My boyfriend is a nine-tailed fox

Chapter 10: Jace’s Story

The temple was quieter now, the swirling energy from Jace’s release fading into an uneasy calm. Anita and Jace sat opposite each other on the cracked stone floor. Anita shifted uncomfortably, gripping the pendant around her neck.

“Alright,” Anita said, her voice still shaky. “If we’re in this together, I need to know the whole story. Start from the beginning.”

Jace studied her for a moment, as if deciding how much to reveal. Finally, he sighed. “Centuries ago, I was a guardian of balance—a gumiho, one of the fox spirits tasked with maintaining the boundary between the mortal world and the mystical one. We kept harmony, made sure neither side overstepped.”

Anita tilted her head. “Like... a supernatural police officer?”

Jace smirked faintly. “Not quite, but close enough. Back then, humans both feared and revered us. They sought our help, but they also sought our power. The fox bead,” he said, gesturing toward the pendant, “was my essence, my strength. With it, I could manipulate energy, heal, or destroy. It’s what made me a gumiho.”

Anita glanced at the pendant, its faint glow pulsing in time with her heartbeat. “So, what happened? How did you end up... here?”

Jace’s expression darkened, his golden eyes flickering with a hint of pain. “Not everyone wanted balance. A powerful sorcerer named Kael believed the fox bead could grant him immortality and unlimited power. He hunted me for years, gathering followers and creating spells to weaken me.”

Anita frowned, leaning forward. “And he caught you?”

Jace nodded, his jaw tightening. “Eventually. He lured me into a trap, using innocent lives as bait. I couldn’t abandon them, so I fought. But Kael was prepared. He and his followers bound me to this temple, sealing me here with a spell that even I couldn’t break. He thought by imprisoning me, he could extract the bead. But it resisted him—it’s tied to my very existence.”

Anita swallowed hard. “So... he just left you here? For centuries?”

Jace’s voice softened. “Yes. Kael disappeared after that, likely seeking another way to achieve his goals. I’ve been here ever since, waiting, hoping for a chance to escape.”

Anita looked at him, her chest tightening with a mixture of guilt and disbelief. “And now that I’ve freed you, he might come back for the bead, right?”

Jace’s gaze met hers, steady and serious. “Yes. Kael isn’t the only one who craves its power. Others will sense it now that the seal is broken. That’s why you need to be ready.”

Anita ran a hand through her hair, her mind spinning. “This is insane. I didn’t sign up for a mystical war.”

“No one ever does,” Jace said quietly. “But fate doesn’t care about what you want. It only cares about what you do.”

For a moment, they sat in silence, the weight of his words hanging between them. Anita finally looked up, determination flickering in her eyes.

“Alright,” she said, gripping the pendant tightly. “If this is my fate, then I’ll deal with it. But you’d better teach me everything I need to know, fox spirit.”

Jace’s lips curved into a small, approving smile. “Call me Jace,” he said. “And don’t worry, I’ll make sure you survive. For both our sakes.”