A thin young man walked briskly down the dark streets, his green robes swishing with every step he took. He was tense, his heart racing in his chest as his eyes scanned the narrow roads for any sign of movement as he stopped outside a large closed wooden gate. He rapped sharply at the door, his ear pressed against the wood. With a muttered curse he moved back and, bringing his fingers to his lips, gave a shrill, sharp series of short whistles. He shot his gaze back up and down the road, palms sweating before a loud creak caught his attention. Slipping inside as soon as the gate was opened wide enough. An armed guard bowed to him, "Where's Siwon?" he demanded.

"The master is in his stu--Master Eunhyuk?" the guard called as Eunhyuk brushed by him and headed straight into his friends home. He didn't ackownledge any of the servants he passed as he made his way to Siwon's study, not bothering to knock as he burst inside, clsing the door tight behind him.

"Eunhyuk?! What's going on? Is everything alright?" Siwon asked, eyes wide as he pushed back from the table, books and parchment splayed out before him.

"No." Eunhyuk hissed as he surged forward, "The King's turned." he whispered.

"What?" Siwon balked, eyes wide.

"He's turned, changed his mind. Someone, I don't know who, produced documents to label you the traitor. I left as soon as I heard the claim that they had documents. Siwon--?" Eunhyuk asked as his friend began tearing around the room, pulling a torch off of it's post.

"I'd say it's about time we left then, wouldn't you?" Siwon asked before he set the flame against the bookshelf, watching as the flame took root and began to spread.

"Have you gone mad?!" Eunhyuk shriecked as Siwon tore from the room, Eunhyuk hot on his heels, meeting the servants as they raced down the halls.

"There's a fire, warn everyone and get outside!" Siwon ordered, "Get those you can to put it out." he instructed as he raced from the house, not stopping until they were in the stables.

"What the hell are you doing Siwon, what are you playing at? Didn't you hear me? The King thinks you're a traitor! Shouldn't you be working on proving your innocence?"

"What do you think I'm doing?" Siwon asked breathlessly as he pulled a horse from its stable. "Take the white one." he instructed.

"Setting fire to your home isn't exactly proving innocence!"

"It's a distraction. I won't be able to do anything once I'm arrested. If' I'm arrested, then I'm as good as executed." Siwon shot back as he began to saddle his horse. "You're with me aren't you Eunhyuk?"

"Of course I am! I'm just as deep in this as you are!"

"Then saddle your horse! They'll arrest you too. It's not only my neck on the line." Siwon cautioned as he dove into the stable and returned with a leather satchel, a bow and quiver slung over his shoulders, a sword slipped into his belt, tossing a bow and quiver to Eunhyuk.

"What's in there?" Eunhyuk asked, pointing to the bag as he accepted the weapon.

"Evidence, or proof if you will." 

"Proof? You mean you could clear your name at any time and sat on it?!" Eunhyuk nearly screeched as he finished preparing his horse.

"Not for that," Siwon replied grimly. "War's coming I'm afraid."

"So that's it, we're really turning traitor to our country?"

"The king is old, he's turned his back on us now, so it's either our lives or our pride. I love this country, but not enough to die for it under false claims." Siwon finished as he mounted his horse. "Lets go." he barked, heels kicking into his horses side, spurring it into action as he tore out of the stable.

With a curse Eunhyuk mounted his own steed quickly and with a cry raced off after Siwon. The sounds of their horses hooves clattering upon the ground seemed un-naturally loud in the silence of the night as they raced through the city. For a time Eunhyuk thought they were going to slip off undetected, that was until he spotted the first soldier. "Stop!" he barked as they tore past him, his cries alerting everyone to their escape. 

Siwon took a chance to glance behind him, cursing under his breath at the mounted soldiers hot on their heels. He didn't have long to dwell on that before another sound caught his attention, the large gates leading into the city were being closed. "Eunhyuk!" he cried, but he needn't have called his friends name as he saw an arrow fly, straight and true, imbedding itself into a guards neck. A second followed soon after into another guards chest seconds before they rode past the bodies, those few seconds earning them enough time to slip out of the gates with the loss of the ground help. The gates closed only moments after they slipped outside, their persuers trapped behind them in the city.

"Where are we going?" Eunhyuk demanded as they rode on, Siwon guiding the path.

"Don't worry, I have a plan, trust me." Siwon called back as they kept the pace. It wouldn't take the guards long to regroup and open the gates again, but he'd at least bought some time. It wasn't until they reached the edge of the forest that Siwon slowed his horse to a walk, coming upon a small stream to let them drink.

"We can't stay long here, the horses need rest, but...Siwon, where are we headed?" Eunhyuk asked, "They can't keep the pace forever. How much further?" 

