Dust settles. Along the fringe, the Kai warriors have retreated. Only stragglers are left, darting like frightened deer to find their way home.

The Koukan generals on the border and up the side look out over the scene of bodies splayed on the ground. One lifts his general comrade in his arms and loads him on his horse. The funeral will be proper.

Koukan warriors try to place their thanks on someone - those gods, the dragon warriors. Kija, Zeno, and Shin-Ah won't accept it. Everything they did was thanks to her. And to her they'll now return.

But when they reach the bluff where she fired arrow after arrow, only her bow remains.

"Where's Jae-Ha?" Kija realizes…

AGH! Impact knocks the wind out of Yona when strong arms pull her to the ground. Spots scatter across her vision. Fear - she fumbles a hand down to her sword-

"-it's ok, Dear," Jae-Ha looks down at her in worry.

Jae-Ha - Yona breathes in relief, pinned underneath him, "Why'd you…"

"I'm getting you out of here."

"No!" Yona tries to sit up - but with a flex of his muscles, she's not going anywhere.

"The war is over," Jae-Ha is uncharacteristically firm.

Yona is desperate: there's no time, "Not yet - not until we're all home. He's still… they're still..."

"Yona dear, forgive me but - there are safer places to have this conversation," Jae-Ha rises, pulling her into his arms to take her into the sky.

"No! I'm so sorry, Jae-Ha, but… I can't let you take me."

And he immediately knows: Game over. He sets her down gently and watches her run toward the very danger he's devoted himself to protect her from.

In the distance, Lili catches a glimpse of Jae-Ha up ahead. She pivots that direction.

"You never should have come here."

Soo-Won is stunned and sorrowful as he stares at his old friend. A man who's reached out to kill him in recent months. A man who just saved him now.

Hak's countenance trembles with rage or pain or both, "No. We never should have left the palace."

"...'we,'" Soo-Won whispers nostalgically, then, sword in hand, "I didn't want this..."

Hak adjusts the second hand on his glaive, then through gritted teeth- "You really screwed that up the night you killed her father in front of her eyes."

Soo-Won twitches, gaze unbroken, "Always 'her father' and never 'the king.'"

Hak shakes his head, "You were always looking to the future. How did you never notice? It was her."

Soo-Won loses his composure at that. Angry without understanding why. Affected. Is it possible? That he made a mistake so egregious... now none of them can ever go back to those innocent days, none of them are the same.

Soo-Won steps back as he searches for something in Hak, for that vengeful man who once was there, "Since that night… all our hearts changed. Mine grew cold. Hers grew a fire. Tell me, Hak, what happened to you…?"

Hak smirks, he knows how Soo-Won plays war - and he, too, can engage in distracting dialogue while preparing a move, "You wonder why I came?"

Soo-Won takes his steps carefully, "She's all you ever wanted and now you have her - why would you throw that away?"

Hak's footwork is every bit as slow and controlled as Soo-Won's, which makes their dance terrifying. Suddenly he's smiling softly as he goes - he wants to confess this, he knows an honesty that's too honest can be as strong a blow as any blade, "What happened to my heart?" his face changes to something beautiful at the thought, "She showed me what more there is to want. In life... and for this country. My heart only grew. That's it."

Soo-Won opens his mouth to respond, but he falls with a sharp intake of breath-

He tripped.

One wrong step.

And they both know: that's all it ever takes. Soo-Won looks up, Hak already towering above him. His blade at Soo-Won's neck.

To the side on horseback, Keishuk leans to Joo-Doh, "Kill that man!" and when Joo-Doh doesn't move, Keishuk emphasizes "Protect the king!"

It's a long moment before Joo-Doh responds, staring at the once childhood friends there in the center... "Which king?"

Like a signal of the beginning of the end - Keishuk's world comes crashing down, "...traitor!"

But Joo-Doh is already riding away, dozens of Sky soldiers following, "The war is over."

Keishuk seethes in disbelief as he watches them go, then with a wild desperation he cuts, "Leaving is treason - punishable by death!"

Joo-Doh doesn't look back. But some of the Sky warriors pause… then return to Keishuk's side.

Yona rushes through the mob of warriors still on the field, pushing and ducking and tripping and falling. Back up in an instant, broken nails, stubbed toes, bruised cheeks, but an iron will.

Tae-Woo notices the princess zoom past him. What the… ? He signals some of the other Wind warriors - who were dealing with Kai stragglers and all the wounded on the field - to follow after her with him.

