CAPTURE THE FLAG

"I must laud your efforts." Ichan Seulbu said.

"There is no need to do so after all an enemy that is common to us both gives us a reason to be allies." Gukban said.

"Allies?" Ichan Seulbu asked.

"Yes." Gukban replied.

"Last time I checked you are here to only bring about balance but not because we foster any kind of trust between us." Ichan Seulbu said.

"Trust me or not it is up to you." Gukban said, "Your Excellency, did I say that I came back to Seoraebeol seventeen years ago to prove my loyalty?" He asked.

"What brought you back?" Ichan Seulbu asked.

"Vengeance." He replied, "It is because of Seoraebeol that my family fell apart and I was eternally distanced from the very people that I fervently loved with all my heart.

There is no wealth that can amount up to the loss of someone dear, no not even a human life, only another that is taken can give one satisfaction or that which is forgiven can give another peace." Gukban replied.

"So you contend with your brother because he deprived you of a happy family?" Ichan Seulbu asked.

"I contend with him because I realised just as his hand stretched so far into my private life that it chose to meddle with it, I won't stop until I have stripped from him everything there is that he possesses and he holds dear.

I won't stop until he dies a lone man with nothing but grief he's curse the very day that he came into this world and the other that he dared to draw his sword against me." Gukban said.

"I knew it that after all that anger would never calm down finally that rage has broken free, there's no Shilla for you just revenge that is burning in your heart it has entirely consumed your soul." Ichan Seulbu said.

"To begin with for me there was never anything like a spirit for the nation, it was the love I had towards my people and where those who broke free from it chose to become my enemies, I swore to vanquish them without any mercies." Gukban said.

"Well said." Ichan Seulbu said, "I love that you have been very truthful and open with me." He added.

"After all my intentions have been made known to you I won't waste my time Defending against any other accusations that you might bear against me." Gukban said.

"We won't waste time and now let as come to an agreement and see fir ourselves what it is that we can do about the Queen, your brother and his clout." Ichan Seulbu said.

"There is one thing that you and your people should Begin with." Gukban said.

"What is that?" Ichan Seulbu asked.

"Rally all your men and at all costs swear your allegiance to Princess Deokman." Gukban replied.

"I have been reluctant from the very beginning." Ichan Seulbu said.

"You are old and you are running out of time, other than you there is Ulje who is capable of supporting all your other fellows.

War is coming in which there are going to be only winners and losers without anyone in between, stake everything and survive or side with my brother and lose all that you have." Gukban said.

"How certain are we that the Princess is capable of protecting us?" Ichan Seulbu asked.

"Lean not on other men and the King's final decision, for all that we know it is the Princess in charge of the Hwarang and she has consolidated people in the army the past five years, she has those supporting me and the support of the Gaya families and refugees. I tell you now if it is Baekban that you desire we should topple.

Every force combined with the Princess on our side gives us the power to vanquish him." Gukban replied.

Ichan Seulbu stood up.

"A mastermind." He said, "Shilla is blessed." He added.

"Could you utilise this blessing?" Gukban asked.

"I need some time to think about it." Ichan Seulbu replied.

"Think fast then Your Highness, because time itself possesses no keeper and it isn't a resource that we have in abundance on our side." Gukban said.

"I will." Ichan Seulbu replied as he bowed his head while Gukban stood up and he did the same.

Eventually, Ichan Seulbu walked out of the room and Damju walked in.

"Your Excellency." He said as he bowed his head.

"It's been seventeen years." Gukban said.

"What are you doing Your Excellency?" Damju asked.

"My brother has orchestrated his first moves in declaring war and the time time for our waiting has come to an end." Gukban said as he turned around and faced him.

"Damju?" He called.

"Yes?" He replied.

"It's time we also retaliated." Gukban said.

"Yes Your Excellency." Damju replied.

"Gather my people as well and tell them that the hour has come, buy as much as you can until all of it is scarce." He ordered.

