Crown of Thorns

Chapter 16: War on the Horizon

The kingdom was bracing itself for war. The banners of Ji-Hoon's rule, newly stitched with his personal crest, flew over the capital. Tensions had been rising for months, with skirmishes along the border with the northern kingdom, Eomura, now turning into full-scale conflict. The air crackled with an impending storm.
Ji-Hoon sat in the war room, his advisors and generals gathered around him, but his presence was far more commanding than theirs. His eyes scanned the maps spread across the table, pinpointing strategic locations, trade routes, and weak points in their enemy's defenses. He was calm, methodical, every decision calculated with brutal precision. "Eomura's forces are massing near the Arwon Valley," one of the generals said, pointing to a red-marked spot on the map. "If they take that position, they'll cut off our supply lines to the north.""They won't," Ji-Hoon responded, his voice sharp, cutting through the room. "They'll expect us to defend the valley. Instead, we'll let them push through and flank them here, at the pass. It's a trap they won't see coming."His generals nodded in agreement, some in awe of his strategic mind. But there was a tension in the room—Ji-Hoon's rule, while admired for its efficiency, also left many of his advisors uneasy. They followed him not because they wanted to, but because they feared him. Yet even in their fear, they couldn't deny his brilliance."Send the word to mobilize our western forces," Ji-Hoon continued. "We move at dawn."As the generals began to disperse, whispers of admiration and fear filled the room. Ji-Hoon's gaze remained fixed on the map, but his thoughts were elsewhere. The war had been inevitable—Eomura had long sought control over the southern lands. But he could not afford to appear weak now, not with the eyes of the world watching. His mind, sharp as ever, processed every possible outcome.But in the background of his thoughts, something gnawed at him. His father.---Later that evening, as the fires in the capital burned bright with the preparations for war, Ji-Hoon was sitting in his private study, going over the final strategies when a knock echoed at his door.It was a knock he recognized.Ji-Hoon didn't look up from his papers. "Enter."The door opened, and his father stepped in. The former king's eyes were filled with something Ji-Hoon had not seen in years—desperation.For a long moment, the two of them stood in silence, the tension thick in the air. It was as though the ghosts of their past confrontations hung between them, unspoken and unresolved. Ji-Hoon's expression remained cold, unreadable, while his father's face twisted with conflicting emotions—rage, fear, and a faint hint of something softer, perhaps regret."We need to talk," the former king said, his voice strained.Ji-Hoon glanced at him for a moment, his face impassive. "I don't have time for this.""Make time!" his father snapped, stepping further into the room, his fists clenched. "This war could destroy everything! You're driving us into the ground!"Ji-Hoon finally set down his quill, leaning back in his chair. His eyes, sharp and unyielding, met his father's. "I'm driving us into victory. Something you could never achieve."The former king's face reddened with fury. "You think you're better than me, don't you? You think your little power play makes you fit to rule? You're still a child, Ji-Hoon. You don't understand what it takes to run a kingdom!""I understand perfectly," Ji-Hoon replied, his voice steady, cold. "I understand more than you ever did.""You're reckless! Eomura will crush us if you don't pull back!" his father yelled, stepping closer, his voice full of venom. "You're not thinking about the kingdom—just yourself. You think because you've won over the nobles and the people that you can control everything? You're playing with fire!"Ji-Hoon's eyes darkened. "I'm doing what's necessary."His father's face twisted into a sneer. "Necessary? What was necessary was you knowing your place! I made you—everything you have is because of me!"Ji-Hoon's jaw clenched. "You made me weak," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "You pampered me, made me soft, so you could control me. You sent me to die when I became inconvenient. And now you want to lecture me about what it takes to rule?"His father's face fell for a moment, a flicker of something vulnerable flashing in his eyes before it hardened again. "I did what I had to for the kingdom. And now you're throwing it away!""I'm saving it," Ji-Hoon said, his voice like steel. "And there's nothing you can do to stop me."The former king's eyes widened with fury. "You ungrateful wretch—""I'm not your son anymore," Ji-Hoon interrupted, standing up, his towering presence sending a wave of intimidation through the room. "You lost that right when you betrayed me."The silence that followed was suffocating. The former king stared at Ji-Hoon, his expression one of both fury and disbelief. He had always believed he could manipulate Ji-Hoon, even after everything. But now, standing before the man his son had become, he realized how wrong he was."Ji-Hoon..." his father's voice wavered, and for the first time, there was a plea in his tone. "This war—it will destroy us. Eomura is stronger than you think. If we keep pushing, they'll—""They'll fall," Ji-Hoon cut in. "Like everyone else who has underestimated me."The former king's face twisted in frustration. "You're blinded by revenge, by your need to prove you're better than me. But this isn't about us anymore—it's about the kingdom!"Ji-Hoon stepped closer, his presence overpowering, his eyes cold and distant. "You're right. It's not about us anymore. It's about the people. And I'll do whatever it takes to protect them.""Even if it means destroying everything in the process?" his father shot back.Ji-Hoon's gaze didn't waver. "I won't destroy anything. I'll reshape it. For the better."The former king looked at his son—really looked at him—and for the first time, fear crept into his heart. Ji-Hoon was no longer the boy he had tried to control. He was a force of nature now, unstoppable and unyielding."I won't let you do this," his father whispered, but the words felt empty even as he said them.Ji-Hoon's lips curled into a faint, humorless smile. "You don't have a choice."With that, Ji-Hoon turned his back on his father, dismissing him without another word. The former king stood there, frozen for a moment, before turning and storming out of the room, his rage boiling beneath the surface.But as he left, he knew—deep down—that Ji-Hoon was beyond his reach now. His son had become something else, something far more powerful than he had ever anticipated. And the war that was coming... would either cement Ji-Hoon's place as a ruler of legend, or bring ruin to everything they both held dear.---To be continued...