Chapter Song Suggestion - "Rapid as Wildfires, TaiGektou"
When they arrived on scene, Shuhei charged through the circle of assassins caging his brother. "What's wrong, Kyoutarou? Is this all the stamina you have?" He taunted, standing back-to-back with him. "And you call yourself the Emperor."
"Don't be ridiculous," Kyou grunted. "I was about to paint the ground with their blood when you interrupted."
"Let's see how much you have improved since I defeated you," Shuhei declared.
"That was more than a decade ago," Kyou deflected a flying short blade, pivoting to sink his sword into the enemy's chest. "Now I can beat you with an arm tied around my back."
Shuhei grinned fiercely. "Arrogant as usual."
"Not arrogance," Kyou struck down another assassin. "It's a fact."
A few feet away, Commander Rei was engaged with a stocky giant. At least, the man seemed like a giant compared to Kuriko's five-foot-three. Both were equally matched, their bodies covered in swelling cuts and bloody bruises.
"Ryuu, do something!" Kuriko insisted frantically.
He hesitated. Interfering with the Commander's fight might end with his funeral instead — not by the enemy's fist but by the Commander's own hand for stealing his prey. Glancing at Kuriko's imploring face, he stifled a bitter groan and ran to pick up the Commander's fallen sword. With a mighty roar, he plunged the tip into the brute's back. The assassin jerked and twisted around to deliver a solid punch in Ryuu's face before he crumpled over.
"Kairyuu!" Kuriko dashed to his side, her eyes widening at his bleeding nose. "Oh, are you alright?" she cried, dabbing the blood with the hem of her sleeve. "Is it broken?"
He flashed a crooked smile, undeniably happy to see her flustered for his sake. "Don't worry, this isn't the first time."
She glanced at him in reproach. "And how many of those times weren't from your skirt chasing days?" When guilt crept onto his face, she rebuked, "Don't bother lying. Inka told me how you met."
"Damn it," he cussed under his breath.
Rei retrieved his sword from the corpse whilst eyeing Ryuu. "Leave him be, my lady. If His Majesty can't evade a simple punch like that then he's bound for an early grave. You should find a better man for a husband."
Kuriko blushed to the roots of her hair.
"I saved your life!" Ryuu gaped at the Commander's impertinence.
Rei levelled a cold stare at the young King. He couldn't believe this irresponsible brat was Kyou's brother. If Kairyuu was ever going to gain his respect, he first needed to grow a backbone. "No. You interrupted my fight."
Ryuu spluttered indignantly as the Commander stalked off, no doubt to hunt for his next prey.
"Don't pay him any mind," Kuriko touched his sleeve. "You were very brave."
"Ungrateful bastard," Ryuu grumbled, levering himself off the ground. "This is why I hate helping people. Come on," he grabbed her hand, "We need to get you somewhere safe."
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Inka was frustrated. Wherever she turned, her opponent was there to counter. He was keenly predicting her moves. She needed to be more cautious. Recalling what her father had taught her, she inhaled deeply and altered her stance, crouching low with her feet evenly spaced apart. It was a combat technique passed down from her ancestors — a forgotten art.
Through his face mask, Inka grasped his momentary confusion. Denying her a winning chance, he attacked, spurring her to wave her torso like a dancing serpent. Effortlessly, she deflected his uppercut and stooped at eye level with his gut. Mimicking her hand into a blade, she thrusted forward to jab a vital organ before retracting and delivering calculated strikes at the enemy's pressure points. Blood spewed forth from his mouth, shocking those who witnessed the fight.
In a graceful front flip, she locked her hands around the enemy's head and ruthlessly twisted. Crack! She landed in time to see his corpse keel over, feeling nothing but bloodthirsty satisfaction. Honestly, she was relieved to know that she hadn't lost her touch.
"That was amazing, Inka!" Kuriko exclaimed, appearing out of nowhere with bright eyes and her hands clasped to her chest. "Wasn't she, Kairyuu?"
Clamping his bleeding nose, Ryuu spoke with a nasal undertone. "Remind me never to anger you again. The way you fight is deadlier than that assassin you killed."
"Are the others safe?" she demanded at once, ignoring his comment.
