The sound the crickets were making far away resounded in the air as silence reigned among the youths. They had their heads trained toward the ground as if paying their last respect to an once comrade.
This silence went on for a while before their ear finally awakened at alert to a low whimper. Minseok heard the familiar cry as well. As her head snapped toward the direction of the whimper, her eyes landed on Heo Yeong ho
Though there weren't tears on the little lad face, yet Yeong ho's face was white as the bark on a sycamore tree and the hurt in his eyes tore at Minseok's heart. Minseok opened her mouth to say something to console her son but words wouldn't come out again.
Irritated by the drama unfolding, General Heukchi sprinted toward Minseok. He was desperate to slashed his sword on her neck as the anger of being defeated by her husband had consumed his last piece of humanity.
He raised his sword high toward her neck "Now your turn"
But before General Heukchi sword could get to Minseok neck, a sharp command halted his hands "Stop!"
General Heukchi was annoyed that he was stopped but he didn't have the nerve to show his displeasure because the order came from Kim Byeon In. When he turned around he made sure to fix his angry expression and cloud it with a perturbed face.
"Your Highness. She is a criminal of high treason being Heo Yeong Hye's wife. It's the law that family members of such offender should be executed" He said, passing an ingratiating smile at Kim Byeon In.
"I won't kill her. She is coming with me." Kim Byeon In replied bluntly and the smile on General Heukchi's face melted.
As much as General Heukchi disliked Kim Byeon In answer, he stepped away because he knew it might bounce back terribly on him if he continued arguing with the king.
Kim Byeon In sure does see General Heukchi's fallen expression but he ignores the man and turns to one of the youths, then states "We are going back to the palace. Bring her along"
Here he was sounding like he wants to protect Minseok, but Kim Byeon In knows what he wants. It was his intention to put her through the same pain he had put him through at that time when he loved her so much.
He really intends to make her pay dearly for the pain she caused him!...
Without saying or showing it, but having known Kim Byeon for several years, Minseok senses she isn't going to be safe in his hands as she knows he will want exact revenge from her for rejecting him.
Minseok only option at the moment was to protect her son since it was Kim Byeon In intention to see her stew in misery under his torture. However she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of seeing her pain.
Feeling as cold as an arctic wind, Minseok stood on her feet and dragged them toward her son. When she came to a stop in front of Heo Yeong ho, she slid down to her knee and said "Don't be afraid Yeong ho, mother will protect you"
Minseok doesn't know if she could keep her words to the little boy but she only says what she felt could comfort him at the moment. Whereas Heo Yeong ho was hurdle in a corner like a terrified rat and his mother's reassuring words were nothing but inaudible murmur in his ear.
All this while Kim Byeon In and the youths were merely watching the mother and son.
"Take them away!" The youth whom Kim Byeon In passed an order to bring Minseok with them a while ago command no one in particular, and some youths moved forward to carry out the order, coming toward Minseok and Heo Yeong ho.
Little Heo Yeong ho was scared as the youths were getting closer to them and tears easily welled up in his eyes, but he stopped himself from crying out. He bit his lip to hold the tears in as he remember his father always told him not to cry in front of others.
According to his father, tears are a sign of weakness, only losers cry and what comes after crying is defeat. But his heart was growing with doubtness with the approaching step of the youths. He doesn't know if he could keep those words of his father as his tears were on the edge of rolling down his cheek.
But before the youths could get hold of them, Minseok appeared fiercely in front of them.
"Don't you dare take another step forward!" She warned as she stepped forward, halting the feet of the youths.
Kim Byeon In was annoyed at Minseok's reckless behavior yet he didn't let the emotion show on his face. He remained calm but It was obvious he disdained the woman's attitude as it showed she was challenging his authority.
Kim Byeon In huffed and commanded. "I gave you an order. Take them away!"
"Yes Your Highness!"
It all happened within a twinkle of an eyes, instead of seeing Minseok and little Heo Yeong ho forcefully dragged by the youths, rather a loud gasps spread across everyone present at the scene on seeing the blood trinkling down Minseok's stomach and the sword dripping red with her blood.
Unfortunately, Minseok had snatched a sword from one of the youths and stabbed herself with it. Her body started falling toward the ground as the warmth of life stolen away by cold death engulfed her. The impact of her lifeless body was synced with the lament of Kim Byeon In.
At seeing Minseok limp body Kim Byeon In forgot the fact that he had earlier denied loving her as he promptly sprinted to her before she could hit the ground. Minseok landed right in his arms.
"P…please…spare.. m.. my son" Those were the only words Minseok could choke out before she took her last breath.
Kim Byeon In shook Minseok vigorously, he was desperate to find any flicker of life left for her dearest lover, but was met with cold silence broken only by the shriek of Heo Yeong ho.
Heo Yeong ho eyes were shut tight with tears streaming down his cheek.
Different lights appeared across the sky accompanied with the deep rumbling of thunder. The lights formed into wind. With the unexpected shock of the event, no one noticed the wind in the sky. The light in a wave of wind blew right through Heo Yeong ho. Pain spread throughout his body and the intense pain pulled him out of his bawling.
As the young boy opened his eyes, a faint light appeared in his eyes and it changed his eyes color to red. The once amber eyes had now turned fiercery red and were glowing brightly.
The youths stand back seeing this and one of them spoke "What the hell is happening to him"
They were probably horrified at his eyes but before they could get out of their puzzlement, Heo Yeong ho set his eyes up and it landed on one of the youths, immediately he was in flames. He was burning as if someone set him on fire but Heo Yeong ho was still sitting in the same place, he didn't even move an inch.
The youth set on fire scream filled the atmosphere as he rolled endlessly on the wet ground till he burned to ashes.
The sight was horrifying.
As frightened as the other youths were, they instantly surrounded Heo Yeong ho, aiming their sword at him but making sure to leave a reasonable step from him.
The look in Kim Byeon's eyes was aghast as he stared at the young lad. He had never witnessed such a petrifying scene before in his life. It felt like a dream but reality finally dawned on him as another youth moved forward with his sword raised toward the boy but he was already dead in a pool of his own blood before his sword could get to him.
The remaining youths moved back instantly seeing another comrade of theirs dead, fear clearly showing in their eyes.
Little Heo Yeong ho didn't understand what was going on either. He felt like he was being controlled by some voices. His head was burning in pain because the voices controlling him were whispering their bidding into his head and he on his side was doing exactly what they told him.
"Kill him right now!" Heo Yeong ho heard the man who fought his father, savagely shout at the youths.
But the youths were too scared to move forward to the boy. Angrily, General Heukchi cussed and began marching toward the boy. Heo Yeong ho felt the chain of the event pressure him one after the other and before the figure coming towards him could reach him, he collapsed on the ground and darkness engulfed him.