DESERTER OF THE BATTLEFIELD

Galmunwang Gukban, a very handsome, lively and young man rode his red stead across the Hills as he descended from the Hills as he made his way into the valley.

He'd been riding for a very long time that eventually, he could see ahead of him in a distance the lights that overwhelmed the capital.

Seoraebeol under the saffron firmament was Glorious in the eve of the day and yet as he continued his journey behind he was being pursued by a number of armed horsemen as well.

The arrived at the slope and the horsemen pulled out their bows and arrows and aimed for him, looking back behind he noticed that he was in their Target and they didn't look exhausted at any one point.

He halted and turned around to his right as he negotiated a corner around the hill.

The arrows flying in his direction he put his head down and they slightly flew above it.

"No, I can not die." He whispered to himself. "I must survive." He added as he continued to ride while his pursuers persisted from behind nonetheless.

As he continued to go noticing that the arrows flying in his direction had become quite too many, he beheld a sycamore tree not so far away and he branched off and entered into the large grass field that neared him.

The pursuers were all the more determined to follow him and they joined him in the fields as well.

The land their was relatively flat that it was quite easy for them to Target him so aiming the crossbows in his direction, they continued to shoot him but he bowed his head down as his stead went faster and faster eventually he succeeded in creating a wide gap between himself and his pursuers.

They had to reload their crossbows and Gukban ceased the opportunity for his stead to turn around at that moment as he possessed his own now and holding four arrows to it, he attacked his pursuers.

Noticing that he was headed for them, before they had a chance to react, at once, Gukban freed the arrows and they went flying in the direct of his pursuers.

They were each struck and injured at that moment he ceased his sword and unsheathed it as he ride past them while cutting through all of them the four fell down dead and vanquished.

Gukban had succeeded.

He rode on until eventually the saffron sky had already evolved into a dark shade of navy blue and the stars were already glowing brightly.

The guards that guarded the entrance into Seoraebeol saw a fine red stead headed their way that they lit the torches up and looked in the distance to see who it was.

The dust was rising but they could see that the rider on the red stead had his arm raised up to the sky and they waited until he was in close proximity that they finally identified that what he held in his possession was a military seal.

A few other guards were walking by and one of them appeared to notice who the rider on the red stead was that he rushed over.

"Your Excellency." He said having confirmed that it was a person that he in deed knew.

Gukban looked at him and then he called his name.

"Sokham." Gukban said.

"Galmunwang Gukban." Sokham called that at once the other guards present saluted him.

"Your Excellency." They said as they bowed their heads to him.

"What happened?" Sokham asked.

"Amak Fortress is under siege, I need to talk to the King." Gukban replied.

"Your stead has travelled for long." Sokham said "should I get you the fastest one to lead you to the palace?" Sokham asked.

"There's no need." Gukban said.

"Just let me in." He added as the guards paved way for him while he took hold of a small red flag in his hands.

Gukban ceasing the reins of his horse tighter than before, he entered into the city and he ride through the streets that were filled with the people.

"Make way, make way." He went shouting as the people in the streets and the market areas stepped to the side and let him pass by.

Gukban ride until he reached the gates of Banwolseong Palace.

He raised his seal up and at once the guards present opened the gates for him as he rode quickly until the Courtyard where he halted and unmounted his horse.

He was surrounded by a group of Royal guards.

"Galmunwang Gukban." One of them said.

"I wish to see the King Bool Take." Gukban said.

"You can not just ride up into the courtyard of the palace and demand for an audience with the King." Bool Tae said.

"Are you suggesting that I fight my way to him?" Gukban asked.

"What do you intend to do at this hour?" Bool Tae asked.

"You're not my senior." Gukban said.

"I am the King's personal guard and the head of the Royal guards." Bool Tae said.

"Don't waste your time here, I bring a report for the King from Amak Fortress." Gukban shouted.

"The doors to the King's Chambers were flung open immediately and he walked out.

"Pyeha." Everyone said as they went down on their knees and bowed their heads.

"Your Majesty." Gukban said.

"What's it brother?" King Jinpyeong asked.

