Chapter 2 Diah!

Dawn in Kauoha is considered the most sacred time of the day. Each family offers incense on their altar to the gods. The temple glows brightly as a result of the uniformed worship. The temple towers above the entire godsdom few feets above the academy. It can be sighted from thousands of kilometers away. It was home to the first knights and present day ritual place, the fountain figura is in the middle of the rich floral compound that is home to every botanical plant found on earth. The grass soldiers are the chief staff of the temple.

Only knights are allowed fellowship in the temple, they alone are granted access to the most sacred places. Any other rank asides from knights that dares to, gets struck down by the gods. The knights are referred to as direct descendants of the gods.

On the southside of the temple is Lisa's castle, being the only female knight amongst few others, she is revered and respected above her counterparts. Her castle was a gift from her parents and she honors them by keeping it sacred and decent, she employed just few number of slaves whose vine is considered the purest. After fellowship at the temple, she trains for an hour then go back to her tower to get set for the day's duties. She peered through the window from her tower and caught sight of Diah tending to the horses.

"How she understands and speaks to those creatures, i can never fathom" she sighed under her breath.

Few moments later, Diah came into her room with breakfast.

"Dawn breaking to you your boltness" Diah greeted with a bow as soon as she entered.

"You're late" Lisa replied coldly.

"I'm sorry your boltness" Diah apologized knowing fully well that she wasn't wrong with the timing.

"It's past time for personal breakfast. I'll have my collective breakfast at the academy. Get my uniform"

"Yes your boltness" She hurriedly dropped the tray and selected a uniform from Lisa's closet. She dressed her up. When she was done, she bowed and turned to leave.

"Uh....!" Lisa called her attention.

"Yes your icicle" replied Diah.

"You're forgetting something" she gestured to the tray.

"I'm sorry your icicle" Diah replied in a shaky tone, she rushed to pick the tray.

"One more time and i'll freeze your memory for good" as she spoke, her eyes turned frosty and she made a whip of ice with her powers. Diah at this point was trembling on the inside, she held her breath and waited for the worse to happen.

"You may leave" said Lisa in a cold and sinister tone. She wrapped the whip round her waist. Diah bolted out of the room in fright. "Ugh! Slaves!" Lisa said after her in a disgusted tone.

At dusk, every native was retiring home from the day's hassle. Some are already home having dinner, some at the tavern and some are resting. Diah rode her cart quietly down the path that led to her home. She was glad to be out of Lisa's breath, she's been her slave since she was five.

"So good to be home again" she yawned tiredly while tying her horse to a pole in the mini stable she designed for it. She walked into the house with her basket and an upside down smile. Her home is a cottage of four rooms, a kitchen and a medium sized garden at the rear. Though small, the interior looked entirely different from outside, it was above her rank's standard. It had everything a room in a castle has. A comfortable bed with silk sheets, spider web made curtains, marble floors, nice firehouse, beautiful utensils and so on. Lily stood up to greet her with a loud meow as soon as she entered. She picked the cat and ran her hand through its thick fur.

"Hi lily, how was your daylight? Where's papa?" She looked round the room carefully. "Outside it is then, let's go get him".

She went out to the garden through the back door. "Dusk time to you sir" she greeted Hsu, her father.

"Sunshine! You're back!" Hsu greeted her excitedly, he's always so happy to have his daughter around, he squeezed her in a tight hug. "You're early."

"I am, Lisa had duties at the academy"

"I see. Hey lily" he acknowledged the cat. The cat purred in response.

"How was your day?"

"Good" she gave a fake smile.

"I see" Hsu raised a brow, he can tell when the truth is not completely in view.

"So....what are you digging up or planting?" Asked Diah in an attempt to avoid more questions.

"Some herbs"

"Herbs?"

"Tea herbs"

"Ew!"

"They're healthy."

"Yeah and bitter and strong and disgusting"

"Bitter doesn't make it bad or disgusting, it simply means It's good enough for the system. And strong is good for the mind."

Diah raised her hand in form of surrender. "You've said it all."

"Let's go in so i can make you a pot."

"Super uninterested. Diah said in protest but calmly.

"You'll like it"

"Nah"

"Really?"

Diah chuckled.

They got in and Hsu made soup and served. During the meal, he observed Diah for as long as she wasn't looking.

"You could bore a hole in my head with that fixated look" Diah said without looking at Hsu.

"Nothing gets past you, does it?"

"What is it this time papa" she inquired knowing he has something say.

"How's your master?"

Diah sighed loudly, "Cold and terrifying as always."

"Typical Ice knight" Hsu tried to humor the moment.

"Typical" replied Diah, unmoved by the humor.

"A letter came for you today"

"I'll check it when i'm less busy"

"Child. It is THE letter"

"What?"

Hsu brought out a letter from his robe's pocket and gave it to her. She received the letter, ope ed it and read the content.

"HOLY GODS!" she yelled in disbelief. She screamed so loud her horse neighed in reaction to hearing her voice. "Finally papa" she manged to say after all the excited stunts she pulled off.

"Finally my child" Hsu answered tearing up.

The news was huge and exciting for both of them. It was Diah's acceptance letter to train and become a soldier. After attempting many times and failing, she finally passed and got accepted.

I AM GOING TO BE A SOLDIER! She yelled in excitement.