The Time of Reckoning

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Hak's P.O.V

It's been days since we arrived at our stronghold, we've been slowly accumulating supplies. Weapons, food, water, armour, anything we might need to fight a war.

We received word that the pirates are on their way, they should arrive any day now. As time moves forward Shin ah has seen more and more patrols coming ever closer to our base and I can't help but worry that we're running out of time. If we want to maintain the element of surprise we need to move before we're discovered.

Each of the dragon warriors has grown even stronger. The white snake's other arms is almost entirely covered in scales, I believe within another few days he'll have a second claw.

Jae ha is having the same thing happen to his other leg, though he prefers to keep them covered we know its happening.

Shin ha seems distressed as his senses have grown stronger and his features turn... Well more dragon like. He's even more steadfast in his resolve to keep his mask on.

Zeno has been practicing by patching up our wounds after training. If one of us gets injured he can create his scales over the wound, within hours its healed with barely a scar left behind.

Alya has changed the most. The lumps on her back have grown into small wings though she believes they'll get far larger over time. Her power over fire has only increased in strength.

The princess is worried about them but they insist it was expected after they drank the dragons blood, Alya is constantly telling her to worry about the war we will be waging and I have to agree with her. She can't be distracted over something that they say is not something to be concerned about.

I find my mind wandering back to that night so many weeks ago, what was Soo won thinking as he betrayed the king? As he betrayed the princess... As much as I hate to admit it I understand his frustration at the naive nature of the king, but he committed regicide. Worse then that, he hurt the princess and that is unforgivable.

"Hak, we're meeting in ten." I turn to see Yun at the door. I nod acknowledging him and he leaves. A meeting, that means Alya has returned from the nearby town with supplies and whatever news she was able to gather.

Joining the others I already know this is going to be bad news from the expression on her face.

"Rumours have been spreading in the capitol about rebels, Soo won intends to stamp them out. Our window of opportunity is closing." She tells us. I feel as if I'd just been doused in cold water, we estimated a couple weeks before he would start actively hunting us, that time lime just narrowed considerably.

"We no longer have the luxery of waiting for the pirates." Jae ha says. Yun turns to him,
"Do we have the power to take the capital without them?" He asks obviously with an answer already in mind.

"Yona, what should we do?" Kija asks. We all watch her, she's quiet staring down at our acquired map of the kingdom.

"Jae ha is right, we don't have time to sit and wait. However, we would have a better chance if we thinned their numbers." My lips twitch into a smirk at her words. She's been studying war tactics obsessively since we got here.

"What do you suggest?" I ask her.

"We use the rumour mill to our advantage. We spread a story of a rebel outpost somewhere far from here and wait for Soo won to send his men there. When his forces are thinned we attack."

"Think you can handle fighting an army?" I glare at Kija's mocking tone. While the strength he inherited as a dragon warrior is impressively my own skills are nothing to scoff at.

"I'll be fine snake, you just look after yourself." His face twists into that ugly look he gets whenever I call him snake.

"Enough you two, you don't have to be friends but you have to cooperate if we're to make it out of this alive." Alya all but snarls at us. She's been on edge, I think having the constant input of the other warriors is taking a toll on her.

"We begin tomorrow, Alya, Jae ha and Zeno will start spreading rumours in town about a rebel base in the mountains to the east. That should be far enough away." Yona interrupts.

"Maybe too far, it would be suspicious if the rebels were set up so far from their target." I point out.

In the end we chose a cave system a few miles North of the capital. Far enough it would be hears for the troops to return for the battle ahead, but close enough that its plausible for rebels attempting a coup to be hiding there.

Shin ha will be watching from a distance so we know when they've departed.

The next day, only an hour after Jae ha left for town did Shin ha see a most welcome sight. The pirates had arrived with their own supplies.

I went out to meet them and lead them back to our base, Cerena was among them much to my surprise. She explained that once she found out the whole story of what was happening she wanted to join us and fight. I can't say I'm disappointed to have another sword in the fight.

The princess greets Captain Gi gan enthusiastically explaining our plans and our mission. We watch her take a long draw of her pipe.

"After all you did for us, we'll be happy to return the favour. Tell us what you need." She says resulting in the thunderous cheers of her men. We decide to send a few of the pirates to surrounding towns to spread the rumours farther and more quickly. The rest begin training with the rest of us.

I fear the day of reckoning draws closer, but my biggest worry is how Yona will handle confronting Soo won. Will she spare him? Will she kill him? Can she kill him? No matter what happens, how this goes down, it has to be her that ends Soo won's reign.

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