Part 16 (1/2)
It took seven days to prepare the Iron Army for battle. On their last night in Wando palace, Jaewon and Seung were allowed to stay at the palace with Kwan in his quarters. Kira joined them for a private dinner in the prince's chambers, discussing Eojin's battle preparations for the attack on the Tongey port city of Wonsan.
”Didn't we spend all this time heading north to get away from the enemy?” Jaewon complained.
They sat on the floor of the prince's sitting room, each person eating off a small round table set with individual portions of meat, vegetables, soup, and rice. Kira sat next to Jaewon, noticing that he'd eaten all of his soy-sauce potatoes. She surrept.i.tiously placed her plate on his table.
”Now is the time to fight. No more running,” Kwan replied. ”No more running.” His expression was as hard as granite.
”We are going to save my mother,” Taejo said.
Jaewon nodded in agreement. Looking down at his meal, he noticed the full plate of potatoes. Kira smothered a laugh as he eagerly demolished them.
The great Iron Army in motion is an intimidating sight, Kira thought. With the addition of more Guru recruits and displaced soldiers to his army, Eojin marched with a force of one hundred thousand men.
As Taejo's personal guards, Kira, Kwan, and Captain Pak rode with the king's cavalry. Upon Taejo's request, Jaewon and Seung were added to his escort.
They were the only ones to ride fully armored horses. The infantry marched in platoons, while supply transports set off to set up camps at prearranged locations. The dirt roads were in poor shape from the winter storms, so that it was commonplace to come across broken wheels and even abandoned wagons all along their route.
The king's cavalry reached Oakcho five days later. At the border, the Oakcho generals pledged their allegiance to Guru, adding an additional ten thousand men to their numbers.
It would take the ma.s.sive army another ten days to reach the Tongey borders, while scouts brought daily word of the enemy onslaught.
Kira hated their slow pace. At this rate, the new year would be upon them before they saw any action. And with the start of the twelfth month, the frigid air tasted of the coming snow.
To be truthful, she didn't care about the war effort. She spent nearly every waking moment thinking about Brother Woojin and Master Ros.h.i.+'s words. They'd said the first Dragon King treasure was located somewhere in the Diamond Mountains. After she'd finally told Kwan about her shadow-land dreams, he'd redoubled his efforts to meet with Brother Boyuk, but to no avail. It was as if the monk had disappeared. Frustrated and anxious, Kwan finally agreed that they should make the trek to the mountains themselves. They would discuss it with the others at the next opportunity.
At night, the army would sprawl across the landscape, separated by their divisions. Hundreds of women followed on foot behind the infantry. Kira stayed away from all of them, aware of the fear and loathing she caused. But when she sensed a demon presence among them, she was compelled to investigate. The shamans should have put up wards all around the entire perimeter of the camp. But it was hard to keep the men from straying out of the protected areas. When Kwan and Jaewon insisted on going with her, she agreed. This was not Hansong, and she could not easily move about unrecognized. She would be safer with them.
They pa.s.sed a large and rowdy crowd surrounding a wrestling match. Kwan and Jaewon stopped for a moment to watch the wrestlers. Kira walked past. She'd never been interested in wrestling, despite its popularity.
Sensing something in the air, Kira whirled around and b.u.mped into another soldier. He wheeled back, off-balance, falling against several onlookers. They pushed him away, cursing at him. Furious, the soldier rushed at Kira.
”Watch where you're going, dog sp.a.w.n!” he shouted. He shoved her hard on the chest. Kira rocked back from the blow as her fist shot out reflexively, knocking the soldier onto his rear.
”Son of a wh.o.r.e!” the soldier sputtered as he jumped to his feet. When his eyes met hers, he stepped away in fear and disgust.
”Get away from me, Demon Slayer! We don't want your kind here!” He spit on the ground, barely missing her boot.
Kira contained the fury that threatened to erupt within her. ”What do you mean by that?” she asked.
”You don't fool me,” he sneered. Kira smelled the alcohol fumes emanating from him. ”Acting like a man when there's naught between your legs or your ears. Women don't belong in the army. You don't belong here!”
