Chapter 62------The 'Dreaded' Birthday Party

Fuelled by indignation, Mai began her training which took her through countless number of sunrises. She pulled through hours upon hours of focused training and skills revision, not caring if her every muscle was overstretched or how listless she felt. She had too much to risk if she gave up now. She had something to prove, something to lose and something to gain from all of it. The satisfaction was too sweet to resist; the promise of pride, freedom and revenge.

Yet she kept such sinful desires a secret, hidden behind a masquerade of affable facial expressions, sarcasm, laughs; her usual self so to speak. Everyone took it as the calm after the storm, the really-I'm-okay after a terrible break-up. But no one really knew what was brewing inside the girl.

She'd show them, she'd show ALL of them…

Mai patted back a yawn as she stood beside the rest. 'They' had been shopping for almost 5 hours and how ironic that 'they' were worse than girls when it came to choosing the right gift. "For Pete's sake, just get the guy a wallet!"

"A wallet? For a 21 year old?" Tyson peered over the collection of watches.

"You're a GUY! What do YOU like?" The girl was frustrated and hungry, not to mention tired…and all three summed up to one cranky girl if they didn't get home soon.

"I'd like a car when I reach 21," Max beamed.

Mai left the boys to squabble over the choice of gift while her thoughts drifted to the European tournament happening next week. She still had a long way more to go in her training, she wondered if she'd be ready by then. 'Lev still hasn't perfected that move yet. And…there's a high chance he'll be there.'

Perhaps her chance for revenge came too soon? She wasn't ready. Then again she wasn't going to act the part of the disconsolate lovelorn girl in front of Riya, she'd rather bury herself six feet under. By hook or by crook, she had to be ready to face him. Even if the love still lingered, of which she hoped to erase completely by then, she was going to put up a brave front. It hurt too much to cry over such a trivial thing.

'A trivial thing huh?' She wondered how true that was.

-Fast forward-

"Attention please, flight JL216 from Tokyo to Berlin has just landed. Passengers please collect your baggage at belt 10. Thank you."

Mai wrapped her scarf tightly around her neck. And to think the aeroplane was cold, the airport was worse! The group hurried along the carpeted walkways and passed through immigration smoothly. From the arrival hall, they could see tons of fans spilling over the barricades that were put up. The Bladebreakers weren't the only ones arriving today. Mai had spotted a few familiar faces from the Asian tournament, including her nemesis: the Saint Shields. She was told that they had saved her life once, but that didn't make up for the fact that they were one of the few people who knew her secret and were trying to stop her from resurrecting Eden.

'Cheh, they should be stopping Riya, not me…' Mai put on her shades in case one of them spotted her. Things wouldn't be pretty if they did…

The girl could hear the screaming coming from outside. Every time the glass doors slid open, high-pitched voices would fill her ears. It was like an irritating musical box: open, scream! Close, silence.

Stepping through glass doors and being swarmed by fans becomes a norm when you're popular. Sometimes you get people touching you— Mai disliked like that the most— other times it's signing of autographs, pictures with the fans etc. It was no different no matter where you went. You either get bored of it or bear with it, all with a smile of course.

Finally, they made it out of Flughafen Berlin Airport. Mai sunk into the car seat, placing the bouquet of flowers at her feet. Max slid into the seat beside her, lugging a very huge teddy bear which pressed against his face. They were headed for Estrel Hotel and Convention Centre, and then to register for the tournament and later in the evening, attend some guy called Robert's birthday. It was a tight schedule, one that Mai wasn't looking forward to. Traversing the world was fun and all but sometimes she just wished she could stay home. She missed her village; she missed lying down in the field of rape blossoms, dipping her feet in the nearby river…

But all that would never come back now would it? It was all gone, turned to dust and scattered by the wind; just like her past.

Mai sniffed a little and pinched her nose.

"What's wrong?"

She quickly shook her head, forcing herself to stare out the window.

The group arrived at the weirdly shaped hotel. Its main building was triangular and faceted with glass which reflected the marine blue sky. A dozen flag poles lined the driveway as the taxis pulled up to the front of the lobby. The waiting lounge was classy: speckled-red marble with wide cream-coloured armchairs arranged in little pairs. Mai was busy playing with the game on her mobile when Kai came over to hand out the room keys. Mai was surprised when she got her own, "Eh? Watashi dake? (For me?)"

