THE SWORD
OF
ARAMUN
EPISODE 7
LEE JOON
GI’S
GROUNDBREAKING
TOUR DE FORCE
ACTING AND
ACTION
PERFORMANCE
IN
THE SWORD
OF
ARAMUN
THE
GROUNDBREAKING
2023
TELEVISION SERIES
|
|
Lee Joon Gi, Shin Sae Kyeong, Director Kim Kwang Sik, Cinematographer Choi Chan Ming and others have earned widespread praise for their work,
The Sword of Aramun.  The intensity of Lee’s performance has communicated itself to
the global audience and critics. Lee Joon Gi has always been spoken of with
respect for his work but some cannot help dissecting the source of his irresistible
allure. Even the monumentally ignorant knows that Lee has made a powerful
impact with his awesome performance of his dual roles as the identical twins,
Eun Seom and Saya and his other talents and charms. After the raves garnered
by him, it is not hard to believe that both males and females love his
thrilling action scenes and sterling acting performance. An actor of Lee Joon
Gi’s magnitude in the television series should receive not just local awards
but international awards. So should the television series and the various
members of the cast and crew.
In Episode 7, it’s another reunion for the twins. Lee Joon Gi plays the epic roles of the twins, Eun Seom and Saya. The interaction between the twins in the pine forest is filmed like a battle, with shot and countershot. Some may see it as a dog fight. For the most part Saya proved to be more voluable. The dialogue is imbued with malice and animosity. Saya, with fire in his eyes, is hellbent on criticizing his younger brother; his censure is not oblique but direct. None can accuse Eun Seom of being unprepared for the venom of the attack. Lee, an ICON
for Korean television dramas, has made the twins, Eun Seom and Saya, icons.
Lee displays his mastery of being able to switch from one twin to the other seamlessly.
Though they, pretending to be each other, wear the military attire of their
enemy, and the hair style of the other twin, the audience can immediately
differentiate the two by Lee Joon Gi’s brilliant performance. His demeanour. His
body language. His facial expressions and subtle nuances. They can
immediately differentiate the heroic confidence of Inaishingi and the more
complex but fragile, vulnerable and sympathetic older brother. In the opening
sequence, Lee, as Saya, showcases that he is an accomplished orator with a
spellbinding delivery.
The Saya that Lee portrays also shows that he is no laggard in the 'charm' or ‘romance’ department. The general seems to have ‘romanced’ two ladies, the beautiful and elegant Tanya played by Shin Sae Kyeong and the devious Queen Taealha, played by Kim Ok Vin.
Lee’s chemistry with the two actors is
electrifying.
Shin Sae Kyeong, as Tanya, has also shown her mettle in the scene in The Palace Feast.  A supporting actor who has shown his talents is Eum Moon Suk who plays Karat. One can put a finger on why Episode 7 has warmed the audience’s
hearts and stirred their pride. It is not only Lee Joon Gi’s acting
performance but also the performance of the other members of the cast and
crew. The television series seems to have the most successful collaboration among
the various members of the cast. Since Episode 1 the audience can feel the real-life
friendship among the stars of the show - Lee Joon Gi, Shin Sae Kyeong and Kim
Ok Vin; and Lee Joon Gi and the supporting actors and members of the crew who
have made the television series a success. Lee is also known to be friendly with the crew.
THE SECOND REUNION OF
THE TWINS  The second reunion of the twins is one of the best scenes in the television series. It must be one sequence that is difficult to film. Inaishingi, with Dalsae, had fended off all enemy soldiers. Dressed in the suit of armour of
the Arthdal army, Eun Seom, with his regal back turned, lifted off his helmet
slowly. It was a tense and intense moment. Inaishingi gradually turned to
face Saya, his older twin brother. There must have been gasps all round. It
was a major plot twist in the story. Saya, defeated again, looked embarrassed, with his eyes simmering
with resentment and insecurity when Eun Seom turned and stared at him. Did a
fleeting look of pity and sympathy cross Eun Seom’s face? The music makes the atmosphere even more exciting.
It was an incredible sight in the pine forest. Inaishingi
looked tall, straight and majestic as he walked towards the fallen Saya who
was leaning precariously on the huge boulder for support. It looked as if he
might collapse at any minute.
