Free falling into the darkness, Haneul quickly felt his surroundings, but he could feel nothing but air, and he wasn't sure how long he would have to fall before he reached the bottom. He expected that at such a falling speed, his body would be split into pieces when he hit the bottom of the sinkhole. At the same time, he came to accept that at least his death would be painless.
Haneul closed his eyes, mentally praying that Sukh would hear his call and stop before Sukh made the same mistake. "Sukh..." Haneul whispered, but when he heard the children's laughter and the touch of his right hand, Haneul's heart almost stopped beating.
"Is he dead?" a boy's voice sounded.
The sound of children gasping sounded in Haneul's ears.
"Hahaha... This brother must be crazy." A child laughed. "His chest is still moving, which means he is not dead and is just sleeping standing up."
"Brother! Brother! What are you doing standing here with your eyes closed?" A little girl asked, shaking Haneul's right hand.
Haneul suddenly opened his eyes, and the sight in front of him made him speechless. Tall green peaks, huge tree houses connecting one tree to another. Haneul looked down and saw that the ground was covered with purple petals. Then he looked up and found that he was standing under a huge purple wisteria tree.
Haneul thought to himself that this can't be. He was prepared to die just a moment ago, but how could he come to this place. He pinched himself on his left cheeks several times and when he grunted in pain the children laughed.
"He is crazy," the boy continued. "Only crazy people hurt themselves."
"I think I'm really crazy," Haneul murmured. "Children..." He looked at the boys and girls around him. "What is this place call?"
"This is home," one girl said.
"I know that's your home, but does this place have a name?" Haneul asked.
The children laughed at Haneul again.
"Home is home, what else can we call it?" said a boy.
"Haneul..."
Haneul turned around quickly and saw Sukh coming from behind the wisteria tree.
"Sukh!" Haneul quickly ran to Sukh and hugged Sukh. "I thought...I thought I would never see you again." He quickly pulled away from Sukh. "Why are you following? Did you hear me telling you not to follow?"
Sukh said, "I did, but there is no point in living without you." He looked around. "What is this place?"
Haneul said, "The kids say this is home."
Just when Haneul was about to ask the children more questions, the bamboo chimes rang loudly throughout the valley.
The children started running towards the many treehouses not far from them.
"Come on... brothers," one girl said.
"What's wrong?" Haneul asked.
The girl smiled and said, "It's lunch time."
Haneul and Sukh looked at each other and whispered, "It's lunch time?"
The girl nodded and quickly caught up with the other children.
Haneul looked at Sukh and muttered, "Isn't this a cannibal village?" Haneul suddenly remembered that he was following the monkey. Since he was not dead, the monkey should still be alive, so he started looking for the monkey everywhere. "Heh...where is that monkey?"
Sukh said, "Let's follow the children first."
When Sukh and Haneul entered the center of the surrounding treehouses, they found a group of forty adults gathered in a large circle with banana leaves in front of them. The forty people were stunned and turned to look at the two Tanzanies who were dressed completely different from them. They started whispering, with shocking expressions on their faces.
"Should we run?" Haneul whispered. "Their expressions didn't look very welcoming."
"Where are we going to run to? We don't even know where we are," Sukh replied in a low voice. "Our best option now is to be friends with them and let them know we come in peace."
"Welcome to our home," Chief Keme said as he descended the stairs toward the assembled crowd. "I am Chief Keme, leader of the Kakungga tribe."
Haneul and Sukh watched as Chief Keme walked toward them, with the monkey sitting on Chief Keme's right shoulder eating a banana. The monkey was no longer fingerless and toeless.
Haneul stepped forward and said, "When we found this monkey, he had no fingers or toes, but why...he..."
Chief Keme smiled and said, "Is that so?" He stared at Haneul, and then looked at Sukh. He turned to Haneul and smiled. "Your Highness must be very tired from coming from the north. It is fate that brings you here. Your Highness is welcome to stay as long as your Highness is willing."
