A small unit of officers approached them. Kira recognized Lord Rah, the Oakcho ambassador; General Nam, the Guru minister of military affairs; and Lord Hwang, the Guru minister of foreign affairs who had helped them escape from Hansong.
“General Kang, the Third Division is in place and ready for your command,” General Nam said.
“As is the Fourth Division, although I am sorry to report the death of Prince Namhoe of Tongey in a recent skirmish on our way to Asan,” Lord Rah said.
“Who has assumed command of the Fourth?” Kyoung asked.
“I have,” Lord Rah said.
“He was the best choice, Your Honor,” Lord Hwang interjected. “As a former general of the Oakcho army and unaffiliated with Guru, he was the only choice that the Tongey would accept. And he has done an excellent job.”
“Thank you, Lord Rah, for your quick thinking and command of the situation,” Kyoung said. “I would like you to continue to lead the Fourth Division as a commanding general of the Iron Army.”
“It would be my great honor,” Lord Rah said with a deep bow.
“Then it is official: you are now an Iron Army general of Guru and serve the crown prince Taejo, King Eojin’s heir.”
The new general bowed deeply to Taejo. “I solemnly swear to honor and serve the rightful heir to the throne of Guru, and defend our prince and kingdom on pain of my life.”
“Thank you, General Rah,” Taejo said with deep sincerity. “You honor us all today.”
He turned to the other officers with a welcoming nod. “Words cannot express my deep admiration and gratitude to all of you. Against all odds, you have led your men to this point. We now are faced with one final battle. Today will be a great day in the history of our country. I am honored to fight alongside you.”
Kira had stood off to the side, watching the drama unfold. She was proud of her cousin—the boy who would be king. She saw the respect and approval for their young prince in the eyes of all the officers. She knew that they would fight for him and give their lives in service. Taejo was proving himself to be worthy of their uncle’s throne.
It was decided that Brother Woojin and Seung would stay behind in medical tents, where they would both be the greatest help. And it was Taejo himself that decided to leave Jindo with them, tied to a tree. He whined and whimpered and kicked up a big fuss, but Taejo remained strong.
“No, Jindo, if you got hurt again, I would never forgive myself,” he said. “Stay here and be a good boy! I promise I’ll come back for you.”
Kira patted Jindo and whispered, “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure Gom never leaves his side.”
They left quickly and joined their soldiers. Major Pak and Kwan were mounted before the saulabi and Hansong army, a mix of black and white or silver uniforms. Off to their side, the Dragon Fighters were a vivid splash of vibrant and different colored vests over their black or white uniforms. Only their distinctive headbands unified them.
As they approached, Major Pak asked them to address their soldiers. Taejo went to the head of the Second Division. His young boy’s voice had deepened and he spoke with an authority that belied his years. He spoke briefly but eloquently, thanking them all for their support and promising to lead them to victory. When the cheers died down, the Dragon Fighters looked to Kira.
Captain Ha yelled out, “Commander Kang, will you address your Dragon Fighters?”
Kira was surprised but pleased. Taking a deep breath, she began her speech.
“I am not much for making pretty speeches. I tend to leave the speechifying to my oldest brother.” The Dragon Fighters chuckled at her wry expression. Kira noticed that the rest of the Second Division soldiers had now quieted down and were listening intently to her words.
“But maybe for the first time in my life, I have a burning inside me that seems to have freed my words. Today, I am honored and privileged to lead this brave group of warriors. While I wish Commander Shin was still here with us, I will do my best to be worthy of his place.
“Right now, we are faced with the biggest battle of our lives. The Demon Lord seeks to destroy our world by releasing the demon hordes and all the evil locked away in the underworld. He would enslave our people. This beautiful land would be gone and all that would be left is a hellhole. If you are afraid, know that you are not alone. I am afraid too. But not of dying! Never of dying. The only fear I have is that of losing. For losing is not an option, my friends.
“We must fight for our world. We must fight for our people. And we must be willing to die so that we can all live. In this coming battle, I see before us only two choices: fight for victory or lie down and die. And I do not plan to die today!”
A loud roar arose from the Dragon Fighters.