Chapter Text
Yona's POV
She turned around when the clamours reached her ears.
"What is it?", Lady Yoo-Lan asked her, turning around as well.
"Don't you hear that yelling?", Yona wondered.
"Perhaps Lord Kuelbo has returned..."
"Even so...", she started, pulling on her chains and then thudded to the ground. She winced in pain. She forced herself on her hands, pushed herself up. "...ngh"
Her ankles were throbbing. Yoo-Lan knelt beside her.
"You're bleeding..."
"I'm fine"
"It's impossible for you to go further with your feet like that. You must hide somewhere. I will go find Lord Kuelbo"
"It's fine, I'll..."
"No. You won't be able to keep up with me", Yona couldn't counter that one. Yoo-Lan looked back and ran towards a sort of box. She tapped it, made sure it was empty and opened it. "In here. Lord Kuelbo will surely come back to get you"
"He doesn't care about me that much. More importantly, you need to run..."
"Lord Kuelbo entrusted me with your care. Protecting you is part of my dedication to him. Hurry", she pushed Yona in the box.
"...ah... Yoo-La...", but she closed the lid over her head. Yoo-Lan left the room, carefully closing the door.
'Yoo-Lan is painfully faithful to Kuelbo... but is he really coming back...?', her heartbeat was ringing in her ears. 'Should I really let Yoo-Lan go alone...?'
In the corridors, Yoo-Lan ran, hoped to catch Kuelbo somewhere near, somewhat soon. But she stumbled upon Gobi and his cronies' path.
"If it isn't Lady Yoo-Lan", Gobi drawled. "What did you do with Princess Yona?"
"Priest Gobi... Lord Kuelbo will return shortly. Cease your foolish actions"
"Lord Kuelbo will not return", Gobi was smirking, proud of himself. Yoo-Lan was shocked. "Just now, a report came of the Sen Province troops' defeat. Kouka's army has taken the gate. The Tully Tribe is retreating from Sen City"
"No... It can't be! Lord Kuelbo would never retreat"
"Wrong. The Tully Tribe's soldiers are one by one withdrawing from his castle. Lord Kuelbo has tossed you aside, Lady Yoo-Lan!! Now, Lady Yoo-Lan, there is no reason for you to be here. Give me the Princess! If not willingly, then by pain...!"
One of his man reached for her, his sword out. She closed her eyes, shrunk back. But then, when his hand did not come, she looked up. An arrow was embedded in his chest, where his heart was. He thudded to the ground. Yona stood behind her.
"I'm right here"
"Princess Yona?!", Yoo-Lan shouted in horror. "Why did you come...?!"
"I don't want you to die. I haven't forgiven Kuelbo in the slightest... But I want you to live and reunite with him!"
"Capture her!", Gobi howled.
"Go, Yoo-Lan!", Yona shouted, turning around. "Thank you for helping me!", she jumped away and then fell further forward. His other man, the one who hadn't died, ran after her. Yoo-Lan covered her face with her hands. She was horrified when the bandit grabbed her hair.
"Princess Yona!"
'Ahh...! What should I... Lord Kuelbo!'
Hak's POV
The soldiers were barging in on castle grounds, hungry for victory.
"Where's the Princess?!", Tae-Jun wondered, exhausted.
"She's not here, at least", Heuk-Chi answered.
"I'm sure she's being confined in a room somewhere, but...", Ki-Ja pointed out.
"Kuelbo would know...", Zeno said.
"Hak?"
"Ah, right... I'll go check out the east side"
"Got it"
He walked, until he stopped. The sound of dragging feet reached his ears. He lifted his head. A wobbly figure stood before him.
"Did you find the Princess?", Hak attempted.
"...No. She isn't in here", the soldier answered.
"Funny for you to say that before you've even gone in", he simply pointed out, calm. "What's wrong? Let's go in. I'm sure you've got the key. Or maybe the wound from my glaive hurts you too much to move? Huh, Ying Kuelbo? While the Tully Tribe makes its retreat... Only you slip into the crowd, dressed as a Sky Tribe soldier. Seems like you've got some important business here, huh, Lord King?"
Kuelbo threw his sword his way, hitting the handle of his guando.
"I don't have time for this... and yet I meet the one guy I really don't wanna see", Kuelbo mumbled.
"...Are you here for the Princess? Where is Lone?", Kuelbo did not answer directly.
"I was going to... make Princess Yona the Goddess of War for the Tully Tribe, Lone in her shadow, and rule over both Kai and Kouka... be happy. That dream's already dead"
"...then why did you come back?"
"Why do you care? If you're going to kill me, then come on", he was ready to fight.
"I don't have time for this, either. Where is Lone? What happened to her? And tell me where the Princess is", Kuelbo stayed quiet for a few seconds.
"...come on. Yona's in my room"
"...
...
...
...
