-Tao’s POV-

I journeyed to the east of the Orodian capital to the outskirts of the city where the ancient sacred city of Shimaya was. Only Time Nobles by blood were allowed to enter the city. It would only reveal itself to us. I haven’t heard any tales about it except that the center fortress in the city was the location of the ring that the Orodian ancestors guard. I didn’t know for sure why it was meant for me, for the others as well. There were other nobles before me, greater, with big achievements. I couldn’t be sure why it was supposed to be my possession when it had been there since after the war between the Korinths and the Meropians.

I’ve finally come to the border of the city with the assistance of some of the villagers who recognized me as the Time Noble. They’ve put their faith in me and all the other Element Nobles along with Jinhae to unite lands and stop the oppression of the River Guardians. It is what I couldn’t understand all the more. They were the same beings that created the land and the people, but they were the very beings that were slowly destroying Elyxo. It just proves that the schism between the lands did nothing good for the people.

The war ensued in the past, ceased and continued again after years of peace. Within the two lands, it continued at a smaller scale. Still, big or small, wars bring about bloodshed and tears among the people. Tribe after tribe was rendered extinct until the most powerful ones remained. The last of the original tribesmen of Orodia, the pure-blood nobles, were diminished to what our family was at the moment. We were the remaining ones and it was very sad that my father’s brother had to be a purist. Our relatives fled the country and settled as nomads, not wanting to have anything to do with the family’s disgrace, all brought about by Huang Xiaodan.

I jumped off the Nephylus when the height in which it flew was considerably low. I had to tread the remaining road on my own. Shimaya was an ancient ruin with barren lands and violent sandstorms. It was what used to be a shimmering city of progress, capital of Orodia, until the war broke out. Our ancestors were born and raised there, fought to their death to defend the fortress, but it was all to no avail. The remaining ones were forced to flee the city and move the capital to what now is known as Oriala, my home.

I phased into my spirit form, looking for the fortress of Jinxa where the ring was kept all throughout the millennia. It wasn’t such a hard task to find it as it was the most remarkable effigy in the city, but it was hidden from the sight of the Elyxians for hundreds of years until now. The wind blew past the desolate buildings, some crumbling as I passed by. It was the evidence of a brutal fight, lost to the stronger tribes and left to disintegrate into dust in the middle of a wasteland, eventually abandoned by those that didn’t value its sacred roots.

Traces of living were scattered about and I could imagine the people abscond in the middle of a normal day as the city was attacked. Wooden carts and stalls were rotting while the burlap roofs were tattered into pieces. The stone walls of the main village were battered by the harsh winds and blowing sands. The skeleton of the dead warriors, enemies, were left on the streets to decompose over time, a punishment given by the Orodian ancients to the enemies. It was the city of the dead with specters floating about even in broad daylight while the wind carried their cries and howls of agony with it, echoing through the hollow land.

Despite all that, a Time Noble wouldn’t be harmed when in the city. It was a sanctuary to my kind that wished for refuge. I was safe there. Not even purists could come except for one, but as I’ve heard, he wasn’t interested in the treasure at all as it would hinder their goal. I walked towards the citadel at the center, shining under the blistering even through its years of abandonment. It was sacred and it was, therefore, protected by the spirits that thrive in the city.

I stood in front of the massive door, emblazoned with stones and crystals that mirrored my image through their multi-faceted surfaces. I bowed, paying my respect to the spirits, took the dagger out of my boot and slit my hand, offering my blood as a sign of humility. The doors creaked open and settled against the walls with a thud. The moment it opened, I could here the wails and cries of a hundred spirits. It was chaotic inside, but with closed doors, it wasn’t audible to the outside world.

A bearded old man, once a specter, assumed his physical form as he met me by the arch of the door. “Time Noble,” he called and the fortress was engulfed with silence.

I bowed. “I’ve come to retrieve what is rightfully mine,” I declared. I entered and the chaos began once more.

Spirits, one after the other, flew past and through me, whispering one thing: “You are too late.”

I frowned, looking at the old man. “What is the meaning of this?”

“We have failed to guard what has belonged to you since the beginning of your existence. The fortress had been infiltrated!” he said in a booming yet unsteady voice that bounced back from the walls.

“Violated!” a woman’s cry echoed after it.

“Desecrated!” the hiss of another said, making my blood run cold.

I looked around me, seeing the apparitions swirl around me as they said something at the same time. “Where is the ring?”

An old woman floated forward, her gnarled hand reaching over then pointed an accusing finger at me. “You have desecrated the very foundation of your existence,” her cold voice, coming from the depths of the grave rose in resentment and agony. “You have failed us!”

I shook my head. “I did no such thing.”

Another man came towards me. “We could smell it in you…It runs through your veins.”

“No!” I countered.

“You are a sacrilegious scoundrel…selfish!”

“Thief!”

“It wasn’t him,” said a voice, a calm in the middle of a raging storm. I looked up and saw a dark figure that suddenly turned into a familiar form. Xiaodan!

“You!” I hissed.

He shook his head and turned into his original form. “He was the one who stole the treasure.”

I shook my head, overwhelmed with hysteria. It felt as if a cold hand had reached through my guts and pulled them apart. It can’t be happening. He entered the fortress. The treasure was gone. The quest was done before it even began. With the treasure in his hands he would be unstoppable. I didn’t even know where to begin to look for him.

“I have seen your heart, young noble,” the hooded figure suddenly said.

