You know your book's long when wattpad crashes when you copy-paste it.

Also, this isn't finished, but maybe I'll continue sometime in the future!

Chapter 1

It was odd, to say the least. To know that his best friend was missing, and one of his closer friends was actively avoiding him all in one day; it should pose a shock to anyone on this planet.

However, Cahaya felt only relief. It lasted mere seconds, before his mind sprung back into action, thinking, why do I feel so relaxed? Everything's going to hell! He wanted to pull at his hair, to scream into an empty room, but he refrained.

"I must be going crazy," he repeated on loop, pacing around his empty dorm room in panic. "I'm going crazy, insane, psychotic, delirious—"

Solar sighed, shaking his head. "You're overthinking," he stated calmly, sitting on one of Cahaya's open textbooks. "You're just stressed out. Being calm when your duties are gone is completely logical."

Cahaya whipped to him, his hair in a frenzy and glasses tilted. "Petir is out there! And he's missing," he emphasised, glaring at his kwami. "Maybe Minte already got to him!"

Growling in frustration, he snatched the chocolate bar off his desk and bit into it, melted cocoa staining the sides of his mouth. Solar glared at him, expecting the sweet to be his for the taking.

The taste of velvety sugar seemed to calm him. He sighed heavily, wiping the stain from his mouth with the back of his palm.

"I need to get back to Rintis," he muttered, looking out the window. It was already night, and the moon was hung high in the sky.

Solar flipped a page, turning to the theories of dark matter. "How? You have school too."

Cahaya ran a hand through his hair. "I don't know," he grunted. "But I need to check on Pegasus and Terre. Maybe they found clues. Maybe Petir's just back at school and no one noticed his sorry face!"

Solar turned to his disgruntled master, to see him curled up in a ball, the chocolate bar in his hand almost dropping to the ground. He sighed, already used to the fact that his users were always cracking under unprecedented stress.

"Look, child, it's going to be all okay," he comforted him. "Besides, if Petir really did come back, then Pegasus should have texted you by now."

"He can't use phones in school! I have to go see myself!"

"Cahaya." Solar's voice turned serious. He hovered near Cahaya's face, glaring at him. "You're disorientated and you allowed this to happen to you. Remember: you're still Athena. You need to get yourself together, or Nightsong's going to take advantage of your panic."

Cahaya gulped, leaning away from his kwami. Solar can be scary if he wanted to.

Solar hovered back to the table, turning off the lights. "Get some sleep." He closed the textbook and zipped his pencil box shut. "You need it."

Cahaya didn't protest. Wordlessly, he closed the chocolate bar with the aluminium foil and put it away in the miniature freezer under his table. Without bothering to brush his teeth, he collapsed on the bed.

Solar stared at his master's silhouette for moments, waiting. Finally, soft snores emitted from him, which Solar sighed in relief.

He quietly flew over to the blanket. He used his claws to hold the sheets and covered Cahaya to keep warm. He then landed on the pillow and accompanied Cahaya to sleep.

Sleep tight. There're more hardships to come.

Always.

Chapter 2

Nothing was the same.

Tanah would stand by the school gates. He would keep up smiles for his friends. He would pretend nothing ever happened, but in reality, everything bad happened.

Every time he waited for the bell to ring, he would always feel his heart squeeze with pain. The one person he used to wait for was not here. And he didn't know when he will be.

When he was told that Petir broke out of the hospital—which he found difficult to believe—he couldn't find the words. He was utterly speechless.

Angin was the one that delivered the news. Angin said his mother scolded him for it, because he didn't tell her Petir was prone to akumatization. He said they could have done so many measures to prevent this, but in reality, could they?

As far as Tanah knows, Petir was a ticking time bomb.

And he finally exploded.

Tanah waited for crime rate to spike. He waited for news to broadcast a new villain in town. He waited for a new figure to stand atop a roof and demand for Minte and Athena's Miraculous.

None of those happened.

In fact, it was more peaceful. None of the heroes needed to make an appearance. So Tanah had time for his personal hobbies, like spending time with his reincarnated sister, now named Air, and now a brother.

Air was a joy to be around with. Though, it was getting difficult to smile in front of him. He remembered the day when he was akumatized and woke up on a street. He saw Petir and Delphine. Delphine didn't know why he was akumatized or what he did, and Petir refused to share.

Maybe to Petir, it was just another day.

But to Tanah, it was a ripple in his memory he never got over.

As he helped Air with his homework, Tanah noticed that he's been acting off. Air didn't smile as much, and when he did, it was always accompanied by hints of sadness.

"Hey, Air?" Tanah said, causing the young boy to look up to him from the park bench. "Is there something wrong?"

Air blinked at him, holding a pencil in one hand and his homework in another. "Nothing."

Tanah frowned. "But you're sad, aren't you?" he tested. "Is it because of me?"

Air's eyes widened in panic. "No! It's not you," he clarified quickly. "It's... it's because—"

He was biting his lower lip, looking away from Tanah.

"It's alright," Tanah interrupted. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." He turned his eyes on Air's math homework. "Now, do you understand question 5?"

Everyone was out of it, matter of fact. It wasn't just Tanah, Air or Angin. Everyone that Tanah's gotten close to was acting weird, even for Miraculous holders.

It was like one person triggered a domino effect.

Once Petir was gone, everyone else was affected. In more ways than one.

People say the world doesn't evolve around anyone, but is that true? Petir's presence was enough to attract trouble. Maybe he was hiding so many secrets that everyone else just got daring enough to try to crack his codes.

And in turn, they were caught in this web of lies and tragedies.

Tanah sighed, careful to not let Air notice his grief.