Yona's breathing is so scarce and ragged she falls to her knees, her vision diminishing… but there - there they are in the distance. Hak and Soo-Won facing off. She freezes at the sight of Soo-Won on his knees with Hak's glaive to his neck.

Two kings. One who never asked for it. The other who stole it. One full of love. The other full of hate… but only toward himself.

"I'm glad it's you," a certain peace begins to fall over Soo-Won.

Hak loosens his grip, "Then you'll be disappointed-"

"HAK!" Yona screams, limping toward them.

Both men instantly jolt their attention toward that familiar voice.

Hak sees her - here, his control gone in a second and countenance shifted to warning and fear.

Keishuk sees his opportunity and spurs his horse toward her while screaming to the Sky warriors, "Protect the king!" then growling under his breath, "I'll finish her - once and for all."

Hak drops his glaive and starts his sprint. A tragic sprint as he falls. What even Soo-Won didn't notice - the blade in Li Hazara's chest had caught Hak's leg, his act of kindness damning him in its process.

Hak drags himself back to his feet, blood running down his wounded leg - he wills his quaking body toward her.

Yona is mortified at the sight. She hears the hoofbeats - turns-

Soo-Won watches the scene, not breathing - he rises and starts running toward her.

Yona stares down Keishuk's advance.

Sky warriors can be heard charging toward Hak in the distance.

Yona lifts her hands up to shield herself from the collision and-

-the horse rears up out of nowhere, refusing to hit her - the sudden stop throwing Keishuk from the saddle.

Yona stares in shock, then turns: face-to-face with Soo-Won.

A dozen Sky warriors come at Hak with swords. He's unarmed. And yet the first warrior to reach him wonders why the Thunder Beast's blue eyes are so calm.

In a single movement, Hak dodges all blades and rolls into the oncoming fighters, causing them to fly face-first into the hard ground. Others charge Hak - another careful move and they've suddenly stabbed each other. Hak borrows a sword from the ground and gets to work fighting his way back to his wife.

"Yo!" Hak's glaive comes flying at him from Tae-Woo.

"It's about time!" Hak catches it, immediately dropping his borrowed sword so he can deliver some lightning.

"You told us to never drop our weapons!" Tae-Woo chides.

"Do as I say, not as I do!" Hak shouts over the fray, then he swings his glaive around his neck and, even with his limp, starts taking on man after man in an impossible fashion.

The group of Wind warriors that just arrived crush into the Sky warriors alongside their Lord. One war is over, but another has already begun.

Soo-Won sees the battle in the distance and then eyes Keishuk regaining consciousness. The horse is still right there - so he grabs Yona's hand - and she yanks it away.

"It's best if we leave this place."

"I won't leave him!" Yona demands.

"Then I'll make you," Soo-Won admits.

Yona steps back as she pulls her sword, "Try."

Soo-Won frowns deeply, but does what he feels he must - he lunges and she raises her blade at him. His lands down on hers with an incredible force. She shakes under the pressure, being not nearly as strong as he is, then is able to pivot away, turning to face him again. Soo-Won is surprised, but-

-he attacks again and the fight is on - Yona moving, defending, stumbling, but nowhere near Soo-Won in her offensive skills.

Hak catches sight of Yona and Soo-Won fighting from the distance and the warriors he hits fly higher and higher into the sky as he rages to get to Yona.

"This is a fight you can't win," Soo-Won warns.

"Thanks to you," Yona's blade hits his once more, "Impossible doesn't scare me anymore."

Their blades crossed between them, Soo-Won reveals with sincerity, "I loved you even when it did," and in the second she breathes that in, he slides over and slams the hilt of his sword into the side of her head, knocking her out.

Soo-Won mounts them both on Keishuk's steed, holding her between his arms as they gallop away.

"NO!" Hak screams after them from the distance, his wounded leg keeping any chasing after a pipe dream.

Without anymore horses nearby, there's no chasing after any of them can do - not even Han-Dae.

Prayers start racing through Hak's mind. To the gods. For Yona's strength. And if she needs them, for the dragons to find her.

Then Hak sees it - Keishuk rising from the ground in the distance. Well then, there is one threat he can take out right here right now.

Keishuk scrambles for his sword as he sees the Thunder Beast approaching. He's a dusty mess, even his little hat has gone missing. Frantic-

"You're injured. Should you be fighting like that?"

"Won't be a problem," Hak lacks no confidence.

