m ready!”But Yongguk was already holding Dada-ki up, pointing the barrel towards a tree. To the god, it was almost as though Youngjae had given him a scope through which he could see the trajectory the pistol’s bullet would take once he pulled the trigger. An outsider would see that Yongguk’s right eye had changed so his pupil was a crimson red, ringed in white and surrounded by a blackness that rivaled the darkness of a starless, moonless night. Youngjae focused and locked onto the target.
Bam.
“Amazing...Revert, Youngjae! Jongup!”In the aftermath, Jongup smiled for the first time since he joined Yongguk’s ranks. His eyes lit up at the promise that he would be called upon to accompany the god on every mission from here on out, that he was important and that his abilities were valued. Youngjae was willing to bet that no god had ever praised him like this before. “And you, Youngjae.”He looked up to see Yongguk smiling at him and he couldn’t help but smile back. “Youngjae, my divine guide, my third eye. I am so happy we met.”-A decade after Yongguk was forced to start anew, he came across the spirit that would complete his new family. He wasn’t searching for spirits anymore, not after he found Jongup and Youngjae had realized his full potential, for he truly believed the four regalia he had were enough. He had his exemplar, Himchan, a sharp, accurate blade, but first and foremost a leader and role model for the other regalia. He had Daehyun, who’s skills far surpassed that of a normal armor regalia, and Jongup, who could pack more power behind every bullet than what should be physically possible. And he had Youngjae, a regalia who was a scholar in his past life, who in this reborn form was just as quick-witted and bright. Together, they were everything that Yongguk could have ever hoped for and with them by his side, he felt as though he had nothing to fear aside from losing them. With his final breath, he would protect these regalia just as how they had all sworn to protect him.The god was on a routine patrol around the city as dusk fell. This was the Fiendish Hour, the time of day during which the barrier between the Near and Far Shores was weakest and the phantoms were most active. It was a good day and all the regalia were in high spirits. Youngjae was as perceptive as ever to phantom activity and with both Himchan and Jongup at his side, those monsters didn’t stand a chance. The Hour was coming to a close when an ear-piercing shriek ran through the city. “What was that?” Through Youngjae’s scope, Yongguk could see in painful detail every aspect of the city streets below him and he could see that none of the humans seemed to bat an eye at the screams for help. “It must be a dweller of the Far Shore. Youngjae, where is it?” “Ah...my lord...I sense a spirit. But I fear it may already be at the mercy of phantoms.”“Take me to it.”“But my lord, you know that-”“Joko-ki, take me to it.”“...very well.”When they found the spirit, a tall, lanky boy who couldn’t have been older than eighteen or nineteen years old at the time of his death, it became obvious that Youngjae had been right. Sprouting from the boy’s back was a grotesque image of three pulsing, green eyes and the head of a phantom that took on the semblance of a snake. Aside from that, there were bird-like phantoms flapping around the boy’s head, squawking at him, tormenting him so that he knelt on the ground and covered his head with his arms, trying in vain to protect himself.Yongguk heard his sobs and screams for help and he heeded the boy’s cries. “Tats-ki.” The gilded blade materialized in his palm and the bird demons were gone within seconds. The god knelt down behind the spirit, eyeing the phantom growth on his back.“Youngjae, how should I begin with this?”Before Youngjae could even react, Himchan gasped in disbelief. “...Yongguk, surely you’re not thinking of...you know that a phantom-possessed spirit cannot be-”“I have heard the boy’s wish and I shall grant it. Now, Youngjae, speak.”“...yes. I’m sure you already know, my lord, that the phantom must be cut out. Try and cut close around the edges of the growths. Go slow and I will let you know if you come close to any vital arteries or nerve-endings.”Himchan’s pristine blade was dripping with blood and the air was thick with the spirit’s screams of agony by the time the job was done, but the phantom that had possessed him would bother him no longer. At Yongguk’s command, the regalia reverted back to their human forms and stood quietly, uncertain, behind their master. And as the boy caught his breath, eyes cast downward, sweat dripping from his brow, Yongguk stood. “Spirit, you are lost and adrift.”The boy lifted his head so fast Yongguk was sure he would’ve gotten whiplash if he were still a mortal being.“You have nowhere to go and nowhere to return to. Thus, I grant you a place to belong.”At these words, the boy shuddered, raising one hand to cover his mouth as a sob once again wracked his body. Somewhere far away, Yongguk heard Youngjae say something about the boy crying as much as Daehyun and an indignant huff in response.“My name is Yongguk. Bearing two names, you shall remain here. With these names, I make thee my servant. With these names, I use my life to make thee a regalia fit to be wielded by a god. Thou art Junhong. As regalia, Toto-ki.Come, Toto-ki!”A spirit that is first found and possessed by a phantom may never become a proper regalia. Yongguk knew this well, but he had heard the boy’s wish and once a wish was made, he would grant it. So he looked upon the black, vintage hand mirror, saw the cracks that ran over its surface, and smiled.“Revert, Junhong.”The spirit, now Junhong, stood before the god and Yongguk could see now that the boy was taller than himself and all the other regalia. “You have made your wish and I have heard it loud and clear.”He extended a hand towards Junhong and the boy hesitantly took it. There was blinding flash of light and when it cleared, the boy was left staring wide-eyed at a shrine. He squinted at the name written on the gate.“Bang...Yong...Guk.” He whispered, turning to face the god that had named him. “Lord Yongguk.” “Welcome home, Junhong.”