ll Chapter 2 ll part 1: Meeting Mr stranger

"Good, but what brought yo' here?"

He had already expected that particular question, it was totally unavoidable. "I—I decided to go for a walk then got lost, before I ended up here" He lied looking downward likewise waiting for himself to be scolded at.

"yo'll have to leave immediately" Max huffed and grabbed him by the arm; taking him outside. Eradan  had his face down as they left the club. He looked like a child that was caught stealing candies. They finally arrived at the pathway. With a slight nod, Max urged him to back to his room and he obeyed immediately.

Retracing his direction, he decided to head back but got confused at a point. Which way was it? He battled internally, trying to remember the route he followed in a three lane pathway intersecting each other. After much deliberation, the youth chose the one on his left.

As Eradan went on, he began to admire large neon images mounted at both sides of the pathway looking really exotic. Unknown to him, a guy had just finished buying popcorn from a popcorn seller by the side before turning to leave.

Boom!

Particles of popcorn were sent into the air before falling on the floor, pouring on them both like rain.

"My bad… let me help with it" The youth said and immediately bent down to pack the messy popcorns on the floor. To his surprise, the other guy also bent to help out. In the process, both hands touched when they tried to pick a popcorn, the other's hand on top of his. For a moment, the atmosphere felt hot as they both paused; looking at each other. Using that opportunity, His perverted eyes began to scan the other guy.

He had a jet black hair with bangs on both sides of his head, pointed nose, Rosy pink succulent lips, Sharp jawlines and black eyes which complemented his dark hair.  Snapping out of his thought, he noticed that the other folk was still steering at him. Did he just see a corner of the guy's lip raise?

"Done admiring right" The guy teased.

Flustered, he immediately stood up, followed by the other guy.

"I'm sorry, l—I'll buy you another one" Eradan appealed, his ears all red. He wasn't done with Max's infatuation, then this.

"No need for that"

"But—" The youth tried to rebel but was cut off.

"Don't worry, it's fine"

"Since we're settled... I'll be leaving and don't bother asking for payment" He said and turned to leave. He didn't know what made him say the last statement. Maybe the way of being treated like a little boy by those he knew caused it, making him want to be the scolding part of something. Or he was just paranoid for no reason.

"..." He paused on his way. This route didn't look familiar at all. Where was he?.. He wanted to turn back and ask the other about his current location but he couldn't, he had to finish what he started.

The other guy stood there, enjoying the confused look on the youth's face. He knew fully well that the youth was new and naive about the surrounding with the tendency of him going missing, but he had to enjoy that scene [Let's see how this rude guy would escape this]. Eradan however didn't know where to follow, although he felt like the other guy would be knowledgeable about it. But he would rather not ask him.

"Aren't you leaving?" He heard the other ask mockingly. What was he playing at?

" I am. It's just… It's just" Adan felt defeated. It was no use being galvanic, he just had to swallow his silly pride. Turning towards the guy, he sighed. "Please where am I?"

Happy with his victory, the other jubilated internally. "Your in the Cinema pathway, that's why you spilled a popcorn from me" He answered.

Eradan groaned inwardly, he totally forgot about the popcorn vendor he could've asked. So silly of—

"You must be new to this hotel right?" The dark-haired guy pried drifting him off his thought.

"Yeah" Eradan replied curtly. He could've replied with obviously, but he deemed it unnecessary to be rude. This folk could help him find his way back to his room. The folk slightly nodded at his answer.

"Now I've told you where you are, I should get going" Eradan was shocked at those words. Wasn't this man trying to help. Why did he change all of a sudden? 

"Excuse me, but…" The youth tried to protest but was ignored by the guy. He stood there watching the figure walk towards a door on the left side of the pathway. [He must be feeling cool by now] he scoffed.

A smirk appeared on the others lips. He heard what Eradan said.

"Follow me" The folk ordered, still on his unhurried steps. With a scowl on Eradan's face, the youth decided to follow him. At least he'll take me back to my room.

"Here. Take this" The dark-haired guy offered the youth a white slip just as he had arrived beside him.

"..?"

"It's a ticket for the cinema... Mistakenly bought two" He added with a smile noticing Eradan's reluctance to take it.

"Umm... Thanks" The youth took it, his countenance now bright. Unknown to him, a smile was visible on the other's lips... Such cuteness.

Both individuals walked into a door which was the Entrance of the cinema. Finally ended up in a cinema hall, Eradan thought to himself.

After a few hours of watching movies, he was directed back to his room by the other guy. As wierd as it was, they both didn't converse throughout the walk. It was more of Eradan following every crook and turns the guy took. After a while, there were right in front of the youth's door. With a click in the door's lock the door was sent open and Eradan walked into the room.

Just as the youth entered his room, he remembered that he forgot to ask the folk for his name. He came outside of his room, but the other was nowhere to be seen. He had gone. Drifting off the thought, Eradan closed his room's door and then to bed…

             NAPELOEN REALM

   In a gloomy midget subterrane illuminated by the halo of two braziers, blood-red fingers found their way to an organ of a black bird. A Raven to be precise, which laid lifelessly, held by another blood-red hand.

Nyat!

  An organ looking like a heart, or it was a heart, was ripped out of the lifeless bird which was tossed to a corner heaped with other lifeless birds like it. The thumping heart of the lifeless animal smeared with blood was directed to a set of pale black lips which shot open as the heart was thrown into it.

HMMM

Black lips moaned movingly as it munched what was thrown into it; before it was swallowed in one gulp.

"This will do" Came out of those black lips as its owner stood up and walked towards the center of the subterrane where a flat basin filled with black liquids was kept on a stand.

The figure dipped its face into the basin and drank some liquid off the basin. When it was done drinking some portions of the black liquid, black veins popped up on every corner of it's body as its skin became paler and whiter. It was a strident sight to behold.

Blue auras were released from a pale body, following the strident action that took place. In a matter of minutes, these actions came to stop.

"Divinity has finally been revived… Time for work" Rivaka said, a smirk visible on her lips.

               LUCIAN ALTHAN