𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐘𝐨𝐮 || Akatsuki no Yona

Oracle [Palace Arc Ends]

ultimate / ŭl′tə-mĭt /

Being last in a series, process, or progression

•••

My eyes open, and I look at a familiar ceiling.

"You're finally up." A voice I recognize says. I look to my right and stare at the man's blonde hair.

"Soo-won...?" I question. He stares at me in surprise before laughing.

"I'm Ik-soo." He corrects me. "I found you by the river."

Oh... the priest. Why am I not dead? I faked my death, but it seems so real... I practically committed suicide.

I touch the bandaged wound on my stomach. The bandages are quite loose... it barely absorbs any blood. "Ik-soo, I don't think you bandaged this right." I chuckle.

"Oh! I guess bandaging wounds isn't my thing." he scratches the back of his head nervously before returning to a serious expression. "God's said a lot about you since the last time we saw each other. I heard you went to the palace and should've become queen, but faked your death before that could happen."

I soften my gaze. "How many days have I been out?"

"Two."

"Then I would've become queen today." I sigh. "Is there anything new that God has said?"

"Nothing too important, other than the fact that you've come in contact with the Orange Dragon," Ik-soo replies.

"Oh, that... the dragon wants me to become the Orange Dragon Warrior, but I can't help but say 'no.'" I look at my bandaged stomach. "If my life is going to shorten, why should I accept its power? And all it's going to give me is enhanced senses and speed."

"Himari, I'm sure God will lead you in the right direction. God will make sure you do not regret your decisions." Ik-soo smiles and stands up. "I'll go get food for us."

Ik-soo walks away and to the door, but trips over thin air. Now that I think about it, this place is really beat up. The door was broken, pots were shattered, and cookware was in random places.

I try to rush over to Ik-soo, but my stomach stings, stopping me from moving, so I just yell.

"Ik-soo! Are you alright?" I ask.

No response.

I try to force myself up, but I simply fall back onto the pillow.

I hear the front door open, so I assume Ik-soo is fine, but the words I hear say otherwise.

"What happened?" A voice asks. The mysterious voice sounds familiar... like I've heard it many times before.

"Ik-soo!" a feminine voice yells. My wound throbs a little, distracting me.

"Ik-soo! Who did this? Was it bandits?" the first voice asks.

"Huh? Yoon... I'm here." Ik-soo replies. Yoon?

Does that mean they're here? They're all here? Do I finally get to see the people I've been yearning to see?

I concentrate on the voices I hear and squint.

"Hold on, I'll bandage you up!" Yoon pulls bandages out of his bag and begins wrapping Ik-soo up, or at least, that's what I assume is happening.

"I was so hungry... and I needed to get extra food for Himari... that I tripped and fell," Ik-soo says in between breaths.

"Himari is here?" Hak and Yona ask at the exact same time.

"She's in the room in the back..." Ik-soo sighs while Hak and Yona rush to see me.