RETURN OF THE LOST WARRIOR

"What?" Alcheon asked.

"You heard me clearly." Moo Mak replied. "I told you very well that pack your things and leave immediately at the break of dawn, go back to Seoraebeol and do not come back." He added.

"Why?" Alcheon asked.

"I've kept you under my roof, I have treated you, I have cured you and you are healthy once again, you should be grateful that you are alive and the only way that you can show me your gratitude is if you left and never bothered my daughter again." Moo Mak replied.

"What exactly are you trying to protect Seungman from?" Alcheon asked.

"That's my business, I know better than anyone else that the best thing you can do is to bury those feelings that you have for her as they are not real.

You can guarantee anything else but you can not guarantee that you'll protect her from your people.

You nearly died this time around I can not stand the possibility of her being widowed at such a young age when you walk to war one day and you never returned.

I can not stand the judgemental world looking up at the lowly her because her father could not afford to raise her up in a very expensive manor we were only growing up in a house that comprises three rooms a living room and two bedrooms.

All that I'd wish for my daughter is for her to wake up from this fantasy that she is living in and come back into the real world.

The both of you could have feelings but never in this life can you ever live together you are destined to entirely live apart." Moo Mak replied.

"I never knew very well that it could possibly come to this." Alcheon said.

"It's better that she is hurt once when you leave and she'll possibly forget after that, I can not risk her hurting over and over again until the very day that she dies." Moo Mak said.

"I see." Alcheon said. "You thinking that she is happy." He added.

"It's for her own good." Moo Mak said.

"She's ready to suppress the warrior that's within her but you have no idea how brilliant she is when she is wielding her sword.

She's willing to stay here nor because she wants to but what hurts her the most is having to leave you behind." Alcheon asked.

"Do you know the number of men that Seungman has slain at her age and do you know the amount of blood that she has spilled, because of you she has suppressed her love for Shilla." Alcheon added.

"Because to her I'll always be here father even when Shilla is gone." Moo Mak replied.

"Thank you Sir." Alcheon said as he bowed his head, "you have done so much for me and not only that, you have showed me the clear distinction there is between You and Seungman." He added.

"And what is that?" Moo Mak asked.

"You might stop her today and tomorrow from answering her calling but you won't stop her from doing it forever." Alcheon replied.

"This Shilla is like a lion, Seoraebeol its den is even more vicious than Gorguryeo and Paekche, if you mean to tame her and one day she breaks free and tames this Shilla of ours, Gorguryeo and Paekche in the battlefield shall fall into their knees." He added.

"We'll see." Moo Mak said. "She must have realized by now that which is feasible and that which is not.

I don't care if generations to come criticize me for doing everything that I could to protect her, but with or without me should she tame Shilla it shall be because I moulded the warrior that is within her." Moo Mak said.

He walked away and he left Alcheon standing there while he kept on reflecting on the words that he had told him.

"How can I forsake you my Master, as long as I'm alive I shall protect Seungman from Seoraebeol even if it means that I have to sever her from everyone from there she'll love." Moo Mak thought to himself.

Seungman had cried and eventually she had stopped, nevertheless, she still kept thinking about the words that Alcheon Rang had told her.

"You can not justify your hate when you can not do anything for your county." Alcheon had said. "Just as you are human enough to choose between your father and your people those officials are human enough to choose between theirs and Shilla." He had added.

"You and I and the Hwarang and all those soldiers do not fight for the mountains, the hills and the rivers that are in Shilla.

To us Shilla isn't the land under the heavens where flowers bloom and where the sun rise is most beautiful." He added as he stepped closer to Seungman.

"Shilla is the people that we love, our family and our friends, our kings and our rulers, to us even if the land perished but the people still remained then it's as good because that is Shilla." Alcheon had said.

"Perhaps you are so wrong about me." Seungman said to herself.

"Perhaps as this door is between us so is Shilla, perhaps the only reason I'd be willing to protect Shilla is because it harbours my father.

After all growing up he's the only one that needed me and he is the only one that I need." Seungman said to herself.

She was still debating amongst her thoughts when at that moment, she saw a piece of paper being slid under the door.

She got a hold of it and unfolded it to read what was written inside.

