-x-
The wind streamed through the tall, yellow grasses of Kin Province, rippling and waving much like the tides of the ocean. The golden sea stretched for miles, nestled quietly between the base of the jagged northern mountain slopes and the southern river. It was a beautiful, desolate prairie that had once been ideal for raising cattle and livestock, but the fields had long since been abandoned. The feud over this particular piece of land was legendary and yet the victor always seemed to revel in the conquest more than care for the prize itself.
Yona stifled a yawn behind a palm as they walked. It was only mid-morning, but the sun beat down on group with an intensity that was amplified by the dry air.
"Tired?" The whispered voice of Shin-Ah nearly made her jump.
"Just a little." Waving it off, the petite girl smiled. "I'll be fine."
He nodded.
The truth was, sleep had not come easy. Certain things Kalgan had said the night before kept swirling around in her mind.
Between dinner and bed, the boy had caught her daydreaming and accused her of watching Hak's smiling face "a little too closely". The conversation escalated until he made a final conclusion of how it meant that she must have feelings for Hak! Remembering how he had announced this in such a matter-of-fact tone made the princess practically want to curl up and die.
Just because she enjoyed seeing Hak happy didn't mean she loved him! She just… Seeing him smiling was always a rare, precious moment. It was comfort and warmth. That's when she realized that somewhere deep down she had wanted to keep that smile all to herself. It was this desire that troubled her heart and kept her restless.
She hadn't been the only one though. Lilac eyes found the long, inky hair of their newest companion.
Rei often cried out in her sleep. Names, mostly, as she tossed and turned. Sometimes she'd start awake before settling immediately back to sleep like nothing had happened.
The previous night had been particularly bad.
Yona had thought about mentioning it, but the more she got to know Rei, the more she realized that it would only embarrass her. Instead, the red-head found that reaching for the other woman's hand usually staved off the nightly demons. Yona knew all too well what it was like to be haunted by the past; this small act of comfort was the least she could do.
As if she felt eyes on her, Rei looked over her shoulder with a questioning glance. Her eyes flickered from Yona to something beyond her that stopped Rei in her tracks.
"Kija!" Someone from behind called.
The worry that laced her friend's voices had the red-headed princess spinning on her heels. Kija, paler than usual, laid sprawled across the ground, his brow soaked in sweat. Resisting the urge to crowd around her fallen companion, Yona allowed Jae-Ha and Yoon to attend to him as the rest looked on.
"He's burning up," the emerald haired man remarked as he removed the back of his hand from the white dragon's forehead.
"We need to get him out of this sun." Yoon's brow scrunched with concern as he looked up at the intensely blue sky.
With Hak's help, Jae-Ha managed to maneuver Kija onto his back.
"Let's hurry to the village! We can use my house." Tugging on Shin-Ah's sleeve, Kalgan led the group with urgency until the view of thatched huts appeared in the distance.
A crowd of curious onlookers gathered near the entrances of the village, watching the group of strangers approaching, led by a familiar face.
"Kalgan!"
His face brightening, the young boy ran towards the open arms of an older couple.
"Where have you been?!" His mother scolded as she pulled him into a tight embrace.
"Uhm, about that…" Turning back around, the dark haired kid motioned to the questionable group of outsiders. "I brought some guests with me."
"Who are these people?" The man's dark eyes shifted suspiciously between his son and the varying array of new faces.
"They're people I met in Kouka." Seeing the way his mother covered her mouth in horror, Kalgan hastily continued his story, "They're friends who helped me get home!"
"Kouka?! Kalgan—"
"Papa, I know! I'm sorry! But right now one of them is very sick! Is it okay if we lend them a room?"
"Lend a room to dodgy people like these?!"
"Please, they're good people!" Grabbing onto his father's sleeve, Kalgan's voice escalated. "They took care of me! Really, I couldn't have gotten home without them! Please, Papa?"
Running a hand through his peppered hair, Kalgan's father could barely stand to look into his son's pleading eyes. Taking a step back, he pulled his wife into a hushed conversation.
