Ten

It wasn't until late that night that they finally cleaned up and sat down to have something to eat.  She was starving and ate without talking to Raiden.  Raiden on the other hand was entertained.  The way she stuffed her face without a care in the world was a side to her that she never shown him before and he liked seeing this side of her.  Smiling to himself he went back to eating. 

After the meal, Jewels went back to the Six Set Scrolls.  When she opened the scroll, Raiden was surprised. No one was able to open the scrolls before and Jewels opened it like it was a regular scroll. She read through the last scroll and placed it back. 

"What does it say?" Raiden asked her. 

"I don't know, I can't read the language." Jewels told him. 

"Then why did you look at it as if you were reading it?" 

"I wasn't reading them, I was memorizing the symbols." Jewels told him.  "Although I can't understand what is written.  But it might help me one day so I memorized it just in case." 

Nemean, Fenghuang and Roc appeared before the both of them.

"My human, you have found what is and had always been mine." Nemean told her. 

"Yours?" 

"The scrolls and what you guys call The Eye of Futura." 

"What are they?" Raiden asked. 

"The scrolls are what little I was able to take with me when I left my Kingdom.  One scroll is the agreement that I made with the Fake King.  Another scroll is my father's last commandment before he died proclaiming me as King of Nemea.  One scroll is the marriage certificate to my love.  One scroll is the birth certificate of my son.  The last two scrolls will show us the way to Nemea Kingdom.  The Eye of Futura, as you guys called it, helps me see my family.  Watch them from this plain of existence.  However I lost all my belongings when I came here and thought I lost it forever.  Accepting my fate I have not seen my family since I left several centuries ago." 

Jewels gave the scrolls back to Nemean as he held the scrolls in his hand like they were the precious things in the world.  He opened them one by one, reading the symbols over and over, sometimes petting the paper.  When he went through them, he asked Jewels to place them in her cabin in the grey space for him.  When Jewels put it in her grey space, Raiden asked a servant to bring the other gift from his study over.  When they brought it over, Jewels handed the box to Nemean.  Nemean cast a mirage and soundless barrier and opened the box. He took out the large jade crystal and waved his hand over it several times, while speaking words that Jewels did not understand.  

The jade crystal turned from dark green to a crystal white and from it, a light shown as they were engulfed in it.  As they look around their surroundings they no stood in a nicely decorated room, filled with opulence and finery.  A beautiful woman with long black hair and red eyes sat by the window looking out.  Everyone could see she had wrapped herself in sadness.  As soon as a young man strolls into the room, the sadness disappeared and she changed that sadness into strength.  Her shoulders straightened and her chin lifted up. 

"Mother, he's not going to come back." The man said. 

"My son." Nemean cried.  "How you have grown so much!" 

"Your father will be back.  Your father will make his way back to us, even if it takes several hundred centuries, he will be back.  You don't know your father.  For those he love. He will do everything in his power to protect them." 

"Mother, we can't just stop living our lives because he's not here.  Uncle kept his word and treated us well.  I don't want to see you with such sad eyes.  Be happy and move on with your life." 

"Leo, my son. You don't understand it yet, but when you meet the one your soul calls to, there can only be that one in your entire life.  There is no other.  Your father, is a great man.  He is a great father.  He is a great ruler.  He was tricked by the False King because he was your Uncle.  Your father loved your Uncle so much that he did not think his own brother would betray him.  Leo, do not put so much faith into your Uncle.  We are still prisoners in our golden cage, remember that."

"Yes, Mother." Leo said.  

"My Love, I am on my way.  I will come back and when I do. I will rain down on those who has betrayed me and burn them and their families to the ground. I promise you that."  Nemean said as the vision around them starts to disappear.

Everyone is brought back to reality and tears has fallen down Jewels's face without her knowing.  She goes to hug Nemean. 

"We will bring you back.  We will get your crown back and place you there as the rightful ruler.  We will rescue your family and keep them safe. If I have to burn the whole army to place you back on your throne. I, Jewels Brooks, your human, will burn down any enemies that stand in our way."

Nemean, who was trying so hard to hold his tears back, lets go and silent tears rolls down his face as Jewels hugs him.  All the frustration and grief he suffered came pouring out as the tears couldn't stop rolling down his face.  Centuries of pent up anger was released.  Seeing his loved ones again, gave him a new determination to go back and kill those who betrayed him and save his family and his people from the False King. 

--------------

Three months later

Jewels was over at Master Doku's house when word came to her that her Uncle wanted her back at the Estate.  Important guests were coming over and she had to be there. 

Jewels said her goodbyes and dragged her feet to the carriage where Roku sat across from her. 

"What's with all the mopping?" Roku asked her. 

"I don't think I can stand meeting new people."  Jewels told him.  