Petir's finally broken, and he knew it.

But why did he refuse to believe it?

Chapter 3

"It's been seventy years, Gempa," Taufan snapped, glaring at the tiger Miraculous. "Why can't I go see Thunderstorm?"

Gempa sighed, holding up her small paws in helplessness. "It's not me," she argued, turning to the Miracle Box. It was mostly empty, and in Cahaya's possession. Every Miraculous was given to someone or stolen. "She's a kwami of a defective Miraculous. Not even Tanah can find a way to fix her."

Taufan didn't say anything. He sunk down to sit by the box, coloured white and silver. This was once his home, until he was given away to his current owner, Angin.

To be honest, he missed all his friends. He missed Solar, Gempa, Thorn and five others, but he had a duty to stay by Angin's side at all times.

He could only go back to the Miracle Box if Angin allowed him to. Not that he was restricting his freedom, but it was a responsibility as a kwami to protect their owners.

He'd met with Thorn last week, where his owner was falling deeper down the rabbit hole. He'd also met with Blaze, who was also given away to someone else.

But Thunderstorm still remained in that box, even after decades.

"Can I at least talk to her?" Taufan pleaded. Thunderstorm was his best friend ever since they were created. He, Thunderstorm and Gempa were.

Gempa shook her head, turning to the empty room. Cahaya's dorm was empty, and not even Solar was here.

"You'll have to ask Cahaya," Gempa said finally.

"But it's her birthday!" Taufan argued. "It's her 400th cycle today. And only you and I showed up."

"The others are still new to their owners." Gempa sat next to him, leaning on the white surface. "They don't understand the importance yet—"

"What are you two sulking for?"

The two looked up and saw a blue kwami flying above them. Instead of legs, the kwami had a tail.

"Hey, Ais," Taufan greeted, though his expression soured instantly. "Still can't find Blaze or Thorn?"

Ais hovered down to their level. "No, I can't," she murmured. "Miraculouses are getting more scattered and controlled. I'm lucky Air even let me out."

"He's a child, Ais. They're bound to be innocent and oblivious to the world around them."

Silence.

The kwamis scattered around to occupy themselves with random tasks they could busy themselves with. Ais buried herself in Cahaya's blankets. Taufan turned on the fan and hung on one of the blades, going round and round like a discount carousel. Gempa sat by the Miracle Box, waiting for the others.

It's not just Thunderstorm, either. Probe and Gamma were still out there, being used by their enemies. Gempa might be the most experienced kwami out of all of them, but he was unsure whether if they will ever see each other again.

This generation of heroes worried him greatly. A realm of justice was slowly reducing to bloodshed and murder behind closed doors.

They continued to wait. Minutes, hours; until the moon had rose and Cahaya had returned, but no others came.

And Thunderstorm did not come out.

Cahaya set his bag down by his bed, pulling up the blankets to check for Ais before sitting down. His eyes fell on the wandering kwamis, gaze lowering.

"No luck?" he asked.

The kwamis turned to him, shaking their heads. Ais popped up from a heap of blankets, yawning.

"Minte and Pyra's kwamis aren't here either," Cahaya muttered, holding his head. "Then I can't ask why they wanted to kill Petir so bad."

His face was pale, and the bruises under his eyes were evident. It threw them off, as they'd never seen him as anything but spotless.

"I'm sure they'll come," Gempa tried to comfort him, but it sounded like she was trying to reassure herself instead. "It's not the end of the day yet."

The clock displayed ten in the night. There were two more hours before Thunderstorm's birthday would end. Then they would miss the chance to reach the other kwamis. Every time a kwami reaches their hundredth cycle, they can communicate with other kwamis, even miles apart.

But there would need to be at least six kwamis present.

Thorn and Blaze were not here. Thunderstorm does not want to come out either.

They would have to wait at least fifty more years, where Taufan's hundredth cycle was the closest.

Another hour passed. There was still no sign of the two kwamis. The two that held the most important information and the key roles to all of Cahaya's questions.

Solar closed Cahaya's physics textbook. "I do not think their owners will allow them to come," he states blatantly, turning to the others with a grim expression, "especially in such a sensitive time."

"Do you think they killed that boy?" Ais asked, poking her head out from the freezer. "They would want them to keep their mouths shut, after all."

"There were no signs of a Miraculous being used." Taufan hovered down next to Solar. "I was there. It was definitely an akuma, and a class more advanced than regular akumas."

Cahaya scowled, throwing himself on his bed. "If it wasn't for Minte, we wouldn't be in this situation!" he controlled his screams, in fear of anyone else hearing him. He pulled the covers over his head and turned his back on them.

He didn't say anything for the rest of the night.

11:57pm. Three more minutes until it was over.

No sign of the two kwamis.

"I'm heading back," Taufan stated, flying down from the fan. "My owner would want to know that I'm safe."

Gempa glanced at the clock. "Just wait for a little longer," she pleaded. "Maybe they'll make a last-minute appearance."

It was a lost cause, but there was no other way to it.

They weren't coming.

Cahaya was fast asleep, though even as he slept, he looked more dishevelled than anything. The kwamis decided that they would let him be.

"Hey, Solar?" Ais's chippy voice came from the bed, causing the owl kwami to turn towards her. "Try to convince your owner to stop being obsessed with his friend. Otherwise... you know."

Solar hung his head. "I know," he grumbled, golden eyes narrowing. "I know."

12:04am.

There were still no signs of the others.

Ais sighed, hovering towards the window. "I'm going," she said softly, small figure dejected.

The others soon followed suit. The second was Taufan, after he bid a final farewell to the box, knowing that his best friend was still inside.

