Luines - Book 1

Chapter 29: Renascence

Warmth. A bright morning sun. A flutter of leaves. The familiar grassy and wood smell of the old Narra Tree. Then, a voice that meant the world spoke to her. "Hal, better wake up. We're going to be late. Uskevren wants you again in her office."

She flipped to the other side on Ryu's lap as she muttered, "Five more minutes, please."

Ryu kissed her on her exposed cheek, and combed his fingers through her hair. "I've been thinking about you being a Luine."

Hal turned to Ryu, her eyes had fully woken. The weight in his heart shook her sleepy soul. "What about the Luines?"

"What will happen if you'll die? I know it's a morbid question but you're human and a Luine." His hands found hers as they intertwined their fingers. His pulse beat together as hers, as she stared at him, admiring his concerned yet beautiful eyes.

"Who knows? In the religion I grew up in, we believe in heaven and hell. I just hope being a Luine would give me a free pass to heaven!"

Ryu drew a sigh, and gleamed at her. "In mine, we believe in reincarnation. I asked Neon once how much it differed from Realm beliefs. The core Realm folks believe in reincarnation too and it's represented through the cycles of Luines that have come. Somehow, for some Realm folks, they have fragments of their past within them to serve as a reminder to become better."

"They don't have fires of Hell then? What if I did something bad then?"

"Maybe, you'd be born in circumstances that would punish you, yet will have opportunities for redemption. I honestly don't know how they work, but there's one thing I'm sure about." Ryu began looking at the bright blue sky, and then back at her. His smile was still unwavering.

"What is it?"

"I believe in you, and us." He flicked her nose; Hal tapped her fingers at his cheeks and frowned. Ryu continued on saying, "Neon said too that for some Realm beliefs especially with the Luines that they usually attract the same circle of people. So, if you get reincarnated, please do find me."

"Ha! I hope I still recognize you if you'd be old and wrinkled!" said Hal.

Ryu laughed, "I trust that you'd find me. I trust you!"

Hal woke up from that dream in a familiar place, the GEOS Academy hospital bed. Ryu's laughter faded into a bleak silence. Professor Uskevren was sitting beside her, her eyes buried in a book. A throbbing sting hit her head as she cried, "What just happened to us?"

The book shut in a loud close. Professor Uskevren stood, and held her hand. "I'm glad you survived, Hal. I may ask the obvious question, but how are you feeling?"

Hal stared into Professor Uskevren's eyes, but she couldn't get into her head right now. It stung her like a crazy hangover. She bit her lip and squeezed her eyes, "It feels like I drank so much beer and alcohol for three days in a row, nonstop."

"You're all drained. That's why." said Professor Uskevren. She waved her hand over Hal's forehead, and then clasped her palms on her temples. Somehow, it soothed the buzzing pain that banged at her head.

Then, it hit her in a flash. Zee. Neon. Bakunawa. Charm. Cedric and then Ryu. His wink, his soft lips, his hands intertwined with hers. They all came in random spikes of bits of memories. She asked, "Professor?"

"Mr. Ezeekiel Nakaji and Neon Requyem are in the other wing, being treated. They woke up yesterday. Charmaine Halliwell was discharged a few days ago and Cedric is in the Maeda Manor, resting." said the Professor. She paused for a while, and squeezed Hal's hand. "Reeg Myrkvi was found as well but he disappeared after he recovered."

"Professor, how long have we been gone?"

"It's been four months. You've stayed in the Shadows for a month or two until you were all found by that very kind man, Ford and his sweet companion, Dion. And it's been two months since you've laid in bed."

Hal took more breaths as her heart was beating rapidly. Her mind was in a haze right now, but her heart was actively sensing the heaviness of Professor Uskevren's heart. She bit her lips, as tears forced themselves out of her eyes. She couldn't keep them in. She said, "Professor, is there something you're not telling me? Where's Ryu?"

The professor's shoulders slunk down as she heaved a long sigh. Her hands were pressed together, as they slid and twisted to the opposite directions. She lifted them to her chest, and bowed at Hal. She may have not said anything, but Hal knew.

Hal demanded, "Where's Ryu? I want to see him!"

A knock came by the door. Silence. Professor Uskevren waved it open, and Officer Drake came in bearing a basket of fruits. He wore his blue police uniform but the melancholy that encircled his eyes ran deep. Hal asked again, "Where's Ryu? I want to see him!"

Drake sat down beside Hal and she couldn't look at him straight in the eyes. Not now. Drake reminded her of her dad and she can't bear the thought of losing another one because of being a Luine. Her mind was flying and grasping for any hope left in her mental sphere; Her eyes shot at Professor Uskevren, her trembling hands clasped tightly on her lap. He can't just. He just can't.

Drake held her hands and asked, "What's up, bunso?"

Hal shook her head. Her lips were firmly pursed; her thoughts were still screaming in Professor Uskevren's head. Where's Ryu? Where is he?! She veered to Drake and tears began to crawl down her cheeks, her jaw shaking.

"I see. Hang on in there, okay? I'm still here. I'm not gonna leave you. I'm not gonna leave."

Hal leaned to Drake and buried her head into Drake's chest. A muffled cry crept within the hospital room, a very haunting cry of both pain and sorrow. She couldn't control herself again, but this time she wept completely for her, not because of her empathic skills but for her natural self. She jabbed and clawed Drake's back as she released another piercing wail.

Drake whispered the same words he said earlier, "Hang on in there. I'm still here. I'm not gonna leave you, bunso."

Hal rested her head on Drake's shoulder as she muttered, "It should have been me, not him. Dad died in the hands of Bakunawa and so did Ryu."

Drake pushed Hal upright and his sad eyes seemed to spark with a thought, "Don't lose yourself, Hal. It's not your fault. There's another way; We won't stop until Lady Fate deems cut!"

Hal slowly turned to Professor Uskevren, "So, he's still..."

"If we go clinically, he's gone. He hangs on tightly on a thin invisible line of aura thread as if he were in a coma. The Kazamas asked to let him rest in Tokyo and,"

Hal got out of the bed completely, and yelled with a resounding tone, "I'm gonna find him or his soul if I'd go to Hell or Heaven to pluck it out of it I'm leaving!"

The hospital curtains shuffled with the fluttering bedsheet. A gust of wind brushed through the slits of the door and windows and encircled around Hal; she vanished in thin air. She was completely gone.