Shinahs subconscious was pulled into her Mindscape. Her body slowly descending, directly into the delicate arms of a young boy no older then the age of seven.
He pushed aside his long dark black hair letting it fall over his shoulder, shielding the little girl from the wind. His eyes were a mesmerizing bright green with light golden flecks.
His childlike-milky white face, despite its smooth appearance, already eluded strong and defined facial features.
His dark eye brows, sloped downwards in a serious expression as he looked down at Rai Shinah's peaceful sleeping face.
His voice disrupted the silence with an serious and gentle tone. "I really do hate you."
Riku Sabishii looked at the small peerless beauty who instinctively snuggled closer in his arms and shook his head with disgust.
He gently placed her down on a makeshift bed mat made of weaved bamboo strips, and covered her with a blanket.
He places his hand on her wrist to check her condition and feeds her a few elixirs to nourish her soul and balance out her conflicting spirit elements before walking off to collect some water from the lake...
Waves of natural spirit energy cling to Rai Shinah with an urgent sense of dependency.
She's roused awake by the ticklish feeling of spiritual energy flowing through her pores.
...
My Mindscape? I leveled up again!
Was I cultivating in my sleep?
Wait Akuma! Kiyoshi!
I jump up and release my subconscious out my Mindscape.
The young boy rushes over when he sensed her awakened spirit fluctuations, carrying a round bowl sloshing with water. He arrived and stares dumbly at the empty bed mat.
His smile had quickly drawn into a hard line across his face.
-Pwshh-
The jade bowl was crush instantaneously turning into fine powder underneath his hand, water droplets falling down his fingertips. "Ungrateful girl."
——
At the Rai Castle, Rai Akira's Courtyard
Shen sat at a round table facing his brothers with a grave expression.
"So are you going to apologize or receive your punishment first?" Rai Shen sat back looking darkly at Kiyoshi.
"Punishment.." Kiyoshi whispered with his head hanging down in shame.
~~~
He woke up a few minutes after Shinah passed out. Shen and his mother arrived and took Akuma and Shinah to her courtroom.
After Shen checked them both he reassured his mother and Kiyoshi, they'd be fine after a nights rest.
Kiyshi lied to his mother and Shen, he claimed he and Akuma were showing Shinah their ancient artifacts and it got out of hand due to his lack of self control. While sending Shen a 'I'll tell you the truth later' look.
His mother scolded him fiercely and left Shen to see to his punishment, taking Shinah back to bed.
Akuma woke up from the commotion and the brothers fought again, this time Kiyoshi was on the yielding end with Shen backing Akuma.
The brothers decided to talk about what really happened that night the following morning to avoid their mothers suspicion and Shens wrath.
Since both brother's minor and life threatening injuries were cured by Shinah, too the point of Akuma showing signs of a breakthrough, they decided not to call a doctor to avoid the spread of rumors.
They all retired in their mothers courtyard rotating on guard duty to keep an eye on the Little Princess that had exhausted herself out. Each wondering how the discussion they would have tomorrow, on what really transpired that night would go.
~~~
Shen gave a slight nod, knowing his brother would chose punishment he came prepared with a bag full items to torture Kiyoshi.
"First go to —"
-Bang-
The door was kicked open, pieces of broken wood flew across the room.
"Second... Third ... brother..." a small voice murmured softly, sending little stabs of heartache into the three brothers hearts. They could see the panic in her eyes and feel her fluctuations in spirit energy.
"Your both.... Wahhhhhhhh" The little princess runs clutching onto Akuma and Kiyoshi crying.
Kiyoshi looks down at his sister surprised, didnt he try to kill her shouldn't she hate him.
He could only feel her anguish and affection... there was no bloodlust.. she .... genuinely ... cared about him being alive...
Kiyoshi stood in a daze while Akuma patted her back softly. What she faced that night wasn't easy for an adult to endure, let alone a child at the tender age of three...yet here she was messily crying and clinging to them instead of breaking down in fear.
"Shh it's okay, it's okay look Little Shin. You see your third brother and I are both alright. Look not even a scratch." He held out his hand pulling up his sleeve.
Shinah snatches his arm and inspects carefully, then yanks him down to her level pulling off his robe and under-robes in one swift move. Her small hands -tap tap tap- softly feeling his exposed back.
"Ahem Little Shin you shouldn't pull up a persons clothes like that, even though I'm your brother it's still inappropriate as I'm also a man. Understand?" Akuma blushes shyly... and wiggles free adjusting his cloths.
"Hahahaha Second Brother!! how does it feel, the first time your unrobed by a girl and it was by your sister!!! Ahahha-"Kiyoshi laughs out loud till he's yanked by Shinah undressing him in the same rough manner as Akuma.
Kiyoshis ears turn bright red while Akuma coughs in attempt to hide his laughter.
"But I saw ... there's not even a scratch?" She questioned confusedly.
"Shinah let go of your third brother." Shen glares angry at both brothers. How dare they let Shinah see them in such an inappropriate way.. how Shamless!
Shinah absentmindedly releases Kiyoshi, and Shen picks her up sending his spirit energy into her checking her condition.
"You ... Consolidation Level Five! You ... leveled up again?"He inquires with surprise.
"WHAT! The little brat leveled up again? Is that even fair? And Akuma at the edge of break through..."
What I broke through another level again?
I look into my direct line and conjure up a strand of pure spirit energy, and sure enough it's has five notches glowing brightly from the Red Level and it's Consolidation Level to the Orange and it's Consolidation Level. Tiny specks of Yellow ..lightly flickered in the, Consolidation Level above Level Four- Orange.
Not only did I level up again it pushed me past the bottleneck of Level Four- Orange and and is well into Consolidation -Level Five right under Level Six- Yellow?
*Ping! Faithful Healer Skill Reacquired*
*Ping! New Message From Master XiaoLong*
*Ping! New Task Received*
XiaoLongs back?!
"Mm I did, Hold on for a moment watch over me." I sit in a cultivating position and rush quickly into my Mindscape leaving my brothers with no time to respond.
I descend gracefully to the ground and run towards the lake. There's a small house newly built hiding behind two large trees when I get closer to the lake.
"What .... XiaoLong! This house is amazing how'd you build it so fast." I rush in.
A young boy with dark hair and beautiful shining green eyes was in the middle of the room drying his hair off with a towel. Even though he was dressed in black plain robes, it couldn't cover up the air of nobility that surrounded him.
His mouth was pressed into an angry hard line across his face, relaxed slowly after the initial shock.
"Your back." He responded softly.
I stood there silently shook to my core...
His long black hair half covered with a towel silently dripped little crystal clear droplets of water down onto the floor.
He was handsome from the depths of his eyes to the gentle expressions of his voice.