Jing Lung and the Heart of the Temple

"So you met that scary girl just now?"

Jing Lung watched Naya furrowed her brows while tying, bandaging, and pressing his wound for several minutes. Naya didn't answer right away, she moved closer to the pool and then hauled water using her two palms as containers.

"Drink," Naya ordered, which Jing Lung's confusion answered. But he couldn't resist anymore and finally obediently sipped the water dripping from Naya's hands little by little. Even though Naya seems very quiet and doesn't like small talk, she does care.

Jing Lung's wound was bandaged using cloth from her torn skirt. Jing Lung feels bad and he plans to replace the kindness of the girl whose mother is dying.

But the truth is, even though her mother is dying, Naya has a blue bow made of flaming and transparent crystal which she now slings over her shoulder. Naya's appearance is similar to the girl in the Academy of Light in the Monarchy. It looks so bold and nimble.

"What water is this?"

Jing Lung tasted the fresh water and he was so grateful that the woman's green flat knife did not stick deep. Moreover, the wound had been neatly bandaged by Naya.

She lowered his head slightly, then she helped Jing Lung lean against the wall. "You wrapped it well. Were you a former healer?"

Naya, who was fixing her shining white arrows, stopped. She stared at Jing Lung without interest then collected the arrows back into the cloth bag which she also attached. Jing Lung's gaze fell on the blue crystal arrow again.

"Where did you get that bow?"

Naya took a breath. "So far, you've asked four times and aren't you tired of waiting for me to answer them one by one?"

Jing Lung blinked, then he looked back at Naya with an innocent look. "You counted my questions? Holy shit, you're awesome."

Naya just snorted and then half crouched beside Jing Lung who was leaning against the wall. While preparing to tell a story, Naya's hand rubbed the cloth that was bandaging Jing Lung's chest. As if she was putting a spell on him.

"That woman is called Yixu. She is my childhood friend who also used to live in this village. But because of various things and small changes that happened, our relationship can no longer be considered friends. Rather, rivals."

Naya also leaned her body against the wall, looking up at the ceiling of the temple which had a hole and gave off the moonlight. She don't know what Han Zhong's fate will be like now, but Naya hopes that he can catch up with her.

"What happened?"

"Family conflicts and some of the prayers here always have various powers that Yixu is jealous of. Yixu was not a person who was talented in fighting. She just has a strong physique and a sweet mouth. But she was just like me, a Myth. Light Orbs."

"But she is also a descendant of the Abyss, right?"

Naya turned her head and looked at Jing Lung in shock. "How'd you know that?"

"We Dragons can sense opposing energies around us. It's all in our academic lessons. So don't be so confused."

"Oh, that's great. So you can feel the aura of the Abyss around you?"

"Right. But this time Han Zhong's left, I shouldn't be silent like this."

When Jing Lung tried to stand up, Naya held him first. Naya's blue eyes were so solemn to tell him to stop and for some reason, Jing Lung continued to obey. This is the second time he fell into the hands of Naya just like that.

"Your condition is still incapable of advancing to the Folix Hole. What you drank just now was the water from the Pond of Life and the Heart of the Temple. That should fix the pain in your body. Luckily Yixu's little knife didn't penetrate your insides. So it takes time to heal it all. Also, I have a bow, I can fight without any wounds on my body."

Jing Lung's eyebrow rose to one side then he laughed. "Sorry, I didn't mean to call you a weak woman. But—going into the Folix Hole was dangerous. I won't let you do that." Jing Lung insisted, but Naya held him tighter.

Her silvery hair swayed. Jing Lung just realized that elves basically have a physique like a human. And that physique is very attractive. Especially with Naya's deep blue eyes. Touched something inside Jing Lung.

"I got this bow from the Head of the Temple when I was little when I was appointed as the Guardian of the Temple," said Naya during her efforts to restrain Jing Lung. He sat back down and the pain creeping around his chest was a little sore. In his heart, he shouldn't have fallen just because of a light wound like this. Except that the green knife just now was indeed coated with an energy he didn't know about.

"This is a sacred arrow that only the prayers of the main shrine have. These bows are found at the bottom of cold pools and are tough against many scratches. Moreover, this bow has the same energy—as my light energy. If you still don't believe I can help Han Zhong, then everything I've done to you has been in vain."

Again Jing Lung wanted to laugh when he heard that. "What have you done to me?"

Naya reached out and touched the bandaged wound on Jing Lung's chest. He pressed then Jing Lung immediately screamed in pain. "Ah yes, yes, I'm sorry. Okay. But I'm telling you this not because it means I'm grateful to you. I still don't want you to join in on our treacherous plans."

Naya's forehead wrinkled. "What do you mean?"

"I will thank you in another way. But, maybe you're right. I may not be able to fight for a while, but let me accompany you."

This time Naya was silent and she removed her hand from Jing Lung's chest while Jing Lung breathed a sigh of relief.

"The only way to get out of the Folix Hole is with a Lunar Crystal. I know this sounds stupid, but Han Zhong doesn't know that, right? Moreover, your crystal has already been given to him. So, if we go in there, even though we already know how, we don't have the crystal and that's all bo—"

Unexpectedly, Naya took out a crystal lump from her trouser pocket. And that made Jing Lung's blood suddenly fresh again.

"You still have it?" cried Jing Lung in amazement. Naya didn't show any expression.

"Of course, the guardians of the temple are required to keep all of this. So, let's catch up with Han Zhong."

Jing Lung didn't have time to admire how brave Naya was. Even though Naya was still like a little girl, it amazed him. It was as if even Jing Lung, who was good at fighting, could submit to her bravery. And makes his heart vibrate to feel the struggle too.

"Call Finux. We shouldn't be that far from Yixu yet."

After saying that Naya nodded and immediately ran outside the temple. Naya's tiny back left a faint smile on Jing Lung's lips. And unknowingly, it made his heart feel a little relieved.

***