Execution

"I, the clan leader of the Jade Sword Sect, Him-chan, declare the traitor Se-hun to be executed!"

On the grounds of the Jade Sword Sect, there was a young man looking to be around 20, who was wearing extremely tattered rags, to the point where it couldn't be defined as clothes. He had a seemingly calm look, with eyes piercing deep into the abyss, as if he'd already given up on everything. However, if one looked closely, they could still see a glint at the corner of his eye. That was Se-hun, the man who was soon to be executed. 

'Ah, is this the end for me?' Se-hun mused.

'If only I was more careful in my preparations, perhaps I wouldn't have met this end.'

The Jade Sword Sect was one of the top 10 clans in the world of martial arts. With a long history of 5,000 years, they have raised generations of strong martial artists, with each clan leader possessing an immeasurable amount of strength. The 63rd leader, Kang Him-chan, is one of the most distinguished martial artist of this century. He was held as a genius since the tender age of 12, and had a list of accomplishments ranging from winning tournaments to slaying demonic beasts.

As one of the great clans in the martial world, the Jade Sword Sect has protected millions of citizens from vile demonic beasts since the founding of the clan. Consequently, the clan's swordsmen not only boast an immense amount of wealth, they are also revered as saviours and protectors of humanity. This is why only the best of the best are accepted into the Jade Sword Sect, and to the commonfolk, this was a far-fetched dream that they couldn't hope to achieve.

However, beyond the sunshines and rainbows, there was a hidden part of the sect that was deliberately hidden from the general public. The Shadows - They are responsible for doing all the dirty work for the clan, such as assassinating, torturing, handling discreet information, etc. Since their jobs expose them to the deepest and darkest secrets of the Jade Sword Sect, the Shadows are all brainwashed from a young age to ensure their absolute loyalty. Se-hun was once a part of them.

'When did things start to go wrong?'

'Why was I fated to live such a tragic life?' 

'Was it the time when that mysterious object from the Deep Caverns negated the effects of the brainwashing?'

'Or was it the time I decided to betray the sect and regain my freedom?'

Nearing the end of his life, Se-hun's memories started to flash right before his eyes. 20 years ago, at this exact time of the year, he had just came out of his mother's womb, feeling the warmth and love of a family. Although Se-hun's family wasn't wealthy, they were still able to secure a stable living in a small village in the countryside. The scent of firewood, the creaking sounds of furniture, and the vast plains accompanied by the clear blue sky reminded him of the best moments of his life. The young Se-hun thought that the tranquil, blissful life with his family would continue on for eternity. Until one day...

It was yet another peaceful morning. The blooming flowers and the warm sunshine signified the end of the blizzards and snowstorms, and the chirps of birds livened up the serene atmosphere of the village. Everyone, both the old and young, once again found their way into mother nature's embrace. Se-hun, who was still 5 years old, was playing hide and seek with his friend Ha-joon, while the adults were busy plowing the land for new crops this year. 

"Se-hun! I'm going to count to 40, you better start hiding now or I'll come find you!"

"Hehe- you won't be able to find me this time around." Se-hun sticked out his tongue and taunted.

As a playful and mischievous child, Se-hun naturally had many "signature" hiding places both inside and outside the village. Just like the competitive child he was, he immediately ran towards the outskirts of the village, and hid under a hollowed rock with moss and vines covering it. 

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Time flew by, the bright blue sky from the morning has already turned into a shade of orange, and the animals that were wandering around the plains earlier were all heading back into the forest. 

'Hm... I wonder where Ha-joon is. He didn't give up on finding me like last time right? It's already late, I should go back and proclaim my victory!' 

Se-hun started to crawl out of his cramped hiding spot. His clothes were all stained with dirt from staying under the rock for a long period of time. Though he was exhausted, Se-hun still managed to slowly drag himself towards the direction of the village. 

He walked and walked, each step felt like an eternity. Even though he was very tired, his senses told him that something was off. Trusting his instincts, Se-hun immediately ran at his full speed towards the village, and when he arrived, his eyes widened in shock as tears streamed down his eyes. The village had experienced a drastic change compared to the morning he left. Houses were broken down, fire was spreading everywhere, people were lying dead on the floor. 

"Mom... Dad... Ha-joon..." Se-hun mumbled. 

Not caring for his safety, Se-hun rushed towards the the cottage he used to live in, only to find that it was ravaged and in shambles. However, at this moment, Se-hun didn't even have the energy to care about the state of his house as he was busy looking for his parents' traces. 

"Mom? Dad? Please..."

The longer time passed, the more anxious Se-hun got. Just as it seemed like all hope was lost, he heard loud footsteps coming towards the once-called "entrance" of the village. Se-hun glanced towards their direction, and saw well-dressed men in traditional costumes dismounting from their horses. 

"Looks like we're too late, the bandits have already brought this village to ruin." A burly man said.

"Go check if there are still any survivors. Leave no areas unturned." 

"Yes, sir!"

Se-hun stood in confusion as the warriors started turning every building upside down and carrying the corpses out of the village. Just as he snapped out of his daze, a handsome looking man started walking in his direction.

"There is still a kid alive here!"

Just like that, in a blink of an eye, Se-hun was escorted out of the village as he stared at the rest of the warriors cleaning up the place orderly and efficiently. He made sure to take a good look at every corpse they brought out to make sure that none of them were his parents. However, fate was cruel; just as scouting was about to be completed, a group of men brought three corpses and dropped them on the floor right next to him. Se-hun immediately bursted into tears.

"Mom... Dad... Ha-joon..."

"No... Why?"

Se-hun hugged the corpses on the ground, disregarding the fact that they were stained with blood and dirt. Let alone average adults, as a 5 year old boy, the fact that his parents and best friend died in such an unexpected, cruel manner was a huge blow to him. The warriors that were watching from the side could do nothing but sympathise for the pitiful boy. And everyone knew, from this point on, the gleeful, jolly Se-hun was no more.