The night was thick with smoke and screams. Flames rose through the village below, painting the sky a furious red as three siblings run through the underbrush, feet raw, hearts pounding out a wild, terrified rhythm.
The oldest, Jun, gritted his teeth and pulled his siblings along, his every muscle screaming with the need to run faster.
"Keep going, Lan," he whispered harshly, glancing back at his sister, who clutched their youngest brother's hand so tightly her knuckles were hardened. "Don't look back. Don't stop."
Lan's face was streaked with blood and tears, his wounded legs trembling. "Jun, I can't—my legs—"
"You can," Jun said sharply. "Jin, stay close to your sister. Do not let go. Do you hear me?"
Jin barely eight, nodded, eyes wide and unblinking. He didn't make a sound, not even when the horses thundered on the road above, their riders shouting, "Search the trees! No one escapes Prince Yong's justice!"
Lan stumbled and Jun caught her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders, urging her on. The forest swallowed them, thick with shadows and the scent of burning.
A sudden shout rang out nearby—a soldier had spotted fleeing villagers. Horses crashed through the brush, their hooves pounding ever closer.
"There!" a voice shouted. "I see them! Three brats—run them down!"
Jun's heart seized. He pushed his siblings ahead. "That way—there's a cave, just ahead. Hide there. Don't make a sound. I'll lead them away."
Lan's eyes widened in horror. "No, Jun! Stay with us—"
"Listen to me!" Jun hissed, forcing calm into his voice. "I promised Mother I'd protect you. I'm keeping that promise. Jin, take care of your sister. I'll be back."
He pressed a quick kiss to the top of Lan's head, squeezed Jin's shoulder, then vanished into the trees, moving like a shadow.
Inside the narrow cave, the siblings crouched together, shivering. Above the roar of the flames, Lan could hear her own breath, ragged and sharp. Jin pressed his face into her shoulder, trembling.
"Will he come back?" Jin whispered.
"Yes," Lan said, her voice breaking with hope she didn't feel. "He always comes back."
The sounds of the enemies had grown louder—perhaps six or seven riders, moving through the trees.
'I just need to get them away from the cave. Create a false trail. I can lose them in the ravine.'
Jun snapped a branch from a nearby tree, then tossed it away from the cave, making sure his footprints were visible in the soft snow. Once he was sure he'd left a clear trail leading away from his siblings' hiding place, he broke into a run.
His heart hammered against his ribs as he sprinted through the underbrush. The whines from the horses confirmed his plan was working—they were following him, not searching near the cave.
'Now I just need to survive this.'
A fallen log provided cover as Jun caught his breath. From his hiding spot, he could see four riders had dismounted, while two others remained on horseback, scanning the forest.
"Spread out. You, go east!" the leader barked. "The rest, with me. We'll catch the bastard."
'I need to separate them. Pick them off one by one.'
He run deeper into the forest, moving silently as his father had taught him during hunting trips. When he reached the edge of a stream, he left clear footprints leading down, then walked back where he'd leave no tracks.
The strategy worked. Two soldiers followed the false trail into the stream, while the others continued searching the forest floor. Jun circled behind the man left alone, gripping his knife tightly.
The first soldier never saw it coming. Jun leapt from behind, driving his blade into the gap between helmet and armor. Hot blood sprayed across his hand as the man dropped with a chocked gasp.
'What have I done?' Jun stared at his bloodied hands in shock. He'd never killed before—had only used his knife to clean fish and dress rabbits. But the image of his burning village hardened his resolve.
He took the dead soldier's sword, the weight unfamiliar but helping. The weapon would give him a chance against the others.
The second soldier appeared moments later, calling for his companion. "Zhang? Where are you?"
Jun pressed himself against a tree trunk, trying to control his breathing.
'Stay quiet. Stay low.'
The soldier stepped into the small clearing and froze at the sight of his fallen comrade.
"We have a fighter here!" he shouted, drawing his sword. "At south stream!"
Jun knew he had seconds before the others arrived. He charged from his hiding place, swinging the borrowed sword in a wild arc. The soldier defended the blow, metal scraping against metal with a shower of sparks.
"Little village rat," the man shouted, countering with attacks that Jun barely dodged.
The soldier was trained, his movements precise and powerful. Jun back stepped, recalling the sword techniques he'd seen his father practice.
'He's stronger. But I'm faster.'
Jun pretended to go left, then dodged right as the soldier's blade whistled past his ear. Off-balance, the man stumbled forward. Jun seized the opening, piercing his sword into the soldier's exposed side, blood gushing out.
A scream tore from the dying man's throat. Jun pulled his blade free, watching in horror as the soldier collapsed.
Just then the last two soldiers came circling him with their horses. One grinned, "Not bad, kid, but you're outnumbered."
Jun bared his teeth. "So were you there when your general raped and killed my mother."
The soldier charged at him fast, swinging low.
"I should've been the one to fuck that milf."
Jun sidestepped, grabbed the man's arm, and twisted it at the elbow. The soldier screamed, dropping his sword. And he slammed his fist into the man's face, sending him sprawling.
The last soldier hesitated, fear flickering in his eyes. Jun lunged, then drove the blade into the man's chest. The soldier gasped, vision going blur.
Jun panted, standing over the bodies, his sword slick with blood. For a moment, his knees threatened to buckle.
Lan. Jin.
He sprinted back to the cave, heart thundering with relief and dread.
Inside, the cave was silent. Too silent.
"Lan?" Jun called softly, stepping inside. "Jin? It's me. It's safe—"
The torchlight flickered across the stone, showing red stains splattered across the floor. Jun's world tilted.
Lan lay across Jin, her arms still wrapped protectively around their brother. Their eyes were open, blank. Blood pooled beneath them. Jun fell to his knees, a strangled cry tearing from his throat.
"No. No, no, no—please—wake up, Lan, please—Jin—no, gods, please—"
He shook them, desperate, as if enough force could will their spirits back. "I promised—I promised I'd protect you—I'm sorry, I'm so sorry—Mother, forgive me—"
His sobs echoed in the cave, raw and broken.
A slow, footstep sounded behind him. Jun turned, face wet with tears, rage and grief warring in his eyes.
A man stood in the cave's mouth, sword dragging through the blood. He wore the black and red of Yong's private guard. His face was twisted in a cruel smile. He lifted the blade and ran his tongue along its edge, savoring the taste of blood.
"Well, well. One got away," the man sneered. "You should have seen your sister beg. She was sweet, your Lan. Her pussy was sweet in every way."
Jun's vision went red. The soldier grinned, revealing bloodstained teeth. "Her screams were almost as good as the taste of her blood."
"You bastard," Jun whispered, voice shaking with fury and despair.
The man laughed, stepping forward, sword raised. "Come on then, hero. Let's see if you scream as pretty as she did."
Jun's hands tightened on the sword. Every muscle in his body coiled to strike, grief transmuted to cold, consuming rage.
The night outside was silent, but inside the cave, vengeance was about to be born.
To be continued…