"Yes Your Excellency." Damju replied as he bowed his head and he also walked out of the room.

Seungman and the man had finished putting all the books together until suddenly, they heard a noise that was coming from outside.

"Intruders." The soldiers outsider shouted that the General and Seungman walked up to the entrance of the tent and they looked around as the place was in turmoil and the soldiers were rushing back and forth.

One of the guards Happened to be passing by and the man called him.

"You?" He said in a commanding tone and at once the man jogged up to him.

"Yes General?" The man replied and at that moment Seungman noticed that the stranger that she had been with all along was the General himself.

"What's going on?" He asked.

"There are two people outside that want to enter into the camp." The man replied.

"They are here much earlier than I expected." The General said.

"Your Excellency, were you expecting someone?" The man asked.

"Hold them off whether they are dressed as Nangdos or not." The General said.

"Yes Your Excellency." The man replied as he bowed his head.

"Are they the people that you were talking about?" Seungman asked.

"They must be." The General said.

Seungman suddenly caught sight of one of the guards that was walking up to her and looking at him she noticed that it was Jaejung Rang.

"She's one of them." Jaejung Rang said as she pointed at Seungman.

"She?" The General heard and he struck off the helmet that was hanging over Seungman's head and her long hair fell.

Seungman hearing the General unsheathing his sword she quickly drew hers out and guarded herself while she flew into the tent as the man persisted with his attack.

The man walked up to her against and Seungman once inside she held one of the flags which was on a metallic mast and she struck the pillars of the tent.

Automatically it had to collapse but herself being very close to it's other exit she moved backwards while commotion prevailed.

She looked around and nearly the whole camp was headed towards her.

Pointing her mast at the front she launched herself forward as she hit the soldiers with it to try and clear her path.

She seemed to have some temporary success until eventually she halted when Jaejung who had disguised himself with the guards of the camp stood right in front of her.

"We won't let you get anywhere." He said as a series of Soldiers Surrounded her.

"How did you know that I was a woman?" Seungman suddenly asked and the other guards that were right next to him were moved.

Seungman picked up a sword and she threw it towards Jaejung who in trying to dodge it it hit his helmet off his face and also exposed his face as well.

"He is one of them." The others said as they also tried to attack him.

Swiftly responding to his cover having been blown Jaejung Rang immediately unsheathed his sword and started to defend himself.

Seungman ceased that opportunity to tighten her grip on the mast and swinging it she struck all the soldiers that were surrounding her away from herself.

She cleared her path once again but the battle had only intensified as other soldiers came from around the place and they blocked her.

She returned her sword to it's scabbard and then pointing her mast ahead, she suddenly realized that Haesul was running up to her with a mast as well as Jaejung Rang was making his way towards her.

"Don't think about it." Seungman said as she pointed hers at him.

"The rules of the game were to take the flags back at the arena, however you take them wasn't part of the instruction so I'm still valid in the game if I take yours from you." Jaejung Rang said.

"You try." Seungman provoked.

"You leave me without a choice." Jaejung Rang said as he also unsheathed his sword and then launched himself towards Seungman.

The two clashed heavily and Jaejung Rang spinning his sword Seungman summersaulted and dodged it.

She fell behind slightly and as she staggered she regained her stance.

She briefly looked behind and there she noticed the General who was fighting off all the others.

She stood face to face with Jaejung Rang who launched himself towards her with his sword.

she guarded with the mast and let the sword slide past her while she ran off in the direction of the exit where a number of soldiers approached her.

Jaejung Rang was Surrounded by most of them and Seungman moved on as she propelled the mast until eventually she was standing in between.

The soldiers formed a circle and throwing their spears inwards she jumped up and she stood on them .

She swung her flag once again and hit them all away.

Spinning it she continued until she finally penetrated the soldiers within the camp giving them some minor bruises.

She stood at the exit finally but the soldiers were still pursuing her while she ran with the mast at hand and then she jumped onto her stead.

She rode off as Haesul Managed to break free and Jaejung Rang and Junghwan were both still caught up within the camp.

