The royal capital of the nation of Sultania was on fire. Licchavian soldiers had already obtained it, and now 100 of them were deployed in the Northern part as a hunter unit to hunt down the merchant group.
The merchant group was on the run. They saw the group of soldiers heading towards them. The sound of the horses panicked them. They had to run and cross the Han border to enter China. They had to go through a small patch of forest to reach it. It was just before them. The stones trembled, and pressure made them tremble.
"We will pass through that patch!! We might get separated, but everyone make sure to regroup at all costs"
All of them entered the patch, the moonlight couldn't penetrate due to the thick canopy. But still they rode in the darkness. With only one goal in mind. They said it aloud. Their determination echoed throughout the forest.
"We will reach China!"
After the run in the darkness, all of them emerged from the forest and regrouped. The happiness of seeing each other reflected in their eyes, but there also existed a sense of urgency.
"No matter what happens, we will reach China!"
Kyou shouted and took the lead of the group. He tightened his headband and rode in front of the group, navigating through the planes to the Han border.
"Those flags! They are not of Sultania! It's Licchavi!"
"Not Sultania?!"
Sen observed again, and it was true. They were not the Sultania army, but the Licchavi. Guang understood the situation they were in. He explained it to all of them.
"Licchavi has invaded Sultania. It is all for finding us! To kill us, Suryvarma is the one who is chasing us!"
The red skies reflected Guang's eyes, and those clouds that appeared like blotted red figures gave him the sense of urgency. Those clouds were like those crimson flowers. The representation of death. This made Guang angry, and he ordered Kyou to never lose.
"Kyou! Never lose! We will..."
Guang observed Kyou's hands. The hands with which he held the rope of the horse. They were shaking. This made him understand that they were going at a speed that was even beyond Kyou's limits. A simple thought came to his mind, it was a fight against his mind. His body was trying to convince him that they would live, but his mind was conveying something different.
"He will die like this"
"The army is also near us"
The royal capital of Sultania was on fire. The Licchavi army raided the royal palace and the shops. Killing people and infants, also kidnapping women and using them for their pleasure. A child lay on the ground, with torn clothes and broken bones. He still begged the army to save his mother. His mind couldn't accept the fact that his mother was dead.
"Ma..."
The army was slaughtering all the men. In that red sky, the moon rose, the blood moon. The clouds gathered around it, making the crimson flower. It was visible from all the places in the capital. The General finally entered the royal palace and sat on the throne.
"This is golden..."
The infantry stood before him and showed their respect to the man by bowing before him. But they never accepted this. They felt this was a violation of the pride of the Licchavis, who fought and won face to face with the other armies.
"General, have we forsaken ourselves?"
A simple question came from the crowd. This question enraged the general; his hands trembled and his eyes widened. His confidence was destroyed, and the guilt of doing something wrong enveloped him.
"Kill that man!"
The frustrated general ordered the infantry to kill the man. However, they didn't even move an inch. They couldn't, they were not capable of doing something that low. Their conscience started to tear them apart from the inside. They couldn't overpower their scruples, that was already influenced by their guilt. All of them fell on their knees, their worn-out bodies found it impossible to handle that pressure. Tears rolled out their eyes. They collectively prayed to the Gods to forgive them.
Miles away, the threads of fate were winding together to give birth to something new. A fate that they couldn't avoid.
The merchant group continued to run through the planes, with the sole aim of reaching China. Guang explained the plan to all others.
"We have to reach the Han borders faster than they! We will inform the Han soldiers of this surprise attack! This will make them fight this army!"
All of them agreed to this plan. They continued to run, like ants that run from large bugs. The bug hits the ants with its claw, which crushes them. This leads to a tragic ending, an ending where their stories end before even reaching the destination.
Kyou couldn't pull it anymore. Guang instantly appeared on the front to help Kyou and started to pull the group with his horse. However, he couldn't pull them at that speed; Kyou pulled. This made the soldiers approach even closer. To an extent there they were able to see their faces.
The first gate of Han was visible. Guang's head was downcast as he could only think of one thing. The picture of his wife and child flashed into his mind. He patted Kyou on his back, and Sen also did the same. Fui also appeared behind them.
"This is the ultimate aim of our life, eh?"
Fui smiled and conveyed his mind to them. He was happy to come this far.
"Ah..."
"Our generation is over, huh?"
Yadav, who was listening to this talk, couldn't comprehend anything. This felt pointless to him, but at some point, he also understood that they were planning for something.
"Qin!"
Guang called Qin. Qin instantly approached Guang and asked him the reason behind it.
"Yes! Why did you call me"
"Qin, I hereby appoint you as the 3rd leader of the merchant group"
"Wha...what are you telling?"
"Our time has come"
"What the hell are you telling? Leader Guang!"
Yadav shouted and asked Guang while he rode behind him. His terrified eyes reminded Guang of his former self.
"The time has come for us to make an exit"
"Exit...what are you talking about?"
