The Last Fallen Star

by Graci Kim

  “What makes sense?” Sora asks. “Spit it out.”

  He pulls his hands down his cheeks and sighs deeply. “I didn’t understand it before, but I do now. The girl is right. She wasn’t Sookhee. It wasn’t her.”

  “Who was it, then?” Appa demands, his hands placed protectively on Eomma’s shoulder and mine.

  “The Cave Bear Goddess,” Mr. Pyo whispers. “It was her.”

  We’re all stunned into silence.

  Impossible.

  Emmett and I have met the goddess. She is kind and benevolent. Yeah, she may have been a bit quirkier than I’d expected, but she’d given me the chance to save Hattie’s life and become a Gom in my own right. She’s the Gom’s patron goddess. Would she really go to the length of possessing one of her Gom subjects to steal the sunstone ax? Mr. Pyo is just playing with us. Messing with our heads.

  Then again…

  Emmett’s mom had said that she’d been betrayed by the one she had trusted most. Could she have been talking about her patron goddess? I mean, it’s unbelievable, but everything that’s happened over the last few days has been the definition of unbelievable. It’s not that much out of the realm of possibility that the Cave Bear Goddess has been playing with us mortals this entire time.

  “Blasphemy!” Eomma cries.

  “How dare you!” Appa shouts. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  But Mr. Pyo has started to piece things together in his mind, and he’s now on a roll, discovering truths as he says them out loud. “Yes, of course! The eight artifacts are the fallen fragments of the dark sun and moon, which means they’re the physical manifestations of the six goddesses’ original sin. It’s only logical the goddess would want them all destroyed.” He slaps his thigh and groans. “She was never going to give it to me. I should have known!”

  Sora must be at the end of her tether, because she breaks the remaining two pieces of the baseball bat into tiny splinters with another snap of her fingers. “Stop mumbling. Speak so we can understand!”

  Frightened, Mr. Pyo nods frantically. “Don’t you see? The goddesses believe that if all the fallen artifacts are destroyed, their original sin, too, will be wiped away. They are assuming their punishment will be rendered null and void and they will have open, unfettered access to the three realms once more.”

  Emmett and I look at each other, trying to understand what we’re being told. We’d learned about the fallen stars being symbols of the original sin, and how Mago Halmi had locked the six goddesses in the Godrealm as punishment for their actions. That’s why the gifted clans were born—to do the will of the goddesses on Earth. Is that what Mr. Pyo is talking about?

  “So, what you’re saying,” I start, my head spinning, “is that if the last fallen star gets into the Cave Bear Goddess’s hands and she destroys it, the six goddesses will be free to walk the Mortalrealm?”

  Mr. Pyo nods solemnly. “Precisely.”

  I breathe out, imagining what kind of chaos they might create. Would it mean six divine beings happily mixing and mingling with the saram over burgers at the local In-N-Out? Or six divine beings using mortals as their playthings and stubbing us out as they fancy? If what Mr. Pyo says is true, the latter seems more likely. Not to mention the potential devastation on the gifted way of life. The goddesses won’t need the clans to do their will on Earth any longer, so would they even let us keep our gifts?

  “We can’t let that happen,” Austin declares. “That would be mayhem. If the goddesses came down, the world as we know it would end.”

  Emmett nods. “We have to stop her. We need to stop the Cave Bear Goddess.”

  “I think I know what we have to do,” I say, and everyone turns to me expectantly. “If the Cave Bear Goddess is possessing Gom bodies to do her business on Earth, she obviously needs us. So let’s disconnect her. Let’s sever her link to the Mortalrealm completely, so she can’t ever get her hands on the last fallen star.”

  “You mean, like, unplug the Cave Bear Goddess from the Gom?” Taeyo asks.

  “Exactly.” I turn to my parents and Auntie Okja. They’re definitely not going to like what I’m about to say. “That would mean losing our patron goddess and the Gom’s ability to channel her power. Do you think the clan would be willing to do that?”

  Sora holds up her Gi-less wrist. “If it’s any consolation, we lost our patron goddess, and look at us now. We’re still committed to our clan motto, and we’re more powerful than ever. We don’t need the goddesses to do good works. Magic is all around us.”

