Emerald Hearts

Chapter Twenty-Four

Yuta

Jeongotgyo was a quiet village, the perfect place to hide something or someone. I entered the main building that handled the village's affairs. At the front sat an middle aged man. His head was thrown back and his mouth was open. He was snoring away on the job.

I let the door slam behind me, waking the man from his nap.

He rubbed his eyes. "What? Who- oh!" He jumped up and bowed. "Welcome, what can I help you with?"

"I have come to inquire about a letter," I said and laid the message on the table. "Is this your stamp?"

He squinted. "Yes, this is our stamp." He surveyed the letter further. His eyes widened. "Thank you for returning this. I'll put it back where it belongs." He stood abruptly.

"Hold on a second. You've seen this before?"

"Sir, don't worry I'll handle it. Have a good day." He tried to shoo me away.

I blocked him. "That letter is an unmarked letter, with no sender and no specific destination other than Jeongotgyo. There is no way to verify who was to collect this, so it should not have left this building correct?"

He scratched his neck. "T-there are plenty of ways that letter could have got lost."

I stepped closer with a hand on the hilt of my sword. "Hmm, I'm not sure you are telling the truth."

He swallowed hard. It seems he was buckling under the pressure. "Can't you just turn a blind eye?"

I got even closer and stared him in the eyes, my face stone. "I cannot, someone is in danger and you'll be held responsible."

He had a worried look on his face. Like a beggar he got on his knees and rubbed his hands together. "I don't know the guy. If I had known, I wouldn't have taken the money. Please spare me."

"Tell me where he is."

~~

According to the worker, Yosuke frequented the bridge. Under it just above the water was a passage hidden by overgrowth. The entrance looked like an abyss, dark and filled with uncertainty. I took a torch with me as I entered. The sharp smell of mold stung my nose.

I had to bend my back to keep from hitting the low ceiling. Tight spaces like this always made me anxious. I moved quickly, as this was too reminiscent of my past.

Yosuke himself was going to be a reminder. He was once a trusted advisor in my father's council. As a child I looked up to him. When the time came for battle, they fought alongside each other until one day, Yosuke conspired with the enemy and led him into a trap. Father barely escaped with his life.

I had eventually traveled to a point where faint voices could could be heard. It was an argument between a man and a teenage girl. The deeper I went, the louder the voices became.

"Do not play a fool." The voice was gruff and familiar.

Yosuke.

In absolute dread a girl pleaded, "Please, I know nothing!" That had to be Chae Sol.

The sound of a strike against skin echoed. Chae Sol's cries triggered something inside me, a burning desire to kill. I outed my torch and gripped my sword tightly, the white of my knuckles showing.

"I'll cut it out of you, that vision," Yosuke threatened.

Chae Sol shrieked. "No please!"

I drew my sword in the shadows, the sharp sound echoing around the room.

"What was that?" Yosuke asked.

I stood in the shadows with my blade out.

Yosuke was dressed in all black. He was holding the girl by her hair with a dagger in his right hand. He looked like I remembered him only older. The long nose, arched eyebrows, and beady eyes, this was the face of the man who betrayed my father.

Chae Sol was in her night robe, which was soiled with dirt. Her long black hair was a mess in his hands. She had an empty look on her face. There were bruises on her cheek and chin. Her tears glistened in the firelight. She was then shoved to the ground by her captor.

"Whoever you are, show yourself." Yosuke ordered. He then proceeded to arm himself with a katana.

"You don't recognize me Yosuke?" I said in my mother tongue.

His eyebrows rose in shock and then furrowed in confusion.

"Perhaps the name Ishiyama rings a bell," I said as I stepped into the light.

His eyes widened upon seeing me. "Yuta? Well isn't this a surprise. My, look at how you've grown. How is the family?" There was a smug look on his face that I badly wanted to rip off.

He had some nerve asking about my family. I was beginning to reach my boiling point.

"Where's Tisun? I know you're working for him," I said pointing my sword at him.

"For him? You're mistaken. Once I get the whereabouts about that emerald from this wench..." he then kicked dirt in Chae Sol's face. "...the wish will be mine."

I lowered my gaze and a shadow formed over my eyes. "You'll regret that." I lunged at him. Our swords clashed over and over. The girl cowered in a corner holding her knees close to her.

"You're not bad," he said with heavy breaths. "I couldn't kill your father, so I'll have to settle for you."

He made a hard horizontal strike which I blocked. I used the opportunity to kick him in his chest. He blocked my next furry of hits, but his guard was starting to weaken. My rage fueled my attacks and he could no longer block them.

I slashed his shoulder and he fell to the ground. With my foot on his chest, I pointed my blade at his chest. Chae Sol watched on, mortified at what I was going to do. I did not want to traumatize her, so I gave him one last chance.

"Where is Tisun?" I asked loudly. The tip of my sword hung dangerously above heart.

He smiled. "I'll never talk. You're avenging someone you know nothing about. Your father was not the righteous man you know him to be. And if you kill me you'll only be proving my point." The look on his face was certain, like he knew my next move.

That was a big mistake.