My Ultimate Ambition

The enemy was fast approaching; the massive army just steps away from the capital . The kingdom was already up in arms, the empress was the last hope for the realm as news had it she was in-charge. With this knowledge at the forefront of her mind, she chanted a prayer that Hiroshi ajusshi would arrive with Panja reinforcement before a war broke out between her army and theirs.

The Panja King was reluctant in sending troops to Shu as the war seemed hopeless after listening to reports. Choosing sides meant revealing his loyalty; a single choice could mean life or death. By showing his allegiance, he would be condemning his country into a swift death or a lifetime of success and affluence.

Divided in thought of whether to assist or stay neutral, his sister arrived with a pristinely white peac.o.c.k in a cage.

"Your highness, she gave me this as a sign of alliance and our mark of loyalty, so don't abandon them now!"

The king looked at his favorite sister making an earnest supplication but wondered what use was the peac.o.c.k if Kigals reversed the attack on them. They were but smaller nation with limited army, at least Shu had their biggest army racing back to their rescue, but,who would save them if table turned?

"Your highness! No, big brother. Trust me and send troops, I would take full responsibility if things go haywire," she knelt down while still holding unto the bird.

At last, he agreed and also sent letter to the war envoy who looked like them but wasn't in their country's dressing.

Hiroshi left with the army in haste to save his newfound country and mistress, his biggest enemy being time.

....

"Report!"

A young military messenger ran hastily to report to the empress; his horrorful face a harbinger of bad news.

"The capital gates has fallen! Kigals march to the palace this moment!" He cried.

Yoona sprung up from her seat as she screamed! "Already? What of the capital's garrison, did they flee from the gates?"

"No your majesty, an enemy spy opened our gates from within! Our men are lost, your majesty!"

Yoona dished out orders immediately. "Jae Joon! Secure our palace gates with our personally trained men and eliminate anyone suspected to be a spy!

Jae Joon nodded at his men and watched them disperse to the gates. Yoona unknowingly bit her fingernails in exasperation as her heart thumped erratically. She was getting real scared as decision making was left to her.

She commanded the guards to match to the gates as she tries buying time for Hiroshi. As they arrived a staircase leading to the high wall, a bird screech was heard as strong flaps rang in their ears. Jae Joon whistled and watched the bird perch on Yoona's shoulder. From it's beak was a shiny object and it's limb, a tiny bamboo straw holding a letter.

"I married a wise man! My husband is not an ordinary man!" She mused as sunshine broke out from her face, she handed the letter to the quizzical Jae Joon who was as eager as the warriors to know it's contents.

"Men of Shu!" She hailed in motivation as she tried boosting their morale. "Your emperor sends his greetings and the greatest news of all time! An army, his second large troop safely hidden from our enemies arrives in three hours time. We only need to hold on for them and watch Kigals flee our city!"

The stomping of boots, clashing of swords and loud cheers of the men rattled the walls.

"I'm truly honored to fight alongside great sons of the soil and I pray to God we all make it back to our loved ones!"

The cheers egged on and stopped as she continued the climb up to meet the generals.

A loud bang of drum brought Kigals to attention as it signified the other party wants to call a truce. The assistant chief who looked down on them perked up to see fragile feminine face hidden by helmets among the men.

"Men of Kigali!" Her voice rang so powerfully he doubted such strong voice evolved from such fraility. "Leave my land immediately and I shall spare every one of your men!"

Boisterous laughter and boos responded to her warning as the Kigals roared proudly. A tiny frail women dared show her face and command them to flee? She must really think war was merely harem fights for an emperor's attention.

Among the men, only the assistant chief found her impressive as rumours never did justice to her. Tales centred on her fragile feminine appearance and left out her courageous nature and this changed his perception of her. He concluded within him to spare her when they occupy the palace as he respects courage alot.

"Hey bitch!" A gruff bulky general screamed at her, "Lick my foot and I shall spare your life!"