"Alright," he said after a moment. "You all can follow us."
Though the space was not nearly large enough to accommodate their entire party, it was enough to help get Kija comfortable. Amoi—the father—had also so graciously spared them fresh linens and just enough porridge to fill their stomachs.
While Yoon tended to Kija's fever, the rest of the group loitered around the cramped space, quite aware of the prying eyes peering in.
"Sorry about everyone." Kneeling next to Yona, the young boy mused with his hair. "It's not too often we have visitors."
"It's only natural. This land used to be a part of Kouka." Arms crossed, Jae-Ha leaned comfortably against a wall.
"Yeah…this place was a part of Kouka before the war." Heaving a sigh, the boy fixed his eyes on the ground. "Which means that Mama, Papa, and all of the adults is this village were born Kouka citizens. That's why I went to see it."
"You should really listen to your parents," Hak said. "It's dangerous crossing the border."
"I know!" His face falling even further, the little boy continued, "It's just…no one will say it, but the war separated a lot of families and friends. I just wanted to experience my family's homeland."
The conversation was interrupted as Kija let out a small groan. Yoon, attentive as ever, placed a damp rag against the dragon's feverish face.
"Princess," he called, his cerulean eyes searching for her familiar face, "I'm sorry I'm such a bother…"
"No, of course not! Don't think that."
"It's just a cold," Yoon mumbled. "Don't be so dramatic."
"Dramatic?!"
Finding the usual ire from the white dragon to be relieving, Rei decided it was a good time to excuse herself from the hut. She couldn't consider herself a complete stranger any longer, but she still wasn't comfortable being a part of their vulnerable moments.
Wrapping her arms around herself, she looked up at the wash of dark clouds that gathered in the late afternoon sky. Something ominous was certainly stirring.
Drifting towards the edge of town, Rei pondered if trying to read the fire here, far away from Hiryuu castle, would yield better results. Ever since arriving in their world, the fire had been sporadic with its messages. Glimpses of nonsensical images and voices were all it would give her. It was only a theory, but she suspected the interference had something to do with the fire's connection to the red dragon.
"I guess we'll have to find out."
Picking out a spot to build her fire, the Senshi of Mars began to gather her kindling material when the sound of a conversation caught her attention. Recognizing the voices, she moved closer.
Jae-Ha and Yona stood facing each other, their voices too small for her to hear clearly, but the sadness reflecting in the green dragon's smile drew her curiosity. It must have been something serious if it was bothering the carefree man. Was it Kija?
In the same moment Rei was about to announce her presence the emerald haired man scooped the small girl into his arms, embracing her closely. Surprised by the intimate moment, violet eyes diverted elsewhere.
He was finally acting on his feelings, she thought.
"Jae-Ha!" Almost as quickly as she had looked away, the alarm in Yona's voice drew Rei back.
Nearly collapsing under the weight of an unconscious Jae-Ha, Yona was desperately trying to keep her balance. Without thinking, Rei sprang into action, helping to gently lower him to the ground.
"Jae-Ha! What's wrong?" The younger girl fretted as they laid him out.
Feeling eyes on them, the Senshi glanced up only to see the stoic face of the Thunder Beast hovering nearby. Something within his expression told her he had witnessed the same scene she had. A sudden inkling of annoyance crept into Rei's movements as she checked on the green dragon. Fever, pale, clammy. All of the same symptoms.
"Is he dead?" Hak questioned, kneeling down to prod at his fallen comrade.
"No, just stupid," Rei grumbled.
"I can still hear you…"
"He must have caught Kija's illness." Ignoring her friend's quips, Yona frowned. "Let's get him inside."
Grabbing him by the arms, Hak and Rei hauled the green dragon to his feet. They guided him slowly back into the hut before not-so-nicely delivering him at the feet of a startled Yoon.
"It looks like you have another patient, Doc."
Dropping his head, Yoon sighed.
-x-
The morning light was bleak and grey as it crested over the mountain peaks. A light mist swirled over the sea of tents that stretched far beyond what the eye could see. Early risers meandered about the camp on their morning routines, unaware of speculating eyes.
