THE CURSED ONE - THE BOY WHO CHALLENGE DESTINY

A Wandering Warrior

Emperor City

Emperor Palace stood majestically in the center of the Emperor City, fascinating to anyone who saw it. At the beginning of its construction 500 years ago for the first emperor Hwang Ma, there was only this palace without a city around. Along with time, more and more peoples come and stay around Emperor Palace. Throughout history, the city administrator has renovated and expanded the city wall several times and now this city becomes the biggest city in this land with hundreds of thousands of citizens live in here. Emperor City already became the center of the martial art world, many merchants, travelers, and warrior going in and out of this city to look for fortune every day, many warriors also tried their luck to join the Gungjeon Gyeongbi the special force who guards the Emperor City to get a decent life, and many of them had failed because of the strict and difficult test to pass.

A man with long shabby clothes riding his horse towards Emperor City, he looks big and sturdy with a sword complete with scabbard hanging on his back, he’s in his early 30’s. The sun has moved around one spear after he started his journey from Hawin City this morning and he still not take any break yet. Not long after, the silhouette of majestic Emperor City is seen by him from afar distant, he is galloping his horse faster hoping to arrive in Emperor City sooner. His long journey today finally ended when he arrives at the Emperor City Gate.

In front of the city gate, many peoples have seen registering themself to enter the city, the queue looks long enough. He now getting off his horse and join the queue patiently, he looks around and found many different peoples wanted to enter the city, some of them looks like him, a wanderer, while the others look like the merchant who carries goods. He looks up to the top of the wall, and he saw many guards standing by to protect the entrance, just as he expected.

“They must be skilled warriors.” He murmured about the guards. 

Slowly the queue in front of him is decreasing, but when he looks onto his back what he sees is the queue getting longer.

“Woah, so many peoples wanted to enter the city.” He is amazed, this is the first time for him to come to Emperor City in his entire life and he feels amazed with the splendor of the city. 

After waiting long enough, it is his turn now to report to the gate officer. 

“State your name, city of origin, and your purposes,” The gate officer asked him formally.

“Hyung Jae from Nipah town, I want to join the Gungjeon Gyeongbi selection test.” That man answered, his name was Hyung Jae. 

“Can you read and write?” the officer asked again.

“Yes, sir.” Hyung Jae answered the question. 

“Name your martial art school?” said the officer.

“Blue Wind sect in the northern area.” Hyung Jae answered again. 

“Show us your plaque.” The officer asked another question.

Hyung Jae then takes something that is made of wood inside a pocket in his horse paddle and gives it to the officer, the officer seems surprised when sees Hyung Jae’s plaque, he asked Hyung Jae to wait for a moment while he reporting to his superior.

It was commonly known if every student who has finished his training and wanted to exit the martial art school will be given a plaque that they can use as an official identity recognized all over the land. This plaque system already used 200 years ago, the reason behind this system was to make it easier for every martial artist to show the proof of their graduation and the level of skills that they had achieved. With this plaque, martial artists can easily join any selection test as a gungjeon gyeongbi or any guard everywhere on this land. 

Every official martial art sect will have their plaque with its distinctive mark, but only 4 biggest sects that have right to do the final assessment and officially release the level of graduates martial artist skills. The graduates from all over the land can take their final assessment in one of 4 big sects, Cloud Sun Sect, Baek Mountain Sect, Red Dragon Sect, or Golden Flame Sect and they will get a color code on their plaque as a sign of their level of skills after finishing the assessment. 

A plaque without color is for the standard level martial artist and most of the graduates are in this level, bronze color is for the new dragon level, the silver color for flying dragon level, golden color for master level, and black color for legendary level. Only a few martial artists can achieve the legendary level, but there was one more level of plaque, a dragon plaque, a special plaque with dragon signature on its back, only released for the martial artist who had achieved divine level. Throughout history only one person had given a dragon plaque, his name was Baek Ma from the Baek Mountain sect 50 years ago. Baek Ma staggering all martial art world at that time, he considered the strongest warrior after the era of the 4 great warriors 500 years ago, he was very expected by the Baek Mountain sect to become the new emperor at that time, but he chose not to attend the competition for claiming the emperor throne. Every elder in the Baek Mountain sect was very mad and disappointed at him, they decided to expel his name from the history of the Baek Mountain sect. Baek Ma then disappeared from the martial art world without any trace, no one knows why he didn’t attend the competition or where he is right now.

