The cold but gentle breeze brought a sense of peace to Elek's mind as he skipped along the sidewalk, admiring the beauty of Nature along the city life. The enormous trees gave a tranquil feeling to the busy and modernised streets, and the smell of fresh flowers from a garden nearby almost reminded him of Sylva Vita.

Elek slowed down as his mind fell into deep thought. Technology was something he was in awe of, and he loved its development, but not at the cost of Nature. The two side by side, though, were like a wonderful and peaceful combination of black and white. Which was black and which was white he couldn't always decide, but it hardly mattered to him.

Audrey has made me too philosophical, Elek thought in a humorously vengeful voice, continuing to skip aimlessly.

He turned his gaze towards the twinkling sky, the glow of the stars comforting him in a way he didn't understand. People around him walked in their busy styles or sat in their vehicles with a serious expression, a little dark smoke hovering above their heads, but nothing more than that. He crossed a little park, and his heart warmed at the sight of little children playing with a carefree face, living in the present. The adults around there also chatted without stress, seeming rather healthy and happy.

Suddenly, Elek stopped, an astonished expression on his face as he saw an unexpected sight.

"What the..."

A girl, who looked not more than fourteen, sat in a wheelchair with her earphones in her ears as she closed her eyes with a genuine smile on her face. Her blonde hair was tied messily and she sank back, putting her arms behind her head with a satisfied expression. She took deep breaths, a halcyon glow surrounding her face as the wind played with her hair, and she seemed to have lost herself in the moment.

However, she was surrounded by two despairing creatures. They rubbed their dishevelled blue hair as they cried with no stop, and a small, fragile creature looked to the ground with a depressed and fearful look.

What?

The girl slowly opened her eyes, revealing a circle of a gentle and light brown shining as it reflected the evening sky. Her smile didn't diminish in the least, and she looked around her surroundings with interest and happiness. She slowly turned her small face towards the sky, and her jawline became firm, giving her a bold look.

Suddenly, her eyes set in Elek's direction, and she frowned slightly, a minute and confused smile remaining. Elek didn't move his gaze, trying to understand the situation as he held his breath.

The girl suddenly brought her arms to the wheels, turning towards her right as she moved the chair in that direction. A few loose strands of her hair fell onto her face and she scrunched her nose as she shook her head. A playful smile came on her face as the headphones still stayed firm in her ears, although she greeted most passers-by with a gentle nod and a smile.

Elek couldn't help but want to follow her, intrigued by the human, which was rather odd for him. However, before doing so, he turned towards the demonic creatures, closing his eyes in deep thought.

Please let this work, Elek thought with hope, opening his eyes.

Elek brought two long, thin needles from his pocket, the fragrance of fresh flowers filling the air as it masked the strong power it was coated with. Elek took a deep breath, his forehead wrinkled, but he did his best to stay calm. The sight of the violet glow against the soft petals formed in his mind as he remembered picking it from near the lake. He wasn't happy with the action as every minuscule life was important. Nonetheless, all negativity ran away from him when the flower was held between his thin fingers as if its radiations were purifying his.

He carefully pierced the lustrous object in the skin of the creatures, feeling fidgety and guilty. His breathing help him gain confidence, as he returned his focus to the being standing in front of him.

Elek's senses sharpened as he got ready for levitation, understanding all the particles that created the being. He wouldn't actually perform the task though; doing so required a great level of skill. However, so far, he had improved his skill to the level that he could sense any change in the scientific structure of any object.

As Elek's grasp strengthened, a small smile came on his face in the realisation that his experiment was working. He had always been curious about his blades but never paid attention to their composition. He was glad that he finally did it, though.

Suddenly, he sensed something wrong within the fragile creatures' collarbone. His eyes widened with panic, and he gently slashed his blade onto the collarbone of the subject of his experiment. A kind but plain glare suddenly darkened his face, forcing the other two to retreat, and he was thankful that they were weak.

Vexation imbued in his mind as he panted, though he didn't show the expression. His eyes gently rose to see that girl's face, whose eyes were narrowed in confusion and suspicion towards him.

The girl rolled her wheels, moving towards him, cautious of the headphones resting on her lap. It was now Elek's turn to frown. He was rooted to the ground, not knowing what to do other than wait.

"Why do you have that sharp knife in your hand? How did that black liquid end up on your fingers, and how did that turn to ash and disappear? Who even are you?"

Elek felt amusement, shock and bewilderment all at once - it was absolutely hilarious. He suppressed a smile at the girl's fast questions, but the look of astonishment on his face was no act.

"You can... see me?"

"Of course. I'm not blind. That's a very sharp knife in your hand. I don't understand why the others aren't paying attention to you. "

"Maybe because they can't see me?"

"Yeah right. The electromagnetic radiations love me and reflect only to my eyes."

Suddenly, the girl's eyes grew wide as a woman walked past her, waving to her gently. She managed to force a smile towards her, but she was sure that the boy stood in the woman's path. How did he evade it without moving?

