Chapter 6

THE QUIETNESS in the room was deafening. No single noise could be heard. But Xurden wasn't bothered even a little. He was just sitting on a chair at the back of a table looking far away outside the opened door of the balcony. The light coming from the lampshade was dim. Yric's image was still clinging inside his head. The longer he thought of the guy, his forehead furrowed. He kept on wondering who Yric was because he felt different toward him. His train of thought was only cut off when the door of the room opened up. Sebastian walked inside holding a cup in his right hand. Xurden didn't look at his assistant as Sebastian step closer to where he was.

"Why do you need to be so hard on that guy, Boss?" Sebastian asked him carefully putting down the cup on the table. The cup clung a little to the small plate ringing in his ear. "Maybe his ability is just sleeping. You know it can happen. People like him can resist spells and curses. It might be the reason why your hypnotization didn't work."

Hearing what just Sebastian had said, Xurden's anger boiled. "It's impossible!" Xurden blurted out harshly. It was the very first time that a human could resist him that's why he's getting mad. To him, a human was just a cloud of small dust in the world that should obey a god like him. Knowing that Yric has a way of fighting his charm made him think that he was getting weaker which he hated most.

"Don't get so worked up, Boss. I am just stating the possibility." Sebastian raise both his two hands to protect himself from what was coming.

Fortunately, Xurden controlled himself while holding the cup of coffee. Sebastian let a deep sigh of relief putting down his hands.

"I am sure there's another reason," Xurden told him raising the cup and taking a sip. The hotness of the coffee touched his lips sinking inside his mouth through his tongue. The bitterness was just strong enough for him.

Curiosity was written all over Sebastian's face. There's something about Yric since Xurden said it angrily different from his initial assumption. "What could that be?" Sebastian asked wondering.

Xurden sipped his coffee again. "You should look for it. Search everything about him," he commanded.

"Are you sure, Boss? You want me to stop watching the witch?" Sebastian said to make sure he was hearing it right.

Unsatisfied with Sebastian's words, Xurden put down the cup violently making the coffee spill at the table. Sebastian hurriedly took out his grey handkerchief from his pocket. He wiped the coffee clean while Xurden had an angry look in his eyes.

"Call, Marco. It's not time for him to slack off. Send him," Xurden ordered in a toneless voice but immediately changed his mind. "Nevermind. I'll be the one who will talk to that witch."

Sebastian bowed his head as he retreated putting his two hands on his sides.

Xurden stood from his chair fixing his suit. He walked straight to the door as Sebastian opened it up for him. Checking the time on his wristwatch, he made his way down the stairs. His every step echoed to the whole house. It didn't take him long to go down. He picked up the red umbrella on the side on his way to the front door. All the lights were off but he could still see his way inside.

Sebastian was following him when he walked out of the house to a different road far from where they were staying. Using doorways to move from one place to another was just one of the things he could do as a higher being.

"I'll go with you, Boss," Sebastian said skittering through the door.

Opening the umbrella, Xurden shot him an angry look. The umbrella flapped as it spread out widely. "Do what I told you to do," he reminded his right-hand man which made Sebastian bow his head.

He removed his gaze from his assistant and went on his way to the house where the witch was living just a couple of blocks away.

There was a sudden change in the weather during that moment. The hotness left by the day which engulfed the air had long gone. Thick clouds had formed in the sky, carrying an enormous amount of rain that might pour down as time passes. The lightning on its every strike reflected the windowpanes and glass walls of the stores built along the quiet street. The sound it produced roared deep, slipping through every alley. Signboards creaked as the strong wind howled from the east which made the surroundings ominous.

Xurden was not worried at all about what was happening. He just walked straight into the middle of the road holding the red umbrella. He didn't see a single person walking on the street. There were also no cars passing by. His every step was sure and heavy, echoing with the wind. A cold stare could be seen on his face which shows his diminishing patience. He only stopped walking when he finally reached the part of the street where an old house stood.

Time was evident in the solid wooden structure of the house. The beam on the left side was decaying. Green creeping fig covered its front, peeking through the fogged windows. The end of greenery plant ended under the balcony that had a fading brownish paint. Its chimney pot was hanging low on the side. A little push and it would surely touch the roof tiles.

He stared blankly at the door, holding his breath. He didn't move for a couple of seconds as he waited for someone to open the door. It did open up, but no one was pulling it inside. It just moved, giving out a grasping noise that lasted several rests. After a while, he walked inside the house closing his umbrella. He carried the umbrella even as he walked in the wooden hallway lighted up by the lamps hanging on the wall. The floor creaked in his every step until he reached the door with a curtain made out of colorful beads. Parting the curtain he found a woman cooking in the kitchen with her back on him. The woman was wearing a yellow dress. A red apron covered half of her body.

