The Varied Path (Akatsuki no Yona Fanfiction)

Chapter 170: Clinging to the Hope that Everything'll Be Alright

"Miss!!" Zeno cried out in alarm as Yona fell onto her knees as the calm assassin and the bloodthirsty Seiryuu, who was shaking with restraint, faced off against Hiyou.

Arriving on the scene at the same time as the Ouryuu, Yoon gritted his teeth, pressing his hands to an unconscious Tetora's side in order to stop the bleeding. Lili was frozen in fear beside them, hands covering her mouth as she shook, flinching only when there was movement above her head.

Dark silk fluttered as Ayura landed in front of the four of them, several guards of the resort following closely behind her. Her eyes glinted ominously as her gaze landed on her comrade and her master in a pool of their own blood.

"Lili." She commanded quietly, the footsteps behind her growing louder, instilling hope into the exhausted group of four. Shifting slightly, she positioned herself directly in front of her master, blocking the others' view. "Stay down."

There was only one person left standing. And he was surrounded by one cold assassin and a fuming blue dragon warrior encompassed in a deadly black aura.

Hiyou was beaten. His men were either restrained or down for good. It was over.

And he knew it.

Scowling, he discreetly reached in the pocket of his robe, fingers enclosing around the hilt of the short sword he had hidden in his belt. How the hell did an insolent girl and insignificant slave beat his men?!

It didn't matter. He would murder them himself before he even thought about entertaining the thought of surrendering.

Silver slits sparkled dangerously as the assassin recognized the look in his eye, advancing with a menacing snarl to match his anger seething underneath the surface. But before Calista could finish him off, a shaky command sounded behind her.

"Wait." Yona whispered, just loud enough for her to hear, gaze steady despite the blood dripping from the wound on her back and she mustered up the strength to stagger to her feet, even though Zeno and Yoon both protested for her to stop.

But the equally startled and concerned looks on their faces wasn't enough to stop her.

Her expression remained neutral, weapon firmly grasped in her hand as she came to stand before the man that was responsible for terrorizing the Water Tribe. "There's something I want to ask him."

Calista raised an eyebrow but didn't question her, wordlessly stepping aside to let her take her place, keeping a sharp eye on the downcast drug lord's movements with a piercing stare. She flanked the princess alongside Shin-ah, silently warning Hiyou what would happen if he lifted another finger to harm her.

But faster than any of them could comprehend, Yona struck.

Cold steel whizzed through the air. Vermilion droplets followed in its wake.

Calista's jaw went slack at the damage done, an identical cut appearing adjacent beside the scar on his forehead, blood splattering on her face as the drug lord's expression went blank. She barely even saw the princess raise the sword to attack, moving with speed that rivaled a certain Thunder Beast of theirs.

Yona's voice shook with thunder and the storm in his gaze raged. "Don't move."

Hiyou blinked once.

Twice.

Then, he screamed. A piercing, resounding and horrified shriek that shattered the lamps in the hallway, plunging the area into darkness.

Calista's arm shot out and yanked Yona out of the way as his sword came flying down. Steel clashed against steel so hard that sparks flew as she countered him, and she shoved the princess behind her, letting Shin-ah take over dealing with the rampaging tyrant as she caught Yona as her knees gave out from under her.