If Thunderstorm had a conscious, she didn't show it. She might have passed on to another realm already, leaving before any of them noticed. Maybe that's why she was so quiet.

Gempa remained for a while, sitting next to Solar in silence. She only left when the clock reached one in the morning, where she finally rose and flew out of the window.

"Hope we meet again soon."

Solar nodded, waving at her as she left.

When Gempa's small frame disappeared into the sky, Solar turned back to his owner to check on him.

He didn't notice the black bird perched on the windowsill.

Chapter 4

"What do you want with me?"

"Ah, you know, just a talk."

Api glared into the darkness, but there was nothing. The only light was coming above him, and the only solid ground was the circle of white he stood on. Everywhere else was an endless fall, yet his tormentor manoeuvred around him like second nature.

A pair of red eyes slashed through the darkness. The scarlet hue barely illuminated any of the person's face.

Api's fists tightened. He was putting up a brave face, but the sweat on his forehead betrayed him. His knees were shaking. "Is it because I helped Minte?" he demanded, turning away from the gaze. "Is it because you want revenge?"

A laughter, echoey and hollow rang through the blackness.

"How are you sure I'm here?" The pair of red eyes disappeared, snuffed out in the darkness. Api whirled around, looking around him in alarm, and saw the same pair of eyes appear right next to him, eerily close. "How are you sure that this isn't just your nightmare? Your guilt taking form?"

Api had no answer.

Sensing his silence, the intruder in his dreams showed himself. He was a regular teen, seeming innocent at first. With a shirt and a pair of shorts and sneakers, he didn't appear to be malicious.

But his skin was void black, blending in with the darkness around him perfectly.

Compared to other villains Api had saw, he was the most normal, most regular out of all of them. No bizarre outfits, no stupid name or catchphrase; it was just him.

Yet he was way, way more powerful than any of them.

More powerful than Minte and Athena, even.

"I know what I think," Api shot back, never stepping away from the akumatized teen. "And you're not one of them."

Petir tilted his head, his arms crossed in genuine curiosity. His expression was one of a toddler's innocence, like he had no evil intent whatsoever.

"Are you sure?" he asked. "Because I spent too much time tracking you down. You had to go there and spoil my fun."

Api glared at him. "Get out of my dreams, shithead."

Petir chuckled. "You try to kill me, and this is how you treat me? Honestly, I have no interest in you or your Miraculous. Not that you aren't powerful, of course."

"Then what do you want?"

"A talk." Petir didn't sound like he was kidding.

Api didn't know the boy very well. He never personally met him before he helped Minte. It was why he had no remorse when he assisted the hero. But if he'd known that he was already such in a bad shape, he wouldn't have helped Minte altogether.

The reason Petir became this being was his fault.

Api sighed. "What do you want to talk about?"

A faint smile appeared on Petir's face. "Promise to take me seriously?"

How could he not take him seriously?

"I promise."

Petir laced his fingers behind his back. "I just wanted to tell you I don't blame you," he said with all seriousness. "Or Minte."

He disappeared.

The light above Api extinguished like a blown-out candle. The platform beneath him snapped to air like a stage light, and he felt his body fall through air, but there was no wind.

Only eternal silence.

Api bolted awake, his eyes snapping open. His body was covered in sweat, the adrenaline still yet to fade.

He blinked, his breaths fast and shallow. It was only seconds later that he realized he was in the orphanage, having woken up from a nightmare.

It didn't seem like a nightmare at all.

The pair of red eyes was burned into his mind.

Api covered his eyes with his hands, teeth gritting as he tried to stop his tears from falling.

What kind of sick revenge is this?

Chapter 5

To say the least, Angin was infuriated. No matter where he went, no matter where he left to, he couldn't shake Petir from his mind. Despite the two meeting for only a few days, he was concerned for his health. Petir, by far, was one of the most severe cases of akumatization ever known to human history.

And for someone so dangerous to not make any news for a week after his disappearance, it was concerning.

Other than this, no one seemed to notice Petir's absence either. Whether it be in class, in the gym or anywhere, no one noticed his lack of presence.

Angin did not know the boy well, but it was sad, irritating, even. For someone to be so isolated from society that his presence didn't matter to anyone.

Everyday, he would wake up earlier than usual, expecting a fight. He would jerk awake at nights, waiting for that bomb to finally explode.

But it never came.

The week was his tensest week, yet the calmest one. There were no attacks, no anomalies, just a sea of serenity and calmness.

He and Tanah were the only one that worried about it. They would meet up during recess to discuss this, though it was getting more difficult to find excuses to leave Api's side and not ditch school, but he managed.

"Maybe we're overthinking this." Angin sighed, crossing his arms as he leaned on the wall outside Tanah's class. "Maybe he's just trying to fight the akuma off? You said he did it a lot of times before, right?"

Tanah shrugged. "I don't know, honestly. It just seems that either we're too obsessed with him, or Nightsong's using him to plan something more serious than any of the previous attacks."

Both possibilities were equally true. Petir was known for disappearing out of nowhere and getting away with it, as proved by Cahaya. But Nightsong was someone that they did not know. He was a mystery threat to all Miraculous users.

Angin ran his hand through his hair, avoiding Tanah's gaze. "You're essentially immortal, right?" he rasped. "What was the worst-case scenario you've ever seen?"

"This." Tanah shook his head when Angin shot to him, horrified. "This is the first time something's like this happened. I don't know what to expect."

"You didn't tell me how you became like this, either," Angin continued. "Is it because you fused two Miraculouses? I haven't really heard of the Panther Miraculous either."