Haneul quickly pushed Sukh behind him. He stared at Chief Keme and asked angrily, "How do you know who I am? Did Han Jin send you to kill us?"
Chief Keme laughed and said, "I have been here all my life and don't know Han Jin."
Sukh asked, "Then how do you know who he is?"
Chief Keme said, "I can see it in his eyes. Only a true king will have a shimmering aurora in his irises." Chief Keme looked at the people gathered, and then at the two Tanzanies. "Sit down and have lunch with us. It's not convenient to talk now. I can take you two to a place after lunch." Sukh and Haneul followed closely, and Chief Keme walked towards a group of people sitting in the corner. "Come and sit with my family." Chief Keme waved his hand. "This is my wife. My two daughters, Zuni and Ewa. My two sons are out hunting with other villagers."
After Haneul and Sukh finished lunch, Chief Keme had a chat with his wife. Judging from the expression on Chief Keme's wife, Haneul and Sukh knew that what Chief Keme was going to show them was something that would make Chief Keme's wife very worried.
"As long as we follow the wishes of our ancestors, we will be fine. There is no need to take them to the cave," said Chief Keme's wife.
"There are things we can change and there are things we cannot change, as if it was written before we existed," Chief Keme said.
"But... if we do not heed the advice of our ancestors, despair will overtake us," said Chief Keme's wife.
"Even if he's here, that doesn't mean I'm going to help him. Prepare rooms for them, prepare dinner for them," Chief Keme said, walking over to Haneul and Sukh. "Let's go."
Haneul asked, "Where are we going?"
"Your Highness will know when we arrive," said Chief Keme.
Haneul and Sukh slowly followed Chief Keme into the woods, not knowing what was waiting for them. Soon, the three of them came to a huge cave entrance.
Chief Keme stopped, turned to look at the two Tanzanies and said, "Your Highness, we are here." When the two Tanzanies hesitated to enter the cave, Chief Keme walked in. Ten steps into the cave, Chief Keme turned back to face the two Tanzanies. "Your Highness, what your Highness is looking for is in this cave."
"Do you know what I'm looking for?" Haneul asked.
Chief Keme smiled and said, "Yes, His Highness is seeking to regain His Highness's lost kingdom."
Haneul's heart skipped a beat when he heard Chief Keme's words, but he still didn't understand how Chief Keme knew what he was thinking. "What are you?" He asked. "Answer me or I will not enter that cave."
Chief Keme said, "No matter whether His Highness decides to enter or not, His Highness cannot change fate and destiny. If His Highness wants to regain the lost kingdom, he will need the teachings of these masters."
Sukh said, "Let's go and see what Chief Keme has to show us. We have ventured this far." Sukh held Haneul's hand and the two Tanzanies slowly followed Chief Keme into the cave.
The cave passage led the three people to another larger cave, in which four hundred skeletons in white sat cross-legged.
Sukh asked, "Who are they?" He turned and looked at Chief Keme. "What does the chief mean by showing us these skeletons?"
Chief Keme said, "These masters will help His Highness regain his kingdom." He turned to look at Sukh. "Don't let their appearance affect your judgment of their abilities." He smiled, staring at the four hundred skeletons sitting in the cave. "They are the four hundred original mages of the Kakungga tribe, and they are our protectors."
Haneul looked at the skeletons and then at Chief Keme, he asked, "Mages? Is this how you know my identity?"
Chief Keme said, "The Kakungga people practice witchcraft. As I said, it is not difficult to identify His Highness's identity."
Sukh asked, "Before we entered this cave, you said that if His Highness wants to take back his kingdom, he will need the help of these masters. Is this still true?"
"That's true, but I refuse to help," Chief Keme said.
Sukh asked, "Why not? Help His Highness bring peace to Tanzang. Not only His Highness owes you, but all Tanzanies will also owe you. With your help, His Highness will not abandon you and the Kakungga people."