The Russian gave her a look that said what-do-you-think and walked away. Mai looked down at the golden key in her palm; she never had a room to herself before. What happened to 'it's for your protection'? Maybe Kai thought it wasn't necessary anymore? Maybe he finally understood that she could take care of herself? Nonetheless, the corner of her lips curled. She had a room all to herself!

Mai opened the door to pastel yellow walls and red carpeted flooring. To her right, was a queen-sized bed and on the dressing table was a vase filled with fresh flowers. The girl dropped her bags and bounced on the bed. It was so huge! And she had it all to herself! She smiled and rolled around, enjoying the feel of the silk comforter against her cheek.

"Like it?"

Mai looked up. She had been too preoccupied with the giant bed that she had forgotten to close the door. "It's huge!" She climbed onto her knees and bounced a bit more. "How's your room?"

"Same as yours but with two single beds," Rei sat down beside her and looked around.

"Hehhh, too bad!" Mai got off the bed and went to have a look at the bathroom.

"Anyway, Mr Dickinson said he would help us register for the tournament, -"That's nice," Mai called from the bathroom- so that we could get some rest before the party tonight."

"Ne Rei," She came out of the bathroom, "kaerimashyo? (Let's go back)"

The boy blinked back at her, suddenly the atmosphere had changed. "Doko he? Hihon? (Where? Japan?)"

Mai sat on the bed staring at the floor. "Chugoku da, (China)" she muttered in a heavy tone. Rei didn't know how to respond, the question had caught him by surprise. What's worse, it seemed as though Mai really meant it. He could sense that something was wrong with the girl. "You…wanna talk about it?"

She smiled normally as if shrugging the whole thing off and faced him, "I'm going for a stroll okay?" Rei watched her leave, his brows knitted with confusion. Mai was behaving strangely today. 'Could it be…?' The boy cringed with disgust.

Mai took her time to explore the hotel. The place that left her speechless was the dining area. It was beautiful! The whole area was situated in a glass house. Natural light filtered through the glass ceiling and sets of tables and chairs dotted the floor. They even had tangerine trees growing indoors! She spotted a couple sipping tea and thought how cosy it would be to dine here tomorrow. 'I wanna try the croissants and oh! I bet they have those marmalade-filled pastries! I heard Germany's famous for that!' She continued walking, enthralled by the sight of—

-Oomph-

"Sorry!" Mai looked up and came face to face with the bluest pair of eyes she had ever seen. It wasn't like hers; his was a piercing ice-blue, one that could penetrate you with just a glance. In contrast, his hair was a flaming deep red with some loose strands falling lazily over his forehead. Mai thought he looked cool although his gaze somehow reminded her of Kai: cold and empty.

The boy stared down at her, then all at once broke into a warm smile, "It's okay." He gave a nod and walked away, his friends trailing behind him. Mai stood there watching him leave. There was something about his cool demeanour that she found attractive. Those blue eyes…It gave her an odd feeling when he looked at her, as though she ought to be afraid of him and yet enthralled at the same time. 'Who is that guy?'

-Fast forward-

"How about this? Or this? Oh! This is one is just gorgeous!" Mariah pulled out every clothes hanger on the rack.

"I told you, Mariah! I already have an outfit!" Mai argued as she dumped the pile of clothes on a nearby chair.

"But it makes you look like a boy!"

"With this hair," Mai tugged at her short strands, "does it look like I have a choice? Besides, I like my outfit. It's English."

"You want to look like a boy?" The pink-haired girl stressed on the word 'boy'.

Mai's temple twitched, would Mariah just quit it with the 'boy' thing? She was a 100 female but that didn't mean she had to flaunt whatever assets she had in a dress and bloody heels! Call her old-fashioned but at least she was modest! "You know Mariah, sometimes you're just soo…" The girl controlled herself and took deep breaths.

"I'm just trying to make you look good," the pinkette held Mai's shoulders. "I'm sure lots of guys will be at the party tonight. This is your chance to get over Riya!"

