Cui Xinya watched in horror what happened to her disciple, but knew that she ought to not interfere with a god. It wasn't good manners and she wasn't keen on upsetting such a dangerous deity as Naga-Jin potentially was... not in her current state that is.

As her disciple left the area and the serpents all retreated back to whence they came Cui slowly left her cover and approached the shrine it was crudely built and older than she expected. It was at least several decades old which puzzled her how no one had ever stumbled across it before.

She stood about three feet from the shrine before kneeling down. She needed answers and only the mysterious deity himself could answer them.

"Lord Naga-Jin this mortal requests and audience" she whispered out loud as she lite the candles on the shrine.

At that moment the lights burned brightly and a deep ominous hiss filled her hearing.

"Ha ha ha, look who we have here! My followerss masster decided to drop by issn't it sslightly inappropriate to entreat another god when you already have a familia Misss Xinya?" He laughed as his image filled her mind that of a giant white serpent with red eyes.

"I have no intention of joining your familia serpent god. I only have some questions for you."

"I ssee ssso what elsse do you dessire from me? Ssurely there isss little I can offer ssomeone ssuch asss yoursself."

"Lord Naga-Jin I wish to know what your intentions with my student are. I realize who you are and I've heard of your reputation from the histories, but I've come to see what is truth and what is fiction" she said cautiously.

"Hmm, let me get down to your sssize."

Without warning the giant snake laid completely on the ground it's skin dissolved from around it the skin piled high until it revealed a man who seemed to wear white snake skin for clothing and had red eyes like the giant white serpent from before its teeth when he smiled were small and sharp where a normal man's carnivores would be. His hair was black with a greenish tint and his skin was as white as the full moon similar to the serpent's skin from before. If it wasn't for his otherworldly appearance Cui Xinya would honestly say he was quite handsome with strong angular features. In fact Cui Xinya would say he rivaled her own deity in beauty.

"Cui Xinya. How does my secondary form suit you? It is a bit easier for me to speak with humans in this form, but I find it not as intimidating. Hehehe." He chuckled to himself.

"It suits me fine" she said shortly. Not wishing to act playful with this god of venom.

"Speak now human what do you desire and I may choose whether to answer." He reclined back onto what appeared to be nothingness in her mind.

His red eyes stared intensely at her.

"I want to know… what is your purpose for taking a familia after all these years. From what I've read almost none of the serpent gods took direct followers like familia. Why now?"

The serpent god walked over to Cui Xinya looking her up and down "you are quite beautiful little human" he looked around Cui Xinya's inner mind "our greatest weakness so long ago was that we didn't get personal with our followers and didn't form familia, because of that we lost everything… it really was tragic you know. So I decided that I would take the opportunity to find a disciple should someone worthy appear ever it really is that simple."

"Why Rize though?"

He looked at her with a bit of surprise "isn't it obvious. Her blue eyes didn't give it away? She is a descendent of one of the original tribes that once worshiped us serpent gods. The blood of her ancestors is thick in her veins hence the blue eyes. Therefore I felt like it was fate that brought us together. Quite simple really."

"A god believes in fate…hmppf I don’t think evil gods such as yourselves have any right to complain." she said unconvinced.

"No nothing like that, but it truly was something that couldn't have been better; Her very blood screams to be united with the very god that once nurtured her people. I find your remark on what is evil confused. Your pantheon and your empire do not know what true evil is. Your pantheon is no different than myself…just one side to the same coin."

"What are you planning? You know that the empire is more likely to destroy her should they find out than they are to not do so. Also who built this shrine?"

"My plans are my own little human your tone is not something I like right now. To the question on who built this shrine that is my business as well" his voice grew serious from his usual playful voice.

"What I can tell you is something is coming and even I am not privy to it. Whispers are reaching my ear that are tickling old memories. Be wearying and protect my familia in return you can be satisfied that currently I have no ill-will towards anyone. I simply want to allow my one member of my familia to grow. When my plans change you will know, for now enjoy the ride little human."

With a hiss he vanished out of her mind. Cui opened her eyes to see the shrine's candles were put out.

"I don't like him" she muttered to herself "he is to honest and to cryptic all at the same time...it doesn't sit well with me."

Cui Xinya stood up and sighed before leaping into the trees to head back to her courtyard.

Naga-Jin watched as his little Rize's master left his shrine a smile on his currently human like lips.

There is most definitely something in the air and it was most definitely going to change everything.

