Ghost Du Hongmo

Hunting Vladis (3)

The next morning the five of them woke up early and went through all the bags and divided up the goods evenly.  Hongmo didn't want anything from the bags and refused what they wanted to give her repeatedly.  

"If you don't take something, we'll feel as if we're taking advantage of you."  Vixen told her.  

"How about the next rare medicinal plant we find, you guys give me first dibs to it."  Hongmo told them.  

Vixen snorted at Hongmo.  "We'll give you dibs to ALL the medicinal plants without you even asking.  We wouldn't even know what it looks like, what it is or even how to use the plant for medicine.  How about what ever you want in our adventuring together, you get first dibs on that?"  

"We can live with that."  Doc said as he stared hard at BP.  BP's lips pouted but he nodded his head to agree.  

"Fine."  BP said as he looked at his new shiny dagger.  

"What brings you here to the seventh peak?"  Doc ask as they start to clean up after the mess they made.  

"Hunting." Hongmo told them.  

"Hunting?  For what?  Soul Cores?  Plants?'  BP asked.  

"For a man named Vladis Lera."  Hongmo told them truthfully.  

"That bastard?"  Vixen asked.  "Why do you want to even be associated with that dirt bag?"  

"So I can kill him of course."  Hongmo said coldly.  

The group was silenced in their surprise.  The Hongmo they knew didn't seek out the deaths of others.  Only kept to herself and should anyone mess with her or her friends, only then would she raise her hand to kill someone.  But to hear hear admit to wanting to kill Captain Vladis so openly, was so out of her character.  

"What did he do to cause such hatred in your voice?"  Doc asked.  

Hongmo hesitated.  She debated with herself if she should tell them.  

"Tell them." The Goryo said.  "Talking about it would heal you.  Ignoring what happened and just killing them would not give you the peace you seek.  If you admit to it and talk about it, it'll heal you.  They'll no longer have anymore power over you.  There is nothing for you to be ashamed of.  Tell them.  They are your friends.  They'll help you.  I promise you that."  

Hongmo was silent for a long time before she spoke and when she spoke, it was a whisper. "He and his men killed my friends, family and neighbors in my village.  They burned the village to the ground to erase their presence there and erase any evidence of their evil doing.  Vladis and his friends raped me."  Hongmo said slowly and quietly as she got lost in her memories again.  "They left me for dead.  I came back from the dead to hunt them down and pay them back for what they did to me and my village." 

"The Whip, Seth the Silencer, Francis LaFleur, The Tyrant....they all died by your hands?"  BP asked.  "How could you say you killed them?  They were all killed by Ghost." 

Hongmo stared at the four people she considered her first friends since her rebirth with the Goryo inside of her.  The silence between them became thicker as they realized the Godly Poison Expert is the one and only Ghost, the deadliest assassin in Bido Kingdom. The Ghost who was going to be ranked first in the Kingdom in the next assassin guild meeting.  

"Hahaha!"  BP forced his laughter. "Nice joke." 

Hongmo pulled out the crescent ruby necklace that signifies her identity as an assassin for Blood Moon.  

BP's knees buckled as he fell to his butt, while Doc had to grab hold of the cave wall to keep him up.  Vixen sat down slowly as the realization came over her and Nightmare stayed in his spot at the entrance of the cave, not moving.  If anyone could become more silent and more still, it was Nightmare at that moment.  

"Surprise?!?"  Hongmo told them.  

"Master Mace..."  Vixen said.  

"He knew. He and Prince Asano were the only two people who knew my duel identity. And now the four of you know."  She told them.  "Did you really think I liked tea that much to becoming to the tea house ever day? Or every three days after I eliminated The Dead Spy?"  

"We just thought you had a thing with Master Mace and Prince Asano."  Vixen said.  

"A thing?"  Hongmo asked.  

"A relationship...an adult relationship."  Doc said gently to soften the truth of what their imaginations really thought about her relationship with the two men.  

"Hmmm."  Hongmo said as she looked towards the cave entrance.  "Why are the four of your here in Seven Peak Mountain?"  

"Training."  BP said as he got his bearings back.  "Training and a target."  

"Who's your target?"  Hongmo asked.  

"Captain Vladis Lera and his platoon." Nightmare said.  His harsh voice mixed with anger could be heard from all of them.  "Captain Vladis and his platoon have abandoned the army and are now a small mercenary that have been causing mayhem on the boarder.  The King put a hit on Vladis and his men. Master Mace suspects The Thunder Condor Squad of encouraging Vladis to turn his platoon away from the army and into a mercenary group." 

"I claim the right to take his life."  Hongmo tells them.  "You guys can have the reward, but I want his life."  

"There will be no arguments from us about that."  Doc sighed heavily.  

"What other secrets are you hiding from us?" Vixen asked.  

"Now, it wouldn't be a surprise if I told you everything, now would it?"  Hongmo said as she laughed.  

Vixen stood up and hooked her arm around Hongmo's neck.  "I can't believe I'm best friends with a Ghost!"  

"We're best friends now?"  Hongmo asked.  "I never had a best friend before."  

"Hey! What about me?"  The Goryo pouted.  "What am I then?" 

Hongmo ignored the Goryo as Vixen laughed.  "Of course we're best friends, you saved my life more than once.  I owe you for life! Besides you're better off as a friend rather than an enemy! We all know what happens to your enemies!"  Vixen said as she drew a line across her neck.