Author note: Hah, I'm beaten. This last few weeks had been a torture as I couldn't write due to my computer broken down. What most fightened me is that all story was save inside the computer. Thank goodness that it was okay for a while just so that I could transfer all my previous document on my USB. Now, I'm using my mother computer. I need to work part time in order to buy a new one. T^T
Well, enough of that. Due for my lateness of posting, I have decided to post two chapter in a row (Yeah!). After all, chapter 9 and chapter 10 are part of The Fateful Memories chapter. Just to clear it out. In this fanfiction, I will not touch about reincarnation or rebirth or what so ever. In this story, Magi is also a human that can give birth and also died. The previous Magi are not linked with the new one.
Also, there will be a bit of confusion in chapter 9 and 10 as there will be many Xue Feng. If you found 'she' or 'her', its refer to the 'Voice' that always talked to Xue Feng.
So, with no futher...Read & Comment ^_^
Chapter 9: The Fateful Memories (Part 2)
"My father!" For the first time, Kouen lost control of his voice. He couldn't contain his feeling of surprise and shock of his father involvement in Xue Feng's past. Although he suspected that his father may had hidden agenda but he never guessed that his father had any knowledge about magic. He never seen his father had any interest or ability in magic before.
"My father is not a magician! If he really is, then Gyokuen could have sensed it already. She was a powerful magician as well." Kouen stated as he looked at Xue Feng; trying to gain answer from her. However, he was still unsure with this statement. There were many things that he learned from his father today; neither of them he had known before.
"Correct...your highness..." Xue Feng said meekly. Her eyes shook in fear.
"What's wrong?" Kouen asked as he turned to her who was hiding behind a tree. He didn't even know where the tree came from.
"Your presence intimidates me, your highness..." Xue Feng said, now wearing a gloomy gray coloured robe. Her right side face was hidden by her hair. Her face looked paled and sickly.
'She changes her personality again. Is this place where her inner emotion resides?' Kouen guessed in his heart. However, he had a more pressing matter to ask. "Then who exactly is he? My father maybe a wise politician and military tactician but his martial art skill was just above average. Not only that, it was proven that he couldn't use magical items or tools. How could he use that magical ring of yours to capture that being you called 'Devil'?"
"Well..." Xue Feng still hid behind the tree. "Do you know anything about a Seer, your highness?"
'A Seer?' Kouen's eyes widened. "A low ranked magician who can only see rukh without being able to manipulate them. Some of them are called Witchdoctor; some are working as fortune teller. Are you saying that my father is a Seer?"
"Yes, your highness. Although a Seer only have the ability to see rukh without being able to do any magic but we can used it with the help of magical item. However, in order to prevent Gyokuen from knowing about your father identity, Queen Mother Jayathri's magician put a spell binder on his body to prevent him from being able to use his magoi." Xue Feng's explained.
"The late Queen Mother was also a part of this group yours?" Kouen asked. Just how many secret that his father had hide from him?
Xue Feng nodded slowly. "His majesty had many secret associates outside Kou kingdom. He obtained it during his travel time after your mother died your highness."
Kouen frowned at the mention of that. He remembered how he thought that his father's travelling was only an excuse to drown in sorrow. 'So father was actually...but why would he hid something like this?'
"What exactly this group yours? For what reason are you fighting for? Who founded it? Was it my father? Why did he called you the Sonstress of Snow Pheonix?" he asked.
"It will be easier to answer your question with this memory..." Xue Feng answered meekly as she raised her hands which then glow before it lightened throughout the dark space.
-X-
Xue Feng opened her eyes, only to found she was laid on her stomach in a bed made of stones. There two people were tending her wound; applying some kind of green lotion made up from herb as they bandage her back body.
"ARGGGHHHH!" Xue Feng screamed. "Who are you? What are you going to do with me?" She asked frantically towards the two strangers who had brown skin. From what she knew, their appearances matched with the description of Shimla people.
"You're awake and able to shout. I think that is a sign that your energy had come back to you." A voice welcomed Xue Feng as she saw Koutoku stood in front of her bed.
"Lord Koutoku..." Xue Feng was surprised to see his presence. She wondered why would the Emperor Hakutoku's brother want with her? Then, all of her memories came back. She remembered how she was injured in the fire incident. How she was told that her fiancé was death from that fire and Koutoku became the new emperor replacing his death brother. How she was left in the jungle to die by her own relatives. How Koutoku came and save her.
"Are you acting as requested by the Empress, your majesty?" Xue Feng asked in distrust.
Koutoku gave signaled towards the two Shimla people to leave them alone. The two Shimla healer left after they covered Xue Feng body with thick blanket.
"You would already die if the empress knows about you. Why would she let go someone who knew the truth about the fire incident? Why would she let go you who know that it wasn't Go or Gai rebels that attacked the palace but it was her herself instructed it." Koutoku stated.