"Are you serious?" she asked in a low, inquisitive tone, surprise heavily marking her voice.

"About what? The radiations?"

The girl frowned, looking at him as if he were a madman.

"No, that was only a joke."

Elek rubbed his hair with a nervous smile, speaking gently. "I know, I was just kidding. And yeah, no one should be able to see me, but you can."

"Am I defying the laws of science? The universe?"

"No."

"Darn it."

Elek couldn't contain his laugh anymore, causing the girl to narrow her eyes. She suddenly grabbed his wrist, holding it firmly.

"Follow me. I have questions."

Elek could easily move away from her, and he knew that was the right thing to do. Ironically, human and shadow interaction was forbidden in the cases of those who could see shadows, but he was curious, too.

How could a girl with those demonic creatures surrounding her see him?

The girl left his wrist before pulling him by her side. His mind was now the definition of entropy, and Elek couldn't help but laugh at the absurd situation.

The girl, as he expected, ignored him.

Elek observed the city with a small smile, intrigued by the busy life. He wasn't very fond of the noise caused by automobiles, but he believed that humans could someday make better use of their technology and respect Nature, too.

His eyes travelled to the girl's firm eyes, their bold, blue shine stirring something within him. A guarded look was on her face, and though from their interaction it appeared as if her mind was filled with thoughts, Elek knew that she was calm and kept her mind empty. Otherwise, there was no way that she'd be able to see him.

A sigh escaped Elek as he thought back to the demonic creatures, disappointed at his failure. He promised himself to be patient, but after two years of research and ten experiments, he thought he could feel the emotion at least once. He no longer wanted to experiment; his heart couldn't take its immorality, even if his actions were justified and brought no more harm to the creatures.

Elek's eyes suddenly grew alert as the girl tugged his shirt. They had now approached a gated community with six structures reaching towards the sky. Elek was happy at the sight of the greenery, though the cemented walls were no surprise to him. The fresh wind was a pleasant surprise, the evening rays of the sun heating the breeze perfectly.

Elek followed the girl as she took a right, entering the second block. She politely greeted the people passing by her, and Elek couldn't help but smile at her. They entered the lift and she pressed the button of her floor.

Elek was now seriously questioning his wits, wondering what he was doing there. He nevertheless followed the girl to her apartment. She put her hand in her pocket, removing a pair of keys to unlock the door.

"Let me take you in," Elek suddenly spoke up, eyeing the raised platform.

"It's alright, I'll manage."

"Please."

The girl hesitated before finally nodding her head with pursed lips. Elek moved the chair carefully, heeding her instructions as she guided him to her room.

As the lights flickered on, Elek's eyes widened with intrigue. The room was surprisingly clean, it's light grey walls reminding him of his own room. A guitar sat at a corner of room, though the girl immediately smiled at the sight of it. It was a rather ordinary space, a single bed occupying one part of the room.

What was the most prominent was an enormous bookshelf, a heavenly sight in Elek's eyes as they scanned the various titles. His eye immediately caught the ones relating to the theory of relativity, quantum mechanics, and particle physics.

"You like physics?" The girl asked, following his gaze.

Elek nodded slowly, clearly into the books. The girl accidentally smiled, immediately covering it with a serious look.

"I believe you have some explaining to do."

"I actually don't."

"Excuse me?"

The girl raised her eyebrows questioningly, though Elek simply shrugged. Her gaze remained hardened until she finally sighed, shaking her head.

"Sorry. I know I'm behaving weird, but I'm just too curious. This isn't the first time I've seen you, and it doesn't look like you're a human. That's something I can't believe, though my intuition and observation are strong."

Elek crossed his arms with a frown. She had seen him before? She realised that he wasn't human? Then is she even human?

Elek shook his head. He could easily sense her energy to be of a human's, and everyone could see her. But now that he paid close attention to it, there was something different about it. Her consciousness was high, no doubt.

Little interaction would hurt no one, he thought. Both minds were curious about each other, and their inquisitive nature was now the only thing that explained their situation.

"Alright. But you'll have to tell me about yourself too."

"What would I tell you about myself? I'm sure you know everything about humans," The girl said with a frown.

Her little face stared into the distance as she contemplated her options. It wasn't risky, at least it didn't seem to be, so far. And her mind was far too eager for information.

"I'm Elara, nice to meet you," she said in a gentle tone. She then raised her eyebrows, implying that it was his turn.

"Elek," he said simply, though his tone was warm.

"I am what we call a 'Shadow Being'. There are three classes in our world - the Demonic creatures, the Angelic creatures, and the Shadow Trappers, and I'm one of them."

There was no change of expression on Elara's face, her gaze completely fixated on his face. Elek appreciated her attention and patience... but he still didn't understand why they were having this conversation at all.