Gukban walked closer towards the King and then once in his presence he bowed his head.

"Your Majesty, Amak Fortress is under siege." Gukban replied.

"Paekche is determined to take Amak before the end of the Year and they have launched long term war." Gukban replied.

The King was startled.

"When?" He asked.

"It came as a surprise and there were Paekche spies within the fortress, the Fortress was cleaned and we are holding our defenses for the time being." Gukban replied.

"Come with me." King Jinpyeong ordered and his brother followed him into his quarters.

The two sat down at the King's table.

"Are you alright?" The King asked.

"My health doesn't matter at this moment your Majesty, we need reinforcements, we can fight in retaliation but I'm afraid that Amak can not sustain our endeavours any longer than three months." Gukban replied.

"If you are here then who is manning the fortress?" The King asked.

"The Fortress is in the care of General Mu Run, Gwisan and Chu Hang." Gukban replied.

"I can not just gather reinforcements." King Jinpyeong said.

"Your Majesty, the men there are going to die anytime unless we do something." Gukban said.

"I can't just send an army at such a time without discussing it with the rest of the court, any reaction that is quick could leave us exposed to the threat of Gorguryeo in the North." King Jinpyeong said.

"Your Majesty, this needn't be delayed, if we can draw Paekche in an short war then before they can get reinforcements from their capital and strengthen their camp outside the fortress, we can extinguish them." Gukban replied.

"I'll see to it tomorrow." King Jinpyeong replied.

"Your Majesty, You are the King of this country." Gukban said.

"And because I am the King of this country I can't stake the survival of the entire kingdom at the expense of one fortress." The King said.

"Your Majesty, should Amak fall then certainly Daeya shall be the next and should Daeya fall then General Hae Su shall have opened paved way for the entry of Paekche troops into Shilla." Gukban replied.

"If you can not be patient then it's entirely up to you but I shall not react out of haste before I have fully assessed the situation in both Gorguryeo and Paekche." King Jinpyeong said.

"Your Majesty." Gukban said.

"You are excused." The King said.

"Can't you reconsider?" Gukban asked.

"I said you are hereby excused." The King shouted.

At once the doors to his Chambers were flung open and Bool Tae walked in.

Gukban stood up from where he was seated and out of rage he turned around and departed from the King's presence.

"Bool Tae." King Jinpyeong called.

"Yes Your Majesty?" Bool Tae replied as he stepped in front of the King's presence and bowed his head.

"Send out Messengers and have all the officials gathered in the court hall as soon as possible." The King ordered.

"Yes Your Majesty." Bool Tae replied as he walked out of the King's Chambers.

Gukban stood in the courtyard and then he turned to look at the palace which was very lifeless and quiet already.

The Royal guards there watched him as he walked slowly and approached his stead and ceased it's reins.

He caressed it's muzzle when all of a sudden he noticed an unusual stench in the air.

He sniffed and the stench so strong came familiar to his nose as he had known it anywhere.

He touched the upper side of his shoulder and it had been injured with a small cut but he ignored it as he led his stead out of the palace and the two roamed the streets in the dark.

He was far from his home and to get there he had to walk for about an hour so he kept his pace steady as he continued his way.

Slowly and slowly the palace vanished from his sight and negotiating a corner around one of the nearby inns he continued to walk until he eventually arrived at a small Buddhist temple.

He looked at it and as he stared memories of what had happened earlier in the day came back to his head.

Galmunwang Gukban, he was known to be a man of great bravery and one who was dignified in every way.

His conduct was second to none as the people loved him so much and amongst the Royal brothers which included the King Jinpyeong himself he was known to be a man of great wisdom.

Queen Sado cherished him and even his late Grandfather King Jinheung lauded him for his efforts he dearly loved his country.

It had been a normal afternoon and the border troops that were stationed at Amak Fortress patrolled the area.

A strange silence was predominant but the troops were used to it after very many years of war between Gorguryeo In the North and Paekche in the South it had come natural that they had become human hunters their hearing sense had sharpened over the years.

As usual, Gukban supervised the troops as they were having their lunch meal and his eyes staring in a distance he hadn't taken notice that the gate of the Fortress wasn't entirely closed.