Seungman hadn't completely lost the soldiers as about five horsemen also rode out of the camp after her and they seven of them were set on the path back into the city.

Seungman rode her stead faster and faster while she was flying her flag high up in the sky.

The soldiers rode about and they surrounded the two while they persisted riding.

The soldiers swang their spears and Seungman slowed down a little bit while the distance between herself and Haesul widen and they missed them both.

They were able to swing their flags and they hit a couple of them off of their steads while they continued to ride their way past them.

About three still standing continued after them in hot pursuit and Seungman and Haesul reaching in front they split and rode into the surrounding grasslands.

Seungman was pursued by one of the riders while the other two went after Haesul Rang.

She rode her stead and turned it around when she was at a distance as she charged again towards the very soldier that had been chasing her.

She held her mast ahead and as the horses bypassed one another she knocked him off of his horse and then she continued towards Seoraebeol.

The other two riders were getting closer to Haesul and they combined their spears as they brought them towards him from behind

He bent forward as he halted his horse and with the mast of his flag he was able to knock them off their horses which continued while they fell back behind.

He turned around and then he rode of to the very road that led to Seoraebeol as he saw Seungman who was leading them in a distance.

He suddenly heard the sound of horses neighing and turning around in a distance he saw Junghwan Rang and Jaejung fighting with one another for the third flag as they raised a very thick cloud of dust behind them .

He struck his horse to go faster as they tried to overcome the slope which descended towards the lowland city.

Seungman looking behind she noticed how fast they were all trying to catch up to her so she also forced her stead to accelerate it's speed it eventually came face to face with the city itself in a while.

She knew that beyond the city walls it was impossible to ride the horse but she had nevertheless braced herself for anything.

The few Nangdos that stood at the city entrance seeing three flags and four horsemen headed towards them they were very excited that they themselves drew closer to see for themselves.

It was clear that Seungman was in the lead given that she herself was small despite having disguised herself in the armour.

The moment the horses halted outside, Seungman had already initiated her entry as she led her stead inside despite the cheers that rose from a number of people.

There were some young children playing on the streets that ran along with her as she made it through the city she had slowly started to get familiar with.

She knew the road to the arena very well and retracing her footsteps wasn't something that was very hard on her side as well.

The other Hwarang who were gathered in the Arena waited there along with Princess Deokman, Yushin Rang and Alcheon.

Even Chunchu had decided to show up but he maintained a distance from the Arena.

Seungman walked in first as she waved her red flag high up in the sky, her face was fully clad in bravery and she was the very embodiment of determination itself.

A few of the boys that had looked down on her were just as surprised that they let their mouths fall in absolute shock and their eyes seemed to stare widely at her.

Seungman marched through them as she stopped in front of Princess Deokman.

She had turned up first in the competition she finally sweating removed her helmet and planting her mast into the ground, she left her flag to fly as she went down on her knees.

"Your Highness." She said as she looked up at Princess Deokman who stood up from where she was seated.

"Seungman Rang from the Nameless sect is reporting to you." She added as she placed her hands onto the ground and there she bowed her head.

"Please Rise." Princess Deokman said when Haesul Rang and Junghwan Rang walked in a couple of minutes later holding onto their possession the last two flags.

They found Seungman standing and they walked up to both her sides where they planted their masts into the soil and their flags flew alongside hers.

"Your Highness." They said in unison as they bowed their heads while Jaejung Rang limped in a while later.

"Haesul Rang from the Phoenix Corps and Junghwan Rang from the Dragon Corps, you have all done very well." Princess Deokman said.

"Thank you Your Highness." They said in unison as they bowed their heads.

"You may both rise up." Princess Deokman said and the two complied.

"Before you today as you have bore witness yourselves, the very people standing in front of you are you undoubted champions for this fifth stage." Princess Deokman said and the others applauded them as they stumped their feet and they also struck the ground with their Spears.