The assistant chief admonished him immediately, "Show some respect, you! She's an empress of a nation!" But that earned him some laughter as they thought it a joke. Only him knew he meant what he said.

"Empress?!" He turned his attention on her, "Open the palace gates peacefully and I shall leave your men's head on their necks!" He said with a cool unrushed voice beseeching indulgence.

Yoona chuckled at him then surprised them with her next line action.

"Attack!" She screamed and in response, seas of burning arrows rained down on Kigals. Canon folders were unleashed on them as they burned them down like meat skewers. They took cover with their shields while some waved away the arrow as they arrived; altitude was really against them and the canon balls flew fastly.

"Attack!" The assistant chief commanded as some climbers rushed towards the wall to scale through with their ladders. Unfortunately, Yoona ordered water be poured on the sleek wall making it slippery and unable to hold the ladders in place.

"What a bitch!" He cursed as the war seemed hopeless.

"Assistant chief!" A man raced to him from the crowd. "Daejong's second main batch arrives in less than three hours!"

"What? Wasn't the whole troop at the border?" He queried .

The man waved his head, "He hid them in the planes to deceive us!"

He was yet to digest the information when another messenger of his came, "Assistant chief, Panja arrives in less than two hours with reinforcement!"

The man gritted his teeth as he looked up to see Yoona staring squarely at him. 

"No wonder she looks so confident!" He thought as he gave orders to use fire as they had done to them, but, a bigger news came to him; Daejong races to Kigali land to wipe their land!

He growled at the sudden twist of events as problems arose in quick succession.

"Call in our special forces! Let's end this immediately and inform our chief, he should handle Daejong while tackle this place. Hurry!!"

His men gasped at his resort as the so-called special forces were group of some sorcerers who relied on illusions and dark magic. "Is it really necessary as we can win this war without their help?" An unfortunate soldier asked but met with demise.

"Obey my command but make sure no harm comes to the lady as she's needed as hostage!"

Fiery arrows sect's hawk arrived bearing a terrible news. Jae Joon who received the information first-hand gnashed his teeth as dark strong veins erupted from his neck down to his arms.

"Weak bastards!" He cursed under his breath as he handed the information to Yoona. She crumpled the note as rage coursed through her vein!

"They'll use illusions and magic on us? Are they that scared?!"

The fiery arrows, Jae Joon exclusive, knelt before her. "Send us to neutralize them as we have encountered them in the past."

Yoona fell in short contemplation on how best to handle the situation but heard the trumpet sound.

They soon saw them adorned with cloak, helmets and burning torches and wished nothing more than to flee. Running, however would be shameful as their people would be left at the mercy of them. First, the arrows paid a deserving respect to their master and dauntlessly started their attacks, they couldn't wait to get torched down by the enemy as attack was easier than defense.

The dice had been cast and Yoona almost lost her cool to rage. "Number six!" And he shuddered as he fell on his knees, the rules said the empress' order can be overturned but not the master's! It seems, their master is about to use her full underground power.

"Summon my shooters! I'll teach this beasts a lifetime lesson!"

Jae Joon accepted the command as he reached to shoot fireworks into the dark sky; a signal of summon.

Yoona unsheathed her sword to join in but froze at the happenings unfolding. Thick smokes twisted together forming monster-like shapes against the dark, looming sky. Legends and myths had described such moments as frightening but no vocabulary would do justice to the horror imprinted in the hearts of men. Moments seemed to be frozen as time stalled, a woman appeared out of thin air as Yoona was trying to shake out the effect of standing widely awake as everyone and everything seemed frozen.

"Who are you?" She whispered frighteningly. "Did you do this?"

"Come with me, my empress!" Was her quiet voice, her hands holding tightly to a staff as she walked down the stairs.

Yoona turned back to watch men frozen in their stance; some dodging a blade, some halfway through falling on the ground, others with their swords raised, but the most spectacular image was her Jae Joon's leg in a kick session while his hands held unto an enemy trying to climb up the wall.

"Where are you taking me?" She asked, her hands on her sword hilt.

"You'll see. Be patient!"