The soldiers were talking amongst themselves and eating when Gukban still standing at the battlements of the Fortress' wall was alarmed when he suddenly heard something flying in his direction.

He bent over and an arrow out of nowhere landed on one of the poles that supported the shed stationed at the top.

Smoke from five different directions rose up and filled the sky that Gukban noticed it.

All of a sudden all other guards that were standing on the battlements along with him.

One of the guards sounded the warning gong and Gukban stood at the edge with his head bent below.

"Paekche troops." He shouted. "fall into positions." He added and the Shillan soldiers scattered as they took up possession of their arms.

Gukban watched as the archers started to climb up the battlements.

He looked down and saw the Paekche troops running towards their direction a large number of them without shields.

General Mu Eun walked up to Gukban.

"Galmunwang." He called.

"They're attacking without any defenses." Gukban said.

"Why would they be acting that way?" Mu Eun asked.

"Something's wrong." Gukban said when all of a sudden he noticed that the five pillars of smoke suddenly turned black.

"They're that many?" Mu Eun asked.

"No." Gukban said." It's a signal he added as the archers on top of the battlements started shooting arrows at the attacking Paekcheans.

"The Gate." Gukban concluded as he hurriedly descended the stairs and stood down where he found a group of eight soldiers at the gates.

"What are you doing?" He asked them.

They looked at him silently as he looked behind them and noticed that the gates were open.

"Nothing." One of them replied.

"Why are the Fortress gates not closed?" Gukban asked.

The soldiers looking at him finally unsheathed their swords and launched themselves towards him.

"You Traitors." Gukban said as he unsheathed his sword and made his attack, he cut the soldiers as he was joined by a group of more.

"Man the fort." He shouted and the guards joined him and rushed to the gates and pushed them to close.

Before they could even touch the gates, the Paekchean soldiers were already crashing through them.

"Do not let them any closer to the Fortress." Mu Eun commanded and the archers doubled their numbers as they raised their bows and aiming in the direction of the attackers they, shot their arrows which darkened the sky.

The Paekche troops halted and before the Shillan arrows would rain down on them, they put up their shields and defended themselves.

A large number of the Paekcheans were shot down.

The Shillans had another squad firing more arrows at the Paekcheans and once again, the Paekcheans guarded with their shields.

"Do not stop shooting." Mu Eun ordered and the Archers complied in turns of the the Paekcheans barely had time to load their arrows.

All of a sudden, the Paekcheans brought their catapults to the front and had large rocks put in position..

"Fire." General Hae Su ordered and the rocks were released they went flying towards the battlements.

Gukban had succeeded with a few Shillan warriors to repel the Paekche soldiers at the gates and the moment that the last was slayed with the edge of his sword, he along with the other soldiers closed the gates of the Fortress.

The rocks landing on the battlements created an open window for the Paekchean archers as the attention of the Shilla soldiers was diverted.

The Paekcheans loaded and prepared their bows and firing towards the Shillans, it was Shilla's turn to be baptized by the arrows.

A number of them had their shields put in position as the others hid behind the battlements.

"Set the arrows on fire." Gukban ordered and the Shillan archers did as he had said.

"Aim for the Catapults." Mu Eun said and the Shillan archers ceasing the opportunity complied and that very instant a number of the Catapults were being burnt down.

The Paekcheans advanced ready to strike the gates and the others with ladders in their possession.

They set them at the foot of the Fortress and leaned them against the wall and started climbing while others were hitting the gates.

The Shillans poured hot water on the Paekcheans that had started to mount the walls while their archers shit them down.

Eventually, the log that the was being held by the Paekcheans was dropped down.

"Open the gates." Gukban said.

"No we can not." Gwisan said.

"We need to send some warriors out their to man the barricades and prevent the Paekcheans from advancing any further." Gukban said.

"Even if we were to hold them off they are in large Numbers, we need reinforcements from the capital." Gwisan said.

"I'll go." Gukban said.