  Taeyo pipes up. “We can even help you unlock your own abilities.”

  My parents and Auntie Okja hesitate. I can see the doubt in their eyes. This would fundamentally change the Gom way of life. They look at one another, and eventually Auntie Okja speaks. “Our clan motto is Service and Sacrifice. This is precisely the type of decision we were born to make.”

  My heart beats proudly at their courage. They get it. This is what being a true Gom is all about.

  “But how?” Emmett says, putting his hands on his hips. “How exactly do we unplug her?”

  I bite the inside of my cheek. I think of the last two lines of the prophecy:

  In the one last divine, a weapon shall rise;

  Unless the gold-destroyer ends the soul who lies.

  Based on what we know, the soul who lies has to be the Cave Bear Goddess. But what if the one last divine weapon—the last fallen star—isn’t the thing that brings upon the end of all days? What if it’s the thing that will prevent it?

  “I don’t know how, but I think the last fallen star is still the answer to all of this,” I start. “It’s supposed to be a weapon. So maybe that’s how we unplug her, by using the weapon against her.”

  The sound of beating wings descends on us, and I look up to see Areum land on the crown of Mr. Pyo’s head. Luckily for him, she’s still dove size. He yelps and rolls into a ball, covering his head with his hands.

  “You are correct, Riley Oh,” Areum says. “Only a weapon forged in the Godrealm—a piece of the divine itself—has the power to sever the link between a goddess and her gifted clan. The last fallen star is a divine weapon, and therefore an appropriate tool with which to carry out such a task. All you need is a threading spell.”

  “What’s that?” Emmett asks.

  Auntie Okja responds. “It reveals the threads that connect a witch to a patron goddess. The council has had to perform this kind of spell on rogue witches from time to time, when they weren’t willing to tell us which clan they belonged to. The spell can not only reveal the link, but also make the connection vulnerable.”

  Areum gives a jerky nod. “Reveal the threads that connect the goddess to the Gom, then cut them with the last fallen star. That is the way to sever the link between the Cave Bear Goddess and all the healers.”

  I let out a gleeful yelp. I guess being able to fly freely between the Mortalrealm and the Godrealm means you pick up some useful knowledge.

  “And just by chance,” I ask Areum, “do you happen to know where we could find this divine weapon?” I don’t know why I didn’t ask her earlier, but better late than never.

  She squawks. “I do not know where it is, but I know who does.”

  Emmett comes over and nudges me in the side. His eyes are sparkling. “I told you she might come in handy!”

  My heart soars as the sweet taste of hope returns to my tongue. We can still do this. Areum will lead us to the person who knows where the last fallen star is, and with it in our hands, we’ll await the goddess’s return. When the Cave Bear Goddess sees that I’ve retrieved what she asked for, she’ll give back Hattie. And once my sister is safe and sound, we’ll unplug the goddess from the Gom clan. The plan is kind of devious, sure, but no more so than a goddess impersonating a Gom.

  “So, who is it?” Taeyo asks Areum, jumping up and down excitedly. He looks like he’s holding a hot potato. “Who knows where to find the eighth artifact?”

  Areum flies over to
me and pecks affectionately at my hair.

  “Well, that’s easy. The dokkaebi, of course.”

  “THE DOKKAEBI?”

  “Yes,” Areum confirms. “With its bangmangi, a dokkaebi has the ability to summon any item in the Mortalrealm. All you need to do is make a deal with the creature, and it will retrieve for you what you desire.”

  We all stare at the inmyeonjo in disbelief. Sure, we’ve all heard the stories about the magical club a dokkaebi carries, and its incredible powers. But striking a deal with a dokkaebi would be like striking a deal with the devil. Except worse.

  The dokkaebi are goblins that live in our nightmares. Literally. They feed off human despair (also literally), becoming more powerful each time they consume our deepest fears. Basically, if you fall asleep in the presence of one, it will step into your dreams and make you experience your worst horrors so it can eat them. Fun, right?

  They are so frightening that when children misbehave, parents sing them this song to remind them what lurks in the shadows:

  With bloody skin so red, so bright,

  And hair as black as darkest night;

  Be good, you hear, unless you dare;

  Don’t let him see your deepest fear;

  The dokkaebi may take a bite.