Tanah didn't answer his question. Instead, he shrugs again and raises his watch, telling him that it was time for class. Their conversation would have to continue later. He left into his classroom, though he was off, his words never being tired and kind like usual.

Angin frowned, but he bit his tongue. He wouldn't want to force anything out of anyone, but he was also afraid for Tanah: how many lives had he seen die? How is he okay after all that he's been through?

Because he was looking for someone.

Now, looking at Tanah's behaviour, Angin could start to put the pieces together.

Maybe he's already found that someone.

After all, Angin could only speculate. A side hero like him was never a role in any major battles, only coming last minute as aid or assistance. He was used to it, but he couldn't help but feel a little sad, knowing that he's always second choice, or third, or even fourth.

He tried to help, but they never let him. They always end up drifting further away, straying from the path they were meant to walk. People would change, and he could not stop that.

As he left back to his own class, he pinched his own palm, trying to cheer himself up. He would put on a smile on his face, he would put on a façade to the world: everything's okay; but in reality, his world was falling apart, and he'd barely been a part of it.

He didn't notice the black bird sitting on the classroom wall, its head tilting as it skipped to follow his every move.

Chapter 6

Locate the Bat Miraculous user and bring his Miraculous to me.

Petir didn't retaliate, but it didn't mean he liked being given orders either. What was the purpose of all this power but being someone's pawn? No matter how strong, a pawn is only just a pawn. Disposable, expendable, and costless.

For now, he would play along.

Tracking down the user was no problem. At nights, where everyone would be asleep, he would slip into the realm of dreams and search through hidden memories. Memories that were shared with no one, starring one person and one person only.

It was difficult, but at the same time, it was simple. There were hundreds, thousands even, of people living in the area, and there was only one him. He stood atop one of the tallest skyscrapers in the city and started his work.

He stood at the very edge, the air rushing through his hair and the cliff beneath him exhilarating. In the dark, his midnight black skin was barely visible, the colour bleaker than his already-dark clothing.

His eyes were fixed on the dim lights on every street, and the faint glows from each bedroom in different apartments, almost like a light guiding lost souls back to their homes.

Every day was an endless task, running around to complete their work, and finally rest as they slip into the covers under the song of night.

It was the perfect time for Petir to strike.

Compared to other villains, his power was hidden. They were secret. One wouldn't figure out what he was capable of just by looking at him: a young teen, short and light on his toes, just with a coat of pure black on his skin.

He was the most powerful, yet the most human.

"Let's begin this," Petir whispered to himself, glancing to his right as if expecting something. That thing was no longer there. He closed his eyes, sighing from his lips as he trained his gaze to the front.

How hard would you be laughing now, Hali?

His lips pressed into a firm line at the thought of the creature. His eyes narrowed as he recalled what Cahaya had said.

Petir, I don't think Hali is a kwami.

He may not be a kwami, he may not be aligned with the side of good, but he was the only one that remained by his side through thick and thin.

He was there when no one else was.

That did not matter. Now that he's gone, and without a proper farewell, Petir was back to being alone once more. This time, he had power. He had the ability to do what he wanted.

And no one could stop him.

He knelt to one knee and pressed his palm to the concrete floor. It was cold and dusty, but he did not mind.

A bright red mark began to manifest around his palm. It began to spread like spilt ink, dripping and leeching the area around him. Soon, unorganized, and pattern-less lines spread over the entire building and reached towards the entire city.

He stood, looking over the edge. The bright scarlet marks were leeching onto the ground like a curse, reaching to every sleeping soul's minds. They crept up walls like vines, and circled people's arms like a rope.

Breathing out of his nose, Petir kept his hollow gaze onto the city, now glowing bright red under his influence. For moments, he couldn't find the one he was looking for. He waited, reaching further into the people's minds.

"Nice night, huh?"

Petir whirled around abruptly, surprised to see a figure in green. Though, his shock receded into a calm smile, folding his hands behind his back.

"Indeed," he agreed, facing Minte without any fear or hesitation. "And why would you still be awake? It's a lovely time for a rest."

Minte glared at him. His dark green eyes were pooled with venom and hatred. "I could say the same for you, villain," he spat. "Hand over your akuma this instant."

The marks that Minte stood on began to glow dangerously bright. Minte was right to leap into the air and stand on his strings before the marks suddenly levitated off the ground and lashed itself around Petir's left arm like a whip.

To anybody else, it would seem like a random pattern. But to Minte, he recognized it. They were the same injury the boy suffered—the boy he tried to kill but failed.

Minte's expression darkened significantly. He now realized this boy was the liability he failed to eradicate.

"I must thank you for your cruelty." Petir's voice almost sounded singsong, accompanied with a faint smile on his face. He raised both his arms in front of him, his nails glowing red, sharpening into miniature blades. He set his arms by his side, but his fingers were curled defensively. "Now that I have nothing left to lose."

Unlike most akuma villains, he did not charge. He stood his ground and waited for an attack instead. Instead, Minte remained where he was, and so did Petir.

Minte's glare looked over his body, but he didn't make a move.

"Aren't you after my Miraculous?" he demanded.

Petir chuckled, his expression almost relaxed and friendly.

"On the contrary, I'm not." He wasn't attacking, but he wasn't unarmed, either. "I have no desire to. But, if you'd like, I'd rather go this night without a fight."

Minte didn't consider it. "Stop whatever you're doing," he hissed, the strings underneath him turning dark green, "and give up your akuma."

"Ah, of course," Petir hummed, turning his back on Minte. "You are the hero."

His nails stopped glowing and shortened to its original size. The marks around his arm faded as well.

