DISTRESS

Nowhere.

Such things as suddenly having a mark out of nowhere in your twenties were written nowhere. In no books, in no vision, nowhere. The books were scattered everywhere on the floor of Blossom's room but the answer she was looking for was nowhere.

She stood up from the floor and started to pace around the room. She was anxious. She doesn't remember who she touched back then. It's impossible to suddenly have a mark. If you had a soulmate fate will naturally bond both of you within time.

If she has a soulmate then she can't get with Evenor. 

She rubbed her temples in sheer confusion and frustration. 

She closed her eyes and tried to remember past occurrences. She didn't touch any man other than her disciples who were not eighteen yet....the only one she had slight skin-to-skin contact with was...

Evandro's Linya.

She licked her chapped lips and shook her head.

Although every proof was pointing towards him she refused to believe it and kept shaking her head in denial. "Unthinkable...no...not that man." She said and clenched her hands in a fist. 

'If I'm his mate then I'm dead meat. That man will butcher me into pieces. They will throw me out of here if anyone came to know I'm his mate...no, no, I'm not his mate. My heart only belongs to Evenor. Only him.' She pondered and tried to relax herself before walking out of her chamber. It was night and the moon was up in the sky, its dazzling light falling on her face as she walked down the stone stairs.

Once she stepped down she met her four disciples and all of them made their way toward the main hall. "You guys didn't tell anyone about the stone right?" Megara asked and all four of them nodded.

"But surprisingly they didn't look down on us, they were surprised enough that we went there," Ida said while chewing on her melon seeds. "The disciples didn't look down on us but their masters will. Don't pay attention to them." Megara declared.

Just as she said...their masters were eyeing them mockingly but the four disciples feign oblivion just like their master.

Dogs always want attention.

Those who knew just praised them for their bravery. At least they went into the dark blades territory unlike these people, who just sit and judge. They do not deserve to be called a master.

Headmaster Zale praised all the four disciples, enlightening their spirits as the four of them strolled out of the hall with a path much brighter. Blossom sat beside one of the masters on the buffer and glanced at the line opposite to her. 

Her eyes met Evenor's and her heart skipped a beat. Sadness wrapped her heart in an instant once she met his eye. Her chest pulsed in pain as she swallowed to conceal the clot in her throat.

She lowered her gaze and grabbed the small cup from the table, taking a sip of liquor. Her mind was in trance but she trailed off her thoughts when she heard the name of 'cross squad sect'.

She raised her head and looked at her uncle sitting on the throne. Her ears perked up as she carefully listened to his next sentence. "Yes, we must depart next month," Zale said and blossom slightly frowned.

"He is finally getting wedded to his soulmate after all these years. We must go to his wedding." One of the masters let out. 

Wedded?

"Yes, I want some of you guys to come with me while the others stay back and take care of the sect." Zale declared and everyone nodded except Megara who was in a delirium.

The masters who knew the groom agreed upon going while the others decided to stay back. Since Blossom didn't understand who was getting married she kept quiet. Not only that she does not want to go back to the cross-squad sect. That place might be the number one sect but she dislikes that place. It's related to Linya's second bloodline but that isn't the case. 

"Blossom, he especially invited you. You must come." Zale said once he noticed Megara didn't agree upon going. "Ah pardon me, who is getting married?" She asked, her voice was stern but she was awkward within.

The hall falls in silence. 

She blinked her eyes several times while staring at her dear uncle who suddenly looked so gorgeous.

"Ah, your fellow companion and the head of the cross squad sect Marco is getting married," Zale said and Blossom nodded. She was calm on the outside but shocked on the inside.

'What? That pigface is getting married? He was such a deviant when he didn't have a soulmate. It's been so long since I last met him. He is the head of the sect now. He must have changed and he especially invited me. I must go, it's been a while since I've last seen him.' 

"If it's brother Marco getting married, I must go," Megara said and Zale nodded with a smile on his face. Since the sect was far away they decided to depart at the beginning of the next month. As per Marco's request, they will stay there for more than a week.

A week passed just like that.

Blossom was busy training her disciples before going to the cross-squad sect next week. She's been keeping herself busy to avoid Evenor who is truly affected by her behavior. It tears her heart apart but she is helpless against fate. 

She doesn't want to avoid him but she can't do anything about it. 

Why does God have to give her a soulmate out of nowhere when he made her like Evenor? This was so outrageous.

"You guys must train well, when I come back there will be a hand-to-hand combat between you all. Whoever comes last better be prepared for their punishment." Megara declared at the end of the training and all of them nodded. The sky was already dark so she decided to go have her dinner with her four disciples.

They had a good feast because all of them were exhausted from the training. While they were eating Helice's gaze suddenly fell on Blossom who was silently eating her meal but her face was pale and sweat drops were rolling down her forehead. The weather wasn't hot neither was the food she was eating spicy.

"Master, are you okay?" Helice asked with concern and Megara looked at her. Her expression was stern as she nodded. Her hands were tightly clenching onto the ball she was holding. She immediately finished her food and stood up. 

"You guys enjoy your meal and don't stay up late at night to practice. R-Resting is also important." Megara declared sternly but her voice wavered between the sentences. She left the restaurant immediately.

"Don't you guys think something is wrong with master ever since we came back from the mission?" Helice asked and Syloson nodded. "Right, she is getting weak. She is always in a trance." Syloson said and all four of them nodded.

"I wonder what happened to her," Ida said while chewing on her chicken wing. "We all do," Darcy asserted.

On the other hand, Blossom closed the door behind her and aggressively rubbed her chest. Her breath was heavy as she grabbed the water jug from the bedside table and chugged it down. She slammed the empty jug on the bedside table and fall on her knees due to her shaking legs. Her clothes were soaked and her eyes were red.

She was in immense anguish.

This is the third time this is happening to her in just a week.

Her soulmate is entangled with another woman right now. With her shaking hands she loosened the belt around her waist as she grabbed the bed sheet and dug her red face into the sheets.

She was in sheer pain.

She felt like her chest was getting twisted, and crushed, her limbs were getting torn apart but blood wouldn't come out of her lips. This pain is not just for a moment, this pain goes all night. Draining all of her energy, taking all her sanity to the point she is just a corpse laying on the floor or wrapped up in sheets. 

She shook her head, this pain was driving her crazy. 

Nothing scared her but this thing, this man he scares her. She is in immense pain, he is in the same distress as her but still goes on the whole night as if he loves pain. He loves to feel this distress. 

Who is this crazy and wild?

Only Evandros Linya. 

She clutched the bed sheets as tears of pain soaked the bed sheet beneath her face. "Please s-stop." She whispered under her breath. Saliva rolled down from the corner of her mouth, she couldn't control her gasps, and she couldn't control her painful breathing. This pain was sharper than a blade cutting your heart.

It could drive one insane to the point they are willingly lying on their enemy's claws.

The whole night she felt pain until she was driven out of her sanity and lost her senses. Kneeling on the floor with her upper body on the bed, her grip loosen on the sheets beneath her. 

The soaked area beneath her face was now dry as she lifelessly stayed in that position until the sun was up and the mountain was crowded with disciples going here and there.

She hasn't even properly met him and he already made her half-extinct.