"Your Excellency, we have received word from our scouts that the Paekcheans have blocked all paths, at this point they have us cut off from Seoraebeol, the only way that we can ask for reinforcements is if someone were to penetrate their forces and reached the Capital."Gwisan defended himself.

"I'll go." Gukban insisted.

"No Your Excellency, Shilla still needs you." Gwisan refused.

"This is Shilla at stake and if you wish to defy me at this point then I might as well be forced to exchange my freedom with your neck." Gukban said.

"Alright Your Excellency." Gwisan finally gave in to Gukban's demands.

Gukban whistled and that very instant, his red stead came running through the up to the gates of the fortress.

"Get me as many arrows." Gukban ordered and a soldier came over with some as he walked over to his stead and mounted it.

"Open the gates." Gukban said and Gwisan and his men complied unwillingly.

"At once, Gukban charged onto the battlefield a group of Shilla soldiers following him closely from behind as they took their positions behind the barricades outside and slaughtered the Paekcheans that were in close proximity.

Gukban with the edge of his sword cut the Paekcheans as he made his way through their defenses.

"Protect him." Mu Eun ordered and the archers started shooting at the Paekcheans that made their way towards Gukban.

He fought through as he was covered in the blood of his enemies and nevertheless, he persisted until eventually he came face to face with the Paekchean General Hae Su.

The two looked at each other as the Paekcheans started to close in on Gukban.

The Shillan archers finally released their arrows and shot at them and Gukban ceased the opportunity to charge towards the Paekchean General Hae Su.

General Hae Su also charged towards him and as the two met to Collide, Gukban jumped and he dodged General Hae Su's sword.

He landed back onto his stead and then he went past the Paekchean defenses.

"Get him." General Hae Su ordered but the Shillans had succeeded as Gukban was already beyond the enemy's reach.

His mind returned as he looked at the sword in his possession and he was certain that the stench of blood was from the Paekcheans that he'd murdered earlier on.

He eventually continued his own way to his home.

Early in the morning, the court officials and the Ministers had gathered in the Court room when the King's presence was announced.

Gukban had also turned up at that point dressed like all the other ministers.

At once, the Officials organized themselves and King Jinpyeong made his entry as he walked up to his throne.

"Your Majesty." Everyone said in unison as they bowed their heads.

"At Ease." The King replied as he sat down.

"Gukban then spoke up.

"Your Majesty." He said. "I am here on behalf of Amak Fortress and we are requesting for reinforcements as it seems that the Paekcheans have already laid siege and are determined to conquer it." Gukban said.

"Your Majesty." One of the Ministers said.

"What is your opinion?" King Jinpyeong asked.

"Why don't we perhaps sit down and negotiate with the King of Paekche?" He asked.

"No, we can not." Gukban said.

"We are already facing a threat from Gorguryeo from the North and at this time we can not afford to go to war with Paekche as well.

If Paekche exhausts all our military supplies and on the other hand we lose out on the war, when Gorguryeo takes advantage of that then we shall be forced to go to another war with them.

With war from both sides the possibility of winning is very hard." The official replied.

"King Mu of Paekche as far as I know isn't someone that is ready to negotiate with anyone else." King Jinpyeong said.

"It's natural for him to yield however if he finds the terms quite favourable." The Minister of Defense said.

"His terms are quite complicated Your Majesty, we both know that once we keep giving Everytime that he asks then Mu will not have enough until eventually he'll ask us for the throne." Galmunwang Baekban, the King's brother said.

"Your Majesty." Kim Seohyeon said.

"What is it?" The King asked.

"At a time like this it is very clear what the interests of King Mu are and even worse,we are faced by an even greater threat from King Yeongyang of Gorguryeo." Seohyeon replied.

"What do you suggest that we do?" King Jinpyeong asked the members.

" Your Highness, please dispatch thousands of troops to go and counter Paekche and since their intention is to wage a long term war, we can get in their way by also ensuring that we disorganise and lay an ambush on their camps in the South.

If we can cut them from the capital just as they attempted to sever us from Seoraebeol, it'll take time for them to get more reinforcements and we'll prevail over them.