"The Angelic Creatures are the ones who help humans after traumatic events, and in general maintain a sort of balanced aura in the world. The Demonic creatures are the ones who propagate negative... impulses towards the minds of the humans, though this only happens when an already existing emotion of that degree is the human's mind. We Shadow-Trappers cleanse their energy and in the process exterminate them, if it's needed. In some cases, the human can handle them, and an example of that is yours."

Elara was now puzzled, raising her arms. Elek shrugged but gestured for her to ask him anything that she wanted to.

"My case?"

Elek nodded, now speaking in a softer tone. "There were three demonic creatures around you, but you seemed unaffected, and I'm not judging that from your expression. You would've been fine even if I left you there, but there was something I had to do."

Elara raised her eyebrows, but then nodded in understanding. "And what is up with the whole cleansing thing? How does that work?"

Elek found her blind interest in the topic somewhat funny. He now stood in a more casual stance, letting his hand fall by his sides and into his pockets.

"Shadow Beings are creatures of light. And yes, photons are an important component of our biology."

At that, Elara sat up immediately, curiosity boiling in her eyes. Elek chuckled and continued speaking.

"Imagine our energy to be matter, and the demonic creatures' to be antimatter. When they collide, energy is produced which returns to our surroundings. Shadow Beings gain enthalpy from the surroundings, but then the environmental energy could go low, so in this manner, it is returned. This is how we purify their energy. If they have remnants of positive energy in them, chances are that they can still live. But if it isn't there, they will die as they no longer have the energy for life."

A sad look now came into Elek's eyes as he recalled his earlier attempt. Only now did he realise that he needed to deeply understand the biology of the demonic creatures; without that he wouldn't succeed in creating a weapon that purified energy instead of 'cleansing' it. Destroying it.

"That is interesting," Elara remarked with a thoughtful look. Her chin now sat on her palms as she processed all the information. Elek was surprised by how calmly she was taking everything, but then again, she was the one who asked him in the first place.

"And what happens when a Demon stabs a Shadow-Trapper?"

Elek frowned, hesitating for a moment. "Before I answer, a small correction - Demons were the first type of Demonic Creatures. Over time, more of them began to be created from the thoughts and beliefs of the humans, and that's why we refer to them as 'Demonic Creatures' as a whole."

Elara's eyes were wide with awe and disbelief, now. She shook her head in uncertainty, before finally breaking into a smile.

"Is it by the subconscious state of the humans?"

Elek nodded, now wrinkling his brows with a smile. "How did you guess that?"

Elara smiled, a distant happiness shining in her eyes. "My father used to tell me about all of this. He was spiritual, and he'd had all these amazing thoughts. He shared as many as he could with me."

Silence settled in the still air, the small smile on Elara's face not fading away. Elek looked at her with an inquisitive fondness, the moment instilling a sense of placid joy in him. He closed his eyes and brought his chin close to his neck. Elara's energy had magnified now, and if her memory were a powerful force.

Elek opened his eyes at her sigh, smiling softly at her sad expression. Positivity flowed in his mind as he thought of her, and her eyes widened as she looked up in realisation.

"This isn't the first time that you've seen my either, is it?"

Elek shook his head with a frown. "It's my first time."

A confused look settled in Elara's eyes. "Then that sudden brightness...that isn't you?"

Elek remained silent in thought, not understanding yet. He suddenly nodded, chuckling gently.

"You must be talking about my friends, probably Audrey. I did something she taught me. She has a thing with positivity, and she's skilled in her ability of mind-control."

Elara jerked her shoulders. "You can control our minds?"

"Not all of us." Elek shrugged. He looked around the room, eyeing each object carefully. He saw a silver watch sitting on Elara's table with a proud shine. Elek could sense a strong emotion bound to it as Elara followed his gaze and looked at the watch with a gentle smile.

Elek wasn't sure if it was a good idea, but he implemented it anyway. The molecules of the device became more and more clear in his mind until he finally raised them up, the object following his will. Elara's eyes widened with surprise. She straightened her back as if she were about to protest, though hesitated with a look of awe. Elek took a breath in relief, carefully bringing the watch over to the girl, setting it on her lap.

Elara's face broke into a defeating smile as she held the watch, caressing it softly. She closed her eyes, bending forward as she pressed her forehead against the watch's glass. Its cool touch calmed her mind, amplifying the effect of whatever it was that the boy did.

"It's the only watch I've seen my father wear his entire life," Elara said in a melancholic tone, remembering her father's gentle face. Elek now somewhat understood what had happened but still waited patiently, wanting her to speak out of her own choice.

Elara didn't know whether she should talk to him or not, even though she was the one who pulled him into whatever was going on. Curiosity always landed her into trouble, even though she never really made impulsive decisions.

"He passed away in an accident six years ago. I lost my legs then. I mean, they stopped functioning."

Elara felt awkward, embarrassed at her plain tone. She slowly looked up towards Elek surprised to see a sorrowful smile on his face.

"You were very close, weren't you?"

Elara nodded firmly, smiling with her eyes closed. The simple question brought a feel of happiness to her along with an odd sensation that she didn't quite understand, but embraced anyway.

