WARRiOR (Akatsuki no Yona Fanfic)

5. Running Away

Noo-ri ran.

There was nothing left for him here. Not his mother, not his friends, (were they friends? Those girls just stuck together with him because in this town, you just ended up being around those of the same gender more often than otherwise) not even the love for his village urged him to stay there.

He served only one King, and that was Hiryuu.

This was Fire land. This was where King Hiryuu's blood ran down the line. And yet-- and yet, there was nothing to love here. Noo-ri could tell so vividly that his king was not here. His king was no longer here. Even the air was repulsive here.

This is not his place to be, he realized.

This is not where I have been born again to live.

Sang was not a Dragon Warrior. Noo-ri was not any different-- they were simply outsiders in the folklore, a side hero who would live as nothing more than a fallen soldier with a testimony.

Noo-ri had nothing on him. He could not bring food-- rations were gathered and supplied daily, no one had any in their own house. He stole arrows, bows-- and bombs, in small amounts.

He lifted the chest under their attic and found a shortsword the length of his forearm-- it was the only thing left of his father, or so his mother told him so long ago.

A dagger for battle.

His father was not a soldier. This was a blade that could be hidden under a sleeve, and wasn't sharp or wide enough to fight in a warzone-- so his father had most likely been a stealth warrior. A combat spy.

Noo-ri tucked the blade under his sleeve. He only had a small pack-- because if he looked too ready to leave, he would be caught too soon.

When work was done for the day, he led a fuse out of the artillery chambers.

When no one was looking, he struck the pick against the ignition and when no one as aware, he flung it into the arsenal that held years of gunpowder stores.

His last memory of his village was of the fire that burned it to shreds.

He fled the village, but not in any particularly flamboyant manner. When the moon rose too high, and the river flowed too soundlessly-- Noo-ri simply trailed to the river-- and climbed over the other side, into the forest.

His walk is calm, casual. If anyone saw him, they never stopped him.

-

It wasn't as if Noo-ri knew where to go.

Quickly, he realized that was a bad idea. He had been so focused on getting out, getting away, leaving, that he forgot something as simple as where now?

Amateur mistake. But no issue.

He couldn't find himself any food, but being a village child had its perks. He found fruits and berries where he could, and left the rest to the gods above. He was not a priest, so all he could do was pray, and thank them when he lived another day, hoping they could hear him.

Perhaps, his presence hadn't meant that much to his village after all.

No one came after him, as if no one had even noticed he's left. It would make sense, knowing the chaos he left behind.