'To my brother and Celestial Scions of Birahng, Cheon Hwan, the sixty-second descendant of the Founder of Cheon-Wi, the rightful Guardian of the Azure Scripture, and King of Cheon-Wi and the Hundred Isles, sends this message.
I write to you from across the vast sea, with the belief that my brother has successfully driven out the Dahnian forces who dared to defile Sahngjon's sacred land and reclaimed our four cities.
I bring joyful tidings: I, Cheon Hwan, empowered by Sahngjon's divine strength, have defeated Jongwon Soh, to whom you turned for aid, and raised the blue flag of Cheon-Wi in Ju. Though my reign has barely begun, the Hundred Isles, divided and scorned since time immemorial, are now unified under my rule, from Buksu to Seomy, forming a mighty army under Sahngjon's light.
The Third Emissary, Sobi, whom you sent, has also seen Sahngjon's will and tirelessly preached among the people of Ju, guiding them towards the true path. Now, all the people stand united under Sahngjon's light, preparing for the holy war. I send the Third Emissary back to Birahng, a worthy vessel of the Guardian, to deliver this joyous news. Her contributions in Ju have been significant, so do not confiscate the gold given to her by House Myeonghyeon; allow her to keep it as a reward.
Every time I see the blue flag of Cheon-Wi fluttering proudly in the sunlight, I am reminded of our shared struggles. We have waited in darkness for far too long. Sahngjon has shown us his will through the crimson star and bestowed his powers upon the Celestial Scions. We cannot wait any longer. This autumn, I will claim Birahng and begin my march to reclaim Sunyahng, Yahngbuk, and all the lands promised to the Celestial Scions by Sahngjon.
Can the few remaining Celestial Scions, driven to the edge of the world, afford to be divided in the face of this sacred mission? There cannot be two Cheon-Wi, two Sunyahng, or two Guardians of the Azure Scripture. The day is fast approaching when all surviving Celestial Scions will be united under Sahngjon's will, just as the Hundred Isles have been. I will set sail in a fortnight, following this envoy, and enter Nahmgyo. I do not wish to see the blood of my beloved brother and my people. Do not defy me. Open the gates of Nahmgyo, Dongrahng, Seorahng, and Hyangdo, and welcome me with open arms. I write this with the sincere hope that no harm will befall you on the day I arrive in Birahng.
I trust this brief letter conveys my heartfelt desire to embrace you, forgiving past transgressions, and my grand vision to reclaim our former glory. As the rain clouds part and the skies clear, I prepare for my departure, eagerly awaiting the day I reunite with my beloved brother.'
Seong froze at the mention of "reunion." He had never wished for that night in the darkness, the last time he saw Hwan, to be their final encounter. He had never doubted his love for his brother, the longing that resurfaced from time to time. Every night, he prayed for Hwan's safety, for his happiness, for him to find a new home across the horizon and never return. But now, faced with his brother's letter, a letter promising reunion, Seong felt lost.
Beside him, Yeong was silent, her gaze fixed on the letter. Her stillness seemed almost serene. Seong wanted to ask her if he was merely a stain filling Sahngjon's void, or if this was another test, a trial by combat against his own brother, the final obstacle before he could leave Birahng and break free from the prophecy's chains.
Ryang, sensing his lord's distress, broke the silence. "What does the letter say?" he asked urgently.
Seong silently handed him the scroll. Ryang's eyes scanned the lines, his hands clenching around the edges of the scroll. The letter was passed from Ryang to Joon, then to Seon. No one dared to speak until Norahn finally broke the silence.
"Cheon Hwan had the skins of our soldiers and his own crew flayed," he reported. "He sent the ship back with their skins sewn into the sails. Sobi told me of this, and I ordered the sails to be removed and cremated with proper rites."
Even upon hearing of Hwan's atrocities, Seong remained calm. He was familiar with his brother's cruelty. Back in Wicheong Palace, Hwan had often skinned Ryang's beloved pets and hung their pelts by his door as a grotesque display. Seon, however, gasped, her breath shaking. Her face was pale, her features contorted with disgust. Sobi lowered her head.
"I have nothing to say," she whispered, her voice filled with shame.
Ryang was irked by Norahn's decision to begin with Hwan's threats. Norahn had always been a man of few words and little expression, but today, as he presented the letter to Seong, his demeanor was that of a corpse already beheaded by Hwan.
"Is this all true?" Ryang asked Sobi sharply.
"It is," she replied, her voice trembling.
"I'm asking if you witnessed and heard these things yourself."
"I saw it," Sobi choked out, "I heard it... I spoke the words..."
"Do you realize what you've done?" Ryang accused.
Norahn immediately interjected, "If you're reprimanding her for preaching in Ju, please stop. She's already suffering from guilt. Did you not consider what Cheon Hwan might do to her if she disobeyed?"
"I trusted her not to be swayed by threats or persuasion," Ryang retorted coldly.
"He threatened to kill the rest of the crew if I refused," Sobi explained.
"And they all died anyway, didn't they?" Ryang scoffed. "Did you really think Cheon Hwan would spare them if you obeyed? Were you that naive?"
