Chapter Three : A Warm Talk

"Now that a guardian is injured, would we finish the rituals or wait for her to get up?" Ixin started speaking to the masters.

"She's not badly injured. We can wait for her to comeback," Julian replied confidently facing him with an angry expression.

"How can you know? The girl has consumed her qi. She's internally injured, let alone that Zelo attacked her twice too. Are you sure she's coming back?" The demon leader was so evil and wanted to provoke him to confirm what he had been noticing while Sinian joined. His brother knew about his reason and felt a bit disappointed.

"I said, she's coming back! And who cares about the rituals when a guardian is badly injured and unconscious?" Julian claimed shouting as the crowd was wondering if it was really the next light king saying that.

"Enough!" Master Lu cried angrily. He had never wanted to see such things happening on such a special occasion. "Even if a guardian is injured, that's part of her duty and she should be responsible and punished for creating chaos with her carelessness. The rituals will remain the same," He continued trying to calm the situation. Right at that moment, Jaelin showed up, walking through the crowd as they were shocked of how she could get up as if nothing had happened to her.

"I apologize to the masters and to all the nobilities who are present here. I also apologize to our ancestors for being careless on such a sacred blessed day," She bowed to her masters as they were surprised beside Master Jin. "I accept every punishment given to me," Continued the brave girl assuming her wrong doings. Ixin felt satisfied enough to confirm his assumptions and wanted to use her as a pawn to drag Julian down.

"Rise, guardian. We need to finish the rituals first, then we'll talk about it tomorrow morning," Jin announced not letting the other masters to talk more and carried on. "It's time to release the guardians," Announced after calming down the crowd. He called the seven guardians: Lu Yeona, Do Zelo, Yu Levi, Leo Jasper, Han Juli, Bai Ian and Yan Evander, to join her on the stand.

The first four belonged to the night clan while the others were from the light clan. It was a big honor to join the high tier demons or the knights, because of the heroic acts and treats they held in each clan. In the Lunar Eris rules, if a guardian from the light clan committed a sin, the other clan would be giving the punishment. Ixin felt uneasy about Jaelin and wanted to interfere in the punishment. However, he wanted to confirm that she had the backup of his brother and for what reason he'd be doing that to her.

Both clans' nobilities joined their superpowers to make a beautiful shiny ball full of energy and colors, putting it in the Peace Era Cup that was hanged with wiry energetic threads, half of them were made of the night energy and others of the light. The rituals kept going smoothly after releasing the guardians. Nobilities entered the other hall for another celebration full of many types of foods and drinks for both clans. Demons were known for their cold foods and drinks. They wouldn't find ordinary food of the light very tasty and might harm their qi.

"Are you feeling better?" Juli asked Jaelin in a worry as she nodded not wanting to speak. "How could you wake up that fast after what happened?" Curiously interrogated.

"Long story. Can we talk about it later? I don't feel that good about being here," She replied heading outside to the garden that was full of trees surrounding few seats and a half white half dark-purpled fountain. It had been her favorite place for isolation and to organize her ideas. She picked a seat under a big tree and sighed feeling confused about the whole thing.

"It's a quiet beautiful night, knight Jaelin," Ixin spoke with closed eyes leaning on the tree behind her while she freaked out.

"The night demon leader," She spelled quietly fearing his presence. He wasn't a gentle looking man but more of a handsome evil fierce demon.

"Why is such a beauty sitting here alone? You've been the crowd's talk all day long, and I wouldn't lie saying you haven't captured my attention. You're impressive," He opened his eyes glancing at hers while she couldn't keep an eye contact with him. It felt intimidating for her to do that.

"Despite that, I am still at wrong for being bold and going against the masters," Looked down trying to assume her mistakes.

"We both know that it's not what you believe in. So, stop lying to yourself and do whatever you feel like it, but don't get my brother involved or I'll torture you to death," Smirked the evil demon when whispering to her left ear. Getting that close to her threatening, made her insecure, losing her breaths for a while.

