Three days had passed by and Suwha felt like the whole quest was a waste of time. She had already lost her orientation and the grey mountains didn’t seem to come closer at all. All she could do is follow the one person she would like to be as far away from as possible. Youngjae kept his speed up and never even once looked back to make sure she was still behind him. At night they slept around a little campfire, but Suwha didn’t feel warm or cosy. Sleeping on the ground with her head resting on the backpack wasn’t comfortable in the slightest. By day they trod through the vast landscape. They didn’t meet anyone. No one would live in such a place. It was hard to find refreshment and food, but eventually they managed to survive.

At the seventh day, as far as Suwha could remember, they stopped in a little forest at the foot of the mountains. Because of the heat, most of the trees and plants had dried. Still they went looking for something to eat in the evening. Youngjae spotted some berries on wild growing bushes. He picked them and was about to shove them into his mouth, as Suwha noticed. “Don’t!” she yelled from afar. He turned to her and furrowed his eyebrows. Suwha came closer. “Those are belladonna berries.” He looked clueless. “They are poisonous.” He quickly dropped the berries, wiping the hand on his pants. “How do you know?” he asked. Suwha told him about Yujin. “She was studying the effects of lethal plants and she told me about it.” Suwha could see that he was embarrassed about the situation. She had just saved his life. Being saved by a girl must have hurt his pride. “I think I’ve found some apples over there.” She said pointing between two trees. Youngjae just nodded. She turned to go. “Suwha?” That was the first time he had said her name.  It felt strange. She looked back at him. He hesitated but then he said clearly and Suwha couldn’t quite believe it “Thank you.” She tried not to show it but Suwha felt happy for the first time in a long while. “Let’s go.”

From that day on, the tension between them seemed to slowly be relieved. They kept silent, but it didn’t feel odd anymore. He would even check on her on the way. More often their eyes met each other. Suwha caught herself staring at him when he wasn’t looking.

They had reached the borders of the grey lands. Their destination was almost in reach now. Yet neither of them knew what they were looking for. One day they kept arguing about what it could be along the road. Youngjae seemed sure it would be sword. “One  of the great seven.” He would always mumble drifting off in his thoughts. Suwha on the other hand believed it to be something of more value. “I could imagine master Jonghung would want us to find a medallion.” Youngjae had reacted scoffingly. “A medallion has no worth. Neither can you defend yourself with it.” He had turned away shaking his head. Suwha tried to remember. Jonghung had given her a little golden locket when she had been eight years old. Since then Suwha had always hidden it under her pillow in the sleeping dorms. It was most precious to her. It somehow reminded her of her parents. Youngjae couldn’t understand. The worth of an object was how much it meant to someone, not how much money one could get for it. She wished she had taken the golden locket with her.

Another day passed by. Suwha noticed that her feet had become sore. It felt like ages that they had set out at the temple. Home was far behind and they were surrounded by loftly mountains. They had just stopped to get some rest. Youngjae had gone to look for some water. Suwha sat alone on a little rock eyeing her sword. She hadn’t used it before. Since the day it had been given to her, she hadn’t never once even drawn it. Slowly she pulled it out. The silver blade was glistening in the sun. She observed her reflection. Just then she noticed how long she had been from home. Her cheeks had sunken in. Her tired eyes were surrounded by dark shadows. It had been  very hard for her to find some sleep. It was the great wilderness under the dark sky that tensed her every muscle making her unable to fall asleep. Her hair was rumpled up, hanging down around her face. All in all she wondered how Youngjae could look at her without spilling another repelling comment. She was eyeing her skin as she noticed a movement behind her. Quickly she turned around facing the big road that led through the wasteland. From afar she spotted a carriage coming down her way. Three men on horses were leading the company. Suwha shivered as a terrible thought came to her mind.

