vii. Bedouin Bounty Hunters

The birds chirped welcoming the new day. The thin fog floated in between the green leaves. Winter had not passed yet, but the weather that day was much warmer. Sunggyu who curled in the park bench awakened by the busy of the city starting the day. He had fallen asleep. Last night his feet didn't know where to step. Sat stunned alone in the bench. Stared at the clock tower. Remembering the good olden time. Fell asleep.

As usual, people passed in haste on the street. Little kid running around, for the gazillion time tried chasing the sparrows. Surely children never gave up with their want, until one day their parent would success to chase away that wish from their heart. Molding their selves to be what people called as a proper adult. Without dreams.

Sunggyu rubbed his dirtied face. He hoped this morning the sadness in his heart would lessen for a little. But the sorrow was still knocking his heart, and even multiplied. He remembered his Woohyuns who lied stiff in his bed. His frozen face formed a happy smile for the last time. Sunggyu bit down his lip. Whimpering.

One or two people who passed on the road near the park talking about the weird death in an inn in the previous day. Not many who understood the details of that incident. Some people who knew that the young lad was Sunggyu's sweetheart, gave a concerned glance at Sunggyu who was still sitting in the bench. Ah, sometime in the future in whoever wedding party, Sunggyu would play his violin happily again and would soon forget about that boy whose origin was across the country.

They dispersed back to their destination in haste again.

"SKY BLADE is coming!" Someone shouted from afar. Shoving some passerby, he ran from the direction of the port. His friends also yelled cheerfully.

"Armada of Floating City is coming!" The yells were getting louder, enthusiast.

The morning then became loud. Heads popped out from behind the windows. Doors opened. The streets crowded. Asking each other. Mumbling in curiosity. Laughing eagerly after heard the explanation. Joined the yelling.

In that city, comings and goings of a ship was not uncommon. But it was different for this fleet of ships. Everyone was interested to see it with their own eyes. For the past few months that news was already heard, the ruler of the country was sending an expedition team to find the Land of Hope. All the citizen knew about it, felt honored and proud with the giant exploration that had never been done before.

Though proud never always meant courage.

Everyone knew, the expedition was gambling with the death. The difference with the typical dice game was, in that journey death was in five from six sides of the dice. This city was the last port of call before the armada started leaving their country, splitting the wide ocean that no one knew where the edges. They still in need of people. A true sailor who was not only dared to bring the merchant ships crossing the shallow strait.

A true sailor who was not just proud.

Sunggyu grimaced, remembering his talks with the stranger in the cemetery last night. Right. He didn't know what he supposed to do since the morning in the day before. His life was dark. Only sadness burdened his heart. But he would not be that stupid to join that armada.

Sunggyu straightened his legs, stiff. Stepped home to his rented room in one dark and dull corner in that city. Maybe he could stay alone there, far from people's shouts about the stupid fleet of ships. Thinking about his future days in the stuffy room. Mourning his sadness.

--

Sunggyu sat in the corner of his room for a very long time. The light from the sun that had been rising couldn't breach between the thick walls and shone the room. He had been crying for the umpteenth time. Sunggyu wept. Cursing his cowardliness. Cussing his bad luck. Damning his childhood and anything that he could put his blame on. This loneliness was adding salt to his wound.

He curled, leaning. Hiding his head in the fold of his tucked arms and legs. Sobbing. If only he had the nerve to go after Woohyun. If only he had an inevitable reason and purpose to die. This problem would be as simple as the old-chapel legend.

Sunggyu sniveled. Unaware that his long awaited death was moving closer, indeed. Like a desert storm, came roaring. The inevitable reason and purpose was already so close to him.

Sounds of neighing and dozens of horseshoes clopped breaking up in the crowd. People outside yelled in dread. The crowd turned into chaos. As if there was another one or two Sky Blade ships docked.

Sunggyu raised his head. Wiped the corner of his eyes.

What is happening? Slowly he raised from the floor.

Trying to stick his head out from his window.

Right when his face seen from the outside, an arrow welcoming him!  Whizzing. Immediately followed by another four or five arrows. In reflex Sunggyu quickly withdrew before pierced by the sharp edge of the arrow that pitch-black in color. Coated with scorpion venom. The arrows stabbed the window frame. Oscillating.

The Bedouin bounty hunters!

Sunggyu's heart pounded hard in his chest. His breath shortened. How in this world they came this fast! Trembling, Sunggyu stepped back. His hands flailed reaching for the table to keep his legs standing.

Twenty people in robe, as what the tribal people would wore, came very fast to that city. LIke a tornado they galloped the best horse in the desert. Smiled coldly when agreeing with Woohyun's family, accepting a bag of gold, their payment to behead the son of that family and his lover.

Xue Fu was mistaken, Heechul's father couldn't explain the situation to them. Woohyun's death surely required another death, Sunggyu's. As the most feared assassin in the mainland and in the desert they only knew one thing: the command of the man who hired them.

In their ways to break in the city, they had injured the city guards who tried to prevent them to enter. Heechul's father could only yelled, yet letting them go. Heechul cried, scared to death. "Save Sunggyu! Please, Father! Anyone!" But no one could put a stop to the bounty hunters that violently passing the gate, to a certain corner of the city, kicking people who get in their way, galloping in full speed to their target.

Sunggyu immediately dithered. Trembling. Wasn't it the best for him? The death came to pick him? He would soon meet his love? But half of Sunggyu's mind already scared to the scent of death that came stinging, watering his eyes, choking his breath. Look, the assassins were holding curved blades, longer than his arms span. Their eyes pierced like starving lions. And they marched up the stairs, wanting to kill him.

Sunggyu s