"And you are sure that there will be no further dangers regarding the poison?"
Slowly, Serena's eyes fluttered open. The first thing she saw was a high ceiling. Then, a scent of herbs hit her nose and she softly pulled her face. Medicine was one of those things she couldn't stand, and the scent of it wasn't pleasant at all.
"I see you are awake, Young Mistress," said a voice next to her bed.
Serena turned around, her body tensed and her hand already made to a fist.
The person that had spoke let out a soft laugh. She was very short, her size was barely above the length of Serena's forearm. Her eyes were blue, her hair was greyish, and the creature flashed Serena a warm smile.
"A zacral? I thought they don't interfere into devien affairs," was the first thing Serena said.
"Oh, yes, but Young Master Archard has brought you here and asked if I could heal you," replied the zacral.
"My graditute," said Serena, bowing as much as it was possible in a sitting position. "Which means I am in the legendary Ashin Temple within the great mountain range that connects to the Great Kingdom of Wraithshire and the Land of Quanbu?" asked Serena with a small smile.
"You seemed to be a young mistress of great knowledge," complimented the zacral girl. "As you know, us zacrals have lived in this mountain chain since 10000 years, and trained a lot of young and promising deviens."
"I know that. All great exorcists are disclipes from Ashin," said Serena.
"How flattering," chuckled the zacral. "My name is Ella. Unlike devien exorcists, us zacrals do not have a courtesy name."
"Nice to make your acquaintance, Ella," said Serena.
"Young Misstress, may I know your name?"
"It is Serena," answered Serena and saluted to her [1]. "I am an orphan, so I don't have a surname," she added as Ella opened her mouth.
"I see. Young Misstress Serena, would you mind telling me where that rose mark on the right side of your forehead came from?" asked Ella.
Serena let out a faked small laugh, covering up that odd feeling inside her chest.
That rose mark hasn't been much of a bother to her. No one except herself and some doctors have ever seen it since it was covered by the strands of her hair. Moreover, none of the doctors she had been to had seen the mark as a threat to her health. That rose mark had been on her since she could remember and it was probably just an odd birthmark. Serena became used to live with it, and ignored it most of the time.
"I have a question to ask. Do you remember your past?" Ella continued her rather personal questioning.
That question hit deep; it was almost offensive to Serena. Usually, people wouldn't ask that out of blue, but it seemed as if there was something the zacral was trying to figure out.
"Why would I tell you?" asked Serena, tilting her head to the side but maintaining a polite tone.
"It's for the diagnosis," replied Ella, managing a smile.
Serena's eyes narrowed, that was a lie. The zacral was after something and therefore, Serena had to answer the question. Yet, she could deduce herself what purpose that question had. It was linked to the rose mark, and Ella assumed that the rose mark had a connection to Serena's lost memories.
„You're right, I have no memories of the past," said Serena, telling only half of the truth. There was one memory she had.
"Thank you for the answer. Now if you would excuse me, I will be right back," said Ella, and left.
As soon as the door was shut, Serena climbed out of bed and looked around. She was in an infirmary with a high ceiling, white walls and big windows that were covered with white curtains. She almost doubted to be at Ashin Temple since it was said that the school followed the traditional manners of teaching. It didn't seem the case here. The marble floor was cold under her feet when Serena walked over to one of the windows to open the curtains. Soft moonlight penetrated through fog and barely reached the room. She did seem to be on a mountain as the fog had an odd color. The fog had a reason to look that odd and it was because it was a magical barrier, preventing any katara devourers from entering. That, however, also meant that the disciples of Ashin never saw a clear sky.
Ashin Temple is surrounded by a magical barrier as katara devourers use to appear rather often in nature. The executives of each nation in Diabolus are responsible for the barriers that protect ordinary citizens so that there are barely any incidents of people being attacked in their homes. Which means, however, that most death reports are from places set more in nature. Or traditional places.
The door opened again, and Serena heard leather shoes clicking on the floor. She turned around and saw a tall and muscular man standing next to Ella. His hair was black, his eyes were cold blue, and his feautres were quite sharp but nevertheless he was a very handsome man. Serena could see that the man she was looking at was of high authority, due to his expensive attire and the jewellery he wore.