Petir closed his eyes, hearing the hero start making his move. He could feel his footsteps, his every movement as he slowly approached him, strings moving between his fingers.

He turned his gaze back to the city. A foreign memory popped in his mind—a fist clenching a purple kwami, and it appeared so frightened and scared—and he determined that this was the culprit he was looking for.

As soft-spoken as he acted, abusive behaviours like these irritated him. It wasn't enough to wipe the serene smile from his face, but it was enough to make his blood boil.

He turned back to Minte, who was standing right behind him. He smiled at the hero.

"It's been a pleasant chat," he said. "But if you'll excuse me..."

As Minte watched in horror and shock, the villain disappeared. Startled, he ran to the ledge and looked around, and all he could see was a blur of black and red speeding through the streets.

It wasn't something. Someone.

The marks around the city had disappeared, too, and there was no physical damage. The buildings were intact, and the people weren't disturbed.

Minte instantly changed after the villain, looking all over the city to look for him. He checked every nook and cranny, even as the sun came up, but he couldn't find him.

When daybreak finally approached, Minte slipped back into his room and collapsed on his bed, finally detransforming. He was relieved when his head finally hit his pillow, but it was ruined when his alarm rang, indicating the start of school.

Chapter 7

Tanah would be lying if he said he wasn't curious about what he'd done when he was akumatized. The only person that knew about it was possibly Petir, and he was missing.

What had he done? All he knew that Petir refused to look him the same way afterwards.

Had he hurt Petir?

"Tanah?"

Tanah snapped out of his thoughts. He turned to his side, where Air was pulling at his sleeve. He was holding a pencil in his left hand, though his eyes were on Tanah's face.

"Are you okay?" he asked innocently, putting his homework on hold.

Tanah blinked, before smiling at him and nodding. "Yeah. I'm fine," he said quickly, training his eyes on Air's homework. "Do you understand all of this?"

Air nodded. "Yes."

Air's been hanging out with him more recently. He'd asked Tanah to wait for him outside his school, and they'd do their homework together. Air would look at Tanah's exercise books and his eyes would widen, staring in wonder at how smart Tanah was.

It's been at least an hour now, and Air hasn't asked for anything to eat. The café was calm and empty, and Tanah could hear Air's stomach growling at least twice, but he didn't make a sound about it.

It worried Tanah a lot, honestly.

He didn't know who Air's other brother was. He mentioned it before, but he didn't get in depth with who they were.

Finally, after hearing Air's stomach rumble for another time, Tanah set his pen down. He raised his arm and asked for a menu before handing it to the child.

Air stared at the hard-covered selections in his hand, never touching it.

"Do you know what a menu is?" Tanah tried to be kind about it, but he was doubting a lot of things as of now.

Air nodded, but he still didn't touch it like it was a sacred scroll of fate. "I do."

"Come on. You're hungry and you can't continue studying like this. Choose whatever you want."

That caught Air's interest. He looked up to Tanah in wonder, before carefully putting his hands on the covers, flipping it delicately.

Watching him, Tanah only now realized how little he knew of Air's personal life.

Eventually Air showed him a picture of a chocolate waffle with ice-cream on top. Tanah stared at him, questioning his choice of letting a child choosing whatever they wanted to fill their stomachs, but he ordered it anyway with another order of a coffee and chocolate milkshake.

Still, Air fidgeted in his seat, casting glances at Tanah thinking he wouldn't notice. While in reality, Tanah noticed all of them and began to feel uncomfortable himself.

Tanah set his pen down again, turning to Air. "You don't go out to eat much, do you?"

Air shook his head like he was ashamed of it. "My other big brother doesn't have any money," he confessed, expression turning sour mentioning him. "But he always used to bring me chocolate bread from his school every Tuesday."

"You really like chocolate, don't you?"

"It's the bestest thing in the whole world," Air agreed, now smiling giddily. "It's so sweet and I love it. More than sleep."

"So you like to sleep a lot?"

"Yeah. When I'm hungry. So I won't feel it."

Now Tanah was positively concerned.

"Air," he began, selecting his words with caution. "What's happening in your house?"

"I don't have a house." Air didn't hesitate to answer, despite continuing his homework and never looking up. "I live with a lot of other kids. In a room."

Oh.

An orphanage.

Tanah decided not to press the matter, but he just wished he could do something to help him. How can a sweet child like Air live in the orphanage?

What happened to his parents?

"So, in school, what do you eat?"

"Nothing. I sleep so I won't feel hungry. My classmates call me sleepyhead."

Damnit.

This reminded him too much of someone that he knows. Only the promise they made never started, much less fulfilled.

"What time do you go to school?"

Air thought hard, stopping his writing. He was frowning, like he was seriously thinking about it, or he had the memory of his relative: the goldfish.

"I think the aunties wake us up at six," he said. "We get ready until seven, then we go to school together in a group."

Seven, huh? Tanah's schedule was being at school at seven-sharp, but there was always time before his shift came. Air's school wasn't that far, either, so could he make that trip...? It was a ten-minute walk at most, and Tanah's shift started at seven-thirty.

Maybe he could make it.

Besides, he'd broken this promise already once. Maybe he could fulfil his end of the promise this time.

He had to.

He didn't want to break another one. He wanted to make Air's situation more tolerable.

Air called his name again, pulling at his sleeves to tell him their orders were here. Tanah chuckled as he watched Air stare at his food in wonder, then wolfing it down like a hungry tiger.

Though, as he stared at Air's small figure, he felt hope flicker inside him.

It was something he hadn't felt in years—decades.

This was one thing he could do for him. After all, he's his long-lost sister, finally reincarnated after decades.

