"YOUR HIGHNESS!"
That desperate cry combines with the roars of four enraged dragons as they swarm around their master, shielding her, protecting her, even as an impossibly bright flash strikes from the heavens, not unlike a bolt of lightning seeking justice, as though it's divine retribution for daring to harm their most beloved child…
That all-encompassing light swallows the entire world with it, fury and hatred coalescing as the incensed sky screams a sound of such wrath and pain at the grievance that has befallen the Crimson Dragon.
And then only empty silence is left in its wake.
Moments pass, and now they appear, along with their awareness.
This will be God's gift – and curse.
And what determines it will be the beholder…
In this large chamber that stretches as far as the eyes can chase, a group of highly distinctive individuals suddenly materializes out of nowhere.
Most land on their feet, but some crumble to the floor as soon as their legs give out and the more unfortunate ones fall on their bums the instant they appear.
All of them are donned in clothes, accessories and hairstyles of the same era, and it's immediately apparent that they know each other very well when the atmosphere turns stiflingly awkward in a matter of seconds as they slowly regain their bearings, but haven't quite adjusted to this impossible situation yet.
"Ow, everything hurts…" Kija unknowingly breaks the tense silence, as he struggles to move his weary body. Because he is one of those who had landed on the floor, he can't quite see the rest of the room and is thus blissfully oblivious to who his other companions are. The last thing he recalls is lying on the ground, watching as the arrows were about to strike the princes –
Right, the princess!
Having the same thought as him, Jaeha, who is also lying on the ground next to him and getting a first-hand experience of what the soles of Kija's shoes smell like – which is a combination of dirt and something absolutely awful – croaks out, "where is Yona dear?"
From his vantage point, he also can't see the remaining people gathered with him, which is why he's able to remain relatively calm.
"... I think the better question is, where are we? And um… why are… you all here…" Yoon finally speaks up tentatively, clenching his fists as he summons all his courage to say his mind.
Because if his eyes are not deceiving him…
For some unfathomable reason, the king of Kouka is standing in front of them stoically, although even the usually unflappable man can't quite hide his shock at being dragged here abruptly. He was waiting for the Xing kingdom's princesses to arrive at the border of Kouka so… what is he doing here?
Soowon remembers being swathed in light all of a sudden, and when that light has subsided, he is somehow here.
But not alone.
No, because the individual whose aura is burning with bloodlust is now staring daggers at him.
Son Hak.
The two face each other, like the calm before the storm, tumultuous and unspoken feelings rendering communication unnecessary. It's a wonder that Hak hasn't flown off into rage like he did the first time he saw Soowon after – after King Il's passing. At the hands of Soown.
Mundok, who is also present, carefully observes Hak. He has an inkling about what transpired between them, and he doesn't blame Hak for harboring hatred towards Soowon, but he also can't let Hak kill Soowon in the spur of the moment as it will be a decision that may tear Kouka asunder.
"What do you mean, Yoon?" Kija asks, still on the ground as he wriggles around, hoping to get into a more comfortable position. He ends up kicking Jaeha and Shinah in the face instead, causing the former to complain, "hey, be careful where you're moving! Don't ruin my beautiful face!"
Shinah remains silent, Ao nuzzling against his cheek affectionately.
Of the four dragons, only Zeno is standing, for he is the least affected of them due to his natural endurance and immortal limits that he has cultivated over the years, whether willingly or not.
After forming the four-dragon-body shield… manifestation thing that none of them is exactly sure what it is, the dragons are now left stranded on the ground, writhing in pain except for Zeno.
His shrewd gaze sweeps across the room, taking in the new addition to their gang – besides the four dragons, Hak and Yoon, it appears that people who were not present with them at the time of the earlier incident have been brought here as well. And these people include representatives from the five tribes of Kouka and of course, His Majesty Soowon.
Said representatives have expressions ranging from confusion to tranquility (of course we're talking about Ahn Joongi here, the man who won't even bat an eyelash even if an apocalypse arrives).
Oddly, only the little miss is missing.
And this strange, bizarre energy that no one else seems to be feeling…
He frowns, then leaps forward into the center, calling out, "show yourself!"
That crackling energy intensifies, and now the others can register it too. Most of them start shuffling or fidgeting, glancing around with varying degrees of wariness, except for Soowon and Hak, who are still locked in their mutual stare-off.