An image of the boy she bumped into flashed across her mind, 'Yeah right, like he'll be there…' "Thanks but no thanks. You know, I'm feeling a little sick, maybe I'll take nap before we go…"

Mai was relieved when Mariah left the room. She wasn't really sick, but she felt her stomach cave in at the mention of Riya's name. The Zeelan lay face down on the bed, Mariah just HAD to remind her. How nice…

She shifted her head to the side and stared into space. "He'll definitely be there. What am I going to do when I see him? Avoid him? Maybe we'll both pretend like nothing happened…" Mai was getting goose bumps just thinking about it. The thought of seeing Riya again, it was like being forced to relive a painful nightmare. And the more she saw him, the more the memories would just come flooding back.

Mai lay there till her eyes grew heavy. She didn't know how long she had slept until Tyson came knocking at her door. The girl lifted a lazy eye and looked at the clock. She immediately jumped out of bed, "CRAP!"

-Half an hour later…-

Mai slammed the door behind her, "Sorry! I am so terribly sorry!" She placed her palms together as though pleading for their forgiveness. Tyson gave her THE look and she knew they weren't happy. The Zeelan stayed quiet throughout the rest of the journey, making minimal eye contact with the rest of them. Everyone seemed to be irritated with her these days… 'Or perhaps I'm really the one at fault?' The thought made Mai sulk even more.

The group arrived at a huge mansion situated at the foothills. If not for the big white tents, lights and music, Mai thought it looked eerie against the backdrop of the Black Forest. She had heard about the Black Forest, wolves inhabited the place and it was scary enough to wander the woods in pairs even in the day. Not forgetting past tales of witchcraft and spirits… The girl turned her head away, lest she saw something she'd rather not see.

The Bladebreakers walked into the wide tent; the inside was decorated like the ballroom of a hotel with a few dozen tables. There were people everywhere: dressed in formal attire, sipping wine, having a laugh or sampling the wide array at the buffet table. The transition was so surreal, from creepy horror scene to refined tea party. Mai walked behind the boys, looking around in case she managed to spot 'him'.

"TYSON!"

"ROBERT!"

The two boys gave each other a hearty handshake. 'So that's Robert huh?' Mai was looking at a tall boy decked in a black suit. His purple hair was neatly combed back and his eyes slanted at an angle that made him look almost perpetually angry. One by one, the members of her team greeted Robert. Mai stood close to Mariah. She felt out of place, she didn't know anyone here. There were so many… well…men.

"Mariah! How nice to see you again!"

"Enrique," the pinkette acknowledged with a smile, though Mai could hear the disdain in her voice.

"So you've finally let go of Rei and got yourself a new man?" The blond looked in Mai's direction. "Why not come with me instead?" he slurred.

"Right, that's enough wine for you, Enrique," A small boy appeared and took the glass of wine away from him. From his accent, Mai concluded that he was French.

"But Oliver, wine is good! It's always good!" the boy whined.

"My apologies Mademoiselle, Monsieur; my friend is actually lovely but he is a fool at heart."

Mariah laughed, "Mai, I'd like you to meet Oliver. He's with the Majestics, Robert's team." Mai stepped forward and shook the boy's hand, "And, she's a girl." The green-haired boy immediately apologised and bowed his head graciously. Mai could only manage a feeble smile, assuring him that it was really okay.

As if coming to his senses, Enrique jumped in between them and took hold of Mai's hand. "How could I have not recognised a lovely girl such as yourself? I must be going blind." Mai blinked back at him, was he sober?

"Enrique, Enrique Giancarlo. A proud member of the Majestics and," he bent down, kissed her hand and looked up, "extremely pleased to meet you." By now Mai wanted so much for him to let go of her hand. Yes he was charming, not bad looking either but he was making her really uneasy. She wondered if all European men were like him. If they were, she'd rather marry Kai. 'Wait! Did I just think that?'

"Beat it, Enrique. Go flirt with some other girl called Sophia or Isabella." Mariah snapped.

The blond sighed, "Very well Mariah," and gently let go of Mai's hand. "But if there's anything the Lady needs, I'd be honoured to please." He made a sweeping gesture with his hand and bowed before leaving Mai's side.

"THAT was Enrique, a HUGE flirt."

"I know…" Mai wiped the back of her hand on her dress pants. The thought of his lips pressed against it just now… She looked at her hand with slight disgust. It wasn't enough, she needed the washroom. "I'm going to the washroom for a while, okay?"