"I think Shuhei and Kyou just dispatched the last one." Ryuu nodded at his brothers who were arguing over a slaughtered corpse.
"I can't believe we're at a tie," Shuhei grumbled, flicking the bloodstains off his sword.
"No, we are not," Kyou calmly disagreed. "You disregarded the others I've killed before you arrived."
"Kyou!"
He spun around at her voice, his immediate strides narrowing the distance between them. He pulled her into his arms and buried his face into her hair. "Thank God, you're alright!"
"Kyou, you're crushing me!" she muffled into his chest but didn't struggle.
His response was a tight whisper. "Have you forgiven me?"
She stalled, knowing this wasn't the right time. She also knew he wouldn't let go until he had an answer. Sighing, she said, "I have already forgiven you."
"Are you going to leave me?" His question resembled a child fearful of abandonment, leaving Inka to wonder if this was a manifestation of his upbringing.
She shook her head, clutching onto his back. "No, it never even crossed my mind. I just wanted to sort through my emotions. Being jealous is…unpleasant." She drew back to look into his eyes. "I'm sorry."
"No, I'm the one who must apologize," he declared sincerely. "I can't promise you it won't happen again. I wish I could erase that part of my past."
"Don't!" she said sharply, startling him. "I would be lying to say it didn't hurt but, right now you're here with me, aren't you? That's all that matters. And I like you just the way you are."
Despite her reassurance, the relief didn't come. He stared into twin pools of liquid mercury. "Thank you, for putting up with me."
"We all have our faults, but flaws do not make a person unworthy of love or affection."
His heart expanded at the seams. Kyou didn't deserve her, but he was immensely grateful that she wasn't giving up on them. Lowering his head, he stole a long-awaited kiss. Before he could deepen it, Shuhei made a coughing noise. "I'm sorry to ruin the mood but, this isn't the time or place, lovebirds. We need to get to safety."
"Is Akio really behind this?" Ryuu demanded to know. He was getting tired of being left in the dark.
Shoulders tensing up, Kyou nodded stiffly. "I suspect he is." Walking to one of the corpses, he dragged the body upright and revealed a neck tattoo — three teardrops to represent a flower. "Each of these assassins have a mark like this. I believe it's a symbol of the Nerium occult, a group of shadow assassins. The only person I know who is crazy enough to make a deal with the devil is Akio himself."
"But why is he attacking us?" Ryuu was genuinely puzzled.
"That's a question we'd all like an answer to," Kyou responded dryly. "But Akio does what he always wants, and we can't just sit around for him to finish us off."
"Returning to Nanyang is out of the question," Rei considered all possibilities. "The King will have his men patrolling the town."
"This is a cursed situation," Ryuu uttered bleakly.
"There's another way through the forest we can use to cut into the far east of Donggu," Shuhei pointed to the dense trees up ahead. "It's a short cut."
"And how do you know about this short cut?" Ryuu confronted with a healthy dose of suspicion.
"I used to spy on Akio many years ago."
"Whatever for?" Incredulity bled into his brother's voice.
"Revenge of course," Shuhei replied offhandedly, as if he hadn't just admitted to his transgression. "I was younger then and filled with resentment towards the entire kingdom."
"Did you spy on Kyou as well?"
"It doesn't make a difference if you did," Kyou soundly interjected. "You wouldn't have gotten past my defences or my men."
"That's not true. I've been in and out of your home, Kyoutarou."
Kyou frowned at Shuhei's complacency.
"Don't blame the rat for being smarter than the cat."
"The rat can try again the next time I'm around," Rei snapped the branches in his path. "And this will be his fate."
"Then the rat shall remember not to pay a visit when you're around."
The women rolled their eyes at their idle banter. They continued trekking through the jungle, sweating from exertion, and stumbling along unfamiliar terrains. Once or twice, they would encounter either a wild deer or a pack of red foxes.
Taking a short rest by the river, Kyou became alert when he heard the distinct cry of a hawk. Lifting his gaze to the sky, he sought the soaring figure. Extending his arm, he invited the carrier hawk to perch on it while he retrieved the note attached to its leg. Rei was beside him at once, his expression solemn. "Is it a message from the palace?"
