Prophecy (28 page)

“I said throw it to me!” Ito stood at the edge of the stairs, above the massive body of the slain imoogi.

As she looked into the eyes of absolute evil, the world around her seemed to come to a standstill. She was frozen in terror. Had she come so far, only to fail?

What am I to do? Father, what do I do?

Kira heard only her own breathing and the beating of her heart. Then suddenly, there was a stirring in the air, and her tiger spirit appeared beside her. She gazed at it in wonder. Twice it had come to her in the same day.

She heard the tiger speak in her mind.

Do not doubt yourself any longer. You are the Dragon Musado
.

The tiger spirit faded into the air.

For the first time in her life, her sight and her mind were completely clear.

I am the Dragon Musado
.

Even the tidal stone had called her master.

I am the Dragon Musado
.

Calm filled her. She had no doubt about what she was to do.

Kira threw the stone high into the air, forcing the Yamato to push Taejo away and drop his dagger in order to catch it. As Kira launched herself at Ito, her hands grasped for the stone from the air and her foot slammed down with a force that sent him hurtling down the stairs. He landed on the stone sidewalk next to the dead imoogi, his neck twisted in an unnatural angle.

Kira crashed to the ground, the pain excruciating. But then she heard her mother’s gentle voice and sweet laughter.

Thank you, my little tiger
.

“Mother,” Kira whispered.

Water splashed on her face as Taejo dropped to the ground next to her.

“Noona!”

Kira opened her eyes a crack and saw Taejo. Tears flowed down his face.

“Noona, you are the Dragon Musado,” he cried out in a choked voice. “You saved Hansong! You saved everyone! Noona! Did you hear me? I’m glad you’re the One. I’m proud you are my cousin. Please be all right. Noona! Please stay with me. Please …”

Her eyes were too heavy. She couldn’t keep them open. The pain in her head caused a ringing in her ears. Then blackness enveloped her, and she slipped into oblivion.

It was early spring and she was at a picnic with her family. Her
mother had traveled by carriage while she rode on horseback with her father and brothers. It was their annual pilgrimage to a nearby mountainside lake, surrounded by hundreds of cherry blossoms in full bloom.

Thin, soft rush mats were spread under the shade of the trees as servants laid out a feast of various rice rolls, dumplings, meat, and seasoned vegetables. Everyone sat eating and laughing, enjoying the warm spring weather as gentle winds blew pink blossom showers, which adorned their hair with tiny petals.

Her father and mother sat nearby, watching Kwan tease her by snatching food from her fingers. Kira berated him for being such a pig, while Kyoung administered punishment by catching Kwan by the scruff of his neck and wrestling him in a mock match.

She was so happy to be with them all once again. She had missed them with a fierce intensity that was a physical pain.

Her father stood up and helped her mother to her feet.

“It’s time to go,” he said.

“So soon?” Kira complained.

Kira’s mother smiled radiantly. “You saved us. I can now join our ancestors in heaven. My little tiger! We will always watch over you.”

Alarmed, Kira rushed to them, but her brothers held her back as they watched her parents pulling away.

“Please, let me go with you,” Kira begged.

Someone was calling her name, but she didn’t want to answer. Already the picnic was fading. She could see her mother and father waving good-bye.

Kira opened her eyes and saw Taejo, Kwan, Brother Woojin, and Jaewon’s faces. Seung stood behind them, peering anxiously at her. Turning her head, she noted that she was lying on a large table covered with furs inside a guardhouse. She put a hand to her forehead and found it bound with a tight bandage. She fingered the long gash that puckered across her cheek.

Jaewon pulled her hand away, clasping it between his strong ones. “Leave it alone. It must heal,” he said. His eyes filled with concern and affection that left Kira feeling warm.

“How long have I been asleep?” she asked.

“Several hours,” he replied.

That explained why she was still in pain; she needed an entire night with her tiger spirit to be completely healed.