The woman stopped mixing the boiling soup on the electric stove. She turned her back meeting his eyes. "You came here. Here I thought I am just feeling weird. There's strong energy wafting through the air because of you," the woman said in a soft voice. Her hair was tied to the back of her head.

"You're living a good life as if you are a different person from your old self," Xurden pointed out releasing the curtain.

"I do. I've changed. If you are here to punish me, can you spare me? I've been living peacefully without doing anything bad," the woman said feigning ignorance.

"Don't make me laugh woman," he said harshly. "You can't hide your true self."

Removing her gaze from Xurden, the woman continued mixing the soup. She put the sliced vegetable and poured a little amount of rice wine.

"I am telling the truth. You came here for nothing. If you think I was the one who sent the man, you got it all wrong," the woman stated. She ladled a small amount of soup and tasted it. Closing her eye, she savored the taste and whimpered out of happiness.

"You can't fool me, woman. You even know it. I haven't told you anything yet." Xurden tapped the umbrella on the wooded floor that send a loud thud.

"I know what happened. I was there also. I would gladly go with you if you can show me proof. I would even let you end my life." The woman turned only her head to show her smile.

"I will. You just wait, witch." He removed his gaze from the woman and walked but the witch said something that stopped him.

"I saw something interesting just now," the woman exclaimed. Her face now was miming seriousness.

Xurden looked back at the witch. "Don't play with me to save yourself. It wouldn't work," he reminded her.

"I am not. I am helping you," the woman said and smiled widely like a crazy maniac. "You've met the person that would end your life twice now."

The air around them became eerie after she said those words. Everything became silent even the boiling soup. Nothing could be heard inside the kitchen. They were drowning in silence.

His forehead furrowed at what he heard from the woman. "No one can kill me," Xurden spoke for himself. "I am a god."

"Yes, but a god sent here on Earth. We all know you got weaker since the day you left heaven. I have already warned you. You know what to do. I am sure you knew who I was talking about. He's here also on this island. If you didn't want to die, you have to kill him first."

All of a sudden, darkness loomed over his face. Xurden looked at her angrily. "Soon, you will pay your due," he said lastly to her and resumed walking out of the kitchen.

He made big strides as he was back in the hallway. It didn't take him long to leave the house at its front door. The moment he stepped into the road the door closed on its own. He was now more convinced that something was going on with Yric since he was the only person he recently met outside of his life. As he went on, the rain started to pour down. He immediately opened his umbrella. The rainwater hitting the panel sounded like cutting through the wind. His grip on the handle became harder while anger emanated from his face. Yric's face stayed on his head.

YRIC sneezed a couple of times now. They went out of the house to buy painkillers and a menstrual pad at the nearby drugstore. Vivian who needed them kept on pressing her abdomen. Her face couldn't be drawn as she suffered in pain. He wiped his nose with the back of the sleeve. Noah on the other hand looked at Vivian with worries in his eyes. The two were walking side by side while he stayed on their back looking at the angry sky.

"That's what you get for staying too long in the bathtub," Noah reminded Vivian.

Vivian shot Noah an angry look. "Stop being an idiot. It's time for me to have a menstrual cycle," she grumbled while still in pain.

Noah let out a deep sigh for their friend.

"You even go out without wearing anything. The night is pretty cold." Noah took off his jacket putting it on Vivian's back. Vivian looked at him with querying eyes. "It's clean. It's not like Yric's sweater. You don't have to worry."

"I know," Vivian and smelled the collar of the jacket without hesitation. "But you don't have to mention Yric. He can hear you."

Yric walked straightly. "It's okay. He's right," he said simply.

"I am just joking. Don't take it seriously," Noah turned his head at Yric.

He just shrugged it off and looked far away where the drugstore was. His friends didn't say anything as they walked closer to the drugstore that was so bright. After a while, they finally reached the front. The two went inside the drugstore pushing the glass door. Yric stopped on the roadside waiting for them. One last time, he looked up to the sky putting his hands on his sweater's pocket. He only looked down when he saw someone walking toward him on the side of his eyes. The man was wearing a floral shirt and blue shorts. He was carrying a bag pack on his right shoulder.

Yric stepped back to give the man his way. But he didn't expect that man would stop at his front which surprised him a little. The man looked at him with a smile on his lips.

"Can you help me?" the man said to him. "I am looking for a restaurant to eat at. I am so hungry."