It was a very long letter that he'd written to her.

"I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU PROBABLY DON'T WISH TO LOOK AT ME AND I UNDERSTAND THAT PERHAPS WE ARE TOTALLY DIFFERENT PEOPLE, I KNOW BETTER THAN ANYONE ELSE, I HAVE SEEN THE WAY THAT YOU WIELD THE SWORD.

I CAN ALWAYS SAY A WARRIOR THAT IS GREAT WITHIN YOU AND I HAVE SEEN HOW YOU SLAY THE ENEMY THAT IT MAKES YOU LOOK LIKE A GODDESS HAD YOU BEEN ON THE BATTLEFIELD

SHILLA IS VAST, SHILLA IS GREAT, SHILLA IS YOUR FATHER, AND SHILLA IS THIS VILLAGE THAT TOOK YOU AND YOUR FATHER IN, ABOVE ALL, SHILLA OS WORTH PROTECTING.

BEFORE I HAD A FAMILY TO PROTECT AND A PRINCESS, A KING AND A BORDER, WHEN YOU SAVED MY LIFE BACK THEN YOU MADE ME REALIZE, I COULD KEEP FIGHTING FOR SHILLA AS LONG AS I COULD PROTECT YOU.

AT LEAST BEFORE OUR WAYS PART AND I CAN RETURN TO SEORAEBEOL TOMORROW, I'LL WAIT THE WHOLE DAY UPON YOU EVEN IF IT MEANS THAT NIGHT HAS TO FALL IN THE VERY PLACE THAT OUR JOURNEY BEGAN." She read.

Totally disheartened she put the paper away and stopped shedding her tears.

"I won't let a farewell weaken me, perhaps to quell the pain it's better that I do not see you off." Seungman said to herself.

"Your Excellency." Haek Ga said as he bowed his head.

"Is everything ready?" Galmunwang Baekban asked.

"Yes Your Excellency." Haek Ga replied. "We had everything put in position, the foundation of the Palace will be completed tomorrow and it's quite large, at that point, there'll be Imperial guards that shall excavate the trunks containing all the military weapons you'd ever find." He added.

"My brother himself being the supervisor in the construction of the Palace to suit his best desires being found with weapons, what would that most likely look like in the eyes of the Courtiers and the King?" Baekban asked.

"Not only does it brand him corrupt for secretly possessing military arms but on top of that with his power on an increase it could be a sign to the King that he could be plotting a rebellion.

On the other hand Gukban in his perfect knowledge falling short from the King's favour over such a debatable matter would only be a sign to him that someone wants him down.

Our only way to intervene is to make sure that my brother grows suspicious of the King and he is made to believe that the King framed him for the atrocities." Haek Ga said.

"You really understand me so well." Baekban said.

"Because with such intelligence only you deserve to rule out Heavenly kingdom of Shilla." Haek Ga said.

"I know that the King suspects me entirely for being involved in a treason plot that could threaten his position as King.

To make matters worse, it seems that the King and his wife are never going to have a son, Princess Deokman being his successor is bound to raise more and more upheaval throughout the land.

With all that on my side to force the King to ally with me, I must make Gukban seem as the worse threat to his Dominion." Baekban said as he smiled ghastly.

"Yes Your Excellency, you are in deed Sage." Haek Ga said as he bowed his head.

"I devoted myself to shed a lot of blood so that I'd possess the throne, until the day that I am led to my tomb I'll never stop shedding more and more of it." Baekban replied.

It was dark until the first ray of the sun appeared from the Eastern Hills and colonised the sky while scattering away the darkness.

The rooster announced the break of a new day and at that point in time and Alcheon walked out of the cottage in his armour, he had his horse already prepared and Moo Mak walked up to him with it.

"Thank you." Alcheon said as he held the reins of the stead.

"You can resent me but for my daughter's sake I hope that you'll understand my position as her father someday when you have children of your own." Moo Mak said.

"I can't give you the assurance of my forgiveness." Alcheon said.

"I wasn't asking for your forgiveness." Moo Mak replied. "Just be careful on your way back and forget that you ever met us, it would be for our own good that you did so and my daughter won't be there to save you when you run into bandits or Paekche or Gorguryeo spies." Moo Mak said.

