"Knox!"
A woman, maybe the same height as Sera cane rushing from the forest. Her short dark silky hair that shines in the dark like the ravens feather dances in the air as she ran towards them. Her round dark eyes reflecting the anger in her chest, her thick black eyebrows knitted and her heart shaped lips that was screaming someone's name so loud.
"You! Stop right there! Don't you dare land another lightning or I will smack your ass!" She screamed, the woman was wearing what seemed to be a white 'kosode' and a scarlet 'hakama' a traditional clothing for a 'miko' also known as shrine maiden.
The woman quickly slowed down her pace as she went close to them, Caious put down his katana and so does Cloud. Once she was in front of them, she immediately bowed her head and apologized to them.
"I apologize on his behalf, my father is currently not here right now, if he's the one that you are looking for." She said standing straight her eyes scanning their faces.
"Oohh? You didn't bring Sera?" The woman asked, looking at Caious.
"You're that girl right? Quinn? The one who burned that woman Akane to crisp." Quinn giggled and flashed a cheerful smile on them.
"Yes! The one and only,"
"Do you know them Quinn?" Knox asked getting out of the temple, he was wearing a traditional kimono for men, his kimono was a mix of white and red, his juban kimono that was peeking through his neck was black, the obi that was wrapped around his waist was the color of Grey, white and red. Finally his haori jacket was simply placed on his shoulder.
He walked towards them holding his katana on his right hand over his shoulder.
"Yes, do you remember when a number of Naraka's attacked the city? And then I burned that one woman who was about to turn into one! And meet my sister Sera!" She said gleefully, the mask on her waist caught Naja's attention.
"What happened when you first turned into a Seraphim? And how were you able to control your transformation?" Naja was getting impatient, they have to get answers as quickly as they can.
The thick mist surrounding the temple disappeared same as the thick black clouds that was covering the moon.
Quinn smiled at her sweetly and walled towards her, she then pointed towards the temple.
"Let us answer your questions inside, it is dark and cold outside." She said as they guide them towards the back side of the temple.
"Father is quite busy right now, the number of Naraka's have been rapidly increasing and the humans have been feeling more anxious and depressed." As they were guided towards the back, they saw a small hut there. Knox went to it first and opened the door for them.
Once they've entered the hut, it was like they were inside a trance.
"Is this one of your tricks again Griffin?" Naja asked a bit annoyed.
"No! I didn't do anything," Quinn giggled again.
"Ohh, I'm sorry about that. Father had put magique inside the hut for us to live in earth," inside of the small hut was a spacious Victorian castle like living room, walls decorated in beige and gold wallpapers, large old paintings hanging on every side of it. Glaucous colored curtains draping on every large windows. Naja raised her head and was mesmerized by the painted ceiling, 'The Creation of Adam' was placed on the center. Naja's brows knitted as she noticed the angels. It was only supposed to be on the God's sides, why are there angels on Adam's side to?
"Please make yourself at home," Quinn said as she seats on one of the elegant looking sofas there.
Naja seated on one of it as her eyes scanned the gold armrest of it, the design and details of it.
"To be honest with you, I don't know if I could really help you. Father said that me and Sera maybe both seraphims made between an Aranian and God, but we are still different." Quinn begun.
"What do you mean?" Caious asked confused.
"Have you noticed? Sera has blazing red wings while I have blue. Father didn't really told me anything about our difference but he did mentioned that."
"What's so significant about the difference in color?" Naja asked perplexed.
"I'm not really sure what to answer. So, tell me what exactly happened. Why Sera suddenly turned into a Seraphim?"
"One of her trusted men, Sylvester said confessed that he was the one who actually killed her mom, and what's so crazy about this is that he said-" Naja cut her own words, she felt her heart being squeezed in pain.
"Mistress Sera was so furious she went into her Phoenix form and flew, but when went after her the Narakas were surrounding her and then when she saw Sylvester she began to turn into a Seraphim." Caious explained.
"What I can tell is that her transformation was triggered by intense feeling of loath, disappointment, etc. Negative feelings that's for sure." Quinn said raising her fingers as she talks.
"In my case, I've always been with my father so I really didn't have the chance to feel any negativity, my father always told me to help, be nice, and to always be kind to every being I may encounter. And then one day he taught me how to control my emotions, and how would I react to certain things. Ever since then I've served here at his temple." She flashed a smile to them.
