I ran as hard as I could. My legs felt like they were moving by themselves as I raced down the steps. My brain couldn't even keep up with the steps and I nearly tripped when I got halfway down. There was dim light from the torches and I could still hear Jongin's grunts echo off the walls as he fought with the monsters. They faded as I neared the light.
 

It wasn't exactly a door. The light spilled in from the ground where the tunnel got narrower and narrower. The ground was more like a swamp here but I still maintained the same speed despite how my feet threatened to slip. With the metallic stench of blood in the air, I had to breathe through my mouth.

The light got closer but I still couldn't figure out what kind of door this was until my feet flew out from under me and I was sliding down towards the light.

"Ah!" I tried to hold onto something but all the water just rushed down with me. Finally, I felt the ground leave me and I was staring at a pool of grey and brown. I fell in and spat out the foul liquid. This must've been the sewage.

"Han Eun Kyo!"

I looked up and for a second, wished for Jongin to be the one calling my name. How foolish I was.

"Prince Wu," I called, running towards the prince who was getting off of his horse. We were on a lush grass field that did not reflect what was going on inside the castle.

The prince pulled me into his chest and then sped towards his horse. "Are you all right?" He asked as he examined my limbs. I was sore and tired but I couldn't think about myself at this moment.

"I'm fine," I reassured him. "But—"

Yifan nodded and then turned to cup his hands around his mouth. "Now!" he yelled. I looked around and suddenly men on horseback were running away from the castle on all sides. I looked to Yifan in panic but he just carried me onto his horse and we rode into the forest.

I stared back at the castle, wondering what the plan was. "But Prince, Jongin's still—" then my jaw went slack as I saw a ball of red destroy the stone bricks that I had just come out of. It took a moment for the boom to reach my senses.

"Wait, Yifan, he's—" My hands grabbed at the prince's jacket but he wouldn't listen to me. He wouldn't even say a word. And then another explosion went off.

And then another one.

And then another one.

"He's still in there!" I screamed. "JONGIN IS STILL IN THERE!" I pushed against the prince's arms but he wouldn't relent.

I could see the gathering of the prince's men near us and I realized that we were all safe. But I didn't care about that; I just wanted Jongin to be safe.

The castle hadn't come down yet. If I could just wiggle myself off the horse and get myself back there, I could pull Jongin out.

As if the bombs could hear my thoughts of hope, another explosion filled the air. A sob got stuck in my throat as my nails dug into Yifan's shoulders. After a second the black cloud began to dissipate.

"JONGIN!"

Please let the castle still stand. Please, please, please.

I begged every God I knew. I begged the sky and the earth and the wind, but nobody heard my pleas.

When the smoke left, all I saw were the remnants of a castle. The stone bricks toppled to the ground and there was no longer an obstacle between my vision and the other side of the field.

The castle was gone.

The noise that left my mouth didn't sound like me. I didn't think I had the power to cry that loudly, but my entire self was in pain. My body hurt, my head ached, and my heart just sat there in a million pieces. Was it still functioning?

For a miraculous moment, I felt Yifan's arms loosen and I took that chance to give my greatest shove. I fell to the ground and stumbled away before anybody could even react. My dress was drenched and weighing me down but I barely noticed. My focus was entirely on the castle.

Until I felt arms take me around the waist.

"No!" I kicked. "Let me go!"

I was put back on a horse and this time, Yifan made sure he had a tight hold on me.

"I'm sorry," he said in a low voice. "I can't."

"What do you mean?" I screamed and tried prying his arms off again but my strength was diminishing. "You had a plan! He said you had a plan!" I scratched at his arms furiously as my tears blurred my vision.

"We did have a plan."

I pointed to the castle. "You bombed the place! You bombed the place and he was still in there!" I cried incredulously.

The prince only looked at the ground, dejected. "That was his plan."

I in a shaky breath through my teeth. My limbs went numb and I no longer had the energy to fight. "No..." I whimpered. "You're...You're lying. He didn't...no..."

"I'm sorry."

But he didn't have to apologize because the prince wouldn't lie.

Kim Jongin, on the other hand, was always lying.

---

:)