"Lord Cyrene, I don't think that it is necessary to throw me a party. I'm not a party type of person." She sensed his eagerness, he yearned for a yes and she could feel it from where she sat.
'Jia must've told her something.' Cyrene concluded in his thoughts. He quietly sipped his tea watching Isabelle in the process.
"Can I be excused Milord?". Isabelle had to leave, his quiet staring was making her uncomfortable.
"Yes! Please".
As she closed the door to his study, she released a sigh of relieve.
'It was just a party suggestion I turned down, it's nothing big'.
Cassandra who was done with mending the clothes, she had a basket of clothes in her hands and was walking by to put them away saw Isabelle in front of Cyrene's study, she gasped.
"Now she's visiting Lord Cyrene too? From Lord Jia to lord Cyrene, how shameless."
She walked quickly to share the news with the other maids.
"And what makes you think something is going on between them?" Irene who was busy squeezing a basket full of oranges rolled her eyes failing to believe the gossip.
"I saw her outside his room and she seemed lost in thoughts." Cassandra responded.
"That doesn't prove anything! Stop being silly Cassandra! This is exactly what lord Jia warned you against."
Other maids made their comments and they were all against the things Cassandra were saying. They didn't want trouble.
"Fine. Fine. From now on, I will mind my business". Cassandra raised her hands in defeat.
"I'm glad". Irene responded but even Cassandra didn't believe herself.
The night had more stars than every other nights and the moon was bright with all its glory, it provided more than enough light for the two who has been training nonstop.
"Your left hand has suddenly become weak Kia". Jia's word left through his gritted teeth, he grew impatient waiting for Kia to strike.
"That is because you keep striking me there!" Kia grunts in pain has he grips his sword with both his hands, raising it above his head and began running towards jia's direction. Jia was fast enough to move out of the way.
Kia seeing he missed, he glared at Jia panting heavily.
"Powers are not allowed during training Jia!" Kia remarked.
"I don't use my powers for obvious futile attacks." Seeing Kia did not understand what he meant he sighed. "You were reckless with your attack and it was obvious to spot and easy to avoid."
Jia held a more serious look this time, he slowly approached Kia with the tip of his sword scratching the floor making sparks fly.
"You refuse to reason." Jia swiftly raise his sword and strike, it happened within a matter of seconds.
"And listen." Another strike.
"And understand." Another strike, it all happened within a matter of seconds, Kia tried his best to keep up. The force of the last strike pushes Kia to the ground.
"You have a lot to learn...Brother." Jia stopped right in front of Kia watching him gasp for air.
"Get up! That's enough training for one night." Jia put his sword back in its sheath.
Kia sat upright on the floor checking the wound on his left arm, Jia is always so brutal during training. He always says 'Train like the war is tomorrow'.
"You could've used a much more appropriate manner of approach." Kia commented.
Looking at Kia from the corner of his eye, Jia knew what he was referring to and he was not talking about the training. With no response coming out of him, he sighed and looked at the full moon. He could still hear her voice, she was screaming at his face.
"You fool! We could both rule the world with our powers combined." Her eyes hungry with power and greed. She wanted to use Jia to achieve her goals. Her thirst for power was becoming unbecoming, she wanted to be worshipped.
The moment Jia had refused to accept her proposal, the unthinkable happened.
The past began replaying itself before Jia's eyes.
"Jia! Wake up Jia!" Kia yelled at Jia's face pulling him out of bed at the same time. The sudden jerk forced Jia to wake up and his eyes got clouded by thick smoke, his lungs longed for clear air.
"Kia! You both need to get out now!" Nya yelled from a distance.
In the process of Nya trying to save things that mattered to them, a shelve which held ceramic plates weakened and the law of gravity applied, it came crashing down.
"Ahh!." Nya a screamed grabbing her left eye, trying a find her balance.
The wood was on fire, shattered ceramic plates everywhere.