Sentencing the wrong

Zhizhan struggled to keep up with the quick pace of the horse. His body was tired, his energy depleted. Blood covered his body, but the blood on his hands was the hardest for him to look at. Her blood coated his hands in a stain he will never be able to wash off. The broken sound of her voice as she muttered his name. The complete and utter betrayal she must have felt. He cannot remember killing Jay-nan, but he knows it had to be him. It had to be his fault, no one else could be strong enough to catch Jay-nan and his sword Quick Leaf off guard. It had to be the Dark Blood.

Thinking back he can remember Jay-nan standing in front of him talking, then he opened his eyes and he could hear the yell could see her clutching his body in her arms. Jay-nan did not survive, the bead never returned to his hand, that meant it was stuck in Jay-nan's abdomen, the Dark Blood would have poisoned his body quickly. The only reason he did not become a monster, must be because La Yae was forced to finish the job. If he closes his eyes he can imagine it. The black veins that would cover his body, the struggle as his energy tried to protect him, but not knowing how. Maybe it is best he cannot remember doing it, maybe the heavens were granting him a mercy.

Arriving in the capital a day later, they immediately went to the Department of Justice. Due to the journey Zhizhan gave up walking and passed out, allowing his body to be dragged along the ground and gravel. Thus he was littered with cuts. His black and red clothes shredded, his mask stayed on though. The masks of Colored Mountain Cultivators were infused with energy, they would not tear easily, nor could they become undone without the wearer's consent.

The trial went by very quickly, Rose Path Sect was there with Mal Kahn as the leading complainer. So many bad things had happened to him ever since he married Lady Riliah, sister of Zhizhan. He had of course only married her to help out Colored Mountain Sect at the time. Only choosing to have helped out of the goodness of his heart. It had nothing to do with Lady Riliah being an untouchable beauty that was known by everyone. Or Mal Khan's obsession with having all things beautiful, his 2 other concubines gave of course no proof to attest to that. Also the witnesses who could claim the abuse that was done to Lady Riliah suddenly changed their testimonies pleading and promising that they had never seen so much as a scratch on Lady Riliah's body. Yes, Zhizhan Father of Dark Rage was a monstrous villain.

The only other witness who had seen the abuse was Kal-la Lun of Sun Pond. She had personally been there in Lakelin Town and saw the damage to his sister's body. Saw how Riliah was chained to the bed. Kal-la Lun had even found them a week later and helped to find medicines to help her heal. However, after stabbing her in the back, killing her brother, then placing a paralyzing seal on her he doubted… no he hoped that she would not show up. Unless the heaven's wished to give him the ultimate punishment he would never have to look into Kal-la Lun's eyes again. Would never have to see the result of his actions in those brown orbs of hers.

The arguments were brought to the emperor one after another. The abuse case resulted with Zhizhan being in the wrong and his sister never having been abused. She of course did not come to the trial because she would not dare to side with a traitor. Those were the words of Rose Path's Mal Khan. The second case was his attack on Rose Path cultivators in Lakelin City. This resulted in him being wrong and murdering unprovoked. The Third case of his destruction of military men, was proven unprovoked. For of course no one had specifically framed his sect and killed his father and brother. If not for him defecting from the Colored Mountain sect the survivors would also have been brought to trial. Luckily his family would not be dragged down with him. He was alone and would suffer the punishments on his own.

The trial ended with him being sentenced to Oxzi Dungeons. The Oxzi Dungeons were located far north deep in the mountains. The path there was a treacherous one and no criminal had ever escaped from there. It was covered in snow, and blizzards were a daily occurrence. To get there 5 cultivators had to hold heating packs and rotate to warm each other, otherwise they would freeze to death. The criminal's energy paths were sealed by highly skilled cultivators, and they were forced to rely on the guards escorting them to keep them warm enough to survive the journey there.

If not for the order of the Emperor, that Zhizhan arrive at the Oxzi Dungeons alive he is certain he would have been left for dead. The guards who escorted him were members of 3rd Prince Mazid's personal force, along with cultivators from Rose Path, Blue Path, and Green Spice sects. Leaving him forced to hear how they had won the entire way there. From the Rose Path members he was forced to hear how Mal Khan would return home triumphant and would probably take his sister, her screams of horror and pain to be heard from buildings away. From Blue Path, he was laughed at and taunted. For what was he thinking attacking Rose Path? They were distant cousins of the royal family. Green Spice was relatively quiet, only doing their jobs, it seemed that they wished to not be there at al.

Meanwhile the journey to Sun Pond sect did not go any better. La Yae had woken halfway through the trip home and immediately set out to Cozbi Capital to attend the trial. Her juniors tried to stop her and were met with the end of her scabbard. Not knowing what to do, they rushed to find Xaemin to stop her. For telling Sect Leader Xumarc would result in harsh punishments.

Xaemin rushed to the scene and tried his best to talk logic to his sister. That was normally Jay-nan's job, for Xaemin always conceded and let his baby sister do whatever she wanted.

"Put your sword down, you are not going to attack your fellow members." He had said, attempting to sound level headed and cold.

Scoffing, she dropped her sword at her side, "Of course I will not hurt my members. I will lose no one else in this life." standing on a rock so she can reach her brother's height she looked into his eyes, "I will not lose him Xaemin. Jaylyn told me to save him. Those were his last words to me." She pleaded, her voice growing soft as she said her twin's name.