"The following before you shall face of in the semi final challenge which in it's own shall decide who shall be this year's winner of the Hwarang games." Princess Deokman said and the cheers only got louder and louder.

Seungman looked at the Princess while she stared back at her and nodded with a smile on her face before everyone went onto their knees.

"Long Live Your Highness." They praised her while she turned around and slowly started to walk away while she was escorted by Gopheung and Yushin Rang.

Alcheon Rang stayed behind as Seungman raised her eyes and she looked at him.

She could tell that there was something that was going through his mind at that moment but she couldn't tell what exactly it was.

After they had all vanished, the other Nangdos stood up and they started walking away as well while Seungman stood up and faced Haesul Rang who was right by her side at her right hand.

Haesul smiled at her.

"Seungman?" He called.

"Yes?" Seungman replied.

"I couldn't have made it this far without you." He confessed.

"The Games are not yet over." Seungman said as she started to walk away until she was already in the alley that led to her quarters.

Haesul was walking behind her and she noticed how closely he had been following that she halted in her footsteps

"I'd not wish to win the final for your sake." Haesul finally said.

Seungman was so moved by his words that she considered turning around and looking at him.

She stopped herself and only decide to ask him a question.

"Why?" She said.

"This is your dream, I joined so that I could protect you this far and so that if I faced you in the final, I'd be very sympathetic or I know at least that you could beat me." Haesul replied.

"I never asked you to do this." Seungman said.

"You didn't have to." Haesul replied, "I know that for you losing these games means that no matter how far you have come you won't be a Hwarang but for me there could always be another year and another chance.

You loved this much more than I ever did to the extent that when comparing myself to you I find my heart to be undeserving of the very Honour you devoted your entire life to cherishing." He added.

"You'd rather let me have it my way whether I work for it?" Seungman asked.

"Isn't that what love is?" Haesul asked.

"I never wished to give you any hope in the very beginning and I also intend to keep it that way up to now.

Why give your devotion to someone who is undeserving like me, someone who can put nothing on the line for you?" She asked.

"Whether it's unrequited or not, to me the emotion is the same as it is that to express yours you must be willing to sacrifice so much more." Haesul said.

"What if I hated you?" Seungman asked.

"I wouldn't mind." Haesul replied, "As long as it's an emotion that you yourself can feel towards me it's better than having to receive nothing at all from your heart." Haesul added.

"If only I could rewind the time, we would have never met." Seungman said.

"Perhaps it is fate that I love you painfully and perhaps it's my Destiny to tread on thin ice and just as you intend on trying so hard to not love me, I'll similarly keep on loving you and I have no intentions of changing that feeling in my heart." Haesul said.

"I have heard." Seungman said, "I finally understand." She added as she walked away and left Haesul there while looking at her vanishing from his sight.

Haek Ga walked up to his master as he stared at the night sky.

"Your Excellency." He said as he bowed his head.

"Tell me." Baekban said.

"As you expected Your Excellency, Seungman Rang emerged victorious." Haek Ga replied.

Baekban smiled.

"I heard that recently there are a number of people among the Hwarang themselves that started respecting her and accepting her." Haek Ga added.

"Oh what good fortune it is to have the hearts of the people." Baekban said.

"It's even a greater fortune when those people are willing to fight by your side." Haek Ga said.

"We've sewn our devotion, we must on the other hand see to it that a lot worse happens between both the Princess Deokman and Seungman herself.

"What is more painful than loss?" Haek Ga asked. "I know you much better than anyone else, to believe that the Princess and Seungman shall be enemies isn't an intention, it's a possibility that you are hoping for." He added.

"Not everything can go according to plan and in one way or another before you can Master dominion it's best that you tie too many strings to trip your enemy than lean on one thin one to do the biggest job for you." Baekban replied.

"But Your Excellency, how best would you deal with Seungman in case she was out of our favour?" Haek Ga asked.

"Why do you think that we sent Bidam in the first place?" Baekban replied.

"Your Excellency, is there something else that I shouldn't worry about?" Haek Ga asked.

