3 years later....

 

"And so that commences this meeting. Taxes will be lowered until crops are plentiful again. If I hear of any harassment, you will be beheaded. Am I clear?"

"Yes King Donghai." His court officials bowed deeply in respect.

The King walked off the throne in a silence. He had been in great thought for several weeks. Something was coming, he could feel it.

"What is disturbing my highness?"

The King walked to sit down in his private chamber. "Hyukjae, have you finished training?" His facial expression was tense. He wasn't upset at anyone, just over thinking.

"I will be an official Knight tomorrow evening, my king." Hyukjae beamed. The previous King had died before his training was complete, leaving his current King without a knightly comrade. And now after years of training, he was ready.

Donghai stood up and began walking towards his protector. He placed a gentle hand on Hyukjae's shoulder and squeezed. 

"You've come a long way, Hyukjae and I just wanted to say that -" The door swung open, revealing one of his other knights, Hangeng.

"My liege, the town is under attack! Shindong and his men have returned!"

Donghai's heart sank, could this be what his gut was telling him? As he rushed outside, followed by Hyukjae he could hear the cries of his people. He pushed past the door and the overwhelming heat stopped him in his tracks. 

They were burning down his kingdom!

"There he is!"

Arrows came firing his way and Hyukjae's sword cut through them. "We must move, your highness." Donghai wordlessly followed. They ran downstairs to the second entrance where Donghai's soldiers were fighting Shindong's men. One of them came rushing towards Donghai. In an instant he was cut down by Hyukjae's sword. 

"Stay with me, your highness."

Donghai agreed, "Yes, but we must find Shindong! How dare he return!"

They dashed into the chaos, Donghai's anger growing by the minute. Why would Shindong return all these years later? Instead of attacking him directly, he went after the kingdom. He'd rather pay than have everyone suffer at a foolish reason. As he ran past dead bodies of children he understood what war truly meant. It had no name, it was faceless and it came for everyone. Innocents included. Flames against his skin and he could feel the heat pulsating. 

"King Donghai, you've finally come off your pedestal." They turned around and Shindong was on his white horse smirking.

"Shindong, end this. Attacking innocents will not solve anything!"

"Now, now your majesty. You started it all those years ago. I warned you of what was to come. Your arrogance has made you blind. I'll enjoy finishing you off."

"Think of Hyoyeon, Shindong. She would never have wanted this." He pleaded out of desperation. If Shindong wanted his head, so be it. But not at the cost of anyone else.

"She killed herself." Shindong scowled. "This-" He pulled out his sword. "-This is for me." 

The king watched helplessly as Shindong's men spread out and began lighting the buildings around them on fire. This wasn't it. This was not the answer!

"Keep it!" He yelled. The air around them stilled, the sounds of crackling wood filled the air. "You wish to be king right? How can you lead and harm your own people?"

Shindong jumped off his horse, sword in hand. "As if you would be willing." 

"I would to protect them." Shindong grinned evily. 

"If that's the case then marry me."

"M-marry you?" Donghai stuttered and stepped back. Hyukjae stood before him defensively, sword pointed towards the enemy.

"It's the only option. Become mine and I will take over as King. You can protect your precious people and I will protect the gold amongst them."

Hyukjae growled. "NO!"

Shindong chuckled. "You think I would listen to a mutt? I'm talking to your King, slave. Sit down and be a good dog. As future King, the first thing I'll do is put you out." He waved his sword dismissing Hyukjae's words.

"Leave him out of this."

"You should've left him at the orphange." He replied darkly.

"No. I was wrong. You don't deserve to lead. You deserve to pay for what you've done." Donghai said sharply and stepped in front of Hyukjae.

The air around them grew thick. The flames that once flickered atop houses, eating away its flesh began to disperse into thick smog. 

"Excuse me? You would risk your people to save a mutt? To remain a bitter, lonely and dead King. I can't say I sympathize or that I'll cry at your funeral."

"I gave you the opportunity, you were the one who turned it down."

Shindong smirked. "Not by your rules." He ran forward, sword pointing towards Hyukjae. 

"CHARGE!" He yelled and his men quickly followed his lead. Hyukjae and the remaining soldiers gathered around Donghai to brace themselves for the attack. Unbeknowest to them, Donghai's rage was at its breaking point. Everyone had always told him what to do, his father, his country on how to lead, and now his ex-friend telling him to be his . To sit there quietly like a good boy. His father had continuously controlled him, never allowing him to use his powers that were now bursting at the seams. Powers that he knew nothing about choked him everyday in his sleep. He would awaken, feeling the flames smothering him and now this. He felt like he couldn't breathe. As if the flames were in his throat, capturing his lungs.

The sparks around him erupted into a blaze, whipping in the air. Shindong and his men stopped in their tracks.

"What the-"

Hyukjae and the soldiers were sent flying against the walls of the houses nearest to them. 

