Rika of the Dawn ⚠ short hiatus ⚠

Crimson Fire Pt.2

FORGIVE ME PLEASE. I'm not busy, just lazy. I've been working on it whenever I had motivation. And I was going to post this chapter yesterday, but my friend kidnapped me. I played Red Dead Redemption II. I got eaten by a frickin' bear!! Can you believe that?! 

AHem. Anyway, I'm sorry for the very, very, very, very late update, but it's here now and I will try to get the next chapter up and running.  word count: 3160

"The Northern Mountains, you say?" Tae-Jun repeated, almost as seeing if he expect a different answer every time he asked. It was just too good to be true, he felt.

A few soldiers knelt a few feet behind the man.

"Yes, Princess Rika, Princess Yona, and General Hak were heading towards the Northern Mountains when they left Capitol Fuuga."

Tae-Jun was addled, rubbing his chin to emphasize the mass of a hazy cloud that swirled within his mind, "What business do they have in a desolate place like that?" He questioned before shaking his head, "Well, it doesn't matter. Commence the operation."

~

The sky was lit beautifully, but the air was quite chilly. I found myself becoming accustomed to the earthly silence, with the exceptions of the birds singing their sweet songs and natural whistling of the winds on the cliffs. The tweets and chirps echoed off the cliff walls, creating an endless sound of nature's song. As we walked, I couldn't help but notice how high up were we, and glancing with a sense of wariness, I spot the far down ravine, full of lush trees. Someone was to fall from this height, they wouldn't survive.

Besides the lovely scenery, I couldn't get my mind off of what Mundok told us before we left, and it seems Hak couldn't either.

"...are you looking at something?" 

Yona's voice seeped into my ears.

"Nothing." Hak had replied to her before muttering to himself. "That old man...how does he expect us to find a person who we don't even know the location of?"

"A priest?"

Mundok pointed out, toward the north, "Yes, since ancient times, there has been a priest who could read the future of Kouka Kingdom. Right now he resides somewhere in the land of the wind. Princesses, if you are having doubts about what you should from here on, then go to the priest. He will surely tell you the path you should take."

I blink, glancing Hak's way. He seemed just as dumbfounded as I am. Never in my life have I heard a priest who could predict one's future. Wouldn't that be an Oracle? I read about myths of creatures beyond our wildest imaginations, but a future-seeing Priest?

"This guy is living away from populated areas...so we came here, but this doesn't look like a place where people can live." Hak leaned back from the edge, suddenly relaxed and his mischief nature rearing its ugly head. "Well, if you lived here, you would probably tumble a cliff right away, but, " Hak directed his teasing at Yona more than me, "Other could manage to live somehow."

"Shut up!" Yona barked with annoyance before cooling down. "But in mountains as cold as these?"

"The Northern land that the Fire Tribe controls is even more barren, " Hak continued. "Nobody bothers with this place, so it may surprisingly be a fine place to live."

I couldn't help but notice Yona's stoned expression. She soaked in every word Hak spoke carefully, thoughtfully, and consideringly. She tried to hide it, but I saw. The ache in her eyes, how she broke inside just now.

"Anyway, Princesses, " We both look at Hak, who shifted his spear onto his shoulder, his back turned toward us, "Unless we come across something in the vicinity, we'll have to sleep outdoors. What do you want to do?"