Wha-?", Hak was confused, but followed after him. "...hey. You better not have hurt her"
"Ah? I treated her very kindly. We even slept together", the next second, Hak was hitting the ground below Kuelbo's feet with his blade. He barely had the time to jump away. "Hold on! If you kill me now, you won't be able to find her!", Hak was seeing death. "... I didn't do anything. I just gave her half the bed"
"So that's the kind of culture the Tully Tribe has..."
'Speak carelessly, and my head will go flying', Kuelbo realized internally.
When they reached a certain spot a few meters ahead, Kuelbo found his own men, lying on the ground, dead. He kneeled near one of them and lifted his head up.
"Hey, what happened?!"
"He's dead...", Hak realized. "Is the Princess alone in your room?!"
"...No. I left her with the woman I trust most in the world...", Hak wondered a little, but then, arrows flew. He turned around in a flash and slashed them away. Gobi's men stood in the bushes, ready with another arrow.
"I've seen them before in Xing"
"Xing... Gobi...! Another damned traitor", Kuelbo clenched his jaw, angry.
"They're coming. Can you fight?"
"Who do you think you're talking to? I'll slaughter 'em!"
Their opponents were down a few seconds afterward, leaving them to continue their research. They ran and finally reached a corner. Hak saw the woman, noticed her incoming attack and prepared to hit. Kuelbo stood before him, stopped his blade.
"Wait...!", Hak looked shocked. "Yoo-Lan...!"
"Lord Kuelbo?!", she seemed surprised.
"What happened?", he asked.
"I beg your forgiveness... Princess Yona was taken away by Priest Gobi..."
"Which way'd they go?!", Hak asked.
"That way, but...", he was already gone. She turned back. "Huh? Who was that...?", she turned back toward Kuelbo as he pulled her against him, hugging her. "Lord Kuelbo..."
"...I came to get you", her eyes widened, in shock. But she was pleased and touched. She let the tears slide against her cheeks. "The Tully Tribe has lost. We're leaving the castle"
"What... will happen with Princess Yona...?"
"That guy went after her... so Gobi's dead"
***
Lone's POV
I was still running. My feet were starting to feel numb, but I would not give up. Not yet. I could not go when I did not know they were safe. I won't give my life away for them to die anyway. But suddenly, I collided with someone else. I backed away, preparing myself to fight, but I lifted my head, cleared my eyes.
"Algira! Vold!", I shouted, so glad.
"Lady Lone!", Vold called.
"Lord Kuelbo let you go?", Algira asked.
"Luckily"
"Aren't you bleed-?", Vold asked.
"Ignore it. I'm fine", Vold and Algira looked at each other. "I will help you"
"I was following some rotten smell", Algira told the both of us, because Vold seemed insulted.
"Smell?"
"The smell of a guy I hate"
"Deal with it! I know I haven't been able to bathe in a few days, but..."
"I mean Gobi"
"Gobi? I heard he was here. I'm glad Kouren sent you guys to deal with him", I let out.
"He's probably close", Algira said. Then, he lifted his head. "Yo-Nyan!!", my heart skipped a beat. I looked up.
"Yona!", I shouted with every parcel of air still trapped in my lungs. I couldn't be more glad to have finally found her.
"Algira! Lone!", she called out.
"Algira?!", Gobi called, shocked.
"Found you!!"
"Damn Kouren... To track us here! Hurry!", he pushed at his man's back. He had thrown Yona over his shoulder.
"YONYAN!", Algira shouted as both of the boys started grabbing at a pillar, climbing up and up. I looked at them and then, tried to find another way up.
"Prepare yourself, Priest Gobi!", Vold threatened.
"Algira! Vold! Lone!", Yona shouted, desperate.
"We can't afford to let those men catch us!", Gobi let out, accidentally knocked down a standing lamp torch. The bits of wood fell off, dragging the fire with it. It climbed up the barrier, snatching at Algira's skin.
"Algira..."
"Yonyan!! We came to save you! The Dragons and Yoon, they're all free!", my eyes widened. Oh yes... Thank God.
"Really?!"
"Yeah! And now, we're all here to save you! Hak-nyan's come, too!", all that there was left was her, now... I just needed to save her. I returned my attention to my climbing, wincing in pain. "He'll be right here! So... go home with him!"
"Yeah...!", she cried out. She started struggling in the man's arms.
"Stop fighting!", he screamed.
"I'll help- Ow!", Algira cried out. Gobi's man swiped a dagger his way. It embedded in his forearm, making him lose his balance. He fell back. I tried to reach for him, but I was too far.
"Algira!", Yona shouted. I winced.
"Yes...!", Gobi cried out, laughing.
"Voldopus!", Algira called. Vold jumped over him, threw his sword at the man's back, letting it sink in his flesh.
"Princess Yona...", he held on to the barrier, grabbing Algira by the wrist before he hit the ground. "Please, run..."
"Thank you, boys. I've got this, now", I told them, jumping over the rail, landing on the balcony, falling on my knees and on my side. The flames were licking the wood at my side. I hid my face in my sleeve, blinking. Yona thudded to the ground.