For over the past three months, she and Raiden had attended three parties every week to meet all 15 relatives.  She had to create several opportunities to touch the ladies so she could cast the Watchful Eye enchantment on them.  So far all 15 ladies did not wear any talisman on them. 

Jewels would then spend her remaining time, spying on all 15 ladies in her room protected by her animals and Roku.  It took so much energy out from her that she stayed in her room the whole day.  Every day was dedicated to a different person.  By seeing what they were seeing, Jewels was able to get a lot of dirty information of the 15 suspects.  Should any one of them come at Jewels, Jewels has all the information to fight back with or blackmail them with. 

By the end of the third month all captured shadow spies were dead.  Nemean lost his temper during a interrogation and killed the last two remaining shadow spies.  He was getting antsy with going back to Nemea, but knew they couldn't go back until the traitor  was discovered and killed. So Jewels worked harder every day, building up her energy so she could use Watchful Eye for a longer period of time.  From two hours in the the beginning, she could now hold on to Watchful Eye for five hours.  Switching from person to person.  Jewels was able to narrow it down to two people.  Lady Bethany and Lady Sofia.  

Lady Sofia is an illegitimate daughter born out of wedlock and brought back to her father because her mother was dying.  The father did not acknowledge her however he did provide for her.  She lived on her own in the city with few servants to attend to her.  She was the only one who had a talisman outside her home, blocking any enchantments.  Ichi had to make a replica of the talisman and change out the talisman when she was away.  Which was rarely ever.  She kept mostly to herself, but she attended the balls every once in a while.  She was well liked and well behaved. Drawing no attention to her, she made friends easily, but held no one in high regard that she would invite anyone of them over to her home. 

Lady Bethany was left alone a lot.  The servants were not allowed into her section of the house except two maids.  The times that Jewels watched Lady Bethany, were suspicious because she was always making potions.  And they were not healing potions, they were love potions, poisons, and beauty potions.  At first Jewels thought she was making them to sell.  But through trial and errors, the successful ones remained in her room after she finished them.    

Jewels's mind and body was getting tired, but her cultivating skills became better and better.  Without even thinking about it, her body had conditioned itself to cultivate energy at every moment.  Jewels felt her cultivation level increase to a high level 9 cultivator and she knew it was time to breakthrough to level 10.  She was planning to do it that night.  Her first night off of going to balls and meeting new people.  Her first night off of surveillance.  But when she got word that there were going to be guests at her home, she wanted to curl up and disappear into her Infinite Galaxy. 

When they reached the Brooks Estate,  Jewels went inside and quickly washed up and changed clothes before the guests were able to arrive.  Jewels went downstairs and met up with Uncle Jude and Pop pop before sitting down to wait for the arrival of their guests. 

"Are you going to tell me who our guest is?" 

"The Crown Prince of Mulberry has come to Redbane this morning.  He sought an audience with King Michio and Prince Raiden. We just received word that Prince Kane wants an audience with us here in the Brooks Estate." 

They waited for another ten minutes when word came that Prince Kane and Prince Raiden have arrived.  As they walked in, greetings and introductions were made and tea was served. 

"I apologize for showing up so soon and with out notice." Prince Kane started. "But I had an important business that I had to attend to in the palace with King Michio and Prince Raiden.  I was also tasked with another business that involved you, Lady Jewels.  This task was given to me by my sister, Princess Anna." 

Jewels smiles and continues to drink her tea. 

"Ah... well, she wanted me to ask you to give way to Prince Raiden and let him accept a marriage proposal to unite the two kingdoms.  And engagement between Princess Anna and Prince Raiden would only further both kingdoms into prosperity.  Princess Anna is willing to throw away her identity as Princess and let you take the place as Empress and she, as a concubine.  Are you willing to accept this proposal?"  Prince Kane said nervously. 

"No." Jewels said once. 

"No? But why?"  Prince Kane asked. "I must be given a sufficient answer or I cannot leave it alone. The happiness of my sister means the world to me.  If buying my sister's happiness is what it means than I shall provide you with gold coins or treasures.  Please explain to me why you are not willing to accept the proposal." 

"She plotted to kill me.  She investigated me. She sent her maids to kill me.  Oh...and she tried to kill me."  Jewels said as her face turned serious. "Why would this Princess Consort have in this Princess Consort's household someone who plots to kill this Princess Consort?  How could this Princess Consort ever live knowing someone in the house wants her dead?" 

"I understand." Prince Kane said. "There is no other way for Prince Raiden to marry my sister without your consent.  So I'll bring this question to you.  Lady Jewels Brooks, will you marry me?" 

Jewels choked on her tea and Pop pop had to pat her back.  "Thanks, Pop pop."  Jewels said between coughs. 