Mai didn't wait for Mariah to reply and left to look for the washroom. She came out of the tent and looked around, there was nothing. 'Perhaps it's in the mansion…' The girl re-entered the tent and made her way inside the house. She stood under the orange glow of the chandelier, wondering which way to go: the left wing or the right wing? She spotted a maid hurrying with a tray of food, "Um, excuse me, can I—" But the maid ignored her, muttering something as she past. Mai figured she would just go right.

Her court shoes clicked as she walked down the marble floor. Ever so often, she would pass a painting or a suit of armour, sometimes a mirror. The Zeelan sighed in frustration, "Where's the stupid toilet?" She looked down her left and right, why weren't there any people around? Mai was on the verge of giving up when she spotted a cat. "Hey," she cooed. The cat froze— then quickly scurried away. "Hey! Wait!" The girl ran after the cat, using the faint tinkle of the bell as her guide. Mai turned a corner when—

-Ba-dump-

She bent over, "No! It can't—"

-Ba-dump-

Mai grabbed her forehead, it was spreading. The pain was spreading! She leant on the wall of the corridor, her head was spinning and her vision was beginning to blur. 'No!' She told herself. She couldn't faint in a place like this! She had to stay awake.

-Ba-dump- -Ba-dump- -Ba-dump- -Ba-dump-

Mai felt her way along, squeezing her head each time trying to fight off the pain. She needed to get out of this place. Something here was –Ba-dump- something here was—

'!'

-Premonition-

They were crying out, chanting words you couldn't understand. Yet you felt something happening to you as their voices resonated in your ears. Something was pulling you, sucking you in.

Those hooded people…Who are they?

And then one of them looked up, and you caught a glimpse of a face lit by the glow of the fire. The face of the one who…

-End of premonition-

Mai stumbled into a dark room. She didn't know where she was, nor could she make any sense of her surroundings. She touched something cold and hard as her hands groped around for support. There was a lot of clanking and it added to the pounding in her head. "Stop, make it stop! STOP!"

The girl fell to the floor. The pain had vanished. She sat there, panting and rubbing her temples. Behind her, a thin beam of light raced across the floor. It came from the door that was left ajar. Mai glanced around, she was in a very dark room but with the little light available, she could make out the frames of shiny figures. Her heart began to race; she needed to get out of here!

Mai scrambled to her feet. At that moment, lightning flashed and illuminated the room for a millisecond. The girl stood there, dazed. She was looking up at a huge portrait that ran the whole length of the wall. But it wasn't its grandeur that stunned her; it was the person in the painting.

It was her, the one in her premonition.

Once more, lightning streaked across the sky and a low rumble followed suit. Mai made out the features of a young girl. She was beautiful, with wavy golden hair that reached down to her back.

Had Eden wanted her to know something by bringing her here?

"What are you doing here?"

The voice made Mai jump and she quickly spun around. She couldn't make out the shadowy figure that stood against the backdrop of the bright light coming from the hallway. All of a sudden, the lights were turned on and Mai realised where she was. All around her stood rows upon rows of armour.

"This place is out of bounds to people. How did you get here?" Robert questioned sternly.

"I was looking for the washroom," Mai replied meekly. "No one gave me directions so I ended up here…"

Robert narrowed his gaze, as if considering whether she was telling the truth. He glanced around, and then looked back at her. "I shall escort you out of the house, lest you get lost again."

"Um, is that your mother in the painting?"

"No, why do you ask?"

"She seems…familiar." Mai turned to stare up at the portrait.

"Rubbish, that woman died many centuries ago. How could she be familiar unless

you—" He stopped to take note of his words. He gulped and resumed his refined stature. "If you would please, my friends are waiting for me." He directed his hand towards the door.

Mai walked forward, still not satisfied with his answer. Robert was hiding something, and it was definitely related to Eden. And that woman, she was there when it all happened.

"You're a Dread."

Robert's head jerked. He turned to her and trying best to keep his cool answered, "I have no idea what you are talking about." He continued walking.

Mai kept up with him, "You're a Dread aren't you? Who's that lady in the picture? Tell me."

"Tell me!"

"Miss! If you do not stop your insistent jabbering then you can jolly well find the exit for yourself or shall I report you to the police for attempted robbery?"

