Fun fact: There are about 6-7 chapters left of this story...

Nari slid her hood closer to her face. She climbed the last few stairs that enter into Hiryuu Castle. She hid behind a few people as they entered, trying not to gain the soldiers' attention as she passed.

"Hey!" Nari froze, hearing the soldier shout. He walked towards towards her. With each step, the grip on her spear tightened. "What are you holding?"

"U-Um, I'm a huntress. These are animals I hunted today, I was going to sell them after the execution," Nari patted the spear on her shoulder. The end was covered in cloth similar to the one on the spearhead. Animals she had hunted were tied with string to the pole.

"Yeah I can see that, but what do you got? I'm asking to buy you know!" Nari flinched at his harsh tone, but responded regardless.

"S-Some rabbits and birds, sir. I-I can hunt a bear later if you need s-something bigger."

"I'll take two rabbits and a bird."

"Thank you, sir," he paid her and Nari handed him what he requested. She walked on through the doors and to the edge of the crowd. Once near the crowd, she let out a sigh of relief. Her encounter with the soldier, left her heart pounding in her chest.

Nari looked around the courtyard. A huge gallow stood in the middle. People crowded all sides, engulfing the tall posts where it stood. She easily spotted Shi-woo and Zeno standing within the small crowd of servants milling about in the halls. She started walking around the outer edge of the crowd, trying to find an ideal spot to launch the signal. After some walking, Nari found her ideal spot. There were guards nearby, but this was the only place she knew the signal could be launched from. She planted her feet and waited.

She waited, revising the plan in her head over and over again. Once this was over, they could save her father. She sighed, recounting the events that happened a few weeks ago.

"What do you mean the King Hak is being executed?!" Yoon shouted at Nari. She didn't look up.

"Kai is taking over, that's why. They want to make an example out of the king and the Five Generals to ensure the Five Tribes won't rebel," Nari replied. "At least, that's what I think."

"But why not do it earlier?" Shi-woo asked. "I mean those rumors started floating around months ago!"

"I don't know. I really don't know."

"Hak is our friend, we can't let him die like this!" Yoon said.

"Oh? So how many times have you visited, him?" Jae-ha challenged. Yoon gave no reply. "That's what I thought. None of us have been very good friend to Hak recently. What makes you think that it'll be all roses and sunshine if we suddenly waltz in there and free him before the execution? And I'm not talking about how the soldiers will react."

"Jae-ha! We still need to do something!" Kija retorted. "Maybe we haven't been around these past few years, but that doesn't change that he was our friend!"

"Then why haven't you visited?! Why hasn't any of us visited?!" he growled. "Maybe we wouldn't be in this mess if we had been there! If we haven't cared in years then why do we care now?!"

"Dad, calm down," Jin-jun said in a low voice. "You're blaming everybody. You're even blaming yourself again."

"I... I want to save Hak. I really do. But I don't know how we will. I don't know how he'll react having us all together, but we never bothered seeing him again. Especially me, I was the first to leave and I never went back. I should've helped him after Yona's death, but I didn't."

"Jae-ha..."

"Ryokuryuu, it's amazing that we're all here and together again," Zeno spoke up. "The Original Dragons, I... I promised to see them again. In the end, I never did. The fact that we're together again shows we have deeper bonds than even the Original Dragons."

"Zeno is right," Kija stated. "No matter what, I think it'll be fine."

"If... If we save the King and as for his help," Shi-woo started, "then we could easily save Nari's father!"

"Huh? Oh, right," she responded.

"So we're going to save Hak, huh?" Jae-ha said.

"Sorry, Nari, it looks like we'll be putting your goal aside for now," Yoon said.

"I-It's alright... I'll help in anyway I can!"

"Let's see, I sort of have a rough plan in mind. But it's going to take a lot of prep work in the castle."

"Zeno can sneak in!" Zeno said. "Zeno knows a lot about Hiryuu Castle and he can use his appearance to pretend to be a castle worker!"

"Oh! That's a great idea! Let's see... Shi-woo could you go with Zeno as well. It may be a two person job. Find where Hak and anybody important is being held and reassure them of our help."

"I'll do my best," Shi-woo nodded.

"Now we just need some sort of signal on the day of the execution..."

"Perhaps we should sneak in a firework?" Jae-ha suggested.

"Maybe... But how would we light it without any guards noticing?"

"Um!" Nari called out. "Let me take care of the signal! I'll make sure it's flashy so all of us can see it!"

"Oh? What'll the signal be?" Kija asked.

"I... I only have a small idea of what it'll be. But when you see it, you'll know it!"

As part of the plan they created that night, Nari stood alone from her companions. Her heart was still pounding as she waited to release her signal.

A large gong echoed throughout the courtyard. A hush fell among the crowd. A soldier stepped onto the gallows. He stood by a lever, patiently waiting. Two more soldiers marched onto the gallow's platform. Between them walked King Hak, his hands tied behind his back. He did no resisting as he stepped under the rope. The two soldiers stepped back. The first soldier started reciting something to the crowd. From Nari's spot, it sounded only like garble.

As the soldier spoke to the crowd, Nari dropped her spear. In a single motion, she pulled out her bow from under her cloak and nocked an arrow. She lifted it and started pulling back the string.

A guard noticed her and shouted to his words fell on deaf ears. Nari could only hear her heartbeat and the drivel of the soldier on the platform. The guards drew closer, but it was too late for them. She aimed her arrow.

In a few short seconds, the string slipped from her fingers and the arrow flew through the air. She felt rough hands grab her and yank her hood off. It didn't matter. Nari's eyes were glued to the soaring arrow.

It hit the soldier on the platform in his leg. Startled and wounded, he fell off the platform. A victorious smile crawled it's way onto Nari's lips.

The signal was up. Now it began.