Red String (Series #1) \\ Ateez ✔

xvi. attack

Yet, why?

Conviction crept in my veins. I cannot possibly let Yunho combat all of them without a backup from me, can he?

As expected the gate from my courtyard knocked open, revealing the very sight of assassins sprinting toward me.

In the blink of an eye, the sword I was holding was infused with hints of yellow. Yellow, the color of the third highest martial stage. My instinct eyes calculated when to slash my weapon whilst dodging numerous sword tricks, the vigorous movements naturally tore my sheer dress in the process.

The assassin I was battling was more quick-witted than I expected, with its sly tricks, my sword cannot penetrate through its flesh with ease.

As I fought for my life I sensed how the palace shadow guards blended in the courtyard that was flooding with assassins. Who might have known that the people in lust to see my blood in the ground are numerous?

Anxiety wrecked my veins when I took note that General Mingi and other familiar palace shadow guards were intimate at the scene. Is this the moment where I am about to be engulfed with guilt when harm is placed upon them? And possibly, I can be the reason for the lives that can be killed right now.

Without sparing any mercy I roughly punctured the long sword inside the assassin's flesh, immediately sucking out the life he has within. Who sent these people? What is their intention? Why is my courtyard being ambushed? Endless questions rang inside my head but still made sure that every opponent I encountered, dies in my hands. Soon enough the courtyard was crammed with masked corpses and the sounds of yelling turned faint from my ears.

In mere seconds, the horrendous moment vanished like mist, forcefully shattering me out of my dreadful imagination. What came to my sight widened my eyes and the voice of Yunho screaming a certain name fell into my ears.

My body awakened with a trembling mess when I realized what happened. My grip on the sword tightened as I screamed roughly and with one swift yet fucking powerful motion of my sword. The assassin who stabbed Yunho's brother fell to his death.

Just as what he deserves.

In a split second, I ran onto Yunho who was now slumped on the ground, holding his brother as a trickle of blood cascaded from his chin and also into his lower abdomen. The impact was crucial.

Yunho's brother protected me and fought these assassins for me. I am the reason for all of this. This is all my fault.

Yunho took off his shirt and made it into a cloth that stifled the injury of his younger brother, and without a thought, I kneeled beside him.

"Go, find the palace doctor. I'll do this." I firmly stated. Yunho seemed to be reluctant to leave but I was persistent. "Go now! I'll be fine and I'm not going to leave him alone."

The shadow guard instantly sprinted as I told him, my hands were caked with blood as I took over handling the cloth. "Hey?! Don't close your eyes." I stammered. The boy struggled to keep his eyes open as blood continuously gushed out of his injury. "Hold on a little while, please."

"M-my Lady," He struggled to speak as his gaze fixated behind me.

"Yes?"

"Please leave me alone here, my life is not worth risking yours." The boy stammered through his words, but I still heard him perfectly.

I shook my head. "Not a chance," There is no way I'm leaving him to the brink of his death. I promised Yunho I'm not going to leave his brother alone and neither do I have the guts to break that.

Amidst the chaos of everything, there was a lone assassin that limped, making his way towards the direction I was in. My sword was nowhere in sight and my hands were busy attempting to hold the cloth from his damage.

The mask from the killer's face fell and I visibly saw the mocking smile on that feisty face of his. A smile that screamed; this is your end, you are going to die today and in my hands.

Helplessness is what I was feeling, needless to say, I am devastated at what happened to Yunho's brother. A shadow overcast my closed eyes and I merely waited for the impact. I cannot escape and leave him alone, and most of all. There is no way I am letting go of the cloth that stifled his open injury.

After being granted a second life, is this how I am going to waste it?

Just by being pathetically killed?

A lone tear fell into my closed eyes and recalled everyone I met and stumbled upon in this new life. But that evanescent moment vanished when I felt hands slither around my shoulders.

And when I opened my eyes, flabbergasted is what I am.

Why is the Second Prince embracing me?!

..