message, your friends will be freed from this kingdom, but you will stay in this kingdom forever.
If you do it the other way round and your friend sacrifices his blood, you will be freed. That
means one of you must stay here.”
Laughing with cruelty, Khongordzol snapped a dagger from Prea’s tool bag. Holding the
dagger at an angle, she flicked her wrist , attempting to made a cut on Prea’s arm. Momentarily
stunned, Prea stumbled back, owing to Khongordzol’s unexpected act. He then pulled out a shovel
from his bag, trying to protect himself. Khongordzol teased as she saw Prea’s blunt rusty shovel,
she was so confident that she could leave the desert. Wielding the dagger tightly, Khongordzol
kept swinging her dagger in the air wildly. Prea bent and turned his body to duck her frantic
slaps. Regardless, Khongordzol moved closer and closer to Prea. Prea twirled as Khongordzol tried
to thrash him from the side, but his twirl gave a perfect chance for Khongordzol to strike him, his
clothes was ripped open. Grumbling, Khongordzol found no blood on the knife as the cut wasn’t
deep enough to cut his skin. Giving up ducking Khongordzol’s barbarous slashes, Prea intended
to snatch the dagger from Khongordzol’s grip as he knocked her over and her dagger was wrested.
Prea held Khongordzol by her neck and shoulders, with his other hand holding the dagger against
her arm, he gasped, “Stop it ! Don’t move.”
She moved her elbow, struggling to knock Prea’s chin. At that second, her arm was rippled by
the dagger, blood streamed out immediately, splashing onto the mural.
Khongordzol mourned “No... No...”
Meanwhile, the blood filled all the embossed pits of the words, many spirits surrounded her
dragging her away. A path appeared in front of Prea’s eyes, as those buildings fell apart, forming
a long way towards the exit of the kingdom. Staring at the handful of blood, Prea blamed himself,
“What’ve I done?”
He left the cave and took a glimpse at the sky as the setting sun slid towards the horizon
quickly, and laid on the sand, where the setting sun sparkled onto his face. When the sun had
half sank into the horizon, a flash of blue light carrying all the souls to the heaven glistened
in the sky. After this flash of blue light, the first raindrop landed on the Gobi Desert since the
kingdom’s disappearance.
In this world full of battles for power, people even betray and slaughter their colleagues to
chase after fame and fortune. Thus, love, care and pity are tainted , turning into jealousy and
hostility. Who will sacrifice themselves because of love? Who will remember what love is?
