Warrior(The Dragon King Chronicles)(43)

The sand, it's too loose, she thought. Spotting an outcropping of rocks below the bluffs, she began running.

The beasts were howling. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw the creatures lumbering toward her, their bulky bodies slowed by the sand.

Her lungs were tight, breathing was painful, but she pushed herself harder, trying to run faster in the sand.

She could hear the arrows thudding off their hides. They were getting close.

The smell was overwhelming and she could feel the heat of their foul breath.

Desperate, Kira called for her tiger spirit. Immediately, she was filled with a burst of pure energy. She leaped for the rocks and stabbed the jeweled dagger into the outcropping. It sank into the stone as if it was made of paper. The creatures were so close.

With a roar, the first of the demon animals leaped for Kira's throat. Rolling on to her back, Kira kicked the creature in its chest and heaved it over her body. Before another could reach her, she twisted the dagger handle hard.

The earth began trembling and the sand around Kira swallowed all the demon animals.

She pointed the dagger handle toward the water and sliced it through the same outcropping. A large chasm formed from the point of Kira's dagger all the way across the beach, parallel to the water. The Yamato soldiers tried to run to their ships but the sand disappeared under their feet, and pulled them into the abyss. At the same time, a tidal wave swept away the ships from land and sucked then down into the ocean. The shaking continued until no one but Kira remained on the beach. She pulled the dagger from the rock. The chasm closed and the ocean returned. There was no hint of the vast demon army that had just been there.

Cheers from the soldiers above her broke the sudden quiet. Exhausted, she smiled as Taejo, Jaewon, and Kwan raced down the bluff and over the sands. Gom was running around in excitement, leaping over the sand with Taejo.

The earth rumbled again. Everyone stopped. Kira looked at the dagger in her hand and then where the sand was breaking apart.

A vision of her nightmare raced through her mind. Her massive body felt slow and lethargic, but she could feel anger giving her strength. Over and over she threw herself against the wall, reveling in the cracks. Laughing as the wall began to break free.

The trembling stopped and then an explosion of sand erupted from the ground as a massive blue body flew out of the chasm.

"Fulang." And then her vision made sense. She had been dreaming as the dragon. It had been a warning that she had not recognized.

The dragon turned his head in Kira's direction and shot a stream of fire at her, but he missed her completely. His eye was maimed from where she had shot him with the arrow.

Kira aimed for his other eye, narrowly missing it and nicking his nostril.

He screamed and twisted his massive body. A barrage of arrows soared through the air at him. Most bounced off his scales, but two of them made impact. Roaring in pain, he shot a stream of fire at the archers. The soldiers scattered or held up their shields and quickly prepared for another attack.

The dragon caught sight of Taejo and sped toward him. Kira was running, but too far to save her cousin. All she could do was shoot her worthless arrows. She watched helplessly as Jaewon tried to stop the dragon and was sent flying by a hard strike of Fulang's head. Kwan stood before Taejo, his sword raised before him when the dragon struck out with its claws, piercing Kwan through the abdomen. He fell to his knees, but still tried to fight off the dragon when the dragon struck him again.

"No!" Kira screamed.

The dragon scooped up the screaming prince by his claws and shot straight into the air. Quick as a wink, Gom grabbed hold of Taejo's legs and they were both lifted high into the sky.

She could hear Kyoung ordering the archers to hold their fire.

"Musado, if you want to see the princeling alive, then bring what you have stolen from me to Tiger's Nest Temple on Jindo Island. You have ten days," he said.

His great wings swirled up the sands as he lifted his prisoners into the clouds and disappeared from view. She could hear Taejo's shouts and Gom's distressed cries.

Kira ran after the dragon, yelling Taejo's name. Screaming for the chollimas. Screaming for help until finally she fell to the ground weeping.

Strong but gentle arms embraced her, murmuring that all would be fine. Kira clutched at Jaewon's sleeves as she tried to contain her tears. Suddenly remembering her brother, she scrambled up onto her feet and raced to Kwan's side.

An army doctor had removed Kwan's armor, and was tending to his wounds.

"Oppa!" Kira sobbed.

Kwan looked at her with pain-filled eyes. "Don't worry, it's not as bad as it looks," he said.

The doctor agreed. "He was very fortunate that his armor took the worst of it." He began to bind Kwan's wounds tightly.

Relief made her collapse, her body folding over as she covered her face and wept.

"Kira." Kwan raised her chin with his fingers, forcing her to look at him. He was now bound in numerous bandages and sitting up with Jaewon's help.

"It's all my fault," she sobbed. "He should have taken me, not Taejo!"

"No, it is still all part of the prophecy," Kwan said. "Remember what Sunim said. To find the third treasure you have to go to Jindo Island."

Kira heaved a shaky breath and nodded. "Jindo Island. But Sunim is not here! I need him to tell me what to do!"

"What are you talking about? He's never told you what to do-you've always figured it out yourself! It's all right, you'll be fine. Taejo will be fine. Your little protector is with him. He won't let anything happen to the prince," Kwan said.

"Gom." Kira sighed. "Poor Gom."

"That fierce dokkaebi won't let anything happen to the prince," Jaewon said. "We'll go after them and get them both back."

"You'll have to take a boat," Kwan warned.

Jaewon closed his eyes and then sighed. "The things I do for your sister."

Kyoung, who had just arrived, had been listening to them, but when Kwan and Jaewon started arguing about how to get to Jindo Island, he pushed them aside.

"Why don't you go help prepared Kira for her trip," he said.

Once they both had left, Kyoung knelt in the sand before Kira.

"Little sister, this is not your fault. Nothing could have stopped that dragon. And he won't harm Taejo as long as he thinks you will bring him what he wants."                       
       
           



       

"I wish Father was here," Kira cried. "I miss him and Mother so much."

"I do, too," Kyoung said. "But they are both looking over us from heaven and I know that they are so proud of you, just as I am. You are my baby sister and yet I believe that you are the greatest hero of our world."

Kyoung pulled her into his embrace and hugged her hard.

"Dry your tears. You've got more work to do. But I know that you will save our prince," he said.

Kira let out a shaky breath and wiped away her tears.

"I'll get him back, no matter what," she said.

"I know," Kyoung said. "Now let me go get you a boat."

With one last hug, he left her alone.

She sat on the sand, staring off into the waves. She watched as the skies began to turn indigo blue and the sun's rays diminished in a reddish haze.

Her fingers clenched around the jeweled dagger as she thought of the trip she must take. Danger awaited her on the island. Half-breed demons that wanted to destroy her, cannibalistic monks who would hunt her as their prey, and a sea filled with enemy ships. On top of it all, an oath to the ghost of King Eojin to break his curse or damn herself to eternal hell if she failed.

The stakes were high and very dangerous. Yet Kira focused on one thing. There was only one thing she now cared about, for which she would risk everything.

"Fulang," she said, "this time, I will kill you!"