Yoon was busy gathering stuff to eat and Iksoo looked at me as we stood in front of each other. "Seina, I feel that you don't have the same belief as King Hiryuu. You despise humans and what they have done to you."
"Yes, and?" I didn't know what he expected me to say. Did he wanted me to express what I felt about humans? Try and love them no matter how much they ruined me? My belief have always been the same since I turned into the Messenger.
"Open your heart to see what King Hiryuu saw in the humans. Isn't that why he brought you to the heavens? He saved you because he saw something in you."
"Because I bet in his eyes, he saw something tragic...similar to his life, living with the humans." I huffed, licking my dry lips.
"You just don't want to admit it. One day you might realize that all humans aren't bad. The ones you've encountered was when you were at your weakest-" I cut him off, not understanding why he's giving me this talk. How annoying.
"High Priest...why are you telling me this now? Why does it matter? I can't face humans because what I see is something dark in them! I built a wall out of fear. I don't want to be deceived and fooled. It happened to me and I didn't resist to stop them because I followed what Master Hiryuu said. He told me to love them no matter what! Talking to them did not work." I turned my head to the side, hair covering my whole face. I couldn't bare to face him. It's just another nightmare to remember that haunts me. I wanted to cry. I had the need to let it out. "It felt disgusting. I felt dead no matter how many time it happened." I remembered the screaming of hatred until I silenced up and the cold metals on me, restraining me from escaping. "Then I killed them after…" I remembered tearing their bodies apart with my sharpened nails into shreds.
His hand patted my shoulder. "Though you have your hatred towards them, please open your eyes and heart. Time will change for you because you are stronger and wiser. Protect the new king like you did before he died. The dragons will be there with you and I know you can love and care for them like you did with the first generation." His wise words weren't getting through my tough, stoned heart.
"We'll see, Priest… We'll see. My heart can not be swayed so easily by mere words of smart talking. It's up to me if I want to change my morals, or if I can since I've been chained to what I always thought was better than me." I raised my head up to gaze at Iksoo. "I guess I should thank you for talking about this to me…" I said unsurely, not really knowing if I was supposed to feel better now or a little light hearted.
"You don't have to. I know you've been through hell since the beginning. I'm just here to tell you the words from the heavens because that is my job."
"Let's go back to the house." I said to him, proceeding to walk until I heard a big thump. I turned around to see Iksoo on the ground, muddy as he laughed at himself. "A high priest you are, but is very clumsy to the core. Is it because of your bangs? Should I or Yoon cut it?"
He jumped back up to his feet with a childish smile. "No. I've always been clumsy. I'm fine really."
"If you say so…" I glanced at him from the corner of my eye to make sure he'll be alright.
We made our way back to meet someone that I knew would find me eventually but sooner than I expected. "S-S-Seina!" The wounded Princess struggled running her way to me as her eyes were filled with salty tears.
"P-Princess?!" She jumped onto me with all her weight. Her arms and legs tighten around my body as I felt her wet tears on the crook of my neck. "Woah there, Princess." I stumbled back. I don't understand why she is crying for me? What did I do?
"Sorry!" She sniffed, leaping me off of me, wiping her tears.
I took a good look at her from head to toe. "Why are you crying? What happened to you? Where's General Hak?" I led her inside the house and sat down next to her as we face the nature in front of us.
"When I woke up from my sleep at the Wind Tribe's house, I panicked because I didn't see you next to me since you're always nearby when I'm sick or something. So I asked Hak and he said that you left. I was sad that you didn't even tell me that you were going to leave! I thought it was because of me that's why you left!" I felt so loved right at that part. How sweet. "So when you left, the Fire Tribe took the Wind Tribe's water away so Hak decided to drop his status as General. Mundok told us about a High Priest and we went off to find him. On the way there, the Fire Tribe General Kan Soojin's second, Kan Taejun. He came to attack us. Hak went to protect me, costing his life-"
"How about your hair?" I asked because seeing her with short hair was kind of an eyesore. But I guess it's better since she doesn't remind me of King Hiryuu that often no more. It did ache my heart, having those memories with Hiryuu and the four dragons.