"I see. Then… I take that was your woman and I just… upset you?"

Hak clarifies in a deep, commanding tone, "The Queen."

Keishuk's sword hand is shaking, "Right… the queen… and you're… well, I heard…," he lifts his chin as he looks up at the inescapable adversary before him, as though facing his own inevitable death, "The king."

Hak doesn't respond. There's nothing he owes this man. Nothing that needs to be said.

"No answer," and a twisted smile rises on Keishuk's now crazed face, "I can imagine why. Bastard child. Adopted out of pity. And even to that queen of yours, after giving up your life for her… second choice to another man until he rejected her."

Hak's so angry he's frozen. Heart pounding.

Keishuk relishes it and finishes with gusto- "You have no right! Mixing your dirty blood with our royalty. You don't deserve to be king of this country. Just like you don't deserve her-"

And a single swing ends Keishuk's sentence like his life - an unfinished idea.

Lili looks up from a wounded soldier she's checking for vital signs on the field, staring after something. Could it have been? It had to have been… Yona's red hair is unmistakable.

"You're still in danger here."

Lili looks up to see Shin-Ah - and Zeno and Kija following close behind.

"Are you looking for Yona?!" Lili lights up at her opportunity to help.

The dragons give heartfelt nods, "We can feel she's alive, but she's not with the Mister."

"Let me come with you? I think I know where she went," Lili rises and rushes toward a couple masterless horses.

"What direction?" Shin-Ah asks, "If she's there… I'll lead our way."

Lili smiles with hope… Yona's family is incredible. Please, may they all survive today.

"Here," Hak turns to see Han-Dae leading a horse to him, "Tae-Woo told me… so here."

Hak smiles with immeasurable thanks, then nods at the fighting still all around them, "You guys got this?"

"Easy!" Tae-Woo shouts from a ways away as he lands one of Hak's signature moves on one of the few remaining Sky warriors.

Hak shakes his head, then quickly mounts with a groan and rides off like his life depends on it.

Yona comes to, staring up at… leaves? She moves a hand to her pounding head as she begins to look around. She's under a tree, away from the battle. She sits up - splitting pain. Soo-Won stands, sword still in hand, looking down on her.

"Are you going to kill me?" Yona asks, though they both might wonder the same thing.

"I need to see something… neither of us wants a civil war. Only one of us can have the throne."

Yona realizes her sword rests beside her. She grabs the hilt, then tries to keep her balance as she rises.

BANG! His sword comes down quickly, but she instinctively blocks it - and falls to the ground in the process. Then she scrambles to get back to her feet.

"Try to kill me, Yona. Take back the throne."

No… Yona's heart is racing. This wasn't supposed to be her. Or was it? She could only imagine killing Soo-Won if Hak was in immediate danger. She moves hearts, stopping them is something else... Couldn't they talk-

SMASH! His sword comes down again and her attempt to block it throws her to the ground once more. Her face smacks the dirt hard, causing her lip to split. She touches the blood.

-no, they can't talk. He's after something. But what? Would he kill her? Right here like this? Her eyes go wide as she suddenly realizes - the baby. It was so recent that they tried and yet the decision instantly became a part of her - she wants a family with Hak. Her body could already need to be nurturing… and Soo-Won is putting that in danger. Yona's eyes darken as she stares at the ground, and then the little flame within starts to grow…

"I don't want the throne."

Soo-Won is sincerely curious now... "Then what are you doing here?"

"What am I doing here?" Yona growls as she turns to face him, 'What are YOU doing here, you imposter! I don't need power, but I will fight for the people and country I love so that people like you aren't in control!"

And this is it - the very thing he was looking for: the fire in her eyes. He feels himself freeze, completely paralyzed, as she advances. This effect she has is beyond his worldly understanding. He can can feel the tears of awe and heartbreak forming in his eyes. Confirmation of his mistake. His underestimation. This is no mere girl. This isn't even just the incredible girl he loved. This is the chosen one. And he had looked right past her. And destroyed her life.

"Kill me."

Soo-Won's words stop Yona. She is now nearly to him, but… this is the moment she's looked forward to and dreaded most since that terrible night... and it's a very heavy decision.

"You promised you'd live a life. We're each tied to the throne in a way we cannot undo: one of us must die for the other to live. It would make me… happy at last, if you would set us both free with this one action. Keep your promise, Yona."

