LUNATIC LINYA

"Chain technique and green eyes?" 

He asked, almost towering over her. She abruptly stepped back, her right hand unconsciously grabbing the hilt of her sword. "Yes, is there something wrong with it?" She asked, although she appeared calm on the front, her inside was in chaos, her heart beating faster, and her mind predicting each of his upcoming attacks. 

But this man was truly unpredictable and kept confusing her with his words and actions. 

She failed to understand even a bit of him, just like back then...

His eyes went down to her hand which was grabbing the hilt of her sword. The corner of his mouth twitched and he slowly raised his eyes back to look into her green orbs. They were still the same green orbs from back then but there was no light in them. He can't help but sneer within.

"You...when did you get out of prison?" He asked out of nowhere. Her mouth slightly parted and her pupils dilated upon hearing his question. No useless words were conveyed, he just hit right on the sore spot of hers, almost devastating her spirit.

Since he hit her right on her sore spot, she intended to do the exact. She has known him back then but she hardly acknowledges him now.

"Pardon me, Lord Linya, am I familiar with you?" She asked, he stared down at her with an indifferent expression. His eyes were cold as usual, staring down at her as if she was a peasant. 

"Oh, no...I've heard there was a girl who slaughtered her own master and his pregnant wife, she had green eyes, she was good at chain technique and had a pausing magic...not long ago someone with the same proficiency stole one of my evil stones, these two people were the same person, or maybe not because she had some kids with her calling her master, while the one who killed her master might be still in the prison. Just how many people are there with such familiar traits?" He asked and slightly chuckled. 

By the time he was done speaking, she was already soaked in a cold sweat. He was toying with her. She was getting played easily by him.

"Looks like I have to slaughter the Scarlet Blossom clan to get my stone back." He said while nodding. She felt her head getting heavier with every word he let out. "Why are you telling me this Lord Linya?" She asked sternly and he tilted his head to the right side. Her grip was tightening on the hilt of her sword, she could feel her soaked back as goosebumps were rising all over her body.

He knows everything....yet he is playing with her, and slowly devastating her. 

"That's because I thought you were someone else and reckoned you wrongly, just like you said right now you are not familiar with me while the one who killed her master was very much familiar with me. Looking at you, you are stern and cold, a true warrior from the liberation front Sect while she was just a two-faced coward... I judged you wrongly."  He said and she gulped. He was indirectly berating her by calling her a two-faced coward right in front of her face but she won't deny it. 

She was a two-faced weakling.

"It's fine." She said and stepped back, bowing at him with respect. "Please, excuse me, Lord Linya." She said, her voice low but loud enough for him to hear. Without sparing him another glance she walked past him, almost tripping due to her wobbly leg as she grabbed Luna's trembling arm and walked towards the woman's side.

She had many things on her mind.

While Luna was bathing in the hot spring, Megara reclined against the pillar nearby, caressing her flute in her hands, its edges were rough, almost cutting her fingertips.

"He is knowledgeable about it all...why is he not doing anything to me? He could easily massacre me if he wants, why must he perform? What is his mot----"

"Master, I'm done." 

Blossom trailed off her beliefs when she heard Luna's voice. She turned her head to the right side and looked down at the young child. She was wearing a blue robe just like Luna with her stance as straight as an iron. Innocence gushed out of her eyes. Luna swallowed, keeping her thoughts aside as she ruffled the little one's wet hair.

"Let's go. I have accepted you in but we must take the Chief's approval."

********** 

"Oh...I see." 

Zale said while eyeing the little girl from head to toe with a gentle smile on his wrinkled face. "Have you checked her spiritual core?" Zale asked and Megara shook her head. 

They were in the inn, standing in Zale's respective room. He was sitting on a narra wooden chair with a narra wooden table in front of him which was occupied with cotton drenched in blood with a lamp placed beside the cotton pieces. His robe was slightly lost from above, indicating that he was dressing his wound on the shoulder, which he attained three months ago.

"Let me check her spiritual core." He said while extending his hand towards Luna but Megara immediately stopped her from going toward him. "No, she bears some internal injuries. I will first cure her entirely plus I'm not sure if I will take her as my disciple and you, whose spiritual core are you checking when your wound hasn't healed at all?" She asked while crossing her arms on her chest.