Weary from the previous day's intense ride, Kouka's king looked out towards the distant horizon. Kai had made their choice. There would be a battle once again over this sliver of land. With the Earth Tribe and Sky Tribe's combined forces, along with some assistance from the Fire Tribe, there was no doubt it would be a decisive victory. Together they would reclaim the land that his father had once worked so hard to keep.
A twinge of guilt squeezed his gut as he remembered the concern that radiated from sapphire eyes as they watched him ride away from the castle.
Exhaling, Soo-Won pushed the feelings away.
This was official business of the kingdom and he would return within a few days, at most, he told himself. That's why he hadn't said goodbye. He could only hope now that Kye-Sook wasn't giving her much trouble.
"Sir, it's time." Joh-Doo, wearing his gleaming armor, motioned for his king.
"Right."
There was no doubt that Kouka would return victorious.
-x-
"How is everyone doing?"
Glancing over his shoulder, Yoon spied the worried face of the princess as she entered the small room.
"Yona, you really shouldn't be here! These guys are clearly infectious!"
"But—" She started only to be cut off by the thundering entrance of Amoi.
Having overheard Yoon's concern, he practically snarled, "I knew it! You brought some kind of contagious disease from Kouka with you!"
"Father!" Kalgan tried to argue as he was pushed back by a strong arm. "Be reasonable!"
"We can't have this spreading!" Ignoring his son, he turned his stern gaze to the red-head. "I need you all to leave immediately."
"Right," Kija managed as he lifted himself off the floor just as Shin-Ah and Zeno popped their heads into the room.
Jae-Ha sat up with a yawn.
"Fath—"
"Kalgan," Yona said, instantly calming the boy, "your father is right. We don't want anyone else getting sick."
"Okay, off to the tent with the both of you," the genius boy directed as Shin-Ah and Zeno helped to guide the two ill men. "We'll clean up."
As they stepped outside the hut and made their way to the nearby tents the rest of the group had been using, Shin-Ah stopped. Kija, who had been using the blue dragon's shoulder, glanced up in confusion.
"What's wrong, Seiryuu?"
"Something… far away…" Staring off into the distance, the fur of his mask ruffled with the swelling winds. "A battle?"
As if on cue, a villager stumbled through the center of town shouting about trouble.
"Kouka!" He exclaimed between breaths. "They're going to battle Kai!"
"They're trying to reclaim this land again?" Someone crooned.
"How far away?!" Distress began to circulate through the building crowd.
"I don't think they'll come here," the messenger huffed, "but, we had better keep watch."
Yona spared Hak an anxious glance.
"Hey, Shin-Ah!" The distressed sound of Kija's voice resounded through the group as the stoic man fell to the ground. "Shin-Ah!"
Kneeling down, Yoon placed his hand on the blue haired man's forehead. He was burning up.
"Hak, can you help me?"
Shooing Yona away, the two aided both Kija and Shin-Ah with standing, careful to keep a slow pace back to their camp. Zeno and Jae-Ha trailed just behind.
"Aren't you worried about getting sick, too?" The emerald haired man inquired.
"Not particularly." Grinning, the Ouryuu settled his comrade into bed. "Don't you worry about Zeno."
-x-
Sitting atop his mount, Soo-Won wiped the blood from the edge of his sword.
The battle had ended much sooner than what was originally predicted, with Kai's forces retreating after being overpowered by Kouka's sheer numbers. This boded well for Kouka as each of the tribes only suffered minor casualties, leaving the troops in high spirits.
"I was hoping they would put up more of a fight," Geun-Tae sighed as he pulled up alongside his king.
"Of course you would," the Sky Tribe general muttered as he flanked the other side of Soo-Won, sandwiching the king between their bickering.
"What really matters is the impression we have left." Looking straight ahead, the blonde's eyes glittered with steady determination. "From this point forward, Kouka will no longer be pushed around."
They all basked in the moment.