Eun Seom stopped a step short of Saya and held out a hand – a
hand of reconciliation. Saya glanced at him questioningly. Saya, plagued by
insecurities and loneliness, had been smothered by the confining walls of The
Fortress of Fire. None was friendly towards him. There was a fleeting moment when the duo were differentiated by
their white or black attire. The seemingly white war attire of Ago contrasted
with the seemingly black suit of armour of Arthdal.  One is startled by the Lichtenberg Figures on the hand of Eun Seom.
At the sight of his lightning-marked hand, Saya instinctively recoiled. Upon looking up at his brother’s calm face, despite his anger, he grasped the proffered hand and was pulled up. Dalsae removed his helmet to reveal his face. Then we hear them speak. It was
oratory at its best. Both delivered their lines eloquently. One was voluble
and impressive, the other, though reticent, delivered his punchlines at the most crucial moments. Eun Seom
rebuked Saya for complicating everything. It would easier for him to kill him
there and then so that the future would not be so messy.
The
younger brother asked for a reason why the older twin shouldn’t be killed.  Eun Seom
had never, even in his weakest moments, thought of killing him. His brother figured
importantly in the divine prophecy and his grand plan to defeat Tagon and Arthdal. Eun Seom,
a broad smile crossing his face, mocked, ‘You’re a leader of the enemy,
you took my place while I was gone and fooled us, the Ago Union. You must be
feeling proud for winning once.’ (Unbeknownst
to them, Hae Kkadak, the metal craftsman, from the Taealha's Hae tribe, was eavesdropping on
them.)
It
seemed a verbal warfare was about to begin. Bitter sibling rivalry manifested itself.
At that moment, Eun Seom was in control and had the upper hand. One would
have imagined that Saya would be overwhelmingly congenial but no, he was
not. Saya
sarcastically responded, ‘You get lucky if you take over Molabeol Castle.
Then Arthdal will send more troops, more soldiers and more powerful weapons.’
Saya was
all fired up and started on his prickly rants. One is startled by his
moralising; he was actually preaching morality. The audience had no prior impression
of him being a moral compass in his life. As he continued spelling out what
the future war would mean, his face became more animated and his eyes
crinkled up.
He was
downright scary and venomous; he was merciless and vicious in his attack on
his younger brother. ‘The
blood of thousands of the Ago Union will flow. Only then, you would realise
that you led all of them to their death.’ The
audience are thankful they are spared listening to the gory details. They
could see that Eun Seom, who was being belittled, was slightly disconcerted
by his dire prediction. Eun Seom taunted him. Although he was neither prone to tooting
his horns nor touting his outstanding military records, he declared with
pride and confidence in his voice, ‘We won. We will continue to win.’
Spurred by Eun Eom’s triumphant tone, Saya quickly cast
aspersions on Ago’s perceived strength, ‘Your bronze swords came from
Arthdal. After a few more fights, half will become useless.’
This Eun Seom knew too well after being enlightened by Yeolson
about the iron swords. It was nothing new to him. Saya’s criticisms rained down on his twin. It was a war of attrition. Thrashing out at him, he addressed the problem of weapons, saying that the Ago warriors couldn’t even make or fix bronze swords, what more produce iron swords. Saya’s outburst was a cathartic response; it was the anger and
pent-up emotions of the loser and the loner. Eun Seom had already understood the eventuality of being the underdog in the future war. Even if they were
armed with a passionate fighting spirit, it was impossible to challenge Arthdal’s
iron swords. At this point, he did not offer an opinion. With his maturity as a seasoned warrior and fighter, he
possessed the power to see, to think and to feel. Feigning ignorance, Eun Seom urged his older
twin to spill out his thoughts. It seemed the belligerent Saya had done his research
meticulously. With his incisive reasoning, he could analyse the events that
had shaped the wars in Arth. He sneered at the Ago soldiers. He did all in
his power to dissect the success of the Ago army in the war against Arthdal. ‘Willpower? Desperation? The divine power of Inaishingi?’
Saya also seized on the issue of the strange horse, Kanmoreu,
the legendary horse of Aramun Haesulla. He pooh-poohed the idea that it could solve
everything. Was it an attempt on his part to undermine Eun Seom’s confidence?
