Revelations
The Kungfu Queen (Bodyguard Princess II)
"FALL BACK!" Baekhyun hollered, feeling the fire in his throat and ignoring it thoroughly. "FALL BACK RIGHT NOW!"
He saw that his soldiers had left their regular positioning and were just messily dotted out in the battlefield. He knew for a fact that it made then more vulnerable because there wasn't anyone to cover their back.
Chanyeol heard his order and looked around him in alarm. The korean soldiers were just blindly charging at their enemy with no planning and it was a suicidal act.
He met eyes with Baekhyun and nodded, hollering from his place. "FALL BACK!"
"Are you insane?" One soldier shrieked at Baekhyun while fending himself from a Japanese soldier. "Why fall back now? Makes them think we're going to lose!"
Baekhyun wanted to strangle them. Couldn't they listen to him because he was the leader? Could they please at least trust their lives in his hands?
If they continued acting recklessly like this, there was no doubt that they were going to lose.
He wasn't concerned about pride at this stage, god damn it. He was concerned about the survival of his country and his men.
They had to fall back right away, seeing how the Japanese army was still holding strong to their individual positions and forming a solid wall of human. His own troop's defense was falling at small alarming speed.
They had a good 3500 soldiers but these men would crumble like they were only 2000 men if they didn't work together.
"FALL BACK!" Baekhyun shrieked.
The soldiers didn't listen. Baekhyun winced as he saw a few of them et stabbed at dangerously fatal places and crumble to the ground groaning in pain. Death was inevitable in war, but Baekhyun was hoping he could cut that to the minimum.
At that moment while he stood there looking at the sea of raging men, Baekhyun suddenly felt lost.
He felt like a child that was so immersed in whatever he was doing that when he looked around, he realized he lost his mother. What the hell was happening around him? What should he do?
Baekhyun knew this was a sign that he had reached his mental limit and he trembled slightly beneath the thick armor. His hands moved out of their own accord as he fended off opposing enemies, not at all thinking.
He needed Byul. Right now.
To see her, to make sure be was alright. To hug her and tell her he was sorry, that even though she might be suffering in the palace due to mistreatments, he wanted to be selfish and he wanted to keep her by his side.
He wanted to find the solace he always found in Byul, the reason for striving harder, the motivation for whatever he did.
A fierce warrior-like cry rang out from his left, and the only reason why it stood out from the rest of the roaring men was because it didn't come from one.
It came from a woman.
Baekhyun snapped his head to the left immediately and his heart gave a hopeful squeeze when he saw Byul dressed in similar armor, riding a horse into the battlefield and bringing another troop of men behind her.
Baekhyun's eyes widened in surprise as he saw several familiar faces on the horses as they joined the korean soldiers in their fight.
"What the hell." He whispered under his breath as he knocked one Japanese soldier out cold. He galloped over to the incoming troop of elite men and shot daggers at the leader.
"What the hell?" Baekhyun cursed.
Kris smirked and raised a brow. "I suppose you need the help." He gripped his sword harder till his knuckles turned white. "I'm going to assume you're cursing out of happiness."
Baekhyun turned to the others EXO princes who were already thoroughly involved in the fight. Lay took down two Japanese soldiers in one swift swing of his sword, wounding and not killing.
Chen and Luhan worked together, covering each other's backs as they fought their way through incoming men. Xiumin was amazing with how he commanded the soldiers around him and they slowly built up the wall which was essential to defence.
Tao was the most spectacular out of the rest of them, flipping through the air and scaring the hell out of the unexpecting japanese soldiers. His kungfu skills were put to good use now, and he defeated so many men himself that the other soldiers were being inspired by his power and will, starting to fight more seriously for their country and themselves.
Baekhyun found his eyes trailing to someone else despite Tao's magnificence on the battlefield. Byul, to Baekhyun, was much more spectacular than Tao despite being weaker because she was a girl. She moved with such agility and grace that her lack in strength wasn't much of a weakness as she attacked her opponents.
She was so serious and focused as she was fighting, letting out anguished cries when some of her soldiers were hurt. Baekhyun never thought she looked more beautiful.
