"Before your father's generation of devotes the previous had a painter called Banten, he sort for a different way to purify the Holy Gate permanently but it involved black magic" she folded her arms casually and smiled " He planned on releasing Liune from his prison to help purify the land but Liune is an out-of-control god. I would say thankfully He died of an illness before he could be expelled and his research were locked up by the priest".
" Van found a different way to save the Gates as well but when he told the priest they turned on him and order he be expelled... apparently it was the same as Banten's and he was accused of breaking into the forbidden chambers of the temple".
"How close were you and my dad" he stared at his cup ,her eyes lit up .
"very" she said enthusiastically "I fell in love with him but I was only noticed by Van" she cleared her throat and look intently at him "now you have proper details, I would inform you that your father's bond is weak and a few months ago a crack was noticed in Van's seal, the effort of the priest and your father would be in vain if he's out".
The Lady in white had mentioned his purpose before was he to reseal Van in his prison? The Lady had said there was another way.He wasn't sure to trust the Lady but her offer didn't seem harmful.
"There are spirits in Holy Gate" he said thoughtfully "what are their purpose are they evil?"
"No, they are here to keep the Land and are devoted to that, Created by Anaru to weaken Liune, Liune would be punished if he so much as take a hair from them" Ailin's mum gazed questioningly at him she raised her brows eagerly "you've seen one ? they never reveal themselves" she waited for his reply but he smiled instead unsure if the Lady was on the side of the Temple. Definitely not she seemed very against their practices then again how many sides were they. Liune and the painters, The temple and it's devote and The Lady and the painters.
She couldn't possibly be for Liune she is to guard him, she worked for Anaru. Shaking his head he let out a long exhale " Ai Lin's mum thanks for telling me this ,I don't know what I'm supposed to do" he mumbled the last words and placed his hands on the table.
" The temple would be your first stop" his blinked at her " I gave you a lead...oh and my name is Mau diru" she said with a bright smile that was obscured by the lines of age on her face.
Her smile brought the Lady he'd seen with his dad in his dream,he hadn't noticed this till now. Getting to the temple would give him a glimpse of his father's life there.
"This is the period of hunters, this means buses would be heading to the temple this week. It wouldn't be hard to find". The week was almost over, today was Thursday. He didn't have much time left to prepare.
"Jinn ...whatever happens don't blame Taeh" His mind still jam-packed with knowledge he'd just claimed, he mulled on her words. Purification of the Holy Gate, Liune's prison and his role in everything. But he didn't quite understand what was happening with Taeh, he'd forgotten to ask.
"Him" He frowned at her absently adjusting the position of his cup "what does he have to do with this?" His voice empty of inflection as he awaited her answer.
Shifting her shoulders, she breathed with ease and met his eye "I'm afraid telling you my part might not be best to know, you might_" she heaved eyes looking away "_better wait for things to unfold, knowing won't change a thing". She wasn't wrong but he wouldn't know that and telling him this pressed on his unease. A gentle crease formed on his brows as he looked questioning her.
"what do you mean?"
"_you ask too much question for a son of Fei" she replied dismissively returning her cup "your father did more of the thinking in his head and put the pieces together".
"but you aren't giving me a hint" He snapped and tried to draw her attention with his intense stare. She glanced briefly at him then looked towards the window.
"Liune feeds on negative energy and uses wrong to fight wrong"
He leaned back nose scrunched and brows furrowed "what do you ...was that the hint?" he grumbled and she smiled at him. He rubbed his jaw as he pondered."It has nothing to do with Taeh "
"It has something to do with the situation, you know sometimes I wonder if you are related to your father " she made a thoughtful noise "you'll probably understand what I said later on but I can't say more" Anymore information would clue him on Taeh being evil and she wasn't sure she was completely right about Taeh, was he just like Van who willing worked with Liune or as her spirit sensed was he possessed. She couldn't tell him her side of the story because her thoughts conflicted.
"No... I'm a struggling optimist, I'm thinking of good things right now but I can't completely abandon the negative"
"Your father was a pessimist, Be it a friend he was always careful . Even if his mouth tells the opposite..." she folded her arm "his action moves on pessimistic... it's not a good thing but it keeps him prepared.I don't completely agree with his choice as you said struggling optimist, I'm like that as well ".
"That's why I won't say more, my words might do no good "
" I'm hopeful, Trust hurts but it also brings out the good in the worst people" Jinn smiled wanly watching Mau duri's nod in consent and he took a final sip of his tea. . .
"What you just said raises a lot of questions" Zi hua sighed facing the window with a bit of apprehension coating his reluctant gaze. He wore a slightly rumpled black shirt and leather pants ,he and Fei bai had just returned from a game centre when Jinn arrived. He leaned on the wall opposite Jinn and Fei Bai who sat at the other end of the living space wearing blue shorts and a white shirt.
Jinn was hunched over his phone, elbows braced on the breakfast bar while Fei Bai pillowed his head in his arm.
"when do you plan on leaving?" Zi hua added brushing his hand through his hair with more force than necessary." this all of a sudden ".
"fighting wrong with wrong" Fei Bai murmured peeking at Jinn's cell, Jinn had been looking up myths of Anaru and Liune for an hour now and small notes were scribbled on a piece of paper. "how does it have to do with Taeh's behavior ...what kind of clue is this?" Jinn had no idea either it bothered him do much that he had a headache but he couldn't stop thinking about it.