‘What’s more, Arthdal will be armed with iron swords soon!’  Eun Seom had advance intelligence on that issue. Disparaging
their war victory on the plains of Hanchao, as pure luck, he implied Lady
Luck may not be on their side the next time around.
(Meanwhile three of the warriors including Badoru had been
captured by the Arthdal soldiers.)  Saya again predicted that Ago was going to lose; he censured
his brother for giving his people hope and making them believe that he would
be victorious.
Jealousy seemed to have reared its ugly head. Bitterness seeped
into Saya’s voice. Taking insolent pleasure in serving up sweeping statements
and slander, he tried to ruin Eun Seom’s integrity and reputation as a leader
by calling him a gosal or vengeful spirit.
‘You receive endless praise and love from the children of Ago.’ The children, it seemed, did not know that Inashingi was the gosal or vengeful spirit that will lead them to their deaths.
Eun Seom may be driven by a sense of divine mission but a
violent war would bring devastation to the continent of Arth. Ago would reel
under the onslaught of the unprecedented ferocity of the Arthdal army who were
armed with iron swords. He could foresee that the Arthdal soldiers would pour
forth like devils to bring terrible devastation. The Arth world would undergo
a metamorphosis; the Ago Union will be slaughtered and disintegrate. And Eun
Seom would not only be responsible; he would also be accountable.  The Arthdal general seemed to be arguing that a combination of
outstanding leadership, exceptional courage, a divine mission and a divine
horse would not win them the war. Saya’s eyebrows arched in tandem with his rhetorical questions. ‘Is your life so great?’ Then the positively garrulous older twin shouted, ‘Is
your life worth so many people’s lives?’
Saya’s fiery and mesmerising speech was so passionate that he
lost himself in it. His oratory was so emotional that it had reduced himself,
not Eun Seom, to tears. There seemed nothing artificial about him at that
point. One could see the tears flowing down his cheeks.
Perhaps,
it’s a sign of his sincerity. Eun Seom’s eyes were smiling. He could sense that his brother
sympathised with the plight of the Ago people. ‘You really are like Inaishingi!’ Eun Seom praised his brother as he was impressed by his oratory. He was not scorning him. He meant every word he
said. In the short time that Saya had impersonated him, he treated the lives
of people with great seriousness. His passion could be the wellspring for his
transformation.
The sermon on the weakness of Ago might have thrown the
audience off-guard. But not Eun Seom. The hot-headed Saya was in stark
contrast to the cool, calm and collected Inaishingi Eun Seom. One can imagine Saya’s agonizing developmental years and the
mental anguish as the unloved adopted son who was isolated in a threatening
environment. As an outsider, he had been struggling to win acceptance and recognition.
Eun Seom suddenly came to life. He moved round Saya in a
circular fashion. As he circled his brother, he analysed and speculated on what
Saya had experienced as the fake Inaishingi.
It basically boiled down to the fact that Saya, over a period of time with the Ago people, had grown to love his role. He was praised by people, was excited by their expectations and touched by the children’s love. He wanted to be cherished and loved; he had received extraordinarily deferential treatment as Inaishingi. In Arthdal, Saya was of no consequence. He was a
pitiful figure who was unloved and unappreciated by those around him.
Eun Seom had a profound psychological understanding of his
older brother, as he, in his switched position, had experienced his life in
Arthdal.
Shaken and humiliated by the stark truth which was pointed out
to him, Saya was enraged.
He raised his sword, so did Dalsae.
Finally, with a ghost of a smile, he proposed an alliance with
Eun Seom so that Eun Seom can win the war. It was a tactic to survive but a
humiliating one. Eun Seom understood Saya wanted something out of their
collaboration. He did not want to begrudge his brother his share of the glory. This scene ignites a feeling of warmth and sympathy for the
brothers. KARAT AND THE MOMO WARRIORS
Three Ago warriors were captured by the Arthdal soldiers. As
they walked through the forest, a group of 4 very strong vagabonds from the
Momo Tribe including their leader, Karat, waylaid them. Upon hearing that the
prisoners were Ago warriors, the vagabonds set upon the soldiers and defeated
them. The Ago men became their prisoners instead.
Hae Kkadak was surprised that that Eun Seom had a twin. Buksoe encouraged
him to help produce weapons for Eun Seom. They could get their raw material
from The Lake of Stars.
