4| Beginning of step one

The night air was cold as they ventured to the back af the palace walls. Sneaking past the guards with ease, they made it to the passagway hidden in the wall. 

The walls were high and covered in vines , long forgotten. Azura felt along the cold rough wall unfer her fingertips as she looked for the brick that would oppen the passagway. 

Finally finding it she pressed down on it and a few feet away a part of the wall made a cracking sound as it moved to reveal the entrance. "Not to bad , i tought it would take you longer " Anox teased Azura. 

Looking at the snake on her shoulder she flicked its head with a frown on her face and moved forward into the dark entrance , hearing the wall close behind her she used her power and created a flame with her hand as she used it as her sorce of light to move along the underground hallway. 

Ten minutes of swating away cobwebs and almost falling three times over stones on the ground she made it to the wall that would open behind a suit of armor used as decoration. Pushing in the rough stone the wall moved soundless to reveal the back of the armor. 

Light shined down on her as she put the fire out and quickly pulled her hood of her clock up, covering more than half her face. "Now the plan begins " she whispered to Anox as she silently made her way out of the passagway and int the hall and behind one of the pillars in the hallway. 

Now all she had to do was wait a few minutes for the gaurds to catch her and then she would be halfway through with her first stage of her plan. Closing her eyes she focused on spiritual energy of the guards, they were twenty-five feet away from her , now all she had to do was jump infront of them. 

Twenty feet.

Fifteen feet 

Ten feet.

Opening her eyes she whirled around the pillar and infront of the gaurd in a defensive position. Her hands infront of her and her legs apart. 

It took the five gaurds two seconds to react as they surrounded her. Their swords drawn and pointed at her , "Who dares to enter the imperial palace of the royal Yue family !?" The gaurd that seemed to be in charge asked as he moved his sword higher , waiting for her to strike.

"Are they not suppose to attack any intruder no matter who it is ? They really are dumb just waiting for you to attack, they could have moved already and killed you but they questioned you instead?" Anox huffed in her mind . Azura smiled 

"Well i clearly cant win against you so just kill me im not telling you anything" her voice was a little deeper as she spoke. They gaurds were not convinced that this mysterious person would give up so quickly so the leader signaled the rest to restrain this person and throw him into the holding cell.

The four gaurds moved with precision as they grabbed her limbs and pushed her onto the ground , her face forced into the ground as they pulled her hands and feet together , tying them with ropes. "Take him to the holding cell. While i go talk to chief, and get answers out of him by any means necessary!" The leader shouted as he turned around and walked away , the four remaining gaurds took Azura to the holding cell and tossed her to the ground. 

With an 'oof' she landed on her back the air escaping her lungs without her command. The place smelled like rotten flesh and dried blood making her nauseous as she sat up trying to controlher breathing. Now all she had to do was wait for her mentor . " Im going to go look around for a little , just call my name in your mind and I'll be here faster than lightning." Anox said as he waited for the guards to turn around and slither away into the shadows.

Anox was right , he could scout out the place and tell her everythìng later, now all she had to do was wait.

It didn't even take a few minutes for the gaurds to return as they sat infront of her cell door looking at her.

The guards felt uncomfortable for some reason as if he was not allowed to look at her. " How did you get in." His voice was not as deep as their leaders or as confident. 

She stayed silent. 

" I said how did you get in you fucking filth! " yet he got no reply , Azura did her best to remain silent and not replay with a sassy remark. 

This went on for a while. The gaurd asking questions and was greeted with her silence every time. It started to irk him , he felt embarrassed . So the only resort that was left was to torture this person infront of him .

"Enough games ill get an answer out of you no matter what, i tried being nice but you won't cooperate. " as he said that he stood up and walked to the wall where the torture wepons were placed..

Picking up a log slender dagger her walked to her cell door and opened it , looking at her on the ground her hood was still up even after being tossed around .