Silence followed his words, and Elara was glad that Elek didn't say any of the same old 'sympathetic' statements. She opened her eyes and smiled towards him, an elevated feeling passing through her as he returned it.

She hadn't felt like this for the past six years. She knew her intuition wouldn't be wrong, but this was something else. She genuinely hoped that they'd be spending more time together, both for her curiosity, and whatever this was.

"What about your father? How are you with him?"

Elek smiled shyly, rubbing his neck. "I don't have a father."

Elara's eyes widened in sympathy, but Elek shook his hands before she said anything.

"I mean, I never had a father. Only a mother. A single parent."

Elara's eyes further widened at that, her silent thoughts processing what he said. Her head jerked towards him in realisation, frowning at his demure smile.

"Shadow Beings have only a single parent?"

Elek shook his head, rubbing his neck. "Shadow Beings are born from a ball of energy, usually created by two parents together. A single parent, if they have enough will and energy, can create a ball of energy themselves. After that, unlike humans, the offspring grows and gathers its energy from its surroundings as it grows, and that is it's development, or evolution. We don't have DNA."

Elek stopped, contemplating about whether he should tell her about the other half too. It was something that very few Shadow-Trappers knew about, and to let a human know about it so soon wouldn't be the best decision.

"I see..." Elara's solemn voice trailed in fascination and she broke into a small smile.

"You guys really... are great. I want to know more, but I guess it's too late to continue today. Don't run away, come tomorrow any time after five."

Elek gave a slow nod in agreement, laughing as he did so. Everyone had their flaws and he knew that she knew that, but after their conversations, he was keen on knowing her views on the world.

"For better or worse, you've caught my interest, so I won't be leaving any time soon."

Elara sighed in a mocking fashion, laughing gently at Elek's childish frown. A smirk emerged on Elara's face, her thoughts gradually being replaced by memories. She'd had a quirk for sensing the tenor, the air around a person. The moment she picked up Elek's presence her past hit her, as if a thousand cherry blossoms hit her hard in a tender, but grievous movement.

She was still not over it, not completely. Her curiosity was one thing, but maybe he would help her move ahead in life to fully consume the learnings of life. She wasn't sure how to apologise to him or even thank him, but for the moment, she hoped that she would pick her words someday. Or maybe, express the thought in some other way.

Her familiar melody, one belonging to her late father filled her mind as she closed her eyes, sinking back into her chair. Absolute darkness met her sight, a view that always sent thrills and comfort through her.

The universe was vast, and she was sure that many creatures inhabited the world. What even was the world though, she often wondered.

She didn't know. She didn't need to know, for the time being. That measure was something she didn't have much; every moment was crucial.

Elara shook her head, waving her thoughts away. She opened her eyes to see Elek looking at her with a familiar sense of adoration and comfort

Elek thought that this would be an interesting experience. He'd known motherly love very well, but though he didn't miss a father's or a sibling's bond, he now felt somehow... nostalgic. They were presently in the moment of sonder, but would soon be in a bonded friendship, he hoped.

He wouldn't hide it, he'd at least tell Audrey or Trina, but he wouldn't leave the girl. He felt an odd sense of responsibility towards her.

Ehhh I'll figure it all later, Elek thought in a funny tone. For the moment, he bid goodbye to the stranger in hopes of being well acquainted in the days of future. He was sure that the evening was the prelude to a blooming friendship.

-----

"Wow, you actually came."

Elara stared deeply into her thick book, though her mind had been awaiting the arrival of her new friend since the day began. Elek was surprised at her sharp senses and felt proud and flattered. Not that he knew the reason to either emotion.

"I told you I wouldn't be leaving you anytime soon."

"Let's see."

Elek flashed a challenging look, but Elara didn't even bother to look his way. After the serious moments of silence passed, she broke it with a sigh, finally raising her head to stare at the ceiling.

"Uh... alright then. Bye."

"No no wait!" Elara protested in fits of laughter, turning her wheels to approach him. She only now realised that he had simply walked through the front door, though she was the one who kept it unlocked anyway.

Elek shook his head as he hid his smile, controlling his laughter. He pointed towards a black chair, asking for permission. Elara nodded with an unimpressed look, staring at him as if he were an odd creature.

March into my house as if it's your own property, but ask to sit down, Elara thought, the impersonal expression showing no signs of leaving soon.

"What're you reading about?"

"General relativity. I finished special relativity two days ago. I'm only reading the beginner texts though, I still have to learn the maths."

Elek raised his eyebrows at the instantaneous expression, taking a liking to her grin.

"What about your school work? You go to the institution in the morning and return at the evening, right?"

"Yeah. We honestly waste a lot of time, and unless it's research work, I finish it all in school."

