Golden Horizon

As on the Last days of Funeral everybody started do gather their things.As the night come for Jin Seok And Min Jook as well they were laying beneath the tree—their hideout, the same one where they slept together for the first time.Since then countless nights had passed —Jin Seok and Min Joon began to speak. Min Joon, as he had countless times before, started recounting his past. Jin Seok, though he had heard the story a hundred times, listened again. Perhaps out of pity, perhaps out of some other feeling, but he listened.

This was the first winter Min Joon would spend outside. Before he had met Jin Seok, he had lived at an orphanage, but with no money to his name, he had been cast out into the cold. The old priest, who had once offered him shelter, had been replaced. The new priest and his followers had drained every last coin from everyone, leaving nothing but bitterness in their wake.

As Min Joon spoke, Jin Seok's attention shifted. He stared beyond the tree, eyes narrowing. A shadow lingered in the moonlight, a silent presence watching them. Jin Seok sighed, his golden eyes flicking back to Min Joon, who had stopped speaking. Min Joon gazed up at the stars, his golden eyes shimmering with unshed tears.

He cried quietly, the tears mingling with the cold night air. After a few more moments, Min Joon fell asleep.

Jin Seok stared at the sky, his voice barely a whisper, but his words were thick with years of pain.

"Did you understand why I'm suspicious of you?" he asked. "Adults always find a way to use kids—whether it's for dreams, for money, for revenge, for fun... or even for killing."

A figure emerged slowly from the shadows. So Hyeon. She stepped forward cautiously, unsure of how to approach the two boys. Jin Seok's gaze locked onto her, eyes blazing with fury. The anger that had been simmering beneath his surface now boiled over, and tears fell from his golden eyes—not from sorrow, but from the years of suppressed rage. His emotions had always been a burden, but now they spilled out in the most raw and dangerous way.

Min Joon, even in his sleep, cried quietly—his tears not born from anger, but from sorrow too deep for words. His golden eyes shimmered with a sadness that cut through the stillness of the night.

So Hyeon froze, unsure how to respond. The sight of Min Joon's tears tugged at her heart, but the storm in Jin Seok's eyes filled her with fear. She stood silently, caught between sorrow for Min Joon and fear of the boy who burned with a fury too fierce to contain.

The silence stretched on, heavy and unyielding, until a figure appeared. The leader of the Iron Willow Sect, Elder Yang. So Hyeon and Jin Seok both flinched in shock. Had he been there the entire time? Had he appeared just now? They couldn't tell, and it didn't matter. What mattered were the words he would speak.

Elder Yang said nothing at first, his eyes scanning the boys in the moonlight. Then, without a word, he knelt down and wrapped his arms around the two children. The weight of his embrace was more than a gesture of comfort—it was a promise.

So Hyeon stepped forward, about to speak, but Elder Yang made a subtle gesture, signaling her to remain silent. With a single nod, she understood and turned to leave, disappearing into the night.

Elder Yang stood there for a long moment, his presence a quiet storm in the midst of the cold wind. When he finally spoke, his voice was low and filled with unspoken sorrow.

"I cannot give you back the time you've lost," he said, each word like a stone sinking deep into the earth. "I cannot undo the cruelty, the hunger, the pain. I cannot take away the nights you shivered under the stars, wishing for warmth that never came."

His gaze settled on Jin Seok, who still burned with anger. "Your anger is just, kid," Elder Yang continued, his voice thick with compassion. "The world has scarred you in ways no child should ever endure. But if you let that anger rule you, it will turn your heart to stone. And that stone… it will be unbreakable. Not by anyone. Not by anything." He paused, his voice softening. "But you… you are meant for more than just surviving."

Turning to Min Joon, Elder Yang gently brushed a stray tear from the boy's cheek. "And you, kid, who buries your sorrow behind that smile you show every day… Your tears are a testament to your courage. Don't ever be ashamed of them. They means you're still alive."

A slow exhale escaped Elder Yang's lips, a breath heavy with the weight of his words. "The past cannot be changed. But you are not the sum of what has been done to you. You are not broken. You are not lost." His voice grew steadier, like a flame flickering against the wind. "You are the future."

He stood up, looking toward the stars, his eyes distant. "There will be more pain ahead. The world does not grow kinder overnight. But listen to me… If you'll allow me to take you both under my wing, I'll show you a future where your strength will not be born of suffering but of something greater."

Elder Yang looked down at the boys once more, his expression softer now. From beneath his robes, he pulled out a fur cloak, the symbol of the Iron Willow Sect embroidered upon it.İnside of it there was some money.Gently, he placed it over the boys, warming them against the cold night air.

"This is all I can offer you, for now," he said, his voice low but full of promise. "If you don't want my help, you are free to turn away. But if you wish to join our Sect… you have one day to decide. Tomorrow night, we leave."

With those final words, Elder Yang stood in silence. The only sound that remained was the rustling of the leaves, as if the world itself had hushed in reverence. Jin Seok, still angry and cold, felt something shift inside him. It wasn't warmth—no, it wasn't warmth. But there was a strange relief, a release of tension he hadn't known he was holding. His golden eyes lingered on Leader Yang, and then he turned to the horizon, his gaze unwavering.

Jin Seok said You Fucking Emperor."