All she had to do now was survive the torture , even if she got a few cuts and broken bones she had to endure it for the sake of her people. 

Not lifting her head the guard looked at her with anger as he placed the dagger down on the table in the room, her grabbed her wrists and hung her by the sealing with the help of another gaurd . " Ill ask you again who are you and how did you get in !?" Spit flew from his mouth and onto her face as he grabbed her jaw . " ah lets see this ugly face of yours form under this hood , im itching to slice it up " 

With that said he pulled the hood down form her head and froze in place , the other three guards that were by the door also froze in place . In front of them haning form the sealing was the most beautiful girl they have ever seen , her long silver hair the color of the moon was tied up , her face the shape of heart , rosy cheeks with freckles dotting on her sharp nose and redish full lips .

But her eyes were the most mesmerizing eyes they have ever seen , her eyes a shade of red so deep it rivaled with the color of blood , but if you looked closer , swirls of gold could be seen in them .

The guards were shocked by not only her beauty but by the sence of familiarity, like they know who she is.

Getting over his shock the guard released her face and picked up the dagger , regretting what he is about to do . "Such a pretty face , yet i have to ruin it , talk now and i won't have to cut you but dont talk and I'll have to cut you little flower " 

Just a few minutes ago he was caling her filth , now he had the audacity to call her a little flower? Even with her irritation levels getting higher she still remained silent she had to focus.

The guard hesitated for a few seconds waiting for an answer but soon realized he was not getting anything , with a sigh of regret being heard he took the dagger and slashed her arm as hard as he could . The ripping of clothes could be heard as they all waited for her to scream .

Azura's head was hung low with her eyes shut as she waited for the pain to flow through her body but nothing happend. She felt the blade touch her skin clearly digging deep through her flesh but she felt nothing . "Impossible! I striked you as hard as i could your clothes are ripped yet there is no mark on you!" The guard looked at her with big eyes as he looked at her arms where there was supposed to be a big gash with blood flowing out of it.

But nothing her skin stayed unharmed. Azura was to in disbelief of what he said , but she would not question this miracle. Only wish it would last long enough . 

"I must have missed her. Thats the only excuse , no person could ever not be hurt no mater how strong they are. How can a bitch like you be strong , your just a pretty woman." Insulting her felt good increasing his ⁰pride , he had clearly hit flesh but there was no mark.

With new found anger the man slashed her back , her legs, her stomack, but nothing , no marks.

The men in the room were dumbfounded they clearly saw how he slased her skin but she was unharmed. One of the men who was watching this unfold before his eyes , stepped forward and walked towards the guard with the dagger. "Let me try " he help out his hand as he watched the guy huff out a breath and handed him the dagger.

Azura watched as the idiot one , the guy who slashed her , hand the dagger to idiot number two, he was taller than all of the guards present in the room , idiot number three was the shortest one and idiot number four was a bit bigger in size that the others.

Pl

"Why dont we test this huh, see if you are really invincible , how about i try to cut that pretty face of yours." His words were hauntingly gentle , but all it dit was irritate Azura further , they could clearly see she could not be harmed by the stupid dagger so why even try again. With a sigh she looked at the man in the eyes hoping he could see her irritation.

But he took it as an invitation, grabing her face with his left hand he pressed the dagger into her cheek hard enough that it should cut the flesh in half and dragged it down slowly while pressing harder. His eyes followed the blade as he watched in amazement as nothing happened with her skin. 

Azura watched the mans grey eyes as they trailed along with the movment of the blade against her skin, all it dit was tickle her , suddenly his eyes moved to meet hers. "This is fascinating indeed, come on help me chain her to the wall and then we'll report to General Mo." His eyes never leaving her as he got idiot three and four to chain her to the wall , her body falling to the groynd as they dropped her. Brining her knees to her chest she wrapped her arms around her knees and rested her head on her legs.

Azura just hoped it would not take long for her mentor to come because this plave as getting on her nerves.