The story so far:

---- Aija is a Volunteer at the Pristine School at Innermost. She works along with Zuri and Ze, who are her friends. Aija witnesses a strange event one night – light emanating from Rez's body. The kidnapper is after her soul, next, but he leaves her alive and goes away. Another man finds her, he wants to take her somewhere else - Aija though wary of him agrees. Aija learns of the existence of the aliens – the Ytai. Also, about the R'ies and H'eon, Harvesting and Àvo from Etrie. Etrie tells her that the man, who Harvested Rez (Thieron), will now go after her. He tells her that the spy/kidnapper's name is Luka. Etrie asks her to work along with him.

---- Aija is invited by Etrie for a Harvest Stopping Mission. Aija tells Zuri about Quinn – she's to meet him as an order from the Leadership. Kuna, who works for Etrie, picks Aija up for the mission. Etrie partners Aija with Kuna for the night. Aija agrees to work along with Etrie on Harvest Stopping Missions.

---- Ze catches Aija returning early in the morning with two unknown men. He worries if she is doing something wrong by dating one of the men she is with. Ze decides to talk to the girls about it. Ze talks to Zuri about Aija – she too has seen Aija with the unknown man.

---- Ze tells Zuri about his cousin Volt and his wife Remi. Zuri tells Ze that Aija likes him – he already knew. She also tells him about Aija's order of engagement.

---- Zuri confronts Aija about the men she'd been out with.

✽✽✽

****11.4 - Luka****

The house was quiet, so much so that he could hear two of the cats scampering around downstairs.

Thieron had gone to meet Ba'diur, and Nala had locked herself in her room. She was upset about Zuri. Ever since he had told her about Aija, Nala had been concerned about what to do.

Luka was surprised Nala had even any sort of feelings towards a human. Nala didn't like them and took pleasure in Harvesting souls. Now, Nala locking herself in her room was indicating otherwise. So, there did exist a human who could make Lalana of Ytèan feel this way. And, it was Zuri; Aija's best friend.

Aija. He liked the way her name sounded. He had learned of her name from Nala. Guess there was a human he found interesting too.

Not that Luka hated humans. He was just doing his job.

Thieron hadn't appreciated Nala's sudden backing from their visit to Ba'diur's place. She had stayed back at the very last minute, and Thieron had been suspicious of her. She never said no to Thieron. It was probably the first time she had said no in all the years that they had known each other – and they had known each other for over hundreds of years.

Luka decided to speak to Nala. She had to make a decision soon.

He went upstairs and knocked on her door.

"Go away!" she yelled in Ytèan.

"I'm coming in," Luka informed her and opened the door to her room.

"Luka!" she screamed.

Luka entered the room to find her in bed, under a heap of blankets. He sat on a chair beside her bed an incredulous expression on his face. The brave, strong, confident Nala was sulking at home, locking herself in her room. Oh, how love changes people....

"This isn't the Nala I know."

She rolled her eyes at him.

"Come on, Nala." He said. "I know how you feel."

"You wouldn't. You've never been in love."

"Love?"

She seemed surprised by her own unexpected confession of love. Lalana blushed, and for the first time in years, Luka thought she looked cute. Lalana was stunningly beautiful; gorgeous even. But, Luka had never imagined himself using the word 'cute' when describing her. She was a mentally strong woman, and he had liked her for her strength.

"I know about love, Nala," he spoke, his voice soaking in years of hurt and sadness.

Nala looked at him, concerned.

"How many times have you met her?" he changed the focus back on her.

"Three," she whispered. "It's not many times, but I know how I feel."

"Sometimes one time is enough to fall in love," he confessed.

She looked at him as if she were seeing him for the first time. Of course, she didn't know much about Luka from the time before he joined them. He didn't know much about her life from before as well. It had never hindered them from working together.

"Thieron already suspects me of something." She told him as she sat up. "If he gets to know of Zuri, he will kill her, just out of spite even if she isn't an Àvo soul."

Luka nodded. "You know I won't tell him."

"Why, though?"

Why? Luka himself didn't know the exact answer to it. He could tell this to Thieron and end it all. But, he didn't want to.

"Your love is yours," he said finally. "It is yours to find joy in; yours to suffer; yours to endure; yours to find peace in."

Nala looked at him eyes rounded like she hadn't expected him to say that.

He stood up, "Come on out. I'll make you something to eat. And Lalana, please stop sulking, it isn't you. Things will go the way they must."

He walked out of her room before she could say a word. He headed to the kitchen, switched the stove on, and placed a pan on it. The only thing on his mind was his first love.

**

Luka prepared lunch for the two of them – savory wheat cakes and chickpea salad. He hated the packed meals that the humans ate. Fresh ingredients were available in the smaller towns where the pre-packed meals weren't preferred much due to how expensive they were. It was more of an affordability issue, and those people might shift to them if they are made cheaper. But, the Leadership only cared about itself and those that kept them in power.

Nala finally stepped outside. She fed the four cats before sitting down at the table. They ate in silence – Luka at the table and Nala on the couch; after which she went back to her room.

Luka changed into his gear and headed out. If he left now, he would reach Innermost by the time Aija's school ended for the day.

Etrie's man – Kuna – had been trailing her and he had to be careful. He had received information that Etrie had taken her on a Harvest and had succeeded in stopping it. How had Aija felt? What was Etrie's plan?