He pulled out a dagger and slashed at Kira's face. Instinct saved her. With a quick side step, she dodged the blow and grabbed her sword. She dashed the pommel onto his head, knocking him unconscious.
Leaving the fallen man, she tried to find the odor trail she'd sensed before. Many soldiers were now glaring at her. Ignoring them, she pushed past those who deliberately stepped into her path. She had detected the foul scent of the demon she was tracking. It led her back to a group of men who knelt around the drunk who had attacked her. A flash of silvery-gray skin clung to the neck of a large, bearded soldier.
An imp. So bold. She thought. It peered at her with hungry eyes as it sank sharp teeth into the bearded soldier's dirty neck.
Kira raised her sword and approached the group.
”Demon!” the bearded soldier shouted. ”k.u.miho! She wants to kill us all!”
Kira stopped in confusion. Before she could explain about the imp, a rock flew out of the crowd, glancing off her forehead. Dazed, Kira touched her face, feeling the wetness of blood trickle down her cheek.
”Send her to the underworld where she belongs!” someone shouted.
Dozens of stones flew at her as she covered her head. Her sword fell from her hand as she ducked down and pulled herself into a ball. A cry broke through her lips as searing pain dropped her to her knees. The missiles pounded her back and arms, ripping into the tender flesh unprotected by her armor.
Over the thudding in her ears and the maddened cries of the mob, she heard the outraged shouts of her brother.
Kira couldn't move; her limbs had stiffened with pain. Someone pulled her gently up, steadying her. Jaewon held her against his chest. She could feel his heart thumping erratically.
Kwan stood over several dead soldiers, his sword dripping with blood.
The mob scattered with the arrival of the military police officers, who surrounded them and shouted for Kwan to drop his sword. He threw it down and spit on the nearest body. Kira noticed the gray, atrophied form of the imp steaming its black gunk into the ground.
”Lower your weapons-he's the king's kin!” an officer said as he bowed before Kwan. He ordered one of his men to retrieve Kwan's sword and wipe it off before returning it to him. Kwan sheathed his weapon and went over to Kira. He held her by the arms, his jaw tight with rage as he took in the sight of her b.l.o.o.d.y and bruised face. Kira bit back a cry as he pressed against her injuries.
”I will deal with these men. You go get some rest,” he said. With a nod to Jaewon, he returned to the officers.
Jaewon offered Kira his arm, but she shook him off. She was keenly aware of all who watched their progress-cursing her, hating her. She refused to let them see her weakness.
All her life she'd dealt with prejudice and hate. All her life she'd lived knowing people despised her for being different. It was her parents who kept Kira from turning her back to the world. They'd taught her that every life was precious and worth protecting. Without them, Kira could feel her control breaking down. Rage consumed her. She'd never understood why people could hate so unconditionally.
But now she knew. Now she burned with hatred.
29.
The pain was agonizing. Her leather armor had protected her back from the brunt of the stoning, but there were numerous cuts and bruises on her arms, neck, and face. Her right eye was swollen and her face black-and-blue from her ear to the bridge of her nose.
She didn't respond to anyone. Not to her brother's questions as he cared for the worst of her wounds. Nor even when Taejo cried to see her so battered and bruised. Fear of what she would say kept her quiet. But on the inside, her emotions were in turmoil. She thought of her mother and the other trapped shadows and her inability to help them. She relived the attack, letting guilt seep into her thoughts, wondering if she should have warned the men of the imp first, wis.h.i.+ng she hadn't pulled out her sword.
Lying alone in her tent, she felt the warm embrace of a tiger curled up by her side, purring gently. It emitted a golden light that surrounded them both. She could feel how its ki, its pure tiger energy, transferred into her body. Kira touched its soft fur. Powerful muscles rippled under her fingertips. The energy was giving her strength again.
”My father was right,” she said. ”I always thought you were just a dream. But you're real. You are my tiger spirit.”
The tiger purred in response.
”Thank you,” she said.
It opened its eyes, which were golden in color, just like Kira's.
Don't despair, my child. I am always with you.
She heard its words in her mind, and the hate and anger released itself. It didn't matter what the world thought of her. She was the girl with the tiger spirit. Finally at peace, she buried herself deeper into the tiger's embrace and fell asleep.