Across the World

Chapter 12: I Own You!

JULIO didn’t listen to Lucas. He wanted to play with him. He never let go of her. Luna’s eyes were already watering, because of the hardship she felt. She couldn’t breathe, resisting to faint. Julio doesn’t care either if he kills her. In the first place, Julio was no longer in his own senses. Luna tried to reach Lucas with her hand. And when Julio noticed it, he suddenly threw her into the sky. Lucas quickly transformed his form into a fallen angel to save Luna. He spread out his black wings and flew. Julio just let him go. Lucas succeeds in rescuing Luna. They slowly descended the road.

“Come on, let’s go. Let’s not stay here. We need to go. You’re in danger,” Luna said. She realized that Lucas was what Julio was asking.

“We will, but I just want to clarify something to him,” Lucas whispered, as he came back in human form. He thought that maybe someone else would see him.

But the surroundings were also odd, like them. Even though the buildings are next-door, there are no humans all over the place. No vehicles even passed by. No birds. No other creature was found in the area. And, it's impossible that there were no people in the city. Another question added to Lucas’ mind. He noticed that the longer he was with Luna, the more mystery embraced his and their lives. And he needed to find the answers. He was no different to someone who played a broken puzzle. He must first recognize and identify each piece, in order to provide a solution to the problem. Or like a math problem that he needed to solve for the sake of their situation.

“But—”

“Please, even just now, trust me!” Lucas added. She turned silent. She no longer forced him to leave the place. Julio may really need their help. Then, Lucas confronted Julio.

“Who are you? You’re not her acquaintance, right?” Julio didn’t answer, he just laughed hard. Lucas continued to observe the area. For him, they are in another dimension of the world.

“Where is he? I’m what you need. Don’t involve other people. I don’t even know right now what you are, but I’m sure you’re using that person for your own desire,” Lucas added. Julio suddenly lifted his body slightly. He floated. Lucas had a bit of an idea what was in front of him. Maybe he was someone like him.

“You have a point in what you have told me. But if you come with me properly and effortlessly, I will let those two humans live. Deal?” Julio said. When Lucas heard this, he proved something that Luna was not what Julio needed. Also, Julio doesn’t seem to know Luna’s other persona. Lucas stared at Julio.

“What do you want from me?”

“You’re too talkative. You have a lot of questions. There is only one thing you have to do. If you want to save that woman, come with me. Isn’t that all that matters?” Julio answered. But this time, he looked serious. Lucas turned his head to Luna. He stared at Luna for about two minutes, then he sighed.

“No!” Luna stopped him. She could read what he was planning to do. She gripped his arm securely. Then she shook her head.

“I will kill that woman,” Julio warned Lucas again, and to confuse his mind as well. But, the real Julio tried to resist what the dark shadow wanted. He saw and heard everything that happened. Because his soul is confined right inside his body. He was accompanied by a bonfire that was blazing. He was looking for how he could get back into his right mind. He wouldn’t let Luna get hurt.

That’s why he forced himself to think more until he noticed that the bonfire with him was his spiritual fire. Julio looked at it. He summoned it to bring back his positive attitude and constructive disposition to change his thoughts and feelings, even if just once more. He needed to come back to his sanity. He needed to become the master of himself to save Luna. He didn’t take his gaze away from the fire until he saw the light. He then puts his consciousness in that white light of the fire. And when he set off, he proceeded to the flow of his thoughts.

Meanwhile, Lucas and Luna were surprised when Julio suddenly tweaked himself. Because his thoughts began to change. However, the dark shadow already felt the resistance of Julio. Before Julio could return to his right mind, he had already met him halfway.

“You have no right to betray me. As punishment for your audacity to fight me, I will never give you freedom. Since the day you agreed to my deal, you’ve been mine. Everything you have in life is mine. Human, I own you!” Dark shadow's fierce voice. Julio saw him because of his spiritual light guide. He saw black smoke roaming around him, not a shadow. Julio didn’t release the fear inside his heart. He controlled his feelings. He didn’t show that he was afraid.

“I’m not afraid of you! You’re just a stray black smoke,” Julio dared him. He succeeded. He heard a very loud voice. The voice was so full that it seemed to be really alive. It was like someone who was very mad. Until Juli noticed that the black smoke that was haunting him was slowly disappearing. His heart rejoiced, especially when he could really see nothing but himself in his inner body.

“Finally, I can—” Julio was unable to continue what he was about to say when suddenly a shadow quickly crawled in front of his feet.

“What do you think of me? A weak creature?” Suddenly a black head slowly appeared from the blank floor where Julio was standing. The body continued to lift. Julio’s feet moved backward in fear, when he saw the man, what he looked like.

The man who appeared was naked. His skin is black. Julio couldn’t see any other color on his skin, just black. His eyes are big. They were very red. He also has two small horns on his forehead. Julio panicked when something moved behind him. The creature moved fast on his back. Then he laughed out loud. His long sharp teeth came out.

“Stupid human!” he said angrily to Julio. He changed his mood quickly. Then, he strangled Julio’s neck with his shiny and long tail. The tip is like a sharp arrow. The true features and persona of the dark shadow were revealed. He is a demon.

“You won’t win because no matter what you do, there is darkness hiding in your heart. And if you continue like that, I will now kill the woman you loved the most,” he threatened Julio. Then suddenly, Julio’s right hand rose.

“No!” he shouted.

“It’s too late!”

Luna’s body suddenly flew in front of Julio. Again, he strangled her neck.

“Luna!” Lucas shouted. When Lucas moved his right foot, once again, Julio threw Luna in the air. Lucas transformed his identity into a fallen angel, so that he could move quickly. He caught Luna before her body hit a wall. Luna cried. She hugged Lucas recklessly and tightly. What Lucas wondered, Luna seemed to be a normal person. Nothing strange was happening to her body. Like when it glowed when they were in the forest. But for Lucas, that was good. So that the desire of the demon occupying Julio’s body would not grow. Julio suddenly shouted. He seemed to be suffering severe pain until his physical form was changed. The demon finally revealed himself.

“Come on! I need to get you out of here,” Lucas whispered to her ears. But Luna didn't listen. She shook her head. She remembered how Julio asked her for help.

“He needs us, please help him,” Luna pleaded. She was pertaining to Julio.

“But–”

‘We can’t leave him alone, please save him from that creature,” she pleaded again. Lucas closed his eyes for about one minute. He was thinking of what he should do?

“Please, Lucas…” He heard Luna’s voice again. He opened his eyes.

“Okay, but promise me you’ll just hide. Don’t come out no matter what happens,” this time Lucas was the one who pleaded. Luna just nodded. Lucas immediately turned his back on her.

“Go!” He commanded Luna. She ran away from them and looked for a place to hide.

“Finally, we meet face to face,” the demon said.