Eun Seom returned to the welcome of the Ago chiefs who were
worried about his safety. Chaeeun was surprised to see Dalsae with Eun Seom.
MOLABEOL CASTLE
The arrogant Saya returned to the Molabeol Castle. Having lost the war to his younger brother, he was resentful and frustrated.
Now, he was forced into an alliance with his
brother to fight Tagon. He should have been happy but he was not.
The conflicted twin smashed his hands against the table. ‘How
foolish!’ Was it foolish of him to join hands with Eun Seom? Was he going
to derail their collaboration? It seemed as if he wanted to do his own
individual thing to get credit for himself. Or perhaps, he remembered being pathetic in his interaction with his younger brother.
Before Chaeeun left for Molabeol Castle to join Saya, she commented
that Eun Seom had changed a lot over the course of the time he had spent in
Arthdal.
Ipsaeng was released from captivity and was reunited with Eun Seom.  THE IRON SWORDS AND THE SEED OF BLOOD, DEATH
AND PROSPERITY Meanwhile, Yeolson, Tanya’s father was showing Tagon the multitude of iron swords he had mass produced for Arthdal. He had also made a powerful sword for Tagon. The workers had worked day and night to produce the top of the line swords; the swords were sharp, light and strong. The iron swords would end the dominance of Taealha’s Hae Tribe and also the Bronze Age.
When asked to
name his sword, Tagon proclaimed that it would called, ‘The Seed of Blood, Death and Prosperity’. The outrageous name was a bad omen. Such a name could only have sprung forth from an evil,
deranged mind. A MEETING IS CALLED AGENDA IRON SWORDS A meeting for the Ago Union was called and Eun Seom braced them for the bad news. The Arthdal people could produce iron swords which were sharp, light and fast but soft as a waving whip. The mass production of the swords within a short time was a scary but immutable fact of life.
Inaishingi spelled out 2 options: to make iron swords or to
steal them from Arthdal. While Eun Eeom was training his archery skills, he was beset
with worries. He was unable to hit bullseye. Had his skills rusted during his stay
in Arthdal?  But, surprisingly, Suhana, who was with him, did hit bullseye. The great detail of the accordion-like sleeves of Eun Seom's attire are pictured
clearly in this scene.  He confided his fears to the hypocritical yeomari, who, in turn, encouraged him to believe in himself, saying his words had such
power. Suddenly, two of the Momo vagabonds called out repeatedly to the Ago people to listen to them, Listen Ago People. The scene is quite hilarious. Tachukan and Tae Maja were on the lookout point of the camp. The former who was frustrated at their slowness in communicating their message chided them, 'We are listening. Say the next part. How many times it had been already!' The Ago Union was instructed to send their brothers, Hae Kkadak, Ttaemun and Buksoe back to them or else they would kill Badoru, Chomo and Dachi, whom they had captured.
YEOLSON AND TANYA SHARPLY DIVIDED OVER A NEW WORLD WITHOUT TAGON
After Yeolson heard of The Sword of Aramun, curiosity got the better of him and he went to the temple of the Great Shrine to study the iron sword that he had given to Eun Seom. The sword
had been thrust into the stump of the zelkova tree. On visiting Tanya, she categorically declared that when Eun
Seom marched to Arthdal, he would hold the sword and become Aramun Haesulla.
In an accusing tone, Tanya emphasised that if millions of
people die in gruesome wars in the Age of Iron, Yeolson would be the one
responsible and accountable for starting The Era of Slaughter. Yeolson seemed to be unaware that he had to
shoulder the burden of causing the massive bloodshed and massacres in the
Arth continent in the event of a war. The impending destructive force that
would be unleashed by Tagon would be of an unprecedented scale. Yeolson’s
colossal bad judgement in siding with Tagon had led to the growing rift
between father and daughter.
With tears in her eyes, Tanya accused Yeolson and the Wahan
tribe of changing for the worse. They had discarded the teachings of peace passed
down from generation to generation for more than 200 years. Preaching a message
of peace and harmony, the High Priest stressed that if god did not help,
people should help one another or they would all perish.