Taejo pressed closer, jostling Jaewon in his eagerness to speak to her. “I’m so glad you’re all right,” Taejo said. “I couldn’t bear it if something happened to you too!” His voice caught, and he quieted. Leaning over, he gave her a quick hug.

“I should be mad at you!” Kwan said. “Here I am risking my neck to save Hansong, and who does everyone talk about? My baby sister! The big hero! The imoogi slayer! What about me? Doesn’t anybody want to know about me? Huh?” He gazed at her with bright eyes. “You’ve done well, little sister. I’m proud of you.”

Leaning closer, he whispered, “What of Mother?”

“She is finally at peace,” Kira said.

Her brother closed his eyes in relief. “Thank the heavens!” He carefully caressed her face, cautious of her injury. “And I have some more good news for you. There’s someone here to see you.”

Kira tried to sit up with Jaewon’s help, when another pair of hands grabbed hers. It was her oldest brother, Kyoung. She shouted in glee and immediately regretted it as her head throbbed in pain. He laughed down at her and hugged her.

“Where have you been?” she asked.

“I arrived in Hansong several weeks ago. I’ve been hiding, working with the resistance,” he said. “The citizens of Hansong all opposed the Yamatos and Lord Shin.”

“The people saved us on the cliff and at the gate,” she said. “Was that because of you?”

He nodded. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there too, but I had my hands full trying to coordinate efforts with the other Guru infiltrators in preparation for the attack,” Kyoung said. He ran a finger softly across her scarred cheek. “Forgive me.”

“Never mind that,” Kira said. “I’m just so happy you are here!”

“So many good people died today,” Kyoung said. “But they have not died in vain, for they have given us victory.”

Kira said a silent prayer for the gods to welcome all who’d lost their lives in the battle.

A loud noise at the door sounded the arrival of Captain Pak, who headed straight for Taejo.

“Congratulations, Your Highness! We are victorious,” Pak said with a broad smile. “General Kim’s division is chasing the Yamatos into the Kudara borders, but King Eojin has led his army into the city! The people are already cheering him and calling him the One!”

Everyone in the room broke out in cheers except for Kira. She looked up to find Jaewon watching her. He winked at her before placing a warm hand on her shoulder.

“The king and your people would like to see the prince. And you too, Kang Kira.” Pak bowed to Kira and gave her a big smile. “It would be an honor to escort you both.”

Kira grimaced. She had no intention of standing before another crowd.

“Why do you look like that?” Kwan asked. “Don’t you realize who you are? You’re the legendary Dragon Musado who saved Hansong from the evil imoogi. They claim that with you and King Eojin together, the prophecy has been fulfilled and the Yamatos will be defeated!”

She put a hand to her cheek and fingered the bandage. She eyed Taejo with a troubled expression.

“It’s all right, Noona. I’m glad you are the Dragon Musado.”

“Yes, but I don’t understand one thing. The Heavenly Maiden told me that Taejo is Dang’s heir, not Eojin.”

Brother Woojin came forward and sat by her side. “Young mistress, I have been pondering this puzzle ever since you discovered the tidal stone and have come up with a theory. Only the Dragon Musado can find and wield the Dragon King treasures. Yet the Heavenly Maidens have ordered you to protect the prince.”

Kira nodded.

“You accepted the stone from the giant turtle, and you used the power of the tidal stone to defeat the Yamatos. That means you are the warrior, the Dragon Musado. All this time, the monks have believed that the warrior is the One. We followed Master Ahn’s theories. But we were wrong. You are the Dragon Musado, the protector of the One, and the prince is the future king. The two of you are the prophecy.”

Kira wasn’t surprised by the monk’s words. Ever since she’d unleashed the power of the tidal stone, she’d felt the rightness of her actions. The stone belonged to her. She was the Dragon Musado. What Brother Woojin said made sense. She’d sworn over and over to protect Taejo. It was her fate. Yet, she was still troubled.