"Don't worry, I'll look after myself very well." Alcheon replied as he turned around and with his stead, he started walking away from the cottage.

Seungman remained inside the cottage and stood and watched him walking away as her heart deeply ached she held her chest but didn't shed a single tear until Alcheon had vanished out of her sight completely.

She walked up to the bed and then looking at it, she recalled the first time that she talked with him when he had gained his consciousness.

She recalled the time that she'd tightly pressed a wet piece of cloth on his chest and he was struggling to prevent himself from shouting.

The memories so vivid in her head brought her a lot of questions.

"He's gone, why am I still thinking of him?" She asked herself and at that moment hearing the door open she turned around to see who it was.

"Seungman." Moo Mak called.

"Yes father?" She replied as she wore a smile on her face.

"How well did you sleep last night?" Moo Mak asked.

"Very well father." Seungman replied.

"That's good then." Moo Mak said. "I am going to prepare you something to eat and after that, we are going to train immediately the moment that Damhyeong comes." He added.

"Yes Father." Seungman said.

"Get ready." Moo Mak said as he withdrew from the room and then closing the door behind him he was hurt as well.

"Forgive me my daughter, better than getting used to this pain, in a short while you shall have forgotten it." He added as he walked up to the Kitchen.

Alcheon walked and walked for a while until he stopped on his way and turned around to look at the cottage that had grown entirely small in a distance.

Saddened he studied the vast and peaceful expanse of the village as he watched the birds flying by in the sky above.

"Whatever it is, I'll wait for you." He whispered to himself before turning around and continuing his way.

Seungman stood face to face with Damhyeong and the two looked at each other.

Moo Mak stood right by their side and watched earnestly before he gave his order.

"Attack." He said and Damhyeong launched himself towards Seungman who while watching saw the image of Alcheon in him.

She made her attack as well stepping to the side while Damhyeong slid past her and she closed her eyes.

She remembered a similar memory with Alcheon and at that time she remembered what it was that she had done.

She landed her first hit on Damhyeong's back and he flew nearly falling to the ground he planted his feet firmly while She made her rotation and faced him.

Moo Mak was just as surprised that it was the first time that Seungman had ever laid a hand on Damhyeong at the start of a match.

Damhyeong changed his stile and attacked jumping step to step and Seungman could recall a nearly similar picture in her head except that she'd forgotten what to do so she invented her own way out.

Going towards Damhyeong he brought a fist punch while she bent backwards and slid past him she ceased him by his lower abdomen and then she climbed up on top of him.

Damhyeong realizing what Seungman had done decided to topple her off himself and she summersaulted as she landed backwards.

She flew towards him with her fists ahead ready to land an attack again but with both his hands, Damhyeong guarded the two fists and as he threatened to strike Seungman, she guarded with both her hands but nevertheless the force of collision pushed her backwards that she staggered before she stood up on both her legs.

Damhyeong looked at her and he smiled while she made another attack again and at that point in time as she rotated about Moo Mak was surprised.

There was one move that he'd never taught them, there was one move that his master loved dearly more than anything else.

He could see the entire environment around him changing and at that point he was envisioning a battlefield and all that he could see was Seungman fighting on it.

Each one of the NINE ROTATIONS was a rythm of the gods and each one of the flows within the legs reflected the soft and gentle agility with which the goddess of the Nineth heaven danced and graced the sky.

The hands moving about vigorously and stabbing the enemies necks until the final Nineth one ceasing the enemy by the left hand and turning on him to cease the neck with the left.

"Stooop." Moo Mak shouted and Seungman realizing what she was about to do jumped off and kicked Damhyeong on the back that he flew and at that time he was unable to stop himself from falling onto the ground.

Seungman breathing heavily turned around and looked at her father but even then as everyone of the pieces putting together Moo Mak's imagination faded, he still saw from his master's shadow rising behind Seungman she walked out.

"Father?" Seungman called as Damhyeong sat up shocked as well.

"The NINE ROTATIONS." Moo Mak said and the two in close proximity to him wondered what he was saying.

"What's wrong?" They said.