“Bandits.” She whispered quietly. She slipped off the rock and hid behind it. Her sword was still resting in her hand. As they came closer, Suwha saw a girl being tied to the back of the carriage. She was struggling hard to get rid of the ropes. The girl was blindfolded, yet she reminded Suwha of someone. Some she knew…Suwha widened her eyes. “Yujin!!!” Her voice echoed over the road. The horses neighed and the men turned their heads towards her. In shock about what she had just done, she hunched up behind the rock. Then she felt a hand on her shoulder. “Youngjae.” She said breathless. For the first time she felt happy to see him. Warmth spread out from where he had touched her. “Ok, listen.” He looked over to the bandits, then back at her. “I will distract them. As soon as you think you can make your way through, you run and get your friend.” She couldn’t believe his words. Since when did he care about her? Why would he risk his life to save a girl, he had sworn to hate because she had escaped? Suwha kept staring at him trying to figure out what he was playing on. Youngjae looked confused. “What’s wrong?” he asked. “Why..why would you help me?” she asked slowly. He hissed. “Come on, you saved my life. Now’s my turn.” Suwha heard the men shouting. Then footsteps came closer to the rock.

Youngjae looked at her, his eyes piercing her very soul. “Do you trust me?” he asked. Suwha nodded. Then he revealed himself to the bandits. Suwha heard blades crashing against each other. The men screamed in anger charging towards Youngjae. Carefully she crawled forward on all fours to sneak a peek. He was fighting all three of them at once. She looked at the abandoned carriage. It was only metres away, but Suwha kept thinking that they would notice her. But she had to get there. Youngjae was fighting these men, so that she would free Yujin. She gathered all her courage and sprinted to the carriage. Roughly she leaned her back against the back wheel. No one had seen her. They were still busy fending off her companion. Yujin was struggling at the back. Quickly she took off her blindfold. Yujin gasped. Her eyes brightened as she saw Suwha looking at her with a smile. “Suwha.” She sgihed in relief. “What on earth are you doing here?” Suwha panted. “I could ask you the same.” Youngjae appeared beside her. He had successfully fought off the bandits. Suwha could almost make out a smile on his face as he saw her having freed Yujin.

They had searched the carriage for food and water. They had found enough for all of them to eat. Yujin was enjoying a piece of bread as Suwha’s curiosity showed. She needed to know how she ended up being a hostage of bandits. Yujin began to tell after gulping down her last bite. “I was on my way to the great city in the east. I thought I could find them there.” Suwha nodded. Youngjae looked first at her and then at Yujin with a clueless face. “Sorry, who are we talking about?” Suwha explained him. “Yujin left to find her real parents. That’s why she escaped that one night.” Youngjae’s expression softened and he sank his head. “What’s wrong?” Yujin asked him. Youngjae sighed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.” Yujin smiled. “No need to apologize.” After staring at Youngjae because of his words, Suwha said. “He tried to stop me from helping you.” Yujin lost her smile and looked at Youngjae. He shook his head. “I didn’t know you left because of your parents. I’ve seen many children getting away and it’s always been the same reason. They wanted to join the bigger temple in the west and therefore betray our master. I just couldn’t let them escape. But you, you left for your parents. I’m truly sorry.” Youngjae bowed in front of her. Yujin accepted his apology with a bright smile. They looked at Suwha.

had dropped open. Her eyes were fixed on Youngjae. She couldn’t believe what he had just said. After all they’ve been through, he had never even once heard him speak so sincere and honest. She was breathing heavily. Yujin giggled as she saw Suwha’s expression. Youngjae lowered his eyes and smiled. Suwha felt embarrassed. “Back to your story. What happened to you, Yujin?” She asked her. “Well, on my way I was taking a rest at an old farm house. Unfortunately it was the gathering spot of this pack of bandits. They took all my belongings and tied me up. If you hadn’t found me, I would have been sold as a slave.” Yujin shivered at this thought. Suwha took her hand and comforted her.

