👑 UNEXPECTED 👑

<JADE’S CHAMBER>

“Hani!!”

“Hani!!”

“Asa!!”

“Mina!!”

“Woah!!”

Jade kept turning on her bed as the screams from the palace Arena grew louder.

“My heavens. Why’s it so noisy?!”. Jade groaned on the bed as she used the pillow to cover her ears but it didn’t help anything then in annoyance she flipped open her eyes glaring at everywhere at first then her eyes began widening slowly as it roamed round the huge luxurious room.

Seeing a golden candle stand she instantly stood up running to it. The other items in the room were made of Jade substances, be it luxurious Jade glasses or ceramics anything!

“Gold!”. Jade screamed, removing the unlit candle and touching the lamp stand.

She looked around the room and found her bed very wide. Her bed at home was not even quarter to the size of the one standing before her.

The painting and classy wooden furniture and even the pink lower wall paper on her dressing board were all screaming royalty and a tear fell from Jade’s eyes as she shed tears of joy.

“I can’t believe…my dreams of becoming very powerful have finally come true”. She mumbled as she continued shading tears of joy.

“Ming will be so Jealous of me”. Jade said then instantly became serious.

“I can’t read. So he’ll probably toss me away empty handed. C,mom Jade let’s secure our future”. She encouraged herself as she began taking as much stuff as she began storing them inside her clothes till it became bulgy and she searched around for a huge bag to store the remaining stuff including some bedsheets.

By the time she was done she heaved a satisfying sigh, throwing the two heavy bags over her two shoulders with so much energy she began walking to the door, leaving the almost empty room, but by the time she tried opening the door the door was locked and she frowned trying to open it again.

“Why won’t the door open?”. Jade mouthed with open eyes and then she heard the footsteps of some maids. She quickly rushed to hide the stuff she stole behind the dressing board before sitting on the bed and immediately the door popped open with three pretty looking maids walking in.

Getting to her they bowed to her making her blink in puzzlement. Then they looked around the almost empty room in shock and Jade’s face turned pale.

“We are sorry my lady. We thought we’ve fully furnished your room, we’ll finish it up soon, don’t be annoyed”. The girls bowed at once and Jade let out a sigh of relief.

“No problem. I don’t mind”. Jade replied awkwardly and they nodded.

“We’ve been assigned by the Emperor to be your personal servants, my lady and I’m Nila by name”. One of the servants spoke, her head still bowed as she wore a smile.

“I’m Kimi”. The second one said, her face beaming with excitement.

“And I’m Misa”. The third one introduced with not too much smile on her face like the others.

“Nice meeting you all but I love my privacy so please…shoo”. Jade muttered nicely demonstrating with her hands as she chased them off but her eyes were more of their presence would only interrupt her business.

“But…we were told to bath, feed you right now against tonight”. Misa said.

“What’s happening tonight?”. Jade asked moving closer to Misa curiously.

“You’ll be introduced to everyone in court as the Emperor’s…

“Don’t say it!”. Jade stopped them and they stopped with questions in their faces.

“I can dress myself so please excuse yourselves”. Jade said rushing to open the door for them.

“What if we get punished by the Emperor for not following orders”. Kimi asked, when the three of them were out.

“Just give me five minutes then. I’ll call you three in the next five minutes don’t worry”. Jade waved before shutting the door in their faces.

“I’ve got just five minutes to escape from here otherwise i would be seen as a dumb mistress from now on”. Jade muttered to herself rushing to pick up her hidden goods then stood in front of a mirror to check herself out for the first time in the palace and she smiled holding her face tight.

“I’m suffering but my face is still so flawless? Gosh I’m starting to think I’m truly a witch”. Jade grinned rushing towards the door again trying to open it but it refused opening and in anger she kicked it hard falling to the floor.

“This is madness!! What kind of spell did that masked devil place on this door? I should have just gone out with my personal maids!”. Jade said breathing heavily in disappointment.

<YONGXI ARENA>

“Asa!!”.

“Hani!!”.

The crowd kept on cheering as Hani took out another opponent.

Since it was a test of spells amd meditation all the 55 remaining contestant sat right in the middle of the field in a circle taking their meditating positions.

They had only five minutes to use their meditating tactics to throw out five contestants each.

They all sat with wrapped legs, their hands resting on their laps with their fists tightened as they weren’t allowed to use their powers but mind spell to throw out their opponent.

All putting on yellow, Hani on red while Jade was the only one in blue which made alot of eyes to ignore her capability and focus on the others since she was the only one in a lower rank.