"I'm getting there. So Taejun grabbed my hair because I was going to aid Hak. I couldn't let him just die. So there was a sword at Taejun's side and I took it, sliced my hair and ran off to fall down from the cliff." The Princess explained, hands moving around.
"I found and treated them!" Yoon chimed from the other side of the room, providing that he was the only reason why they aren't dead.
"At least Hak isn't dead." I glanced over at his sleeping body as his chest heaved in and out. He looked really damaged from that great height of fall.
"When did you have wings?" She pointed out, staring at them with wide eyes. I totally forgot that my wings were out. My wings are pretty noticeable since it's huge.
"I always had them." I half heartedly smiled. "Here talk to the Priest if you're here. I'll hunt Taejun while you're at it." I sneered happily before running off.
The next morning later,
"You're finally moving like the real monster you are." I looked at Hak eating food off from the basket on Yoon's head, then grinned at him with my teeth showing.
"Yep. I'm back and alive with little to full strength to fight off soldiers." Hak said, munching on the dumpling in his hands.
Yoon noticed that the basket was getting lighter and he finally found out why his basket was getting lighter. "Don't just eat whatever you want?!" He yelled at Hak and I couldn't help but laugh.
"Oh, Yoon, he's like that all the time." I hook a few strands of hair behind my ears.
"Oh High Priest, thank you for your hospitality." Hak sarcastically said, stuff more food inside his mouth.
"I'm not a high priest!" Retorted Yoon.
"Even injured he can crack a joke…" I sighed before walking around Mother Nature.
"What happened to your quest to find Taejun?" Hak reminded me, looking intrigued from what he heard while he was asleep.
"Gen- Hak," I remembered that I can't call him 'general' no more since he isn't one. "I flew around with my big wings as you can see, but I did not find Taejun. Maybe because I was lazy, or I just didn't want to no more after flying around in the air."
"Nah. You just didn't want the Princess to get mad at you. After all, she did cry when you left her without a note."
"You were my note, Hak. I told you things before I left. I told you that you'll find me once again, and you did. You know it's so weird to not call you 'General Hak' like before." I sighed. My daily routine calling him that is now unusable.
"I've never been your note, and I know you'll miss calling me that."
"But you still told her." I said, having the last say.
As I walked around the place, I overheard Iksoo talking to Hak and the Princess. I cracked a smile, "She'll finally know about her duties…" and I walked away in the forest to be by myself.
Deep in the forest it was getting chillier as the wind blew cold air. "So cold now…" I rubbed my upper arms as I hugged myself tightly. "I need to get out of the forest and to the sunlight." I quickly rushed to the port that wasn't far in range.
From the far distance, I saw a few boats from the sea. "How lucky I am to be out here where the sun only shines here than in the forest…. It's better to leave." I whispered. I didn't want any enemies to come after Hak or the Princess. I retreated my black wings and slugged back to the forest.
RUSTLE RUSTLE
I heard noises around me. "Come out and face me…!" I growled, running to where the sound was coming from. I saw the figure standing unaware of their surrounding and it was the best opportunity to tackle and beat them. With full speed, I tackled down the person onto the ground as I pinned their hands above their head and straddling them. I breathed heavily as I looked at the person. "J-"
"OH! It's you from last time!" The familiar voice chippered with their eyes gleaming like a kid.
"Jaeha…." I didn't know it would be Jaeha. I felt sorta disappointed. I wanted to beat someone up after hearing the Princess story.
"I didn't know you were the dominate type." He smirked, making me feel weirded out from what he said.
"I will punch you." I narrowed my eyes at him, showing no hesitation but for the time being I needed to head back to the house. So I pushed myself off of him and I glanced back once more before withdrawing.
He's the weird dragon. I wonder why he's the green dragon? I knew he was the green dragon right from the start. But I didn't to uncover too much until we go find him, and I hope he doesn't know who I am or sense my presence as the Messenger.
"Where are you going?" He shouted, but I didn't stop or reply back. I needed to get back home. No time for stopping. "Hey!" He zipped in front of me and I scoffed.
"I need to go home, so can you step aside." I asked, waiting for him to move because what I can tell from this man is that he'll move if I move to one side to the next.