Tanya had a vision of a world in which there were no wars. She spoke
of a new world order ruled by Aramun and Inaishingi where people live in peace
without the evil, destructive Tagon. Yangcha, her bodyguard, who had overheard the conversation, was
uneasy. Tanya stressed that it was time for him to choose between her and
Tagon, a mad king to whom he is subservient. THE KING’S SPIES The king had many spies, one of whom was Yangcha. Another spy, Taealha’s supposedly deaf mute servant,
reported to Tagon that Saya had never returned to Arthdal so Eun Seom was a
fake Saya. The king ordered Saya to return to Arthdal. Another commander
would be sent to replace him. Tagon would also host a feast and everyone was commanded to
attend. THE METEORITE Buksoe seemed knowledgeable about iron ore and the production
of iron to make light, strong and fast iron swords. A metal worker, Hae Kkadak, seemed to be shocked to be told that Arthdal could produce iron swords. Eun Seom urged him to produce them. The
Ago leader had heard that there was a huge meteorite made of pure iron at the
bottom of the Lake of Stars from Buksoe. Hae Kkadak was incensed that Buksoe disclosed
the secret.
Some of the Eun Seom’s Ago members were with him to investigate
the said meteorite at the bottom of the lake but it was impossible to drag it
out. They needed the extraordinary deep sea diving skills of the Momo tribe, a formidable group of coastal people who had highly developed sea-related talents and skills.  THE MOMO TRIBE
The 4 Momo vagabonds were waiting for them at the scheduled meeting place. There would be an
exchange of ‘abducted prisoners’. Suddenly, someone leapt from a tree to whisk Hae Kkadak away.
They rushed after the abductor. There was a huge fight. The strange person threw
Karat into the water. Pressing him down into the water, the stranger hoped to
drown him. Thinking Karak was dead, he turned to attack the others. Karak,
who was able to hold his breath under the water, leapt up to plunge a dagger
into him.
It turned out that the strange man was an Igutu. And the Ago
warriors also discovered the identity of Karat, the Momo leader who had killed the
Igutu. Karat performed a strange ritual for the dead man.
Karat was the beogeumbari or half-brother of the Xabara (chief) of
the Momo tribe. It was no surprise that Eun Seom and Dalsae were pleasantly startled - no, deliriously
happy with the news. Eun Seom had, in the past, done Karika, the leader of the Momo tribe, a personal favour.
They remembered the debt that she had promised to repay one
day. It was time to demand repayment of the debt.
THE PALACE FEAST  All the important members of the Arthdal court attended the
feast which was held in the palace.
When the arrival of the High Priest was announced, the noise
subsided. Everyone, including the king, rose to their feet. The beautiful and demure Tanya was a vision in her beautiful
turquoise blue headdress and sweet pale blue gown, with a glittering beaded
neckline. The queen, who arrived with Arok, looked ravishing in her black
feathered gown. Taealha loved clothes decorated with feathers. Feathers symbolize power and sacred realms.
Taealha's penchant for feathers extended to those of peacocks. She once wore a robe made of peacock feathers, a showy example of her extravagant taste. Peacocks are an
ancient symbol of nobility and beauty.
As soon as the queen reached the main table, Taealha and the king immediately
started a public argument. Tagon taunted her about killing Saya and replacing him with a
fake Saya while she mocked his mental instability. Stressing that Tagon often
uttered bizarre things, she aggravated the situation by accusing him of
having killed 3 medical assistants.
Greatly incensed, he put her under house arrest in the Fortress
of Fire. She would be done for if Saya was not in Molabeol Castle as she had claimed. Unintimidated by Tagon, Tanya courageously spoke up. With a
vague combination of ire and defiance, in support of the queen, she countered
that it was unbelievable that there was a fake general. Her tone of voice
defined who holds the power there.
Directly challenged, the enraged Tagon, turned on his new
victim. He tried to put her in her place by narrating a story that he had a
dream in which Yangcha had told him that Tanya had ordered him to get out of
Arthdal. There was a palpable reaction from her. The normally calm,
serene and quiet High Priest could not restrain her anger. It was an
impressive moment. High Priest versus King. Tanya was openly defiant of the
king. With a voice shaking with suppressed wrath, the quick-witted
Tanya turned to Yangcha and demanded to know if there was any truth about a
fake general and whether he had uttered such things in the king’s bedroom.