"Luna, you may go and look around the inn," Megara ordered her, she nodded before bowing at both of them and leaving the room. "I like the little girl. If you take her as your disciple, I'm certain there will be a conflict between your disciple Helice and her. Both of them will want to be your descendant. Who will you pass your chain technique to?"  He asked while wiggling his eyebrows.

"Uncle, stop acting like an aunt with a hundred eyes." She said and he chuckled while shrugging.

"What about your wound? Master Zhan said this wound was caused by a demonic spell and will take some time to heal. Why hasn't it healed yet?" She asked and he ignored her, carefully grabbing the cotton in his hands like a fragile child who was caught cheating by his teacher and was acting like he wasn't sneaking around.

"Uncle, how careless of you. You need to take your medication on time." She said, her tone almost as if she was scolding him which she was. "I did take my medicine." He said and she nodded in sarcasm.

"I suggest you get it checked by Master Azure of the Healer Valley while he is still here. If this wound gets worse in the future you still have to go to the healer valley by traveling for God knows how long. If it takes longer to get cured your spiritual core will gradually deteriorate." She kept speaking but all he could hear was 'Blah Blah'.

"Yes, I will get myself checked." He said and stood up, throwing the cotton away as he wiped his hand with a napkin. His back facing her. "Is there anything else?" He asked indifferently.

"There is."  

He slowly turned towards her while wiping his hands and nodded at her to continue. 

"I don't understand why you needed an evil stone, even if you needed it, why did you send me to the Linya Clan? You are aware that Evandros knows me very well." She said and he stared at her face for a while. "Sending you was not my idea, it was others' decision, and stealing a stone was not my idea either. It was Master Shin's idea." He said and her brows knitted in a frown.

"Master Shin's idea? Why?" She asked.

"As you are aware of the Blue Forsaken Sect, our biggest enemy has one of the stones and Linya is completely unable to get it from them. Blue forsaken has nothing to do with Linya...they are already powerful with one stone even Linya can't battle against them, we will be smashed if they ever attack us. So we also needed one stone. Linya already possesses five of them and we attained one of them. Blue forsaken has one stone as well but the seventh stone, nobody knows where it is." He said and grabbed his knife from the table, cleaning the bloody tip of it with his napkin.

"Exactly no one knows where the seventh black stone is, it was useless to steal a stone from Linya just to stop them from doing evil." She said, her jaw clenching and unclenching

"Yes, just like I said we needed one stone against Blue forsaken as well."  He said and looked up at her.

"Fine, I get it but Master Shin was never a rebellious person."  She said,

"He just gave the idea...it was me who wanted to attain the stone but I had no intention to let you off. If I knew all the masters will point at you I wouldn't have put on such a deal but as a chief, If I break the rules then what are rules for?"

"Uncle, I think Lord Linya is aware that I was the one who steals the stone from his manor." She said while anxiously massaging her temples.

"What? How did you know?"

"I...I just know." She said and bit her lower lip almost making it bleed.

"Even if he knows what he can do? Standing against me is not easy. As long as your uncle is alive no one can harm you." He said with a gentle smile on his face, telling her to calm down afterward.

"I know, if it wasn't you who saved me back then I would have been dead by now."  She said, her voice filled with gratitude.

"Let's not remember the past. Stop overthinking and enjoy Marco's wedding." He said and she nodded. Soon she left the room and went towards her.

As she entered her room, she saw Luna standing near the window. She was standing on her toes trying to devour the view outside with her eyes as much as she can.

She quickly turned her head when she heard the door opening. Megara walked in and closed the door behind her. It was already nighttime. Luna smiled and rushed towards her, stopping right in front of her. Her short hair has been open and messy.

Blossom smiled and walked towards the bed sitting on the edge of it. "Open that bag on the table, it has a Blue Ribbon and a comb inside it, bring it to me," Megara ordered and she did as instructed. She forwards the comb and Blue Ribbon to Megara.

