The Last Guardian (Stray Kids Lee Minho//LeeKnow)

XXV

"Halt!" Erin screamed, stopping the whole army in their tracks. Hushed chatter began to blossom with soldiers and commoners alike asking whoever stood beside them if they knew what was happening.

Jeongin shot her a confused look but the focused look etched to her face reminded him that she knew what she was doing.

She took several steps forward, scanning the fields ahead of them intently in fused surprise and interest. Eyebrows furrowing, Erin took a deep breath and finally turned to the Guardians' assistant, muttering, "I'm going in alone."

His eyes widened in confusion and shock, "are you sure about that? The grass in the fields is tall. There could be snakes in there... Or you could get lost. At least allow me to come along."

She shook her head 'no' instantly, "I'll be back within thirty minutes. I just need to search out this area. If I do not return or make a sound, leave. Head for the mountains in the north and head for Masan using that path."

"Are you sure about this?" he questioned, not feeling too good about the situation himself.

Erin didn't respond. Instead, she began her travel, heading to the red fields ahead of them alone. Rusted barbed wire enclosed the fields that went on for kilometres on end, blocking the rest of the world off from the lands of red and yellow grass, towering up to two metres tall. No one had cared for these fields in ages and it was evident, making Erin's heart drop momentarily as her fingers ran up the fragile and eroded away wire. Finally, she turned to look at Jeongin and nodded.

He sighed, nodding in return before watching her disappear in the maze of field. 

"Are you honestly letting her go out there on her own?" Daniel questioned. "At least go after her."

Jeongin raised an eyebrow at him, scoffing, "do you take me for a fool? Of course, not!" He glanced around at the men until his eyes landed on Minho. "You," Jeongin called out. "Go after her. Make sure she's safe."

Surprised, Minho uttered, "wait, me? Why me?"

"Just go," the younger male urged him, shoving him in the direction of the field. 

***

Erin allowed her hands to graze over the pillars of grass as she wandered past them, her eyes stared at it all in amazement. Multicoloured locusts leapt out of her way, surprised at the presence of a human after so long and, although she heard the faint slither of a snake, never once did she cross its path. 

Subconsciously, tears pricked her eyes at the discovery of a small poppet hidden in a layer of thick mud with half its hair ripped out and a floppy arm from what seemed to have been sewed back on. Her tears quickly disappeared when she glanced to her left, through the walls of grass to see a skull staring back at her, which she soon realised wasn't alone. 

Hesitantly, she waded towards it to find the rest of it, ribs and spine and more. Her eyes flickered to the skeleton's right hand which was cuffed around nothing. That was when Erin realised that this was ere the poppet came in. She gently placed it in the hands of what was evidently the remnants of a child's body and sighed at the sight of a decaying arrow beside the skeleton.

"Oh my gosh-"

Erin immediately turned around at the voice, dagger out to attack only to find her initial terror replaced with annoyance.

"What are you doing here?" she glared at Minho. "I thought I said I wanted to go alone."

She turned on her heels without waiting for an answer and continued her wading through the fields and away from the skeleton. The sound of a stream could be heard further up and Erin found her heart skipping a beat because of it.

"Jeongin sent me," the prince responded. "He told me to make sure you are safe."

"So what," she snickered. "You are supposed to be my Prince Charming? My Knight in Shining Armour? What a joke!"

"Joke?" He repeated, offended. "Are you saying I'm not strong enough to protect you?"

"No, my Lord. I'm saying that if something should happen, I'd be doing more protecting than you. I know what I am doing and I sure as hell don't need some bony Royal claiming he'll save me."

"I could save you," he retorted. "I just haven't been given the chance."

"As if," she scoffed. "You almost wet yourself just looking at that skeleton -- which for your information, is there because of your men."

"How do you know that? How do you know the Royal Army killed that child?"

She stayed quiet, picking up her pace upon hearing the stream closer now. She pushed aside the grass and hurried towards the stream, racing past more skeletons and hidden creature. Her shoes squashed against the mud growing now, sinking her into the ground slightly before she took larger, heavier steps through the terrain. A few more steps and finally, she found the stream. It was approximately five metres in width and shallow all the way through -- the deepest bit being a metre deep -- before the field of red grass continued on the other end of it.

Erin stared at the muddy water in surprise, crouching down to lightly wash her face with the freshwater.

Minho kept his distance, watching as she waded further into the water and spun around, laughing at nothing before she eventually realised he was still there.

He stood in the mud, arms crossed over his chest as he smirked sweetly at her.

"Never associated you with someone that actually knew how to laugh," he joked.

She frowned, splashing his clothes with water. A soft exhale escaped her lips as she explained, "I remember this place... from childhood. We called it the South Farm."

"So," he uttered. "We are in Masan?"

"The outskirts, yes." Her expression faltered. "This field was owned by one of my grandfather's close friends. He used to grow most of the crops for the village and he lived in a small cottage a bit further south with his daughter and grandchildren." She sighed. "That poppet. The one I put in that skeleton's hand. It belonged to his youngest granddaughter Kim Leila. And I have no doubt that skeleton was her..."

"I thought the Royal Army saved the children."

"Only the ones they could get their hands on. No one living in Masan but the captured survived the attack. It was brutal... admittedly, evil."

"I'm sorry," he blurted. "I know it won't change the past but I'm honestly sorry for everything my family has done to you, all the pain we have caused you. I could never imagine losing everything you lost. All we've been is selfish. I'm sorry."

She sighed, shaking her head, "it's not your fault. It's your father's and I swear to you now, if I ever get the chance, I will kill that man without hesitation. And no one will be able to stop me."

"I don't doubt that," he lightly chuckled. "Come on, we should head back now."

She nodded, accepting Minho's outstretched hand as it pulled her out of the stream. However, as she took her last step out, she slipped on a rock, instantly crashing against his body. 

And then they heard it: the sound of an object slicing through the air. It was a sound Erin was all too familiar with. She glanced up at Minho at the realisation only to find his eyes just as wide.

They weren't alone. 

It was a trap. 

They were being hunted.