“She’s more useless than when she was blind”. Mistress Gora commented and the other mistresses laughed while Lady Wang’s focus was only on Mina.

“My goodness Asa again!!”. Lady Yeri and Lady Wang exclaimed together with opposite face reactions as Mistress Yeri’s exclaim were with pride and happiness while Lady Wang’s were of jealousy.

“I expected more from Mina. Guess she isn’t desperate enough”. The Queen Mother said to her head maid who sat behind her at her high throne as she stared disappointedly at Mina whose whole focus were on Jade only or should i say Kai in Jade’s form.

He sat quietly like everyone else and had tried getting rid of some opponents but Mina just wouldn’t let him be. She focused on no one else in her mind spell but him.

‘What’s her problem? Why’s she so obsessed with eliminating Jade’. Kai scoffed in his head as he finally locked Mina’s mind away from attacking him for the main time and Mina in anger her tightened fist began trembling.

Then suddenly a huge cheer filled the arena and Asa came back from her mind trip, she was the first to have successfully eliminated five out of girls and everyone showered her with lots of praises while she smiled back going to the side of the field to watch the remaining competitors.

‘She looks calm but quite cunning’. Hani muttered in head as she stared at Asa.

“She’s very smart. She knew you and Mina would focus on the blind girl only and the girls from poor families. That’s why she quickly targeted the girls with medium power capacity to end her game before you remember to get rid of her…

“I know that. Just remind me next time to get rid of her before doing any other thing”. Hani snapped lowly at Giselle before closing back her eyes and in the space of one minutes she took out her last opponent for the day and everyone cheered her name as usual while Mina instead of targeting someone else sat preparing her power in her head to unlock Kai’s restriction spell on her but it didn’t work.

“Do quick and come out. We have a lot to talk about”. Hani said to Giselle before walking to the side of the field.

Giselle nodded ready to finish up since there remained only two for her to get rid of but the moment she closed her eyes Jade already used her mind to throw both her and another girl out causing great shock amongst everyone including Asa and her step mothers.

Giselle glanced at Hani who gave her a disappointed look before walking away from the field and Giselle ran out the field in tears.

👥 Two at once???

👥 So awesome!!

👥 Are you sure she’s supposed to be on blue or the red outfit has run out?!

👥 She keeps shocking us every time! First she wasn’t really blind now.

Everyone gossiped and Kai took out another two at once and Prime Minister Wang who had forced himself to sit calmly at first stood up in shock, same with his wife and mistresses.

“What’s happening?! Where did the dirty thing get her powers from?!”. Bae snapped right next to Sana in the audience who scoffed h@ťěfully.

“If the Emperor could let her not participate in the first competition, its not surprising if he borrowed her some powers also”. Sana rolled eyes.

“Your sisters out”. Cho Han’s annoying servant said beside him from where they sat in the audience of nobles only.

“Take a look at the girl in blue. Isn’t she the same one I saved from the goons the other night”. Han questioned.

“You mean the girl the Emperor saved”. Han’s personal servant said and Han threw him a sharp glare before fanning himself with his retractable black fan made with thin fine wood as he stared interestedly at Jade.

“She’s a whole mystery. Hope she doesn’t win though. It’s more of a curse being an Empress to this worthless kingdom and having pride for a husband…

“Your sister just lost. You should go and console her not talking about acquiring someone who’s already rumored to be the Emperor’s woman. If she wins or not her status in the palace still won’t change”. Cho said and Han faced Cho with so much curiosity.

“You heard something from my father’s personal servant right? What’s it? And how is she the Emperor’s woman even before the competition ends?”. Han asked and Cho only stood up.

“I’ll tell you but outside, I don’t want anyone hearing since it hasn’t been confirmed yet”. Cho whispered to his master looking around at the crowd whose gaze was on the field before leaving.

“I’m so done with him”. Han sighed looking pissed off as he also stood up to go with Cho after giving Jade a last glance.
***
“Hope my Cherry puts that former blind thing back in her witchy coven where she belongs!”. Mistress Gora said as she watched with immense pressure but unfortunately and suddenly Cherry flew out of the circle to the ground it was Mina who angrily threw her out before Kai could and Lady Wang stood up immediately cheering loudly while the mistresses just didn’t move from their spot especially Chery’s mother Mistress Gora.

“My baby’s finally showing the outsiders they’ll never be the real heirs of the family as their only daughters of lowly mistresses”. Lady Wang said boldly laughing loudly as she enjoyed the ladies glare on her.