Chief Keme said, "For whatever reason, and no matter how great the reward, I still refuse to help. I can pass on my knowledge to you, and once you have successfully obtained what you need to take back the kingdom, you can leave. I will not leave this forest with the four hundred mages and the Kakungga people."
Sukh fell to his knees. "Chief Keme, please think again. If you are willing to help His Highness, I am willing to be your slave for the rest of my life. Not only in this life, but also for the next three hundred lives." He grabbed Chief Kaime's hem.
Chief Keme sighed and said, "I'm sorry. I can teach you, but for whatever reason and regardless of your pleas, I will not lead the four hundred mages and the Kakungga people out of this forest."
Haneul quickly helped Sukh up and said, "That's enough... The chief is right. The kingdom is mine, and I will take it back on my own." He looked at Chief Keme. "If Chief Keme is willing to teach us, I am also willing to learn."
After dinner, Zuni took Sukh and Haneul to the small treehouse prepared for them by Chief Keme's family. Sukh and Haneul lay side by side on the reed mat on the wooden floor. Neither Sukh nor Haneul could sleep because of all the questions and worries swirling in their minds. The silent night makes it harder for them to fall asleep.
"It's too quiet," Haneul said, turning to his left and pulling Sukh into his arms. "Have you noticed that nocturnal animals don't make any hissing noises in this village?"
"This is an enchanted forest that Chief Keme, and his people created, and nocturnal animals of course dare not enter," Sukh said.
"Are you unhappy because Chief Keme refused to help me?" Haneul asked.
"No," Sukh said. "But I just don't understand Chief Keme's reasoning. Helping you will bring rich rewards to his tribe." He sighed. "Why did he refuse?"
Haneul chuckled and said, "Everyone has their own reasons. Moreover, not everyone is like you and is willing to follow me through thick and thin wholeheartedly." He kissed Sukh's forehead. "Look on the bright side, although Chief Keme refuses to help us, he is willing to teach us. I can learn everything Chief Keme has to offer, and one day I will kill Han Jin, and when Han Jin dies, I will return to Tanzang."
Sukh said, "Your obstacle is not only Han Jin, but also his one hundred thousand troops. It is impossible for you alone to successfully kill Han Jin and escape. Moreover, even if you successfully kill Han Jin, but without money, troops and supplies, you can't take back Tanzang."
Haneul said, "You are right. Well...then let's live here and forget Tanzang. This place is a good place for us to live for the rest of our lives."
Sukh sighed wildly and turned his back to Haneul. "Why do you have such an idea? Why are you willing to give up the throne that His Highness has worked so hard to win to others?"
Haneul said, "Then what do you want me to do? Although I really want to take back Tanzang. I have tried my best and thought about it for countless days and nights, but these are all thoughts and ideas that cannot be put into action in reality. With only these two hands and no support, I knew it was impossible to get Tanzang back. Han Jin has formed alliances with neighboring kingdoms, and if I want to fight, I will not just fight Han Jin and his army, but I will be fighting against ten kingdoms altogether. No matter how much I dreamed of taking back what was rightfully mine, I couldn't. I hate myself the most. I hate myself for being so weak and listening to the false lies of those traitors. I hate myself for being too arrogant, and I believe that as long as I please everyone, everyone will support me one hundred percent when I need support. I hate myself for being too stupid and not being able to see through Han Jin's evil plan from the beginning." He exhaled slowly to calm down his anger, lay on his back and put his hands behind his head. "I hate myself for the fact that I can't even take revenge on Han Jin. I have only two choices, live in seclusion with you for the rest of my life, or commit suicide. After thinking about it for so many days, I chose to spend the rest of my life living in seclusion with you because I was worried that if I committed suicide, you would be sad and lonely." He felt tears rolling from the corners of his eyes. "I am a failure. I am the most failed king among all the kings of Tanzang. To be honest, I don't even know how I will face my father and the previous kings when I meet them in the Netherworld." Haneul took a deep breath and let it out slowly.