The Wasp and the Butterfly

[Mu]

[ eastern // war // timeslip // historical fantasy // @MaryGold and @Sen ]
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There was a scream as the beasts burst forward with their heads lowered, spearing the unprepared right through the gut as they smashed through the wooden door that acted as the entrance of the Eun clan's larder.

It angered Malbeol, the young lord, even though he had been aware that the Haetae clan were aiming for this very spot. Scaled, lion-like beasts with gleaming sharp horns upon their forehead, they were a clan of justice. They wanted the 'title' to bring peace to the land, or so they say. And to bring about that peace, first they had to annihilate all their human opponents. Lest they bring about the next Master Jin.

The Eun had survived for far long enough, their lord was wise and their soldiers were stubborn. For a small clan, they fared well in the long, long war for the Jeonsin.

For people like this, the Haetae knew that they had to damage their will to battle first before slaughtering them like sitting ducks. The Eun had many food storehouses in their turf to feed hungry mouths, without food, would the soldiers not crumble into human husks, willing to end their lives to escape their neverending hunger? Though their wise lord would definitely make do with their remaining food, they couldn't last forever. For humans, ultimately, were mortals that perished easily and quickly.

"Men to the front, maids to the back, protect the grains at all cost!" the young lord shouted, as he raised his clan's flag above his head with confidence and determination. The soldiers all shouted in unison and charged towards the monsters with their spears lowered and swords high. The maids all looked at each other and nodded before turning with their small hands lifting the long drapes of their skirts, making a quick dash to lock themselves into the storage rooms with the food, barricading the doors with anything they could find.

 

[MaryGold]

nabi​

Nabi fell. It was as simple as that and just as painful. The fall was great, knocking the breath out of her. Even now, she could hardly breathe, shallows breaths escaped her, each one causing her pain. Blood leaked freely from her head and side both.

The loss of it made her drowsy. It was becoming difficult to keep her eyes opened. She would die there and no one would find her.

Being lulled into sleep, Nabi caught the wings of a blue butterfly fluttering by before closing her eyes and surrendering to death.
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it's time

It was the scream of terror hat awoke Nabi. The shrill and high octave wave made her already ringing and foggy headache terribly. She found herself holding her head in the palms of her hands to soothe the pain, though it wasn't very effective at all. The dull ache on increased when she began to become more aware of herself and the other sounds to follow.

The stomping of many feet, the cries of several men and one voice above all, leading them. Finally, her eyes peeled open as she sat up taking in her surroundings. With her still foggy and hurting head, it was difficult to focus, let alone think. But she was able to conclude one thing in an instant. She had absolutely no idea where she was or how she got there.

Slowly, as Nabi began to rise from her sitting position, her hazy mind began to clear. However, with its absence, it was replaced with a sense of panic. Where was she? How did she get there? What was going on?

The sight of dried blood on her shirt quickly reminded her. She had been in a hiking accident, climbing a mountain. But there were no wounds on her body, only the dried and sticky blood remained, clinging to her skin and clothes.

Answers were needed, and the only thing she thought to do was follow the loud noises to its source, slightly limping her way there. Her ankle was strangely in more pain than the rest of her body. It was the least of her worries, however.

Especially when her eyes landed on the beast charging forward. Never, not even once, in her life had she ever seen such creatures before. They looked of myths and legends. But standing there, looking at their shining sharp horns she knew they were very real.

Consumed with fear, for a moment, Nabi froze.

It was a soldier accidentally knocking her to the ground as he charged forward that had snapped her out of it. She landed on her hands in knees, though, further dirtying herself and scraping her hands. "Ugh, seriously," she grumbled as she stood back up.

Only then did Nabi realize she was standing in the middle of a battlefield.​

 

[Mu]

As the soldiers surged towards the centre of the courtyard where the Haetae had gathered, sword and horns met and clashed ferociously. Their horns were as tough as the metal their swords and spears were forged with, they were tough opponents indeed. Their hides were equally as strong, making it difficult for the soldiers to penetrate past their scales and into their soft and vulnerable skin. Their underbellies were hard to reach with so many having gathered in one spot, the soldiers were not willing to risk getting trampled in order to get to their softer weakspots - their underside.

In fact, a stray one broke away from their ranks to gallantly charge towards the men's leader. Malbeol swiftly rolled away from the charging spear-like horn, thrusting his sword upwards right into the center of the monster's belly. It let out a pitiful roar before its front legs buckled under the weight of its body, as if it had lost all its support. Malbeol didn't care that he was getting bloody and dirty, in fact, he relished in the fact that he could fight for his clan, his family and his people.

If he died on the battlefield serving his family, then he would be satisfied to know that he died a warrior's death. The larder could feed so many people in his household, this was worth defending with his life.

In the midst of the chaos and the fighting, Malbeol's sharp eyes spotted a hunched figure in the dust. The Haetae didn't seem to be targeting it, and neither was it dressed in his soldier's armor. Was it a maid?

He ran towards the stationary shape, shoving aside the Haetae that moved to attack him, and barking orders to his soldiers to help defend him to prevent the monster's from flanking him. He would catch horns with the guard of his sword and push backwards, flinging the monsters onto their backs and stunning them long enough for him to move onto the next one.

"What are you doing?" he called out angrily. Malbeol was a man who did not like to repeat things twice. He grabbed hold of the girl's shoulder, heaving her upwards. "Maids should be at the back! What are you doing out here in the battlefield, you silly woman!"

 

[MaryGold]

nabi
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To say Nabi had been taken off guard by Malbeol would be an understatement. She had been stuck in the act of thinking of what to do. Obviously running away had been the first thought, but where to.Being in the panic state she was in, her brain was scattered all over the place. Her feelings of fear and confusion were taking over and making the decisions. She had just thought to run away in the opposite direction when she pulled her to her feet. Too shocked to scream or even throw a punch, she only stopped breathing before recognizing it was a human being and not one of those beasts fighting with the soldiers not far from them. There was only a trickle of relief in seeing him until he yelled at her.

Though still confused, anger was able to power through all the other emotions. "I'm not a maid! And don't call me silly!" She yelled back, ripping her shoulder from his grip, shoving him, though not very hard, and teetering backward a step before regaining her balance. Being called "silly" and bossed around by a man who had prettier hair than her was not her on her agenda, but nor was being in the middle of a battle in a place she was completely unfamiliar with either. However, through that anger she was able to grasp a strand of courage, balling her fist at her side, her head whipped and forth between the fight and Malbeol. Asking any questions wouldn't be the brightest thing to do at that moment no matter how bewildered and lost she was. They were in the middle of danger and one wrong move could screw everything up.

From what she had seen, the man was not only strong and skilled in fighting but the leader of the soldiers. While she did not appreciate him calling her silly, Nabi was bright enough to realize that he was her best chance of survival. Even if she wanted to run now, like she had only moments ago, her ankle would not let her. Its ache only increased as time passed them by.

"I don't know what I'm doing here!" Nabi reluctantly grumbled as an answer, she doubted it mattered at this point, having a hard time complying with the man. And because she was truly at a lot she asked. "What should I do?" Surely he would know the best course of action. She did pray it did not involve going anywhere near those beasts, but if it lead to not getting killed then she would easily follow suit. Even if it pained her to do so, she was sure being pierced by the horns of the best would be worse.
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