Lyne did very well by telling Zeidan she was going to the square when in truth she had planned to go to the temple. She didn't want him getting worried and all worked up by the time she would tell him. She needed to do these things on her own. 

The temple was still the same except more of it have been torn down and it made her wonder if the whole building wouldn't collapse one day. The rocks crushed beneath her heels as she walked into the temple, her heart beating hard. She placed a hand on her sword and walked into the dark place. If she would still be there, she doubted it, but she could give it a shot. 

As she stepped out onto the altar, she glanced at the broken walls and windows, an effect of the several fights that had ensued in the place. The picture that had that blood stain that she saw some years back was now broken, with parts of the sheep's face missing. She moved closer to it and ran her hands over it.

"Let's say you're here to kill me, I'll take that act as a farewell to the world." 

She heard the familiar voice. One she had anticipated seeing. 

Lyne turned, head tilting and she could see Maya in her black cloak. 

"I'm surprised you don't think of running off seeing me." She said and Maya chuckled.

"You don't quite think I'll do that, do you?" 

"Not really. I was hoping you wouldn't. We have a lot to talk about."

"The only thing we can talk about is arranging your funeral if you don't leave here in the next few seconds." She turned to leave but Lyne slid to the front and swerved her sword behind her.

Maya raised a leg to kick her wrist which she grabbed and flung backward and before she could turn, Lyne stretched her sword before her, stopping her.

"I wouldn't think about moving if I were you."

She said and her purple eyes looked down on the glinting blade, hands raised.

"What do you want?" She asked, finally.

"Good. That's the way to go about it." Lyne exhaled and returned the sword to her sheath. "I'm here to ask you about Luana. She was declared wanted in the city."

"I'm a ninja, not a bounty hunter." She made to move but Lyne grabbed her by the neck and pushed her backward, drawing out her sword.

"You could be both." She balanced her legs, getting ready to strike.

"I see you've gotten stronger and wittier in the past two years," Maya commented and she was right. 

"I guess times have changed and change is constant." She raised a brow. "So, what do you say?"

"I say no." She grabbed her two long swords too and swerved them around her efficiently before stretching them at her. 

Lyne didn't expect this but it was Maya, she would never back down.

"Why don't we do it this way? If I win, you help me find Luana and bring her to book, if you win, you can refuse and I'll let you go." She proposed and Maya straightened, eyes narrowing. 

"You're quite the negotiator. I'll take it." 

Lyne swung her sword between her hands and spread it horizontally before her eyes. Maya threw hers first and she caught it with her sword pushing it against her and moving backward to gain her stance. As the sword came again, she bent backward and kicked her hand to do a flip, narrowly escaping her blade on her calf. By the time she would land, Maya was in front of her with the sword coming at her horizontally but she blocked it with her sword.

As they separated, their swords swooshed against each other and clanked when they would hit again. She aimed for her waist but she guarded it with the sword, aimed for the neck but she bent slightly and hit her sword away, causing her to lose balance and fall. 

"Nice try," Lyne muttered before jumping up and kept fighting. 

Maya threw her sword without caution at her, the sound coming closer and getting intense. The ninja was fast but she was faster enough to prevent it from hitting her. She moved backward as the sword came at her until she felt her back touching the podium and she knew she had reached the end but as Maya raised her arm to slash her, she jumped up high, legs wrapped around the pole behind her. 

Maya went to the second pole and jumped so that her two legs were spread and balanced on them. They kept fighting on the pole. Lyne threw her sword at her which she dodged skillfully by bending backward even though her legs were the only thing holding her against the poles. Lyne's sword hit the pole and it gave out a loud bang. 

"Nice try," Maya said too before jumping down onto the center of the room, Lyne following suit. 

As she turned to hit her with the two swords, Lyne hit the two blades harder and dug them to the ground, placed a boot on them, and hit Maya's jaw with the head of the sword. 

Maya fell with a thud, gathering dust and she ran towards her, sword stretched at her. 

"What do you think? Bounty hunting or ninja?" She asked, looking down at her shocked purple eyes. 

★★★★★★★★★★

"So, Luana did all these between you and Chloe?" Lyne asked, surprised at what Maya just told her.

Luana had caused havoc between the two and turned them against each other. She breathed shakily. 

"That bitch."

"By bitch I hope you mean Chloe," Maya said and she looked at her, conscious of how hurt she may be feeling. 

But no matter how hurt she seemed, she had killed Tina, Samantha, and Chloe and she deserved to die. But for now, she needed her.

"Chloe was a good person. I'm sure she doesn't know it was Roderigo and was probably trying to protect you." Lyne told her.

"Chloe is very intelligent. After reading the book, she must know that was Roderigo and I'm sure he introduced himself to her. She just wanted to see me cry." Maya replied, eyes getting misty.

"I'm sorry." Lyne nodded. "Nothing can justify his killing. That I'm sure of but you can always do something to make up for everything you have done for her sake. Killing innocent people."

"I didn't mean to. They just got in the way."

"And you took them out on your own will," Lyne said.

"What do you want?" Maya asked, rising and changing the topic.

"Luana is back even after she was declared wanted. We couldn't arrest her because she did it without being seen." 

"What do you want me to do?" 

"We suspect she may have allies all over the palace and we'd like to fish them out. But you can do this, by getting close to her like before." 

Maya shook her head. "From what you've told me, Luana could be with Shelbrooke."

"We know. But we can't lead our army there head-on. We have to be logical."

"So, what?"

Lyne's mouth curved in a smile. "Visit Shelbrooke."