"Bidam is a very young and privileged young man who tends to isolate himself so oftenly that it is quite difficult to see through him.

I notice more often that behind his mindless gaze and expression, there is another insatiable anger that makes him secretly someone who is ambitious.

With time if we could perhaps come to sharpen him so much more, for us he shall become a very good sword we could use to annihilate the Princess." Baekban replied.

"You know her Highness to be awfully suspicious about very many people, are you not worried that for the case of Bidam she will as well?" Haek Ga asked.

"Bidam's loyalty is where he can at best thrive out of suffering, withdrawing from the Hwarang Games and losing on purpose whose plan do you think it all was?" Baekban asked.

"Your Excellency is in deed very wise." Haek Ga said.

"Don't praise me yet and watch for yourself, for if the Princess' deepest desire is to try and bring all the remarkable talents to herself, before long she'll be the very person to pull closer to herself the sword that will vanquish her." Baekban said.

"I see Your Excellency." Haek Ga said.

Baekban looked at the moon.

"It's so beautiful out here tonight that I am certain that it shall be the very same in the Palace." Baekban said.

"Your Excellency, speaking of the palace what shall we do about Kim Chunchu?" Haek Ga asked.

"Just keep watching him and do nothing, we need to test how deep his ambition is and only then would we be able to check his perfect fitness to our cause." Baekban replied.

"Yes Your Excellency." Haek Ga said.

Princess Deokman was seated inside her Chambers when Boyeong walked in.

"Your Highness." She said as she bowed her head.

"What is it?" Princess Deokman asked.

"Alcheon Rang wishes to speak to you." Boyeong replied.

"Let him in." Princess Deokman said.

"Yes Your Highness." Boyeong replied as she bowed her head and she walked out returning with Alcheon Rang.

"Your Highness." Alcheon Rang said as he bowed his head.

"Please sit." Princess Deokman said.

"Yes Your Highness." Alcheon Rang replied as he lowered himself into the seat that was right next to the Princess.

"How is Seungman?" She asked.

"She is fine though I can also tell she is in a state of confusion." Alcheon Rang replied

"It must be weighing so much on her." Princess Deokman said.

"Yes Your Highness." Alcheon Rang replied.

"Tell me." Princess Deokman said, "What is it that you wish to say to me?" She asked.

"I understand that Your Highness is going through a very hard time." Alcheon Rang said.

"You and Yushin Rang have been close to me for so long, naturally you'd notice my uneasiness compared to all the other people." Princess Deokman said.

"I am concerned." Alcheon Rang said.

"Seungman is a master but she is still young and naive, the part that is laid for her is one that is not easy yet this child here in a way makes me feel a great deal of attachment.

I wish to know for myself who she really is on one hand but the other I am burdened by the fact that her identity could be the very thing that others might used to force us apart.

She grew up thinking that perhaps her parents were innocent but I can't stop imagining what would be the outcome of her parents were rebels." Princess Deokman said.

"I understand Your Highness." Alcheon Rang said.

"If Rebels are banished from Seoraebeol so is their kin, upon return without the permission of the King they'd be looking for a death sentence.

I have looked through all the female relatives of King Jinheung but I have not found a single one that could have been linked to treason or one that died Seventeen years ago and before I can face my father all the more I am dissatisfied with the fact that it might be another possibility for that sword to have been stolen." Princess Deokman said.

"Calm down your Highness." Alcheon Rang said.

"It's hard enough for me to do so, you can not imagine the feeling of closeness that I had towards her, risking her life for me.

She is another I can not abandon and perhaps one that I still look up to for allegiance and putting her in trouble could possibly turn her into my enemy." Princess Deokman said.

"I know Seungman Your Highness, long enough to understand her devotion towards this country.

Shilla long gave her a very cold shoulder and she wasn't brought up in a society where everyone entirely praised her, she knew not the love of her mother and whatever her father did to discourage her from loving Shilla and in particular Seoraebeol in the end she gave her whole heart to it." Alcheon Rang said.