He tapped his left index finger at the Pay Gate Scanner. The image of a blonde young man appeared with the name Jaxon Smith. It vanished in a second; fast enough for anyone prying, not to notice his stolen identity.

Luka waited for the next Terra-Turbo Train. He preferred it to the Sub-Terra because there were fewer prying Secures on the Terra Turbo. The Sub-Terra was mostly used by the more affluent classes – meaning more security. The Terra Turbo was used by people of all levels all across the whole Pristine City.

It arrived five minutes later, and he hopped on to it. The three of them did own a car, but they used it only in urgent situations and mostly at night. They never brought it to Innermost unless they absolutely required it. It would draw unwanted attention. Etrie and others at R'ies were luckier since even if they were seen using a car and stopped by a Secure, they could get out of the situation quickly – since the Leadership existed because of R'ies. The ID chip inserted into their fingers with a stolen identity worked well enough and kept them out of any sort of trouble.

He arrived at Innermost and headed to Aija's school. He waited outside behind a tree.

Thieron had been furious when Luka had told him about Aija's successful trip with Etrie. Thieron had left to meet Var-Inu and Luka hadn't been trailing Aija – because Thieron had taken over it himself. Thieron had changed his mind over killing her right away. Luka knew it; else she would have been dead already. What Thieron was planning Luka didn't know, but he knew it would be worse than just ending her life. He had seen something in that girl just like he had and was surely planning something else.

Thieron had also postponed their trip to the South Land. They had to Harvest a soul there and also needed to consider the Prince's visit to set their visiting dates. But even with all the complications, Thieron had simply announced that the trip was off till he decided when next.

Luka worried that she was a powerful Àvo soul that they might need to Harvest soon. What he was more afraid of was – she could be like him. The thought scared him. And maybe, it was why Thieron had changed his mind in the first place.

He heard the school bell ring and looked over to the enormous interconnected school buildings. The children left the school first. The older ones walked home by themselves. The children below a certain age were supposed to be picked up by their parents or guardians. Most older siblings walked their younger brothers and sisters home. After all the children had left, the teachers trickled past the school's gate one by one.

Aija came out with Zuri to her left and a boy to her right. Luka recognized the boy – he was the one Nala had knocked on the head the day they had Harvested the young boy Rez. He had been in the basement they had passed through, and Nala had knocked him unconscious lest he came out and disrupted the Harvest. No one had expected Aija to be with the boy. What had she been doing out so late at night?

They walked towards their housing right next to the school. Luka followed them up to the gate. It auto-unlocked for them and closed after they stepped in. Luka stood outside, taking out his signal disrupter, and he spotted Aija and Zuri walking back towards the gate. Immediately he walked away and put himself behind a tree. They hadn't seen him.

The two girls walked away, heading towards the center of Innermost. He stayed put for a few seconds and spotted Kuna following them at a considerable distance. He put a large gap between himself and Kuna and started following him. He only had to follow Kuna to know where the two girls were going.

Kuna headed deep into the Park and stopped somewhere close to the lake. Luka walked past him and rounded the lake going further before stopping.

He saw Aija and Zuri sitting on a bench, talking. He wondered what they could be about. What did humans speak to each other about?

They sat for quite a while, talking. Aija and Zuri were even facing each other now and talking animatedly. Aija was doing most of the talking; her long hair waved in the breeze, and she twirled a strand of it through her fingers. He noticed that she did that often – her fingers almost always found strands of her hair and twisted them.

Luka wouldn't call Aija strikingly beautiful like Lalana. Aija had an enticing sort of beauty to her and Luka longed to be close to her; longed to know more about her; longed to brush his fingers against her cheek; longed to run his fingers through her hair...

Luka was so immersed in his longing for her that he didn't hear the rustling of leaves until it was too late. He put a hand on his blade and turned around. Kuna was standing there, a mocking smile on his face.

"Thieron's boyfriend," he taunted. "Didn't think I would spot you?"

"Is that what you all call me?"

"Pretty much..." Kuna shrugged smiling.

Luka scoffed, and Kuna frowned.

"Planning on killing the girl?" Kuna asked. "Where's Thieron today?"

"It's none of your business," Luka warned.

Kuna smiled. "You won't get to her. I'll make sure of it."

Luka ignored him. He saw the two girls still there.

"She's agreed to help us. Aija's joining us."

Luka turned to Kuna surprised. Kuna smiled satisfied, knowing he had caught his attention.

"Did she agree, or are you forcing her?"

Kuna grinned as if he had found out Luka's secret. "I see you actually care for her." he taunted Luka. "Too bad for you, Thieron's after her life. Not that Etrie or I will allow that to happen."

Luka looked at Kuna a little taken aback. Was he so evident with his feelings? If Kuna could see his feelings, Thieron already had.

"You don't stand a chance against me," Kuna said coolly.

Luka was now confused. What did he mean? He was stronger than Kuna any day. Kuna knew it too.

"You're on the wrong side, Luka." Kuna went on. "Did you know that Aija and I held hands as we walked back home? To her place."

Luka squeezed the blade's handle tightly; anger burning through him. Kuna laughed, clearly enjoying taunting him.

"Get lost before I pierce your heart here and now," Luka warned.

Kuna left, still laughing.

✽✽✽