Her appearance there at the battlefield also made him want to strangle her on top of kissing her senseless as she was another thing to worry about out there. He couldn't afford to let her get hurt after all the trouble he went through to make sure that didn't happen. Baekhyun saw Eunhyuk fighting from the corner of his eye and snorted as he blocked an attack.
Good thing that guy was trying his best to defend Korea or Baekhyun would have Eunhyuk's head for not even being able to send Byul off to somewhere safe.
The Korean soldiers were gaining more momentum and enthusiasm when they saw the chinese backup. The EXO-M princes were fighting with so much strength and power that the korean soldiers found themselves trying just as hard to beat their opponents.
There seemed to be a glimmer of hope for victory just then, shining through the clouds.
The princes herded the soldiers and made sure they stayed in their positions, creating an unbreakable barrier. The japanese soldiers slowly backed away, knowing that charging forth wasn't the way to win. For a moment, it seemed as if both sides were equally strengthed and that the outcome of the entire fight was completely unpredictable.
Baekhyun found himself guarding beside Byul as he fought along with the princes. He hadn't even made a conscious effort to head in her direction and his body went along before he knew what was happening. He met her eyes while they were fighting and understanding passed.
Baekhyun hopped off his horse as his stallion was shot and a moment's grief passed at the death of the animal. Byul immediately took up her position behind him at his moment's pause and blocked an attack with magnificent speed.
Baekhyun snapped back to the cold reality and pressed his back against Byul's while they watched each other's back. The warmth from her skin was the only thing that kept him going, that kept him trying harder and gritting his teeth to go on even though he felt so awfully tired.
"You shouldn't be here!" Baekhyun yelled above the noise.
Byul dodged an arrow and pulled him out of the way. "I already am, so deal with it." she muttered under her breath, panting. Baekhyun ducked down and Byul rolled over his back, using her legs to kick three advancing soldiers at once.
She landed gracefully on her two feet and Baekhyun gave her a grin at her superb move. "I'd be happier if you were in a safer place." he added with an afterthought, punching a guy in the face.
"Safe doesn't rhyme with Byul." came her reply as she used Baekhyun's back to lift herself up, hurling fatal kicks at her opponents once again.
Baekhyun couldn't help but be glad at her presence despite his words. He needed her right now, to be here beside him.
The General Higashiyama frowned at the scene when the EXO-M princes arrived. The Japanese soldiers were losing momentum at the influx of new enemies and it was obvious that their morale was dropping while the Korean ones soared. It wasn't good.
He narrowed his eyes at his second eldest son and growled. "What are you doing there Natsume? Go out there and kill, right now!"
"Going." Natsume darted out into the battlefield once more, trying to look for opportunities to impress his father. He had been enraged when it was his sister Sora that was sent for the secret spy mission instead of him. He was the best fighter out of his siblings and he should have been the one to go.
But the General said something about a girl being less suspicious and whatever nonsense and sent Sora instead. Natsume hadn't found a chance to impress his father yet. He had to find one now.
His eyes narrowed on the Korean Crown Prince and his beloved that were fighting back to back, forming a power duo. He smirked and charged in their direction, knowing there was where he was supposed to be.
He moved so quickly through the men that they never even knew someone was darting through the people. Natsume clutched his sword tightly and aimed at the Byul's chest. It wouldn't be easy attacking her since Baekhyun already covered her back, so he had to use the element of surprise to get to her.
Natsume had the stealth of a cat and he reached Byul before the girl noticed him at the side. He smirked and raised his sword just as Byul was looking away, fighting another Japanese soldier.
This was it, his time to shine.
Natsume aimed his sword and used all his strength for the maximum blow. What he didn't expect was for Baekhyun to suddenly turn the duo around and for the sword to pierce through his chest instead.
Natsume's eyes widened in pleasant surprise and he actually cackled as Baekhyun fell to the ground in slow motion. Amazing! He initially aimed for the crown princess but he got the crown prince instead! His father was going to be so proud of him!
