Tall trees are towering over her,

 

She can hear the crackling of dried leaves under her feet,

 

She’s already breathless, sweating sliding down from her forehead. She’s been running and circling the vast forest. Huffing the exhaustion away...just to survive and see the new day ahead of her.

 

Multiple foot-steps can be heard from behind her, running after her.

 

She hastened her pace hearing the foot steps behind her.

 

“You need to live Seon Deok...you can’t disappoint abeoji. You can’t leave abeoji.” Little Seon Deok told herself while wiping the droplets of sweat mixed with her tears away from her eyes.

 

“Give up kid! We know you’re already tired!” A raspy voice was heard from behind her along with few haunting chuckles. Still, the footsteps can be heard from behind her.

 

Seon Deok wasn’t budged at all. The petite girl is determined to live, and so are the bandits determined to end her life right there and then.

 

They went in the forest farther and farther not knowing where the hell or how far they’ve already reached the insides of the vast woodland. Seon Deok is already getting more and more nervous. She’s been muttering a silent prayer that Myeonnie would be able to reach one of the guards of more ideally her father and alert them of the situation and rescue his new found friend Wang Eun away from danger.

 

The trail in the forest became more and more unfamiliar to little Seon Deok, The tall trees are now long gone, instead high grass are surrounding her. Just then, she suddenly came to a halt when she saw a wide rock pit in the middle of the land. She was thankfully able to stop herself just in time before she fell into her demise. The footsteps running after her also stopped a few meters from her.

 

“o! haeng-un-eun uli namjaae gat-a! (oh! seems like luck is with us boys!)” Little Seon Deok heard the same raspy voice speak meters behind her. She turned around to see all five men standing behind her swords either pierced on the ground or resting in their shoulders with smirks on their faces. “The heroine finally meets her end.” The leader spoke while glaring at little Seon Deok with his dilated dark orbs. The little girl returned the glare without even budging or showing any sign of anxiety nor fright. “You know, you’re one splendid kid.” The leader suddenly said praising the younger girl which caught little Seon Deok off guard. “Never have we ever thought of experiencing this kind of thrill in our lives again, chasing a little girl dressed in a hanbok.” The leader continued while pointing his sword at Little Seon Deok’s direction. “You’ve got a very high physical abilities kid. But sadly, those abilities would be ending right here, right now.” The leader of the bandits said in full murder while making his way to the girl.

 

Glancing behind her, Seon Deok has nowhere to go anymore. One single step and she’ll surely fall to her death. Looking up front, she saw how the leader of the bandit’s sword is already raised up above his head while his comrades were cheering him on.

 

“Is this really the end of me?” Little Seon Deok thought. She watched the leader of the bandits slowly inching his way to her spot. The little girl gulped the lump of saliva in while muttering a deep silent prayer for a saviour. Now, standing in front of the little girl...

 

“Any last words little girl? ” The leader of the bandits asked. The little girl was already teary eyed, helpless and...hopeless! “It’s too late to show me your tears little girl. I ain’t a softy to things like that.” The leader of the bandits exclaimed and finally swung the sword to end the little girls preciou