"Master Xuan," said Ella with a low bow towards the man.
That was the leader of the Xuan Clan, one of the seven executives of Diabolus, and the person with the highest social rank in the Land of Quanbu.
„Caishen-daren," said Serena, kneeling down with a lowered head while saluting to him.
However, a hand near her chin stopped her and forced her to look up.
"Don't," said the man softly. „Please stand up again." His voice was very gentle as expected from one of the Xuan Clan.
Serena stood up obediently. It was best not to cause any trouble although she wanted to leave this place as soon as possible. However, what made her frown was that the executive of the Land of Quanbu was not in Quanbu. Usually, the executive care very little about the business of exorcists.
"Your name is Serena, right?" he asked.
Serena nodded.
"Does the name "Xuan" ring a bell?" he asked.
"I have heard if it multiple times since I live here in the Land of Quanbu," replied Serena.
"Do you think that we have met at some point in your life?"
"Right now, Caishen-daren," said Serena.
The executive was clearly trying to get to a certain point but Serena couldn't figure out what point.
"I meant whether we had met the past," Caishen-daren said.
"Not that I remember."
"What do you remember then?"
Serena fell silent. The questioning was involving too much of her privacy, and she would unlikely give any information on that. That was why she attempted to turn the tables.
"If I may interrupt, why are you asking all of these questions, Caishen-daren?" she asked, her voice on a perfect level of emotionlessness. "Do you question all deviens that end up here like that? Don't you have better things to do than that?"
The man smiled softly but Serena wasn't easily deceived. Behind that smile hid something else, something that wasn't as friendly as the man pretended to be.
"With all due respect, Young Misstress Serena. Please do not try to turn the tables," said Ella with a hint of insecurity in her voice.
"Oh no, that is fine. I understand that you wouldn't trust a stranger you have just met even if he is an executive. It is completely fine to be wary about one's situation," laughed the man. "Let me make you an offer. For the time being, you are allowed to stay here, even allowed to attend Ashin Temple as a tryout. If you decide to stay, we will continue the questioning where we left off, and if you decide to continue your journey, I will let you go without questioning you. How does that sound?"
Serena considered the situation in her head. She needed to think fast. The offer wasn't quite bad. She was accomodated in a safe place and would even be taught in some aspects she could only dream of. Not that Serena was illiterate. As soon as that tryout time is over, she would leave with the knowledge she had gained. It sounded like a win-win situation.
"I accept you offer, Caishen-daren," she said.
"Very well then," replied the executive with a smile that could be judged as happy. "You will be under my supervision then."
That almost made Serena cough up the remaining blood inside of her stomach. Under the supervision of the executive himself couldn't possibly be good.
"Now then, Ella, would you be so kind and call Qiqi?"
"Immediately, Master Xuan!" said Ella.
She tapped against her had and used telepathy to call another zacral.
"I'M HERE!" a high-pitched voice yelled with a boost of confidence.
The voice came from a cute little female creature that was floating in the air. She was very short, had a head which was twice of her body size, big brown eyes and small limbs. Her dark brown hair was tied to two pig tails and she wore a yellow hoodie with an ice cream print, and pink pants. Her outfit was unfitting to everyone else Serena has already seen.
"I will be taking my leave then," nodded the executive. He flashed Serena another kind smile, and left together with Ella.
As the two had left, the zacral girl flew down to Serena, she was beaming with joy.
"Hi, Serena!" she shouted cheerfully. "I'm Qiqi, and I'm here to show you your accomodation and be your guide!"
Qiqi was truly different from Ella. Although both of them were zacrals, they had a completely different attitude. While Ella spoke rather formally and with respect, Qiqi spoke very causually as if talking to a friend. A lot of people in Zhanshi were talking like that, so Qiqi must have come from there since not all zacrals were born in the Ashin Temple.
The room in which Serena was supposed to stay in, looked very traditional. The room was one large study room with round windows that were covered by heavy curtains. The was a slidable door that lead to a bathroom, while only a light curtain seperated the bed from the study room. It was the biggest place Serena has ever lived in.