"Where did you learn this move?" Moo Mak asked. "All my life I have never taught it to you." He added.

"I don't know, I just did it." Seungman said.

"Impossible, perhaps she saw you one day doing it." Damhyeong said in protest.

"No." Moo Mak said. "I could have done anything before but I have never done the Nine rotations in my entire life." He added.

"Then how would you know a move that you have never done before?" Damhyeong asked.

"Very many years ago, I knew a friend of mine and we were so close, much closer than even brothers we'd been sworn warriors in the face of war.

He was a master of the Nine rotations and no one throughout the whole of Shilla ever seconded him." Moo Mak replied.

"I can tell even if I haven't seen that move before, Seungman's style looked flawless." Damhyeong said.

"It was." Moo Mak muttered. "Perhaps there are talents that are manifested even in blood." He added.

Seungman's mind wandering away she walked backwards as it occurred to her that she wasn't feeling calm at all.

"Father?" She said.

"Yes?" Moo Mak replied.

"Can I take Ammal for a ride?" Seungman asked.

"Yes." Moo Mak replied hesitantly as well.

"I'm coming with you." Damhyeong said.

"No." Seungman halted him. "I need to think this through on my own." She added and she ran towards the stables at the back of the Cottage.

She mounted Ammal her white horse and then she rode her off quickly as she moved Eastward into the mountains.

"What's her problem?" Damhyeong asked.

"Perhaps she's scared that she was able to do a move like that." Moo Mak replied.

"Why would she be Uncle Moo?" Damhyeong asked.

Moo Mak remembered the words of Alcheon.

"You might stop her today and tomorrow from answering her calling but you won't stop her from doing it forever." He recalled him saying.

"Each one of the Combat merits only makes it harder for her to listen to her father's calling and forsake the battlefield." Moo Mak replied.

"I see." Damhyeong said as they watched her vanishing from sight.

" AT LEAST BEFORE OUR WAYS PART AND I CAN RETURN TO SEORAEBEOL TOMORROW, I'LL WAIT THE WHOLE DAY UPON YOU EVEN IF IT MEANS THAT NIGHT HAS TO FALL IN THE VERY PLACE THAT OUR JOURNEY BEGAN." She recalled the words in the letter as she rode on faster and faster until after a very long while, she halted when she found Alcheon seated at the very cliff where she had rescued him.

There were still signs that there had been a strife in the area as there were still some of the swords and the remnants of the Gorguryeo soldiers clothes.

He seemed to have noticed her presence but he continued to look the other way as Seungman unmounted her horse and then she started walking towards him.

At that moment, Alcheon turned around and looked at her while she approached and also got seated right by his side.

"I'd never thought that we would come to this." Alcheon said.

"I've tried everything that I can but I just couldn't see you going without talking to you." Seungman said.

"If only I could rewind time." Alcheon said. "I would forever choose to remain trapped in that moment when it was in your care in the cottage." Alcheon said.

"It's quite boring." Seungman said. "I'd on the other hand prefer it that we had not met anywhere in this life." She added.

"Because you can not being yourself to resent me." Alcheon said.

"Because you are the first man that I ever felt I loved in all my life." Seungman replied.

"I was more than willing to spend the rest of my life here in the mountains with you but I also wanted to take you around and show you the world." Alcheon said.

"I did not need you to show me the world." Seungman said. "Despite the beauty of all those other places in Shilla and beyond, none of them shall ever be my home unless its where my heart is." She added.

"No." Alcheon said. "Home isn't a place but it's the comfort of two hearts which share nearly everything from a common mind to a common desire." He added.

"If I was your home then you would have chosen me above Seoraebeol." Seungman said.

"No." Alcheon said. "You know it but you're willing to deny it, your heart is in Seoraebeol." He added.

"For Seoraebeol I was just curious, now I have every reason to dislike it." Seungman said.

"Except that you don't dislike it as much, your curiosity is greater than your heart and on top of that I am sure you also want to find out what exactly the people in Seoraebeol did to your mother." Alcheon said.

"I can not raise a sword at someone because all the same I see you in them, I can not understand why I'm supposed to feel so free now that you are going but my heart can't find satisfaction only pain.