Megara grabbed it from her hand and told her to turn around. As the little one turned around, Megara took the comb between her thin and long fingers and began to comb the little one's hair.

The little one was surprised at first but a smile soon made its way to her lips as she thanked Megara.

"You are the second person who combed my hair," Luna said while chuckling. "Is that so? Who was the first one?" Megara inquired indifferently.

"My mot----An old beggar lady." 

Megara paused, 'Was she about to say, mother? Didn't she say she doesn't know who her parents are? Is it alright to take her? This little girl just changed her statement halfway. What is she hiding? That flute she has...*She looked towards the table where the flute was kept on*  also looks very familiar.'

"Ah, I see," Megara said and tied her hair up in a ponytail.

"Thank you, Master." Luna turned around and bowed at her. 

Megara faintly smiled and stood up.

"Let's eat something. You need to have some power so I can check your spiritual core." Megara said and walked towards the door, Luna pursuing right behind her.

"What is a spiritual core?" The little one asked innocently.

"I'll describe it to you," Megara said and both of them left the room. The wind gushed inside the room through the window slightly caressing the flute placed on the table.

A dirty flute with a strong history.

********** 

"Huh?" 

"Already commenced?"

"Didn't I order him to wait for the wedding to get over?"  

Evandros sat on his long metal chair which almost looked like a small throne. One foot was up on the chair while the other one was on the red carpet beneath him. His right elbow was resting on the throne's arm while his left hand was holding a long tobacco tube. His black robe was loosened from above showing off his pale and muscular chest and his long dark black hair was resting on his shoulders. The room was surrounded by candles, enlightening every corner. The windows of the room were slightly shut with long red curtains draping down. Not a single soul can peek in and not even a gust of wind can slide in.

"He said, it takes time for it to spread. It will occur once the ceremony is over." The man standing in front of him let out. He was tall in stance and was wearing an expensive black clock. His face was hidden by a mask so no one could tell who he was.

"You said, he does things on his own. If anything goes wrong remember you were the one who suggested him to me.." Evander said. His voice was low and deep as he took a deep puff of the tobacco from the smoke tube. Exhaling the smoke out and sniffing its scent. He lazily turned his gaze towards the man and eyed him from head to toe.

"Since you've given me his message...why are you still here?" He asked, lazily lifting his right brow at the man. 

"It's Megara Daybrace." The man said, all his laziness vanished in an instant once he heard her name but he didn't change positions and kept staring at him. This time attentively.

"She's wandering around the market with a little girl...I think she wants to keep that girl to herself." The man said. His attention vanished in an instant once again as he stared at the man lazily.

"I already know about that. It's nothing crucial. I told you to keep your eyes on her. Not to tell me what she ate and what she didn't." He said his temper was constantly lost when it came to her so this time he was slightly angry despite being lethargic and exhausted.

"Well tell me, don't you furthermore want to know what she ate and when she didn't? When she bathes and sleeps and when she curses her fate that you are her soulmate." The man said and Evandros snorted. 

"Both of us know you are born without a match and so is she. Instead of taking things normally for example kidnapping her, and breaking her spiritual core, you being a lunatic made me do dark magic in mountains for two years. So many people died with my experiments and after two years I was able to do something God does. Only if you weren't a crazy obsessive psychopath, I wouldn't have wasted my two years just for you." He continued, his tone as if he was showing off which he was.

"I was the one who bound you two with my dark magic, show me more respect and gratitude." The man said proudly, Evan passed him a sharp look once he was done talking.

"Shut up, loose head. Don't forget we made a deal." He said, his voice sharp and rough as he took another puff from the smoke pipe. 

"I don't owe you, you don't owe me. Both of us have our purposes." He said and sat up straight on the chair, staring at the man right dead in the eyes.

"Yes, Yes, Just don't be too obvious. I saw you staring at her in the hall. She was uncomfortable. She is not mindless. Control your lunatic behavior for a while." The man said and Evan chuckled.

"She already knows I'm playing with her but since I'm too obvious, her being smart can be dangerous. I, Lunatic Linya, will stay low for a while." He said and the man chuckled.

"Everything is going as we planned... let us confuse them more."