Cherry stood up from the ground and in complete rage she ran back to the field slapping Mina out of her meditation, then she gripped Mina’s neck with her powers in rage.

And then everyone gasped.

“You obsessed wh-_-re!! You’ll sacrifice your own sister for a mere contest?!! I’ll just end you so none of us gets the king!!”. Cherry shouted as she tightened her grip on Mina’s neck while Mina held her throat, almost choking to death but a blow from Chief Foxy’s breeze sent her flying out of the Arena and Mistress Gora went after her daughter.

👥 And you all insult Hani for getting support from Giselle to eliminate this witch.

👥 She doesn’t deserve to be back! We don’t want a deceitful Empress!!

👥 Her own sister?! When there were literally many other girls she could have sent out?!

👥 The Wang relationships is crazy!

So Kai got rid of someone else making him qualify for the next round and everyone cheered loudly.

👥 She’s unbelievable!!

👥 What if she becomes the Empress?

👥 A blind trickster?! No way!

Many questioned Jade’s capability and in rage of not eliminating Jade on time Mina took out six more girls instead of four to complete five and two got canceled to make it five then in rage she stormed out of the field.

“That was hectic. I should report back to the Emperor”. Kai sighed running out of the field to a secluded place and Asa in suspicion went after him only to be shocked by his transformation from Jade to Kai then he finally disappeared into thin air to meet the Emperor.

“What did I just see?”. Asa mumbled in confusion.

<FORBIDDEN FOREST>

“Tired of you and the trash you keep telling me”. The Emperor said fully masked up slowly walking round the sword stock to the rock, his hands behind him.

“That’s no way to speak to a deity”. A voice said from the sky and the Emperor scoffed looking up at the sky..

“You wouldn’t respond if I called you out nicely”. Emperor Damien said.

“At this rate I’d doubt you’d become one of we deities after your death…

“To watch the people fool themselves from up there and do nothing cause I’m useless…

“You just called us useless??!…

“You cursed me for protecting my people didn’t you? If you were useful you would have protected them in my place, but no! Destiny this…Destiny that!”. The Emperor spat slowly loosing his cool and the voice up there scoffed then let out a mocking laughter.

“You’re just laughing cause the only one fit to remove the sword is so useless and can’t even wield a sword. Poor you”. The voice mocked and the Emperor angrily striked at the sky.

“You’re becoming more bold lately!!!”. The voice snapped.

“I must be free from this darn curse be it you like it or not!”. The Emperor finalized.

“Good luck but quick word of advice for your own good don’t push the little girl away too much, cause the moment she’s out she seems to cause alot of troubles”. The voice said then suddenly became quiet, he was gone.

“What’s he leading to?”. The Emperor muttered with a frown strong on his face and then Kai appeared behind him bowing.

“I’ve successfully made her qualify your majesty”. Kai said and the Emperor faced him.

“Where’s she?”. The Emperor asked and Kai blinked analysing the question before realizing who the Emperor was talking to and replied.

“Jade? She’s locked up in her chamber like you instructed…

“She isn’t there”. The Emperor cut him off, his temper completely pissed off already and Kai’s eyes widened.

“I’ll go look for her then…

“Never mind. Let’s head back”. The Emperor said before de-materializing.

“Just like that?”. Kai muttered before following suite.

<VILLAGE MARKET>

“Is it a Jade necklace you want?! Or a Jade Candle or probably a Jade sculpture!! Keep your mind at rate cause the newest business guru in town’s got you covered!! So ready if your money is ready cause Jade & M lives only to satisfy your needs with our Jade valuables!!”. Ming advertised with a wide smile as he pointed at their huge table where they set all their expensive market to be sold.

Many people already gathered right in front of them as Jade happily entertained them.

“Still don’t know how you were able to leave the palace with no one trailing you and worse with that luxurious outfit and the stuffs you carried”. Ming asked Jade who was truly looking gorgeous and sophisticated in a white silk robe.

“I let the maids dress me as ordered, then told them to leave my chamber door open in their absence since I’m not authorized to open the door and leave myself”. Jade explained lowly as she attended to customers.

“What?”. Ming asked in confusion.

“Just go away, I’m busy. Find something to do yourself!”. Jade snapped at Ming before facing a rich looking lady who admired her beauty also, but Jade instead brought out one of her products.