"Why? Why did you save me?" Xue Feng asked.
"Why do you think actually?" Koutoku asked back.
Xue Feng looked at him distrusting. "You said it that it before, she would killed anyone who knew the truth about the fire. You know and yet you're able to become the emperor. So, you must be collaborating with her but it that true then you wouldn't save me. I think that you have another plan."
Koutoku smirked as he clapped his hand a few time. "Very good. From the day that I saw you at the palace, I knew that you're more than just a meekly noble girl. You are perceptive and cognitive as well."
"Do you the real identity of Gyokuen and her magicians?"
Xue Feng shook her head.
"They are from a group call Al-Thamen which existed from one thousand years ago. They only have one purpose only, to taint the world with darkness by using hatred and despair. In order to achieve that goal, they infiltrated the government in various countries in order to control and manipulated them. Kou isn't an exception on this." Koutoku explained.
"Impossible." Xue Feng found it hard to believe that absurd conspiracy story.
"You have witness it yourself at the Golden banquet." Koutoku calmly answered.
"Even if it true then why did Gyokuen decide to kill her own sons and husband? Wasn't it easier to control your own family...?" Xue Feng gasped in realization. "Don't tell me that Emperor Hakutoku and the two princes found out about Al-Thamen involvement in the Kou kingdom?"
"Correct. That is the reason why they had to be eliminated." Koutoku said with a bitter tone. His face was saddened with the thought of his brother and nephew demise.
"Then what about you? How come you know a lot about Al-Thamen?" Xue Feng asked again.
Koutoku felt silent for a moment before he inhaled deeply. He started his story with a solemn tone. "About nine years ago, after my wife passing, I decided to travel to heal my sadness. During my journey to the north land, I encountered a group of people who were bending in protecting the world from Al-Thamen. This group operates in secret as they fear of Al-Thamen's attack. Al-Thamen had history of destroying every trace of their existence in the world history. However, this group was able to save all the stories about Al-Thamen to pass it on to their future generation. After knowing the truth, I decided to join this group."
"Does that group have a name?" Xue Feng asked.
Koutoku smiled. "Unlike Al-Thamen, we were called by many names. Not only because of our modus operation, is which to fight Al-Thamen in secrecy, but also because we are formed by people from different race and country. We decided to cooperate unbound by our national borders. For now, let just call it 'The Nameless'."
Xue Feng's face hardened. All of this information that she just found out was too absurd for her to handle. She knew that Koutoku and the Nameless wanted something from her. Otherwise, they wouldn't save her and treated her. However, what exactly did they wished to obtain from her? She didn't have anything valuable to give anymore except…
Xue Feng raised her right hand. A blue Sapphire ring with the figure of a phoenix rested on her ring finger. She finally remembered about the voice that was calling for her from inside of her. Her eyes were shaken as she panicked.
"THE VOICE! THERE IS A VOICE INSIDE OF ME!" Xue Feng screamed almost hysterically. She tried to move however her body was too weak to move.
Koutoku hold her shoulder. "Careful, Xue Feng. Your emotions are the trigger for 'she' to control your body." He called the Shimla healer to use their magic to calm Xue Feng down.
"Who is she?" Xue Feng asked as she started to calm down. "How can another creature be inside of me?"
"You're at the brink of death. The one that reside inside of you is the sole reason that you are still alive." Koutoku explained. "We have been looking all over for you. You're the last heir of Snow Phoenix clan.
"The Snow Phoenix clan?"
Koutoku nodded his head. "Before the time of the Kouga clan ruled Tenzan midland, the land was divided by many tribal clans. One of them was the Snow Phoenix clan. They are actually a Seer clan with ability to see rukh. Although unlike magician, they weren't able to use rukh to their benefit. However, Snow Phoenix clan was gifted with other ability which is able to purify the darkness inside rukh by singing to them."
"Purify dark rukh by singing? Are you crazy?" Xue Feng retorted.
"Don't you see? Don't you remember every time you sing, the world just seem to sing along with you."
Xue Feng eyes were shaken with realization. She suddenly remembered during the multiple times she sang. Ever since she was a child, she found passion in singing. She loved how the world seems to be more peaceful as she sang. There were various occasion that her singing helped people to let go of their anger and sadness. Is that the power that Koutoku was talking about?
"During the war of the tribe, Snow Phoenix clan was unable to survive and extinct. However, it is said that the last descendant of Snow Phoenix clan remain. No one would think that would be your great grandmother on your mother side, Xue Feng."
"If that's true than the Empress would have found out during the time I was in the palace." Xue Feng stated, not fully believed the new Kou emperor's words.