"Your own room," said Qiqi proudly. "I wasn't sure whether you want modern or not but when I saw you, I knew that you couldn't stand a modern apartment. So I brought everything you need here."
Serena thanked Qiqi with a bow but the looked around and asked, "Do I have to attend the lessons tomorrow?"
"No, your knowledge is not on their level. I mean, you're an orphan and that would basically bring you to the same level as a first year," Qiqi said with a wide grin.
"Are you trying to tell me that my level of intelligence is equal to the one of a six year old?" replied Serena almost snarkily and Qiqi let out a loud laugh.
"Just kidding. Man, you're really sensitive if it comes to your intelligence. As far as Ella has told me, you're quite a smart kid, so you'll be put into the same year as the seventh-years. However, should you fail, you'll join the sixth-years," she giggled. "Now, you should really go to bed though." There was a hint of impatience in her voice. "You have clothes and the uniform in your closet already! Good night!"
And already she was gone.
Serena could only shake her head; she went into the bathroom and got ready for bed. Even though she was tired and her head didn't work properly anymore, she still noticed something. Something was watching her.
On the next day, a loud bang woke her up. Alertly Serena opened her eyes and straightened up abruptly, but it was just Qiqi who flew in, cheerfully whistling and her hand carrying tablets full with delicious-smelling food.
"Morning, Serena!" she greeted cheefully, placing the breakfast on her bed. A silent message of telling Serena to eat up regardless where she was.
"Soooooo" Qiqi started. "While you're eating up, I'll tell you what you should do after you're done. First get dressed, but that's obvious.
Then, Xuan-gongzi [2] called you to his office, so go there - oh you don't know where it is – I'll show you, and then... that was it I think," Qiqi ended her speech a bit lamely.
After Serena was done eating and had got dressed, Qiqi led her through some corridors in the same speed she led had led Serena to her room yesterday.
"You should know," panted Serena, covering up her annoyance. "It is not good if you run right after you have eaten."
Qiqi only snorted as she heard that, and muttered something like, "What are those people in Chuantong? Back then in Zhanshi I had always done a five mile race after dinner."
Then she abruptly stopped in front of a door and Serena almost crashed against it.
Qiqi knocked and Caishen-daren opened the door. His hair was messier than the day before, his eyebags seemed to have darkened but still he maintained a stable and confident posture.
"Xuan Jixiang, I brought her," said Qiqi, bowed and disappeared with a poof.
That was Caishen-daren's birth name: Xuan Jixiang.
The naming system was made by ancient deviens, around the time katara devourers had started to appear. The system worked as followed:
Every person was given a birth name and is usually called by that.
If that person happened to be an exorcist, they would usually receive a courtesy name by their master or academy. The courtesy name still has the last name of the person, only their first name has been changed. The reason why courtesy names[3] in Diabolus existed, was because people considered it rude calling someone who sacrificed so much by their birth name. Sometimes, exorcists have a first name had no connection to their last name, but those are rare cases, for example if the master had another nationality than their disciple.
Lastly, there was the title which was only given to people that are either very high ranked officials, well-known, or notorious. The title usually has a connection to the person's deeds or katara.
"Come in, Serena," said Xuan Jixiang and stepped aside to let her in first.
The room was a wide hall with painted walls and a wooden floor. The deoration was rather neat but it wasn't necessary anyway as the hall was a martial arts hall. A small and low table stood near the wall, and had a few plates with fruit on it This kind of hall, used for martial arts but also weapon combat was hardly to damage. For traditional's sake, there also stood a table with offerings – a graditute to those who invented those fighting techniques.
However, Xuan Jixiang didn't stay in the hall but straightly led Serena to a slideable door with another lot of golden paintings: the branches of a tree.
As the door opened, the traditional atmosphere was blown away at once. Where the two were standing in right now, was a library that looked too colorless for its own good. The floor was clean like the glass of the big round windows in each wall. The shelves all stood behind each other, no inch aside of the shelf in front of them. They also had the exact same distance to each other, and were all painted with white polish. The chairs in another corner were covered in blue velvet, matching the white and being the only drop of color of the library's interior. Even the lights in the white ceiling were emitting cold white light, changing the room's atmosphere into something chilling.
