The Golden Dragon [Akatsuki no Yona]

Chapter 13: Betrayal

Hey, guys! I am back from my studies! Sorry if this chapter seems a little technical, but I guess it's for those who have yet to read the manga.

"It's here I believe, Kija lift it up please," I said when I noticed the crack on the wall. He looked at it and looked kind of scared of the dirty plate. Reluctantly, he lifted it up and we all walked out.

"How frightening! That passageway is full of spiders and webs! Jae-ha, remove them for me please..." Kija said. His face all scrunched up, distorted in fear.

"I rather not touch anything that isn't beautiful," Jae-ha replied. "I leave it up to you, Shin-ah."

"Pfft, Hakuryuu, you're covered in webs~" Zeno laughed.

"Shin-ah, are you a spider;s nest? You're covered in spiders," Hak commented.

We were walking casually into the area. The passageway was really dark and full of insects. Kija was scared every moment, though it was fun teasing him. Zeno seemed to be keeping a close eye on me, but I do not blame him. Even though my memories are not clear, I think it might have really been my fault.

"You were the last one to see Hiryuu!"

I grabbed the ends of the fabric of my clothes tightly as I recalled what Shuten told me. I did not remember seeing Hiryuu, but it is probably due to how much time has passed. Maybe... I really did kill him... But I do not believe I have any reason to kill my good friend...

"Who... Who are you guys?" A soldier asked.

"Ahh, greetings Sen Province Soldiers from far away," Jae-ha greeted. "We're sorry, but the camp you set up is causing trouble for people in Saika. Could you please withdraw? If you retreat without a fuss, we won't have to hurt you."

"You bastards... Who are you?" the soldier asked.

"We are monsters," I replied with a smile as a sword was swung at me and I stopped it with my fire blade. I swung it across the soldier's stomach. That signaled all the other soldiers to start attacking and the rest too. We ensured Yona and Yun were somewhere in the mountains so she could shoot the arrows and I would shoot small fireballs to them to light them up.

If we do this much, the Sen Province army should panic. General Soo-Jin should be able to return to Saika. Now we just have to look out for General Soo-Jin's return. Shin-ah should be on the look out as well.

"The army..." I heard him mutter.

"Have they come?" Kija asked.

"Good grief. Well, it's about time to withdraw," Jae-ha commented.

"The army is... isn't coming here," Shin-ah replied.

"What?!" Kija exclaimed.

"The fire tribe army... And the Sen Province army is.. heading southwest," Shin-ah replied.

"We should head back and tell Yona," I commanded.

+++

"They aren't coming back?!" Yun exclaimed in shock when we told them the news. "Why...? If he's retreating and calling for reinforcements then wouldn't he return here first?!"

"I wonder if he thinks he'll get surrounded so he's avoiding it?" Yona asked.

"Soo-jin's army was heading southwest apparently," Kija commented.

"Southwest?" Yun asked. "Southwest from here is... Hiryuu Castle?"

"He's asking for reinforcements... From the king," Yona said.

"If we go to Hiryuu castle, he can definitely get strong reinforcements, but..." Yun said until he was cut off.

"This isn't something I want to  think about... Even if it's Kan Soo-jin, he wouldn't go this far... Is what I thought but..." Hak stopped.

"What? What is it? Thunder beast?" Yun asked.

"Hak?" Yona muttered.

"There's something that's been bothering me this whole time," Hak replied. "Kan Soo-Jin took a large army to go and suppress the Sen Province Army. Before looking at the situation, he leads an army that's larger than his won's army out of Saika. If you follow common Military Strategy, the fire tribe's essential structure, Saika Castle, needs the largest army to protect it. Then he's easily defeated. If you think about it, the first fort, Rokka, fell way too easily and one other thing. Shin-ah just said that the fire tribe troops and the Sen Province Army are heading Southwest. Shin-ah, how were the fire tribe troops? Were they injured? How about the Palace they fought at?"

As expected of the Thunder Beast, he caught on the quickest.

"I don't see many injured. It didn't seem like they fought much... But... The two armies are rushing towards the Southwest," Shin-ah replied.

"Wha... Wait a second. Wait a second. Then... No! But that's just too..." Yun refused to believe in it. How stubborn...

"So? What's happening?" Zeno asked, acting all clueless. Unless, he had really been missing in action for the past centuries.

"Basically, Kan Soo-jin has joined forces with Li Hazara," Jae-ha replied.

"And right now, the fact that they are going to HIryuu Castle means. Their real goal is... Hiryuu Castle," Hak continued. "Kan Soo-Jin has joined forced with an enemy country, and are currently after..."

"Hiryuu Castle and Soo-Won's head," I finished. "It's the betrayal of the Fire Tribe."

"But why...?" Yona muttered.

"Kan Soo-jin is doing something absolutely shameless. He's one of Kouka's pivotal five generals at that! Inviting an enemy nation's army of ten thousand into our country and seeking help to overtake Hiryuu Castle on top of that. That is playing most foul, isn't it?" Kija asked.

"The ones I feel sorry for are the soldiers who offered up their lives to defend Saika. They have no idea their own leader has joined forces with an enemy nation," Jae-ha commented. "What should we do? Scatter the troops of Soo-Jin and the Sen Province this time?"

"That's obviously impossible," Yun replied. "We finished intimidating the Sen Province troops that were here before, but Soo-jin and the Sen's Province troops are twenty thousand in total, besides..." Yun glanced to Yona with a worried look.

According to the information I gathered about Yona, she is the princess and it was Soo-Won who killed her father. Why would she decide to help him? They are enemies. Not to mention, if she heads back to the same castle she was once chased out of... It's as if she would be going there to be killed. But... She is Hiryuu's reincarnation. What are you going to do, Yona?

"Yona... Let's step back and watch the situation, for now, we couldn't win even if we tried," Yun suggested. "Yona."

"Hak, can you prepare some horses?" Yona asked. "We're going after General Soo-jin and Li Hazara!"

I expected it.

"Yona! That's absurd! That's twenty thousand soldiers!" Yun protested.

"Soo-jin's actions will plunge this country into chaos. I will not ignore it!" Yona said.

As I expected hime-sama. You are really Hiryuu's reincarnation. My dear dear friend...

"War will never cease will it...?" Hiryuu asked. "Something like eternal peace is but a pipe dream, isn't it?"

After all these years I lived... It really is nothing but a dream.