NEFARIOUS

16 / 열 여섯

 It happened too fast.

 A soldier striked his fellow with fire burning in his eyes. While at the same time, one of the criminals broke his chain and punched a soldier who had posted near him.

 Eun Jae could clearly see the other prisoners trying to break free their chains, and helping each other as doing it. Though he did not understand how they managed to retrieve the blade to do that.

 Kwang Gyeong forgot Jae's presence and drew his sword, stalking toward the chaotic scene. He barked an order, then most soldiers circled around the criminals and attacked them maliciously.

 Amidst the underground hall, Kwang Gyeong's balded opponent threw his fists toward the nearby soldier, struggling for his own freedom.

 And between the running soldiers, Eun Jae caught the familiar face of his twin sister's shapeshifting identity.

 Of course, she was the one behind all this mess.

 Eun Jae dropped his control over the three people around him- who blinked rapidly to stomach the scene before them in confusion as the mind controlling power vanished- and strode toward his twin sister.

 Many soldiers passed by him, pushing his shoulder in panic. He kept his gaze on his sister, who waited for him near the jail door she'd probably found since minutes ago.

 It was only a matter of time until this chaos dimmed.

 Hye immediately turned into the jail door as Jae came near her. He took control of the three soldiers, who widened their eyes at the twins. Open the door, Jae demanded one of them. And the soldier did as he said.

 The twins went through another jail door, and Eun Jae did the same as their previous one; he took control, demanded the soldier to open the door, and moved forward.

 He also made sure to make their mind tangled in confusion before the twins vanished from their sight.

 Hye grabbed a torchlight from the underground wall. Then she was the first who strode into the stairway, Jae followed behind.

 The endless stairway felt much more painful, it was probably because the twins were ascending the stairs now, rather than descending it. Hye did not utter any word as Jae trailed behind her, simply stared ahead to face another threat coming to greet them.

 After minutes passed, Hye stopped in her tracks, lifting her torchlight higher for a better view. Jae squinted at the dimming light before him.

 The pathway toward the outside was closed by a rectangular stone. Hye roamed her fingers on the damp wall to find the particular switch; the same Eun Jae had pushed accidently as they got inside. Her hand settled on a specific spot, and she pressed forward.

 A rattling sound echoed throughout the stairway.

+++

 Hye watched as the pathway slowly opened, grumbling as she pushed the switch deeper. The sudden light glared at her eyes, making her shield them with her free elbow.

 A thump sound echoed as the rectangular stone entirely revealed the world above the soil, leaving the twins in silence.

 For a moment, she gazed upward to take a look. No one was seen. Only a wodden ceiling and glimpse of light. She hadn't the faintest idea where she might be now, but at least she managed to leave from the mess she'd made.

 She placed the torchlight on the wall, and ascended carefully until she reached the floor. When she finally rose from the hole, she was greeted by three puzzled looking soldiers.

 "The criminals are attacking some men!" yelled Hye. "Call the others."

 The soldiers still looked confused.

 "Hurry!"

 They strode toward the closed door. Hye helped Eun Jae to get onto the soil, he struggled and finally made it to the top. The stone was still opened wide, she looked around for a switch-

 The soldiers stopped in their tracks, glancing at one another with suspicious looming within their gaze. One of them turned to face Hye.

 He scanned the twins, and realization hit his face, along with indignation that flared in his eyes.

 "The soldiers are not expected to leave without a squad leader," he said, unwavering. Then, without hesitation, they drew their sword.

 Jae lifted his hand, and the soldiers froze like statue. They did not even have the chance to point at the twins, only wielding it to the ground. Hye took the opportunity to gaze her surrounding; the yellow rays streaming through the thin screens, giving the small room enough radiance.

 She heard humming sounds of women gossiping from the outside, and a clink sound of glass met glass. A scowl deepened on her forehead. What is this place?

 Hye focused her hearing sense to the voices ringing in her ears. She caught a few words: His Royal Highness has just-

 But she dropped her attention as she heard barely audible steps approaching her back.

 She flung to the side. It was too late, the shadowed figure had slashed her spine. Though it did not wound her because the steel armor she was still wearing, this sudden attack almost pained her to the ground.

 Grimacing, she pushed her body with her elbow, glaring at the man who attacked her. His face remained backlit, along his silhouette, enormous figure. He was probably another soldier who'd posted near the pathway.

 Eun Jae demanded the controlled soldiers to attack him. The shadowed man wielded his sword high to prepare for a strike. She sensed confusion under his cloaked expression.

 They fought. A clashing between steel to steel. Hye wondered why her twin brother did not even control the shadowed man, but when she gazed at him, he merely stared at the soldiers. A crease of lines appeared on his forehead.

 Hye rose, the sword on her hips clinked, it made her whole weight became heavy. She grabbed Jae to run toward the door, but he clutched her grip, stopping her.

 "Wait," he said.

 The shadowed man was swung into the wooden wall. It split open, rattling from the attack. Through the cracked wall, a line of sitting noblemen gaped at the sudden presence of soldiers.

 When a controlled soldier lifted his sword high towards the shadowed man's chest, an echo of a screaming woman pierced through Hye's ears.