The executive seemed to have a taste for color astethics and didn't seem to like any color that didn't fit in. He gave Serena a blue coat that hung in a white closet at the entrance. At least that was the moment where Serena started reconsidering staying in this temple. If Xuan Jixiang kept up with those petty acts of matching colors, she would surely lose her sanity at some point. Despite feeling a bit annoyed, Serena accepted the coat with a small smile, showing nothing of how she was truly feeling.
"No one ever comes to Ashin with having knowledge of everything," said Xuan Jixiang. „Those books are all systematically ordered. I would start with looking through the subjects and topics you have to go through while staying here. There is an envelope with what topics the seventh-years are going through on the desk. If you need anything...," he pointed at the door were they have just came through, "I'm in the hall."
Who would have guessed that all book covers were white? Probably everyone.
What Xuan Jixiang had meant under "systematically ordered" was not that the books were ordered alphabetically, but after topic, release date, and alphabetically after the author.
Fortunately, Serena adapted to that system quickly, and soon she sat on one of the blue armchairs with a book in her hands. She didn't dare to take off the blue coat because didn't want to deal with the aftermath of what will happen if Xuan Jixiang decided to come in unexpectedly.
"You're reading an interesting story, aren't you?" a high-pitched voice suddenly asked right next to her ear.
Serena whirled around and looked into the wide grinning face of Qiqi.
"Don't pop out of nowhere," said Serena dryly.
"QIQI!" another high-pitched voice yelled.
It was a girl as well, with a similar appearace to Qiqi, only that she had long brown hair and wore an attire that would be considered decent in Chuantong. "STOP DISTURBING PEOPLE ONLY BECAUSE YOU'RE BORED!"
"Urghhh, shut up, Nini," groaned Qiqi, floating backwards over the shelves.
"Watch your tongue, Qiqi!"
Successfully provocated, Nini dashed towards Qiqi, who was humming a song while jumping over the top of the shelves.
Unbothered ny their bickering, Serena continued to look through her stack of books until she came across a thin and small book with a golden cover that said "The history of katara, the gift from divine" and opened it at the page that defined the term.
Katara:
Every devien possesses this powerful, life-source energy which is said to be granted by god (religious way of thinking) and stored in something we call "Aethersphere" (p.67). Katara is a form of energy that derives into an ability.
Each ability is individual and independable of the parents', and its use is only limited by the user's imagination and creativity.
With the invention of the „Red Fortune" a devien can determine the name of their katara. The names are always linked to the possessor of the katara.
The most interesting fact, however, is that no devien possesses the exact same ability. It always differates in its own kind of way...
"FLYING JAM!" shouted Qiqi and Serena looked up, just in time to see how strawberry jam flew on Nini's red robe.
"Qiqi!" Nini cried out, upset.
"Stop whining, sister," replied Qiqi, mockingly smirking. "Your dress is red anyway."
"I should use my hexacharm on you, so you would finally behave yourself!" screamed Nini, and dashed toward Qiqi once again.
"Hell no!" shouted Qiqi, flying backwards again and pulling her face. "You're not gonna manipulate me with that stupid ability of yours!"
Again, Nini chased her sister, who kept evading with ease. Qiqi's motions were suprisingly smooth for a zacral as if she was very well trained.
"What's all that noise?" asked Xuan Jixiang, who'd just entered the room.
The chase stopped instantly and both zacral girls bowed in mid-air.
"My sister had been making nonsense, Xuan-gongzi," said Ninie apologetically.
"EXCUSE ME, WHAT?!" asked Qiqi outraged.
Xuan JiXiang just nodded, most parts of his face remainig neutral, except his eyes that were expressing slight disdain toward the two zacrals' attire.
"Would you two please leave?" he asked.
Nini nodded keenly and pulled her sister behind her out of the room, while scolding her for her behavior while Qiqi only rolled her eyes.
