Once Ai's eyes opened, the sunlight was already high up in the sky.  Ai's confused state of mind only lasted for a moment before last night's events floods her mind.  Getting up quickly Ai opens the window and sends out a qi message to the Seven Shade Hunters on their way back from their scouting.  

According to Milano, they were on their way back, so by the time Ai gets washed up and ready, a message from them would have arrived.  

Ai quickly washed up with cold water and dressed in an all black outfit.  She braided her hair and pinned it up so it wouldn’t get in the way.  As she started strapping on her throwing needles, she received a message back.  

The Seven Shade Hunters would be waiting for her outside of the Eastern Gate.  The moment Ai opened the window, Ai flew over the city, not caring if she broke any laws, not caring if anyone saw her, not caring if anyone talked about her or noticed her.  At the moment, all she cared about was bringing Princess Sya back alive.  

From behind her, she noticed a shadow that followed her at a distance.  Ai pushed her qi aura out and felt the familiar aura of Yuki.   Ai slowed down her pace so Yuki could catch up so they could talk and coordinate Princess Sya’s rescue.  

“Even Lady Wei left you behind?”  Yuki asked as he flew next to Ai.  

“Em.”  Ai said as she lead the way towards the Eastern Gate.  

“Do you have any way to find Lady Wei?”  

“No, but I know where she went.”  

“Where did she go?”  Yuki asked as he looked around them.  They were drawing attention, they kept flying.  

“Back to hell.”  Ai told him.  

Yuki no longer asked any questions after that.  He didn’t know where this “hell” is, but he knew that where it ever it is, it is somewhere no one wants to be.  It is where Duke Ju Long is going to go, to get Lady Wei back.  

Yuki stilled his heart, it needed to be strong.  For there would be several lives on the line and anyone could die at any moment.  

When Ai and Yuki reached outside of the Eastern Gate, seven figures  were already ready to move without even letting Ai and Yuki catch their breaths.  Without a word they 9 of them traveled east towards Yukah Kingdom.  Back to their birthplace, back to the place where they grew up and trained, back to their own personal hell hole.  Back to where their Princess Sya went back to settle matters with the Demon Master.   

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The first thing Ju Long did was enter the palace, he wanted to take all of his 300,000 soldiers to save Sya, but he knew, he couldn’t use the kingdom’s soldiers to go hunt for one woman.  Even though that woman is his wife.  He waited for an audience with the King, King Diwah.  

It was too early for morning court, but the King had just finished breakfast and made Ju Long wait until he was presentable to receive Ju Long.  

Once Ju Long entered, he quickly bowed to King Diiwah, but was helped up by the eunuch by his side.  

“Stand, Duke Ju Long.”  King Diwah said.  “What brings you so early, before court even started?”  

Ju Long knelt on one knee and reached inside of his robe.  He pulled out the Tiger Seal and presented it back to the King.  

“Your Majesty,”  Ju Long said as he bowed his head.  “Something bad happened to my wife, and I must find her.  I don’t know how long it will take to get her back, so I must give back this Tiger Seal, back to your Majesty.”

“Has your wife been kidnapped?” King Diwah asked as his eyebrow raised up.  “I hear that there is no one who can compare to her beauty.  I also hear that you let her leave your courtyard everyday.  Did someone see your beautiful wife and decided to kidnap her themselves?  Did you not put enough guards to protect her?”

King Diwah lectured Ju Long as if he was still a young child who lost his toy.  But Ju Long stayed still and held out the Tiger Seal towards the King.  

“It is not just anyone who has my wife.”  Ju Long told the King.  “It is her Father.”  

“Her Father? Why would he take her back, unless he was not happy with the marriage.”  King Diwah got mad for Ju Long.

How dare some nobody not be happy with a son-in-law like Duke Ju Long.  His accomplishments, his bloodline, his handsome looks and manners are the best in all of the royal and noble class.  He was the first choice for many mothers who wanted their daughters to marry.  

“Her Father is not someone we can easily offend.”  Ju Long told him.  

“I am the King!  And you are a Duke of this Meya Country! Who is this man that he thinks he can easily offend us!”  King Diwah got himself into a tizzy.  

Ju Long cleared his throat then said the two words that could make anyone stop talking.  

“Demon Master.”   

King Diwah coughed after he heard those words.  He waved a maid to pour a cup of tea for him to drink.  After he took a sipped, he coughed again to clear his troat.  

“Haha, Duke Ju Long, I thought I heard you wrong.  Her Father is who?”  

“Demon Master.”  Ju Long said as he looked up at the King.  “That is why I present to you this Tiger Seal.  I must bring back my wife and I don’t what will happen.  So I must give this Tiger Seal back to you, please accept my resignation as your loyal General.”   

King Diwah looked at the kneeling man before looking away.  He signaled the Eunuch that was standing by Ju Long side to take it and bring it to him.  

“Ju Long.”  King Diwah said as he traced the Tiger Seal.   “How long have we’ve known each other?”  

“Since we were still boys getting taught by our Master Teacher.”  Ju Long said as he  looked down to the ground again.  

“And when I became King, you were the only one who I can only trust, whole heartedly.  When you got married, I wanted to come, but…”  

“I know.”  Ju Long quickly said dropping honorifics and began speaking to King Diwah as if he was a peer .  “Because of your position, you couldn’t come and celebrate with me.  I know.  I haven’t had the opportunity to bring her inside of the palace to introduce her to you, you would have liked her.”  

King Diwah sighed heavily.  The whole country’s welfare is on his shoulders.  Ju Long helped him a lot, making sure the boarders were safe and training men into soldiers.  Ju Long never asked anything in return for his hard work and accomplishments.  The only thing he asked for in all the years Ju Long served him, was to stay in the city so he could plan his Grandfather’s 90th birthday celebration.  

The Trial By Fire Tournament was coming up in 6 months.  At the end of the Trial, Ju Long was scheduled to go back to the borders with 40,000 men, when he won the tournament.  

“If I remember correctly,”  King Diwah said as he held onto the Tiger Seal. “It was my Honorable King Father who gave you this Seal when you were 14 years old.”  

“Yes, Your Majesty.”  

“He was so proud of you that day.  He liked you a lot, you know that?”  

“Yes, Your Majesty.”  

“He once told me, that there are many people in the world who will say sweet words to make you believe them, then stab you in the back when you’re not looking.  Then there are a small handful, who will serve you loyally to their dying breaths.”  King Diwah said.  “When my Honorable King Father made us studying partners, I knew the moment I met you, that you were the second type of person that my Honorable King Father told me about.”  

“Thank you, Your Majesty, for your high praise.”  

“To keep those loyal to you, you have to help them when they ask for help.”  King Diwah said as he nodded for the Eunuch to help Ju Long stand up.  “I will keep this Tiger Seal for safe keeping until you return with your wife, Lady Wei.  How can I, this King, go against the decisions and good wishes of my Honorable King Father?”