Ishihara // ATEEZ ✔

1 Ruins

"Location."

"He was last seen heading towards west, holding nothing but the package. If we hurry now, we should be able to catch him."

"Then we should."

Akira hops onto her horse - to which she named Golden thanks to her fur colour, despite the fact that she couldn't see it - and orders it to move west. Galloping forward, she leans her body close to her horse and trains her eyes to catch movement of the runaway. Her entourage follows behind, while the lieutenant general keeps his position beside her. Knowing that they have no time to waste because the sun is setting soon, they shout into the ruins, warning the runaway that they're coming for him. The group zips past the ruins, their horses well-trained for this kind of chase. Akira Hwang, also known as the general, charges forward without stopping, wasting no time looking towards her followers. She has one goal in mind, and that is to catch him.

After all, the queen has put her trust on her.

A scream arises as the culprit trips and her ears perk up to sense his current location. She pulls on the reins of the horse to halt, hops off and unsheaths her sword. She turns back to the lieutenant, nods slightly before putting up a hand.

"I want only the lieutenant to follow me. The rest stay behind in case he manages to escape. Although," she pauses, "I doubt he will."

The entourage seggregates while putting a hand on their chest and nodding slightly, showing that they understand the instruction. Trailing behind her, the lieutenant follows her orders while pulling out his own sword. They scan the rubbles carefully, trying to see past the broken stones and fallen structures. A thousand years ago, this area is speculated to be a high-rise building among a bustling city, but now all they can see are ruins. They track the path and finally hovers over the culprit, who is still on the ground, holding his feet and suffering in silence.

Akira slashes the package, all wrapped in cloth hastily, to which the runaway screamed because he thought she was going for his throat. The slit reveals what's inside: gold bars. The lieutenant then kicks the package away from the runaway, fearing that he might set off with it again. He picks them up, examining them to make sure they are what they are looking for. He notices the queen's emblem: a sign that the gold bars are genuine. He ties them up once again and hooks it to his belt.

She points her sword towards the culprit's chest and he screams in agony. Forgetting the pain in his legs, he proceeds to kneel and rubs his hands together with the universal meaning: forgive me and please save me.

"You should not have done it in the first place if you ever thought of living."

"I did it because I wanted to live," he answers back, despite having his whole body shaking in fear.

A slash across his body. He shouts again, but stops when he realizes only his clothes are torn.

"The next time you try to answer me back while thinking you're smart, it will be your skin."

"My family is dying because we have no means of getting by. The gold bars can last us for months, or maybe even for a year."

"Answering back again-" Akira starts to lift her sword.

"Wait, let's hear what he has to say," the lieutenant puts up a hand.

"Is this a pity party?" She spits back. "And if you ever try to cut my words again-"

"I know, I know. You will kill me, I remember you saying that. I just like hearing their last words, like a bedtime story."

She narrows her eyes. All the people fear her, except for two: the queen and the lieutenant. She isn't about to argue with him anymore when the prey is in front of her. She faces the runaway. "Speak, but do remember that whatever that comes out of your mouth will never change your fate."