Then she told her about their quest to the grey mountains. Yujin’s eyes switched between her and Youngjae and a big smile appeared on her face. “What?” Suwha asked. “Nothing. I’m just happy that you two managed to work together.” They looked at each other shortly before looking away again. “Will you join us?” Suwha asked her. “On your quest? No. I need to keep searching for my parents. That is why I left the temple in the first place. You two go on finding that object you don’t know.” She giggled. Suwha felt sad having to say goodbye. They wished each other good luck and after a long hug of the girls, Yujing set off with new supplies of water and food. It was the last time that Suwha saw her friend.

After some time Youngjae and her were alone again. She looked up at him. He was in deep thoughts. “What is it?” she asked him. “I was thinking..” he began slowly. “Maybe we can take the horses. We would be much faster than on foot.” Suwha smiled and nodded. They packed the rest of the supplies on the back of the horses and mounted them. Suwha had never sat on a horse before. It was a very uncomfortable feeling but she managed to stay on top. Youngjae laughed at the sight of her. He seemed to have no problem riding the horse at all. Skilfully he took the reins and told the horse to turn around. “Are you okay up there?” He joked. Suwha had problems directing the horse into the right direction, she couldn’t answer. “You look…” but she interrupted him scoffingly. “I know, I know. I look like a fool.” Youngjae laughed. “No, that’s not what I was trying to say.” She looked at him. “The horse suits you.” He said with a smile. Suwha giggled. Then she sighed and spoke with an open heart. “Thank you, Youngjae for saving her. It means a lot to me.” Youngjae nodded. Suwha’s horse neighed loudly. She gasped and covered her face in shame. Youngjae gave a loud laugh patting the side of his horse. “Let’s go.” He said and they set off towards the mountains.

They were quite quick. Youngjae was riding in front of her leading the way, but Suwha became more and more confident on horseback. She even raced Youngjae for a short distance. At sunset they reached the foot of the grey mountains. They got off of the horses and let them out to grass. Suwha had a look around. A cool breeze her face. “Looks like it will rain soon. We should find a shelter for the night.” Youngjae had stopped beside her looking up into the sky. Dark clouds were hanging above them. Suwha agreed and they made their way into the woods. Suwha felt little droplets on her skin. Soon it was raining heavily. She heard Youngjae shouting at her side. “There is a cave in front. We should hide in there.” They quickly ran inside. It was already too dark to see but Suwha didn’t mind. She was soaking wet and sleepy. So they decided to take a rest until the morning. “By then the rain will surely have stopped.” Youngjae said and bid her goodnight. Soon Suwha became very weary. The sound of the rain faded away and she fell asleep.

She woke up by the sunlight. The sun shone warmly on her face giving her a comfortable awakening. She turned to see Youngjae sleeping beside there. Suwha couldn’t help but smile. The hate she had felt in the first days together, had vanished. She started to like her companion. They had helped each other and even worked together. And now that she was looking at his sleepy face, Suwha didn’t see the pride and arrogance it had once displayed. It looked friendly just as he had been to her lately. Suwha felt happy.

Then Suwha’s eyes were distracted by a slight glistening in the back of the cave. The sun lightened the darkness from the night before. The cave wasn’t very big and the walls weren’t high, but at the very end of it, something small sparkled back at her. Suwha’s eyes brightened. Without taking her eyes of it, she patted on Youngjae’s shoulder. He woke immediately. “What?” he asked out of breath. Then he saw Suwha’s face. “Look.” She said pointing at the end of the cave. Youngjae stood up and turned to see. His face darkened. “Is it what I think it is.” He stepped closer. Suwha stared at him. Youngjae reached out his hand in desire. Suwha followed him to see. On a little stone lay a red glistening dagger. It had beautiful carvings that shimmered in the sunlight. Both of them looked down at the dagger. “This is it.” Youngjae said. Suwha sighed. They had found it...

Thanks again for all readers :D I hope you all enjoy reading this story. Cheers!