Elek nodded in approval, smiling at her attitude. It reminded him of his childhood. Most people had the misconception that he was a nerd, or simply liked to study a lot. He preferred to often follow rules and logic, and firmly believed in the virtue of focusing at the task at hand. If he were studying, that was what he would do. When he had to experiment, he'd go wild, and when he had to relax, he'd do it in his best possible way.

"So what do you do at home? Any specific schedule, or just go with the flow?"

Elara chuckled at that, hesitating for a few moments. Her eyes travelled around her room until she sighed with a response.

"I like doing random physics research just out of curiosity, and sometimes practice for my exams and stuff, though at times it's hard to focus. I go down almost every day, just to relax with music and catch the fresh air. Oh, I also love playing the guitar, and watching anime."

Elek smiled at the spark in her eyes, for a moment mistaking them for innocent grey spheres rather than blue ones.

"Oh yeah, I noticed that when I first came here. I have a friend who is great at the piano. Seeing her play is the best thing ever."

A soft smile pressed against Elara's cheeks, Elek's tone of adoration warming her heart. She sank back in her chair, tranquillity crossing her mind as a lively yellow reflected in her eyes.

"When are you going to play for me?" Elek suddenly asked, taking Elara by surprise. Her confident demeanour suddenly turned shy, and Elek couldn't help but laugh.

"Someday. Not today. And shut it with your laughing."

The sound only amplified further as Elek's back hit the chair, unable to control his laughter anymore. Elara's cheeks heated up as she felt flustered, now looking towards the ground.

"Alright, you're done."

"Yes ma'am."

Elek took a few minutes to bring his sanity back, taking deep breaths. He grinned towards Elara, causing her to shake her head with a hidden smile.

"Also, what's anime?"

Elara suddenly smiled wildly, and Elek couldn't help but think it was a little creepy. She quickly grabbed her laptop, her fingers moving quickly as the light shone in her excited gaze.

After a few minutes, Elara turned her laptop towards, jumping about excitedly as she gestured for him to watch the screen. Elek narrowed his eyes, bending down with his hands idly resting in his pockets.

Motion art greeted his face, a playful music ringing in his ears, the words of a language he didn't understand, yet his mind didn't want the song to stop. Students with various, intriguing expressions were on the screen, and the video felt oddly compelling.

"Anime is a style of Japanese animation! Most of them are based off manga which are like Japanese comics. What you're seeing is the opening to an anime called 'Assassination Classroom'. You simply have to watch it!"

Elek smiled nervously, finding her excited expression pure and adorable.

"This is fiction, right?"

"Yup. I suppose you wouldn't have time for it, but if you need recommendations, I will always be right here! Plus Japanese is a great language!"

"Also, you should definitely watch Disney and DreamWorks movies. My dad always called me 'Eldorado', one of my favourite movies. Hah."

Elek chuckled with a nod, earning a wider smile from Elara. She closed the laptop, setting it aside as she looked at Elek with an inquisitive smile.

"Now it's your turn. You gotta tell me about your world. Anything is fine."

Elek fell in deep thought with a smile, reflecting on what he should talk about.

"Would you like to know more about our abilities? How they're determined and all of that."

Elara nodded eagerly, and Elek appreciated the action.

"I'll first elaborate more on our energy. Are you aware of what enthalpy is?"

"The total heat content in a system."

Elek gave a short nod, pausing for a moment. Elek was a little uncertain of where to start from, but Elara's inquisitive look prompted him to speak.

"Our abilities are determined by our enthalpy. Not the amount of it, but rather the function or the structure of it. We are all made up of information - like DNA - and each set has a different value of energy - like mass - making us somewhat physical. It's similar to how the frequency of an electromagnetic radiation decides the colour."

Elara nodded eagerly as her eyes widened in awe. Her silence and wonder was endearing for Elek, and he felt solicitous about her happiness.

"Ooh I know. Do you have a weighing machine?"

Elara nodded and pointed to a corner of the room. Elek gestured for her to follow him as he stood on the machine. Elara's eyes widened with surprise as she saw no change on the machine.

"Sit on the bed, please," Elara said, excited, and Elek tried his best to suppress his grin.

The bed didn't sink in. Not a single crease.

"Then how does gravity affect you? Oh, you're like an illusion. That means even your clothes are an illusion? And how do you hold things, how could you push my chair?"

"'Like' is the right word," Elek started patiently. "We produce force in a different manner, it's a little too long to get into and frankly I don't know everything about it either. We are quite literally beings of light. Although most Shadow Beings don't understand that, not even all of my friends

"What I said about information and energy is also part of what determines the type of demonic creature that is born."

Elek suddenly turned his head away, staring into the distant sky. The soft glow of pink against the vibrant saffron was a blessing for his eyes, easing his contemplative mind.

So much to say... yet none should be said.

Elek sighed, his eyes reflecting the shine of the polished floor. He slowly raised his eyes, a sweet looking meeting Elara's that left the girl addled.

"The Demons used to be the first and only demonic creatures in the world, existing before the humans along with the other Shadows. At some point in the past, after the evolution of humans, demonic creatures began to take birth out of thin air. It was then that we understood something so simple; their subconscious creators were humans."

