Awaiting The Dawn

9: Affinity For Dragons

((Heads up, not all tracks are supposed to be played at the start of the chapter, like this one! The double parenthesis will be the signal to play it if you want to follow along with my recommendation))

"Is the crimson dragon..." The princess asked. "...in the prophecy the same as the king from the legend?"

Yoon, Ik-Su, and Hisa turned to her.

"You know of the country's founding?" Ik-Su held a hint of surprise in it.

"Yes. The crimson dragon god took on human form and descended from the heavens to rule a human kingdom. He became the first king of Kouka. My father used to tell me that story."

Ik-Su took over and recited the full narration. "But when King Hiryuu became human, eventually he had to go to war against other humans. The people's hearts were filled with evil. They discarded the gods, and their country fell to ruin. The crimson dragon king was captured by humans that desired power. Just when he was about to be destroyed, four dragons descended from the heavens."

Crimson dragon, we have come for you. The humans have forgotten their faith, let us destroy them and return to the heavens.

But the crimson dragon rejected them.

No, I am human now. Even if they hate and betray me, I can't help but love them.

The dragons loved the crimson dragon and did not wish to lose him. In order to protect him, they each gave their blood to a human and granted them power.

One gained sharp claws that could tear through anything. One gained eyes that could see across the far distance. One gained legs that could soar into the sky. One gained an impenetrable body.

From this day forward, you shall act as our avatars.

We have granted you our power so you may protect the crimson dragon.

It is your duty to defend him with your lives.

With the dragon's power, the warriors took command of their tribes to protect their king, and brought order to the land.

Later exhausted from the many battles, the crimson dragon fell into a deep sleep, and the duty of the four dragon warriors came to an end.

They wept in front of the unmoving king. The warriors couldn't tell if they cried because of their love for the crimson dragon, or if it was the dragon blood inside them that mourned for the loss of their dear brother.

Believing that their power was too great for humans to control, the four dragon warriors left their tribes and disappeared.

"Each tribe developed in their own way, until they became the five clans we know today." Ik-Su's voice snapped Hisa out of a vision.

While he was reciting the legend, she'd slipped out of reality and saw bits of the distant past.

Ever since Hisa was young, she'd had a particular affinity to seeing the lives of the dragon warriors. Generation upon generation she'd seen.

Much of it was tragic, resulting in her nightmares. When she'd wake up from them, Hisa's disoriented mind would forget who she was.

"But what does that have to do with me?" The princess asked after Ik-Su finished.

"You said you wanted to live, right?"

"Yes."

"Unfortunately, you cannot survive on your own. Once you leave this place, you will be in danger again. You have Lord Hak supporting you, but at this rate...he will die."

The princess made a frightened noise.

Hak intervened. "Hey wait a sec. Don't go killing me off. I can't hear the voice of gods, but—"

Yoon lightly punched the thunder beast's side. To prove he's still not healed.

He slumped down and despite the pain he was in, spoke in a snarky groan. "I'm not giving you any alms no matter how much you threaten me."

Hisa couldn't help but laugh a bit.

"As you can see," Ik-Su said, "the situation is dire. You need allies."

"But...who?" The princess asked.

"You must search for the four dragon warriors."

"You mean from the legends?" Her eyes sparkled in amazement. "They exist?! They really exist?!"

"Yeah right." Hak didn't buy it. "They're from the age of myths."

"They do exist," Ik-Su stated as a fact.

Hisa nodded.

"Even now, they're hiding in secret with the dragon blood they inherited. They will lend you their strength."

"Priest, I don't want Hak to die." The princess' face frowned with worry. "But why would the legendary dragons help someone like me?"

Hisa pulled out one of her knives and started scratching on the stone. It was rushed, so even she had trouble reading it, but she hoped the princess would understand.

'You survived and ended up here.'

Ik-Su placed a hand on Hisa's head. The two of them smiled kindly at the princess. "You miraculously survived that night. You miraculously escaped from the palace. You fell off a cliff and miraculously survived. 'Miraculous' is no longer the right word. It was fate that led you here. If you find the legendary dragons, it won't be only because of your wish, but the gods' will. However, the heavens can only show you the way. You must choose to walk."

Afterwards, Ik-Su collapsed to the ground, exhausted from all that talking.

It was very effective in killing the serious mood that had built up.