"If I may ask...What is behind that door?" asked Serena, pointing at another wooden door she had seen before but hadn't dared to open.
"Oh, just for me," answered Xuan JiXiang a bit too hastily that Serena got that strange feeling that he was hiding something.
"Could you find any information useful to you?" he asked Serena, whose notice didn't escape that he changed the subject.
"No," Serena simply replied. It wasn't even a lie since everything she has read up till now, she had already known.
"Well, that is quite baffling for someone who has grown up without any parents. It must have been someone very wise to teach you all of those things," sighed Xuan Jixiang.
Serena's eyes narrowed again; he was again going into the direction of asking her about her past. Of course, he wouldn't simply let go of that because he knew that Serena would leave right after the tryout time was over. He wasn't stupid after all. Yet she couldn't grasp why he wanted to know so much about her. She couldn't be that special.
"What is your katara?" asked Xuan JiXiang.
„The circle of ... is my katara's name. I can manipulate fire just like the South Fire Master but I'm not from the Flame Village. Otherwise you would have recognized it by my skin color," answered Serena.
"That is true. Flame village is a large region and the natives have dark skin. However, I am curious why your the name of your katara isn't complete," said Xuan Jixiang.
"The paper was torn apart before the last word could appear," replied Serena.
Xuan Jixiang nodded understandingly, not asking any further but Serena felt that he was trying to hold back the urge of questioning her.
"Come with me," he suddenly ordered.
Surprised by that sudden change of tone, which had a slight amount of coolness in it, Serena followed him back into the hall, she had previouly entered.
Xuan Jixiang, removed the blue coat he was wearing, thoughtlessly tossing it aside, and stationed himelf near the center of the hall. Although his posture was relaxed, his muscles were tensed, anticipating an attack any moment. His intention was to test Serena's skills and see how strong she currently was.
However, in Serena's opinion in was utterly foolish to go against someone as powerful as Xuan Jixiang. He wasn't an executive and clan leader for no reason.
„Fight me with all you got. In the end, I will decide whether you are worthy of being on the same level as the seventh-years," stated Xuan Jixiang calmly.Nonetheless, no matter how good the facade he was wearing was, Serena had grown up distinguishing truth from lies. That faked calmness was something Serena had seen very often.
She knew that the executive was watching every step she went, observing her movements. Serena very well knew her katara and that she could use on him. However, she shouldn't use her sword, she gave the name Shiming [4], at any cost. After all, this sword was not ordinary.
Serena's attacks were swift and graceful, all in combination with fire, but certainly that wouldn't make her equally powerful as the executive. Depending on the situation, Serena sometimes tended to use curses or spells but she didn't was Xuan Jixiang to know about that. Very less people were able to draw formations.
Xuan Jixiang dodged all attacks, moving only a few inches away from his former position, and even after five minutes of evading he didn't attack. His eyes only followed the flames in Serena's hands, and he seemed absent. It felt as if he was mocking her attacks.
However, Serena didn't let his bored and calm expression anger her. Emotions were no good thing during fights, which was why her eyes often looked dead. The more arrogant a fighter was, the easier he is to defeat or at least surprise.
Just as calmly as her opponent dodged, Serena kept launching attacks just as calmly. In a moment in which the executive still glanced at the burning flames, Serena lift her leg, and kicked him against his ribs. The kick came fast and unexpected, and Xuan Jixiang was obviously taken by surprise. His arm might have been able to block, but the crack of a shattered bone didn't went unnoticed.
"Wow."
That was all he said while his hand was pressed against his forearm. He was in pain but he still tried to cover up by praising Serena's fighting skills.
"You should let your arm be examined, Caishen-daren," said Serena with a bow.
"That isn't necessary," retorted Xuan Jixiang, coughing lightly. A trail of blood appeared at the corner of his mouth.
That couldn't have possibly happened by only Serena's kick. It was the only attack that had landed on him after all. There must be something else that caused him to bleed but it was certainly not Serena's fault.