The gate officer now coming back followed by his superior.

“Are you Hyung Jae? My name is Man Dook and I am the chief of gungjeon gyeongbi.” Man Dook asked while he introduces himself.

“Yes sir, I am Hyung Jae.” Hyung Jae answered.

“Okay, Please follow me.” Man Dook giving his instruction, he then walks through the gate door towards one building near the front gate, Hyung Jae follows him from behind. 

“Please take your horse there and come inside.” Man Dook said it while pointing at a stable with a row of horses lined up neatly. Hyung Jae followed Man Dook's order and he entered the building after. 

Inside the building, Man Dook sat on a chair behind a table, and Hyung Jae stands up in front of him.“ Is this your plaque?” Man Dook asked.

“Yes, that’s mine, Sir.” Hyung Jae answered.

“Can you explain what plaque is this and how you get this?” Man Dook asked again. 

“I see... you suspect this is a stolen plaque right?” Hyung Jae made a guess. 

"You must be able to prove if it is yours, this is not an ordinary plaque, this is a golden plaque, only masters can have this plaque. For what purpose is a master applying as a Gungjeon Gyeongbi? You can get a good position anywhere you want out there, which can grant your wealth life of course.” Man Dook giving his reason of suspicion.

“I understand your suspicion, so how to make you believe?” Hyung Jae asked back.

Without a word Man Dook stand up and walks towards the kitchen in the back while Hyung Jae patiently waiting. Man Dook brings a cup of water in his hand and he put the cup on the table in front of Hyung Jae.

“What do you want me to do with this cup of water?” Hyung Jae asked.

“I don't know. I believe a master can create a miracle using this cup.” Man Dook challenging Hyung Jae. 

Hyung Jae understands, he then moves his right hand in front of the cup, suddenly the cup starts to rise and fly in the air, the water inside the cup still very calm without any ripple. After flying for a moment, Hyung Jae takes the cup from mid-air and he drinks all the water inside. 

“Thanks for the water, I’ve been exhausted after a long journey today,” said Hyung Jae.

“Amazing ki control, no doubt again if you are a master.” Finally, Man Dook concludes.

“Don't exaggerate, I believe that move was an easy thing for you.” Hyung Jae tries to be humble.

“Okay, no need to do any further test for the skills of a master, you pass the test and accepted as a gungjeon gyeongbi. But you have to remember, nothing is instant in here, you will have to start from the bottom and if you work hard and having good achievements, we might consider a promotion,” Man Dook decides to accept Hyung Jae as his subordinate. 

“But before that, you still need to do a writing exam as a formality which will be held by tomorrow, you can go now and find a place to stay until you appointed formally as a gungjeon gyeongbi on tomorrow, by then you can stay in one of our barracks.” Said Man Doo, Hyung Jae nodded his head as a sign that he understands.

Hyung Jae leaves the building and walks to the city center, he left his horse in the stall because he wanted to explore this city by walking. He is impressed with this city, everything looks neat. Many guards standby in several spots throughout the city, they watch over every area with caution, Hyung Jae thinks if he will need to learn a lot from them to become a great guard, he always lived freely before and tomorrow he must live with strict rule every day as a palace guard. 

Hyung Jae doesn’t attract city crowds or strict rules, what he loves is a peaceful life and freedom, that’s why he chooses to live as a wanderer to enjoy his life. The real reason behind his decision to join the palace guard was because he is on a mission to find a boy that he never met before. The only information that he has is about the boy's last position was a possibility in this city, that why Hung Jae thinks if it will be easier for him to find the boy by joining the palace guardian.

This time Hyung Jae doesn't know if the boy which he was looking for will tie his fate into a disastrous future.