The Sorceress: Blossoming Power

While Tyriece was in a dilemma, General Lofey and Sir Gib emerged from the cave entrance. They are running out and carrying cloth bundles each. 

Tyriece turned his head to the two and the mine opening. "General, where are the others? Where's Balin?" 

"He's with the governor now. We separated so we can bring you guys in." Lofey's pride told him not to mention he was the reason they got separated.

"We need you in there," General Lofey said and turned to Gib. "Choose unmarried men willing to go in. And…" He eyed Gib. "As a Chiangda, I need you too but if you opt out… I won't stop you."

Gib lowered his eyes, thinking of his wife, son, and unborn baby. However, as one of the few Chiangdas, he knew his responsibility. "I'll go with you, general. This is my oath as a soldier."

"Good, that's the spirit." General Lofey patted the young man's shoulder.

When Tyriece saw the two had settled the topic. "General, how can I go in?" 

The general laid the bundle on the ground and untied it. "Here, take this stone. This is the same as Sir Nianshi's sword." General Lofey handed the emerald stone to Tyriece. Gib did the same and gave stones to the volunteers.

"Let's go," The general shouted as he ran ahead of them.

"Yes, sir." Tyriece saluted at General Lofey before entering the cave. Balin and twenty men followed. The ghosts came out as he passed by but hissed, staring at the stone and sunk back in the wall.

When they reached the narrowed path, Tyriece lifted his hands and moved it sideways apart. They saw the walls moved backwards, widening the path for two people to pass. 

---- o ----

As Ming and Xinyi entered the room, the three of them gasped and stood in awe of the room full of stones. Not common ones they usually saw on the cave's walls, but stones illuminating the room. It was all over the cavern's walls, each one looked so precious and so divine, they walked a little further inside still shook with sight of the shiny objects. 

The Hutyuns warned Xinyi that they were not the only people inside the room. However, when she looked around, saw no one else. She then urged everyone to walk a little deeper within the room to inspect anything. Suddenly they heard noises. A little up ahead they saw a man with a feminine figure who seemed digging for something.

Ming squinted his eyes. He looked to every corner of the room, searching for more people. But found no one else. He stood on alert, astounded for a single person to pass through the ghosts and the statues unscathed. He was also not gonna let anyone snuck up on him again. 

The man seemed to notice them as well. He slowly got up and turned. To their shock they never thought he'd be the one they'd been looking for this whole damn time. 

"So you finally caught up with me." Mafan smirked. He didn't seem worried. He stood there calmly holding a dull-looking stone as big as his fist. 

"Mafan! This ends now!" Balin said as he blasted his fire without warning. He was already angry with Mafan since they lost against those ghosts when they entered. He was emotional as he saw that this man was the cause of all those deaths and the cause of the war and chaos. Yet, he was here deep inside doing well, as if the ghost and statues did not touch him.

Mafan was able to get away from the blast. Part of his shoulder got burned, but he didn't seem to mind. Ming interfered. He knew this was no place to fight but capturing this man alive was his priority for Qinfen's and the people's sake.

"Mafan! You used my brother to get in my estate, caused a havoc within my city and you even cost me my men. Surrender now and the punishment will be light!" He meant what he said but knew his soldiers or General Lofey wouldn't have it that way. 

Balin looked at Ming, pissed but couldn't believe the calmness in this man's face at this point. He respected his resilience during the whole fight from the start. Even General Lofey saluted on this governor's leadership. Thus, he did nothing more and let Ming handle this situation.

Mafan's expression hardened. He was genuinely sorry, but he also couldn't give up his dream.

"I can't. I'm sorry if those people died because of me. But I won't give up now!" He looked down on the stone he was holding. "Do you know how hard it is to be a Chiangda? To be despised despite not doing anything? Do you know how hard it is for everyone to hate you just because you are different? I don't think so Governor! You have no clue how hard it is to be like us!" 

His pain was seen on his face. It was filled with hatred. Xinyi could feel his sincerity and understood him, but she also knew what he was doing still wasn't right. But she remained silent, letting Ming do the talking.

"Chiangdas were respected and praised by the likes of you. But all of you none magic wielders made us look like monsters! We were forced into hiding! You understand how I feel, Balin. Right? We had to hide under the shadows and allow ourselves to be ordered around when we should have been the dominant ones." 

He gripped unto the Haptorite and cried in agony, thinking of his mother, the Chiangdas in prison, and that innocent girl being r.a.p.ed and died n.a.k.e.d without a fight. He had remembered those bitter memories he had years ago.

"I was once a citizen here, but... the Youshi Kingdom treated us like animals. The Youshians were pigs. They r.a.p.ed my mother just because I was a Chiangda. My father died because he couldn't accept the fact that his son was a magic wielder. Why would I give up now when I've already got what I need to make a better nation? A nation where respect and equality prevails." 

The three were heartbroken listening about his bad experience as a Chiangda but what alarmed them most was what he said that he already got what he needed.

Did he get the stone Xionmao said?  Xinyi thought of asking but...

Ming was about to confess that he too was a Chiangda, but as he was about to, the cave's walls started rumbling. The ground started to shake. They lost balance and tried to find something to hold on.

"Xinyi!" Ming called out and grabbed her hand. He had formed a shield to protect them from any debris falling from the ceiling. The shaking stopped, and they all stood again. Mafan balanced himself as he was holding unto the cave walls. 

Suddenly they heard a thundering bang. The tremor was stronger this time, causing them all to fall this time.