Elara's look of awe diminished, an incomprehensible sense of desolation clouding her mind. Her expression was suddenly nonchalant, seeming far away from this world. Elek suddenly smiled, chuckling nervously as his fingers reached to rub his head.

"It's not all bad, though! Their mind is also the reason for the little evolution seen in angelic creatures. Shadow-Trappers are the only one independent of their influence since we are the ones that affect them, and so we kinda maintain the balance of the mental and spiritual energies."

For a while, Elara was unmoved, the expressionless expression still remaining. Suddenly, Elara sighed in relief, a small and innocent smile growing on her face. Long moments of silence passed as Elara consumed the words presented to her, a profound enlightenment influencing her mind.

Suddenly, Elek jerked, standing up in a hasty fashion. "Holy yikes, I'm going to be late!"

"Late for?" Elara asked, rather amused by Elek's expression.

"Just going home! Conrad's got this dumb curfew thing and you don't want to see him get bossy."

Elara simply stared at Elek as if he were an unbelievable fool. Elek fretting mannerism was the perfect comedy show, and something she definitely wouldn't be bored of.

Elara burst out laughing, and Elek glared at her furiously. She clutched her stomach as it hurt fiercely, and she was almost unable to breathe anymore. In a good way.

"Shoo away then, child. You better come again tomorrow."

Elek over his shoulder, frowning. "Child? Where?"

Elara rolled her eyes, shaking her head as she muttered the word 'cliché'.

"Bye!" he exclaimed as he walked towards the door. Elara followed him slowly, waving to him as he left the house.

Elara sighed, a soft smile against her lips. She didn't know if he was reality or her fantasy, but despite the truth, nothing could be more real for her.

-----

"You're late again."

Elek shuddered at Conrad's rebuke, his deep tone unsettling him.

"How many times do you want me to apologise?" Elek questioned him in a daring tone, shrinking again at his wrinkled face.

"Actions speak louder than words! You must show that you are apologetic and rectify your errors!" Evelyn exclaimed in a playful tone, mocking Conrad by exaggerating her tone and strict actions.

"Are you three done with your fooling around?" Trina asked in a loud, unimpressed tone, her voice barely audible from her room.

"Who do you think you're talking to?" Galen's calm tone asked with a hint of humour as he stood near the window, his hands resting in his pocket.

"Two five year olds and a 100 year old man," Trina replied as a-matter-of-factly.

"Correct."

Conrad turned towards Galen, narrowing his eyes.

"Why am I always dragged into their childish behaviour?"

"You're their caretaker," Galen said with a sigh, turning towards Conrad in an idle fashion.

"I am not."

"Try proving me wrong."

Conrad shook his head in frustration, causing Evelyn's smirk to spread beyond the limits of the universe.

Audrey chuckled as she stared into the book in her hand, following each word carefully.

"What are you laughing for?"

Audrey ignored Conrad, completely immersed in the book. Conrad narrowed his eyes, sighing in a helpless manner.

Obviously, Audrey had been listening to every word being spoken. Elek controlled his amusement at the realisation, walking towards his room. The simplicity of the space was always inviting, though at one corner, tons of books lay messily on a wide table.

Without turning the lights on, Elek laid on hi bed with full force. It had already been two weeks since he had met Elara, and in each interaction, Elek always learnt something new. Speaking to her about his world struck new thoughts in his mind, letting him come to new conclusions.

Thoughts were funny, that was something he was absolutely sure of. Exhaustion weighed heavily on him as his eyes slowly closed, falling into a mindless sleep.

Tomorrow he would try again.

-----

Elek took a deep breath, focusing his awareness. He lifted his hands up, recognising each particle in the body of the frail creature. The leaden strain of the energy was over-bearing, exhausting Elek's strength, but he willed himself to stay strong.

Heat flushed his face as he released his power, letting it cleanse the energy of the creature. The being fell to its knees, falling into an unconscious haze as he slipped into a safe slumber.

Elek then turned towards the second creature, producing the needle. His hands threatened to shake, but Elek kept himself steady, having faith within himself. With the most cautious hold, he gently pierced the pin on the base of the creature's neck while levitating it's hands to keep it from attacking him.

Sensing it take its effect, Elek immediately broke away from the individual, daring to smile. He felt little peace flow into its mind, and satisfaction fill his own.

Suddenly, a cold, ruthful presence appeared behind him. Before he could do anything, it brought its blade down on Elek's hand, the callous touch bringing sharp pain through Elek's nerves, as the front half of Elek's forearm fell to the ground.

Elek stared at the golden liquid flow from his hands, a nonchalant expression on his face. He immediately turned towards the smoky presence, but what met his eyes was unsettling.

Elara's eyes seemed empty through the dark veil as if belonging to an otherworldly creature. Elek's feet were stuck to the ground, his thoughts racing as he tried to comprehend what was before him.

