3 Ways

The Last Story IV

Everything silenced around him and no one spoke.

"I'll prove I did it," Luhan swore and turned toward a random guard.

Namjoo had explained to him before that her power was centered around hatred and anger, and he was pretty sure he had all of that right now. The guard's feet shot up in flames instantly and he turned back to the King.

"She's innocent."

"Untie her!" the King ordered.

And when Namjoo was pulled up he saw those eyes staring at him. They were full of unspeakable shock, hatred, confusion, and anger. His heart was crushed when he saw how weak she was. How she wanted to fight against the guards pulling her away, but her body couldn't act as her mind ordered. And those tears that immediately poured from her eyes made his heart ache even more.

Too pained he forced himself to turn from her as the other guards grabbed his arms and pulled him toward the plank. This was...really the last farewell. The grievance slowly spreading through his heart made it much more difficult to really let go. He really didn't want to die...but neither of them would escape unless the other died and he'd rather have Namjoo continue living. He was most sorry for being unable to bid her farewell formally, nor could he kiss her goodbye, but he was hoping she'd live a better life than what he'd planned for her.

>_____<;;

Namjoo couldn't speak. Her throat was hoarse. Luhan had taken her power...he'd taken her power! Why! Why! Why! Why!

The tears roamed out of her eyes and she watched the men bind him to the plank. She would have pulled free if it wasn't for the fact that her life was being sucked away at the same time making her weaker than she already was. Incomprehensible noises felt out of her lips as she tried to call out to Luhan. She almost hated him instantly for doing this to her.

What was he thinking!? Just...what was this?! How was this saving her when she'd have to live without him?!

And Namjoo screamed when the execution finally started. As much as she pulled and struggled she couldn't get to Luhan. Her feet wouldn't support her weight and she automatically fell onto her knees. She couldn't run to him...she couldn't run to him...

For the next hour as Luhan died before her she dropped onto her knees screaming deliriously. And then she saw it...the blue of his spirit floating toward her body.

Even when the execution field emptied, Namjoo wasn't allowed to go to Luhan's smashed body. She had to stay there. She had to be beside him. She couldn't leave the execution ground with him lying there all bloody and lifeless, but even against her will she was dragged out and dumped outside. Until dawn broke out the next day she still sat there bawling her eyes out.

Her hair was a wrecked mess, hints of blood were on her tear stained face, and blood from her injuries were soaking up her clothes. Passersby stared, but Namjoo couldn't give a damn about anyone any longer. She wanted to die. How...how could Luhan think about leaving her behind? Her heart ached, her body hurt, and her head did too.

Luhan was evil for doing this to her.

The doors creaked open during mid-afternoon, but Namjoo didn't look up.

"If you want to see him, I'm cremating his body in the field," one of the kind guards who'd overseen what happened stopped in front of her.

She limped along beside him as he brought her to a wide field of golden wheat. The sun was high in the sky and beaming an auspicious gold glow on them. The tears became heavier when she saw Luhan lying inside the sticks gathered around him to help catch fire. Namjoo's mind immediately swirled back to the 24 hours before when they were still together before she was brought to the execution ground and Luhan came to her rescue. Painful...it was so painful. Her body almost shut down on her and she almost fell to the ground if it weren't for the guard who caught her. Sobs wrecked her aching body and echoed throughout the field, but she could no longer feel the pain seeping from her injuries or hear herself screaming and crying.