The Blizzard - Akatsuki no Yona

Chapter 7

Later on in the night...

Yona was surrounded by soldiers carrying weapons.

"We're doing this for the Kingdom of Kouka," one of the soldiers said, slowly getting close to the princess. It wasn't difficult to understand why. The Kouka citizens don't want to be ruled over by a naive princess who couldn't do much by herself and the daughter of the bad-ruling king. Very quickly, Soo-Won and Kye-Sook arrived at the scene as well.

Did he hate me too? Even since I was a child, Soo-Won was always...

...always there...

I didn't ask for much...

As long as I could see Soo-Won's smile, I was happy...

"SOO-WON!" Yona cried in grief with tears streaming down her face as a soldier raised his sword. There, it was as if time slowed to a stop. A second became a minute, a minute became a hour and an hour became a day. Just before the sword made contact with Yona, a blur of black and blue flashed in front of Yona. Soldiers were blown away. Literally.

"I knew Soo-Won was here tonight, so I was trying to stay out of your way." Hak spoke, his hair covering his eyes and emotions. Soo-Won looked at him, with an icy coldness and unnatural calmness.

Hak continued, "So the guards who were supposed to be on watch gathered here, I see. There are some people I don't recognise as well." Hak rose up, holding his weapon above his shoulders as he eyes narrowed, "Hey Lord Soo-Won, what the hell is going on?"

"H-hak?" Yona whimpered, still collapsed onto the floor.

Hak bent down, confused as to why Yona was so sad. "I'm sorry for leaving your side, Princess Yona."

"Hak, a-are you on my side?" Yona whispered, her voice barely audible. Her eyes were still puffy and red, as remnants of tears still glittered under the moonlight.

Hak smiled, despite the situation, "I was told by His Majesty to protect you, no matter what happens." He began to rise again, lifting his monstrous weapon, "And I'll obey him completely!"

Kye-Sook stepped forward, his face plastered with a smug smile, obviously not knowing who Hak was. "Draw back servant, you are standing before Emperor Soo-Won, the new leader of the Kouka Kingdom from this point on."

"Who was what now?" Hak said, his eyes narrowing at Soo-Won. "I knew I had a bad feeling. So Lord Soo-Won, where is Emperor Il?"

"...I just sent him to hell."

A chilling silence spread throughout the air. Hak's spear cracked the floor, the sound reverberating everybody's soul. The soldiers and Kye-Sook took a step back in surprise. Hak was emitting a deadly aura, his glare enough to send mundane villagers horrific nightmares. 

"Have you gotten drunk?" Hak growled, gripping onto his spear, his knuckles turning white. "That's going too far, even as a joke."

Soo-Won calmly looked at Hak, his expression not changing, "You may ask Princess Yona. Because she witnessed the death of the Emperor with her own eyes." Yona's face darkened, before bursting into tears once again. 

Something then just...snapped.

Like a bolt of lightning, Hak appeared in front of Soo-Won, swinging his monstrous weapon down at him. Quickly lifting his sword up, Soo-Won blocked the attack going for his head. He could feel the abominable strength of the Thunder Beast, struggling to not get hit. Carefully, Soo-Won deflected Hak's attack, causing Hak to follow through at an awkward angle.

"Tell me the truth!" Hak demanded, taking another swing at Soo-Won.

"I'm not lying."

"SOO-WON! You seriously killed him?" Hak roared, a slight tremble in his voice, "That kind and gentle King?!"

Soo-Won, just barely dodging a slice to his abdomen, was struggling under Hak's strength. Skidding backwards, he regained some distance between them.

"Why are you taking the throne by force?" Hak questioned, his eyes concentrating on Soo-Won's facial expressions, "You're not someone attaches himself to something like status, right?"

Preparing for another attack, Hak lifted his spear in front of him.

"You wielded a sword against a delicate king who despised weapons? YOUR PRIDE ALLOWED THAT?!" Hak said, raising his voice out of anger and betrayal.

Soo-Won stood there, a calm face painted with seriousness. Lifting his sword, he said, "This nation..has no need for a weak king!"

They began to clash swords with one another again. Swing after swing, not one person wavering against each other's skill. Hak, eyeing Soo-Won's weak spot, sliced at his shoulder. Soo-Won grabbed his shoulder in pain and jumped back, the cold determination never leaving his eyes. 

"That's enough!" called Kye-Sook, a smug smile still plastered on his face.

Hak froze, then suddenly whipping his head around, only to see a soldier holding a sword not to far from a crying Yona. Lowering his head slightly, just enough so his bangs cover his eyes, "Soo-Won...was the Soo-Won I know  just an illusion?" He said, "I thought I could trust you with princess..."

Soo-Won slowly made his way forward as the rest of the soldiers stood their ground, surrounding both Hak and Yona. His facial expression darkened, his eyes the epitome of betrayal...and sadness. 

"The Soo-Won you knew, never existed. Should anyone stand in my way, I will cut them down, no matter who they are!" 

Lifting his sword, the moonlight gleaming off the already bloodied blade.

Yona watched in despair, as her two favourite people in the world were at each other's throats. 

I don't want to hear it. I don't want to hear anything anymore...

Soon-Won swung his sword down, straight towards Hak's neck. 

"NO!" Yona cried while closing her eyes, as her heart shattered in two. 

Suddenly the sound of a blade on blade echoed through the night. Opening her eyes, she expected one of her dear friends to be dead. But through blurry tears, she saw instead, Soo-Won's sword on the ground. Everyone froze, their eyes widened at the scene before them. As between Soo-Won and Hak, was a person gripping onto a kunai and...

...wearing a kitsune mask.