Maybe it was because of all the choices she had made. Though she had tried her best to be careful and cautious of her actions, sometimes decisions weren’t for her to make but some celestial force out in the endless planes of this universe. Maybe it was her luck, her infamous luck that had landed her in the most unsettling of situations yet managed to simultaneously get her out of them. 

But right now, as Yi Dalnim swung her sword swiftly down on her opponent, feeling the sharp sting as an answering hit struck her across the shoulder, panic rose in her chest as her foot stepped back into nothing. And then suddenly, she was falling, falling down into the dark waters of the Sang River. 

There was a beat of silence as the world slowed down in front of her, terror like no other filled the depths of her soul, opening but not a sound escaped before time sped back up, sending her crashing into the cold currents. Pulling and pushing. The currents were fighting her every which way. Dalnim tried to thrash her way to the top, to get air, precious bubbles escaped as she struggled to pull herself up. Her sword had long since left her hand, somewhere at the bottom of the river no doubt. But finding her weapon was the least of her problems now, not when her lungs were burning and limbs quickly losing feeling. 

After what seemed like hours, she managed to break the surface of the water with a loud gasp. Her loud pants filled the night as she choked on air, trying to take as much in as possible to relieve her aching lungs. The current was still carrying her rapidly downstream. The half-constructed bridge connecting Haneul and Seok was no longer in sight. 

Teeth chattering, Dalnim kicked her legs as powerfully as she could in her numbed state, reaching desperately for the shore. Finding purchase on some much appreciated land, she dug her nails into the moist earth and hauled herself up tiredly. Chest still heaving as she gulped in breath after breath, Dalnim laid her body on the ground, eyes closing as exhaustion took over her. Once the immediate fatigue dimmed a bit, she forced her eyes open and recounted the events that just took place. 

They were fighting against the Haneul. In that fight, she fell off the not yet finished bridge of the Sang River. She floated downstream. But the most important question has yet to be answered. Where was she now? What side of the river did she pull herself out of? It was dark, too dark to be certain of anything. To stay and wait out the danger or make the trek back to the bridge was the question. 

Stay and wait.

Walk back to the bridge.