" I have no relation with your brother!" She turned to face him closely while he kept facing her. Their eye contact made the moon a witness on their bloody looks at each other. "And that's not true. I've always respected the Lunar Eris rules and so the Ziran land's. Now that I'm a knight, I'm responsible on my actions. I'll be punished sooner or later," Jaelin turned not handling the intensity of his presence.

"We'll see," Ixin disappeared like thin air but kept watching her from afar since he sensed someone was coming there.

Those feelings and vibes he gave by just few words. The way he spoke and breathed, the way he encountered her with his mysterious devilish aura that made her, for the very first time, fearing being there.

"Hmm. We meet again, miss Jaelin," Julian with a smiling face greeted as Jaelin looked back to check if Ixin was still there.

"Your highness," She got up bowing after he interrupted her thoughts.

"You weren't this formal when we last met," He joked while she kept bowing. "You don't have to be formal with me. I'm glad that you're a knight from my clan now. Call me Julian," He continued smiling.

"My pleasure, knight Julian," She rose facing him with a fake smile not wanting to be informal.

"I didn't know you were of the Lunar Eris that day. It seems like it's fated to meet you here."

She felt awkward to what he had said, because she had always regarded him as a man of prestige and royalty while she was just a nobility of unknown parents and lived her life only in that white and dark purplish palace.

"Jaelin! I've been looking for you everywhere," Juli joined her friend then eyed the light knight bowing then turned to finish with her friend. "You left me alone in there. What are you doing here?"

"Just relaxing," She replied quietly. "Knight Julian, it's my pleasure to see you again. If you excuse us, we need to go back."

Respectfully bowed the two girls leaving him in there smiling because he was able to talk to her one more time and tried not to praise her more out of admiration. The desire of wanting to get closer to her would make him take every opportunity to do that.

"Have I interrupted you both?" The blue-haired girl asked.

"No. I wanted to leave there, anyway. I am exhausted Juli. I want to go to sleep," Confessed the fire girl entering the hall.

"You said you'd tell me about what happened. But, if you're that much tired you can go. I'll explain to the masters," Gently spoke Juli in a worry.

"I'll have some drinks first."

She headed to the drinks table by herself finding Ixin facing her from far drinking with the other demon and knight girls— he was known for being the most wanted man by both clans' females. Then glanced at Sinian staring at her and couldn't take them off of him as she poured the first glass drinking it fast. Moving to the second, third but was stopped at the fourth by him.

"Why are you stopping me?" She looked at him holding her arm.

"That's harmful. You are still injured internally. Drinking like this won't make you feel any better by the morning," Coldly explained glaring at her.

"Why do you care? I don't want things to be better by the morning," She took off her arm and was about to drink it.

"Then spend the night with me," As he seriously spelled, she widened her eyes putting the glass on the table.

"What did you.."

"Great that worked to stop you," He interrupted smirking then took a sip of his drink as she looked at him in shock.

"Why did you help me recovering?"

"I thought I made it clear this morning. Also, you ain't fully recovered. My qi won't work for you because I'm a demon and you're a knight. You'll need to rest for the next three days," Explained the handsome demon.

"Even for training or taking a punishment?" With a sad tone she asked.

"I'll make sure you won't be punished until you recover fully."

She smiled for hearing such warm hearting words from him. Made sure he was different from his older brother who aimed no good and remembered not to be close to Sinian, since she was threatened.

"I need to sleep. Thank you for everything," She bowed was about to leave.

"Not even sleeping with me?" He sarcastically spoke staring at her smirking as she blushed shaking her head in disapproval with a smile on her face then left to her room.

Rewinding her day in her bathtub and the amount of things she had faced made her feeling overwhelmed. She tried not to let Ixin's words wandering inside her head. However, she felt warm and shy when remembering Sinian's talk and how she felt secure around him without faking anything. Her cheeks turned to pink when she got out of the bath wearing her robes. Not wanting any thought to ruin her night and laid down to fall in a deep sleep.