Closing his eyes to avoid seeing the despair in his sister's eyes he turned away from her, "That is exactly the point La Yae. He killed our brother." shaking his head, "He murdered Jaylyn, Jaylyn is dead." Finally turning towards her he shakes her by her shoulders, "you can no longer side with him. Siding with him is siding against your sect. He is our brother's murderer." He said hoping she could understand the extent of what is going on. His hand slid from her shoulders to her forearms. This is no longer personal, these are no longer relationship problems only involving a few individuals. To attempt to help Zhizhan in the trial would mean she was choosing the killer of Sun Pond's Jay-nan over her own sect. The only daughter of Sun Pond's Raing family could not do something like that. To the world it would force her to have to defect. If the Jewel of Sun Pond left the Sun Pond the sect would fall apart, rumors and politics would destroy everything they had worked for. Her reputation along with Sun Pond's would be gone.

Resting his head on her shoulder tears fell from his eyes soaking her golden coat, "You say you cannot lose anyone else. Do not force me to lose my only sibling left." He whispered.

Wrapping her arms around her brother, she rested them on the muscles on his back, unable to connect her fingers around his big frame. "I am sorry Zey-yim, I am sorry."

Xumarc came so quietly no one heard him at all, but his anger was felt before they saw him. "Raing La Yae." Her name sounded deadly on his tongue and the tears that she felt instantly turned to ones of fear; then dried up as she moved out of her brother's embrace.

Bowing, "Father."

"No." Taking her wrist he pulls her away from her brother's protection. It was not a hard pull, despite his cold anger his hands were gentle. "Not father."

Correcting herself, "Sect Leader Xumarc." kneeling on the wet grass she looked at the ground, her eyes focused on some fallen leaves on the ground. Would anyone move them again?

"After everything you have done you still attempt to leave?" bending down he helps pull her off the ground. "Have you no desire to attend your brother's funeral? No desire to see your juniors who have passed be put to rest? Is Sun Pond meaningless to you now?"

Each question was painful to hear and she struggled not to flinch from the coldness of the words. "I.."

Placing his hand up, "You will return to Sun Pond to receive your punishments. You gave away your Ray Orb without permission, weakening your body. You sided with your twin's killer in front of everyone." Shaking his head, "Most importantly of all, you planned on abandoning your sect. Those were the words you wished to say before the man you risked everything for, stabbed you in the back."

Xaemin stepped forward, "Father she did not mean for these things to happen." His words were met with a glare and he quickly moved back.

"Tell me I am wrong. Tell me that you never planned on saying those words." crossing his arms behind his back, "I told you to break ties with Zhizhan months ago and you did not listen. You did not hear mine, nor your brothers' warnings." taking a breath, "I do not blame all this calamity on you however, you bear a lot of responsibility for the results."

Her head dropped to look at the ground, her hands tightening on her sword and coat. She could not lie. To protect her sect she was willing to leave it and take Zhizhan somewhere else. In hopes to save everyone, it was the only plan she could think of. In the beginning she hoped that they would arrive at Malyn Path before the fighting started, or at least hoped the Blood Cloud sect would be able to diffuse the tension. Everything simply escalated too fast.

Extending his hand, "Give me your sword, you are not fit to have it."

Both sibling's eyes went wide. Xaemin was the first to speak, "Father, she has been punished enough. Surely she can keep her sword." his eyes went back and forth between his sister and his father. To take a sword from a Sun Pond cultivator was a harsh punishment. Depending on the length of time they were parted from their sword they could even feel pain.

With a gulp her hand shakingly gave her sword to her father. She had received her sword 8 years ago. 8 years of pouring her own spiritual energy into it, it now had a spirit of its own. It moved to protect her, it aided her, and stayed by her side for so long. In the 8 years that she had her blade she had never parted with it for longer than an hour. Parting from your sword was a rare punishment. Sparing one last look at her golden scabbard, the hilt of her blade white with yellow energy infused fabric tied around it. 3 more accomplishments and she would have been able to give her sword a name. Her brother always joked of the day the twins of Sun Pond would have famously named swords. Now she has no twin, and no knowledge of when she will get her sword back.

After a beat Xumarc grunted, "Do not cause anymore problems. For I have never been so disappointed in you as I am now."

Her breath hitched and a lump reached the back of her throat, her eyes watching as her father walked away. Her sword seemed so small in the same hand as her father's black one.

Unable to comfort his sister this time Xaemin walked away. La Yae will not be attempting to escape anymore.

Her eyes remained closed to stop the tears from falling. Sinking to the ground she wrapped her arms around her knees. Taking deep breaths she tried to calm the racing of her heart. This morning when they sat in a meeting and discussed their plans, or later when they set out for Malyn Path; it never occurred to her that this could be the result. Thousands of outcomes she thought of. She imagined Zhizhan dying and her being unable to save him. She imagined him losing control. Even went as far as imagining that she would have to be the one to fight him. Yet, from all those outcomes she never once imagined ending the day without her brother. Even worse, she could not stay by his side. With his dying breaths he pushed her away. To save Zhizhan; which she also failed at doing.

Jay-nan truly believed that someone else was in control. That Zhizhan's actions were not all his own. They had debated this numerous times. She could recall the black and red eyes that overtook Zhizhan when he used the beads, but that was him losing control of Dark Blood. It was something you could easily lose control over, combined with inner-fire, it was astonishing that he could control it at all. If Jay-nan was right, then who could be powerful enough to control someone using Dark Blood?