Chapter 19: Distraction

After the blinding light, a slight image of a little girl showed in front of me, she held a stone, quite similar to the one I'm holding and it glowed brightly in her fair palm.

Her big brown eyes stared in admiration while her lips curled into a tiny smirk, she squeezed the stone hard and before I could see what happened next, a heavy pang shot through my brain and the stone dropped from my hands making the image vanish before me.

Those noises I heard when I tried waking up in the cave resounded in my ears, it sounded more like a chant and I suddenly felt dazed, already slumping to my knees but fell in the arms of someone who caught me on time.

"Shanxia." he called softly while tapping my cheeks to revive me and when my eyes finally found the strength to open up, I could see palace guards at the scene as they fought bravely against the beast, I averted my gaze locking eyes with my master who still held me close _ gazing at me like I was some precious jewel he couldn't afford to loose.

"Are you alright?" he asked and I gave a reassuring nod in response, he helped me up to my feet and I stared drastically at the stone laying on the ground, whose vision could I have possibly seen? Lord Qui picked the stone and tossed it into the air sending a white dazzling light after it.

*BOOM!!*

The stone exploded into tiny dust before deteriorating, the beasts gave out an awful loud shriek and slowly turned into dust as well, the palace guards already had the maiden and the middle aged man tied up and I realized they do not sense our prescence, did Lord Qui make that happen?

"We should go." he whispered, holding my hand in his and within seconds, we were out of sight and I found myself back in the room, my legs grew weak and my master had to support me by helping me sit on the bed.

"Try to relax." he allayed me and I met his gaze.

"I...I saw something while holding that stone." I told him and his expression changed slightly at my words.

"What did you see?"

"A little girl." I poured out immediately trying to remember what I had seen. "She held a stone quite similar to the demonic stone and....." the recollection was fading and I closed my eyes tight trying to get them back but he snapped a finger at my face drawing my attention back to him.

"Stop recalling." his words caught me off guard and his tone sounded a lot more serious than usual.

"But it seems like it had something to do with my memory, I want to recall everything, I want to remember my past." I ventured and he got to his feet, something odd flashed in his eyes and I wondered what it meant.

"Lord Qui" I also got to my feet. "You were my master, I'm sure you can tell me about my past, it's hard to recollect the vision I saw but you can tell me can't you?"

He sighed pinching in between his brows and avoided looking straight at me.

"Some thing's are better forgotten Shanxia, don't bother remembering it."

"Why would you say that?"

"You can't force the word out of me so forget it." his tone was final and I wondered why he was so reluctant on telling me but I pushed on.

"Why can't I remember my past, what happened to me before I went into a coma?" I questioned and he turned away from me. I walked up to his front staring into his eyes, he has no choice but to answer me.

"I need an answer, there must be a reason why I can't recall my memories, tell me what it is." I demanded which was of course wrong of me but he wasn't upset about my change of tone and still had that uneasy look in his eyes.

"Just forget it, I'm saying this for your own good."

"If you don't tell me, I'll look for ways to recall back my memory cause I have a right to those memories."

"But what if those rights make's you lose your life in the process."

"What?" his words trailed away my thoughts and I was gazing blankly at him, he sat on the bed staring absent mindedly at the ground.

"If you want to live, then stop trying to recall your past memories." he uttered and his words still left me befuddled.

"I don't understand."

He took a deep breath and finally turned his gaze at my direction. "You aren't allowed to recall your past memories else you'll lose your life."

"Why?!"

"You....listen there are things that happened and it resulted to you ending up in a coma, it's your punishment from the spiritual realm." he explained and his words left me dumbfounded, punishment?! I'm being punished?!

"What for?!"

"The fact you don't remember exactly why you're being punished is your punishment." he added. "But your life was spared which makes it a good thing, it doesn't matter if you don't remember, it's not worth it anyway cause it'll only bring back painful memories, just forget it."

He consoled me but I was still stricken by all I've just heard, I'm being punished?? Those were the words that kept ringing in my head.

"Shanxia." he tried to talk to me but I took a step back from him which he understood immediately, I needed time to swallow all I've just heard but I wouldn't be able to do that here.

After we got a thank you from the emperor and his subjects, we left on our flying sword, the emperor wanted to hold a celebration for us but we had to get going and couldn't spend anymore time in Western village.

We got back to Mount Xuandu at noon and I didn't even turn to say goodnight to my master as I slowly headed back to my room, I knew he had his gaze on me but I was absent minded to pay attention.

I got to my room and closed the door shut, walking aimlessly to my bed and laid flat on it, I remembered the stares I got from people when I first showed up at Mount Xuandu, no wonder they gazed at me with such foul expression and I don't have any words to use to blame them for it since I realized I just deserved it.

I was brought out of my thinking when a knock came in, I sat upright and although reluctant, I had to go open the door. My master stood at the entrance and I didn't even realize it was dark already, I met his gaze and he slowly brought his hands to my cheek wiping off the tears I hadn't realized had dropped from my eyes.

"You're here."

"I Know it's a lot to take in, but you have to forget."

"How do expect me to do that?!" I sobbed and he wiped the tears that was about to drop once more, he added warmly.

"I could be of help if distraction is what you seek." something glimmered in his eyes and I really wanted to forget about the pain I was feeling right now.

"I'm in need of a distraction but what could you possibly do to distract...."

I wasn't even done completing my statement when his lips found mine and my eyes dilated into an astonished look, he pulled me away from the door, closing it behind him while my feet's were being moved back till I got stopped by the wall, was I imagining this?!

He parted my lips with his while I remained absent minded and when his tongue slid in, an unfamiliar wave of heat scorched through me, closing my eyes tight as his tongue got tangled with mine for the most pleasurable kiss ever, my heart leaped and I pulled him back a bit making him stare at me, I didn't need any mirror to know my cheeks were flushed red.

"What are you doing?" I asked wondering if I was being mistaken for someone else but his gaze remained warm and burned onto mine, he traced his fingers along the corner of my lips and I felt my lips part on their own will, he smirked.

"Giving you the distraction you seek."