“As a young Guard I was already an elite combat soldier.” Hiroki started off
“I flew back from a war with dragons and as I was heading inside I saw the console room doors closed and sealed shut. I heard arguments and shouting inside but passed by seeing the door open and leader yokubou walking out from the room, looking disturbed.” hiroki said, looking down, holding his cup with a bit of strength.
Hiroki’s wife looked at hiroki and comforted him by touching his shoulder.
Hiroki looked up and patted her hand and started telling once more.
“I noticed something wasn’t right so I followed him and was interrupted by Yua, your brother” Hiroki said, pointing at Yeong.
“Why was my brother there?” Yeong asked.
“He was there because your mother was off somewhere, but i think you should ask your father that.” Hiroki said.
Yeong looked at Hiroki and thought about his father.
“You knew my father?” Yeong asked and jolted up just a little.
“You will need to ask your brother if you want to know more...” Hiroki said
Hiroki shifted in his seat and said: “After I took Yua somewhere safe I rushed to find Leader Yokubou and saw your father fighting him and the Danketsu scroll in yokubou’s hand. I seized yokubou and put him under bars where he still is till this day.” Hiroki finished.
Hiroki looked at his child and said: “this is my child Ren.” he got up and gestured for Izumi and Yeong to follow. Hiroki looked at Yeong and Izumi
“If anything happens to me and my wife I beg you to please give my child the life he deserves.” hiroki said bowing and pleading.
“Izumi and I will do as you wish if it comes to that extent.” Yeong addressed
Hiroki Looked at his wife and hugged her tightly as if he was going to leave forever. He faced Yeong and Izumi.
“By any chance are we able to go see Yokubou?” Izumi asked
“It will be a long journey but I can certainly take you there.” Hiroki said
Hiroki offered them to stay in his house and rest till dawn broke. As morning approached, Hiroki woke up and got ready.
“It is time to wake up, we need some weaponry from the palace.” Hiroki whispered.
Izumi woke up and saw Yeong next to and almost screamed, but covered his mouth.
“It’s not like this, I can explain...” Izumi said nervously looking at Hiroki
Hiroki laughed lightly and left to prepare.
“Yeo, wake up we have to get ready.” Izumi said, pushing Yeong a little.
Yeong woke and was ready. The three men left for jigoku palace and Izumi and Yeong waited.
“Leader Yuri, may i accompany prince Yeong and his friend to the Dragon Lands.” Hiroki saisd, bowing to the ruler.
“I shall not ask why, but if you wish for that, then general Hiroki may do so.” Yuri said with a smile.
“General?” Hiroki repeated.
“Congratulations you are a general of wars and teaching new soldiers” yuri said, grabbing hiroki’s hand and shaking it.
“Much obliged, sir” Hiroki said bowing before Yuri.
Hiroki came out of the room and looked for Yeong. Hiroki walked over and asked: “Izumi, Do you have a weapon?”
“No I do not, why is it you ask?” Izumi said.
“While we journey to the Dragon lands I will teach you both swordsmanship and you how to bring your sword within you, out.” Hiroki said, pointing at Izumi.
They walked out of the gate and headed South. As dark came Yeong felt a warm hand latch onto his hand. He looked and saw it was Izumi.
“Are you ok?” Yeong asked, looking at Izumi’s frightened face.
“Yes” izumi replied hastily
Hiroki looked back and saw Izumi latch on to Yeong.
“We can stop if you want to, Izumi.” Hiroki said.
“Just push forward until we get there.” Izumi said, shaking.
All of them flew for miles and Izumi was still holding Yeong. Yeong let go and carried Izumi.
“Yeo...” Izumi said faintly
“I’ll carry you until we stop.” Yeong said sternly and held onto Izumi tightly.
“We’ll stop here so Yeong can take a rest from holding his dearest,” Hiroki said, teasing Izumi.
“It’s not like that!” Izumi started.
Hiroki started a fire and pulled out blankets from his wings. He laid them flat with Izumi and Yeong’s help. Yeong collected some twigs and branches to keep the fire going. Izumi wrapped his arms around his legs tightly and sat silently near the fire and away from the darkness. Hiroki Went off in search of food to eat. Leaving Yeong to take care of Izumi.
“Izumi…” Yeong started “are you ok?”
“Mhm.” Izumi said, remembering a past he wished to forget.
Yeong sat next to a tree near Izumi and patted the floor for him to come. Izumi reluctantly went and sat really close to Yeong, making him blush a little.
“When I was little I went to the market at night alone in Kaen village. Some boys a few years older than me kidnapped me and kept me in a ‘playhouse’ and raped me. They slit my neck and threatened to do more if I said anything. I went home with a ruffled tunic and cried until morning. I saw them again the next day and kept silent.” Izumi said, tears streaming down.
“Izumi...” Yeong said faintly.
Yeong hugged Izumi, Hiroki came back with fish and saw Izumi sleeping soundlessly.
“Prince, is izumi ok?” Hiroki asked, looking from Izumi to Yeong.
“I should’ve known...” Yeong whispered.
Hiroki cooked the fish and gave Yeong to eat. Yeong woke Izumi and shared the fish with him. Hiroki was about to put out the fire until Yeong said: “I’ll put it out, could you leave it until Izumi has slept please.”
“Yeong what happened to him?” Hiroki asked, looking at Izumi wrapped around like a ball.