"Your Highness, are those not the very people that you want by your side?" Alcheon Rang asked, "The people who like yourself share a common devotion and the very ones that like yourself give themselves up for the good of this Heavenly Kingdom?" He added.

"Yes." Princess Deokman said, "Anyone would so anything for the very person or country that she loves." She added.

"That is Seungman." Alcheon Rang said.

"You know her too well." Princess Deokman said.

"Because I know you Your Highness?" Alcheon Rang replied.

"Between me and her?" Princess Deokman asked.

"To misplace your trust Your Highness is not something that you usually do, if you choose someone to work with you if not for trust them you are most aware that there is still a purpose that you can put them up to or redeem them." Alcheon Rang said.

"Seungman Rang is untamed, she is poise, resilient and smart, all these qualities put her to the very best of the people that I know yet you know me very well that even to those I trust I am always suspicious." Princess Deokman said.

Alcheon Rang kept quiet.

"You wouldn't misjudge me but with Seungman she isn't but an assurance of unwavering allegiance on my side but a conjecture." Princess Deokman said.

"Don't be too certain Your Highness." Princess Deokman asked.

"Let me ask you a question Alcheon and please be truthful with me." Princess Deokman said.

"Yes I will Your Highness." Alcheon Rang replied.

"If one day Seungman and I were enemies, whose side would you take?" Princess Deokman asked.

"Whichever is the right side." Alcheon Rang replied.

"What makes you say that?" Princess Deokman asked.

"People change and sometimes even the good turn evil, should it be one of you or both, if I must go against you both to redeem your soul then I shall certainly do it Your Highness." Alcheon Rang replied.

"But between the both of us there must be one whose dreams you must give up on." Princess Deokman said.

"Would You desert Yushin Rang Your Highness?" Alcheon Rang asked.

"If he turned against me Yes." Princess Deokman replied.

"The same would go for me Your Highness." Alcheon Rang replied, "I don't follow you for my own benefit or because there are personal expectations that I have from you, my allegiance stands so long as you can keep your promise to Shilla and become it's good King." He added.

"Thank you." Princess Deokman said.

"Don't fear Seungman Your Highness and don't give her a reason to abandon you, none of us that follow you closely are women so she could be like another sister as ambitious as you are that you can open up to." Alcheon Rang said.

"Thank you." Princess Deokman said.

Seungman was seated at the roof of her quarters and she was lost in thoughts as she looked up at the sky and tried to remember the very words that Haesul had told her earlier in the day.

"This is your dream, I joined so that I could protect you this far and so that if I faced you in the final, I'd be very sympathetic or I know at least that you could beat me." He'd said and her heart ached.

"You'd rather let me have it my way whether I work for it?" Seungman had asked.

"Isn't that what love is?" He'd given his stand.

"Why must you force me to be so cruel to you, why do you keep giving me regrets about the very fist time that we met?" Seungman whispered to herself.

Suddenly someone sat on the very roof right next to her and when she turned around she noticed that it was Yushin Rang.

"You?" She said.

"Yes." Yushin Rang replied.

"Why are you here?" Seungman asked.

"I am concerned." Yushin Rang replied.

"About who? Me?" Seungman asked.

"About Her Highness the Princess." Yushin replied.

"You must care about her." Seungman said.

"I do." Yushin Rang replied.

"Is it why you protect her?" Seungman asked.

"She's every reason I have to live." Yushin replied.

"Shouldn't you be with her then?" Seungman asked.

"As who?" Yushin Rang asked.

"Someone that loves her." Seungman replied.

"For a Princess its not it." Yushin Rang said.

"What's with you all men?" Seungman asked.

"It's not us, its nature that's heartless." Yushin said.

"If only you could protect us just as much." Seungman said.

"Why would her Highness be uneasy except for the very foes that are against her?" Yushin Rang asked.

"Yes why?" Seungman asked as she turned around and looked Yushin Rang in the eyes.