Nari tried to keep up with hastened footsteps as he pulled her into the dark path. She clutched on his sleeve tightly as she moved with scurrying footsteps to avoid tripping.
The flickering dim torches were almost snuffed out of their light, making the path dark, although he didn't need the light to see as he possessed heightened senses, so his movements weren't restricted by the darkness.
It was hard to breath in the enclosed underground space with no windows as dust settled in the air. The torches were already exhausting their air and if they didn't exit the underground tunnel soon, they wouldn't be able to breath.
Hwarang could hear her strained breathing as they moved toward the exit of the tunnel. He blew out the torches as they moved to prevent them from exhausting the oxygen.
They finally arrived at the exit of the underground tunnel, where an iron portico barricaded their exit with vines entwined on it, climbing atop one another.
Hwarang extended his hand engulfed with red mists and the red mists jetted out of his hand toward the gate with a loud bang that made Nari jerk.
The gate burst open with a clangor noise as it fell to the ground. He pulled her out and he heard her take a deep inhale as they exited the tunnel.
Distant noises could be heard from the insides of the palace and Hwarang was aware of the fact they had already realised the princess was missing and maybe him too.
The exit of the tunnel led to a forest stretching beyond the meadows. The assassins would be in search of him and the princess, so he had to move swiftly and with a precise plan.
The silver moon enacted its dim light on them as he dragged her into the forest and he whistled loudly. Nari gasped in fright on why he had made such a resounding noise that could draw the assassins toward them.
Before she could say a word, a black horse galloped toward their way and halted just in front of them, but she was aware of the horse as she heard the soft thud of its hooves and the neighing noise it emitted.
Without a word, Hwarang swept her off her feet effortlessly and carried her to sit atop the horse. With swift movements, he mounted atop the horse as he sat in front of her and tilted his head to the side.
"Hold on tight." He said and she wound her arms around his torso obediently, with head resting on his broad back before pulling on the reins. Her warm body pressing against his back spread a warmth in his cold body and he felt his skin tingle, but he quickly shoved the alien feeling aside, and kept his head on straight in their dire situation.
The horse galloped with a rapid speed through the forest and the wind whipped across their bodies, making their hairs dance with the wind behind them.
Their destination was still unbeknownst but at that instant, he had to get as farther away from the assassins as possible and later on when they were safe for the meanwhile, he'd strategize a better plan, for their future.
The entire forest was eerily quiet as the horse galloped through the forest and he could hear the heavy throbbing of her heart against her ribcage, in fear of the enigmatic fate that awaited them.
Truthfully, he felt a bit unnerved if the assassins were to attack them, as they had mastered the same skills and trainings as he, but he didn't let it trouble him much. His leverage was the fact that he could anticipate their next moves before it transpired and he could control his powers better than most of the assassins.
The horse abruptly halted with elevated upper body and forelegs flailing midair as it neighed distressingly.
Hwarang patted gently on the horse and it calmed down. The horse had acted out and Hwarang knew exactly why, as his eyes narrowed to the dark forest where not a pinch of light enacted through.
With his heightened eyesight, he could see the figures merging with the darkness as they moved toward the with stealth and undetected movements.
"Don't move." Hwarang whispered to Nari and he heard her heart pace elevate drastically.
"W-What's wrong?" She stuttered with a cracked voice.
"They're here, so don't move." He warned again and before she could stem a reply, he clambered down from the horse and unsheathed his sword.
His eyes scrutinized the figures merging with the darkness and he realized they were only three of them that were sent after them.
Either master Zhong had less confidence in him getting rid of them, or he didn't want him killed yet.
The assassins emerged out of the darkness and appeared in front of him with swords outstretched toward him.
"Redeem yourself and kill the princess or we'll kill the girl and you for treason." One of the assassins spoke with a hard, unfeeling voice. Assassin or not, the moment he would decline killing her, he'd be seen as an outcast and a traitor to the assassin and the kingdom and they would undoubtedly not bat an eyelid before spilling his blood.
He had to either kill them or they would kill him and the princess, but there was also another alternative, he could accept their proposition and go back to his assassin family and live peacefully, but if he chose the first option, then he'd live as a fugitive and a traitor, running from the wrath of the assassins his entire life.
He could hear Nari's shaky breath and heart thumping against her ribcage in dread, that he would choose to redeem himself from the ugly situation and abandon her, which seemed like a rather pleasing situation than staking his life for her and being a traitor.
"I'm sorry, but this is where we part ways." Nari heard Hwarang say and she felt her blood run ice cold, not until she heard the clinking of blades against each other.
Hwarang swung his sword toward them as they all charged at him once, with murderous intents in their eyes as they fought relentlessly to spill the blood of the traitor in their midst.
He parried their attacks with swift movements as they moved like the lightning, with blades swinging toward him in an attempt to decapitate him, but Hwarang could predict their next moves before they could land a hit, earning him the upper hand in the fight.
Their swords swung from every corner trying to slash him with unforgiving darkened hearts.
He swiftly dodged an incoming attack from one of the assassins with a counterattack and with that open access, his blade went through the assassin's fore arm, partitioning it neatly and without wasting a second more, his sword went across his neck, decapitating him in a beat.
The other assassins faced twisted in a scowl as they watched the decapitated corpse with blood jetting out of his dissected neck and arm.
"I'll kill you traitor!" One of the assassins growled in a dangerous tone as he charged toward him. Hwarang hovered his arm above his sword and a red fiery mist engulfed the blade to spread toward the tip.
He swung his sword toward them and the red mist ejected out of the blade horizontally across their mid sections.
Their faces turned grim with pain as their bodies partitioned, with their guts sprawling out onto the floor along with their lacerated corpses.
Hwarang stared at their corpses for a split second before mounting on the horse. They were no longer his brothers or family, they were now enemies who wanted him as nothing but a cold corpse.
Nari didn't say a word as she wound her arms around his torso, but he could hear her soft sobs as he pulled on the rein of his horse and galloped away through the forest.
She was leaving a place she had called home and venturing into an unknown and strange land as a fugitive, all in one unfortunate night, her life had changed drastically to a worse turn with an unpredicted future.
---------
Master Zhang and the rest of the assassins halted their horses at the scene, where the three assassins whom were dispatched to bring Hwarang alive or dead, laid as slaughtered corpses.
Master Zhang clambered down from his horse and his jaws ticked as he scrutinized the corpses.
"He rejected the proposal to redeem himself and kill the princess, instead he spilled the blood of his brothers. He's a traitor to the kingdom and Maitreya." One of the assassins said with a distasteful look on his face and murderous instincts swirling into his empty eyes.
Joonho found it hard to believe that Hwarang had committed treason, but the evidence was right in front of them, no one could kill three Hwarang assassins that fast if not Hwarang himself.
"Find Hwarang. Kill him and the princess." Master Zhang ordered stiffly with a stern expression. It was hard for him to watch Hwarang die, but he had to do what had to be done.
Hwarang had committed treason and he'd face the punishment of his actions.