  I shudder. What would a creature like that demand as payment for conjuring the last fallen star?

  “Even if we wanted to consult a dokkaebi,” I start, “which I’m not sure I do, where would we find one?” Everyone knows you don’t go looking for a dokkaebi. They come looking for you.

  “Well, actually,” Mr. Pyo mumbles from the pavement, where he’s still huddled in a ball, “there’s a guest room at the temple. Room forty-four on level forty-four. My sources tell me a dokkaebi has been lodging there for some years now. No key is required, because he never locks the door. But that’s because no one in their right mind dares to enter. If you fall asleep in there, you may never come out again.”

  Everyone frowns at him. It seems a little convenient that he happens to know this.

  “And why should we trust you?” Taeyo asks.

  Mr. Pyo rubs his shoulder where Areum’s claws poked through his shirt. “Believe it or not, I don’t want goddesses roaming the Mortalrealm any more than you all do.”

  It’s not a bad answer. And considering Hattie’s rotting heart, time is of the essence. I look around, and it’s clear everyone is thinking the same thing. We’ll have to take a leap of faith. Even if it means facing our deepest fears.

  “Well, what are we waiting for, then?” Emmett says, already halfway inside Eomma’s SUV with Boris in his arms. “Get those butts moving, people!”

  Leaving Mr. Pyo drenched and dejected on the pavement, we make for the temple.

  Eomma drops Auntie Okja at Tokki Elder Lee’s place to grab some sleep potion. The infusers call the mixture Knock-Out Juice, because it sends you into a deep slumber within seconds of swallowing. My parents sometimes use it at the clinic for saram patients who are extra suspicious about our methods. Add a few drops into their tea, and bam, they’re not complaining anymore.

  Auntie Okja meets us at the temple, and my parents, Emmett, the scholars, Areum, and I assemble near the elevators. We haven’t discussed it yet, but there’s a gigantic elephant among us. Who’s going to be the one to step into room 44 and drink the potion in order to meet the dokkaebi? Who is willing to confront their deepest fears in exchange for the last fallen star?

  As soon as we jump into the elevator, my eomma clears her throat. “I know this situation could affect the fate of all mortalkind, but it is first and foremost a rescue mission for my daughter. So I’d like to be the one to face the dokkaebi, and I hope everyone can respect that.”

  “No, I’ll do it,” Appa says, his forehead creasing into a maze.

  “No, I will,” I say. “I’m the one that created this entire mess. Let me be the one to fix it.”

  Eomma and Appa both shake their heads adamantly.

  “No. Not a chance.”

  “Don’t even dream of it!”

  By the time the elevator bell dings for level 44, everyone (except Areum and Boris) has volunteered for the mission at least once, and we are no closer to deciding who will be going under.

  Eomma gets frustrated and snatches the vial of Knock-Out Juice from Auntie Okja. Her perm is frizzing up like she’s been plugged into an outlet. “The potion is in my hand now, so the decision is mine. And I’ve decided that I’ll be the one to do it. End of discussion.”

  She makes a zipping motion over her mouth, and everyone mutters but doesn’t argue. I know why Eomma has volunteered. She wants to save Hattie herself, to make sure her daughter comes home safely. And as much as I want to right my wrongs, I don’t argue anymore. I’d probably just mess up the rescue mission. After all, I’m the one who got Hattie into trouble in the first place. As much as I hate to admit it, letting Eomma do it is in Hattie’s best interest.

  “Fine,” Auntie Okja finally says, also relenting. “But let’s go over the rules of engagement.”

  We all huddle outside room 44 and agree on the details until the plan of attack is clear:

  (1) Eomma, Appa, Areum, and I will enter the room together, while everyone else waits safely outside.

  (2) Eomma will take the potion while Appa and I watch over her body.

  (3) If Eomma looks like she’s in trouble, we’ll wake her up immediately.

  (4) If at any point there are worrying noises coming from the room, the outside team will enter with expediency.

  (5) No one will spend a second longer than they need to in that room.