Norahn's voice hardened. "Are you suggesting Sobi should have taken her own life? Would you be satisfied if she had returned dead instead of submitting to Cheon Hwan?"
"Don't you dare defend her failure!" Ryang snapped. "She is the Third Emissary of the Ministry!"
He turned his furious gaze back to Sobi. "You should have resisted, even if it meant watching Cheon Hwan flay every last one of them alive. I emphasized the importance of sending an Emissary, and now Cheon Hwan is the one reaping the benefits."
"No one could have predicted what happened in Ju," Seong interjected, trying to diffuse the tension.
Ryang shook his head. "I won't believe it until I see it with my own eyes. You know Cheon Hwan."
"The Third Emissary has already testified," Norahn argued.
"And what of it?" Ryang retorted. "Are you suggesting we accept Cheon Hwan's claim of receiving Sahngjon's blessing? Did you receive a separate vision?"
Norahn, concealing his unease, tried a different approach. "High Councilor, please calm yourself and consider our options. You refuse to believe the Third Emissary's testimony, so I won't speak of Sahngjon's will. But Cheon Hwan has unified Soyeol's fleet. He'll be here in a fortnight. How can we possibly defend ourselves?"
"Since when has the High Emissary abandoned Sahngjon's will for military strategy?" Ryang scoffed. "Ah, I forgot. Now that the Emissaries are armed, we should consider the High Emissary a general."
"High Councilor," Seong warned.
Ryang ignored him and continued to press Norahn. "Tell me what Sahngjon's will is!"
"High Councilor, that's enough."
"I need his answer."
"Enough!" Seong finally raised his voice, silencing Ryang.
Norahn lowered his gaze. Ryang turned his attention to Yeong, who had remained silent throughout the exchange.
"Guardian Crimson, say something!" he demanded. "Why are you silent even after hearing such blasphemy against Sahngjon?"
Yeong rose and left without a word.
"Guardian!" Ryang called after her.
He started to follow, but Seong raised a hand, stopping him. He watched Yeong's retreating figure for a moment, then turned back to the others.
"Third Emissary," he asked Sobi, "can you tell us the size of the Soyeolish forces?"
"I couldn't get an exact count," Sobi replied, "but there were hundreds of ships gathered in Ju, even the largest ones. More kept arriving while I was there."
Seong closed his eyes. Even if not all those ships were warships, a hundred would be enough to overwhelm Birahng, who had only managed to capture four warships from Dahn. Perhaps he and Yeong could combine their powers to defend one of the four cities, but even then, they couldn't protect the entire coastline of Birahng at once. And if Hwan possessed the same powers as him, any losses they suffered would be devastating. He couldn't see a path to victory.
Seong rose and addressed the group. "Give me one night," he instructed. "Find Jang'gyeong Yoon and Keumpyeong Yu and detain them."
He then followed Yeong, leaving the others behind. The tension in the room eased slightly with their departure, but Ryang couldn't shake off the unease he felt at his lord's absence. He didn't trust Seong to make a rational decision after a night alone, not after he had once decided to disband Wicheong Palace. He turned his attention back to Sobi.
"I have a few more questions for you," he said. "Answer truthfully and concisely."
"Ask away, High Councilor." Sobi bowed her head respectfully, while Norahn watched Ryang intently.
"How did Cheon Hwan end up facing Jongwon Soh?" Ryang asked. "Why would Jongwon Soh agree to a duel?"
"As you feared, Cheon Hwan delivered the stolen letter to Jongwon Soh before I arrived," Sobi explained. "By the time I reached Ju, Jongwon Soh was already dead, and the merchant Ahn'eum, who was supposed to be our contact, was working for Cheon Hwan."
Sobi recounted the events in Ju, from her arrival to her imprisonment, sharing what little information she had managed to gather. Ryang listened intently, particularly to her account of Hwan utilizing Hui's healing abilities to gain the people's favor, and his decision to spare most of Jongwon Soh's advisors. Though he doubted Hwan's cruel nature had changed, it was clear he was now making an effort to appear as a ruler. This was a worrying development.
"Are the lords aware of this?" Ryang asked Norahn.
"They are," Norahn confirmed.
"And you came here without a plan, revealing everything?" Ryang's voice was sharp with accusation.
"The Soyeolish soldiers forced her to deliver the message at spearpoint," Norahn said, exasperated. "This isn't something we can resolve by hiding the truth."
"Are they still on the ship?"
"They were still onboard when we left, facing off against Nahmgyo."
"What did the Lady of Nahmgyo say?"
"We arrived in Hyangdo immediately after receiving the letter and haven't had a chance to speak with her properly."
"The lords of Dongrahng and Seorahng could be plotting to surrender while you are away," Ryang observed.
Norahn's patience wore thin. "Instead of venting your frustrations, High Councilor, try to think rationally. If you truly care about the Guardian, then persuading him to surrender to Cheon Hwan is the only way to ensure his survival."
Ryang glared at him. "Surrender?" he echoed.