There was a poof and Qiqi appeared, along with Ella. Both of them didn't looked shocked to see their superior bleeding but they were rather shocked to see him holding his arm. While Ella's eyes were widened, Qiqi's mouth stood agape to a ridiculous extend.
"Did you do that?" asked Qiqi, pointing at Xuan Jixiang's arm. She had a trained eye for wounded people.
She whistled impressed as Serena nodded in response.
"That is not something to compliment, Qiqi!" hissed Ella, floating down to the executive.
"Aww, c'mon. A–Xiang [5] obviously wanted a fight, so please don't tell me it was Serena's fault," sighed Qiqi, also floating down.
She gave Xuan Jixiang, who she apparently called Xuan Jixiang only by his birth name to tell Serena his real name, a smack against the back of his head. Ella let out a disapproving hiss but Xuan Jixiang didn't speak up to scold Qiqi. The way Qiqi treated the executive clearly told Serena that the two were close to each other.
„Let's go," said Ella, giving Qiqi one last dark glance and led Xuan JiXiang out of his training hall.
As soon as the door fell shut, Qiqi let out a loud laugh that rang through the entire hall. Even the ancestors in the afterlife would be able to hear it and they would cover their ears in agony.
"Oh man." Qiqi wiped the tears from her face, the wide smile still remaining on her face. "He finally gets his ass kicked. About time if you ask me."
"I wouldn't be punished, would I?" asked Serena softly.
She only heard it through stories that people would tell her, but all said that the punishments of Ashin were gruesome, some might say even worser than torture.
Disciples that violated a rule were be forced to bear being whipped several times, depending on how severe the violation was. Those scars would never go away for the rest of their life. After the whip, their body that was often bloody afterwards was be forced to bath under a waterfall, bearing not only the cold but the constantly pressure of tons of water beating down on their wounded back. If that wasn't severe enough already, the disciples would be secluded in a room for one month without food and water for the first week. And only after going through those three stages of hell, they were allowed to continue with their studies. If they broke the rule again, the punishment would be as twice as agonizing. And if the violation was so severe, their courtesy name would be taken away and they would be sent back home to live in shame and regret. That was why most disciples of Ashin didn't dare to break the rules and were often known for their good manners.
"Well, it was his own fault after all...," said Qiqi with a thoughtful face. "And I don't think that he has the balls to punish you. I mean, I knew him since he was a teen, and he is a big coward." She giggled at the embarrassing exposion. "C'mon, let's get you back to your room."
Ella let out a long sigh as she wrapped the bandage around Xuan Jixiang's forearm and applied a certain tincture on it.
„You should really stop getting yourself into fights, Master Xuan," she said as she was finished. "Your bones aren't as resistant as they were in your past and you suffer from katara deviation. Please be careful."
"Thank you, I appreciate it," nodded Xuan Jixiang.
He had't even listened to what the zacral had said. His gaze was far away, in another world or time, perhaps, and his blue eyes were filled with deep sorrow. That certainly didn't escape Ella's notice, but the executive often drifted off and always snapped at the person that would rip him out of his thoughts. That was why she left him alone in his bed.
In the following days, Qiqi often visited Serena and told her about Ashin Temple. Serena wasn't feeling all to well in that place. She lacked sleep for some reason, she ate just enough, but in general, no matter how often Qiqi appeared to lightened up the atmosphere, Serena's mood gradually darkened.
As Serena had thought, Ashin wasn't as traditional as the people of Chuantong said. The school might have a few traditional aspects, such as the outside and the decoration, but the interiors, whether it was the classroomes or the dorms, were filled with the most modern technology of their era.
Furthermore, Ashin was ordered like a star with eight prongs. The center was unknown to Serena and at the very bottom surrounded by eight higher mountains. Around the center, the classrooms were located. From their on, Ashin would split into their prongs, each prong standing for one nations of Diabolus, and being located on one mountain. Only the eighth prong wasn't associated with any nation. The dining hall and the hospital wing were located there.