Kyou unrolled the note. "It's from Captain Shamon." His lips thinned after reading the message.
"What's wrong?"
"The imperial palace is under attack. An unknown group of men has infiltrated the palace. Their motive is currently unknown."
"More of Akio's assassins?" Rei drew a quick conclusion.
"Most likely," Kyou crumpled the note. "Doubtless, he has the Nerium assassins at his disposal and we don't know how extensive their influence or manpower is." Uneasiness tore through him. "This is going to be a problem."
"Was that a royal missive?" Shuhei approached after noticing the hawk's departure.
"The Imperial Palace is under attack," Kyou announced gravely. "I need to return to Beihai posthaste. How long until we arrive at Donggu?"
"Maybe an hour or two." Shuhei looked disconcerted. "Are the attackers from the same source?"
"Yes, and if my hunch is right, we can assume that Akio has declared war on Xi." Kyou's veneer turned viciously ice-cold.
"What are your plans?"
"The Nerium assassins must be contained. I have no doubt the royal infantry is acting as the first line of defence. They will hold out until I return. They must. Right now, we don't have information as to how many people we are up against."
"Do you require assistance?" Shuhei offered, stunning the two men into silence.
"Are you sure?" Kyou's anger was put on hold. "I understand if you're unwilling."
"A few months ago, I would have gladly watched Beihai burn with you in the midst." Shuhei was brutally honest. "But I'm beginning to understand why the old man left you the throne. You have something that the three of us lack and, I think the best way for me to support your ideals is to become your weapon. Or shield. Whichever you prefer."
The foreign urge to hug his brother overcame Kyou. If he were a man who cried easily, he would be moved to tears by Shuhei's belief in him. "I admit, it's a little awkward and disgusting to see you acting so nice but, there is no one else I would rather have to fight with me."
"I'm going to overlook your mild insult." Shuhei refused to dwell on sentimentality. "Come on, we have to keep moving if you want to reach Beihai in time."
Inka sidled up to Kyou, her expression curious about what they were discussing. "Why is everyone so tense?"
"The imperial palace is under attack by the same assassins. Rei and I will be returning at once to stop them. I'm afraid of the implications it might bring, or worse, incite a revolution. The Kingdom being thrown into a state of chaos is the last thing we need."
"I-is this my fault?" she asked timidly, shoulders shrinking. "Is Akio attacking because of me?"
Kyou grabbed her shoulders. "It's not your fault. Akio has been planning this for years. He chose to finally act on it today."
Inka's muscles relaxed, though concern for Beihai lingered. "Even if he seeks to overthrow you, wouldn't it be impossible if you're alive?"
"If the residing Emperor is absent for more than six months, a new Emperor may be elected to govern the nation," he explained. "If Akio seizes the palace by force, then I cannot reclaim it without declaring an all-out war. The result is something I hope to avoid but, if the worse scenario happens and I am forced to kill my brother, then I will need strong allies to contest his army."
"What of Shiryuu and Donggu?"
"Shuhei has offered to help," he grimaced, "As for Ryuu...he's still unaware."
"Are you hesitant because of his reputation? Or because you know he will refuse to help?"
"Ryuu has changed over the course of weeks but, I'm worried that his past negligence may affect his ability to unite his council and people. You're from Shiryuu. You understand better than I do how the people feel about him. It will be difficult for him to reclaim his dignity."
In other words, Shiryuu's strength was unreliable at best.
"That's true," she acquiesced regretfully. "Please know that my tribe offers our assistance should you need it. There is power in numbers, and they would regret underestimating our abilities."
"I appreciate your enthusiasm but, before I endanger the lives of your people, Rei and I will need to assess the situation. When we reach Donggu, I shall return to Beihai while you and Shuhei await for further instructions."
Inka wasn't happy with this but, she had faith that he knew what he was doing. He was the Crimson King, she reminded herself. Kyou was a strong and vigilant warrior who worked one step ahead of others. It was enough to set her heart at ease. "Alright, but please be careful."
"I will," he promised, planting a kiss on her forehead. "After this is over, I'll take you home with me."
Home.
Inka merely smiled, reluctant to dwell on the future. It was easy for him to decide but as the Princess of Ashina, a part of her still wavered.