The room grew cold, as Raiden's anger rose.  Had he known that Kane was going propose to Jewels, he would have said no. To anyone who wanted to marry another person, the first wife or first husband had to agree to the marriage.  Kane told Raiden he just wanted to ask Jewels for permission so they came here with that intention. 

"Why should I marry you?"  Jewels asked him back. 

"I'm the Crown Prince of Mulberry so that would mean you will be the future Queen of Mulberry. I'm---"

"You're boring." Jewels told him. 

"Jewels!" Uncle Jude said sternly. 

"No, Prince Kane, I will not marry you. You got an invention to my house through false pretenses and since you did not get your way, you're purposing to me because you think I want Prince Raiden for his title? How boring. I would marry Prince Raiden if he was just a regular citizen. I would marry Prince Raiden even if he didn't have a single gold coin to his name.  I would marry Prince Raiden if he lost all of his cultivation abilities.  You want to know why?" Jewels asked him. 

"Why?" Prince Kane asked. 

"Because he's not boring." 

Prince Kane's face lit up red with embarrassment and anger.  How could a little slip of a girl get the upper hand so quickly?  Without another word, he got up to leave. 

"We'll not see you out. " Jewels said.

Prince Kane left as quickly as he came.  

"Jewels that was not very nice of you." Uncle Jude chided her. 

"Uncle Jude, you talk as if I broke his heart.  He doesn't have feelings for me, he only has hidden motives to break me and Raiden up.  That I will not stand by that, I will not be nice about.  If he came here with pure intentions, I would have treated him with kindness, but he didn't.  So what if I said something mean.  Did I break his heart? No.  Did I embarrass him. Yes.  Is he still alive? Yes.  Then he should be thankful I didn't take his head in payment for wasting my time."  Jewels snapped.  Seeing the surprised look on his face and Pop pop's face she realized she yelled at her Uncle.  Feeling bad for treating him unkindly, she took a breath to calm herself before she spoke again. 

"I'm sorry Uncle. I didn't mean to snap at you.  It just that for the past three months I feel like I've been pulled into so many different directions that its wearing me thin.  Today was my day off and I was called back to meet a very boring person  who wasted my time with his schemes.  I'm sorry." Jewels said.  

"It's okay, I know you didn't mean to treat me unkindly.  I know how hard you've been working this last three months.  Is there anything I can do to help?" 

"No, they are only things that I can only do and right now I just want to be alone." Jewels said as she went to hug her Uncle.  Jewels went to hug her Pop pop and  then she went to hug Raiden. 

"Where are you going?" Raiden asked. 

"I'm just going to lay down for a while." Jewels told him.  

Jewels left the three of them downstairs as she made her way to her room.  Jewels strips all her clothes off and crawls under the covers and falls asleep.  After her nap, she went into her grey space.  

She sparred with all three of her animals for a long period of time before she was able to release all the stress and pressure she is under and let everything go.  She then goes near the lake and finds herself a nice spot to sit.  Sitting down in a lotus position, she brought out 70 high grade soul stones out of the bag she was carrying. Jewels gathered all the energy around her first before pushing the energy and her inner energy into the stones mixing all of them together, Jewels had to get stronger to help Nemean.  She had to get stronger to flip Raiden, so he wouldn't be able to pin her down.  She had to get stronger to protect those she loves.  She had to get stronger so she can infuse her energy to making the Infinite Healing Potion. She had to get stronger so she could stand on top of the world.  70 soul stones at once was a huge gamble, but Jewels felt she was running out of time.  Something in her was telling her that she needed to hurry and become stronger through any means necessary.  

After infusing her energy into the soul stones, she started to drain the stones and brought the energy into her veins and dantians.  She quickly took the energy from the stones and started to drain them dry. The energy quickly filled up and over flowed as thunder was heard then lightning struck her.  But this time, the lightning struck her ten times instead of once.  Ten hits of lightning back to back made her lose consciousness. But before she did, she smiled.  She smiled because she was now a level 10 cultivator. 

When she woke up, it was the early morning and the house was quiet. It was the first time the house was this quiet.  No birds were chirping either.  Something must be wrong.  Jewels thought as she got out of bed.  The moment she got out of bed, her legs failed her and she fell to her knees.  Jewels crawled to the bathroom and wondered why she felt so weak.  She turned on the shower and sat on the tile as hot water ran over her body.  It took forever for her to get enough energy to wash herself clean, but she did and it took her a long time to dry and dress herself.  She sat down in the middle of her bed, clean and clothed as she closed her eyes as she cultivated more energy from around her and place it into her body.  In her grey space, all of her animals were asleep so she took out 40 soul stones and brought them out.  Holding the soul stones in her hands, she drained the soul stones dry of their energy and she drank a potion of rejuvenation.  Once her body felt better, she went downstairs.  No servant was in sight as she crossed the sitting area to the dinning room.  When she made it to the kitchen all the servants and some guards sat around the huge table and they were drinking their morning tea or coffee. When she entered, she did not make a noise and listened to what they had to say. 