Mai's head moved back a little, surprised by his sudden outburst. Robert looked at her with wide eyes, expecting a reply. "Sorry," she managed to mumble. The two of them hurried down the corridors. They had taken so many turns that Mai wondered how deep she had wandered into the house. Finally, the girl spotted the familiar entrance of the house.

"Mai! Where were you?" Tyson made his way towards the pair.

"So she's your acquaintance. I found her snooping around in the armour room."

"I wasn't snooping!" Mai retorted, but quickly shut her mouth when she remembered the situation she was in. She was beginning to hate this Robert guy. All of a sudden, she felt a sharp tug on her arm. "It's bad enough that you cause trouble in Japan," a harsh whisper sounded in her ear, "don't bring your childish attitude here and embarrass us all." Kai let go of her arm. Mai's jaw locked as she looked around at the rest of her team mates. Why wouldn't anyone listen to her side of the story? "Sorry I caused you trouble," She apologised bluntly and left the group. So what if she was acting childish? They were being unfair.

The girl exited the tent and sat herself in one of the chairs near the entrance of the house. "Stupid party…stupid Eden…" She could add on to the list of stupid things if she dug deeper into her memory. For starters, her whole life basically…

Mai sat staring at the floor. Strangely, she found looking for cracks rather enjoyable. She'd smile to herself every time she found one, 'Hah! Looks like Mr-Oh-so-perfect isn't so perfect after all.'

"Can I sit here?"

The ashen-haired girl looked up to see— she felt her heart sink. It was Enrique. She gave a half-hearted nod and kept silent.

"Hey."

Mai turned to face him, "What?"

"Did I mention that you have the most gorgeous pair of eyes? Such a lovely colour."

Mai hastily looked away, "Are you sober?"

She heard a small chuckle. "I assure you, I can handle my liquor quite well."

"That I have yet to see…" the girl muttered under her breath. Mai noticed that the people were starting to gather at a particular area of the tent. Music was playing softly in the background. Then, a hand shot out in front of her. "Dance with me?"

Mai looked up to see the blond Italian smiling down at her. She wanted to say no but then what would she do? Delve into the wonderful world of cracks again? Hell no. And for a moment there, Enrique was quite charming. She took his hand, "All right, but no funny business."

"Cross my heart."

Enrique led Mai unto the dance floor, telling her to follow his lead. Amazingly, he was gentlemanly enough to place his hands in the right places: one holding her hand whilst the other resting comfortably behind her shoulder.

"Is that Mai with Enrique?" Mariah blinked and took a closer look to check if she was dreaming.

"Yup," Rei replied. The Chinese couple were dancing just a few metres right of Mai.

"Hey, it's Mai and Enrique." Kai gave his regular 'hmph' of an answer. "Aren't you jealous?"

"To see this punch splashed all over your face? Not really…" The Russian took a sip from his cup. Tyson didn't speak a word after that.

All throughout the dance, Enrique didn't take his eyes off Mai. He'd smile when he twirled her, chuckle when she accidentally stepped on his foot which made her very embarrassed but still thankful that he didn't mind. They were right; he WAS a ladies' man. 'No wonder girls fall at you feet,' Mai thought as he pulled her back in.

The music ended and the two parted hands; or so Mai thought they would. Enrique was looking at her in a way that made her nervous. What was it reflected in those emerald-green eyes? Sincerity? Longing? LOVE?

"Enrique!"

He snapped out of his thoughts.

"Enrique, dance with us!"

"No, Enrique's dancing with me!" A girl tugged at his arm.

"No, me first, Enrique!" Another one pouted.

"Haha! Ladies, ladies, there's always enough of me to go around." The blond walked away, his arm linked around two girls while the rest swarmed around him. Mai couldn't help but sigh and shake her head, "Ladies' man indeed…"

Turns out, Riya wasn't present at the party that night. As the guests started to leave, the Bladebreakers thought they'd make a move too.

"No, please stay for supper."

"No, we wouldn't—"

"I insist." Robert interrupted, his eyes fixated upon Mai as he said it. "It's been a long time, I thought we'd have a chat to catch up on things," he turned to face Tyson again.

All of them were led into a huge living room which Mai had to admit, was tastefully furnished. Enrique and Oliver were staying the night so naturally, they joined them for supper.

