Chapter Twenty: Exposure

Jaelin was worried and felt surprised by what she had seen from Jasper's ability. She felt that hot wind, which was a knight's superpower to summon, and made her questioning and curious to know how could such thing happen. She couldn't wait more to hear about Ixin's condition and felt as if she was running away from responsibility. Knight Su stood up and decided to go to his chambers even if she was about to meet the masters and face their scolding, she knew it was the right thing to do to get rid of the burdens she had been carrying.

"You!" Aria shouted angrily, facing Jaelin in the corridor of the girls guardians dorms. "What have you done to my role model!"

"What do you mean?" She raised an eyebrow then ignored her, heading to the night chambers.

"I heard both of you and that demon talking. You are the reason why the night leader is weak that he's lost!" The guardian followed in fury as Jaelin kept ignoring her. "I'm talking to you! What's your relationship with demon Ixin? He's never lost a battle, don't you get it!" At this rate, the redhead girl stopped, lowered her head, clenched her fist then hurried to reach Ixin's chambers.

Aria didn't give up following, she was so curious about what was going on ever since she heard her and Jasper talking about poisoning. She decided to secretly follow her to see what she was about to do. On the way, and precisely at the east gate of the Lunar Eris, she bumped into Jasper who was gloomy and anxious.

"Knight Jaelin," He spelled first.

"Demon Jasper," Replied as her eyes were locked with his. "How's the night leader doing?"

"The masters are discussing whether to save him or no," He coldly replied, looking away.

"Discussing? To save him! What's that supposed to mean?" Jaelin was surprised as she felt mad and guilty at the same time. "I'm gonna talk to them. I know it's partly my fault since he saved me. So, I'm gonna take responsibility," She assured as he stopped her.

"It's not your fault. He had the choice not to save you, nevertheless, he felt responsible about calling you to come over while not checking if anyone suspicious was there. Because, usually, the garden is known as cursed and protected from anyone to break in," Explained Jasper which was unusual for him to do that.

"I heard he was the one who broke its curse two hundred years ago and he spelled his own enchantments to allow whom he wants to enter and not," Affirmed the fire girl as he nodded then left with no word.

Aria eavesdropped their conversation as she felt the need to follow all along with Jaelin since she knew she wasn't any ordinary girl besides not having her superpowers to save herself. Knight Su was determined to face the masters even though it had been a long time since she was supposed to do so and ask for their forgiveness. She arrived at the night chambers gates and took a deep breath then entered, heading directly to Ixin's bedroom.

The two masters were focused on the healing formula. Master Lu was facing Ixin as both of them were crossing their legs in their resting position. The master was sharing his healing qi, transferring it directly to his heixin as master Jin was containing the formula not to lose its energy. Jaelin entered the room quietly finding them both had not finished. She kept staring at the process as her foster father noticed her. At the same time, both master Shin and Hao entered the chambers, noticing her too.

"You! What are you doing here? Where have you been all this time!" Master Shin scolded as she lowered her head speechlessly.

"You have disgraced us, moreover, not even apologizing or explaining to us what has happened. Are you sure you've been raised by master Jin?" Master Hao shouted hatefully. They both wanted to give her a hearing but they knew they were in no position as the great master's to do that.

Master Lu wrapped up the ending of the process since he knew Ixin needed rest to get up again. He laid him down again ignoring the fuss that had occurred between his disciple and both masters. Master Jin turned his head to gaze at her furiously because she was, again, disobedient and stubborn to leave her room. He was more concerned about who had the guts to break his enchanted walls that he had made for her own good.

"What brought you here? Have I not made myself clear not to leave your room again!" Shouted her foster father angrily as she felt pressed from all their scolding.

"I apologize! I feel responsible for what has happened to the leader night and I want to repay his kindness or at least do my best so he'd recover soon!" Jaelin bowed her back, begging for them not to decline her.

"What do you mean by feeling responsible? What's going on knight, Su Jaelin?" Master Hao interrogated as he looked at his colleagues while Jaelin clenched her eyes and teeth knowing she had just made another mess and causing a misunderstanding.

"Master Jin, do you have any idea about what she's talking?" The other master wondered looking at Jin, who sighed deeply.

"She was.." Her foster father was about to explain but was stopped.

"Enough all of you! There's a patient here who needs silence and rest. Let's leave him alone with this ungrateful child to take care of him. Then, we'll hear the full story from her," The great master ordered as he passed by her, sniffing and feeling annoyed.

"Thank you master!" She bowed multiple times as they all left the night chambers.

Jaelin sighed deeply, knowing she was in a huge trouble after escaping her room first, and by spilling some tea while she should have stayed quiet.

