Glowing Light

Just as expected, he didn't return the whole day and it was getting to midnight, I had no other choice but to go seek them out myself.

I placed a cloak around me and hid at the back doorway, patiently waiting for that maid to step out.

My instinct told me she would take this route cause when sneaking out, no one in their right minds would dare to use the front door.

After waiting for a couple of minutes, I suddenly heard the footstep of someone and hid away properly, the maiden also covered herself in a black cloak and sneaked out through the backdoor.

I quietly stepped out of my hiding spot and followed her trail, we bursted out into the garden and turns out, there was a secret passage behind the flowers which the maid used to successfully sneak away.

Once she stepped out, I also followed her footsteps, moving the flowery door to one side and bursting into the lonely dark path of Western village.

The path was empty and looked lifeless, no one would believe me if I said people still live here.

When I thought I had lost sight of her, her figure came in view up ahead as she made her way into the thick forest, she doesn't even seem scared of running into the beasts.

I instantly followed her before I end up losing sight of her once more, she kept glancing around probably making sure she wasn't followed and to avoid running into palace guards who patrolled at night.

I was also extra cautious hoping not to run into them as well.

I was so placed on following her, I didn't realize how deep we had gotten into the forest.

It looked austere and the thick canopy's hid the glowing moonlight turning the forest into a creepy zone which gave me an eerie feeling. I tried to shake off the fear arousing inside of me and kept following the maid who didn't even flinch one bit.

She finally got to the cave to my relieve and glanced around once more before going in.

I was about to go in as well when someone grabbed hold of my hand and when I turned to see who it was, my master was standing right in front of me making my eyes bulge out in surprise, he was dressed in his cultivator robe as well.

"Lord Qui??"

"Why are you here?" he whispered almost worriedly and I gazed back stubbornly.

"I didn't see you all day so I thought I'd follow the maid myself." I whispered back and wanted to say more but he shushed me up dragging me into a corner behind the cave, covering my mouth with his palm like he knew I was going to object and actually speak up. My heart raced rapidly at the sudden closeness between us as I gazed at him, he stared back and I had no idea what those emotions in his eyes meant but before he could utter a word to me, we heard footsteps and he leaned even further but cautiously and the two familiar voices were heard.

"Are you sure you weren't followed?" He asked alarmingly glancing each corner but the maid shook her head in response.

"No, I came alone and I didn't see anyone follow me, even if someone did, I bet they'd loose track judging from how thick the forest path is." She said and I had to agree, I almost got carried away while tracing her here by how horrifying the forest looked and nearly lost her too.

My pure luck, I can't imagine being stranded in a place like this.

"Very good."

"But why did you call me here?" The maiden asked cautiously and once again, he brought out that red stone from his pocket which I immediately felt drawn to, how come it's so magnetic towards me.

I tried to sneak a peek at the stone but my master stopped me, shaking his head Indicating I shouldn't do what I had in mind.

"What about the stone?" She asked still not getting his idea and he chuckled lightly.

"Just watch."

The forest immediately went silent and the birds which rested on trees flew away within seconds, the forest became as silent as a grave once more, my master had that alarming look in his eyes as he gazed at me.

"On your knees."

"What?" I asked but did as he said going on my knees and so did he, giant beasts similar to the one that chased me earlier hovered in the sky and with a horrifying shriek, dropped to their feet which startled the young maiden to the point her legs went limp making her fall to her feet.

"What is this?!" She gazed wide eyed at them, they were a bunch of them as they dropped to the ground fixating their gaze on the stone in the man's hand, he laughed.

"Do not be scared, I have the stone so I control them, they get to do whatever I tell them to if they have any hopes of getting their precious artifact back."

My master and I stole a peek from our hiding spot and the face of whoever they were came in view in front of us.

The middle aged man who wanted to speak to my master privately held the stone in his hand with a look of authority glowing in his eyes, the maiden was the same one who served me a glass of water, the fragile one but her face came in view this time cause she had her hair tyed in a ponytail, exposing her delicate face in front me, so they are the ones behind all this.

"But they're here for the stone, won't they kill you if you don't hand it back?" The maiden asked while slowly getting back up to her feet and keeping her gaze locked on the beast who only gazed at them and one of them suddenly let out an angry shriek but didn't attack them.

"I have what you want!" The man also spoke up raging his voice at them.

"Either you do as I say or you never get this back!"

The beasts remained silent and a smirk formed on his lips.

"Now you all will have to do exactly as I tell you to, go into western village and cause chaos, bring the emperor to me as well."

The beasts were a bit reluctant, anger flashing in their red eyes, seems like they hate being ordered.

"Go now!"

Before the beasts could take off, my master was the first to step out, stopping them mid air as he slashed his sword in the air and a white light shun from the tip striking the beasts in front of him.

The maiden let out a shocking gasp taking a step back while the man's face turned ashen by my masters sudden intervention.

"You!"

My master didn't utter a word and only scoffed like he was disgusted by the act before him.

"You sicken me."

The beasts wasted no time lunging their attacks on my master who in return fought back with no fear, his moves where steady and perfect, letting his feet move perfectly with his pace.

He looked even more elegant and made the fighting thing look like a play to him.

Watching him like this motivated me and I also stepped out of my hiding spot, drawing out my whip and joining the fight along with my master.

The maidens face turned ashen at the sight of me but I was more focused on helping my master clear of the beast, I lashed my whip on the ground and a slow smile crossed my lips, the beasts finally sensed my prescence and came after me but I gathered the courage and lunged at it sliding underneath it as it tried to grab me with it's clawed hand, using my whip to wrap it's leg and quickly pulling it hard making the beasts fall to the floor.

"Shanxia." My master called and when I turned to look at him, he threw his sword at me and I grabbed hold of it with my whip surrounding it's hilt and it was the best combo ever as I sliced through beast just by swinging the whip at it's direction.

I returned his sword back to him and we fought in unison, working together like a perfect team that we are.

Seeing he couldn't win against us, the man took to his heels but I spotted him quickly making me go after him, there's noway he's getting away with this!

I grabbed hold of his hand drawing him back with the whip which made the stone slip from his hand, he fell to the floor while I immediately caught the stone but what happened next left me stupefied as it glowed in my hands.

"Shanxia, drop that stone now!" Those where the only words I heard before it became too late to do anything cause a familiar yet strange energy pulsated heavily through my system and I let out a gasp as the glowing light blinded the whole scenery in front of us.