Which was when all his thoughts ended as Byul let out an anguished tortured cry and stabbed him in the chest in a similarly fatal area. Natsume's world out and the last thing he thought of was how he never even got to hear his father's praise.
-----
Sora swallowed thickly.
The battle was paused as both troops retreated to replenish their weapons and food. Many were wounded and others were dead, and they had to recover their losses and strategize further plans.
She saw the scene when Baekhyun had gone down, and it stuck in her mind. Byul's following tortured cry was sure to haunt her in her dreams for nights after.
She had no idea if Baekhyun was dead or alive, no idea if her ex-employer plus friend was alright or not. All that because she was on the other side.
She knew for a fact that Chanyeol was still alright, albeit wounded a little, becase she saw him lead the troops back when Baekhyun had fallen.
It was demoralizing for both sides as the Japanese lost Natsume as well, her foster brother, one of the best fighters and strategizers they had. The General and the rest of Sora's brothers were in one of the makeshift tents, discussing further plans.
Sora didn't join because she didn't think she was up for it. She didn't want to think, she just wanted to hug her knees and cry for the people who had died that day. She knew that she couldn't have stopped the war even if she wanted to, because if the General was bent on attacking korea, the day would come.
However, it still pained her to think that she could have been on the other side of the war at that moment, and knew that she wouldn't feel as bad if she did.
Sora sighed and walked back to the tent. Perhaps she should join the strategizing to occupy her troubled mind.
She was just about to open the flap of the tent when she stopped, hearing her name. She ducked outside the tent, not knowing why she bothered eavesdropping. She never did.
"Natsume's death was unfortunate, but don't forget, we get the last laugh because we still have Im Sora." the General's voice came drifting out from inside. Sora blinked, not knowing why he said that. He never really regarded her highly before. And he called her Im Sora, he always referred to her as Aimi before.
"Why?" Ryo's voice sounded, sounding indignant. "Aimi isn't that much of a good fighter, and besides, she's a girl." he spat. "She shouldn't even be allowed to be out on the battlefield."
"No." The General's smirk was audible, even. "The thing about Sora fighting against Korea isn't about her fighting skills or level of talent, it's about who she is, really."
Sora didn't know why a shiver ran down her spine.
The General gave a short laugh. "It's about the fact that she had gone over to be a spy for Japan, she had told us of where the koreans kept their rations, where they stored their weapons, created such confusion in the prince's lives which resulted in distrust....all this." he snickered. "It becomes worst when the Koreans know that it wasn't a Japanese woman that had done all that in the first place."
"Otosan?" Ryo sounded confused and a few of Sora's brothers voiced out their questions as well.
"Aimi isn't your real sister, I'm sure you know that." The General sneered. "I'm sure you've all heard about the story where I found her in a basket and nonsense like that. What you dont' know is how I got her and where I got her in the first place."
Sora stilled. Had the General lied to her?
"What are you talking about, Otosan?" another brother of hers asked. "You mean the story of how you found Aimi in a basket wasn't true?"
"Of course it wasn't true, do you think I wouldn't have killed a baby in a basket if I saw one?" the General spat. "I was once a spy sent to Korea and I was unfortunately found out by the previous king. But guess what, when I was being sent back to Japan, I stumbled upon a family of three. The man had been so stupid to offer me a meal, not knowing who I was." he laughed sadistically. "I killed him."
Sora winced. Killed the one who offered him a meal?
"Not only that, I stole their daughter as well." the General snickered. "Im Sora, her name was. Brainwashed her, trained her to be well versed in japanese and korean with the ultimate goal of having her as a top spy for Japan. Imagine, she had betrayed her own country without knowing, and Korea's impending downfall was caused by their own blood. Imagine the joy!"
Sora gasped and covered with her hand as tears sprang up in her eyes. She never adored the General, but she always felt indebted to him because he had brought her up, telling her that tale of how he saved her.
Bull.
He had killed her father. He was a murderer and a big fat liar.
All along, she had been believing and siding the wrong person, the wrong side. Sora ran away before her sobs got too loud and her position got discovered.
The General was going to pay.
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