Alcheon Rang, me and you are something that this universe can not explain, no matter how much I try to forget you and we force ourselves apart our hearts only grow closer.

More than anything else, I fear so much to forsake you because I know at some point in life, I'll forever be haunted to choose between the people I love and people that are my responsibility." Seungman said.

"You don't have to make yourself suffer." Alcheon said as he got a hold of Seungman's hands and then put them on his left side of the chest.

"Do you feel that?" He asked. "That's my heartbeat, it's only beating for you, you can feel the sincerity that is coming from it and you can feel the weight that it carries knowing that I have to part ways with you.

For once in your life can you not be so selfish and fight for what is worth protecting, can't you at least try for once in life to picture a day when your father is gone and you have no one to keep you company." He added.

"Please stop." Seungman said.

"No." Alcheon replied. "You can run away with me and we'd go together and live in Seoraebeol." He added.

Seungman hearing those words pushed herself out of Alcheon's grip and then walked backwards.

"And go without telling my father goodbye, you'd wish that I'd become so selfish and throw my father's feelings out of the window because of you." Seungman said.

"Please don't." Alcheon said.

"Me and you should accept it for the rest of our lives that we can never love each other, it's better that our paths ended here and it was as though we had never met." Seungman said as she turned around and walked away towards her stead Ammal.

She descended the cliff and left Alcheon staring at her as she vanished.

They builders were concluding the foundation of the GANGLYEOGHAN PALACE when in one of it's corners, they saw a large number of trunks.

"What's that?" The builders asked themselves as they walked over to the trunks and found out that they were locked.

Gukban appeared shortly after that.

"Your Excellency?" The builders called him and he walked over to them.

"What's the problem?" Gukban asked.

"These trunks." The replied.

"Bring them out as the others conclude the foundation." He ordered and the trunks were carried into the centre of the construction site.

Hardly had they placed them on the ground when a large group of soldiers marched into the vicinity.

Gukban looked around as they entered and surrounded him.

"What's this?" Galmunwang Gukban asked.

At that moment, one of the officials walked up to the front as the guards moved to the side and once he was stationed in front of him.

"Officer Lee Heungseon." Galmunwang Gukban said.

"Your Excellency." The man said.

"To what privilege to I owe your unexpected visit?" Galmunwang Gukban asked.

"Pardon me Your Excellency buy we received a hunch that you could be in illegal possession of weapons." Officer Lee Heungseon said.

"That's ridiculous." Galmunwang Gukban said. "Don't you think that it's quite impossible for me to indulge in such a treacherous act?" He added.

"Do you understand what you're meddling with?" Office Lee asked.

"I don't know." Gukban said. "Perhaps some things need clarity." He added.

"Very well then." Officer Lee said. "Search the premises." He added as the soldiers scattered around while the builders who were watching were startled.

They went through all the building materials and looked throughout the whole place but were still unable to find a thing.

The soldiers returned after a while empty handed.

"There's nothing that we could find here." One of the officers said.

"Are you sure?" Officer Lee asked.

"Yes, there's totally nothing, the place is clean." The guards replied.

"I hardly believe that." Officer Lee said.

"Haven't you searched to your heart's content?" Galmunwang Gukban asked. "Perhaps I should grant you another chance to go through the whole place again?" He added.

"No." Officer Lee replied when he noticed the three huge trunks that had been stationed in the centre of the quadrangle.

"What about those?" Officer Lee asked.

Galmunwang Gukban turned around and looked in the direction where Officer Lee was pointing.

"Oh, the trunks." He said.

"What's in them and why are they locked?" Officer Lee asked.

"I am also curious as well, do you mind if we checked it out?" Gukban asked as he looked at Officer Lee.

"Open it." Officer Lee ordered the guards who rushed over to the trunks and they destroyed the locks, opening the trunks, the only thing that they could find inside were a number of thick fabric and material.

"I suppose that answers you." Gukban said.

"Why?" Officer Lee asked.

"You show up at my construction site and you disrupted the work of my men, I think it's a little bit disrespectful towards me, don't you think?" Gukban asked.

"My apologies Your Excellency, we were misinformed." Officer Lee said.

