Chapter Four : The Greatest Punishment -part one-

It was already dawn when the Demon Leader and few of his subordinates were gathering in the hall waiting for the masters. They knew they had to be there for the punishment. It was one of the strict rules that should never be avoided. The masters entered trying to help the girl to receive a less painful one.

"Greetings to the great masters," The demons greeted bowing while their Ixin used his head only.

"What's so urgent in the early morning that made the great demon leader and his fellows to lighten up on us," Master Shin spoke as each one of them sat in his desk.

"I came to remind you that a knight has committed a crime that needs to be punished for. Although I am so busy with my kingdom affairs, I still took time to stay the morning for this case specially," Ixin announced in confidence, holding his glass to drink.

"If it's because of the punishment, then let's wait for the light nobilities and so the culprit, to give the right judgment," The head of the masters calmly claimed.

"I don't have time to wait. I need to give my judgment and go back to my duties."

They were all worried because they knew he was merciless and hated mistakes. They wanted to persuade him not to be harsh on her. However, they were unable to even start a conversation. Everyone feared him for an unknown reason beside those masters who knew him very well and dare not go against him.

"Jaelin, wake up! The masters are waiting for you and so the leaders," Juli hurried to wake her up while she made no move."Jaelin! Are you okay?" She shook her but nothing. She cried her heart out in panic thinking something had happened to her.

"I'm fine. I feel so weak. Please, tell them I can't come now," She hardly spoke not wanting to be bothered because she felt she was sick.

"Are you insane? The night leader is waiting and he's the one giving you the punishment! They're trying to make it lighter but he's stubborn!" She kept persuading her while preparing for the uniform and the bath.

"Fine. He's after me though," Murmured under her breath remembering her conversation with him.

She took a bath and washed her face. Being sick wouldn't keep her on bed because it felt as if she's running from being responsible. She had promised him not to miss her punishment and wouldn't want to see Sinian getting involved. Her thoughts were racing as she held her breath to calm down. She got out wearing her uniform, tied the upper half of her hair to roll it to each other, leaving the other half released with its wide curls, and headed to the Star Pavilion where they always make disputes and judgments.

"Where are you going? Didn't I tell you to rest for the next days?" Sinian appeared from nowhere holding her arm stopping her from going inside, right at the entrance.

"Greetings to the demon prince," Both of the girls bowed as he felt offended to be treated formally.

"I apologize but the court matters more than resting," She couldn't keep an eye contact with him and referred to her friend to go first.

"You're endangering yourself. If that's mattering more than gaining your qi back, then go ahead," He claimed coldly not taking off his eyes from her.

"I promised I'd take the responsibility for being reckless and I'm aware that I shouldn't have acted that way. However, I did and I'm going to be punished for it," Jaelin bowed and left.

Meanwhile, the light nobilities were anxious because they knew Sinian wasn't the one who would give his judgment but the elder brother. Ethan tried to calm down the king as Ian and Evander, who had just joined the knights, were learning more in these matters. They entered before Jaelin, finding the crowd waiting as Juli entered right after them.

"Is she coming over?" Ethan asked Juli stopping her before moving forward.

"Yes. She's called by the masters after all," Sadly spoke the blue-haired knight following the light nobilities to their seats.

"Does it have to be at this time of the day?" Julian questioned after greeting the crowd. He sat facing Ixin as he noticed the anger going out of his eyes.

"It is not up to you picking the judgment timing. Don't make things worse on your knight," Smirked the demon with cold eyes and a deep serious voice. The knight calmed down and didn't want to ruin his image of being the leader of the light.

Jaelin entered the pavilion with a serious face expression and an aura of confidence. Eying her coming in felt like pleasure for him. He smirked glancing at her then at Julian who was staring with deep affection. She bowed finding herself in front of many high-ranked nobilities, alone facing her destiny. Sinian got in and kept watching from far not having any right to interfere.

"The brave knight took so long to come over. Was she afraid of admitting her sins?" The demon king started trying to trigger her sense of responsibility.

"My apologizes if I let his highness wait. I am fully ready to accept any punishment," She admitted confidently looking straight as the masters stayed quiet.

"Knight Jaelin, please, have a seat," Master Lu started as the evil demon smirked knowing she was in his hands to deal with her.

"As the formal judge and demon leader of the night clan, I announce the beginning of today's court that claims the case of the knight Jaelin, who acted against her masters and stubbornly attacked one of my subordinates, the night demon Do Zelo, on the rituals of the Peace Era day. She was not supposed to enter the stand of the battlefields without a permission and use her full superpowers to take him down," Started the demon king straightening up his board shoulders looking at her seriously. "Do you admit your sins?"

"I didn't attack him on purpose. I just wanted to participate in the competition. Furthermore, if he hasn't used his strength to attack me, I wouldn't consume my qi to defend myself," She defended trying to prove her point.

"If you haven't engaged yourself in the fight, you wouldn't have done your best to defend yourself, darling," He smirked knowing she had no more cards to play. "Now, does the light knight admit her sins?" Continued as everyone was silent.

Sinian was watching from far not bearing seeing her going through that with his brother. He even wondered why did he get those questions of why he treated her specially and helped her. She was silent for a while and her body was weakening slowly. No more energy to argue.

"Yes. I admit my sins. I shouldn't have interfered to make a mess during the rituals and go against the masters. I plead for the high nobilities' forgiveness," Bowed the fire girl waiting for Ixin to allow her to rise. He just didn't. Instead, he chose to stay silent for a while then master Jin referred to him to allow her rising. The younger demon felt a bit bothered from what his evil brother was doing. Clenched his fist and closed his eyes.

"Rise," Murmured the night leader coldly. "I sentence the light knight, Su Jaelin, with a divestiture of her superpowers for two months," He issued with a rising tone making everyone surprised in shock for such a cruel judgment. "And she won't be sent to her clan during this time but staying at the Lunar Eris without going out," Continued Ixin while Sinian clenched his teeth wanting to interfere. The crowd was mumbling and whispering around. Jaelin knew she no longer was going to develop her xiaofang practice neither be able to see the outer world any sooner. Staying silent and accepting the fact that she was totally messed up between a night and another. He glanced at her with a satisfied rage from above the stand while taking his sip.

"This is unfair! Why are you being cruel!" Julian shouted in anger while his subordinates tried to calm him down. The masters were waiting for something cruller than that because they knew Ixin very well.

"Enough! The judgment is accepted. The sinner will be punished by drinking the 'Quchu potion' to remove her 'Hexin', the superpower's core and be given to the night king, demon Ixin. I announce the ending of today's court," Master Lu closed the case as everyone was silent.

It was hard for a nobility to lose his Hexin because it's a humiliation for his or her clan. It was mostly done to those with bigger sins and criminals who disagreed the two clans' peace and tried to ruin their moralities. In addition, to those who rebelled. Ixin stood up and walked with his subordinates to the door passing by his brother.

"Did you have to go that far?" Sinian asked quietly eying him coldly with his purplish dark eyes.

"It's none of your business. Stay away from her," Smirked the devil and left.

It was a beginning of a serious cold war full of desires and wills. The two brothers had never disagreed. Sinian, especially, had always looked up to Ixin because he had always been through hardships and responsibilities. He had to bear their father's cruelty on him and be punished for every mistake, even if it was Sinian's fault, Ixin would be the one paying for it. He had always given up things to his younger brother since he loved him and always protected him. Made sure to make him the man he became.