I watched as the trees, through where I was passing by, swayed and made whispering sounds that traveled through my ears…

The High Council summoned me this morning.

I could almost feel my blood rising when I was disturbed from my sleep… well, our sleep… They said it was urgent. I whispered some curses and sat up. I stood up from my side of the bed. I turned to look at the woman I was sleeping with a while ago.

Fortunately, she didn't wake up. She must have woke up last night to check on me… and thanks to that my fever is gone. I think she felt my gone presence, for she slowly curled up herself. It must have been cold. It was just five in the morning.

I sighed. I wanted to sleep more, stay with her and watch her sleep… but I also have to do my work… Why must they summon me in a Thursday morning?!

I hope she will not be mad if she wakes up without me on the bed or worse… without the temple's premises.

I turned around and looked around the room. It's all clean now… thanks to her. The room is wide… The bed is attached to the wall and thirty inches away from the sidewall. The cabinet is on the opposite side; beside it is the door for the bathroom, next to that is a small chair where my towel is placed and a medium sized round table on the middle.

I looked down on my clothes. I was wearing white sleeveless and loose black pants. I sighed and took a bath.

I got around the temple and was in my usual robe. Monks greeted me here and there… not exactly greet… maybe more of a bow and good mornings then they leave…

I found my way to the entrance to the temple. I saw the second highest monk, which is an old man, and he nodded at me. I approached him.

"Tell them not to tell her of my location. I am just on a walk. Clear?" I commanded and the old man nodded. I walked pass by him and walked down the steps of the cement stairs.

~~~~~

There was a blonde man standing beside a sakura tree… He has his eyes close and he seems to waiting for something or someone.

"Help me." A voice whispered.

He opens his eyes… violet gaze stumbled through a silhouette figure. He seems to be smiling at the woman and she smiles back at him.

His eyes show longing for the woman in front of him… It seems the man has fallen for the silhouette figure.

"Aaagh." I breathed in as I sat up from my bed. I blinked and my breathing seemed too hard and fast. I looked around. It was definitely not my room. It's definitely not mine. I looked down. 'Definitely' not my bed.

Then a flash of picture entered my mind. I looked at my side and there was nothing. I stood up from the bed and walked outside the room. As I close the door, I look from my right to left… making sure that no one sees me… Man, how big an issue it will be if they find me lurking on the cave of wonders…

I took my right path that, from my memory, leads to the great hall.

I walked and found no one by the hall.

I'm now standing at the great hall, but no one seems to be around at the moment. I walked towards the entrance of the temple. There were a couple of monks outside and a very familiar face welcomed me with a smile.

"Zeon!"  Cheerfully greeted and he smiled at me.

"Hello. You seem to be looking for something." He stated and I nodded.

"Have you seen Sanzo?" I asked and he shook his head, understandably, saying no.

"Oh." A large package seemed to be thrown at my back.

"Come and join us." He gleefully said.

"What are you doing?" I asked, as I looked at his back and saw some monks sitting on the ground with their eyes closed and the Buddha sit.

"We're meditating. Come," He offers me a hand. "it will help you to concentrate and force out your ki." I raised a brow.

"Ki??"

"Yes. It's your inner strength and… umm…" He animatedly smiled as he scratched the back of his head. "I really don't know…" He offered me his hand again and I took it.

"Sure, why not…?"

~~~~~

The day swiftly passed by and there was still no sign of him.

I'm currently standing beside the sakura tree… my eyes closed and savoring the scent of the fresh wind that blows through my face and my long black wavy hair.

Suddenly, a picture of a blonde man and a silhouette figure appeared from the back of my mind. I opened my eyes and the image quickly disappeared. I blinked. What the hell was that? I asked myself. I looked around and no one was around.

I sighed and walked my way to my room.

~~~~~

I woke up the next day and went wondering through the temple's ground. I still didn't find him… I even asked Zeon and he said he hasn't seen his either.

My worries grew as times passed by and no one seems to be paying attention that he was missing.

At lunch, they called me to eat but I just smiled at them and sat on the last step of the stairs. I'm waiting for you. I whispered as the winds blew… I was hoping they would deliver the message to him… wherever he may be…

Days passed by or to be exact four days… He hasn't showed up yet… I slept all by myself every night… well, if you call closed eyes and mind traveling…

I grew suspicious, as it has been a week since he left. I know I was the only one who doesn't know anything about his where abouts. Everyone is calm and smiling while me… I'm get a white hair every hour.

I'm not whining about anything… it's just that… I live here to don't I? I'm supposed to know something too right??? A-and they see how worried I am…

It was a thursday night that I decided that I have the right to know. I looked for Zoen and I found him just a hall before my room.

"Zoen?" He turned around to face me.

"Hmm?"

"Where's Sanzo?" I commanded him to tell me with my voice.

"I don't know." He answered coolly.

"I do have a right to know."

"I really don't know. Believe me."

"How should I believe you when I can see right through your eyes that your lying?"

He chuckled. "You're a very interesting woman."

"I know."

"He was called by the High Council last thursday."

"Why didn't anybody tell me???"

"Sanzo-sama told us not to tell you."

"Oh." I was glad to know that he was okay… I was sad to know that he left… I'm mad to know that he wanted it to be a secret and kill me with worrying!!!

"Don't tell him that I told you okay? He'll surely kill me."

I smiled at him and he turned to leave. I bowed my head and sighed. I walked towards my room and sat at the bed. I lay down and closed my eyes. I stayed like that for nearly an hour. My mind was blank… I didn't know what to think of…

I couldn't sleep… I stood up from the bed and went out of my room. I looked from my left top to right and tiptoed towards the next room. I slid the door open and slide it close. I walked towards the bed and lay down on it… Sanzo… I fell asleep…

~~~~~

Fire.

It sputtered in the oil lamps that hung distant and solitary in the windows and entryways of her people's homes. It spat and hissed as it licked at the pitch-coated torches bracketing road intersections and gates. It glowed through breaks in the leafy branches of the ancient oak and hickory where glassed lanterns lined the treelanes. Bits and pieces of flickering light, the flames were like tiny creatures that the night threatened to search out and consume.

Fire.

It glowed redly out of nowhere, where clouds of black smoke came there and there and there. For weeks now, the rumbling had sounded from deep within the earth, dissatisfied, purposeful, a building up of pressure that would eventually demand release.

Fire.

A young woman watched it spread throughout the continent from the edge of the terrace of a castle. She was holding a staff with a blue oval stone embedded on top of it. She gripped it tightly on her hands and placed it on top of her heart. She bowed and placed her forehead on top of the staff.

Soon, a whispering voice could be heard from her. She was saying weird languages that sounded like 'kiblu mayana kilefu griana plafei teristru'. She kept on repeating these words and then...

She lifted her head slowly... dropping the staff, which no longer holds the blue stone…

Fire.

"I am…" She whispered as she glared at the blistering fire. "Aqkie Affaun. Ruler of the water, wind and sky." She declared. Immediately, a gush of water with wind surrounded her in a whirl. She slowly disappeared and without a trace, a softly trace of wind whispered…

"I will be back…"

"Aaagh." I breathed in as I woke up from the dreadful dream. I sat up and blinked.

"What happened?" a voice asked.

There was this blonde man facing me. His body was on my left side, one arm at my right and one at my left.