The room was cold and a bit dark because of the dark purpled curtains and the dim lights hanging magically in the air. Jaelin was powerless, so, her body couldn't adjust its temperature to the room and felt cold. She decided to roam around to see what it was like to be in the night chambers of the night leader. He was so tidy and so organized. Everything seemed to be in its right place as some things were decorated and displayed magically.

"It's beautiful," She whispered, mesmerizing the ceiling. It was a display for the night sky, stars shining and meteors passing by. It was so attracting and got a strong vibe just like gravity. As she kept staring and drowning in the scenery of the ceiling, Ixin woke up, sitting in his place and gazed at Jaelin.

"What are you doing here?" He questioned as she was caught off guards and turned to look at him.

"Oh. Um. Are you feeling better? You need to get more rest!" Knight Su hurried to lay him down as he was so tired to deal with her.

"You didn't answer me," He spelled quietly as she was sitting by his bed side.

"I am here to take care of you. I feel responsible since all this is caused by me. So, I'm here to help you recover just as you helped me," She replied quietly as well, looked down then at him who was speechless for a while.

"Aren't you supposed to be locked in the room? Has Jin been deceived by you so easily?" He claimed arrogantly as she got irritated.

"Huh! I guess I made a wrong decision to come here, feeling responsible for you!" Jaelin stood up angrily as he chuckled. Aria was there hiding and eavesdropping on their conversation as he sensed her presence. "You know what! If it wasn't for you punishing me and taking off..." As Jaelin was about to continue, he stopped her.

"Who's there?" He shouted with a deep voice. The fire girl understood nothing. "I said who's there? Get out!" He screamed higher while she was confused. At that time, Aria showed up at the room's entrance, smiling in fear.

"You! What are you doing here?" Jaelin shouted surprisingly as Aria glared at her fiercely.

"I was afraid you'd do something bad to my idol! You are the reason why he's hurt and you didn't reply me earlier! How did you turn him to become in such a weak state!" The little girl shouted at her when she was entering the room.

"You are not supposed to be here in the first place! And stop nosing in what doesn't concern you!" The knight got angry as Ixin sighed.

"Who are you, young lady?" He questioned to stop them from arguing.

"I'm Aria! A strong light guardian! I'm pleased to meet you, night leader, Ixin!" She bowed happily as he was lying his back against the pillows put behind.

"How do you know her?" He inquired, referring to Jaelin with his eyes.

"Well, she should tell you! She's ungrateful! I wish I didn't help her," Aria pouted as she claimed with an irritated tone.

"Ungrateful!? Have you asked for help and I didn't offer it?" Jaelin started to feel irritated and tried to calm down not to put herself in more troubles.

"I saved the villain who made my idol so weak and sick on bed here! I should've let you rot in that close room!" The little lady attacked Jaelin who got furious and was holding back. Her face expressions had changed as her cheeks got redder.

"So, you're the one who got her out of that protected space. Jin won't be happy about it if he knows it was you," The demon calmly explained as he eyed knight Su with satisfactory looks. It was his pleasure seeing her in all kinds of states.

"Huh! Master Jin was the one punishing her? And creating that protected space?" Aria was terrified because she knew she would be punished for doing such things as going against the masters orders.

"But, she's a knight, why couldn't she break it?" She questioned in confusion. "Why did you trap me to break it for you! And you taught me the breaking spell! You cheated me from the first!" Shouted the little fire lady as Ixin chuckled sarcastically. Jaelin was so silent. The calm before the storm, was about to explode in her face. However, she remembered what had been training for with Sinian and didn't wanna lose it. She just smiled, giving Aria fixed cold looks then passed by her to leave.

"Aren't you here to serve me? Why are you running away from your responsibility?" He playfully provoked as she froze in her place, right at the rounded door.

"I am not running away and I'm here to take care of you as a payback not to serve you. Otherwise, if you want that, your fan is here to do so," She smirked leaving the girl on fire as Ixin laughed a bit for her response with pleasure.

"You!" Aria was about to follow her and make a whole fuss, but she was stopped by Ixin. "What's her story, night leader? She is full of vanity!"

"Don't mind her. She is going through a lot ever since I punished her. She has to know her place first, before going to her lands as a knight," He expressed as she was shocked.

"Is she the one whom you've punished after that incident of the Peace Era day?" Aria questioned as he nodded.

"I want you to go back to your practice or else your master will be angry. If you find her on the way, call her for me. Otherwise, don't argue with her again. She's your senior after all," He advised gently since he regarded her as a young girl who's yet learning to control her ability.

"Can I visit you often? I really look up to you in everything! Please, don't reject my request," Aria begged then bowed while he sighed shortly then agreed.

At that time, Sinian was still waiting for Jaelin to go back to the secret garden. He tried to relax and practice on his calmness. He had the ability to sense someone's presence and had learnt this from his elder brother. He had always wanted to become as great as him. However, they were of different in almost everything.