At the first light of morning, Hye approached the city wall. The chill of the dawn air was sharp, and his breath plumed in small, white clouds as he walked. He held the worn leather reins of his horse in one hand, the animal's head bowed low, its hooves kicking up dust from the road. In his other hand, a simple white cloth fluttered slightly in the breeze, a stark and lonely banner of his defeat. His gaze was fixed on the formidable stone of the city wall, a barrier that had stood firm against the undefeated force that stood behind him.
He knew that his approach would only lead to one of three outcomes. The first, and most likely, was that he would be shot where he stood, an arrow ending his journey and his suffering in an instant. The second was a more terrifying prospect: capture and torture, an agonizing process to extract every last bit of information he possessed. But there was a third, slender hope—a chance that his so-called enemies might listen to what he had to offer, a final desperate plea that could change the fate of both armies. It was this faint possibility that gave him the courage to continue walking forward, his eyes never leaving the impassive stone wall.
"Enemy approaching! Enemy approaching!"
The frantic shouts of Ginmiao patrols echoed from the top of Nue-Li City's walls. Nta and Xao scrambled up the stairwell to the clearing, watching as a lone man, dragging his horse, strode toward them. In his hand, he held a piece of white cloth.
Nta snatched a bow and arrow from a nearby soldier. He drew the bowstring taut and released, the arrow slicing through the air. It landed ten yards in front of the approaching man, a clear warning.
The arrow plunged into the earth, a stark and undeniable warning. Hye stopped just before it, raising his head to face the city wall. His gaze was met by hundreds of archers, bows drawn and aimed directly at him.
"What's your business!" Xao's shout carried over the silent tension.
"I am a messenger, and I have come unarmed," Hye's voice carried across the field, a solemn response to Xao's demand. He waited through the tense silence, knowing his words had given them pause. "I carry a message for your general and for the people within Nue-Li City."
"What's the message?" Nta's question echoed down.
"I'm afraid I can only give that message to the general and the mayor, Captains," Hye replied.
"So you know who we are?"
"It's not hard to tell," Hye said calmly.
"You came here alone," Xao shouted, his voice laced with fury. "Are you not afraid we'll shoot you where you stand?"
Hye briefly lowered his head, then looked up, his expression a mix of vulnerability and resolve as he faced the many soldiers on the wall. "If my death means a path to safety for the innocent civilians within your city, then it's a price I'm willing to pay," he said, a faint smile on his lips.
Xao turned to Nta and said, "Shot the son of bitch down. It's better to kill a person you might be wrong about than to let an enemy into your gates."
Nta grabbed another arrow from a soldier's quiver, his eyes fixed on Hye as he fixed it to the bowstring. Hye met his gaze, knowing his life was in Nta's hands.
"Killing me won't stop the Magoli attack in two days," Hye said, his voice ringing with a grim prophecy.
A collective gasp swept through the soldiers on the wall. The Magoli were not just a distant threat; they were an immediate, imminent one.
Seeing the shock on his men's faces, and realizing Hye might be more valuable alive, Nta lowered his bow.
He turned to a soldier. "Open the gate. Let him in."
"Nta!" Xao said, his voice sharp with alarm.
"He's here alone. Let's hear what he has to say," Nta replied, his voice a low growl. "Once he's inside, he's a chick in our hands. Squeeze, and he dies." He knew the rules of their desperate situation. "I'll speak with General Chong and take full responsibility for this decision."
Hye's gaze never left the wall. Suddenly, one of the massive city gates swung open, and ten soldiers poured out, weapons ready. They came at him fast.
One soldier snatched his horse's reins from his grip, another jabbed a spear against his throat, and before he could react, a third shoved him roughly toward the open gate.
A thunderous clang of the giant iron gate sealed Hye inside Nue-Li City. He turned to see Nta and Xao walking down the stairwell, their approach a grim reminder that he was now a prisoner.
At first, Nta and Xao assumed the man brave enough to come alone must be a formidable Magoli soldier. They were ready to unleash their fury, perhaps with a few jabs to the face and chest. But as they approached, their planned aggression evaporated. They found themselves facing a tall, thin, and completely unarmored man.
Xao's gaze was full of contempt as he looked Hye up and down, a sarcastic laugh escaping him. "I never expected the Hmagol to send such a... Magoli to us."
