Beginnings

July 24, 918

The four generals and Commander Wang gathered gloomily under candlelight. 

“King Kung Ye must be overthrown,” General Sin spoke. “The man not only claims he is the Buddha, but he has slaughtered his family as well. We four have decided that you, Commander, shall be our new King. We have already gathered our forces.” The other generals nodded. Wang raised his eyes and struck a cold gaze into each of the generals, lingering on Sin, who stared back with a blazing intensity. Wang lowered his eyes and walked out of the gathering; the humid air surrounded him, and he stared up to the heavens, and countless stars reflected in his eyes. He turned, the humid air let go of him, and the stars were covered by the dark shadows of monsoon clouds as Commander Wang walked back to the generals who awaited him.

The palace was overtaken by rolling thunder from both the heavens and soldiers; the sky crackled with lightning and wept downpours while hundreds of horses shook the ground and pierced the air with shrieking whinnies. The forces that remained loyal to Kung Ye were quickly overwhelmed by the combined might of the four generals under Wang. Kung Ye, his robe stained with blood and mud, sprinted across the palace, lurching for the gate. General Sin quickly took notice and aimed, piercing an iron arrowhead through Kung Ye’s calf. Kung Ye collapsed forward into the gate. The gate creaked open, and the king looked up, but not into the dark sky. Instead, a drenched, angry, wriggling wave of his subjects crashed down upon him. They unleashed their stored fury upon him, fueled by the religious persecution and corruption that characterized the last few years. As the storm clouds shied away and the sun announced a new dawn, the giant crowd cheered on the new King Wang, and the brutalized corpse of Kung Ye sank in the blood-clouded mud. 

A few years later

The rolling hills became dashes of warm colors as General Sin and King Wang rode their horses under the autumnal sun. The two were out on a hunting trip and admiring the beauty of the Pyongsan countryside. King Wang abruptly stopped as he spotted a flock of geese flying nearby, the tip of the arrow formation pointing directly at them. He faced General Sin.

“I know that you are a skilled archer, Sin. Entertain me and strike down the third goose on the right.” Sin gave a slight nod and drew his bow. 

“Wait! That may be too easy for you. I want you to hit the left wing of the third goose on the right.” Sin gave Wang a grunt as he adjusted his aim, not letting his line of sight wander off the goose. He drew his bow tighter, and as his target moved in, he promptly let go of the string and the arrow soared through the cloudless sky. The iron point met the goose in a cloud of feathers, and the rest of the formation honked and flapped as the target dropped to the ground in a feathered spiral. It met the ground a couple of meters left of where the commander and general were standing, and when Wang went to inspect the goose, his lips curled in a slight smirk. There was an arrow piercing its left wing. Sin walked up to inspect his work.

Wang beamed at his general, thoroughly impressed. He turned his gaze towards the countryside; grand pine trees stood among the warm foliage with sun-speckled leaves, the morning chirps of songbirds and crickets melodized in the clean, crisp air, and a round of mist-shrouded mountains stood stoic, encircling the scene. He turned back to Sin.

“This land is beautiful, and I have been blessed with ruling its people. I would not have had this pleasure without you.” 

“Thank you, sir.” Wang nodded. 

“And in return for your loyalty, as well as your adeptness with the bow, I have decided to gift you this land we stand on at this moment. Stand where the goose has fallen, and look around. As far as the eye can see, including the mighty mountains, all of this fertile land will be under your name.” 

“Sir, I—”

“No need for any comment. My royal word is final and absolute. Your name shall forever be enshrined in this land, and all your descendants, the Pyongsan Sin Clan, shall be blessed.”