1 The Undistinguished Flame

Let me tell you a story of ancient Korea, but this won't be your average Korean story as we are about to learn about brotherly love, rebellion and spirits. About 2,076 years ago there was a relatively small kingdom named Silla which was ruled by King Hyeokgeose, a man of honour, respect, love and prosperity who believed in peace and never hurt a soul. Even the Chinese enemy didn't think it's wise to ruin an innocent reign. However, not every good man are immortal, his kingdom was passed centuries down to JinHeung who made the once beautiful and peaceful country become a savagery and take over a majority of his neighbour's lands, overlapping multiple villages and towns. Because of the sudden change in mentality, he is threatened by the civilians so he tries to hunt down any rebels that wanted him to stop his new ideology, they all wanted the old Silla back.

The royals live in Geumseong in the golden palace surrounded by their most loyal rich households and bordered with high esteemed residents with the happiness of royal guards roaming their streets like they owned it themselves. But to gain such a wealthy access they need to gain the royal or the rich one's trust many, so they just held their heads down as they are fearing the King might one day drag them outside to the wolves.

"He's so shameless!"

"Will we ever be fed!?"

"I don't want to follow his ideas! He's so horrible!"

Many spitted on the daily.

But our hero doesn't live there, he lives in Deagu, groups of rebels live in the village that was newly established by the king, they all wanted his head. Deagu made itself look like a farm village to hide the rebellion that is surging through the streets, the hatred of the new reign that many of the younger generation's grandparents wept about, they always dreamt of the kingdom their grandparents experienced that sounded of paradise than the fearing of wars and fathers being taken away from.

A 20 year old man chewed on his straw while he was wearing the same material on his head, he is sitting on the relaxed pose next to the market place on the main street, perfect distraction from the king, he is trying to sell his family's fresh produce as he observed what his hazel eyes can see through the straw hat. That's what he wanted the guards to think as they try to find rebels hid themselves within the walls and huddled in groups, they just grab any innocent man that looks the most suspicious.

A man who was purposely wearing rugs and dirtied his face yelled to the streets louder than a collapsing mountain. "Is this your King that leaves me looking like this!? He has no shame as he gets greedy on our treasures! His body only makes daughters, is that is how a king should act?"

His hazel eyes watched quietly on the man who kept on yelling as he is being dragged away from his position, his eyes then looked towards the butcher who had his stall right next to our hero. They both nodded at each other and tackled the guards within split seconds, the butcher held his large cleaver towards the guard's neck in the middle of the market, his eyes crinkled with displeasure and hatred, opposite to the guard's which was shaking with fear. "Where do we find our other men?"

"What are you on about!?" The guard was fidgeting under the uncomfortable position, then paused as his neck came too dangerously to the large knife.

"It's not the first time you dragged them away and tortured them." The butcher huffed, he looked like a wild boar with his large stomach and pig-like features.

"Listen I'm just doing my job I never want to actually hurt them!"

"Oh this is funny, I never saw a man so afraid before! Seong..."

"On it" The young man lifted the trembling guard and punched him directly to the nose that left him bleeding. "Now tell us where you take them and we'll pretend this never happened." The 20-year-old threatened as he gripped the collar of the guard.

"I-if you walk up north of here you'll see a river and a hill, somewhere in between them there's a place where we put them." The guard stuttered as he is dropped onto the ground and left to crumble up and run away from the scene.

The butcher and Min JaeSeong looked at each other again with a knowing look.

The full moon lit up the tops of the large forest that was nearing the slippery river, under the tops of the trees was pitched black, JaeSeong gripped onto the trunks and branches as he passed to map his way around the terrifying darkness. He knew he finally made it when the moon lit up with large open area of hills, cliffs, the white river and a traditional looking house. However, what made this harmless building haunting was the painful screams then the noises of something hard hitting skin, the black haired man shivered as goosebumps pickled his skin. His foot going much slower and hesitant as he tries to come closer to the sinister building, then he witnessed that there's no one outside, strange, but it made it easier for him to set whoever is unlucky in there free.

He went against every paper wall that belonged to the building and slipped into the prison without a single guard spotting him. Too easy. He went towards the desks and robbed the keys to release all of his allies that had a harsh mark that is written 'Ban-Yeogja' in hangul on their arms like labour camp workers, he given them all sympathetic nods as they ran. Then a bone chilling scream came, he recognised the screams coming from the final cell, it was his brother, Kim JiHu. The black-haired boy froze up a little and gasped, his hand shot up to his mouth to hold back any more noise. Why of all people he's receiving the harshest punishment?

"Who's there?" a voice whispered, JaeSeong quickly hide under the desk as he still covered his mouth. The heavy footsteps of the guard sounded past him and it became quiet, he was wise enough to not run or quickly move unless it was crystal clear. But the screams of his brother was once again sounding and made his heart feel the need to jump out.

"You think he can handle anymore?" A voice said.

"I don't know, but I think you should stop." The same guard from the market place, his once fearful voice is now filled with confidence.

"By the way, you still never told me how you got a nosebleed this morning. Aren't you hiding something?" The first one asked.

"Of course I wouldn't! Lying is a cause for failure in every field." The market guard lied through his teeth, pathetic honestly.

"Hmph, you still need to learn to lie more. Just look after him as I bring in the cleaning equipment." The first guard laughed, then sound of hand patting clothed skin. Is he patting his back like he did a good job? Maniacs both of them!

"Yes, hyung!" Ah that explains it.

The footsteps walked passed him, stopped, then it tapped in front of him, JaeSeong sat there confused for a solid second before the guard snapped his fingers under the desk. JaeSeong gripped the hand mocking him and dragged the guard under the desk, covering his mouth and looking out as if it's a hostage situation. It was the market guard, he loosen his grip on him and dropped his hand that was quickly getting hot from the man's deep breathing. "What are you doing?" The black head asked as his eyes still scouted the area.

The guard shook his head softly, then pointed at the final cell of the prison. JaeSeong looked at him confused, the guard rolled his eyes, "let's take your friend out of here, my brother and I didn't want to hurt him as he is from your village but our boss is in favour of the king so we can't do anything." His voice was like a bubble, hollow, but playful with a cheery childlike tone.

"How the fuck you know I am one of them?" He stiffened his grip on the guard, almost choking him.

"C'mon, everyone knows if you're from Daegu you're a Ban-Yeogja." JaeSeong cannot argue with that, so he loosened his grip on him and they finally got out under the desk. They practically ran to the final cell that held his own brother who was unconscious and bleeding to his fingertips when he opened the door, they both lifted the brown haired man who was much taller than JaeSeong, they're not brothers biologically.

They dragged him out of the claustrophobic building that felt he could be squeezed to death if another person is joining them. He saw a local farmer that was riding his cart towards the same forest he came from, he kindly asked the farmer to bring his brother to their village who accepted small payment that the young man can give him. Once he disappeared into the forest he never expected that he was going to get ambushed by a hoard of the soldiers that finally appeared. He isn't going to win against them as he was just a frail village boy who can only sell his parent's vegetables. No one taught him to fight seriously.

With just one swing JaeSeong was knocked out cold.