…

"You're back" on a chair sitting in the full moon light that looked out to the entire night sky giving the room an unnatural lighting that many people would be unsettled by. Behind the chair Kuronuma stood in the shadows his form just barely visible concealed from the moonlight. The entire room was silent so much so that the scurrying of a mouse could be heard if one tried.

"Lord Ryoma I have finished the task you set me out to complete."

"Very well what have you found out about the girl" Ryoma said not bothering to rise from his chair. Instead turned his head awaiting the report.

Kuronuma shifted in the shadows "The young girl is known as Minako Rize she was taken to the academy away from her parents at the age of seven just before the start of the war between the Kalamdah alliance. Her father was also recruited as a conscript that same day. Reports state he was killed in action. Her month currently lives in a coastal town with her side of the family in Sinsan."

"Hmm. What about the girl herself what can you tell me. Does she have friends? What is her abilities?"

"She is just a few months away from being fourteen years old. She was not along ago was accepted as the first disciple of Cui Xinya the youngest master in academy history, beyond that I could not discover what deity she was a familia of."

Ryoma stood up at this point walking over to the window looking out to the city "she will be attending the new recruit demonstration later this week correct?"

"Yes milord. All new inner court disciples are required to attend."

Ryoma smiled "good."

…

Rize woke up surprisingly refreshed. Her eyes fluttered open she felt no sleepiness in her bones as she lifted herself from bed. In fact she felt better than she had since she first became an inner court disciple. Looking at her back she examined the tattoo that she had forgotten was there. It wasn’t terrible looking it had a unique charm to it. Rize was sure that it had some sort of purpose in the long run. The night before was intense and the wounds from the snake bites had mostly all healed. Naga-Jin was so mysterious that Rize didn’t really know how to handle anything he did. The serpent god of venom was cunning and vicious, but he was surprisingly cooperative and willing to give her answers when she asked for it. Quickly preparing herself she walked out of her room expecting to see her master, but to her surprise the person that greeted her was the head servant.

"Miss Minako" he bowed to her ever so slightly "I have been informed by our mistress that you are to occupy yourself today and that you are permitted to go to the inner court common grounds."

Rize was ecstatic she couldn't believe her luck her last day before the tournament and her master wasn't going to run her haggard. With a smile she bowed back to the head servant thanking him. It was sort of common sense to give them a break the day before a major event like the showcase.

"She did warn that you better keep out of trouble or she will personally deal with you. And I quote ‘if you pull anything like you did the day before I will personally skin you alive’ end quote."

Rize shuddered from the thought as she nodded walking away out of the courtyard. She quickly shook off the goose bumps she had gotten from thinking about her potential punishments from her master and walked confidently out to the common grounds.

The common grounds took up a large portion of the eastern section of the academy it was used for visitors and locals to sell goods to the various students of the academy. Some of the best restaurants in the Xi'an also claimed this area home. The food possibilities were huge and Rize hadn't gotten a chance to go to the common grounds since she became an inner court disciple, but always enjoyed the hustle and bustle of the day and night life. It was the only place disciples could get some rest and relaxation.

The main street of the common grounds was abnormally busy today, which made Rize unsure if some sort of event was going on. It was at that moment that Rize realized the truth behind why her master gave her a break today. As she looked around all the other disciples walking around were part of the inner court and many of them she recognized as new recruits... her face went slightly deadpan. So she only released me because all the other masters were releasing their students the day before the big event. Guess she really didn’t have any desire to do that.

Rize should have known better it had only been about a week, but she already knew that her master wasn't the type to give days off. It must have been mandatory from the Grandmaster himself.

Even though the revelation had been a slight slap to the face she decided to enjoy her time as much as possible. Entering her favorite noodle restaurant she sat at the wooden counter that was simply a window facing the street with wooden stools along the wooden bar.

"One bowl of Japchae noodles, hot please!" she called out as Rize grabbed a pair of chop-sticks.

"Coming up! One Japchae noodles." The cook responded who already had all the other stools taken up.

The bowl of piping hot noodles slide over to her the steam rising filling the area with an aromatic smell that made her mouth water. Giving a small thanks to her deity she dove into it devouring the meal like it would be her last Rize always loved eating it was a joy that could be enjoyed so well in life. To others surrounding her they felt it was unnatural for such a petite young girl to eat so vigorously, but she gave no mind to them. They didn’t like her anyways.

"Look who it is!" That voice was oddly familiar to Rize as she ate she listened to the voice that came from behind her. It instantly annoyed her.