"You gift will only manifested when you reached the age of fifteen. Thank goodness that before your gift awaken, the fire incident occur…"
"Are you saying that it's a good thing that many people were massacre at that time?!" Xue Feng sharply cut Koutoku's words.
The new Kou emperor just exhaled deeply. "Everything happens for a reason, Xue Feng. And just because they were dead, doesn't mean they just ceased to exist. They are here with us. You can see it too now." He stated as he raised his right hand to the air. Xue Feng's eyes widen when she saw swarm of butterfly glow in white light circled across Koutoku.
One of the glowing butterfly touched Xue Feng's cheek. "This is…"
"Rukh…soul of the dead. The spirits of those who live before us." Koutoku stated as the swarm of butterfly shone in a brighter light.
-X-
"What exactly is that 'Devil' or 'Voice'?" Kouen asked after he was transported back to the dark infinite space.
"Huh?" Xue Feng tinted her head a bit while looking at Kouen in confusion. Kouen exhaled as he looked at Xue Feng who had also changed clothes. This time, she was wearing a pink lotus robe with emerald green slash tied in her waist. Her hair was tied in braid, making her looked innocent and child-like.
"Ahh...that...she maybe selfish, cruel and evil but she was not that bad." Xue Feng answered as she laughed gleefully.
'Don't tell me that now her personalities are silly and immature?' Kouen stated in his heart as he tried not to look annoyed.
Xue Feng sighed as she played with her hair. "Your father and the late Queen Mother Jayathri had always been cryptic about 'her' identity. Even though 'she' talked to from time to time, I could not even guess who she is. 'She' is also adamant about keeping her identity a secret. I believe it was because they fear that the Empress will know about 'her'. The only thing I know that 'she' was a magician with a powerful magoi. 'Her' magoi level could rival a Magi." Xue Feng explained as she smiled continuously.
'She has magoi that could rival a Magi? Does it mean that 'she' was also a Magi?' Kouen thought.
"Aah…" Xue Feng raised her index figure as she remembered something. "Shishou had told also that 'she' was used to be trapped in this Sapphire stone." she stated as she showed her right ring finger. "Seriously I don't know how 'she' can survive inside this stone for so long. From what I knew 'she' was entrapped in here for the one thousand years! The stone passed through many owners until the last one was Sage…"
"Sage?"
"The previous East Magi before Judar who was killed by Al-Thamen!" Xue Feng stated as she raised both of her hands.
Kouen widen his eyes. For years he had been trying to find information about the previous Magi before Judar. However, every scripture or books about her had vanished from the world. He bet that Al-Thamen had everything to do with that.
"Sage was unlike any other Magi. The Reim's Magi devoted herself to the Reim Empire while the Wandering Magi always trying to find a suitable king candidate for dungeons as he wandered around the world. However, Sage had a vision to not only produce a great king but also to resolve conflict from this world. It was from Sage that your father learned about Magi and rukh. To tell you the truth, Sage was also the previous leader of Nameless. Just like her predecessor, she was tasked to guard the Sapphire stone. For years, Sage had been keeping it safe until...Al-Thamen attacked her village."
Xue Feng inhaled for a while before she continued her story. "Al-Thamen took advantage of the people safety to weaken her and thus she was exhausted as she save her people. In the end, she met her end. However, before she died, she gave your father the Sapphire stones and tasked him to find the last Snow Phoenix clan. For some reason, the 'Voice' had been looking for a Seer gifted with the ability to purify rukh by singing. I guess it because she wishes to find a suitable body for her to control. As you can conclude, I was used by the Nameless as a container."
"Why? Isn't the Voice dangerous and evil?"
"I told you 'she' isn't evil. Well just a tiny bit evil." Xue Feng laughed for a while. "It just that 'she' is unpredictable thus is very difficult to control. However, 'she' also had one goal which aligned with the Nameless mission; 'she' wants to destroy Gyokuen, the leader of Al-Thamen. 'Her' power is asset that is too good to be left alone. So, shishou decided to tricked 'her' by making a deal with her that if 'she' was able to corrupt you rukh then 'she' is free to do as she will. But if 'she' fails, 'she' shall do our bidding. The promise was spell bound using the stone as her entrapment. And also the Shimla magician forged the stone into a ring so that the promise was forever bind so long as the ring remains intact."
Xue Feng hopped around, as if she was hopping on stones in the river. A few moments latter she stopped hopping, as she spanned around to face Kouen. "With that in mind, I train and train to be able to use 'her' magoi without 'her 'manipulation. However, 'she' was always able to corrupt me. So, I decided that I need to asked shishou to become my master in order to learn how to control her."
-X-
Xue Feng walked through Kou's imperial palace. She was wearing the same garment as Judar's priestess to disguise herself. She had already gotten used of covering her scarred lower face with organza veil. After a month she received basic treatment in the Xue Mountain, she was already healed and was asked to come to the Kou palace by Koutoku.