Elara then shook her head fiercely, and the ghostly mist disappeared within a second. Her eyes were aghast, and her skin went cold.

Elek took a deep breath, raising his half cut arm in front of him. He had to close renew his vessel soon, or he'd lose his enthalpy. Like fireflies in the night sky, minute, golden particles began to take a fixed form, resembling his strong, small arm. Elek's face was wrought with effort, but his mind was at ease, enabling him to use the technique of liber efficiently.

He slowly opened his eyes, gently smiling towards Elara. The girl's expression was full of uncertainty, but she moved forward, following the boy with patience.

She was unaware of her surroundings, blindly moving her hands on instinct. She was only fixed on his expression, trying to decipher his concealed thoughts, but for all she knew, he only worried about her.

Has he always been like this, emotional for others but stoic for himself?

It was funny, how much he resembled her father.

"Are you alright?"

His tone was soft and tender, as if a fragile leaf would crack at the tenor of his sound. Elara nodded, barely moving her head.

"W-what... was that? Is it my fault your arm was cut? How...?"

Elara's tone was made of guilt and bewilderment. For the first time, she almost didn't want to know the answer. But this was the time when she really had to listen.

Elek sighed and turned towards her with a smile, shaking his head.

"Umae wa hontoni baka."

Elara's eyes widened, and a shy smile broke on her anxious face. Elek stifled a laugh, patting Elara's head. It was the first time he had made such a gesture.

"Bakajanai," Elara protested in a light tone, smiling softly. Silence filled the atmosphere, a serene quiet flowing within Elara's mind.

"Elara! You home?" A bold and mature voice called out.

"Yes mom!" Elara responded immediately, moving further within the house. Elek had never seen her mother before, but the smile on Elara's spread happiness in him.

"You ready for dinner?"

"In fifteen minutes?"

"Alright."

Elara smiled in satisfaction, moving towards her room. Elek walked beside her, falling into deep thought as he remembered the ghostly creature.

"What exactly happened, then?" Elara whispered, cautious of not letting her voice reach her mother.

Elek hesitated, taking a deep breath.

"Shadow Beings are creatures of light and energy. The body you see is nothing but a vessel that is created by our sub consciousness to contain our soul and energy. Inside, there's only a network that carries our energy. Rest everything is real, but temporary.

"The Shadow-Trappers have the power to use seven ancient techniques, three of which are a mystery, and four that are known but rarely practiced by a few. This knowledge has been passed on for the past few years by very few Shadow-Trappers.

"One of them is known as the Technique of Liber. Since our birth, our sub consciousness holds our vessel through this technique. Each Shadow-Trapper has a different way of approaching the practice, and it is rather similar to alchemy. As long as you have the elements near you in your dimension, you can create whatever is in your capability.

"Right now, half of the control of my arm has slipped into my sub consciousness. I'm constantly using the technique to keep it together, though it'll soon be fully within my sub consciousness. My energy has decreased and been transferred into my new part, though I can gain the enthalpy again with time."

Elara was stunned, not knowing what to say. She lowered her eyes towards the ground, sighing as her body was no more alert.

"That's... I'm sorry."

Elek chuckled, shaking his head. Elara looked up with an apologetic frown, comforted by his energy.

"You really are a fool."

A puzzled look came on Elara's face.

"It's fine, honestly. I only want you to be alright."

A demure smile appeared on Elara's face as she mumbled a word of gratitude. Serenity filled her mind as she slipped into reverie, closing her eyes. The kind smile of her father as his spoke his wisdom was blurry, but she could see it. For a moment, she almost forgot that he was no more. She wished for the scene to be sempiternal, living in that past till time ran out.

Elara's eyes fluttered open as a sudden noise surrounded Elara, the sharping wailing of a child piercing through the atmosphere. She lifted her head in horror, her eyes widening.

Nothing other than the sane ordinary setting met her eyes, but Elara could still here the shrieking. No words were formed and only blood-curdling screams filled her senses. Absolute fear shone inner eyes, her thoughts irrational.

Elek rushed to her side, his eyes wide with bewilderment. Elara could no longer comprehend anything, thinking that this was something about her new friend's world.

This was nothing more than her own unsound perception.

Elek suddenly felt frantic, thinking rapidly. It was at these times that he envied Audrey's ability, able to help humans in a way her possibly never could. He sent a hidden distress signal to Audrey; something he had created so that Audrey would be able to help him without having to tell the others about it.

Elek wasn't ready to feel helpless and attempted to ease her strain, letting his energy affect hers. No demonic creature was in sight, no one to ease her strain by burdening themselves.

As time passed, Elara showed little signs of calming down. His technique of solstice could only help by numbing her senses, delaying the storm at bay.

"Elek?"

Audrey's benevolent tone was music to Elek's ears, hope shimmering in his eyes. She came in through the window, her arm raised as she held onto the spinner that brought her here. After switching the device off, she faced her friend's friend with no questions, understanding what she had to do.