Hye's smile remained unwavering. "I am not a Magoli," he replied calmly.
"Oh? Then what are you?" Xao's lips curled into a sneer of pure contempt.
Hye met his gaze, a slight smile on his face. "Just an ordinary man with an almost impossible mission."
Xao's laugh was a cold bark. "Your almost impossible mission ended the moment you walked through that gate."
Hye's eyes locked on Xao's, his voice now a firm, low command. "I wouldn't be laughing if I were you. Nue-Li City is surrounded, front and back."
"Son-of-a..." Xao lunged forward with his furious fist, but his arm was stopped by Nta.
"Xao!" Nta commanded, looking at Hye who stood his ground. "Choose your words carefully."
Hye's smile was thin and knowing. "And you, perhaps you should choose your questions carefully."
Nta turned to the soldiers and commanded, "Tighten up the patrol." He looked at the two soldiers standing behind Hye. "Take him to meet General Chong."
Hye was dragged down the same streets he had sworn to never return to. Despite the years, the environment and buildings were exactly as he remembered. The familiar dialect, the aroma of food, the scent of the river—a flood of unwanted memories washed over him. Every step forced upon him was a step backward into a past he had desperately tried to forget. The laughter of children and the sight of old men drinking tea felt like ghosts of a life he had left behind. He was a stranger in this place, a figure from a past bygone era, yet the streets knew him, pulling him back into their suffocating embrace.
As Hye and his captors approached the military camp, Mayor Dae's carriage arrived at the gate at the same time.
Dae's gaze swept over the scene—from Hye, to Nta and Xao. "Who is this?" he asked.
"An enemy messenger," Xao replied curtly. "He claims to have a message for you and General Chong."
Dae said, "Let's talk inside."
General Chong and Long waited in the meeting room. Long watched the door intently as Chong's hand moved to summon a soldier. The knock came just then. Nta, Xao, and Dae walked in, bringing with them a man they had taken prisoner: Hye.
Xao's hand gripped Hye's shoulder, a raw, forceful push propelling him toward Chong.
"Your name, soldier?" Chong's voice was sharp. "And Batzorig's message for me?"
Hye let out a short, humorless laugh. He met Chong's gaze directly. "No Magoli general would send a private message to their enemy when war is already here."
"Then why are you here?" Dae's question was quiet but insistent.
"The message is not from any general," Hye replied. "It's from me."
Long's scoff was loud and dismissive. "You expect us to believe you simply walked in here of your own free will?"
"Yes," Hye answered simply.
"Even a three-year-old could see through this cheap trick," Xao said through gritted teeth, rolling his eyes in anger. "We're not children."
"I've already told you I'm not a Magoli and not a soldier," Hye replied calmly. "This message is from me, of my own free will."
"And why would you be so kind to your enemy?" Chong asked.
"Because I won't stand by and watch innocent civilians get killed in a war they didn't ask for," Hye stated. His eyes met Chong's. "Your duty is to defend. You're willing to die for this place, but are you willing to let them die too? The innocent? The vulnerable? Will you let them get caught in the crossfire?" Hye paused, his words hanging in the silence, knowing he had captured their attention. "General, you are surrounded both front and back. Once the Magoli attack, they will come at you with full force from both sides. You are a sitting duck with no way to escape."
"So you suggest we throw down our swords and surrender?" Xao's angry voice boomed, echoing in the small room. "I may be surrounded, but I am not afraid! I am a warrior, and I will not surrender! I will fight until my last breath. I will not let my enemies take me alive! For my people, for my honor, and for my life, I will fight!"
"You can pick up a sword and kill your enemies, but what about the children!" Hye shouted, taking two steps toward Xao. His voice trembled with a furious energy. "What about them? The mothers? The wives? Your sisters and the sisters of your fellow soldiers? Huh? What about them?"
His furious gaze met Xao's. "By then, you'll be dead. How will you know the humiliation they face? You'll be dead—how will you hear their screams for help as they are violated? You'll be dead—how will you taste the children's tears of terror before their heads are chopped off? You'll be dead… how will you see the innocent being skinned alive?"
"I... I..." Xao was speechless. He'd never heard such words from an enemy prisoner.
Hye's angry tears finally escaped, streaming down his face. "How would you know? By then, you'll be dead."