Siwon didn't say anything for a long while as he pulled out a piece of parchment he had tucked away in the satchel, lips pressed in a firm line as his eyes scanned the page. "We're going somewhere they won't chase us."

"And where would that be?!" Eunhyuk snapped, gesturing back the way they'd come, a finger pointed to the horizon where their city stood, now a dark speck against the slowly lightening sky. "They won't ever stop, they'll send out messangers to the other cities, everyone is going to know our faces. There's no where safe we can stay here, and if you're thinking about hiding in another country. Well I hate to break it to you, but we're a good months ride away!" he snarled.

"Don't worry, we'll make it, but you're right. We have to go." Siwon repeated, tucking the parchment away into the satchel once more. "We have to keep the lead we have. Now, let's go." Siwon instructed as he guided his horse over the stream and remounted. 

"You could at least let me in on where we're going." Eunhyuk muttered as he got back on and followed after Siwon once more. Things were fine for the next few hours, it wasn't until they broke away from the forest and stepped upon a meadow that their persuers caught back up to them. Eunhyuk noticed first, hearing the noise before an arrow imbedded itself into the ground sending both horses into a bolt.

Siwon cursed as he spurred his horse on faster, he could hear the soldiers gaining on him. "Siwon!"  his friend cried, eyes darting to the large bridge ahead of them and coming closer with every second.
"Keep going forward. Don't stop, just keep moving!" Siwon called as their horses stepped onto the stone bridge and began to race across. Behind them they could hear a scream of horses, taking a chance Siwon looked behind him to see their pursuers had come to a sudden halt. He turned his gaze forward once more watching as the forest in the distance slowly grew closer. 
They slowed to a walk once their horses hooves touched the Earth once again. "You are insane Siwon!" his companion roared, gaze darting around the forest, hands clutched tighly at the reins of his horse. Sweat streaked down his face as he wipped it away, brushing his pale blonde hair out of his face. "The cursed lands? This was your plan?!"
"Well what else could we do Eunhyuk? They were going to kill us!"
"Like we're not going to die out here?!" Eunhyuk shot back, "You know the stories." 
"And they're just that," Siwon retorted, "Stories. Even if they're not, we can at least buy ourselves time this way, it isn't guarenteed we'll die out here, but if you want to turn back and take your chances with the soldiers than be my guest." Siwon panted.
"No, I don't want to go back." Eunhyuk spat bitterly, "This place just gives me the creeps." Eunhyuk shuddered as they dismounted their horses and pulled them towards some old ruins. A few flat stones, overgrown with grass and weeds with two large pillars, vines twining around the faded collums, seeking shelter from what remained of what had been a small temple with a large archeway providing a small amount of cover from the drizzle.

"Well don't worry, we have our weapons, but really Eunhyuk, we'll be fine. Guardians were wipped out years and years ago." Siwon soothed.
"Yeah, but isn't it terrifying? The idea that their stone creatures could still be wandering around?"
"That's a story, there's no proof of any such creature existing. Something of stone and flesh?" Siwon shook his head as he began stripping down his horse, removing it of its' burden.
"Well, if those things aren't real Siwon." Eunhyuk stammered, "Then what is that?!" he cried as he fell back. Siwon turned his gaze, paling as he caught sight of two luminious blue eyes staring back at them from the foliage of the forest.

He pulled his sword out and at the ready as he moved slowly back, but the eyes peering back never moved, and not a single sound could be heard from it. Cautiously, Siwon moved forward, hands clutching his sword tightly, still the eyes made no move. As he reached the edge he pushed the folliage away, exposing the stone head of something resembling a dog, the stone beast was large, the head of the stone beast alone equaling Siwon in size. Body trembling, Siwon gave the stone a quick kick, darting back quickly, but it never stirred. Slowly, Siwon lowered his sword, turning back to face Eunhyuk. "It's fine, it's just a statue." he assured. It was difficult to make out the statue in its entirety, most hidden by the folliage and thick vines that had taken root of the statues body, upon examination the dog like statue was built in a lying down position. Eunhyuk whistled in appreciation.

"How long do you think it took to make?"

"No idea, a year at the least. It's so huge. This must have been a temple or shrine. I bet this is a protective statue."

"Maybe...but this still creeps me out. Look at those eyes! I swear this thing was looking right at us."

"Yeah, but it's just a statue."

"Still," Eunhyuk pressed, "doesn't it make you wonder? This thing is so big, and we've only just arrived...it makes me wonder what others are on these lands...and if the legends aren't true."

"Honestly Eunhyuk, I think we'd both be stupid to not be on our guard." Siwon agreed as he turned away from the statue, for the first time he found himself questioning his own plan on coming to these lands.