Yangcha was in a fix. He had to choose between her and the
king. Unknown to the others, Tanya, using her psychic powers, had publicly compelled
him to side with her. Yangcha had a personal relationship with Tagon. He,
previously had a black tongue, a sign that he was a Child of Sahahti. He had
probably been rescued by Tagon. The hard-charging minister, Chobal, was sentenced to the Daeyok
Punishment, the horrible punishment of
decapitation with his eyes and mouth
covered for opposing Tagon. Tanya also courageously objected to Tagon for using the banquet to
place the queen under house arrest. But Tagon declared he was Aramun Haesulla and
could do as he pleased. She countered that she, the High Priest, had made him Aramun.
She had implied that she was the one who had crowned him as Aramun; he was
nothing without her blessings.
The Daekan forces were discussing the king’s death sentence on
Chobal, the minister. Yangcha was disaffected that Tanya had used her psychic powers
to make him oppose Tagon. Tanya pleaded with him to join her in her mission.  MOLABEOL CASTLE
General Saya and Commander Sodang received Tagon’s orders to
return immediately to the palace. Saya instructed Syorejagin to tell Eun Seom
to conquer Arthdal Castle.
TREATING KARAT LIKE A KING  Saya was observed by two Igutu men who thought he was Ikomahis
since he was wearing a pendant with finger patterns.
The Ago warriors, on the pretext of helping Karat recover from his wounds, entertained him like a king; he was waited on hand and foot. The VIP treatment accorded to him included a hot water bath and a spread of sumptuous food and wine. The real intention was to hold Karat in their camp as long as possible until Ipsaeng returned with something from the Agoha Forest. CONFRONTATION AND COOPERATION SAYA AND TAEALHA
Changes and recent developments overshadowed Saya’s return to
Arthdal. He had been defeated in the war at the Hanchao Plains and had
suffered humiliation. An upheavel was taking place in the palace. The king
had seemingly gone mad. The queen, who had been a thorn in the side of the
king, was placed under house arrest after vilifying the king at the grand
banquet. Saya, in his Arthdal army armour, secretly brought food into Taealha’s
bedroom where she had been confined. He confronted her about her attempt to kill him using the Children
of Sahati.
Why did she want him dead? The reason was she was misled into
believing that Saya wanted to poison her son, Arok. After some thorough
investigation, the physicians of the Hae tribe who had knowledge of a wide
assortment of 200 poisons, couldn’t figure out the poison. But, they finally
unearth the truth; there was actually no poison. It was Tagon’s ruse to
hoodwink her into killing Saya and then, in turn, he would kill her for that
crime. The truth finally came
to light. Tagon had outmanoeuvred her. The ruthless king had almost
succeeded. Justice must be meted out to the evil, conniving king. Taealha planned to attack Tagon. In the light of all his evil
doings, she was convinced that their romantic and husband-wife relationship was over; it was
at that point of no return. Something within her had died or snapped. She planned
to assume power from the evil king.
Saya and Taealha’s common enemy was the repulsive Tagon. The
former had a plan in which they could take over Arthdal. With an exaggerated smile,
he expounded, ‘Kill Tagon and enthrone Arok.’ That mantra was the
language that Taealha wanted to hear. If it was possible to read her soul by
her eyes, she was definitely ambitious. She would be the Queen Mother, the
power behind the throne. The smart queen found it incredible for a person like Saya to
need only one thing. It was unbelievable to Taealha that all Saya wanted was
Tanya, whom he wanted to marry. This perhaps showed the awakening of his love
for the High Priest. But, Tanya was the love of his younger brother’s life. Was he
competing with his brother or was he trying to protect her in the eventual
conflict with Tagon?
But, for the moment, it was only wise that they should collaborate to achieve their own selfish
ends; the two wily and intelligent people settled on supporting each other.
Saya’s beautiful Phoenix eyes lit up and he smiled enigmatically at her. He
was a man of deep charm. The luminescence in his eyes spoke of his anticipation of the
power he was going to achieve. One can imagine him strutting around like a
peacock having brokered an agreement with the queen. She, likewise, smiled
knowingly at him. They seem to have a kindred spirit. Were they seducing each
other with their eyes?