I breathed in deeply. “It doesn’t matter now, does it?” I hissed. “The treasure is gone!”

He shook his head. “The treasure will return to its rightful owner at the right time. It would come to you.”

I pushed past the figure and walked over to the altar. There must be some mistake. I went up the marble steps and I found nothing but a piece of parchment, rolled and tied with black silk. I picked it up, tore the silken material that bound it open the scroll, nearly tearing it apart out of rage.

Enraged, I phased into my spirit form and flew back to the capital. If it was a war he wanted then I’ll give it to him. I will take back the ring…and I will kill Huang Xiaodan with my own hands.

-Lu Han’s POV-

This is it. After days of refusal, she finally caved in.

I took a deep breath and released the air all at once as I stood at the courtyard, wiping the swords that Tao had given the previous night to teach Jinhae with. I didn’t really know how I would begin to speak to her after all that had happened. I didn’t know how to face her after realizing the gravity if what I have caused her. She ended up fighting with Lay and worrying the others because of her hatred towards me, but I had to do all that I can in order to win her back. I wasn’t giving up though it must be the hardest task I would have to do. I was so used to having her around me, affectionate and warm, but now, it has changed. If this is the way we could make a connection once more then so be it.

For the previous days, she had been utterly antagonistic to me. She refused to listen to anyone aside from Nai-Nai and she’d keep to herself if no one agreed with her. She was rather ill-tempered and hard-headed. She shifts from one mood to the other, mostly irate. It had been lessened since the time Tao departed for the east where his journey should lead him, but before that, every single moment I had with her was a living nightmare. She’s purposefully do things that annoyed me in front of the others and I could only take so much for her. I thought I was ready, but her wrath was something I wasn’t expecting at all. When the others weren’t looking, she’d shoot daggers at me with her eyes. It was getting older.

I heard her footfalls from behind me while I just pretended to be preoccupied with what I was doing. A shadow cast itself on the swords and when I looked up, I saw her standing there, looking at the direction of the forest. Her slender legs were right in front of me as she just wore a pair of really short breeches she called shorts which were a light brown hue with smudges of plant sap and earth. She stared higher into the sky, shielding her eyes from the afternoon glare with her arm which had the cuff and ring of Maru on. It glimmered under the high sun. I just stared at her until she finally met my gaze.

“Fine day, isn’t it?” she suddenly said, crouching in front of me as she touched the sword on the ground. She took it then started balancing the blade and the hilt. She smiled at it when she saw the balance. “Good enough.” She looked at me then. “Did Tao explain how we play?”

She looked really determined. I couldn’t help but smile. I shook my head. At least she was talking to me.

“Oh.” She smiled a bit, but not at me. “Well, it goes for everyone.”

“Yes?”

“I told them not to hesitate to either injure me or anything. I want this to be like the real thing, so I told them to go all out on me. They’ve been complying so far.” Her eyes flicked to me. “You’re okay with that, right?”

I nodded although I didn’t really feel like causing her wounds since she had been sustaining more injuries than I’ve imagine from her trainings with Tao and the others. Besides that, she refused to be healed by Lay because they didn’t talk either. The pride of this girl just wasn’t to her advantage at times. “Are you sure?” I was amused by her strength of mind.

She arched a brow at me, her glacial countenance towards me resurfacing. “What’s funny?”

“Nothing. I’m just surprised that you actually wanted to do this.”

“Do what? This training? Why are you surprised?”

I smiled slightly. “You’ve always opposed violence.”

Her brows shot up. “It’s useless at a time like this. You know that.”

“Yes, but agreeing to this?”

She looked away, rolling her eyes. “Don’t get your hopes up. I’m doing this for Tao. That’s all there is to it.” She stood up, picking the sword up with her. “Let’s get this done and over with.”

I shook my head. So much for being warm again. Still, I’d rather get what I could. It’s too early for her to really return the feelings I had for her. At least she was being civil. I’d be surprised if she doesn’t end up killing me. I stood up as well while she did some stretching.

“Er…Jinhae?”

She didn’t look at me as she flexed her left leg forward. “Yeah?”

“I was just wondering what Tao taught you.”

She straightened up, looking thoughtful. “He taught me pretty much everything so lately, we’ve just been having matches. He had been teaching me to disarm my opponent.” She suddenly winced. “Ugh! I have been doing that for almost two weeks now. Can you teach me something new? I’m getting bored with that.”

I nodded. “Did he teach you to fight with daggers then?”

“Nope.” Her eyes sparkled with excitement. “Are you going to teach me?”

“S-sure.”

She giggled. “Yay~! Let’s get on it then.”

I shook my head and her smile fell. “Not yet.”

She arched a brow at me. “What? Why not? You just said –”

She was stubborn, too. She’s too eager to learn though, but taking things fast isn’t the key. “I want to see how you fight first.”

She dug the blade of the sword on the hard pavement and leaned against it, sneering at me. “You want to see me fight? Haven’t you witnessed it countless times?”

I frowned. “W-what –”

“Oh come on now, you.” She shook her head as she turned away. “You’ve been watching me.” She then pointed the sword to the window just above us. She eyed me with a sly grin. “Now deny it.”

I frowned and rolled my eyes at her. “Fine. I have, but I can’t gauge how you fight on the perspective of an opponent. I know your skills from a spectator’s view, but I’d like to test how far you could go.”

She thought about it fo