The Varied Path (Akatsuki no Yona Fanfiction)

Chapter 124: Planning in Advance

"Take it easy, Hak." Jae-ha told him for the umpteenth time, shaking his head as his words fell on deaf ears.

They had returned to their previous campsite with one less member of their group and a gaping hole in everyone's heart.

His arms were folded over his chest, tired of dodging the repeated attacks to his head every time he opened his mouth. He was racking his brain in order to come up with a solution to the situation they now found themselves in, but so far, nothing.

Next to him sat an equally bewildered and distressed princess as her bodyguard raged on. He wasn't the only one though.

Kija had already torn several of his clothes in an attempt to restrain himself from lashing out and shredded a hundred trees within the vicinity as a failed result. It only served to make him feel worse, and he had retreated far within himself as a punishment.

Zeno was unusually somber, poking the grass with a stick instead of trying to cheer everybody up like he used to do when things weren't going right.

And Shin-ah.

No one had seen him since they got back. He had whispered something to Yoon once he ensured everyone was accounted for and then took off. Kija wanted to go after him, but the boy stopped him, not explaining anything except that he needed to be alone for a while and would come back when he was ready.

Yona was by far the calmest out of all of them. On the outside. But on the inside, she was torn. One side of her told her to trust her friend's abilities but the other protested that she wouldn't know when to quit and would endanger her life too much.

Hak couldn't help but fear that she would go too far.

The former general was wrecking everything in sight. He had already done a number on his glaive, dulling the blade with how reckless he was being, destroyed several trees, and sparred with both Jae-ha and Kija but it did nothing to alleviate the pain that ripped through his heart.

All his previous failure to keep his sister safe rushed back and took ahold of his mind.

"This wasn't the plan!!!" He roared, chest heaving with sweat dripping off of the ends of his hair.

Calista had approached them soon after the Fire Tribe rebellion was finished, once everyone had an ample amount of time to rest and announced that there was something that needed her attention. They were curious, naturally, and after some prodding involving begging from Shin-ah and bribery from Jae-ha, she caved in.

"It's known as the Cull." She explained to them with a heaviness on her heart as she folded her hands neatly in her lap. "Once a year, they gather all the fighters who serve under a master and pit them against ones who don't. Anyone who isn't claimed has to cage fight with ones who are and if they win, they take the other's place."

Yona fiddled with her hands nervously. The triplets were being distracted by a very entertaining Zeno at the moment and didn't hear their conversation nor detect the growing dread polluting the fresh air.

"I would've thought they would avoid doing that. Don't the other... masters... have an issue with it?" The princess asked, curiosity piqued but alarm overruling it.

That word felt thick on her tongue and she hated saying it.

"They don't really care, as long as someone serves them. A business needs products to sell right? And people to work for them. If all the ones working for them leave, then who's left to work?" Calista shrugged noncommittally, desensitized by the disgusting ways of the underground. "But if the ones who replace them are stronger, more capable and efficient, do you think they'll have a problem with it? They win."