The search for Joohyun took as much time as Taeyeon predicted. After two days of travel, all of them found a small cave to where Donghae had directed, but there was no sign of their clan brother. For hours, they waited and as the night drew nearer, a large and imposing figure appeared from out of the shadows. Joohyun had just come back from his daily hunting and training. Forced to live the secluded life of a hermit, he had to depend upon the forest fauna and flora to survive, which in turn kept his abilities at their peak. Taeyeon calmly ordered his friends to spread out and make a survey of the surrounding area. Knowing that their clan brother was the former head of the fighter sect, his reflexes and senses were second to no one. Even Taeyeon, who excelled in those attributes, doubted himself when compared to him. Yuri took the east side with Sooyoung on the west. Soonkyu positioned herself on the south while Taeyeon went to the north. They left their captive bound and gagged to a tree to avoid alerting their brother and engage in any unnecessary confrontation. Yuri and the others waited at their positions while Taeyeon proceeded towards the cave after making sure the coast was clear. The small entrance bellied the vast insides of Joohyun’s make-shift home. Those who ventured here were sure to lose their way. The lead ninja went in further and saw nothing but pitch blackness.

“No wonder the people from our clan find you so mysterious, brother Joohyun. Even your way of living is strange.” Walking in the dark without any light was dangerous for any man, whether he is a warrior or not. Taeyeon sat down and calmly felt the air currents. The current flowed towards the west, and that is where the young ninja went. He saw a flickering light at the end of the darkness and went towards it.

“I have been waiting for you, hyung. Took you long enough to get here. Tell me, why have you come?” Joohyun was sitting by the small fire, waiting for his next meal to cook. There was no doubt in the keenness of this man’s senses. He sensed Taeyeon approaching from about ten meters away even though the latter moved as quietly as possible.

“I am not here to give you trouble, dear brother, but to offer you the chance to reclaim what is rightfully yours.” Taeyeon dared not to approach the larger man. Though he was sitting down, his fighter’s aura permeated throughout the cave. To say that this man was dangerous was a huge understatement. “May I sit down with you?”

“You are welcome to do so, hyung. We are still brothers, after all.” Joohyun replied whilst keeping his back towards his older clan brother. A deafening silence engulfed them as the two Dragon ninja sat by the flickering flames. The younger man spoke first. “What news do you have of our clan? Is it still alive?”

All of the tension that had been built up was finally released when Joohyun began to speak. The younger ninja was known to be the strong, silent type, but after hearing his brother’s words, he knew that all he wanted to do was talk. Just like with Yuri, Soonkyu and Sooyoung, Taeyeon discussed everything that had happened as of recent, from the night Siwon betrayed the clan to the day Donghae revealed what his master’s plans were. After hearing such ill news, the former head of the fighter sect renewed his resolve and accepted his brother’s offer. For the sake of their clan’s freedom, Seo Joohyun would take his stead beside his fellow clan members and fight to stop Siwon’s evil deeds. With an exchange of a firm handshake, Taeyeon made a connection with Joohyun, as with all of his current companions. The three Dragon ninjas outside the cave felt the newly formed link and had assumed that another friend has come to lend a helping hand. Soonkyu went inside the cave first followed by Yuri and Sooyoung who dragged the still bound Donghae along. The five friends had a small feast in honor of their goal to free the Dragon clan. The night ended well, and tomorrow would mark Taeyeon and Yuri’s return to the village, to the longing arms of the women they love and adore, to where they belong.

“Wait for me, Miyoung-ah… We will see eachother again soon… Saranghae…”

“My dear Sooyeon… I hope you have been well… Wait for me…”

As his captors lay sleeping in the cave, Donghae hatched a plan to escape. He quietly hopped towards one of the sharp stones nearby to cut the ropes on his hands. It would have been successful had it not been for Yuri who saw him just in the nick of time. Soonkyu awoke from her slumber from the sound of bones crunching and saw the captive ninja being punished by her brother for trying to escape. She watched Donghae get beat up instead of going back to sleep, finding the sounds of pained shouting more to her liking than sleeping. The punishment lasted until sunrise, which by that time, Yuri and Soonkyu had hung Donghae outside on the branch of a tall tree. Sooyoung and Taeyeon were surprised to find him there with the former laughing hysterically at the sight. Joohyun let out a polite chuckle upon seeing Siwon’s henchman in such a sorry state. Taeyeon smiled and shook his head over his friends’ silly antics before telling them to get ready for the journey home. Donghae was cut down after they had packed their belongings and yet again, dragged along as the five friends travelled. It took a week before they arrived at the hillside where Soonkyu, along with her namchin and the youngest of the group would be living.

“Well, I guess this is goodbye for now, you three. Yuri and I have to get going.” Taeyeon spoke as he was fixing his rucksack. He set his eyes on Donghae afterwards. “What do you think we should do with him?”

“I think we should just throw this rat of the cliff. Makes him one less pest we have to worry about.” Soonkyu’s suggestion definitely caught Donghae’s attention. The tied-up man crawled over to Taeyeon to beg but was harshly pulled back by the girl. “Get back here!”

“Please! Oh, please, do not kill me! I will do anything! ANYTHING!” Like a little boy begging his mother for a toy, he pleaded for his life. Such fear-filled words were falling on deaf ears.

“You do not have anything that is of use to us, Donghae. I think we should just finish him right here. It would be my pleasure to do so.” Yuri unsheathed his sword and brought the tip right at the frightened man’s neck.

“No, hyung. As much as I want to do it myself, it is still not right. Keep him alive. He could be put to good use when the time comes.” Joohyun interjected and Taeyeon agreed, much to the others dismay.

“You should thank Joohyun and Taeyeon. By now, you would be a bodiless head if it were not for them.” Yuri put away his sword. Still feeling agitated, he threw a hard punch right at Donghae’s face. “Much better.”

“Nice punch, Yuri. A shame that I was not the one who gave it to him.” Sooyoung gave his friend a tap on