The Story of Dusk

On the couch under a plum tree, there was a young girl around 18 years old holding a baby swaddled and pinkly clean. The baby raised her small hand, trying to touch the girl's face.

The young girl was teasing the baby by stroking her fingers around her ear that made the baby giggled happily when a middle age man around 30 years old approached her.

His hair fluttered by the wind, even though he was considered a young man, his hair was completely white. People could easily guess by his sturdy figure and sword that hung on his waist, that he was a practitioner of martial arts. With long stride he approached her.

"Riana, you are here…" Ye Xiu sat on the couch beside her.

Riana grinned and continued to tease the baby girl. Ye Xiu looked at her lovingly. "Sadly, her mother died while giving birth to her." Ye Xiu said softly.

"Mm." Riana mumbled as she caressed the baby hair softly. "If Elder Dam doesn't mind, I will happily look after her. After all Miss Rin was like sister for me." Riana pinched the baby lovable cheek.

"Since Elder Dam and Leader Wang Yu are mostly away from home. There will be only Madam Dam, you can help her look after the baby. I will talk about it to Elder Dam."

Riana smile widely, "You will get the permission."

"Don't get too excited, Elder Dam really spoils his granddaughter and quite an unpredictable person."

"But you will try. That's why I love you Yun." Riana chuckled and pecked his lips. Only Riana would call him 'Yun'.

Ye Xiu abruptly backed away, "Riana." He hissed sternly, but the girl began to laugh.

They were Master and apprentice in this Mountain Sui Sword Sect. The relationship between them was a taboo.

"No one here Master Ye Xiu." She called his name properly with teasing tone.

"I don't know what I have to do with you." Yun said with helpless expression.

Riana looked at the baby and called her name softly. "Senja…"

*** 8 years later ***

The first memory that Senja remembered about her father was when he took her to Mountain Sui, near Xinghe Kingdom.

Her father barely at home because he was a high ranking Military Officer, and for Senja's Mother, she had passed away when she gave birth to her.

Sometimes, Senja felt her father blamed her for what had happened to her mother and of course her father wouldn't say a single word about this.

That was why, the trip to Mountain Sui when she was 8 years old very meaningful to her. It was a trip only for both of them.

Senja was staring at her father broad back when they walked on the Mountain pathway. They walked in silence toward a temple on the Mountain.

Senja knew her father wasn't someone who would talk about weather, scene before their eyes or any other trivial things. Senja also wasn't a kid who would ask whatever she saw.

The trip took 3 hours. For Senja to walk in that amount of time was almost unbearable, however her Father didn't even ask if she was tired or needed rest, he just kept walking. He didn't heed his little girl tripping over her feet or panting.

Senja didn't dare to complain, she get used with this treatment. Still she was happy because her father took her into a trip.

Senja's white dress was little bit dirty with mud and soil. She knew for certain that her stepmother would scold her when she came back. Still she was happy because her father took her into a trip.

Senja's feet were aching from a long time walking. She wasn't like her second stepsister who was gifted with strong physic as she could perform martial arts well. Still she was happy because her father took her into a trip.

Finally, when Senja was breathless and was far behind her father. Her father stopped. Happily Senja dragged her tired feet to move faster.

"We are here." Her Father said flatly without any emotion the moment Senja caught up with him.

"Where are we Father?" His little girl asked him between her panting.

"Don't ever tell grandfather or anyone about this. Understand?"

Senja nodded her head eagerly, she would never tell a single word about this, if that's what her father wanted.

Both of them were approaching the temple. That temple was very big and obsolete with ripped gold on each wall. The condition of the building before her eyes scared Senja. But, she didn't say anything and only bit her lips.

At the entrance, there was a man with white hair standing and waiting for them. Actually he wasn't too old to had white hair completely. He was around her father age.

Senja looked at this man with interest. Like her father, the man also a martial arts practitioner. It was proven by blue sword that hung on his waist.

Aside from became a high ranking Military Officers, her father was the first line to become a leader of Black Sword Clan after Senja's grandfather. As for her grandfather, Elder Dam, he had always been busy with his military or their Clan issues. However, Senja was always happy when he was around. She loved her grandfather dearly. He was the only person who gave her a warm hug, and with grandfather at home her stepmother and her 2 stepsister would stop bothering her.

Senja's father slightly bent her head when he was in front of the white hair man, the man also did the same as a replied. Senja had been taught about decorum by her grandmother, so she bent her body shyly while hiding behind her father, sadly no one paid attention to her courteous action.

"Master Ye Xiu." Senja's father greeted him politely.

"Leader Wang Yu." Ye Xiu replied, referred to Wang Yu title in Black Sword Clan not in the Military.