Qiqi often joked around that newcomers would get lost and end up somewhere in the mountain chain and were stuck there for several weeks. She also adviced Serena not to run around and cause any havoc because she would be immediately punished. Alas, she recited all rules that Ashin Temple had, which took her half of the day because she commented each of the 3294 rules. Those were as many rules as zacrals had lived in Ashin, and each of them had written a rule on the Wall of Courtesy, often referred to as the Wall of Hell by disciples.
When Serena asked Qiqi what rule she brought on the wall, she answered: „Don't violate the rules."
Serena was sitting in the middle of her room, legs crossed and eyes closed; she was meditating. She did it every day to concentrate the katara inside her body and to strengthen her spirit. Meditation was the only reason why she was able to stay calm and show less emotion unless necessary.
There was a sharp knock at her door that brought her back to reality. Serena's eyes opened and she looked at the door, still sitting.
It is late at night, why would someone knock at a time like this? Please do not tell me...
In spite of being in the middle of her meditating session, Serena stood up and went to the door to open it. At first, there was no one to be seen in the dark hallway; that, until she heard a quiet, "right here!"
Her eyes wandered down to a zacral, dressed in a blue uniform. It was a boy and his blue eyes reflected more determination than Serena had ever had in her life. His posture was straight, and he talked in a very soft but demanding tone.
"I apologize for the late disturbance but I have been asked to fetch you," he spoke. Even his tone was so formal.
Serena didn't object but she still felt as if that meeting could be postponed to the next day. However, if it was about training in the middle of the night, she could probably relate. She had a habit that she would go out at night to practice martial arts and swordsply if she couldn't sleep and already meditated. Still, why would anyone call her out at night to train in Ashin. Wasn't that against the rules?
Silently, she followed the zacral boy through dark hallways. The only thing she could see from him was the blue light coming from his palm.
For a long while, they had been walking in utter darkness until cold wind hit Serena's face. They were outside, somewhere on a meadow. The cold wind blue, the grass bent to it as if in fear, and the branches cracked in far distance. The light of the moon tried its best to penetrate through the curtain of fog, but it didn't manage to reach through entirely. There was barely enough light to see, so Serena lit up a flame in the palm of her hand.
"Watch your step, Young Misstress," said the zacral suddenly.
Serena slowed down, her bare foot feeling the ground and touching a sharp stone. If he hadn't warned her, she would have scratched her foot bloody open. Much to her dismay, the entire path was covered with stones, from big to small, from flat to sharp, no kind was left out. She did her best to only step on the big flat ones but those often had sharper smaller ones resting on top. The path seemingly didn't end, and everytime the wind blew, Serena felt a cold shiver running down her spine. Even the fire in her hand didn't make it any better.
Finally, after an eternity of walking, the zacral came to a halt. They were somewhere near a cliff where the fog reached its denses point. A big tree, half of it engulfed by the fog, stood by the cliff. With a gnarled trunk, the tree looked quite out of place, compared to all the other trees Serena has already seen at Ashin. On one of the branches, sat a figure, a tall figure with an overcoat over their shoulder. Serena didn't even need light to know who it was. It was Xuan Jixiang, Caishen-daren.
„What is the honor to call me outside at this hour?" she asked monotonely.
Usually, people in Xiao Meili would immediately retreat if they hear this kind of tone in Serena's voice, but Xuan JiXiang simple leaped of the branch and elegantly landed with both feet on the ground. "I have the habit to train at night and I thought this night is quite beautiful for sparring. Now I must admit that you have fighting skills, worthy of a seventh-year, but still those are mediocre at best."
Well, that was offensive, thought Serena without batting an eye. Did he knew about my habit or is this coincidence? He does look like he needs some sleep and night training session would be an explanation why he is always looking so tired. However, didn't he fly back to Quanbu?
"What do you suggest instead, Caishen-daren? I trained on my own so there is nothing great to expect," retorted Serena as politely as she could.
"I will train you," offered Xuan Jixiang but it sounded more like an order than a suggestion.
Serena would have loved to decline the offer at once, but considering that it was one of the strongest Xuan Clan leaders of their generation, who was offering her help, it wasn't even so bad. However, Serena would need a whole lot of additional meditation sessions if she agreed.