Back then, he swore he'd walk through hell and back to make her happy.

Who's to say that promise can't continue in their next lives?

Chapter 8

For the first time in a week, a crime finally happened. But it wasn't just any crime, it was an amok. A monster created by the Bat Miraculous after being dormant for so long.

It was unpredicted, but who makes schedules for crimes?

Cahaya turned on his phone to be met with a live report. Usually, phones weren't allowed in their school, but the teachers gave Cahaya special permission because he was the top student.

"You've got to be kidding me," he muttered, noting the area was near Rintis High, the school he'd visited for a brief time.

He glanced up to the teacher, who was explaining maths on the board. Without hesitation, he raised his hand and asked, "Can I take the day off? I'm feeling sick."

Surprisingly, it worked.

When he snuck back to his dorm, Solar floated out of his school uniform and nodded. The kwami had seen everything from Cahaya's phone in class.

When he arrived at the scene in air, it was only then he realized the size of the amok. It easily towered over simple shops, but it was shorter than skyscrapers. To make things worse, it didn't have a specific shape. It was a moving lump of flesh with hands sticking out from the folds of its fats.

It moved like a walking lump of jelly, but it wasn't causing significant damage. While other amoks were aimless beings created to destroy everything in their path, this one wasn't. In fact, it looked like it was looking for someone.

Cahaya sensed that this one wasn't a human being. It was a pure substance created by the Bat Miraculous. It had no conscious, no mind, only performing its task.

Eyes narrowing, he unhitched his sniper from his back and aimed the scope at the very top of the amok. It was just an uneven surface of purple flesh, like lumps under skin.

He released a white bullet of energy, deciding to test its resilience before handling everything else. The civilians were already evacuated, whether by common sense or thanks to another hero, he didn't know.

As the bullet almost hit the skin, a flash of red and black intercepted it, blocking the shot with nothing but their bare palm. The newcomer stood atop the amok, staring straight at Cahaya.

Cahaya almost dropped his sniper. "What the hell?" he demanded, adjusting his visors. It was already a tiring day, and he wasn't about to handle another villain just because of this. He trained his eyes on the figure in black and activated his search ability.

His eyes widened as facts and information began to pool in his mind. One image stood out in particular, and so did one, single sentence.

It was the perception of someone being given a piggyback ride. The person was wearing a black jacket, so he couldn't see the red blotches of blood. A string of words echoed in his mind, repeating: So you understand why you have to die? The voice belonging to his former partner.

The person's eyes began to close as it misted up, as if he were crying and accepting his fate.

No. Cahaya's hand subconsciously went to his shoulder. He didn't know that Petir shed tears. He didn't know that he'd already accepted his end.

He wanted to go down and demand answers, but he couldn't move. He was paralyzed, in complete disbelief.

It's a curse to know everything.

Suddenly, the world around him snapped to black, like his mind just shut off abruptly. There was a light above him, and a white platform he was standing on.

Other than himself, he saw no one else.

That's when he noticed the eyes. Unnaturally bright red, yet so hollow.

"Hello," a voice said. It was calm and content, without a trace of hate and anger. It sounded so strange, so foreign; but it was so familiar. "As of now, you're unconscious and falling, so I'd cut this meeting short."

Cahaya looked down to himself. He wasn't transformed—he was in his school uniform, and Solar was nowhere to be seen.

"Petir?" His voice cracked, wanting to step forward, to check for himself. "Is that you?"

He looked closer, and realized the person wasn't invisible. His skin was pitch black and so were his clothes. He'd blended in with the background.

The figure seemed to notice this, making his appearance more visible. "Yes, that is me," he agreed. "But this isn't the time for talks. Now, the amok you're looking at is the bat kwami. I need you to use the Bat Miraculous to undo his transformation."

He sounded so at ease, which was something Petir never sounded like.

He was a complete stranger.

Before Cahaya could retaliate, the platform beneath him shattered, and he plunged straight into the darkness.

His eyes snapped open to the screech of air rushing by his ears. For seconds, he couldn't gain his bearings, and his head throbbed as if he were rudely awakened from sleep. He tried to clear his head, to save himself from plummeting towards his death, but a golden sphere surrounded him, breaking his fall.

The sphere was lowered to the ground, right next to another familiar face. It broke apart and Cahaya staggered to his feet, rubbing his head.

"You okay there?" Terre asked, crossing his arms in concern.

Cahaya scratched his scalp. He was still dazed. "Yeah," he grumbled. "I feel like I ran into a truck." He turned to the amok, which was still moving at the pace of a snail. The figure in black had disappeared.

He sighed, feeling like it was a hoax. However, as he turned back to Terre, he saw the akumatized version of Petir standing right next to him. He yelped and jumped in his skin, and Terre nearly ran away from him too.

Petir held up a brooch. It was in the shape of a single bat's wing lined with silver. "I'll need this back after you're done," he said, handing it to Cahaya.

Cahaya stared at him, not taking the Miraculous. He was still in shock.

"Petir?" Terre demanded, looking at him with wide eyes. "Is that you?"

Petir turned to Terre, smiling. "Yes, that's me." He turned back to Cahaya, expression still calm and peaceful. "All you have to do is say is, Probe, Quietude, to transform. Then you can reverse the amok's effects and restore the bat kwami to its original form."

Terre turned to the monstrosity. "That's a kwami?" he demanded. "Why do you know this?"

"I was after the Bat Miraculous user. He escaped after turning his kwami into one of his amoks." Petir didn't bother to lie, though his smile was more ominous than ever. "He's taken care of."