“I don’t understand,” Taejo said. “The prophecy says ‘one will save us all.’ But there are two of us. How can that be?”

Brother Woojin clasped his hands and laughed. “Remember, the warrior was never part of the original prophecy. It was part of Master Ahn’s interpretation. We monks have put the two together for centuries. But we were wrong.”

“So, I’m no longer the yellow-eyed kumiho?” Kira asked with a grin.

Kyoung stepped forward and grabbed her hand, pressing it firmly. “No one will ever call you that again.”

Kira saw Taejo smiling at her.

“Do you feel up to coming?” he asked, his face hopeful. “I’d rather you were with me.”

She nodded, watching the relief sweep over his face. With a bow, Taejo walked out, the captain and Jindo at his side.

Ignoring the pain, Kira stood up and followed them. When Kyoung tried to put his arm around her, she glared at him. “I’m fine, Oppa,” she said. “Don’t hover.”

Kyoung laughed. “All right, little sister. I’m here if you need me.” He moved ahead to catch up with Taejo.

Jaewon stood close by on her other side. Catching Jaewon’s eye, she was relieved to see he was still carrying her bow and arrow case. He placed her nambawi in her hands. Kira was happy to have it back. It was like an old friend. But instead of wearing it, she shoved it into her arrow case.

She smiled up at him.

“Thank you.”

The warmth and steadiness of his gaze made her nervous. She put an uncertain hand up to her face. The bandages covered the damage over her eye, but her cheek was badly scarred.

He leaned close to her ear and whispered, “It makes you look very dashing. Like a lady bandit. You can be the most dangerous criminal in all the Seven Kingdoms!”

She laughed. “Then you can be my bumbling sidekick who must do everything I say.”

“But of course, my lady!” He bowed. “I will even gladly wash your stinky feet.”

“Ya! My feet aren’t stinky!”

“Whatever you say, my lady.”

They bickered back and forth as they walked to where a group of soldiers and horses stood waiting for them.

Taejo mounted his horse and gazed anxiously down at her. “Are you sure you’re all right?” he asked.

“Of course,” she replied.

With a nervous smile, Taejo rode ahead with Kwan and the captain. Kira pulled herself slowly onto her saddle, her head aching and dizzy from the small effort. She was relieved to have Kyoung lead her horse. They followed Taejo’s group to the palace grounds, with Jaewon and Seung taking up the rear.

The sun was setting, casting the streets and buildings into half shadows, hiding the fallen bodies that littered the street in semidarkness. She heard cheering, getting louder. Thousands of people filled the main plaza before the palace. As the crowd became aware of the soldiers waiting to pass, they opened up a pathway. The cheering exploded as cries of “Prince Taejo!” erupted throughout the city.

Kira watched her young cousin greet the citizens of Hansong. She felt happiness and pride mixed with sadness and regret. At that moment, she couldn’t have been prouder of Taejo, who rode with great dignity for one so young.

On the steps of the palace, King Eojin awaited him.

Kira, Kyoung, Jaewon, and Seung joined Kwan and the captain, watching the young prince riding through the masses. Around them, they heard a new chant: “Dragon Musado.” Wary and uneasy with the attention, Kira started to shrink down into her saddle, and then she stopped herself.

No more hiding, Kang Kira, she told herself.

She straightened and waved to the people bowing to her.

Kyoung laughed. “You’re a hero!”

Kira shrugged. For the first time ever, the crowds were cheering her. It was all a bit too much. It was such a change, and she wondered if she could trust it. The word
trust
hung in her mind, a whisper of a memory.
They saved us at the cliffs
.

She marveled at how different it was to be accepted. Something she’d always wished for but thought would never happen. And yet how strange it was that it didn’t matter anymore.

Tuning out the chants, she focused on her cousin, who had now reached the king.

Eojin looked splendid in his black armor. He stood above the heads of the crowd of Hansong citizens. Beside him were several of his generals, all battle worn and grimy, their faces proud and stoic.