They pointed to the black structure.
“Watch out,” the Kudara officer said grimly. “There are more demon soldiers surrounding him. He seems to have an unending supply.”
Even with ten more added to her group, Kira realized it was not enough. She called for a few dokkaebis to join her and Taejo. At her call, twenty of them broke off from the imoogi.
Captain Ha and the rest of the Dragon Fighters were now back. Kira sent them toward the daimyo’s building, instructing them to circle around from the right. She sent the Kudara men to attack from the left. She took the straightest course.
Behind them, every division of the Iron Army still fought with the half-breed army. Though she heard the roars of the men and dokkaebis fighting the imoogi, she refused to look. She couldn’t help any of them right now. She had to focus on the daimyo.
King Eojin’s blackened and fearsome countenance suddenly sprung into her mind.
“The longer I stay in the shadow world, the more like a demon I become. If you don’t save me, then I will become a full demon and it will be too late. . . . Remember your promise, Niece. Remember me.”
Grim determination settled within her. For King Eojin and for Taejo, she would destroy the daimyo.
From within the smaller tents, demon soldiers continued their attack. It was immediately apparent they were newly demon-possessed bodies of what had once been Kudara soldiers. Kira recalled some of her dokkaebis, and a small group of them appeared, attacking immediately, stunning the demons by smashing them senseless.
“You must aim for the neck!” Kira called out, as she slashed and stabbed, leaving a trail of disintegrating bodies behind her. The dokkaebis and human army made a great partnership. Soon they reached the black structure, where more half-breeds and demons poured out.
Just then, paralysis gripped her. She froze in place.
“Kira, what’s going on?” Jaewon asked.
She couldn’t answer, her eyes trying to signal frantically of the coming danger. Jaewon turned to find half-breeds surrounding them.
Why do you fight me so hard? Aren’t you tired? Now that your tiger spirit is gone, you are nothing but a mere human girl.
She heard the voice of the daimyo speaking to her. His insidious thoughts filled her with doubt and self-hatred.
You are the reason for all that has happened. So much death. So much destruction. All because of you.
Visions of her mother and father and even her aunt flitted through her mind as an overwhelming guilt threatened to crush her.
Nobody cares about you. No one loves you. Come to me. Be my hero and we will crush this world like the insects that they are. Where is the jade belt? Let us release the dragons, Musado, and the world will be yours to command!
“Noona!” Kira heard Taejo’s voice. He and the saulabis were now on foot, fighting the never-ending horde of half-breeds. What was Taejo doing there? She spotted Gom nearby waving his cudgel frantically at her.
“Noona! You must fight him!”
Kira saw the frightened eyes of her brother Kwan. His shaking hand moved to his bow, aware of what he must do if she was unable to break the daimyo’s hold on her.
“Kim Jaewon!” Taejo yelled. “You have to get Noona away from here!”
Jaewon and the Dragon Fighters managed to break free of the half-breeds and began to run to Kira, when suddenly a wall of fire surrounded her.
Then the black structure exploded into flames, and a figure stepped out from the inferno. The daimyo had finally shown himself. As saulabis tried to attack him, the daimyo shot lightning from his fingertips, electrocuting the soldiers. From behind Kira, bowmen let loose their arrows at the daimyo. But each missile fell harmlessly before him, never reaching their target.
This is perfect. The princeling to be killed and the Dragon Musado to be taken. Thank you for making this all so easy for me and my master.
Taejo was now racing around Kira’s flaming figure. “Noona!” he shouted again. “You have to fight him! Remember who you are!”
Kira caught sight of the gleam of the daimyo’s dagger blade as he stepped with slow and deliberate intent toward them. She forced herself to clench and unclench her fist, putting all her energy into that one small act.
No one understands you. You were not meant to be with these pathetic creatures. Come to us and we shall make sure you receive all your powers and more.
Dokkaebis were quickly falling to the horde of new half-breeds that the daimyo had conjured. Jaewon and the Dragon Fighters were being pushed back, away from Kira. Taejo, Major Pak, and Kwan were trapped on the other side, as their saulabis were picked off one by one.
They’ve never appreciated your powers. They called you demon and monster. They tried to kill you.