Cahaya still stood rooted in his spot, staring at Petir in horror. His eyes were the ones that he saw in that brief vision, but they were even more startling in person.

"You don't want my Miraculous?" he asked.

That caught Petir's attention. His eyes widened momentarily in surprise but laughed softly as a response.

"No, I don't," Petir confessed. "Though, it is strange. Minte asked me the same thing last night, and your reactions are the same."

He met Minte?

"Did you—"

"I didn't harm him, of course." Petir took Cahaya's hand, and despite his superhuman strength, Petir easily overpowered him and put the brooch on his hand. "I don't want to use Miraculouses, so you'll have to help me."

He was not the same.

Cahaya felt his fingers clench around the Miraculous, but the uneasiness didn't go away.

Petir was not like anyone else. Akuma victims still retain parts of their personality, or their initial desires, but Petir didn't. He was a completely different person, like his old self was covered entirely; buried or erased from existence.

Petir's smile turned sickly sweet, almost deadly. "You want to stop that amok, don't you?" He turned towards the monster, who was now crawling away from them. "And you won't want to harm a kwami."

Terre turned to Cahaya, his gaze concerned and sceptical. Though there were doubts, this was indeed a Miraculous. Cahaya could feel its magic inside of it.

He clenched the brooch. "I'll go transform somewhere else," he says finally, turning to find a random alley.

When he walked out, he felt odd using a Miraculous other than his own. His transformation was incomplete, with only bits of clothing transformed and glitching, but it was most likely from the kwami shaped into an amok.

He raised his hand to the monster and called it back through instincts. Almost instantly, the monster exploded into mist. It turned into a beam of light that shot into the Miraculous on Cahaya's chest, completing his transformation as the Bat Miraculous.

The monster was taken care of, but...

Cahaya turned to Petir. "Why did you leave?" he asked, clenching his fists. "Didn't you read the letters I gave you?"

Petir tilted his head, genuinely curious. "The letters?" he repeated. "Oh, yes. Those. I appreciate your efforts to get that scholarship application for me, but I don't need it."

"What do you mean you don't need it? You wanted to go back! You told me yourself."

"I changed my mind." Petir suddenly held the Bat Miraculous in his fingers, snatching it off Cahaya's chest without so much as making a sound. The Bat kwami, Probe hovered by Petir in confusion, before Petir called him back into the Miraculous. "But I still think that we're friends, aren't we? Tanah? Cahaya?"

Terre tensed, blinking at Petir in shock.

"I hope we'll meet again soon. And hopefully, it's not to take your Miraculous."

He disappeared in a blur of black, like mist evaporating into air.

Chapter 9

"I slept through an amok attack?" Daun demanded, groggily glaring at his kwami, who was drinking through a box of milk on the desk. "And you didn't wake me up?"

Thorn looked up, her mouth dripping milk. "You were sound asleep. Besides, it's already defeated," she defended herself. "You needed the rest. You were up all night."

"It's defeated?!" Daun fell off the bed in shock. He groaned loudly, rubbing his scalp before glaring up to the table, to see what news article that his kwami was using his phone to see.

It was a brief video, but it said everything. Athena and Terre were in the background, the shapeless amok disappeared instantly. As the reporters tried to catch Athena and Terre for some questions, they left in their own way. Athena flew back to where he came from, and Terre just ran.

"Where's the amok?" he groused, sitting on his bed as he held the phone in his hand. His head was still groggy, but he was still awake enough to know the amok needed to be purified.

"I don't see any traces of it," Thorn commented, getting more milk from the carton by tipping it slightly. "Maybe the Bat Miraculous user dispelled it."

Daun glanced at his kwami, repeating the video. "But why would they do that?"

Running a hand through his hair, he tried to look into the video for any sign of the amok. But no matter how hard he looked, he couldn't find anything, or even a trace of the villain to begin with. The only evidence that it existed was the minimal damage it caused, though they were easily fixed within hours.

"God," Daun cursed, turning his phone off. He turned it on again to check for the time, and it was only two in the afternoon. He's been asleep for seven hours, but he felt like he's only slept for one. "And I missed a day of school, too."

"You could handle it," Thorn said. "It's only one day of work to catch up on."

Daun fell back onto his bed, his hair spilling on his pillow. "Yeah, but there's still the report we need to do, and I don't really want to talk to Cahaya about it..."

Thorn turned silent at this, wiping her mouth with her small arm, though it did little to erase the mess on her fur. It was still moist, but it wouldn't drip across the table as she spoke.

Daun didn't realize it, but he groaned and muttered incoherent curses to himself before pushing himself up, blowing his bangs from his eyes as he glared at his room with blurry eyes.

He heard a rumble from his stomach, and it only worsened his mood. He was far too tired to go down to the canteen and cook anything for himself, and it was still school time. It wouldn't be open.

Dragging himself to the shower, he freshened up briefly and put on a simple shirt and a pair of shorts and slippers. Thorn hid in his pocket as he left his room, going to the nearest convenience store to buy whatever that he wanted to have for a late lunch.

He rushed down the stairs, Thorn in his pocket, and headed out to the streets. It was past lunch time, so it wasn't as busy. Though no one gave him odd glances as he walked out, he felt weird, because he rarely skipped class.

As he lined up a cup of instant noodles and a bottle of soda on the counter, his gaze caught two figures of similar height, though one was visibly taller than his companion. He could only see the top of their heads over the shelves, but it was obvious that they were also students.

He leaned backwards to see their faces, curious to see why they were also out here during school hours. He needn't to go further because they walked out themselves and didn't notice Daun's presence at the counter.

It was Cahaya and Tanah. But what was Tanah doing here? Wasn't Rintis High miles away?