"Freedom…" Yona whispers, wondering if death could ever really be such a thing…

Yona lifts her sword toward him, looking at it carefully. Soo-Won welcomes it, hoping that in some way… this punishment, this vengeance, him offering his life to her, could atone his sins toward her in some small way. Could return them for a fraction of a second to the friendship they once shared, his treasured once-borrowed life.

"That wouldn't be beautiful at all, dear."

Whoosh whoosh whoosh! Yona is suddenly pinned against the tree by a handful of tiny little blades.

Yona knows immediately, she cries out- "Jae-Ha - what are you doing?!"

"Keeping a promise to someone I love. And protecting the heart of someone else I love. You two don't make it easy."

Jae-Ha advances on Soo-Won.

"No, Jae-Ha!"

As Yona continues to scream after him, Jae-Ha fights against his own dragon's blood, "You know, it's a terrible thing to steal a man's freedom."

No longer under her spell, Soo-Won raises his sword at Jae-Ha and Yona realizes she's hindering Jae-Ha.

"Jae-Ha - be careful!"

Jae-Ha smiles at Yona's change of heart, then looks at Soo-Won's blade, "I know charming men like us can be very persuasive, confusing… I guess you can call it manipulative in your case, but one thing I know for certain - she's too good-hearted to take this throne by regicide. And certainly not by her own hand. Let's stop that trend here."

Soo-Won shakes his head, "Are you really doing her a favor? Whether we want it or not, the country will be divided if we're both living. And the squabble between families for the throne will continue between our children. If you won't let her kill me, then-" Soo-Won lifts his blade at himself-

Jae-Ha tackles Soo-Won, knocking the sword away - "Also not beautiful!"

"Let me die!" Soo-Won pulls a dagger from his belt as he rises.

Jae-Ha grabs his blades, "I'm afraid I can't do that - because then a part of her dies, too," as he rises, as well.

Soo-Won lunges at Jae-Ha, who leaps out of the way - only to see Yona struggling out of his blades at the tree and Soo-Won headed for her. As Soo-Won lifts his dagger at her, Jae-Ha throws his body between as a shield - knowing full well that Soo-Won wouldn't have actually hit her, but not being willing to take any chances when it comes to her either.

"Jae-Ha!" Yona sobs.

Jae-Ha's lips tighten from the pain of being shanked in the side.

Soo-Won whispers, "I'm sorry, I always liked you… but I need to be free of this."

Soo-Won's eyes go wide - now Jae-Ha just stabbed him right back.

Jae-Ha's voice is pained, "I know all about freedom. And I assure you it can't be taken. Only given."

Soo-Won stumbles backward and - WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH - is pinned to the ground by Jae-Ha's blades.

Jae-Ha stumbles forward. Shit, this is deep…

Yona sobs at the scene, struggling and almost free from the tree.

Jae-Ha stands over Soo-Won who has regained his perfect composure as he compartmentalizes the pain.

Jae-Ha shakes his head, "You need a head doctor," and kicks him in the head with his dragon's foot just hard enough to knock him unconscious without causing damage, "Tsk, or at least a few good nights in a red light district. A little fun can do wonders for the spirit…"

Yona breaks free from the tree.

Jae-Ha closes his eyes and doesn't turn toward her, "Following you… was the best choice of my life... Yona dear."

Then Jae-Ha coaches himself at what he'd already promised himself, Be strong, you idiot…, and leaps into the sky - albeit with a struggle as he grabs his side.

As he flies, You can't let her watch you die. That can never be her last memory of you. Can't be an image she'd never be able to erase from her memory.

Yona's mouth drops open in shock at what Jae-Ha just did - then she looks down and gasps at Soo-Won's body in terror, though she can see he's still breathing.

She looks back up at the sky and takes off running toward where Jae-Ha went.

Yona runs and runs, her head still pounding from the blow earlier. So much just happened.

The entire battlefield is a mess of confusion now…

Some Koukan warriors celebrating their victory while others mourn the loss of their general and comrades

Keishuk's lifeless body lying only feet away from Li Hazara's

The Wind warriors' victory against the Sky warriors proving that loyalty through choice is infinitely more powerful than loyalty through force

Lili riding after Yona and instead finding Jae-Ha on the ground on the way, stopping and putting her hands on his wound, understanding fully that this moment is why she came, and this is exactly what all her preparation up until now was for

Soo-Won waking on his back, staring up at the sky as he lets himself feel the pain, all of it

The dragons finding Yona at the same time as Hak, overwhelmed with joy amidst the uncertainty because... it's over... and they survived