"I'd say the kid did well," Geun-Tae spoke up, "for a greenhorn."
"Yes, I have no doubt he'll be a good fit to lead the Fire Tribe." Letting his shoulders unwind, Soo-Won nudged his mount back towards their camp site. "Shall we?"
Hanging back, Geun-Tae looked out across the newly reclaimed Earth Tribe land.
This land, barren and neglected after the previous king, King Il, had let it fall into Kai's hands, held great promise for his people. But it represented much more than just puffing their feathers in a power display; it signified unity. Uniting the tribes in battle and an allegiance to the crown that hadn't been seen in centuries.
"So, a new era begins," he breathed through a grin.
-x-
Drifting along the riverbank Rei found herself bored for the first time in a long time. Kija, Jae-Ha and Shin-Ah had all been confined to bed for the last day and a half. Sick with a cold of sorts, it seemed. This meant their pursuit to find clues regarding the Nadai influx had been put on temporary hold.
Prohibited from loitering around the ill, Rei had settled for meditating, but the nosy villagers had only grown braver in their attempts to talk to her. Chased away by her own antisocial nature, the Martian solider decided on a walk instead.
Not far outside of town she had run across a small river that flowed from the mountains. Acting as a guide, she followed the curves of the stream, enjoying the beauty of the green landscape that cultivated around its edges. The silvery rush of the water, the songs of the birds, and low hum of the insects worked wonders to lull her ever growing unease.
Kneeling, the Martian Senshi inspected the colorful petals of a peculiar flower.
"…damn Kouka!" Rei froze as a gruff set of voices carried along the wind.
"Those bastards! They think they can just come here and take everything from us?"
Holding her breath, Rei pressed her back against the trunk of a nearby tree as more voices echoed the sentiment. She had been too caught up daydreaming that she hadn't noticed the band of 20 or 30 soldiers gathered at the water's edge.
"This land has been ours for years!"
"And what was with that concoction the captain gave us before battle? It didn't do anything!"
Perking up at this, Rei stole a careful glance through the tall weeds. A dark air of vehemence seemed to swirl around the men as they paced, bruised faces scrunched in desperation.
"We can't just retreat quietly! We can't let them get the better of us!"
The cloud of rage boiled over, growing larger around them and sending a nauseating chill down her spine. It was same feeling of evil intentions that had spilled off Hiyou.
"If this land is going to become Kouka's, we should let it burn!"
"Burn it all to the ground!" For a split second, as they raised their swords in a jarring cheer, their eyes seemed to flash with something… inhuman.
Covering her mouth with her hands, Rei waited until the men mounted their horses and rode off before she scrambled from her hiding spot.
She had to warn the others.
-x-
"Thank you very much, miss!" The elderly man bowed to Yona as she set down the bundle of hay. "I guess I'm just not as strong as I used to be."
"It was no problem, really," she responded with a small wave before turning to head back towards her original destination.
"Kalgan!" Upon hearing the familiar voice of the boy's mother Yona stopped to listen. "Oh, where has that boy run off to this time? Kalgan!"
"Is something wrong?" Approaching the woman, ruby eyebrows drew together in alarm. "Is Kalgan missing?"
"I'm afraid so," she said, wringing her apron in her hands. "I can't find him anywhere."
"I can help look for him!" Without waiting for a reply, Yona took off, keeping her eyes sharp as she rushed through the town. "Kalgan!"
It was where the houses ended and the vast plains began that she spotted him. He was running as fast as he could toward her, his dark eyes wild with fear. Gasping, Yona spotted the armor clad man who rode close behind him, his sword raised high as he gained on the boy.
Reaching over her shoulder, Yona pulled out an arrow from her quiver. Nocking it, she focused her aim with a pleaded whisper and released. Whistling through the air the projectile embedded itself into the man's shoulder, effectively knocking him off his mount.
"Yona!" Running into her arms, Kalgan struggled to catch his breath as he said, "T-the Kai army…"
"Kai army?" Taking him by the shoulders, the red-head frowned. "What happened?"
