Shihan's cruel punishment

Thunder boomed from the heavy dark sky above. Flashes of lightning followed, Illuminating the furious rain pounding on the roofs and the watery ground. Such a spine-chilling downpour in Ozath could be regarded as the god of rain experiencing a mental breakdown and failing to regulate her wails and tears that now fell on Agrerea.

The cold rainwater flowed down on the stone stairs that led up to the sect like waterfalls.

   It wet the pathways and the corridors within the sect, making it difficult for any frail disciple to walk around. The powerful ones curled away from the rain, loathing the idea of being soaked in its coldness.

       The winds howled through the rain, playing with it like a cultivator would play with their mana. They slapped sharp beads of water against the young man kneeling in the courtyard in front of one of the wooden houses.

His clothes were completely soaked in the rain.  His silver hair had dulled from being wet, clinging to his face and back like glue.

His eyelashes seemed to be polished with a thick liner as drops of water dripped from them and onto the wet ground.

   Even in such a state, his eyes shone with life under the faint light coming from the lanterns hanging from the house he faced. They held specks of determination and anger.

He wondered how cold he would be if he didn't have the Heavenly Ice skill to protect his temperature. Did the Chief want him dead?

     As he glared at the doors, they suddenly squeaked opening from the inside. A pathway of gold light poured out, reaching just above his knees. It was obscured by two shadows as their owners stepped out and into the rain.

A maid held up a red umbrella for her mistress, concerned about why she would choose to leave the safety and warmth of the house.

   Step by step, Shihan descended the short stairs till she got to the soaked Surrdon. Intense disappointment painted on her beautiful face when she noticed he wasn't shivering or hurt at all by the harsh weather.

It only made her feel certain that he did possess the Heavenly Ice technique.

    "You still won't admit you're wrong for abandoning your duties and running around leisurely?"

   "No." His answer was brief and firm.

He didn't bother looking her in the face, but he hoped she was satisfied with how pitiful he looked, for the day to pay for everything wasn't too far. He would make her crawl on the ground and beg for mercy.

   Shihan's eyes narrowed even further on Surrdon before she bent over and whipped his face upwards by his chin. Not a trace of fear could be spotted, only hatred and anger. She caressed the corner of his lips using her thumb, a feeble attempt to seduce him.

   "You can make all this suffering end. You just need to give it up."

  "I don't have anything special. Even if I did-" he pushed the hand off his face, "-why would I give it to you?"

A gloomy veil suddenly covered Shihan's face. She was sure the light dress she had on would tempt any mortal man. She had even added a little cleavage to fully seduce him. Why wasn't he falling for anything?

   Surrdon had felt her intention the second he saw the transparent dress she wore while she was approaching him. The light behind her penetrated the thin clothing, outlining her feminine curves. A sight that would have normally triggered his manly desires, but after kneeling here for hours, he only wished he was strong enough to divert this fate.

      "Such a stubborn brat."

She sighed standing up. "Very well then, I have a task for you."

Their eyes met again, Surrdon's full of raw anger. "What is it?"

   "Follow me."

Under the raging storm, Shihan walked from under the umbrella, caring not about soaking. Her maid rushed to cover her but Shihan darted the girl a warning glare that needed no words.

    "And hurry up!" Shihan yelled at Surrdon.

His chest burned for a moment, wondering what would happen if he attacked her! But his weakness was his disadvantage.

A low grunt coming from him was lost in the roaring rain still falling as he forced his numb knees to peel off the ground.

He might have protected himself against the cold, but he couldn't shield his body from fatigue.

    The little maid watched him through pitiful eyes. She knew her mistress was a cold being, but torturing Surrdon like this was too cruel. More horrible than the other young men and women who had been unfortunate to go through her hands.

If one had no hidden strength, they ended up leaving the sect. But if there was a will to grow stronger and endure Shihan's brutality, they would come out victorious.

   Surrdon staggered, his knees wanted to give in to the pressure building up in them. But he forced them to work normally, they were not allowed to make him look pathetic in front of Shihan.

  Through the harsh downpour, Shihan led a weak Surrdon to her special training area, a circular stone platform with a sigil carved on it. It was surrounded by seven jade pillars which formed a protective barrier. Inside the dome barrier, not a single drop of water could be spotted. It was as dry as a dessert.

She touched the invisible barrier and her sigil on the platform pulsated in a warm blue color.

    "Hurry," she ordered turning around, gasped when she bumped into Surrdon.

   "I'm right, behind you," he spoke through gritted teeth, a fierce look in his gray eyes.

Thankfully the lanterns around them were not too bright to illuminate the murderous fury boiling in those same eyes.

    She nudged him back a little, freeing herself of the odd feeling that had arisen due to his closeness. "Keep your distance you low disciple. I'm still the chief in this sect."

Her words sounded like sharp arrows being shot into his ears. He hated all the labels everyone was laying on his head.

   Stomaching the accumulating humiliation, he followed her inside the barrier. Once it closed, all the noise from the outside died out, and so did the sight of the trees and courtyard a distance away. A white color quickly replaced all that, getting rid of any visual distraction. It brought with it a comforting warmth, making him feel as if he was in a cocoon.

  Shihan turned around, her loose hair clinging to her shoulders and chest. The dress was soaked as well, and whatever it was now displaying made Surrdon look the other way. He could clearly outline the nipples coming to life, pointing at him accusingly. Further down, the dress hugged her slim waist and her hips like a second skin.

     "Here."

His eyes fought not to look at her. But when she reached out and grabbed his chin, he had no choice. They fell on the unused writing brush in Shihan's open palm. He frowned in confusion.

     "What is-"

She pressed it against his chest.

"When I come back in the morning, I don't want to see even a single speck of dust."

  Her command sunk in like an anchor had been dropped in his chest. She wanted him to use the tiny brush to clean the whole platform...by dawn.

He knew she must have been aware of the duels. Did she want him to...fail?

   Surrdon's hand tightened around the brush, almost breaking it in two. 'Damn this little bitch.'

He was starting to rethink staying till unlocking the first sigil. But...he was so close.