  “Please be careful,” Auntie Okja says to Eomma. “All of you.”

  “And remember to call out if you need help,” Sora adds. “We’re just on the other side of this door.”

  Eomma, Appa, and I steel ourselves. And then, on the count of three, we all burst into room 44 together, with Areum on my shoulder.

  I’m not sure what I was expecting, but whatever it was, it wasn’t this. The plain room has a king-size bed in the middle and identical nightstands on either side, each with a tassel-shaded lamp. The lights are dim, and there’s a weird haze in the air. Except for that, there’s nothing else inside. There isn’t even a bathroom, which is a nightmare of its own. And there’s no dokkaebi to be seen.

  We all exhale together, and even Areum looks relieved.

  Eomma sits in the middle of the bed with her legs stretched out in front of her. “All right, I’m ready.” She steels herself, looking just like Hattie when she makes her boss face. And suddenly, I miss my sister so much, my stomach aches.

  Appa kisses her on the head. “Bring back our daughter, Eunha. We will be waiting for you right here.”

  We fan ourselves around the bed as Eomma says a quick prayer to Mago Halmi. Then she opens the vial and swigs its contents. Immediately, she drops onto her back and falls into a sleep so deep it’s as if she has never been awake.

  The next ten minutes are the longest I have ever experienced. Appa and I anxiously stand guard around Eomma’s sleeping body, and I don’t take my eyes off her chest to make sure she’s still breathing.

  Just when I think I can’t possibly wait a single second longer, she bolts up in bed like a coiled spring and calls out, “No, no, no!” Her eyes are bloodshot and it looks like she’s been crying.

  “What happened?” Appa cries, hugging her close.

  “Are you all right?” I climb onto the bed to get near her.

  She puts her head in her hands and sobs. “I couldn’t do it. I just couldn’t.”

  “What did it ask of you?” Appa asks quietly.

  Eomma trembles like a leaf. “He asked me to choose between my daughters. To pay for the cost of the last fallen star with one of their lives.”

  Appa gasps and buries his face in Eomma’s hair. “Oh, my love, my poor, poor darling.”

  “I couldn’t do it. I wouldn’t,” Eomma sobs and pulls me close to her. “How could I choose between m
y girls? How?!”

  My heart shrivels to the size of Hattie’s. Even with everything on the line, Eomma couldn’t save Hattie, because she wasn’t willing to lose me. The dokkaebi knew exactly what my eomma’s deepest fear was.

  I know what I have to do.

  “Psst.” I turn my head slightly and whisper to Areum. “I need you to knock me out.”

  She blinks once. “Explain yourself, Riley Oh.”

  “Just do as I say,” I urge. “Please. Just do it. And do it fast.”

  She pauses briefly, as if wondering if she’s understood me correctly. But I guess the good thing about having a bird-woman yield to you is that your word is the final word.

  The last thing I remember before my legs give out is Areum leaping off my shoulder and gaining size before slamming into the side of my head.

  Ouch.

  WHEN I NEXT OPEN MY EYES, I’m lying on the houndstooth carpet and Eomma and Appa have disappeared. I’m in the same room I was a second ago, but now the two lamps are emitting an eerie blue light. Areum must have succeeded in knocking me unconscious.

  Getting onto my knees, I take some deep, calming breaths. My heart is beating so hard, it feels like the walls are pounding to the rhythm. Surely, the dokkaebi won’t be as bad as I’ve been led to believe. Maybe he’ll take pity on me and be nice?

  I glance gingerly around the room. Aside from the details in the scary song everyone knows, I have no idea what to expect. I’ve never even seen a photo of a dokkaebi, so I don’t know how big they are. Could it be small enough to hide under the bed…?

  Holding my breath, I quickly lift the dust ruffle and take a peek. Dust balls and a spider are all I see, and I let out a laugh. Of course he’s not hiding under the mattress—he’s a dokkaebi, not the boogeyman! But then I look closer. There’s a pair of feet on the other side of the bed.

  What the—?! No one was there a second ago.

  I close my eyes for a moment and then open them again. The feet are still there. And they’re in gold open-toed sandals—just like the ones my sister had on for her initiation ceremony.