The Golden Dragon [Akatsuki no Yona]

Chapter 4: They were burning into Ash

"Well, I wonder if it'll be fine... to become a bandit just once in my life," Yona said after we managed to chase out the officers.

"Yona dear, didn't you just give out our bandit group name just a moment ago?" Jae-ha asked,

"Oh that's right," Yona replied. "Then there's nothing we can do now."

"What's with that lightness as if you are just changing jobs!?" Yun asked frustrated over it.

"There is no getting around it. I've already given them our name," Yona replied.

"What idiotic things are you saying? We have to hurry and run away!" Yun protested. "They said they would definitely come again! Next time they'll bring a horde of soldiers wth them!"

"There are many villages like this in the fire tribe right?" Yona asked.

"That's right..." Yun replied.

"And everywhere is impoverished and has heavy taxes?"

"Yes..."

"It's not only here," Ash stepped in. "I have been travelling for a long time. I have seen many other villages just like this one..."

"Then we will become unruly bandits and expand our territory. If we do that, we'll be able to protect the people who have heavy taxes unjustly levied upon them," Yona said.

"The problem isn't that simple! If they fall behind collections, they levy even stricter taxes! Meanwhile, if we manage to pull it off poorly, the soldiers from Saika Castle will make their move!" Yun protested further.

"They can come anytime," Yona replied. "If they desert impoverished children and the sick in order to protect themselves from danger... They have their priorities backwards. Besides, I don't think I'll lose to them as long as everyone's here."

"That's right! I'm not letting anyone harm the red-hime!" Ash exclaimed.

"But...!" Yun wanted to protest further.

"Yun. Surely you should understand, Yun. You know how to efficiently move to make the officers come under pressure," Yona said.

"Well then, now that it's sealed," Zeno said. "Let's start the revolt of 'The Dark Dragon and the Happy Hungry Bunch'!"

"First of all, that name won't pressurise them!" Yun exclaimed.

"It sounds pressurizing enough for me," Ash replied. "Oh my god! A dark dragon? That's scary! And there is a bunch of hungry people? What if they eat me?" She acted scared, but everyone saw through her.

"You are not convincing anyone Ash," Yun replied bluntly.

"Well, I tried," Ash said with a smile. Then she grabbed Yona's hands. "Let's work together and make it work okay?"

"Of course Ash!" Yona replied with a smile.

+++

Ash did her best to look menacing, but it simply did not suit her, so her role was to hang around each village as a traveller to alert the others if the soldiers should attack. She was whistling to a tune happily as she waited for her next command.

It had only been a week since she joined the group. It may have just been her own instincts, but she felt like she met them all before, hundreds of years ago. Her heart has been tingling with excitement every time she spent time with them. A feeling she felt long before. But when?

She decided to pay little attention to it and scurry along from one village to the other, on the look out. It appeared that Shin-ah and Yona were at the same village. She decided to stay there to boost defences, not that she doubted Shin-ah's swordsmanship. No, she was amazed at how smooth his actions were. Ash could wield a sword if she wished to, but she found such weapons a pain to carry around, especially for a traveller herself.

She decided to take a nap until there was a noisy bunch coming our way. Ash hurried to the scene, but Yona had gotten there before her and was being carried around by a bandit, unconscious.

"How dare they... Real bandits..." Ash muttered and walked towards them slowly. A sharp murderous aura surrounded her and her eyes were started to turn bloodshot red slowly. Her skin was turning a little golden and scaly like a dragon's.

"You guys... Let go of Yona right this instance," Ash said in a serious tone. Her attitude and voice sounded way different as if she was a different person. Her usual happy-go-lucky demeanor was replaced with a strong and scary figure.

"Who are you?" One of them shouted rudely. He pointed his sword to her.

"I am..." Ash muttered until Shin-ah ran forward and punched one of the bandits down on the ground.

"W-What's going on?" One bandit asked.

"Who's the masked man?" Another asked. One bandit tried to fight back and swung his sword at Shin-ah, but Shin-ah defended by punching the bandit's stomach.

"Yona... That person... Give her back!" Shin-ah shouted.

"Is he a friend of this and that girl?" The main bandit asked.

"Your opponent's unarmed. Kill him fast," his right-hand man said.

The bandits to go after Shin-ah. Until one managed to slash him with a sword and he fell to the ground on his knees. At that moment, Yona was waking up.

"Oh! Did you wake up, missy?" the man carrying her asked. "We're just at the good part. Are you familiar with that strange masked man?"

Yona glanced towards the direction he was pointing to and gasped, "Shin-ah! Let me go!"

"Stop raving about, it's annoying," the man said. "This is where he dies. Get a good look."

"Stop! If you just wanted some stuff, that's far enough, isn't it?" Yona asked. "Don't... Don't hurt Shin-ah or the people!"

"Shut up! You're the one who shot an arrow at me!" the main bandit shouted and slapped her.

"You killed a child..." Yona growled.

"That's right, missy. The people in the land of fire have lives as frail as a leaf. It's kill or be killed. If you don't wanna starve to death.... If you wanna obtain pleasure... You rob others even if you have to kill them," the bandit carrying Yona said.

"That's the wrong way of doing it!" Yona shouted.

"How're we supposed to live? How're supposed to live other than that... In a hopeless land like this? Do you know what it's like to be so hungry you wanted to kill a person?" the man asked.

"Hey, that masked man is really hanging in there," the main bandit said.

"We'll go on ahead," the man carrying her said.

"Shin-ah! Stop! Don't kill him! Shin-ah!" Yona protested and struggled.

As for Ash...

Well, she stood still. Some were going after her as well. But no one could get close to her.

They were burning into Ash.