Naja felt a pang on her chest, she can clearly see the difference between Quinn and Sera.
Quinn was guided and personally taught by their father, she was given the attention and love, one that Sera lacks. Naja didn't realize the tears streaming down her face.
"Naja," Griffin called out in concern, it was not the first time he had seen his sister cry, but the expression on her face put him off.
Naja tasted the bitterness on her mouth, she abruptly got up from the sofa and without a word ran outside of the hut.
Griffin was about to chase after her sister when Quinn stopped her.
"Knox, go out and search for the lady." She ordered the man standing behind her, Knox just slightly bowed his head to her and went outside to go look for Naja.
"I'm so sorry, I can't let you go outside you might get lost as well. You see, once both me and Knox are inside this hut our magique is being blocked, and once you get out of this hut you will only be able to see an illusion. Even you can't do anything about it." Griffin looked both at Cloud and Caious and they only nodded their heads.
They both know what Quinn meant. As they both were always there to deliver news. Caious looked at Quinn.
"How can we help our Mistress to turn back into her human form? You have to help us or else she'll burn us all."
Quinn sighed, "I can't tell you anything since I also know nothing, but I can try and stop her. But I'll need as much assistance from you guys, and I'm gonna talk to father about this. He might also give us a hand." She said with a reassuring smile plastered on her face.
MEANWHILE, Naja continues to walk inside the forest. Not minding the cold breeze and the darkness surrounding her, the moon's light was enough for her to see were she was going as it seeps through the thick leaves of the large trees.
She only stopped walking as she was greeted by the wide lake at the deepest part of the forest, the calm waters sparkles as the moon's light reflects on it. The stars twinkling like little diamonds.
Naja scanned the lake and saw a dock not that far from her, she slowly walked towards the dock looking at every corner for a small boat or anything, and once she saw one. She immediately rode the boat and paddled away, slowly as she settled the boat at the center of the lake. The heavy feelings that she was keeping from her chest run like a waterfall.
"Useless! Useless! Naja you are useless!" She punched herself, scratched and pulled her hair. She slapped her cheeks and screamed to her hearts content, blaming herself for being to useless for not being able to help Sera. And for only watching everytime that they were in danger.
"Why are you blaming yourself at things that you can't even control?" Says a man from above her.
There she saw the man from earlier, as she remembered Quinn called him Knox.
"I'm not going back there, I-i don't wanna see that woman." She said curling up to hug her knees, hiding her face from the handsome man who was giving her an intense gaze.
Knox slowly went down, and landed on the remaining space on the boat.
"Just leave me alone, I don't want to talk to you." She said, her face still buried on her knees.
Knox was silent, but never leaved her. He was just standing still on his position his katana was now safely tugged on his obi.
As silence wrapped them both, the fireflies started to show up as the night gets deeper. Dancing as they blink their little light bulbs, they went towards them. Suddenly making the silent and cold atmosphere seemed to be romantic.
Naja felt that intense gaze on her again, and as she slowly took a peek at the guy. Their eyes locked, his chocolate brown eyes had this same feeling she was having right now, as she looked at him.
One firefly decided to fly across her face, which distracted her eyes from the man who was still not getting his eyes off from her, Naja lifted her hands as she follows the little bug flew away from her. And only then did she noticed those beautiful white lotus flower surrounding their boat.
Naja tried to reach for one of the lotus, she leans even harder as one of the fireflies landed on the same flower that she was reaching. But as she leaned even further, the boat went unbalanced. Knox who was standing near her fell towards her as the boat shakes from the unbalanced weight.
Knox was able to use his arms to support his weight, as he was now on top of the woman he don't know why, but he felt really attracted to her. 'Fuck', he didn't know but something inside of him is telling and pushing him to kiss her right at that moment.
His eyes slid down on her slightly parted lips, they were dry but it looked soft and delectable in his eyes.
"Knox," her soft voice echoed on his head as the thread of insanity inside of him snapped, he was no longer the rational man who was always standing beside Quinn, but a wild and hungry beast. He didn't know what happened to him, or was it this woman entranced and bewitched him. Whatever it is he was not thinking straight any longer, he crashed his hungry lips on hers.