“For right now it is none of our business.” Yeong said
“Fine” Hiroki said, shrugging.
Yeong walked Izumi and saw he fell asleep. He put a blanket on Izumi and sat beside him.
“Yeo, I heard something” Izumi whispered
Yeong slowly reached for his sword in this wing and out came Hiroki, but it wasn’t the Hiroki they saw. Yeong saw he was aiming for Izumi, Yeong defended Izumi and fought Hiroki.
“Hiroki snap out of it!” Yeong said, shouting “Please...”
Hiroki was out of Yeong’s sight for a moment, he looked at Izumi flying far and fast, losing sight of him too. He was left alone searching for Izumi
“Hiroki! It’s me, Izumi! This isn’t you!” Izumi shouted, flying away.
“This isn’t Hiroki, it is Yokubou,” said Hiroki under a spell.
“Yokubou… ” Izumi thought
“Izumi! Where are you!?” Yeong said, afraid Hiroki killed Izumi.
“Yeo!” Izumi cried out.
Yeong got sight of Izumi and saw him shot down by Hiroki.
“Izumi!!!” yeong called out reaching to save him from death.
Yeong laid Izumi on a large branch and put a ring on Izumi’s hand and left to fight off Hiroki.
“You…!” Yeong shouted, ringing Hiroki’s ears.
Yeong flew high above and dove down, hitting Hiroki to the forest floor, making a meteor-like hole and slitting his arm. Hiroki got up and attacked, cutting his leg. Yeong's leg bleed so much he wasn’t able to use it, but he pushed Hiroki through 4 trees and blasted him down once more. Hiroki struggled to get up and laid there unconscious. Yeong went back to the tree Izumi was at and saw a lot of blood from his older wound and the new wound on his arm. He used his middle layer tunic to treat his wounds.
“Izumi!” Yeong said subtly.
“Yeong...” Izumi said faintly “It was yokubou controlling him.”
“Mmm....” Yeong said, tying his clothes to Izumi’s wound.
Yeong carried Izumi once more and got Hiroki too. He carried both of them to the hole that was made during the fight and made a fire there.
“Your leg...” Izumi saw looking at the blood still coming out of his leg
Izumi Quickly tore some of Yeong's tunic and carefully pressured his leg to stop the bleeding. Yeong and Izumi slept side-by-side while Hiroki was tied to a tree a few yards away from them. As morning rose Yeong was the first to wake up. He tried getting up but his leg was in pain. Izumi woke up to Yeong dragging himself to pick a branch sturdy enough to put his weight on. Izumi quickly got up and handed Yeong the stick. They went near Hiroki and saw he was still asleep.
“Hey! Wake up!” Yeong said
Hiroki heard prince Yeong’s voice ringing and woke up. He looked at Yeong and was punched multiple times.
“Yeong, stop. Please...” Izumi said, grabbing Yeong’s arms from behind him.
“You are hurt because of him.” Yeong said with hurt in his eyes.
HIroki spit out blood and said: “I deserve punishment for hurting the prince’s loved one”
Izumi pulled a small cloth and wiped the blood on Hiroki’s mouth and backed away.
“Yeo, what can we do...?” Izumi said, looking at Yeong waiting for a response.
Yeong took an enchanted rope from his folded pocket shirt and tied it around Hiroki’s wrists and waist. Then he looked at Izumi’s hand and said: “Never take this off” pointing to the ring on his right ring finger.
“Mhm” Izumi said, looking at the ring.
They once again continued on the journey and night fell once more.
“Is it okay if I can stay close to you please.” Izumi said, a bit frightened.
“Whatever.” Yeong replied, keeping distance from Hiroki.
Midnight rested upon them and Yeong targeted a cave nearby, slowly descending they reached the cave and Yeong tied Hiroki to the tree and made a spell to keep him secure and made a barrier so he can’t go inside.
Yeong made a fire and cleaned Izumi’s wound.
“Yeo, can we sleep next to each other please.” Izumi said
“Yes,” Yeong replied.
Izumi got closer and laid down next to Yeong. Slowly drifting to sleep Hiroki didn’t turn evil again. So Yeong walked over.
“Hiroki.”Yeong said stern
“Young prince, I am sorry for attacking. Punish me however you want. I need to atone with my mistake.” Hiroki said, looking down unable to look at Yeong.
Yeong his sword out and raised it. Hiroki flinched and faced him, closing his eyes ready to die. Yeong cut his rope that was tied on a tree.
“Huh?” Hiroki thought
“I need a general to teach young Izumi swordsmanship.” Yeong said
“I will gladly take that responsibility!” Hiroki said jumping up.
“Find fish to eat for right now, training must begin tomorrow.” Yeong said looking back at Izumi.
Hiroki brought ten fish back and cooked them and saved some for the many days they have to travel.
“Why is he so special to you?” Hiroki asked, while cooking the fish.
“That isn’t a guards business.” Yeong said, silently looking at Izumi.
“He likes you too. Just do what your heart says.” Hiroki said, remembering how he met his wife.
Yeong thought about his words and blushed when he heard ‘he likes you too’ ringing in his head.
“Did he tell you?” Yeong asked, unconsciously.
“He certainly couldn’t hide it.” Hiroki said chuckling.
Yeong laid down next to Izumi and fell asleep, wrapping his arm around Izumi’s head and neck.
Morning arose and Hiroki woke up and prepared for training with Izumi and Yeong...
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