Cowardly Warrior | Taehyung ✔

Maze

I turn to the voice.

It's a man around my age, in a sleeveless tunic. The bottom part of his face is covered with a scarf.

What is up with everyone being masked? They're stealing my signature look!

"Aren't you The Warrior?" He asked, his voice as smooth as silk.

"Uh, no... Please, that's ridiculous," I laugh.

"You don't have to lie, you're not even good at it." He taunts.

"Besides, someone as short and scrawny as you... I'd recognize you anywhere."

I squint in the darkness of the shop and recognize the stranger.

It was the maniac who assaulted me outside of the kingdom walls when I was helping Joon to sell his clothes, a few weeks ago.

He figured out I was The Warrior then, and wanted to pick a fight with me to see how good I was. He was unimpressed with my abilities, and for some reason, wanted me to battle more in a... murderous manner.

He said we'd see each other again. Promise fulfilled.

His eyes crinkle. "Glad you recognize me, mouse. We have unfinished business."

I step in front of Sky. "Please don't involve a bystander for what you have against me."

"Oh, that royal? I'll take you down with him. A two for one deal!" He exclaims.

He charges towards us with his humongous sword.

Placing Sky's arm around my shoulders so he can lean on me, we scurry behind one of the many screen doors.

The room of the carpenter's shop was huge, and there was over fifty tall screen doors a few feet apart from each other.

We were lost in a maze of screen doors. When we passed by them quickly, they began spinning on their own.

The stranger maniacally laughs from a distance.

"Run, but you can't hide forever!"

BOOM

The door behind us had fallen.

The stranger has begun kicking the doors down.

He had to have magnificent strength, since the base of the doors were pinned into the ground.

"Why are you so scared of showing your face to the world, little warrior boy?" He calls out.

Me and Sky stay quiet. I point to the exit, that was only a few feet from the edge of the screen maze. We're almost there.

"All you do is hide. Enough is enough."

One of the doors behind us lands on another door and another.

A row of six doors falls within seconds and they all pile on Sky's legs.

I gasp and the stranger finally sees us, with so many doors down.

"Aha, found ya!"

Sky attempts to get up, but he groans. The doors were completely covering the bottom half of his body.

Sky's injury is now way worse. He will not be able to walk without my assistance.

I have to defend him.

I run and jump five feet into the air and slash my steel staff at the sleeveless strangger.

He twists the screen doors around, so they'll hit me.

I avoid the swiveling screen doors, and kick him on his stomach and he falls back onto the ground.

He immediately gets up and I take cover behind a screen.

The sword slices through the door and almost indents into my neck.

That's it. No more hiding.

"You said you wanted to switch weapons with me a few weeks ago. Well, let's freaking go!!" I yell, running towards him.

I drop my staff, and punt his sword from his hands. Then, I grab his sword middair.

I slash his arm with his deadly weapon. This time... I don't miss.

"You were able to hit me, yourself?" He widens his eyes.

"And so what?" I raise his sword, ready to parry another attack.

"Unexpected that you'll be successful. But your success fulfulls my success. My deed is done."

"Til then, Mouse." He kicks a few more doors down. He jumps over them and scrams off, gripping his bloody arm.

I sigh. Following him is tempting, but my friend is still in discomfort and danger.

Carefully, I remove the pile of heavy doors that were on top of Sky and assist him with getting up.

"You saved me," Sky says, breathless.

"Well, I saved you from an enemy of mine. I saved you from my own mistake of the past," I insist.

He shakes his head. "You didn't have to though. When my legs were buried underneath the doors and that madman was running towards me, you could have left. You were so close to escape but you didn't."

"Well, I am your servant after all, huh?"

"Personal escort," He corrects me. "And you're way better than I thought. I need to multiply your salary!"

"I get paid nothing, though," I raise my brow.

"Exactly. 0 x 100 = 0." He places his hand on his chest. "I am so generous."

I chuckle, placing his arm around my shoulders, his warm body leaning against me again, for support. I usually groaned when I carried him, but now it feels so natural.

"Come on, Sky. Let's get out of here."

We were joking about salary, but I don't need it.

I have enough money as it is. And besides-

I don't need anyone to pay me to hang out with Sky.

I liked being around him for free.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: hope u enjoyed :) actually, this one chapter was inspired by hwarang. its the ji dwi x dogbird fight in the carpenters shop at the end of ep 2 and beginning of ep 3! but instead of the guy defending the girl, its the girl defending the guy in my story, hehe >:)

that scene of hwarang actually inspired me to start writing this story. obviously this story has a whole ton of differences, but this chapter def resembles tht scene and i took my own take on it!

check out my other story divine defiance, if u want! its only 2 chapters, but i'd like feedback on it 🥰