“I traveled far and near to purchase this pin. It isn’t ordinary. The heavenly queen used it and threw it down to this kingdom then it landed on mount Shanghai and we all know how far that mountain is, just pay 3000 gold coins and I’ll give you this pin”. Jade said persuasively at a rich looking lady while Ming’s eyes widened at the price she called but chose to hide it.

The lady took the pin staring lovingly at it then immediately ordered her servant to pay Jade who smiled widely as she bowed in thanks.

“You’re not different from a queen now! Using the heavenly Queen’s former item!!”. Jade yelled after the leaving lady.

“Whose next!”. Jade asked the huge crowd waiting for her attention and Ming ran to join her in selling the items.

Then suddenly a troop of armed shoulders stormed the area and everyone ran to take cover since the shoulders were approaching Jade and Ming’s tent.

“Whose the owner of this business?!”. The captain of the troop asked ferociously walking towards them and Jade made to fearfully step forward but Ming stood in front.

“It’s me. Any problem?”. Ming said trying to be bold even though he was shaking and immediately the soldier used the bottom of his sword to hit Ming in the belly and Ming fell to the ground groaning in pains.

“Ming!!”. Jade’s eyes widened rushing to him on the ground, then she looked up at the grumpy looking soldiers.

“Seize what ever they’re selling and take down the tent!!”. The Captain ordered and immediately the soldiers instantly seizing and destroying their tents in the most violent way ever matching and breaking it to pieces.

“What’s your problem?!! What was our offence?!”. Jade asked rushing to stop one of the soldiers destroying the shops.

“Leave me you wrench!”. That particular soldier spat slapping her hard on the face and she fell to the ground with a bruised face.

“You both are following us the magistrate right now operating an unauthorized business Is against the law of this Kingdom!”. The captain said strongly and Jade stood up facing him.

“You mean I need permission before making ends meet? What if I don’t get approved cause I’m not of a noble blood or once served as a slave! And you all wonder why theft never ends in this kingdom?”. Jade questioned and this time the Captain used the sword in his hands to slap her sending her straight to the ground almost fainting, the side of her lips was cut deeply also, that blood began oozing out, her long hair scattered and her body sandy.

“Jade!”. Ming called rushing to him.

“You should know your place as a lowly reproduction machine in this kingdom!! Twe!”. The captain snapped spitting to the ground.

“Take them away right now!!”. The captain yelled to his troop and immediately two soldiers each roughly dragged Jade and Ming up taking him away when Ming’s mother, a tattered looking lady suddenly stood in front of his son and Jade going on her knees to beg.

“Please!! His father is sick he was just trying to look for a means to get his father’s drugs please don’t take him away…

The lady wasn’t done when the Captain signaled at his men and about four of them gathered the old lady punching and beating lives out of her making everyone around striken with fear and shock.

“Mother!!”. Ming screamed out while Jade only stared in shock.

“We were ordered generally to see to it that no rule is violated and any obstructance in our duty will be duly punished!!”. The Captain said as his men beat up the old lady till she was unconscious by this time Ming was already in full tears but he suddenly stopped, then unexpectedly he freed himself from the soldiers grip stealing one of their swords to slay the last soldier that left his mother who instantly fainted and the soldier dropped dead to the ground.

“No…Ming”. Jade mumbled in fright as the Captain in anger of loosing a member rushed towards Ming using his sword to slice off Ming’s head from his neck and it fell straight to the ground.

“Nooo!!”. Jade screamed as Ming’s head rolled to her feet and she couldn’t hold herself from crying.

“The life of a soldier costs ten people’s live!! So calling you also can be justified as nothing but self defense!!”. The Captain sneered blood thirsty for more blood as he approached Jade with his sword dripping blood.

“Yaaaaahy!!!”. The Captain yelled pwerfully as he raised up his sword to chop Jade’s head off also but all was put to stop when her eyes suddenly shown gold and suddenly golden wings made of firy feathers popped out of her back her fists tightened as very strong golden flames emanated from her body and the captain, his soldiers and everyone gasped loudly in shock.

“She…she’s a pheonix…shes got Pheonix fire!!”. The Captain shouted and he together with everyone who were hiding before refused to hide as they began running for their dear lives and even the soldiers couldn’t stand their ground anymore as they abandon their weapons to flee with their powers but it was too late as Jade’s anger had already reached its limit.

“I warned you to….live me aloneeee!!!”. Jade shouted powerfully and immediately the vibration from her voice spread like wild fire making everyone it touched even by mistake burn to ashes that disappeared instantly with no trace and the Captain and his soldiers were the most victims dying painfully…