'Asking me to come here without any other instruction...what exactly does his majesty thinking?' Xue Feng's complained in her heart. No word could describe how frightened she felt when she almost met Gyokuen as she went to the palace's garden. Thank goodness that the empress didn't dictate any suspicious from her.
Xue Feng hurried to go to Koutoku's royal chamber. As she went inside Koutoku's royal chamber, she found Koutoku was sipping tea calmly.
"Why in the world that you ask me to come here? Don't you know how hard for to come here while trying to avoid your wife?" Xue Feng asked, without caring to be polite towards the Kou's second emperor.
"But you're still able to bypass the palace's guards and also concealing your magoi from Gyoukuen's and Judar's magicians." Koutoku answered nonchalantly; didn't feeling hurt over Xue Feng's rude tone.
"Don't tell me...you're testing me?" Xue Feng's widen her eyes in shock.
"I need to know if you could handle the task that I'm about to ask you. Now that I have tested your ability, it's time for you to go to the Cursed Island."
Xue Feng was shocked to hear Koutoku's order. She only knew that the Cursed Island was a non-habitant island as it contain volcano mountain that although didn't remain active but had history of erupting three decades ago. "What do you mean by that?"
"I want you to go the Cursed Island and find the last remaining of Go royalty and kill them." Koutoku answered calmly. His face remained calm and stoic.
"Why...?" Xue Feng stammered, unable to find the right words to speak. How could Koutoku asked her to do something like that? How can he ask her, who was never picking up even a kitchen knife, to murder people?
"Wasn't you the one who want to be my disciple? To learn how to control that thing inside of you so that you can use it power. As a price for that, I want you accomplish this mission. Why are you hesitating? You can't do it? Not even for Hakuren?" Koutoku asked with challenging eyes.
Xue Feng bitted her lips. "Okay, I will do as you wish."
"If you go to the Bo An port, there will be a boat waiting for you. The boat will bring you to the Cursed Island. I want the head of the last heir of Go royalty. Only then I shall teach you how to use 'her' magoi without risking 'her' possessing you."
After receiving Koutoku's instruction, Xue Feng went to the Kou's royal tomb. Even if it was dangerous, she still wished to visit Prince Hakuren's grave. She put a white lotus bud on his grave as she tightened her resolution to avenge his untimely demise.
"Who are you?!" A voice of a girl caused Xue Feng to turn around in surprised. Xue Feng was shocked to see Princess Hakuei in front of her. She took hold of herself and acted as Judar's priestess as she bowed towards Hakuei.
However, Hakuei was not convinced as she asked, "Xue nee-san?" Hakuei could guess even with Xue Feng disguise.
Xue Feng sighed. If she kept denying, Hakuei could make more fuss about it. Luckily, the princess didn't come with any court ladies. Maybe she wanted privacy while visiting his brother grave. "Hakuei hime..." Xue Feng stated nonchalantly.
"How did you...? You've heal from your injury! I'm sorry for being unable to see you Xue nee. My lady mother..."
Xue Feng snapped at the mention of Gyokuen. "Forgive me, your highness. It's better if you don't address me informally anymore." She cut Hakuei words.
"But Xue nee..."
"Liu Xue Feng is dead from the fire incident. I'm now simply Xue Feng." Xue Feng stated coldly before leaving the graveyards. She believed that Hakuei wouldn't tell anyone about her existence. For now, she had a lot of things she need to do...
-X-
Kouen was transported back to the dark infinite space without any notice. He felt dissatisfied as Xue Feng story was cut short. Why did Xue Feng transported him without finishing all her story?
"Revenge...isn't that the same thing that you wish now, Kouen ouji?" Xue Feng voice echoed through the infinite dark space. Kouen wasn't surprised to see Xue Feng's changed her clothes yet again. This time she was wearing a black midnight robe. Her lips curved a seductive smile.
"To think that that girl would bring your consciousness here, it's mean she was really desperate." The black Xue Feng stated as she grinned evilly.
"Are you the 'Devil'?" Kouen guessed.
The black Xue Feng laughed evilly. "She still called me that? Oh well, that ungrateful girl, even after what I did to protect her life she still didn't appreciate anything..."
"Who exactly are you?" Kouen asked solemnly.
-X-
Chapter 10: The Fateful Memories (Part 3-Final)
"The full moon has occurred and yet Kouen ouji is still not regain his consciousness."
"Promise is a promise, right Mei nii-sama?" Kouha stated as he eyed towards Fang with murderous intent.
For the first time, Koumei bitted his lower lips. He never felt so indecisive in carrying punishing those who broke their promise with him before. However, why did he hesitate to do the same thing to Mei Hua?
"Mei nii-sama!"
"I..."