"Here I bring her." Wang Yu pushed Senja's shoulder so she was standing between them.

Ye Xiu glanced down at Senja skinny figure. She was so skinny for child in her age. More likely she had been mistreated by her new mother. "Congratulations for your wedding." Ye Xiu sneered.

8 years ago before late Emperor Zong and Empress murdered scandal, both of them were Master in this Mountain Sui Sword Sect. As a result of that tragedy, both Countries had been under cold war these past years. Even the Sword's Sect Temple wasn't spare from damage.

Originally Mountain Sui Sword Sect was cooperation between the two kingdoms since long time ago. When late Emperor Zong and the Empress were killed in Xinghe Kingdom territory, naturally war couldn't be avoided.

Most of the practitioner and master in Mountain Sui Sword Sect came from Xinghe Kingdom, therefore even though Xinghe Kingdom was a small Country, they were able to put up a front with the big Kingdom like Azura.

And now, no one training here anymore, all vanished.

"What do you want?" Wang Yu asked while his hand gripped his sword's hilt.

"I just want to take her." Ye Xiu said lightly like he just asking for something without value instead child.

Wang Yu laughed sinisterly that make Senja trembled in fear. She didn't like her father's laugh, it sounded creepy.

"You are asking my child?"

"You didn't need that child." Ye Xiu stated while glancing at Senja's poor constitution. "This child just mistake for you." He continued.

This was an untold story. Wang Yu fell for Rin's elder sister, Carye, however because she had been married by the time they met with each other it was impossible for them to be together. Don't know what inside Wang Yu's mind until he married Rin.

Ignoring their status, Wang Yu and Carye still met each other secretly and when Rin was pregnant with Senja, mysteriously Carye's husband who was a mercenary had been attacked on the way home that caused his death.

A few months later, Rin died while giving birth to Senja. Only outsider who didn't know about complicated stories of them that wouldn't be suspicious about Wang Yu and Carye' getting married.

"And you think I would just give her away?"

"Yes, you will. Or else you wouldn't bring her here."

"I don't like this child. But, I won't give her away willingly without benefiting myself!" He roared and unsheathed his sword, at the same time he pulled Senja's back dress and threw her aside.

Senja's small body flew a few meters away and hit a solid tree nearby. The pain was unbearable for her and made her shrieked in anguish. In Senja's blurry vision, she saw her father was fighting with the white hair man.

The sound of clashing sword was deafening. Both of them moved very fast, Wang Yu raised his sword to parry Ye Xiu attack and flung his right feet to kick his hand that held the sword, while Ye Xiu dodged to the side.

This scene played before Senja's eyes, however due to her crucial pain she didn't pay more attention to them. Even the small movement from her chest when she breathed made her suffer.

Wang Yu and Ye Xiu fought each other for a good 5 minutes before both of them backed away to caught their breath.

Wang Yu was fine, on the contrary Ye Xiu's chest were bleeding profusely. The red color dyed his white robe. He was coughing blood when he tried to breathe an extra air.

"Looks like you are not yet fully recovered from the last battle." Wang Yu sneered.

He referred to the last colliding at the border line between Xinghe Kingdom and Azura Kingdom.

"You can't escape from this place with your head intact!" Wang Yu greeted his teeth. He had hated him for long time since the moment they clashed for the first time in the Mountain Sui Sword Sect. "How was Riana? Have you buried her dead body?"

The gripped on Ye Xiu hilt tighten in the mentioned of Riana's name. All the people assumed she was dead. Only he knew the truth.

Looking at Ye Xiu's expression darkened, Wang Yu didn't stop to mocking him. "Apparently, it isn't only me who had dirty relationship. A Master who seduced his disciple is simply disgusting!"

Wang Yu had just finished his words when Ye Xiu dashed towards him with the speed that Wang Yu couldn't avoid.

The tip of Ye Xiu sword scratched Wang Yu's neck, however before the incision went deep and cut blood vessels in his neck, Ye Xiu stopped.

"I still regarded you as my junior." Ye Xiu stared at Wang Yu with menacing eyes. "But, this is the last time."

"I don't need that!" Wang Yu glared at him and kicked Ye Xiu furiously to force him back away.

Ye Xiu dodged the kick and ran towards Senja who was still lying on the ground gasping for breath. He picked up the small body of the girl carefully like he did 8 years ago.

Senja couldn't retaliate against the white hair man because her whole body was aching badly. She looked at her father with fear and tears on her eyes, pleading to be saved. However, the roared of her father engraved in her heart deeply.

"I will kill both of you!!" Wang Yu went crazy the moment he charged toward Ye Xiu who was still holding his own daughter. He didn't care even if his sword mistakenly stabbed at Senja instead.