Disclaimer: I don't own Akatsuki no Yona!
Chapter 13
A tense silence settled over the camp as they waited for the raiders to appear. Up on the ledge, Lien hoped that her clan would be safe. She knew her mother and father would prefer for her to hide in the performance hall with the other women, especially because she wasn't much of a fighter, but that wasn't her place now.
It felt right, being up on the ledge beside Yona.
The other girl was shivering and nervous, but she also looked confident. She had seen battle before, and the bow seemed like a natural extension of her arm, a weapon and a tool. Lien leaned against her and slowly allowed her arm to heat up, lending some of that warmth to Yona.
"Ooo, that's so nice," Yona said, scooting closer, "How do you do that?" Ao popped out of Yona's hood and snuggled in close to her neck, enjoying the heat as well.
"I really don't know," Lien said, "I guess it's sort of how Shin-Ah can use his eyes or how Jae-Ha can jump."
"Mythic gifts are confusing and strange," Zeno said on Yona's other side, "And they have drawbacks."
Lien glanced over at the yellow-haired young man, wondering exactly what his power was. In the legends, the yellow dragon was supposed to have a strong, indestructible body but she had seen Zeno get burned by a hot pan the other day. Yoon had even put a salve on it and wrapped it up for him, though it seemed a lot better now. Maybe he just healed quicker than most people?
"I don't see the drawbacks of fire…Wait, Lien, I've got an idea," Yona said, turning toward Lien. Her violet eyes were bright and eager, and Lien leaned back a little, worried.
"What kind of idea?"
"Fire. Arrows."
"Hey, Zeno likes that idea, too," the yellow dragon put in perkily. He pushed up on his hands and looked at Lien over Yona's head. "Can the little lady do that?"
Lien considered it, tilting her head to the side. After a moment, she nodded. "If we wrap cloth around the ends, we can definitely make fire arrows. But Yona, you'll have to make sure to not shoot anywhere near the buildings." Most of them were at least partly made of wood, and if they destroyed the camp while trying to protect it, Mama Ro would end them all.
"I'll be careful," Yona said.
The three of them began shredding bits of their white cloaks into strips. Lien and Zeno rapidly wrapped the bits of cloth around Yona's arrow tips, and whenever they finished one, she put them back in her quiver. Soon, half of the arrows had white tips and could be used as fiery weapons against the enemy. They were just finishing up when the first clang of battle rang through the mountainside. It was quickly followed by shouting and screaming.
"Hak," Yona and Zeno both said, exchanging a look. Lien didn't know how they could tell who had made the first strike based on the sound alone, but then again, those two were used to those sounds.
Lien stood up as Yona did, her hand on the rocky side of the mountain. Torches started glowing as the raiders broke the clay pots they had used to shield the fire, and the battle was lit with a red hot glow.
In the firelight, Lien could see the dragons and Hak battling against the raiders, a whirlwind of weapons and hand-to-hand combat. The warriors had used white cloth as well to hide themselves until the raiders were close, and the trick had paid off. Her eyes darted around until she found Shin-Ah. He was like liquid flame, his long slender blade slicing any enemy that came too close. She tensed as someone stalked up behind him, but he turned at the last moment, his sword blocking theirs.
"Lien, fire please," Yona said. She had an arrow and was holding it out to Lien.
She focused as she reached out and grabbed the wrapped arrowhead, and in an instant, it was on fire. The only problem with fire arrows was that the fire would allow the raiders to realize their location quicker. Still, it was hard not to be proud of their idea when Yona's arrow hit the raiders' little small wagon and caught it on fire, causing some of the raiders to peel away to douse the flames.
The next few arrows Yona shot were regular ones, and each shot caught a man in the shoulder or leg, at least slowing them down if not stopping them entirely. Something whistled over their heads and clattered against the rock wall behind them. An arrow fell down next to Lien. Picking it up, she held it out to Yona. "Look, they're sending us more arrows to use."
"That's nice of them," Yona said, and the girls exchanged a small smile that covered up their worry. If the raiders were shooting at them, their position was compromised. Ao scurried down Yona's arm and leapt over to Lien, climbing up to sit on her shoulder.
Zeno picked up the wooden shield he had dragged up to the ledge and knelt down in front of Yona and Lien, blocking them. He shot Yona a grin. "You can shoot over it or around it, miss."
"Thanks, Zeno," Yona said. She nocked the arrow that the raiders had shot at them and sent it straight back.
The battle was obviously going in favor of the dragons, but the raiders were fighting dirty, using whatever tricks they could. Lien watched around the edge of the shield as a few of them sneaked past the warriors, heading for the village. The second line of defense was Kyung and his group of actors-turned-fighters, and Lien feared the battle wouldn't be as easy for them.
"Yona!" she yelped, reaching for her, "There, we need to take them out." She pointed to the men who had gotten through the barricade.
"I see them," Yona said with a little nod. Using one of Lien's fire arrows, she shot a man in the arm. He shouted and fell to the ground, rolling to put the fire out. Ao let out a little noise and scurried back over to Yona, diving into her hood.
That left four other raiders, but they didn't get far as the men from Lien's clan darted out to confront them. Her heart climbed to her throat as she looked for her brother, trying to pick him out of the white-clad figures. Unlike Shin-Ah, there wasn't a mask to help identify him…
She gasped and clapped a hand to her mouth when she spotted him locked in combat with two of the raiders, both of them wielding knives while he had a single sword, an old one they used as a prop. A knife came under the sword, and Kyung went down, dropping to one knee.
Before she even knew what she was doing, Lien was running, her feet slipping on the rocks on the trail down to the village. She heard Zeno call her name, but she needed to get to Kyung. Anger and terror bubbled under her skin, calling to the fire in her, and flames licked her hands and raced up her arms, scorching her sleeves.
She halfway slid down the mountainside, racing for her brother. Energy coursed through her and she pulled on it, using it to feed her flames. She raced past buildings and didn't bother slowing down when she saw her brother in front of her. He was backed up against their home, sword held in front of him with one hand while his other hand clutched his wound. One raider was laying in the snow nearby, but the other was advancing on Kyung.
Lien slammed into the raider from behind, wrapping her fire-encased arms around him. Her momentum sent them both to the ground, the snow crackling and melting as wildfire dripped off of her. The raider pulled back and lashed out at her with his knife, but Lien rolled, scrambling to her feet.
"What the hell," the man said, beating the flames on his arms until they went out, "What are you?"
She darted over to stand in front of Kyung, her hands blazing. Sparks fell from her hair, making the snow and ice sizzle as they landed on the ground.
"Lien, go," Kyung coughed, and blood dripped from his lips.
She shook her head. "I'm not leaving you."
The raider switched his grip on his knife, turning it so he was holding it lightly by the blade. He aimed at her, and she realized what he was doing too late. The knife spun through the air, and while she raised her arms to block her face, there wasn't enough time to move.
Metal struck metal, and the knife didn't strike. She lowered her arms to find herself looking at the back of a dark blue robe and white fluff. A thin blade glinted in the glow of the moonlight and her fire combined.
Shin-Ah.