Hak… who is feeling so many churning emotions now. He wants the princess to be here, so he knows that she's safe. But he doesn't want her anywhere near this monster who, of his own volition, stained his hands with her father's blood. He can never forgive him, yet somewhere in the pits of his memories, he recalls that once, a long time ago, the murderer staring at him now so unflinchingly was a young child who held his hand as they ran through the streets of the market, Yona perched on his back, the trio a picture of innocence that only children can possess…
But once they all grew up, much like how all good things must come to an end, once the facade of unconditional kindness and radiant intelligence was thrown off to reveal a beast lurking all along, Hakwould always hate himself for not noticing how much the friend he had respected so much had changed. Or maybe that friend was never there in the first place and he is merely holding onto shreds of false memories.
When he first met Soowon after the murder of the former emperor, he was overcome with pure, blinding rage. He had attacked Soowon in a flurry, didn't he? Somehow, it is as though his hostility is being numbed in this chamber. He is quite certain that anywhere else he would have assaulted Soowon relentlessly, but here… it is as though there is something damping his emotions.
Caught up in his bitter musings and vague suspicions, only years of training has his body swiftly reacting to the sudden presence behind him. He whirls around, feeling the patent absence of his guandao as he comes face-to-face with two large orbs –
No, two huge eyes.
Yoon, who is beside him, yelps and stumbles back, while somewhere behind them a girl screams. Hak vaguely registers that as Ahn Lili's scream, and he realizes how disorientated seeing Soowon had made him since he didn't even notice that Lili was here – what kind of guard he is?
Especially when the princess he is supposed to be protecting isn't even present.
Advisor Keysook, who has maintained a quiet and unassuming presence behind the king, steps forward, slightly shielding his master as he glares at the intruder coldly, even while his mind works overtime trying to recalibrate exactly how and why they're in this mess.
At the same time, Joodoh throws himself in front of Soowon, grateful that he still has his sword as he unsheathes it in one smooth motion, pointing it threateningly at the unblinking, intelligent eyes staring at them.
"Protect His Majesty!" He commands, but Zeno, Zeno of all people, staggers forward, his eyes wide and quivering with sheer disbelief and gut-wrenching hope –
"Is that you, my king?" He breathes, collapsing to his knees.
The pair of uncanny eyes finally blinks, and as the owner's body moves, everyone is mesmerized by the crimson scales on its back –
Wait, crimson scales? Kija thinks, distantly registering that the pain in his body has also been alleviated. In fact, he thinks he can even move now, and he wonders if it's really a coincidence or whether that crimson entity is…
"My king." Zeno chokes out, and shockingly there are tears glistening in his eyes. This moment feels so private that the more well-mannered members of the group feel the urge to look away, though one of them has no such reservations.
Geuntae cocks his head, asking in his usual loud and gruff manner, "that's your king?" He addresses Zeno, scratching his head.
Meanwhile, Kyoga, the current head of the Fire Tribe, feels something niggling at him persistently…
A non-human, probably rather animalistic, even monstrous, and ferocious king with crimson scales…
Ah, he recalls where he has heard this tale from.
His father's treacherous tongue.
A revelation hits him like a ton of bricks. He almost wishes it were a ton of bricks instead of the truth glaring at him, because it feels like ridicule given that this truth will be intricately tied to his father's death.
"Your king… It can't be, King Hiryuu?" Kyoga feels like he already knows the answer, but he still asks the question. Beside him, his younger brother Taejun stiffens, the implications of his hypothesis loud and clear. If what he's saying is correct, then their father… might not have been completely wrong.
It will change everything, for them, irreparably.
Everyone in the room seems to simultaneously inhale sharply.
"Don't be absurd." This time it's Geuntae who scoffs at him. "King Hiryuu has been dead for over two thousand years. Unless we're in the afterlife, he can't be…" Geuntae trails off, then rubs his chin. "Er, we're not in the afterlife, right?"
"No, you are not," a deep voice growls out, yet there is still somehow a semblance of cordiality in that harsh sound.
It's the creature who has spoken, its body too large to be seen fully. Come to think of it, Geuntae remarks at how they're in a room, but somehow the newcomer who has appeared out of nowhere is seemingly floating next to them? What happened to the room? He squints, and realizes that the room… was probably never a room in the first place.
The side of the wall where the creature is occupying has fuzzy lines around the edges, and the dimensions of the room near the creature seem… blurred. As though this entire "room" is just an illusion.
A chill goes down his spine.
"I assure you that you are still alive." Then the creature turns to Zeno, whose collapsed form is trembling as he faces the ground, marveling at the sound of his king – how long has he been waiting for it?
He doesn't even care if this is reality or not – he wants to stay here, forever, and ever, for his will, honed by millennia of suffering and betrayals and deceit and knowledge, a will that he thought would never break, is now wavering in front of his one and only king.
He isn't even disappointed to hear that they are still alive – because he is simply content to be near his king.