"You wouldn't understand about after all"
"Fui! Take the rope!"
Fui took the long rope from the bag. The dust decreased the visibility. The soldiers found it difficult to see them.
"Qin, Yadav and all others! We are grateful that you were a part of this group! Lead it to glory!"
"That is why I am asking! What are you talking about?
Yadav dashed to Gunag and asked him. He stared him in the eyes. Guang smiled, looking at Yadav.
"Sukoh Yadav! Here!"
Kyou removed his headband and gave it to Yadav. That unique headband of his clan, with the quote 'A thousand victories'.
"Here, catch it!"
Fui threw his unique blue sword to Yadav. He caught it with his hands. His hands trembled when he touched that. Tears rolled from his eyes.
"You already have my sword, Yadav!"
Sen shouted and told Yadav about his sword. The one which Yadav took from him back when he fought Xie.
"Take care of it!"
"I guess I am the only one who didn't give you anything, eh?"
"Leader..leader Guang, what are you...you telling?"
Yadav's words were wobbly, and his mouth trembled. He couldn't talk straight.
"In China, you need a new name...your new name will be Wan Heian"
"Wan Heian, eternal peace"
Yadav was quiet after hearing that. He understood that he couldn't stop that. His face was downcast. He couldn't look upright.
Sen, Fui, Guang and Kyou held the top of the edge and fell back. All of them saw the leaders falling back, the melancholy was visible in their eyes. The children saw their fathers falling to their deaths. Yadav took the front and led the group. Guang smiled after seeing that.
"Become the Great General"
Yadav didn't look back. He just led the group. Rode in the front and pulled them. They passed the first gate and entered the second one. The Han army was observing all of this from afar. They deployed their army to fight against them.
The group reached the last and final entry gate to Han. The soldiers clearly understood that they were here to seek asylum from the Sultania. The officials let them in and closed the gate after their army headed out.
Sen, Fui, Guang and Kyou turned their horses and rode in the opposite direction, towards that army. They held the rope tight and started to ride towards their death. They all strangely smiled when they saw the army.
"Engage! My men!"
Guang ordered them to engage the army with their full force. They rode inside that multitude, destroying several soldiers with that rope. They all tripped and fell. Horsemen rode over the soldiers who fell. A rain of arrows hit and pierced through Sen's body, making several holes. Still, he rode, and his horse got painted red. But still he rode.
SFX: SLASH
One of them slashed off Guang's hand. But still, he held the rope with his other hand. He was being slashed in the chest, but still he held tight. One of the arrows pierced Fui's eyes, but the man still rode in that darkness. After being stabbed by several swords, Kyou never stopped riding. They rode till the end. Till the rope was destroyed, they rode. Killing several of those soldiers. They rode till their body parts got decapitated. Their bodies were finally on the ground, being stamped and crushed by the horsemen. All of them lay together.
A lush green meadow, and all four of them lay together watching that blue sky. Their eyes reflected that sky, making it like a sapphire gem.
"Hm...they finally reached Han"
They smiled after Guang told them. The cold breeze touched their bodies, they were finally resting.
"We can finally rest, eh?"
They all laughed after hearing that. They slowly woke up and walked away, and the smell of the grass and water tickled their senses. Their final laughs echoed throughout that place. Before disappearing, Guang turned back and said something.
"Ascend above the heavens, Wan Heian"
The Han army defeated the Licchavi army. Killed each soldier and eliminated the threat. The others finally reached the Han capital. In reality, they were sorrowful, they couldn't think straight or enjoy the destination. Wan observed something written in big letters.
"Han"
The gate with the name Han. A huge capital with the royal palace at the top of a hill. Markets that sell everything and those lights. They were relieved somewhere inside them. They could feel it. The loss of their comrades, their minds couldn't accept it, but there was no other choice but to accept. The sound of the markets and the scent of those new dishes cooked there were new to them.
"This is China, eh?"
The administrative officials approached them as they had sought asylum. They interrogated them by asking their names and origin. They asked every one of them.
"What is your name, young man?"
"I am Sukoh...no Wan Heian"
Wan Heian was on his knees, his body armour had fallen apart, and he was just enjoying the sky. The red evening sky that they mistook for misfortune. His thoughts ran wild as he looked at the sky.
"We finally reached our goal, and from here our paths are separate. Qin and the rest of the others will continue their journey as the 3rd generation merchant group. I will pursue my path of becoming a great general. Our paths indeed differ, but it doesn't mean that they will never cross"
Wan quickly got on his feet and walked away. Qin tried to call him, but later he understood the significance of that. The rest of them ran behind Wan to call him.
"Everyone, stop!"
Qin ordered all of them to stop. They couldn't understand why he had said something like that. Meanwhile, Wan got farther and finally disappeared amidst those lights and the crowd.
"Yadav!"
They shouted, but there was no reply. Qin smiled and quoted something that made all of them understand.
"Paths force us to separate, and also unite. Don't pursue him because we only have his memories. Be happy because we made those memories"