The Shadow closed her eyes, entering the young warrior's mind. What surrounded her was absolute disorder; the growth of the inability of deciphering reality. Her life was a hallucination she believed to be the reality, and for once, Audrey was uncertain of what to do.

She sighed, sensing her friend's fearful aura. The grey void that over took his friend's mind was growing, but she could possibly stop it, or at least ease it. Her vibrations moved through the ether, letting the white energy flow into the realising mind.

The wise sphere of perception now reeked of the term disease, amplified by a darkened creature. Miraculously, it was what led to an inexplicable friendship.

"Elek," Audrey started in a gently guarded tone, still facing the girl. "She will be fine now. We have to go."

"But-"

"You shouldn't be interacting with a human in the first place," Audrey said sternly, the caring undertone compelling Elara to fall into a peaceful oblivion.

"Believe in her."

Elek sighed, walking towards the door. The moment he left, Audrey quickly opened Elara's laptop, typing a single word in the web browser.

Audrey could now only hope that the girl would be saved.

-----

"Elek, you should eat more. That's very less," Conrad said in a worried tone.

"I'm not hungry. I'll have more later."

Conrad sighed, shaking his head. He was worried about his friend, and though he was usually very flexible and ready to do anything, stubborn Elek was firmer than a diamond.

It had already been a little more than a week since that day. Elek simply couldn't help but think of her every day, wondering if she'd be working on her theories, playing the guitar, or watching anime. He missed the smile that could elevate anyone's mood, or the innocent expression that had seen the harshness of the world, yet still shone lucent in a black pool of ink. When he went back to her place, she wasn't there. Her room was undisturbed, simply waiting for her return. But he didn't even know where she was.

Elek stood up as he finished his meal, walking towards the kitchen with his casual grin. Though he spoke with his friends in his carefree, joyous manner, no one could really know what went on his mind.

No one except her, of course.

Suddenly, the door opened with a loud thud, though an apology came immediately after that. Heavy footsteps made their way towards the kitchen as he turned towards the source, a slice of carrot in his mouth.

"Elek!"

Audrey panted heavily, bowing her head to catch her breath, but her arm was raised forward, holding a neatly folded paper in her hand.

Elek's eyes widened at the names written on the paper. His hands trembled as he reached for the paper, slipping it into his pocket. His mind thought of nothing, anxiousness overcoming his senses. With a sigh he walked towards his room, sitting on the bed slowly, frozen in a trance. He opened the paper, his fingers fretting and he sensed a threatening tear on the brim of his eye.

Konichiwa, Elek!

Elek didn't understand why his heart beat so fast.

If you're reading this, then obviously I have left the Earth and gone to live in the space. Ye. Though I have no idea how you'd even get your hands on this.

His heart hurt.

But anyway, there's really not much for me to say. My mind's a little fuzzy, anyway, so I better write it while I can.

He couldn't think.

You resemble my father so, so much. His caring nature, and his funny wisdom. Do you even care for yourself, baka yaro? If I see you in bad shape, I shall punch you and send you to a black hole. Though I have to say, your world is simply great. There's just so much you can explore, so much to know. Although, if you know things about space that humans don't, you are definitely going to get it from me.

Elek chuckled a bittersweet laugh. He took a deep breath before continuing, closing his eyes as her smile emerged before him.

I'm not the best when it comes to expressing myself and all. I never know what to say, or what to write.

Before my father died, he composed a little something for me on the guitar, titled 'E Minor's song.' I don't remember the last time I didn't listen to it. It forever resonates in me.

Elek smiled softly, recalling their conversations. Her guitar was older than her, belonging to her father, but it was probably her most prized possession.

I composed something a little like that. I had slipped an mp3 player into your pockets while we walked together. You didn't notice. Hah. Watashi wa sneaky master. But go get it now. I don't remember the colour of your pants.

Elek shook his head as he stood up, walking towards his cupboard. He rummaged through the clothes as he checked the pockets until a small, black box sat in his hands.

Only one song was present in the player, but for him, it was everything. He laid on his back as he played the song, finishing the letter.

I hope it conveys what I could not. You need to forever stay fine, Elek. You're the best, and you just have to have a happy life.

There's nothing much to say, just a simple word.

Arigatou!

-Elara
—-dorado!

As the gentle plucking of strings filled his mind, Elek fell into a deep sleep, the paper resting in his arm.

__________

Why was she crying?

Why was she crying?

No. That wasn't the question.

Why could she never comfort her friend?

Audrey crossed her legs as she sat on the ground, her head facing the sky as it hung loosely in the atmosphere. The wind attempted to comfort her, but guilt overcame her senses.

That girl was nothing like Ariana in the slightest. But her smile and her concern, it truly was the same.

Audrey sighed, staring at the green beneath her. Her fingers ran through the prickly ground, and she felt her burden lighten.

His arm... The Technique of Liber... Saving the demonic creatures...

He truly was a defender.