"Rise, Zeno. You, of all, do not deserve to kneel on the cold ground like that. You are the one I have failed the most so I should be prostrating before you," the creature… no, King Hiryuu, the truth of which is indisputable now, says in a tone full of warm affection and love yet tainted by crushing guilt for the one who carries the accursed blood of the Yellow Dragon.
Doomed to never die, to always wander the ends of the world in a never-ending cycle.
Zeno wipes away his tears, standing up as he shakes his head, "no, you have never once failed me, my king. I did… resent my fate at one point, but I have never regretted serving you."
Dragon and human gaze at each other, and in that transient moment, an eternity's worth of yearning and gratitude and sorrow bridges the two.
"Thank you, Zeno, for you have carried the weight of the Ouryuu's power faithfully." The Crimson Dragon dips his majestic head, and Zeno bows deeply, murmuring, "it was only because of your guidance that I found myself anew each time I lost my sanity."
The others who are unaware of Zeno's power are bewildered at this strangely intense reunion, but his dragon comrades as well as Hak and Yoon understand the significance of this exchange.
Zeno, who has been alone for so long, has at last retrieved a fragment of his lost soul.
King Hiryuu faces the rest, now speaking to all of them, "I wish the circumstances were better, but we do not always get what we wish for. In the mortal world, it was the power of the four dragons, combined, that allowed me to briefly tamper with the workings of your realm and summon all of you here."
His violet eyes seem to thrum with energy as he continues, "while you are here, you will not be bound by the constraints of time and space. This means that when you return to the moral realm, it will be as if no time has passed."
Everyone is taken aback at what is meant to be an assurance, as they secretly wonder at the extent of King Hiryuu – and the gods' – power if he can even manipulate the very essence of their world.
The fact that they are here solidifies the king's claims, though, impossible as they sound.
"You are here… to reconnect. To reforge. To return and retrieve what was stolen." He pauses, then reveals softly, "and to do that, you will be watching the life of Princess Yona, my mortal reincarnation."
Hak freezes when he hears the name of the princess, gritting his teeth at the thought of her being the nexus of this chaos. He has a bad feeling about all this, even though he wants to believe that King Hiryuu won't intentionally harm Yona.
Kija, Jaeha and Shinah, whose previous agony has completely vanished presumably thanks to the appearance of the Crimson Dragon, express varying degrees of shockness.
Kija's eyes almost bulge out of their sockets while Jaeha reels back. Shinah, who is still wearing his mask, clenches his fists. Zeno trusts his king, but even he, the only one to have known the king personally, can't figure out what he meant.
Yoon blinks rapidly, trying to dissect King Hiryuu's words. Did he just say that they will be watching Yona's life? How?
Soowon's entire body goes rigid, his regal facade disintegrating into ashes in the wind, and Kyesook and Joodoh eye his reaction, the former with displeasure and the latter with uneasiness. Soown, whose clouded eyes reveal nothing of his inner thoughts… of his inner apprehension.
Mundok merely sighs, thinking ruefully about how at his old age he's still getting caught up in all sorts of adventure, though the genre may be more of a tragedy, a thought which dampens his mood, and Geuntae strokes his chin again, not really having any particular sentiments. It's not that he's being callous, it's just… Nothing has been divulged yet, so he doesn't really have anything to react to, right?
Glancing at the others, he realizes he's wrong. With the exception of Ahn Joongi, everyone else looks unnerved or stunned.
In particular, Joodoh looks like he has stepped on a landmine.
Hmm, interesting, Geuntae thinks. The general of the Sky Tribe looks almost… frightened. Or maybe just on edge.
Kyoga presses his lips into a narrow line, not liking the direction they're going in as Princess Yona's existence can destabilize the Kouka kingdom. Besides, to him, she's just a spoiled princess who can't hold a candle to King Soowon's leadership.
Taejun has an opposite reaction. He feels bubbly excitement at the mere mention of Princess Yona, who is as lovely as a flower! His giddiness is dispelled when Heukchi jabs him roughly with his elbow.
"Sorry. My elbow slipped." Heukchi apologizes monotonously.
Taejun rubs his side, scowling at his insolent subordinate, but already used to his nonchalant attitude.
Lili, in contrast to her father's indifferent demeanor, is also curious to hear what the Crimson Dragon means. She greatly respects Princess Yona, and finds her absence a little strange and disappointing. In fact, she almost groans when she realizes that she's the only woman here.
"I'm sure you all have questions, but right now, all you need to know is that you will be watching segments of Princess Yona's life that will help you understand." King Hiryuu explains succinctly.
Yoon begins tentatively, "um, if I may ask, understand what?"
The king replies vaguely, "each other. Everything. Maybe nothing. I can only give you this chance. Whether you want to take it or not is up to you. How you interpret it, what you do with this inference… it's your choice."