It was illuminating when Saya warned her that they might end up
fighting. If so, it would be an ill-fated collaboration.  https://www.facebook.com/CJTVING/videos/1789286554864861/
THE GREAT LIBRARY OR
PILGYEONGGWAN IKOMAHIS
Saya, in his search for answers about his ancestry, learned
that there were records in Pilgyeonggwan or Great Library about those who
attacked Remus. The queen offered some information. ‘When her father
helped Hae Kkadak run away, he sent some documents with him.’ In the Great Library, the documents spoke of ‘Those carrying
shields with finger patterns wiped out Remus in an instant. In the place
where they charged, shouting Ikonmahis, not one survived.’ Ikonmahis was
probably their leader.
He realised that the family heirloom, the shield pendant with
finger patterns that he inherited from Ragaz, his Neanthal father, indicated
his ancestors were the ones who had wiped out Remus. His ancestor must have
been named Ikonmahis. It was an ominous piece of information. The Hae tribe
of Queen Taealha was from Remus, so he and Taealha were essentially enemies. Saya realised that he was handed only half of the shield
pendant. The family heirloom had been returned to him, the rightful owner, by the
Neanthals, Issruv and Nosanuho. The owner of the other half of the shield pendant was
a mystery. If he was Ikonmahis, the leader of a lost tribe of savage
Igutus, there is the possibility of him rising to leadership like his
brother. As a leader of his very own tribe, The Mirror, would mirror his
brother’s leadership and enlighten or illuminate the world. Shocked that Saya had returned, Tanya visited him at his
quarters. Nunbyeol, who was waiting for him there, questioned him about her
sister, Chaeeun. There was a commotion outside the door and as he didn’t want them to be seen together, he instructed her
to hide. He was surprised to see two savage Igutu men making their way
in after subduing the guards at the door.
That moment of the appearance of the two Igutus was
astonishing. Their faces at the doorway at the present time were quickly
superimposed by two faces which he saw in the forest in the past. A comparison
of the past and the present. The strange men carried themselves in a way that alluded more
to savagery and aggression than civility. As they approached Saya, they lost
no time in questioning him about where he obtained his unique pendant and what
his relationship was with it. If the special pendant was Saya's, the Igutu insisted that he had to leave with them immediately.
Saya smiled widely when Nunbyeol appeared from behind the
curtains. Using her Neanthal powers, she fought with them. She,
lightning-swift, was able to avoid all their blows and curved daggers. It was
inevitable that they would succumb to her powers in the end. But, it was truly a pity that they did not find out the purpose
of Igutus' visit. The audience had been sitting at the edge of the seats waiting for
the secret link between Saya and the Igutus to be revealed. They were
frustrated yet again. Had the Igutus been less belligerent, violent and
hostile, the secret would have been disclosed.
THE GRAND PLAN
Saya emphasized that it was time for Nunbyeol to collaborate with him. They
could kill Tagon. She would get her revenge and the justice that she wanted.
He would take Arthdal. The only chink in his armour was he probably desired
self-aggrandisement. He wanted to gratify his own needs and personal
aspirations; he would probably exceed his younger brother’s achievements. Was
he choosing self-fulfilment over sacrifice? Was he planning something selfish
because of his deep fear, insecurity and lack of success, all of which had
generated in him an arrogant and self-important nature. Then approaching footsteps were heard. Tanya, having heard
everything, ordered him to to elaborate on his plan. ‘How will you take
over Arthdal?’ Her eyes, which were fixed calmly on him, were unsettling.
The sneaky mind of the roguish, opportunistic general was doing
overtime. Saya was dancing to the music of his imagination and future glory. Was
he bedevilled of dreams of splendour in a new Arthdal where he himself reigned
supreme? The chameleon in him quickly spoke the language of Tanya whom he
hoped to influence or take advantage of. It was time for him to impress her not
with his very own selfish plans but the broader original plan. This time, he
spoke with a calm assurance, which contrasted with the vehemence in which he
spoke to the queen. In that moment, hearts must have beat very hard.  With piercing eyes, he calmly emphasised their plan with its
prophetic statement, ‘The original plan with Mubeck was to kill Tagon,
take down Taealha and we, the three Children of Prophecy, will take over this
world.’ The plan implies the fracture of Arthdal with a military coup, which would bring about the destruction
of the old. With peace, there would be the dawning of the new world order.
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