"Coffee sir?"

Enrique waved a hand to dismiss the offer, "No thank you." The boy groaned and massaged his forehead. "Oliver, remind me next time that wine and dancing do not go well together…" Mai snorted at this. Enrique looked at her and she quickly busied herself with her apple crumble. He smirked.

As the rest of them talked, Mai's eyes grew heavy. Why did Robert have to 'catch up on things' tonight? Couldn't he do it tomorrow? Mai glanced at the clock: 15 minutes to midnight. She felt like slouching over the table but she had more dignity than that.

"Mai."

"Huh?" The girl's head jerked.

"May I have a word with you?"

"Uh, sure." Mai got up unsurely. She followed Robert down the hallway and they entered a room.

"Johnny, if you could kindly leave."

"What?" The boy stood up from the sofa, took one look at Mai then exclaimed, "I'm not getting out for no lass!"

"My house, my rules. Now out."

The boy grumbled out of the room. Robert made sure the hallway was clear before closing the doors. He turned to face Mai, "Now look here, you obviously know something about my family so spill."

Mai glared at him. Now he demands her to talk when he turned her down a few hours ago?

"Who are you? What do you want?"

"Tell me who that lady in the picture is."

"Tell me who you are first."

"You're a Dread. That lady in the picture is a Dread!"

Almost at once, Robert was inches from her face, his stern eyes piercing through her like daggers. "Believe me. You do NOT want to mess with me. Don't think that just because you're a girl I won't lay a finger on you."

"I can say the same for you," Mai replied coolly and at that moment, Robert felt something sharp at his back. The boy froze. He looked down at her, his movements as stiff as a block. "How about we make a deal? I tell you who she is and you let me go?"

"No, you tell me who she is and answer my questions then I'll let you go."

The boy gritted his teeth and looked at her with such detest, "Fine."

Mai withdrew the toothpick. Good thing she didn't throw it away just now. Robert backed into a chair and heaved a small sigh while Mai sat across from him. It took a while before he started talking. "Her name was Princess Renaissance, my ancestor from many centuries ago."

"So you're a Dread then."

"If it shuts you up, yes I am a Dread; although not too proud of it."

"Why?"

"Our race was condemned a long time ago because of what that woman had done. We were blamed for causing the war. Our names were defamed, everyone disliked us." Robert folded his arms and leant back in his seat, "Those fools didn't even know the real reason behind everything."

"She tried to capture Eden."

"She did it to save her people! There was a famine at that time. My ancestors were starving and worse, there was an outbreak of a disease. Princess Renaissance saw that her people were suffering, she had no choice! They turned to the other tribes for help but none offered a hand. In the end, she knew that only with Eden's power could she save her people so she sought out to capture him."

"And that caused the war," Mai finished for him.

"Over the years, descendants of our race have tried to put the past behind us and Princess Renaissance's name was slowly forgotten." He thought for a while, "No, I think most of us deliberately chose not to remember her."

Mai nodded as she took in the information. "But, she was quite noble."

Robert chortled, "If you call abandoning my ancestors noble. The Princess fled, some people say it was because her heart was so full of guilt but I don't care. She left my ancestors worse off than before. We were blamed for EVERYTHING, discriminated against. No tribe would help us after what the Princess did. Many perished from starvation and disease, they died with such little dignity to their name that you couldn't even fill a pinhole with! My family had to work HARD to get to where they are now."

Mai could sense how bitter Robert was towards the Princess. No wonder he hated being called a Dread. Suddenly, there was a clap of thunder and Mai sat up a little in her seat. "Looks like you'll be spending the night," Robert crossed his legs, "I'll arrange for your rooms to be prepared." Seeing her confused expression he unwillingly added, "Mudslides are frequent in this area so unless you have a helicopter to pick you up, you're not going anywhere."

She stood up—"Sit down. We're not done yet." Mai sat back down. "Whatever I've said cannot and will not leave this room. I assume the same conditions will apply to you?" The girl nodded her head, the fewer people knew about her secret, the better. "Now tell me who you are."

Mai unrolled her sleeve, "Seen this before?" The boy shook his head. She sighed and rolled down her sleeve. "I'm a Zeelan."

"Right," he replied curtly.

Mai studied his face; this was going to be a LONG night…