"I am very glad to hear that." Gukban said as he gently bowed his head, "however even I am curious about who it was that gave you such a false report against me." He added.

"No." Officer Lee said. "I am afraid that we aren't as much exposed to the person that reported you." He added.

"You turn up to arrest me as a suspect without a well known witness, I find it quite unbelievable or perhaps you are a fool.

Your duty is to see to it that criminals are apprehended and with proof but by the time you are uncertain who was framing me for the crime you turn up to arrest me how can you be entrusted with the welfare of the people and justice in the society?" Gukban asked.

"I admit my fault." Officer Lee said.

"Admitting your fault isn't good enough as your actions here today nearly staked my entire reputation, what would you have done had things gone South?" Gukban asked.

"I overlooked my responsibility, I accept that, it's good enough though that your innocence has been proven." Officer Lee said.

"I'd prefer of you were to make up for your mistake then why don't your men lend my builders a hand?" Gukban asked.

"Your Excellency, my men are only skilled at fighting and they barely have the experience of building." Officer Lee said.

"When we went and fought wars against King Mu of Paekche, we returned victorious, I remember trying to prevent them from conquering Amak Fortress we built on our way the Fortresses of Cheonsan, Sota and Wae Seok. It's not that hard they'd help to move materials at least." Gukban said.

"Aye." Officer Lee replied.

"Join them." He ordered his soldiers a d they blended in and helped with the construction.

Baekban was in his Manor when Haek Ga arrived.

"How did it go?" Baekban asked anxiously.

"We failed." Haek Ga replied.

"What?" Baekban asked as he stood from where he was seated. "How is that even possible?" He added.

"I don't know." Haek Ga replied."There's is one possibility though." He added.

"And what is that?" Baekban asked.

"Someone must have tipped him off on our plan." Haek Ga replied.

"Who could it have been, between me and you, we were the only people who knew about this." Baekban said.

"I don't know, I would have said that we might have a mole in the manor but all our men are loyal to you." Haek Ga replied.

"Could it be possible that Gukban placed someone to spy on me?" Baekban asked.

"The only way that we could conclude that is if he was curious about you but he is someone who doesn't seem bothered." Haek Ga replied.

"It wouldn't be him, what if someone chose to help him intentionally?" Baekban said.

"Who Your Excellency?" Haek Ga said.

"One person who has always been very suspicious of me is the Sangdaedeung." Baekban replied.

"You mean to say that the person who could have saved him is Ichan Seulbu?" Haek Ga asked.

"Think about it, if my brother weren't suspicious of me he'd have no idea what was within those trunks.

Ichan Seulbu on the other hand is someone who is quite conniving he likes beating me at my own game.

The Primary reason that Gukban returned to Seoraebeol seventeen years ago was so that he'd contend with my might and I learnt that it was entirely Seulbu's idea.

Should he have been caught then that would mean that his efforts were fruitless." Baekban replied.

"It all makes sense Your Excellency." Haek Ga replied.

"The only way he could have discovered my ploy is if he put a tail on the Messengers that we sent, he's got eyes that are watching everyone who enters and leaves this manor." He added.

"That's logical." Baekban said.

"What should we do about him?" Haek Ga asked.

"You can not always watch everywhere." Baekban asked.

"You're saying that..." Haek Ga said.

"Give him something to obsess over and he'll certainly lower his guard, and when he has then we shall make our move." Baekban replied as he smiled ghastly.

Yushin stood at the entrance to Seoraebeol and he looked in a distance while the sun was starting to set like he always did.

It had been close to sixteen days as he watched by the same place at least expecting to see someone before the sun went down.

He stared there and Gopheung approached him.

"Yushin Rang." He called.

"What is it?" Yushin asked.

"It's already been an hour." Gopheung replied.

"Perhaps I should wait a while longer today." Yushin replied.

"Aye." Gopheung said as he bowed his head before he walked away.

He hadn't gone far when he heard the neighing of a horse and even Yushin Rang whose eyes were looking down looked up immediately to see who it was.

He'd known that stead anywhere and so had Gopheung so it was automatic who the rider was and coming up to them he halted and he looked at them as well.

"Alcheon Rang." Yushin said barely believing his eyes.

"Yes." Alcheon replied.