NYCTOPHILE

TWO

Her head spun, her body felt wet and cold. Why did her bed feel so rough? She moved a little only to find out that it was a pile of rocks that bedded her sweet body. She was alone, the waves spreading their tide biting her toes at the shore's edge. She couldn't lift her head, or she didn't want to. God, not now. Please let her stay like this for a little while. Her hazel eyes impaled into the greyish cloud that blanketed the whole sky as if it didn't even exist in the first place. She couldn't tell if she made it to Nu Ha nor if it was dusk or dawn. If she didn't, not being drowned by the unruly tide wasn't the thing she should have worried about the most. It didn't matter how the anxiety spiked like how her blood boiled every time she got mad. Now wasn't the time to turn from the truth.

What about Iuwa?

What about her? Adura sneered. She left her here to finish her job. Iuwa, some coward you were. She couldn't even get to finish what she had started. Now she had to do it on her behalf.

Her pupils widened. A sudden nudge on her shoulder rallied the instinct inside her.

"How are—"

Her movement was entirely guided by instinct as she swiftly spun, intuitively yanking the hand on her shoulder, and hauled the person over the rock and to the sand. Her hand slid the dagger out of her sheath at her back as she dashed towards his lying body and pinned the sharp knife right on top of the neck.

"Is this how you greet people every day?" He grunted as his hands were on his side. "You're not people-friendly, take note of that."

Her pose didn't budge or flinch, staying still as it was. Adura pressed the dagger slightly, his skin bent to its force, "Stop this nonsense," she frowned, her head tilted.  "How did you get here?"

He sneered, "The same way you did."

The Reaper? He reached Nu Ha? Wait...They both locked their gaze onto each other before a high-pitched whistle made them turn. A boy, almost the same age as him throwing a mocking stare from afar along the shore. All he did was a simple uh uh and shaking head before walking down through the midst in front. He just replied with a single nod before turning back to her. She frowned. She did it?

"We are in Nu Ha?"

"More or less." He shrugged.

Should she really trust him? He seemed calm even for someone who was threatened with a knife, but considering he also came all the way down here by the Reaper, he must have known his way.

"Can you get off of me now?"

"You know that guy?" She asked, her hands still firm in their place.

"No, but you probably need to," He chuckled. "You are desperate to improve your social skills."

She wouldn't get him to talk much, as she could sense him covering his words with a simple sarcastic spit. Hostility, even but he hid it so well. She slowly backed away from his body, watching him stand on his two feet. That robe, she recognized from Yvya's palace, must be a noble, a duke's son or even one of the scholars the royal blood took to be the master of Giunave. Other than inheriting some of the Light Guardian's gift, Giunave pure blood could only make themselves float in the air which makes the royal blood decide to recruit other Verule with the gift of wind to strengthen their position inside Nekara. His life must be brimming with a bright future and a promised position in Yvya. Even so, why would he decide to leave Nu Rae?

He sighed, his hands dusting away the sand on his shirt as he glanced at her. His violet eyes stared at her upside down, but she noticed his focus landed on her hands. "That knife. You are a Hamuri, right?"

She raised an eyebrow, leveling the dagger up to her chest for him to look. Te Damew. "You know—" She paused, realizing, "You're a Verule."

He chuckled, confirming her claim as he stepped forward, away from the shore. "Yeah, you are right."