In the meantime while keeping them busy I suggest that we have more Fortress put in place so that if ever they tried to penetrate Amak we can guard against their further aggression and since King Yeongyang is bound to take advantage of that chance to wage war in the North, we can turn to Sui for aid to keep him preoccupied while we are busy preparing ourselves to guard against his aggression.

When Paekche has suffered enough casualties, we shall have her retreat and with Sui also fighting Gorguryeo, we can use that as our opportunity to strengthen our defenses across the Northern border." Galmunwang Gukban replied.

"His Excellency is right." Baekban said and the rest of the court agreed and voted in his favor.

"Very well then." King Jinpyeong agreed and on his order that afternoon, thousands of troops were dispatched and they were leaving Seoraebeol.

King Jinpyeong stood at the pavilion of that was overlooking the gates of the of Banwolseong and there he watched as his troops marched out.

The King was eventually joined by his brother Galmunwang Baekban.

"You seem so worried Your Majesty." Baekban said.

"Is victory on our side?" King Jinpyeong asked.

"Heaven certainly is." Baekban said.

"In the North there is Gorguryeo and in the South we rival with Paekche." The King said.

"And when all of them are no more Your Majesty?" Baekban asked.

"Shilla is all that remains." King Jinpyeong replied.

"No Your Highness, not Shilla." Baekban revoked.

"What then, which country if not this our own, which kingdom of not the Heavenly kingdom our forefather's prepared for us?" King Jinpyeong asked.

"Unified Samhan." Baekban replied.

"To see to it." King Jinpyeong said.

"There is the price of blood that heaven is preparing for us." Baekban replied.

Galmunwang Gukban and the reinforcements led by General Gunpoom travelled South and eventually while breaking each other into factions they constructed the fortresses of Cheonsan, Sota and Wae Seok.

Gukban along with the other Generals at Amak Fortress fought greatly and defended the Fortress and word of their reinforcements eventually reached King Mu of Paekche.

He sat with his court and to continue their conquest of Shilla, he sent 40,000 troops to General Hae Su's aid and upon arrival, they clashed with the Shillans for a while.

General Hae Su gathered the elite warriors of his battallion and they all came to an agreement that if they could not trap the Shillans then they would not take Amak Fortress as they had desired.

During the battle, Mu Eun fell into Hae Su's ambush and almost got killed but was saved by his son Gwisan and Chu Hang, however the two were both killed in the battle.

War was ravaging the entire battlefield and the land beyond Amak was drenched in Shillan blood.

The Shillan soldiers were afraid and Gukban having noticed in the strife behind the walls of the Fortress he watched as his men were being killed.

Angry he hurried down from the battlements and then he stood at the heart of the Fortress.

"The Paekcheans, they've halted." The tower guards shouted buy Gukban aware that the war was from over he stood and with a shield at hand he struck it with his sword to create a loud noise that every other soldier within the Fortress turned to him.

"Great and Mighty warriors." He called.

The Shillans gathered as they struck the ground with their Spears that they created a very loud sound.

"Fight with me to the death." He said as the others struck their shields.

"Mu Eun and Gwisan have laid for us their lives." He added and the soldiers stumped their feet.

"On this very day History shall remember us." He encouraged the soldiers that those who were positioned next to the war drums started to strike them and stopped to grant him an audience.

"This is our land and our soil, this is the land of our forefathers the sons and daughters of heaven. It has long been the domain for our children of the future generations there are to come. And what have those ruthless heathens turned it into, a battlefield?" Gukban said as the Shillan soldiers shouted in fury.

"With our blood we are going to baptise and Christen it to become great, and on this very day we shall show all the Invaders that we as one shall thwart their every threat.

We shall not stop fighting even if it is to our last breath, and in the honour of our comrades and compeers that we hold so dear in our lives, we here are going to make Shilla great again." He shouted as he raised his sword.

The Soldiers responded in the same manner.

The gates of Amak were opened and a third of the army charged outside.

The Paekcheans still preparing for another attack were taken by surprise having not expected it so soon as the Shillans charged into the camp setting it on fire.

Gukban and Gunpoom took charge of two different arms as Chu Hang was left behind to defend the boarder.

