The Shadow Awakens
Chapter 6's

“It looks like you are quite comfortable staying here.” The sentence immediately greeted Luna when she opened the door to the condominium room of her temporary residence. Zeriel appeared to be standing at the front, still with a flat face and a cold gaze complete with a white scarf and a knee-length black suit; just like the last time they met.

“There's time? I want to talk to you a few things,” ask politely and Luna nods her assent. Zeriel took her to a quieter place, in the farthest corner of the small town crowd by the black window.

From here Luna can see the night view outside the Center. Slender. Not a single activity or life. Luna's gaze changed to the full moon which seemed much larger than usual. His white light illuminated almost to every corner of the ruins of the city buildings. Very different from the moon he saw in the Human Realm which tends to be yellow and far hanging above the night sky. Luna loved the moon in this Shadow Realm.

The dragon was still out there, still on the same ruins as this afternoon. The giant creature's head was raised and then it opened its mouth wide. The echoes of his roar sounded vague. It might sound more obvious if it's outside the center.

“Center has learned that you are the owner of the fire power of death. Well, I'm a little surprised. You don't look like you can use magic. No wonder the dragon flew here as soon as you arrived.” Zeriel began to say as he put both of his hands into his black suit pocket.

Luna frowned, not understanding the relationship between herself and the arrival of the dragon. Did the dragon come because of him?

“There's a message for you, Luna. It was actually a message from Rei, but he was busy with his inner fight. Umm... maybe he's looking for a way to kill himself.” Zeriel added while a little joking, although the joke seemed stiff and not entertaining at all.

There was a long pause before Zeriel continued his words. The blue iris of the Sea youth The Shadow looked straight and deep at Luna's pair of eyes until it finally made the human girl become nervous and misbehaved. Luna could never stand if it had to look intense like this, especially in the dark blue eyes like the color of the sea.

“Besok mornin the dragon wants to test you. Whether you deserve to be the owner of the fire of death or not.” The seriousness is clearly visible, both from the look of the face and the intonation of Zeriel. Even the atmosphere around them changed.

“If you don't, maybe you'll come back injured like that or worse you'll be killed on the spot and most likely Rei will catch up with you. He's really going to kill himself,” continued Zeriel again. He was serious about his previous speech.

For some reason, compared to the fact that she had to face a giant creature that was powerful and likely to die, Luna was much more worried about Zeriel's last words. “Making suicide...?” repeat Luna in your heart. Uncomprehending.

No matter how he ransacked his mind, he still found no answer. Why would Rei kill himself? Is it because it protects him? No, no. Luna immediately dismissed that possibility. It was highly unlikely that the nonchalant Rei would sacrifice himself just for a human girl like her. Luna was very sure of that.

“Remember, tomorrow morning. Rei will come to pick you up.” Zeriel reminded before gently patting the girl on the shoulder before leaving Luna who was still busy with her thoughts.

Luna stared at Zeriel's back until the flat-faced young man completely flashed out of her sight. After that he turned back to look out the window, looking at the old dragon who had just faced down— was probably sleeping. Luna opened her right palm, twisting it to face her face. A bright green spark was burning vigorously a few milliseconds above his palm.

“You can forget all my stories, Luna. But not for this one word. Whatever happens never give this fire power of death to a man named Rei Nathanael.”.

The shadow of her mother's voice, Karen, again rang out clearly in Luna's mind. She still remembered the expression her mother made when she said this. Excessive anxiety and fear. Among all the long stories that his mother told him when he was little— about eight or nine years— only one part of it that he really remembers and imprints. Maybe because it was the first time he saw his mother put on a sad look mixed with excessive anxiety.

Well, actually there is still one more thing that he must remember—kalatannya. But no matter how Luna tried, she still did not remember what the sentence was.

*****

The doorbell rang two or three times. At first Rei ignored him, his body was too tired to stand up. His eyes kept on closing but the next second the endless sound of bells being pressed began to sound very disturbing and finally forced Rei to get out of his bed. He reluctantly opened the door and immediately turned around to walk in without seeing who had actually come.

“Well, still life turns out.” Zeriel greeted him as he stepped in and closed the door.

“Bel from you just pulled me from the brink of death,” Rei replied uninspiredly. He threw himself on the sofa with the position of the face down, looking powerless like a newly finished man forced to work roda. His eyes closed again with his head facing the back of the sofa.

Zeriel hung his white scarf and black suit before sitting on the sofa, which was arranged to form the letter L. On his neck is seen a deep incision and probably almost took his life.

“Tangka could see Karen's daughter here. I still can't believe he'll even stay at this Center,” said Zeriel.

“Well... What did you expect, Ze? The center is in the same place as the city where he lives, just different dimensions,” Rei's response is as powerless as his body attitude.

“You already know, don't you? Even since the first time saw it.” Zeriel guess. Her tone was a little seductive. Unfortunately Rei did not respond to his temptation. He turned his head so that he now faced the table in front of the sofa where he lay. Her brown iris stared at the corner of the table with a dim highlight.

“They are too similar..where I may not know him.” Rei answered slowly. “Well, although at first I was also a little doubt.”

“You.... still save that feeling..?” Zeriel lowered his head when he asked, trying to see what kind of expression Rei made upon hearing his question, and it turned out that Rei had only given one blank look.

“The feelings and emotions in me have vanished, Ze,” Rei said again closing his eyes.

Time has passed for how long since he last felt those two things. For the sake of obtaining peace like the present, many things Rei had to sacrifice, one of which was something called emotions and feelings and now, all that was left in him was voidness and a sense of emptiness.

“By the way, are you going to help him tomorrow?” Somehow today Zeriel is very chatty and asked a lot, just like the mothers.

Rei knew that, although not shown, Zeriel was actually quite worried about Luna. Not usually he worries about others, even to his own fellow people he is often indifferent. Is it because Luna is the owner of the fire of death? Perhaps yes, from the beginning many were interested in obtaining the fire, including the dragons, the Shadow, the Ifrits and Zeriel.

Rei finally got up from his bed. “No,” answered quickly as if not processed first in his brain. Zeriel just frowned. His eyeballs moved following Rei who had risen to his feet. His eyes showed that he needed more explanation.

“I trust him.” Rei added as he walked to his room.