"How long did they say it was going to take?" 

"They said no more than three days."  

"How long has it been?" 

"Five." 

"How long did the doctor say our Mistress would take to wake up." 

"He didn't.  He just said her mind was tired and needed rest.  She'll wake up when she's ready." 

"Why is it when they need her the most that she fell into a coma?" 

"Something's just happen that way.  It's life, it's fate. Call it what you will, but maybe this coma is meant to save her." 

"Save me from what?" Jewels asked.  

The group of servants and guards stood up quickly and bowed.  Zeze didn't bow, she ran towards Jewels and threw herself into Jewels's arms. 

"You're awake. You're awake. You're finally awake." Zeze sobbed into her shirt. 

"What's going on?  Where's Uncle, Pop pop?  Where's everyone? Where's Raiden? Where's Roku?" 

"Miss, so much has happened since you went into a coma. Miss, you need to go help Raiden and your Uncle and Pop pop.  You need to travel to the Redwood Forest again.  That's where everything is happening.  Miss, you need to go now." Zeze urged.  "Only you can save them." 

"Slow down Zeze, tell me what happened." 

"Miss, you were in a coma for three months.  We were so worried, but you didn't wake up, no matter what we tried, you slept.  In those three months more shadow spies were found and although Prince Raiden and the army tried their best to defeat the army of shadows. It was a losing battle.  Five days ago a huge army of shadow spies turned up in Redwood Forest.  Redwood Forest is too close to the city so Prince Raiden took his army there.  Uncle Jude and Pop pop did not want him to go alone, so they also went.  Any able male in the city who wanted to join the army to defeat the shadow spies were welcomed to join.  They told me it should take three days, its been five days and still no word of a victory and no word of a defeat.  Only you can help turn the tide of the battle. So you must go!"

"Did Raiden find out who the Master of the shadows are?" Jewels asked. 

"It was the three of them working together." Zeze told her. 

"Who?" 

"Lady Bethany summoned the portal, Lady Sofia call through the shadows and Princess Isabelle controlled them. When Prince Raiden found out, it was already too late.  All three of them have already called forward the shadow spies through the portal in Redwood Forest, before Prince Raiden killed them." 

Not wanting to stay a moment longer to find out how the three girls were caught, she ran outside and called her groggy and sleepy raptor out.  

"Roc, transform. To Redwood Forest." 

Roc turned into his raptor and Jewels got on as he flew her towards Redwood Forest.  On the way there, she woke up Fenghuang and Nemean.  She filled them in with what was happening and Jewels found out that when she went into a coma, so did they.  They have also been sleeping the whole time.  Nemean checked on his family and they were doing fine except his wife looked more anxious than she usually does.  

Roc flew over the landscape and Jewels saw what was before her.  Raiden's army has been reduced to 200 men. They were surrounded by shadows and Raiden, Uncle Jude and Pop pop were in the middle of the circle.  Once she was near, she dropped down from Roc's back.  Calling forth Fenghuang and Nemean.  Everyone looked up as they saw a huge hawk fly over them,  three figures were heading their way.  A red phoenix who screeched in a high pitch cry, a lion who's roar frightened them to the bone and a girl in blue.  Her blue dragon scale armor shining in the sun as she dropped down in front of the army.  As she landed with a boom, the ground underneath her broke, her lion attacked the shadows as her phoenix blew her phoenix fire on to the shadows, Jewels created a fire wall that protected the 200 men and kept them safe as Jewels and her animals started to annihilate the shadows.  Jewels trapped the shadows in a second bigger fire wall, then the three of them systematically burned them with their fire. Jewels was able to make 30 fireballs and while shooting a fire beam towards the shadow.  Her whole body would light on fire should a shadow try to grab her.  Nemean's roar pushed back the shadows as he breathed fire on to them.  Fenghuang's fire made its way through the army of shadows, turning them into ash in an instant.  When the thunder boomed, Jewels went through the fire wall that protected the soldiers and yelled. 

"Everybody fly up and to the east of here." 

Everyone did what she ordered with out questioning her.  They helped the injured soldiers and they all flew towards the direction that Jewels told them to fly.  After everyone was at a safe distance, Jewels, Nemean and Fenghuang flew up as thunder was heard again before, a huge lightning bolt came down hitting the ground.  The chain of lightning held on to the shadows making them immobile as the phoenix flames engulfed them.  The forest burned red hot and another sea of fire was born.