"Lone!", she called, reaching for me. My eyes caught at her ankles.
"Call the dragons", I heard Gobi say. "They'll come running to you, won't they? Princess Yona, you can't even stand. So you must hurry and call for help. Tell them to become dragons and come flying to your side, just like before! You must call them. You'll be burned to a crisp. Now, hurry, hurry!! Hurry!!"
"I will not. They can't fly to my side like you're saying. And even if they could, I wouldn't call them"
"Why?!"
"Even if I told you why... You wouldn't understand"
My end was there. It was so very close. I pushed on my hands and feet, plunging in my last life forces. I could not die yet. I could not let, for another moment, Gobi go like this. I got up and ran. I screamed and grabbed him by the collar.
"You are not hurting Yona anymore, or the people I love. You are done", I let out with a surprising calm. Rage lingered in my voice, in my tone. I could see through my watered eyes the terrified look on his face. Then, immediately after, he hit me on my wounded side. Bursts of pain lashed through my body. I lost my balance, lost my composure. He freed himself and started running.
"You can't catch me!", I held my side for barely a second before I launched again. I would not let him go. I grabbed at the back of his robe, pulling him to the ground. I hit him in the head hard enough to make him lose consciousness.
"You're done, Gobi", I pulled on his body, walking towards the rail. I hauled his body over the balcony and looked down.
"Algira! Vold! This is for you!", I howled, letting him fall in the bushes. I lost balance again, falling back, not yet giving up. I looked sideways, at where Yona's body should be lying. She was not there anymore and a glint of blue clothes caught my eye. Hak had gotten to her. I closed my eyes, letting the tear fall. I was done here. I fell back, trying to let my feet catch me, but it was already too late. I fell to the ground, my back hitting the wall, head thumping hard.
I was gone.
Jae-Ha's POV
He landed on the balcony where he had seen Hak and Yona.
"Sorry I'm late", he told them, smiling despite the pain in his heart.
"Jae-Ha!", Yona called, happy.
"Algira and Vold told me where to find you"
"Well done, Five Stars", Hak praised.
"Jae-Ha, Hak's gravely injured! Hurry and take him back!"
"Don't be ridiculous! You're going first", she looked back at him, worried. But he would not take no for an answer. She knew this.
"It'll be alright. I'll come back for Hak right away"
"...okay. Is everyone... are they all okay? Is Lone out?", he lost his smile.
"I couldn't find her"
Yona wanted to cry. She got on his back and he flew through the sky, landing near the party near the castle.
"Yona...!", Yoon called, followed by Ki-Ja and Zeno. Jae-Ha delivered Yona to Ki-Ja.
"Yoon, please tend to her wounds. I'm going back to get Hak"
"Got it", Yoon agreed. Jae-Ha leaped again.
"Princess Yona!"
"Lone is dead...", she cried out, her face drowned in tears. Yoon was shocked.
"Are you alright? Are you injured...?", Tae-Jun asked, rushing over.
"I'm fi...", she started.
"Maybe later", Yoon said, fighting his own tears, his own pain. "I'll treat her for now"
"Right, sorry!", he bowed down and Ki-Ja walked away. Tae-Jun looked up and then turned around. "Princess Yona is safe! We, Kouka Kingdom, are the absolute victors!!!", a roar echoed among the soldiers. For them, the victory was claimed but for others who had lost so much, grief was already instilled.
***
"Hak!", Jae-Ha called, landing.
"Heya. So, you didn't find her"
He shook his head. "I don't know where she is"
"We need to go. We'll figure it out later", Hak told him, climbing on his back. "Been a while since my last ride through the sky"
"Well, you're sure energetic about it", Jae-Ha jumped one last time. Vold and Algira looked up, Vold holding Gobi in his arms. They landed near them and Algira ran to him.
"Is Lone with you?", Algira asked. Jae-Ha and Hak turned toward them, confused.
"What do you mean?", Jae-Ha asked, desperate. He reached them. "What do you mean?!"
"She saved Yona. She threw us Gobi, but then... did not come back out of the mansion"
"You're saying you saw her mere moments ago?!", Hak shouted.
"She's still alive?", Algira nodded. "In the mansion?!", Algira nodded again. Hak was crying. Jae-Ha started running towards the mansion once again. Algira stopped him.
"It's too late, though. The mansion's crumbling. There's no way she's made it. She made us believe she was fine, but she used up the last of her energy"
"Just tell me where you saw her last!", he freed himself of his grip. Algira pointed at the spot where she had thrown Gobi off the balcony. So he ran. He jumped, landed on the balcony.
"LONEEEEEE!"
He howled through the fire. Hoping she'd hear, hoping she'd listen and scream out. The flames were licking at his body and he winced.
Back where Hak, Algira and Vold were though, Hak had crumbled down. His eyes were full of tears and his face full of regret.
"What's wrong?", Vold asked.
"It's my fault. It's my fault that she is dead. It's my fault... my best friend...
my sister..."