In a commercial star craft, a coffin lying on the ground rattled and violently opened, surprising Luocha, who was writing on a nearby table.
"Gasp!" Jingliu gasped for air, her body covered with cold sweat, as the memories of the dream were fresh on her mind.
"By the Eons! You scared the hell out of me." Luocha couldn't help to exclaim, "What happened to you for you to end up in a cold sweat?" Luocha rose from his seat and examined the mara within her.
"This... how?" Sensing how mild the mara inside her, Luocha was surprised and confused at the same time.
Mara is usually chaotic, especially when its host was asleep, but what Luocha's seeing was far from the chaotic mara, but well-behaved and calm.
Jingliu, who was still recovering from the dream, scanned her surroundings. It seemed to be a hotel room with two beds, a shower, and a set of tables and chairs.
Such places were already used to both of them.
They are currently in a commercial starcraft owned and operated by the Interatrial Peace Corporation, or the IPC for short.
In the past, these ships were exclusively made for transporting goods around space, but soon expanded to accommodate people as they traveled.
With enough money, they can rent one of many rooms in the giant Starcraft.
"I... need to take a shower." Jingliu quickly rose from her coffin and disappeared into the shower.
Under the warm shower, her mind cleared; rather, it is exceptionally clear, even without her blindfold, she can think clearly, without any whispers assaulting her mind every second.
After washing the cold sweats away, she dried up and donned her attire once more, but more peculiarly, she left her blindfold off.
Upon exiting, Luocha also noticed her peculiar state and raised an eyebrow, "Jingliu? How..." Many questions circle around Luocha's mind, and she was unsure what to ask first.
Jingliu's cold eyes locked onto Luocha's. "Ask what's on your mind. I also have some unanswered questions to inquire with you." She sat on the bed facing Luocha.
"Ahaha, apologize, my mind is a bit startled, but first, what happened when you were sleeping? The mara inside of you seemed to have calmed down to an unusual degree."
Jingliu recounted her encounter with the mara, which has gained sentience.
Hearing the situation, Luocha first doubted her words, but knowing Jingliu as someone who does not joke and the calm mara, he couldn't help but believe her words.
"Truthfully, this is a unique phenomenon. I have not heard of a mara that has gained sentience, and this one is very sinister, but I also could not blame its actions." Sensing Jingliu's skeptical eyes, Luocha explained further.
"Now that it has gained sentience, its first objective is naturally to survive. And you, who are a threat to its survival, will find ways to hinder the progress. I wouldn't doubt if it willed, your current mara could turn frenzied in any moment, it's only giving a peace of mind for a moment so you could think clearly."
"Then what do you suggest as the next course of action?"
"Let it be for now, accept any conditions it might impose, right now, a cure for mara is far from possible. And more pressing matters are afoot, we cannot focus entirely on healing you, and if you visibly oppress that being, I cannot guarantee that I could calm down such a malicious form of mara."
After considering the options for a while, Jingliu could only agree with Luocha's reasoning. "I see, thank you. But remember your promise."
"Of course, as a gentleman, I must uphold my vow."
After this conversation, their venture was without any occurrence, and little to none they interaction as Jingliu's aura made her unapproachable, and she was not one for small talk.
Most days on the travel, Jingliu spent sitting on the bed in a lotus position, constantly refining her technique within her mind. Inside her head, as she slashed her opponent she conjure, she conjured a pair of eyes watching her.
But 'it' never appeared to confront her, maybe giving Jingliu time to consider her words, or maybe watching her in amusement, knowing her state of mind was in the palm of its hand.
Finally, several days later, they arrived at Thalassa. With a deep breath, Jingliu climbed onto the coffin.
They, of course, boarded this starcraft as a single person as Jingliu was asleep inside the coffin; it would raise the staff's eyebrows if they checked out as two.
As the light slowly dimmed, Jingliu's mind slowly became dazed and soon fell asleep.
Opening her eyes, she was met with the same place, a void where nothing was around her, the same place where she met 'it'.
"It? You truly hurt my feelings, Lady. I am more than an object now." I materialize in front of Jingliu with great difficulty.
"Apologize for the lack of 'form', you could call it, it is hard to keep a form when you yourself do not know who you truly are, haha." Seeing the steady face of Jingliu, clearly not amused, I faked a cough before getting down to business.
"Now that you have several days to think it over, you know what power I held; that young man's remark was spot on."
Jingliu's brow furrowed. "How do you know Luocha?"
"Apologize if you feel intruded, but I am your mara, a collection of fragmented memories you remembered all these millennia, in short, what you know, I will naturally know and more." Seeing Jingliu's frown, I further explained. "You see, I have memories, these recollections of me living, but in the end, the last thing I could remember is being consumed by Shuhu." Hearing the name, I could see Jingliu's grip tighten as her eyes burned with hatred.
"You're deceiving me." Jingliu summoned a sword and held it against my neck.
"I have no benefit from deceiving you, matters or not, in the end, I am the disease that has riddled your body, but also the antidote to its pain." The sword on my neck shifted before finally being lowered.
"Sigh, fine, you will live for now." Jingliu's piercing eyes burned as she uttered in acceptance. "If you truly had a life before this, then tell me, what was your name?"
"You can call me Ju Heng (harmony)"