Yric couldn't believe that for the second time someone was asking for his help which was weird for him. The man looked like a tourist like them.

Looking at the man blankly, he said. "I am just also visiting. It's my first time here. I can't help you. You should ask the pharmacist." He even pointed his thumb to the drugstore.

"Thank you," the man said without removing his smile.

Removing his eyes at the man, he kicked his feet on the cement since he was getting bored. The man walked toward the glass door but he didn't go in when his backpack shook wildly. It made Yric look at the man weirdly. Holding the bag, the man smiled at Yric before he runs going away holding the bag. Yric shot the man with questioning eyes. As the man took a turn, his two friends walked out of the drug store.

"Who are you looking at?" Noah asked him.

"No one," he answered as the rain started and took a deep breath. He didn't like rain because a lot of things happen when the weather was like that.

THE RAIN kept pouring down. Xurden didn't move where he was standing holding the red umbrella at the side of the road, a block away from the inn where Yric stayed with his two friends. In his mouth was the burning cigarette. He put the cigarette down blowing the white smoke out of his mouth. That's when his mobile phone went off. He immediately removed the phone from the right pocket of his pants. Without reading the caller ID, he put the mobile phone in his ear. There were only two people who usually could call him at that number with his permission.

"What is it now?" he asked since he told his two assistants that they could only call when something important occurred.

The caller hesitated for a while but choose to speak before Xurden got mad at waiting. "The cylinder broke containing the demon," the caller told him. It was Sebastian in his shaking voice.

"What did you do?!" Xurden blurted out angrily. His hand clenched the mobile phone.

"I didn't know what happened. It broke on its own, Boss," Sebastian said. "I was just talking to him."

Xurden's forehead furrowed from what he heard. "Who are you talking about?"

"The guy you wanted to know who," Sebastian answered.

"Are you kidding me?

"I am not sure though if it was because of him. But I can't help to think he had something to do with it. Everything was fine until I talked to him. Where are you, Boss? I am back here at the house. Should I check up on him more?"

Xurden took a deep breath to calm himself. "Forget about the guy. I'll handle him. Keep your eye on the witch for now. She will do something tonight. We should be wary. Don't search for the demon. I am sure it was back to the witch," he told Sebastian. "I am already here near the inn."

He didn't wait for Sebastian to answer. He killed the call as he saw Yric from afar running under the rain together with his two friends. Lowering the umbrella to block his face, Xurden walked toward the inn in big strides.

The three didn't stop running until they had reached the front of the inn and quickly went in leaving the wooden gate open. Xurden didn't take a lot of time to reach the wooden gate. He stepped inside the front yard and walked straight to the front door. The woman didn't bother looking at him as he made his way in the hallway, putting down the umbrella. She was busy looking at her phone with a wide smile on her lips. He passed the front desk freely with no one stopping him. The water from the umbrella dripped on the floor making it wet.

He moved upstairs when he reached the staircase. The treads creaked on his every step. His feet were quick and careful and he arrived at the top after a couple of minutes. Since he knew Yric's room, he went directly to it and knocked at the door two times.

The door opened up with Noah holding the doorknob. Noah stared at Xurden with a querying look in his eyes. Xurden meet his eyes and a smile suddenly appeared on Noah's lips.

"Yric, your boss is here," Noah shouted from the door. "Come in," he added.

Noah stood to the side and continued wiping his wet hair. Xurden did walk into the room as if he knew the three before coming to the island. Noah closed the door on Xurden's back and he moved back to the sofa. At that moment, Yric went out of the bathroom holding a white towel on his head. He was now only wearing a white thin t-shirt.

Yric didn't move when he saw Xurden as if he was petrified.

"What are you doing here now? Can you live me alone?" Yric said angrily at him.

As they stood there next to the bathroom, Vivian took a peek at them. Xurden glanced sideways toward the girl before she could say anything.

Wiping her face, Vivian said, "Let your boss sit on the sofa. Why do you make him stand there?"

After Vivian said what she didn't want to say on her own, she went back to the bed sitting on the side.

Yric removed the white towel on his head and stepped back. "What did you do to them?" he asked Xurden in a shaking voice.

"Nothing. We need to talk," Xurden said simply without any voice.

"We don't have something to talk about. Leave me alone."

Yric hesitated for a moment but he still pushed Xurden on his shoulder making the man turn his back. He didn't stop pushing him to the door and managed to open it while still holding Xurden's back. In the end, he forcefully sends Xurden out of the room by pushing him more. He slammed the door in the man's face when Xurden faced him back with anger in both eyes.