The clomping of approaching horses grew louder.
"I ran over to the other village to get some medicine for Kija and the others, but the Kai soldiers began attacking!" Clutching the bag slung across his chest, Kalgan shook in fear. "They're destroying everything because they lost!"
Two more men swiftly approached, blades gleaming in the afternoon light.
"That girl!" One shouted. "With the bow!"
"Get behind me!" Shoving the boy back, Yona notched another arrow, but they were approaching too fast. Her arrowhead switched between the two men uncertainly, knowing that two blades were coming, but she'd only be able to take out one.
Closing her eyes, she let the arrow fly, heard the bulk of a body hit the ground, but the pain of the second sword never came. Instead, a familiar swoosh of wind ruffled her cloak and the solider let out a scream.
"Hak!"
"Are you two alright?" Turning, the Thunder Beast held a critical eye to Yona.
She nodded, trying to ignore the tremors in her hand.
"Look!" Kalgan pointed over their shoulder.
Yona covered her mouth, eyes trailing along the seemingly endless stream of horsemen who were riding right for them. Her lips pulled into a tight line as the sense of anger and hatred and sadness all washed over her.
"This…"
"Yona, take him and warn the village." Hak commanded. "Get everyone out of here!"
"What about you?! You can't fight them all!" Resisting Kalgan's tug to her wrist, Yona looked at Hak with glassy eyes. "No! I can help! Let me help!"
"I'm sorry, Princess..." Hak's look softened as he wiped the tears from under her eyes.
The bellowing stamps of horses broke the tender moment.
"Get everyone out of here and run." Rolling his shoulders, Hak turned towards the mass of approaching soldiers. "That's your job."
Knowing Hak would never change his mind, Yona steeled herself.
"Right." The red-head nodded.
Letting Kalgan guide her back into the village they spotted Yoon and Zeno loitering outside their campsite, exactly where they had left them.
"How are the others?" Huffing and puffing, the red-head looked frantically between the two.
"Uhh, they're the same. Fevers are still high."
"Miss, what's wrong?"
"The stragglers from the battle!" Kalgan stuttered between pants. "They're trying to burn everything to the ground!"
The soft sound of footfalls broke the tense moment. Looking up, they spotted Rei running, her dark hair whipping behind her.
"Yona!" Skidding to a stop in front of them, the raven haired beauty assessed the situation. "Kai…"
But their looks told her they already knew.
"Right now Hak is holding them off, but there are a lot of them," Yona said, voice steady as she looked amongst them. "Zeno and Kalgan, go warn the villagers and help them evacuate. Rei and Yoon, help get the dragons out of here!"
Nodding, Zeno lifted the small boy onto his back and headed back through the heart of the settlement.
"What about you?!" Hands clenched at his side, Yoon frowned.
"I'm going to give Hak some backup."
"No, I will," Rei said, an edge of finality in her voice. "Hak won't be able to concentrate if you're there."
The hurt look on Yona's face gutted her, but Rei's words rung true as Yoon also nodded in agreement.
"She's right. Besides, you know those stubborn guys won't leave without you, sick or not."
Torn between her heart and reason, Yona finally relented and handed her bow over to Rei.
"He'll be fine," Rei reassured as she tossed the quiver over her shoulder. Giving the group one last nod the Senshi ran towards the battlefield.
"Yoon, we have to hurry," Yona stated as they jogged the short distance to the tent housing their ill friends.
"We'll have to…" Yoon's voice trailed off as he moved the tent flap aside, "…be careful…"
Seeing confusion roll over his face, Yona peaked inside. Her breath caught.
"Where did they go?!"
-x-
So I'm not particularly pleased with these next few chapters, but I know they are necessary to include in the story in order to get to where the real story begins. Yeah, you read that right. I chose to start writing this story in the Fire Tribe arc because of a silly little idea I couldn't get out of my head only to figure out that the REAL storyline wouldn't start until much later. We just happen to be the in-between leading up to it. Necessary, but a little droll to write.
Anyways, thanks for sticking with me.