Chapter 16: The Jade Rank

It was still dark when Lithea woke up, as a priestess, she has the responsibility to keep honing her skills even outside the temple and she will not disappoint her elders, especially her foster father.

She took the winter coat Chi gave her and went out to scout the area.

'There should be an isolated area here somewhere.'

She circled the whole street and couldn't find anything. Wherever she went, buildings and stores popped up. There's no abandoned place or wooden area for her to use.

Lithea went back to the quarters defeated and decided to just meditate inside her room, something she hasn't done before. She shouldn't stop polishing her sensory skills, a skill that's part of the divine vision. As the sun is about to rise, she must hurry and finish her morning routine and ask someone to tell her where she could train her combat skills.

The priestess walked around her room as soon as she got back and started looking for a suitable spot to do her meditation, fortunately, there's a small platform near her wardrobe that's right on the center of the other side of her room.

'Seems like this room is especially made for her,' she chuckled to herself at the thought.

While she was preparing for her meditation, the door across her, Verin's room, creaked open and the sound of him locking his doors before his gentle footsteps can be heard throughout the silence.

'He's early,' Lithea mentally noted.

Verin went to the kitchen to grab a water before doing 10 laps around two blocks surrounding the dormitory. He is very meticulous with his training routine and he never skipped a day, even on missions. He would always find time to train while on duty. This is the very reason why Lance would call him pretentious most of a time as a joke.

Because of that, he has learned to accept Lance's dry humour.

'Seems like she wakes up around this hour,' he said as he fetched himself a glass of water.

After cleansing his insides with water, he started warming up to go around the block. He was greeted by dark and empty streets, he smiled.

"A peaceful run today."

It was a miracle he woke up before the sun was about to rise, he usually get ready right before the sunrise but today, it seems like he's an hour early. But he wasn't complaining, it could only mean he'd have more time for more routine.

He excitedly started a simple jog with those in mind.

There was a time when Lance asked Verin to wake him up so he could train with him knowing how different the training is between archers and swordsmen are. And since this system is improvised by Verin for himself only, after 10 laps, 200 pushups, bar pull ups, curls up, and squats, Lance dropped dead after almost 3 hours of training.

He puked everything out and felt his soul leave his body. 3 hours of nonstop and fast pace training, he felt like he almost died. Since then, he never joined Verin and questioned where he got his brute strength.

When the sun had fully illuminated the kingdom, people started getting busy around the capital, so did Lance who is starting his day by making his bed and cleaning his room. For him, if he won't do it, he won't have the energy to train and to clean his bow and arrows.

He finished it up by checking the inventory of his arrows; he opened the box type luggage made of sturdy wood, steel, and leather strap to ensure its durability as what he fills this in with are very sharp and dangerous weapons.

Lance decided to slap his face with cold water to fully wake him up. He made his way down to the kitchen sink; he passed by Verin who's by the little yard in between the elite quarters, doing planks.

'He added something new to his routine?'

He remembered his time when he joined Verin, he shook his head and shooed away his thoughts. That is something he would love to erase from his memory if he would be given a chance to.

That horrifying training routine.

Lance shivered and walked towards the kitchen so he could wake himself up and forget that dreadful day. He decided to look inside the fridge to see if there's something to cook, when he saw how it was almost empty, he yawned and went back to his room to get some copper and silvers to buy more ingredients to stock.

On the other hand, Lithea opened her eyes and exhaled.

She's done. She finished her meditation.

She got up and decided to take a quick shower before going to check what there is to cook for her and the three boys.

'Will there be enough food in the fridge to feed us four?' she worried.

She grabbed her bag and the bath supplies Lance gave her before he went to bed. The way they take a bath is the same in the temple, she's relieved it is not something she would have to adjust. The inn she stayed at sometimes doesn't have baths but showers and she's not used to showers. She can't get the hot water running, she always struggles.

When Lithea arrived down the bathing area, the left side was for males, and the right side was for females. She thought she's the only one in the quarters to use this and so she was expecting a clean and neat changing room, to her surprise, littered used clothes and towels were all over the floor. Her guess, Serene.

Her mouth hangs open, this clutter is beyond recognition. It's like she entered a huge laundry basket, piles and piles of clothes; the clean and used got mixed in.

She sighed.

Lithea started picking up the mountainous clothes and separated them by colors to wash later, she had to clean up the area first. As she was taking cleaning supplies inside the storage cabinet, a thought came to her mind.

'I need to check the bathroom.'

She gulped and took a peek inside and what she saw caused her soul to leave her body. Dirt everywhere.

The tiles seem like it hasn't been cleaned for a long time, molds and grease everywhere. Empty product bottles are rolling around the tiles, the water in the tub is all murky and gross, Lithea felt her stomach turn.

She can take everything but disgusting, untidy places. She lived all her life hating filthy and disarranged rooms, it has become a habit and she cannot stand these things.

Lithea closed her eyes and stormed back to her room to change clothes. She's determined, she'll clean every nook and cranny of this place.

Hours later, Lance got home with an ice cream at hand, happily eating it. He spotted a fresh Lithea, sitting in one of the kitchen stools looking satisfied.

"Hey," he greeted her, breaking her peace.

Lithea's eyes are still glowing after she finished her mission in cleaning the women's bathroom.

Lance blinked his eyes, 'what happened?'

"Good morning," she still wore a stoic face but her glow was clear.

"Uh, um," he nodded, still frozen in shock.

Lithea traveled her eyes to the bag of groceries Lance had with him.

"Are those for everyone?"