The fleeing Paekcheans were surrounded by the Shillans in their own camp with General Gunpoom attacking from the back and Gukban charged from the front.

The Paekche camp turned into a battlefield as the Shillans slaughtered them all one by one.

General Hae Su was in his tent when one of the Paekche soldiers charged inside.

"Your Excellency." He called.

"What is it?" General Hae Su asked.

"Shillans." The soldier replied stutteringly.

"What's with the Shillans?" General Hae Su asked.

"They're in the camp." The soldier replied and General Hae Su ceasing his sword and shield he charged into the open only to find that his camp was filled with the stench of blood and the Shillans were slaying them all ruthlessly.

The Shillans once inside the camp raised small saffron flags which acted as a signal to the archers at the walls of Amak.

"Form circles." Gunpoom and Gukban ordered and their Soldiers shielded themselves as the Shillans released the fire arrows all the way from The walls of Amak Fortress right into the Paekche camp.

The fire in the camp grew bigger and after the Shillans were done they broke free from their shields and the confident soldiers slayed the last remnants of the Paekche army that the smoke rising up into the sky and the sound of the retreating horns warned the other Paekche troops that were in the second camp away.

Watching and facing the North where they were certain Amak Fortress stood, they were taken by another surprise when their companions turned up being pursued by Shilla soldiers.

The war continued.

Gukban with the edge of his sword was making an example of all the Paekchean warriors and with his men they succeeded.

General Hae Su saw that there was no need sustaining the war any longer.

"Retreat." He gave his command and the Paekche warriors turned around and abandoned their belongings as they fled southwards.

General Gunpoom seeing that ordered the Shilla troops to pursue then and some five hundred men went after the Paekcheans while those that were left behind declared their victory over Paekche and looted their last standing camp.

Eventually, the war was one and all that was left was for the Shillans to give their own a noble burial.

"Gukban with his sword at hand walked past the Paekche and Shilla corpses that were on the ground.

The flies had already started flying about and the crows and Ravens were already flying about the place.

He looked around at the Spears that had been planted in the ground and the arrows that had become a part of the victims.

He couldn't smell the stench again as all he could see were images that were going to haunt him entirely for life.

Amongst the Shilla warriors were young boys who'd barely survived beyond teenage hood and amongst the dead bodies were those of his fellow comrades Mu Eun and his son Gwisan.

He was still a young boy and Mu Eun a capable man that had been close to a brotherly figure.

Gukban was devastated as his heart had never been that heavy he eventually fell to his knees as he looked at the blade within his hands.

General Gunpoom walked over towards him and then he touched his right shoulder.

"Look at them." He said. "Look at us all." he added.

"They died in peace." Gunpoom said.

"Peace?" Gukban said. "was it really that peaceful?" he added.

General Gunpoom looked down.

"We have become slaves of our swords and where need be we'll slay without thinking twice as long as it is to defend ourselves." Gukban said.

"We are warriors." Gunpoom said.

"Without choice." Gukban added.

"It's our duty." Gunpoom said.

"We walk from here alive happy that we have defended Shilla well, we couldn't protect our people and our children because of our grandiose dreams are led to the grave before us all." Gukban said as he raised his hand and looking at the open eyes of Gwisan he shut them.

"We've rid Shilla of Paekche." Gunpoom said.

"Not for long." Gukban said. "Today it was Paekche tomorrow it will be Gorguryeo, even when Shilla remains, she'll always fight even amongst her own." He added.

"But we live for a future." Gunpoom said. "and I am proud that in the unification of the three Kingdoms History shall remember me." He added.

"How many of their names shall it remember?" Gukban asked.

General Gunpoom was quiet.

"They'll all be known as Shillans, whether young or old, scouts or foot soldiers." Gukban said as he let his hands hung limp on his thighs.

"This is a path they chose themselves, either way their spirits shall rest at ease in the Netherworld." Gunpoom said.

"Even I am tired of seeing this sight of my people that I have decided the battlefield shall no more be a place for me." Gukban said as he stood up.

He turned around and looking at Gunpoom, he didn't say another word as he walked passed him and there he deserted the Battlefield.