"As a gentleman-" I cut him off. I don't need to hear his yapping about him being a gentleman to help out women.
"My kids need me and they are waiting." There was my luck. Yoon was walking around in the forest.
"You have kids-" Jaeha was interrupted by Yoon's shouting and running at me.
"Se-" I quickly and to Yoon and engulfed him into a hug, shoving his head into my chest, muffling his mouth. I can't let him say my name to the green dragon.
I leaned my head down to his ear. "Don't say my name, Yoon. Pretend that you're my son and I'm your mother. Don't ask question, I'll tell you later."
"O-okay, but I can't breathe…!" He gasped for air from how tight I held his head in place to my chest.
"I'm sorry, son." I pushed him in front of my sight to see his beautiful face. I forced a smile that looked creepy. "I...missed you so much." The corner of my lips were twitching.
"M-mom…" He choked out, refraining to say that word to me but he had to for my sake. "Let's go back home." I gave him a glare to speak up more. "Dad is waiting for us. Let's go!" Yoon spat out hastily before grabbing my hand to run off.
With our feet running, Yoon finally asked me that question. "Who was he? Why did you make me do that?" He sounded a bit pissed off.
"Well, first off, he's still a stranger to me. I don't understand how he found me because it's been like two days since we met. Second off, I needed an excuse to run off because he's like a leech. He will follow me and I don't need that bullshit. I already tackled him down, thinking that he was the enemy since I saw a ship from the port nearby." I explained, running out of air to speak anymore until we got back home.
We made a pitstop at a tree to breathe again. The running got us tired out to the core. "I...never ran this...fast before…" I bent over to pant excessively.
"You're not going to die." Yoon sharply said, turning to look at me.
"Tell me, Yoon, why did you hold back saying the word 'mom'? You said 'dad' alright." I stood up straight and tall. Yoon blinked a few times before answering with his head to the side.
"I...was a poor orphan. Never called anyone 'mom' or 'dad', 'brother' or 'sister'. So it just felt weird for me to say that to you since it didn't feel right." He muttered sadly, face showing a small hint of sadness. "I don't need your pity!"
I put a hand on his shoulder and leaned down eye level to him. My face was serious now. "Yoon, I'm not here to pity you. I feel bad that you've gone through shit, but would you rather be taken from your parents to not see them again? Or not to know them at all?" I felt my heart beating rapidly as I couldn't calm it down.
"I'd rather not know them at all. Being taken away is much worse. Why did you ask that?"
"Because there are kids who are taken away from their family to become soldiers or slaves. I, too, would rather not to know who my parents were because they never even there when I needed them the most." My eyes drooped down as I stroked his hair unconsciously, reminiscing my past…
"Mom! Dad! Help me!" I cried out sobbing and screaming as I was being taken away. I had my hand out to them, pleading them to save me. "Why won't you save me?!" I hit the soldier's back as I was over his shoulder, wanting them to drop me down. We were slowly retreating from my house called 'home'.
"We can't save you…" My parents sadly said.
"They were just weak…" I muttered, retracting my hand from his head. Still hating that I remembered it so clearly.
"Who were weak?" Yoon was now curious what I said.
I stared off at the tree to say, "Parents. They're weak no matter how much they sacrifice for you. They can lose their house, money, items, but not their children. If they lose their children...then they're just weak!" I clenched my fist in memories that'll burn in my head. "If their children are being taken away by soldiers, they should at least fight back than watch and cry! If the parents don't want their children to be taken away, they should take what's their! It's their own flesh and blood that they created. That is their child being taken away!" I yelled, expressing my anger as it was supposed to be subtle.
WOOSH WOOSH. I couldn't handle myself that my wings drew out.
"Calm down, Seina. Sometime parents can't...no matter how much they want to do it, they're just afraid until it's over." Yoon tried to calm me by using cautious words. "You shouldn't be taking to an offense since it did happen to-"
"They're just afraid to die for something if they can handle it and survive. Let's go." I pulled Yoon along with me. I just couldn't forget. I can't forget. What's done is already done. It'll always be remembered.