"Is that the only reason why you called me?" asked Serena, irritated. If he had called her outside for a round of sparring that was alright but just to tell her something was such a waste.
Xuan Jixiang didn't reply. A minute of silence passed by, then two, until Serena noticed a flash in the darkness, approaching her. Instinctively she leaped to the side and jumped back several feet. As she landed, she felt a stone piercing into her foot and she let out a sharp hiss. Another flash lightened up the darkness briefly, and Serena saw a blade soaring past her cheek, grazing it, before piercing into the ground behind her.
"Your reflexes are sharp, but nowhere near good," Xuan Jixiang's voice cut through the night like a knife.
He needs to rub more salt into the wound, doesn't he? thought Serena grimly. Without second thought, she grabbed the hilt of the sword and tossed it back. Above the speed of sound, the sword approached Xuan Jixxiang's chest, threatening to pierce through his heart if he didn't dodge. As expected from an executive, he caught the sword by its blade with his bare hand, unbothered by the deep cuts in his palm.
"You should tone down your temper a bit," he said calmly.
Serena inhaled and closed her eyes, the rage inside her chest easing and she opened her eyes again. They began to become heavier and she saw the world turning.
Xuan Jixiang tilted his head in confusion. He had expected Serena to talk back to him or to snap but the only answer he received was silence. However, it seemed as if her silence was her answer.
"What's the matter?" he asked when Serena still hasn't said anything after five minutes. Concerned, he walked over to where she was supposed to be standing, only to find her body lying on the ground, sleeping from exhaustion. He let out a low sigh as he saw he sleeping figure. With his bloody palm, he drew a formation around Serena and snapped his finger. The blood that he left on the grass lightened up the darkness and Serena vanished.
Her back hit the mattress of her bed and the collision made her eyes open up. She straightened up and looked around, she was in her room again. A sharp sting shot through her veins, and her gaze shifted to her foot. It was bloody but oddly enough she had no idea on what has happened before. Not wanting to think about the situation anymore, she fell finally asleep.
"You. Are. An. IDIOT!" huffed Qiqi as she served Xuan Jixiang a glass of wine.
Sighing, the executive gracefully swirled the red liquid inside of his glass. Being scolded by his former master was the least thing he wanted to. Qiqi was sitting on his desk, brows furrowed and all of her usual cheerfullness was gone.
"Want me to repeat?" spat Qiqi angrily.
"No, Shifu[5]," replied Xuan Jixiang tiredly.
"Then tell me again. What did you do wrong, A-Xiang?" asked Qiqi.
"Attacked A-Yu without considering anything," muttered Xuan JiXiang.
„And?"
„And not helped her afterwards but more like scolded her and caled her out in the middle of the night. But that is a common thing members of our clan do...," continued Xuan Jixiang. He was feeling like a little child at the moment, and the grip on his glass tightened.
"Maybe you should learn how to greet Serena properly after fourteen years!" snarled Qiqi.
"I -."
Qiqi let out a scornful snort as the executive was at a loss of words. She felt no compassion and recklessly continued scolding him until the glass in his hand shattered and the wine stained his bandage.
"I know what I did wrong," he pressed out.
"Uh-huh," said Qiqi, unimpressed. "And how will you tell Serena, without giving her any emotional trauma, that she is your daughter?"
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[1] Salute would be the traditional fist-and-palm salute which is a Chinese greeting etiquette. Unless stated otherwise, the word salute would refer to the fist-and-palm salute.
[2] – gongzi is a Chinese honorific that describes a master, young master or an affluent houshold. As characters from the Land of Quanbu are inspired by China, they will use chinese honorifics, name tags, or diminutives
[3] In human Chinese history, a courtesy name is given to an individual when they come of age (generally for male 20, female 15) and reserved as a tradition for the upper class. For peers of the same generation, it was disrespectful to adress someone by their birth name. That individual's birth name was reserved for only their elders, close friends, and spouse. In modern China the practice is no longer of use.
[4] Shiming (噬命) roughly translated means "life devouring"
[5] The chinese diminutive "-a" is showing how close people are
[6] Shifu is used to adress one's master/teacher