"Oh yes, I was planning on cooking us breakfast."

Remembering the dinner last night, Lithea let out a forced smile, "May I help?"

Lance raised both of his brows then grinned, "Sure."

While the archer is chopping the vegetables, Lithea keeps glancing at his way of cutting. But since he knows how to use his knives, she focused on stirring the bacon on the pan.

"That's good," he commented. "Our diligent guy over there should stop training with the smell of bacon."

"What are you cooking?" she asked.

"Mushroom soup."

"Do you need help with it?" she asked, turning off the fire and setting the food on a plate, "I'm already done."

"Why not work on the omelets?"

Lithea nodded, "Okay."

A sweaty Verin with a soaked fitted black shirt and a towel on his damped head, peeked at the kitchen with an enthusiastic grin displayed on his face, "breakfast? Can I help?"

Lithea jumped at his occurrence, "we're fine here."

Lance laughed out loud, now having an idea on why she reacted the way she is reacting, "you'll just throw anything here and there"

Frowning, Verin took the towel on his head and left, yelling, "at least it tastes decent."

He only got a teasing laugh from his friend.

On that very same day, in the afternoon, two esteemed figures entered the elite quarters. Both were wearing the same uniform as Lars'; each of them had capes, signifying their rank in the unit.

They passed through the empty ruby side of the dormitory and entered the jade side where they saw Lars leisurely reading a fictional book.

"You sure got a lot of time in your hands, Lars?" a loud female voice rang in his ear.

The two tall ranked people both have a very well distinguished physique, when one is to see them in the streets, they would immediately recognize them despite not having to personally meet them before; the two tigers of the Jade Investigating Unit, Dash and his second in command, Coral.

The younger one jumped at the sound of his superior's voice and hid the book behind him, "Commander, and captain."

Lars gulped and cowers at the intimidating aura of his superiors and looked away. They must need something to visit personally, he thought.

"Is there anything you needed me to do," he took a peek, and cleared his throat, wanting to sound confident, "sir."

Dash didn't change his expression and still wore a boring solemn frame, "where are the others?"

He was confused, "by others, you mean--?"

"The rubies, Lars. The rubies," Coral clarified.

Lars shook his head, "I have no idea of their whereabouts, sir."

Dash's face darkened and threw him an envelope with the guild's silver seal on it, "find them!"

Coral smiled, "we are summoned by the guild to ensure a conference with their—err—kind? And so, we want you to gather all of them and have them in the meeting room."

Lars did the salute and bowed as his superiors went on their way.

"Don't keep us waiting," Dash's stern voice had the poor newbie running.

'Why do they have to torture me every time we meet?'

In a dimmed room located at the side of the yard in the middle of the two quarters, the atmosphere worsened with the grim faces of the attendees when they met. The meeting was attended by the two commanders of the J.I and all ruby adventurers except Serene who they cannot seem to find. As she is still in Sir Robert's pub, living her life.

Tapping his fingers on the table, Dash broke the silence, "Rubies."

They all didn't show any concern of what he's about to say and this caused to rise anger within Dash and loudened his voice.

"As per the new order," he smirked, "all of you must follow what we say."

Lance whipped his head towards Dash who's wearing an evil grin on his face to taunt him.

"What did you say?" Lance gritted his teeth.

The J.I's commander never took off his grin, "since we are in charge of investigating the cause of this all."

Lithea's eyes widened and gasped, having Dash notice her. He tilted his head, squinting his eyes, "who is this?"

Dash looked to his side, trying to remember if he's seen her face on the files before.

"I believe she's a rookie," Coral answered.

"A new member?"

"Of the guild, yes." She clarified.

Dash slammed his hands on the table, scaring some of them, "what do you mean by that?"

"She was probably the infamous priestess who caused havoc in the guild on her first day," she smiled.

"This child right here, is that person?"

"Are you deaf, or are you perhaps having trouble understanding her answers?" Lance glared at him.

Dash leaned towards Lance who's seated two seats across from him, "Why you!"

"Interesting," Lance crossed his legs and leaned on his back, "you still got the temper, commander."

The jade's commander rearranged his collar and cleared his throat, "I am not here to argue."

Coral smirked silently, avoiding everyone's gaze. She knew her commander values his position more than anything and if word got out of how he lost his temper again—to a rookie, most of all—he would not have any more face to face with other people.

It could dent his reputation.

Dash seated again and huffed, "His Majesty has ordered us to go forward with the investigation without pause and you," he met Lance's eyes, "must do our bidding for the sake of our kingdom."

A smile formed in Lance's lips, moving a finger from side to side, "no, no."

Coral hummed, as she was amused to see someone talking back at her demon of a mentor.

"We are to follow lead, not orders," Lance shrugged, "especially from a lower rank like you."

Dash formed a fist, "are you saying you are disobeying the King's order? This is treason!"

"Ha!" Lance chuckled, "was it really the King who approved of that order, or was it the council who forced him to approve of it?"

A loud bang from the table echoed the room; Dash slammed his fists on the table, "Lance Vancouv!"

Lance threw his head at the back, and let a bit of his tongue out, biting it.

"Yes, Dash Vancouv?"

His action was to taunt the commander in front of him. With Lance being one of the commanders who received the position at a young age of eighteen, Dash cannot accept the fact that he became a commander way younger than when he first received the news of his own appointment. They have not seen each other since the day Lance was thrown out of the Vancouv manor but it didn't mean he stopped watching his cousin's movement.

Dash's jealousy to the nineteen year old Vancouv, deepened at the behaviour he showed him.