"What nonsense!" Kyesook cuts in. He turns to Soowon, his only king. "Your Majesty, as the king of Kouka, you cannot be detained here, not even by the gods themselves. And what of the four dragons? They are nothing more than forgotten myths. We must hurry and return to Kouka at once before –"
"Kyesook." Soowon speaks over him, his voice low and tinged with warning. "We will stay. And you will do well not to insult our host any further."
His advisor stutters, "b–but –"
Soowon turns to King Hiryuu, closing his eyes before opening them again. There is only resolve to be seen. "We will stay." He repeats, firmer this time.
"... If that is what you wish, Your Majesty." Kyesook defers to his king with much reluctance.
Hak appears to be grinding his teeth. Yoon grabs his arm, easing some of the tension from his body. He and Yona seem to have that calming effect on Hak. Occasionally droopy-eyes can distract him, Hak admits, but only Yona and to a lesser extent Yoon can ground him to his rationality.
But it is Hak who breaks the silence by asking in a low voice, "what of the princess? Can you guarantee her safety?"
Yoon winces at how that almost sounded like a threat. And who the hell will dare to threaten a dragon god!
King Hiryuu looks at Hak and replies calmly, "of course. In fact, the dragon shield that was created earlier on has successfully protected her, in addition to its effects of bringing you all here."
The others who were not present at the time of Priest Gobi's attack are more than a little perplexed as they have been out of the loop, though unfortunately for them no one from the Happy Hungry Bunch's side is helpful enough to fill in the gaps for them.
"Are there any other questions?" King Hiryuu asks, and surprisingly it is Kyesook who steps forward.
Soowon gives him a look of warning that cautions him to be careful of his words. Kyesook bows stiffly, his eyes narrowing as he asks, "my apologies, but I am afraid that I need a concrete assurance that His Majesty's safety will be guaranteed because there are certain… individuals in this room who pose a threat to his well-being."
The overt jab at Hak doesn't go unnoticed, and Kija shoots him a dirty look, angry on behalf of Hak who… actually doesn't care about what nonsense the advisor is spouting. Hak simply holds no regard for Kyesook, whose opinion matters naught to him.
King Hiryuu nods his head sagaciously. "Do not worry, violence will not be permitted in this room. I will uphold that promise, in the name of the Crimson Dragon."
Kyesook steps back, murmuring his gratitude. Seeing no more incoming questions, King Hiryuu sets to work.
His violet eyes gleam, and then several chairs materialize out of thin air, along with a large screen appearing behind him. At the same time, his corporeal form begins to fade gradually.
Zeno looks alarmed, and he wants to call his king back when King Hiryuu says gently, "don't worry, I will be here to answer any other questions you may have. If you want me to appear physically, I can, but for now I shall simply let you all… understand."
Again that incomprehensibly, deceptively simple word.
His eyes crinkle slightly at the corners, as he smiles fondly at Zeno. "I will be a mere call away from you, my child."
Zeno relaxes, nodding his head, feeling like he really has reverted back to being a child in front of his king despite being over two thousand years old mentally.
"As we will be here for quite some 'time', not that it will even pass, I suggest you all find a comfortable seat…" The dragon's voice resounds throughout the chamber as he dissipates completely.
The others follow his advice, and the seats are somehow spread out such that they are divided into two distinct factions: the Happy Hungry Bunch and the Kouka five tribes. Lili sits besides her father out of filial obligation, somewhat miffed that she can't show her support for Princess Yona at this crucial time.
They are all strangely compelled to remain here, as though some invisible force is urging them to stay, to watch, to see, to understand…
Once they are settled down, the screen lights up, all of them astonished by this strange innovation that they have never encountered before, but this surprise is swiftly replaced by a myriad of emotions as the silhouette of a familiar red-haired woman appears on the screen.
The accompanying text appears, signaling the start of their long journey.
The red star ascends.
And so it all begins.
A/N:
I know, I know, I shouldn't start on another multi-chapter fanfic when I already have two ongoing ones 😭I'm sorry to everyone who is reading ATPS/my uno zombie fic!
But anyways, I have a soft spot for reaction fanfics which is why I'm doing one for YOTD. Also, my memory can be a little foggy so sorry if I get some details mixed up (such as who already knew about Soowon killing King Il prior to the reveal). Our cast is plucked out of chapter 146 to react to the YOTD manga, and we all know how intense chapter 1 is… *cough, Soowon kills King Il, cough* But my updates may be slow at times though I will eventually update so please do bear with me! Thanks 💚(I'll try to churn out faster updates once I finish part one of ATPS.)
Also I chose the manga over the anime because the manga has more content and it's also easier for me to refer to (and you as well if you want)!