"I knew you were a monster! How your daddy protected a beast! Today, I will slaughter thee!" Shindong charged and Donghai, his eyes black as night, extended his arms forward, sending the flames rippling towards him. It engulfed their bodies in second, the skin melting off as their screams turned into anguish and wretched coughing. Their bodies coiling unwillingly into corpses.

 

 

When Hyukjae awoken, the damage was done. He had been jolted away in the aftermath, houses around him were partially burned and bodies laid before him. He pulled himself up, watching the other men do the same. He glanced around and found Donghai convulsing behind them, blood spewing from his mouth and trickling down his eyes. 

"My king!" He screamed, rushing towards his body. He tried to cease the shakings. What kind of monster did this? And what happened? He thought as he examined the King. There were burn marks on his palms and down his arms and he slowly understood. Those burned bodies were of Shindong and his men.....and his king had did it. This was what King Siwon had meant. He wasn't there to protect Donghai, he was there to save him from himself. 

Hyukjae gathered Donghai into his arms once the shaking ceased and carried him back to his private chambers. No one else could see him like this, although he feared too many had already. 

 

The flames at his flesh, tasting the skin as it crisped up. "Hyukjae!" He cried out and ran towards his savior who lay upon the Earth, eyes dead and wide with fear. "NO!!" He screamed. King Siwon appeared. "You did this! You did!" "NOO!!"

Donghai awoke with a fright, his skin covered in goosebumps and sweat. He looked around the room and noticed Hyukjae sleeping in a chair beside his bed. He exhaled with relief.

"Hyukjae." He called and the man stirred in his sleep. "Hyukjae." He called out again more firmly. The sun peaked behind the curtain.

"Hmm?" Hyukjae's sleepy voice replied. "Your majesty! You're awake!" The man quickly inspected the King, unravelling the bandages and noticed that the wounds on his arms and palms had healed.

"You are fine, thank goodness."

"What" Horrid images flashed in his eyes. The gut wrenching smell of burnt flesh. He gagged, leaned over the side of the bed opposite of the man and vomited. Tears prickled and his throat burned. Hyukjae was on him in a second with a cup of water, he reached for it and took small sips, his lips quivering. 

"What have I done?" He cried out. 

"You saved everyone...."

"At what cost?" Donghai sobbed, covering his face with his hands. 

"The lives of Shindong and his men."

Donghai heaved again, the vomit seeping in short bursts. His savior patted his back and rubbed it soothingly. 

"You saved your kingdom, your highness. King Siwon would have done the same."

Donghai wiped at his mouth with the dirtied sleeve.

"My father didn't have my powers." He said bitterly.

"So it was you." 

"Didn't he tell you? I'm a monster." 

Hyukjae sat besides the king, removing his hand. "No, you aren't. You did what you had to do. I'm sorry I couldn't be of any help."

"I murdered hundreds of men with my mind, or whatever this is."

"And how is that any different than a soldier who goes out into the battlefield. You are a king, you said you would protect everyone at any cost and that's exactly what you did. Even with powers, you are still my liege."

Donghai stared at his hands. He saved them, he did. But with powers he couldn't control. The tears fell slowly. The nightmares were increasing and his moods were far too violatile. If he couldn't control this, would he eventually harm his kingdom too?....even his savior?

"To keep protecting them. I must leave." Donghai tossed off the comforter, swinging his legs towards Hyukjae and got off the bed. He began changing his tattered royal clothing into plain ones. Hyukjae stood as well, not liking what was happening and reached for his king's hands. 

"What are you doing, your majesty. You cannot leave, they need a king."

"And a king they will have. You." Hyukjae paused. 

"Not I, my king. I am to follow you for life and no one else."

Donghai removed Hyujae's hands. "A savior for a king. Not an ordinary citizen. You can protect the next liege, for I will not be important."

"The promise was from King Siwon to I and it was for Lee Donghai of Meridia until my last breath."

Donghai took a step back. "You don't have to. It will be far more dangerous. This is a path where I am unsure of what is to happen. My father is no longer here and if you remained, neither of us would blame you. These powers--I cannot control them. I don't even know what they are, but I must leave. Some of Shindong's men escaped and only I am capable of capturing them before they return."

"Then we will do so, your majesty. Together."

 

"I have kept everyone safe in my promise to protect my father's kingdom, and my forefather's kingdom. But in my hands, I fear Shindong's remaining men who were able to flee will return. In order to protect everyone here, I must find them. And with that, I leave a much better leader than myself. I will be denouncing my title as King and I leave it to Sir Leeteuk to take hold and protect Meridia with his life as I will do so afar. I was the cause of everyone's grief and I intend to finish what was started."

The crowd roared in sadness.

"Please, understand that these are choices that a king must make sometimes. That the life and liberty of his or her kingdom is far greater than their own life. You have my blessings, Sir Leeteuk and Long Live Meridia!"

The crowd chorused together, "Long Live Meridia!"

"Long Live Meridia!"