He couldn't see them very well, but Cahaya's bitter tone set him off. The teen was visibly in a horrible mood, his expression dark and deep bruises under his eyes. Tanah seemed to be comforting him, offering a pat on the shoulder occasionally.

"I'm just tired," he heard Cahaya say. Normally, he wouldn't be able to hear this, but he had catlike senses and it heightened his hearing. "Thanks for today."

"It's fine. My school's off for a month because too many students were getting akumatized." A pause. "I think Petir's disappearance was the last straw. We're going to continue our lessons online."

Daun tried not to react. They know. He quickly took the paper bag from the counter and headed out the store but was caught in his steps as Cahaya's voice rang out to him: "Daun!"

He turned around stiffly, trying to hold a smile. "Hey!" he said chirpily, though it sounded so fake that he wanted to gouge his ears in. "What are you doing here? Don't you have class?"

Cahaya and Tanah joined him, both holding a basket full of sugary foods and chips each. That can't be unhealthy in the long run.

"I took the day off because I was stressed," Cahaya confessed. "Rintis High cancelled classes for a month."

No lies. He'd heard them just now.

"Same. I was so tired studying last night that I slept through my alarm." It wasn't a complete faux, because he was indeed exhausted, though Cahaya looked to be in an even worse shape than he will ever be.

Cahaya scratched the back of his head, still awkward around him. Daun almost wanted to storm out of the store in frustration, but he kept his cool.

Was he jealous? Was he jealous that Cahaya ditched him for someone else without a second thought? Yes. He's jealous, and he's stupid for feeling so.

"About that report," Cahaya started, fishing into his pocket and holding out a pendrive for Daun, "I finished it. I did it about a school named TAPOPS, and this is a copy. I'd like you to proofread it for me."

Daun blinked at him, then taking the drive with sincere surprise. He'd been fussing over how he should complete the report, whining over the actual parts of it, but Cahaya just completed it without any hesitation, even asking him to help with the final bits.

Maybe he misjudged Cahaya, after all.

But then his thoughts slammed back into that one. He's only doing this because it's part of his grade too. If they weren't graded, he would most likely ditch Daun and hand in his own work instead.

Still, he kept an innocent smile, facing the two.

"I'll look at it once I get back," Daun agreed, putting it in his pocket.

"Get some more sleep first," Cahaya said, his eyes sliding to Daun's. "You look like you haven't slept for days."

Daun paused, raising his finger to his face. Does he really look that exhausted? He was sure that he looked energetic earlier in the bathroom.

"You sure?" Tanah narrowed his eyes at Daun, then turned back to Cahaya. "He looks fine to me."

Cahaya shrugged, putting his basket on the counter. "Just looked like he was."

"Had lunch yet?" Tanah asked Daun, putting his basket at the counter next to Cahaya's. "We're heading out for lunch. You care to join?"

Say no say no say no say no—

"Of course!" Daun smiled. This would bite back at him later, but at least he had cup noodles for a snack at night. "Where are we going?"

Chapter 10

"So, Petir's akumatized?"

Cahaya and Tanah stared at him, their spoons frozen in mid-air as if someone had stopped time around them.

Cahaya was the first to recover, quickly eating his rice and turning to Daun, covering his mouth as he was still chewing.

When he swallowed, he took a sip of his water and turned back to Daun, his expression looking even more exhausted, if that were possible.

"Yes," Cahaya said finally, avoiding eye contact. His eyes were on his food, but he looked like he lost all appetite, like his meal had lost all taste. "I knew this from Tanah."

Tanah nodded, though he wouldn't look at either of them.

Daun decided not to chase the topic. He knew both of them were, in their own ways, close to Petir. Knowing that he's still out there doing unknown harm, and knowing that they're worried about him, it guilted him. He had the power to purify akumas, but what did he do? Nothing.

He was standing right in front of him, why didn't he do anything?

Daun didn't regret trying to kill him. If Cahaya and Angin didn't interfere, none of this would have happened. A threat gone, and nobody would be there to miss him.

And Cahaya will come back to him.

But now, Nightsong's gained a powerful pawn. One that even he didn't know the powers that he possessed, but it was widespread, tremendous. He'd seen it first-hand last night, and the damage was still uncovered.

"Maybe Athena and Minte are looking for him," Daun said, trying to lighten the mood.

He wasn't affected much by the news, but looking at their devastated expressions bothered him.

Cahaya forced a smile. "Maybe," he said, picking up his spoon again. "Let's hope they do soon."

"I have to leave soon." Tanah looked at his watch, furrowing his brows as he turned to the restaurant's window. "I promised Air I'd help him with his tests."

"You can go whenever." Cahaya nodded at him. "Thanks for staying with me for the day."

Tanah returned a bleak smile. "It's what friends do."

Tanah left the restaurant, but not before handing his part of the bill to Cahaya beforehand. Daun glanced over to his plate and realized he'd finished it.

That was quick.

Daun and Cahaya fell into an awkward silence. They kept their eyes on their food. When they were finished, they looked at their phones. When they paid the bill, they looked at the receipt.

They barely glanced at each other even as they headed back to their dorms.

For one part, Daun was glad they didn't talk. He wasn't in the mood for conversations. On the other, he was crestfallen that Cahaya didn't make conversation, even if he wasn't the most sociable person on planet Earth.

He thought back to how he acted around Petir: making attempts to get a smile out of him, and never backing down despite his always-scowling expression. Daun had been nothing but kind and patient to him, but Cahaya just saw him as another stranger in his life.

Daun sighed, closing the door to his room. It was empty, void of sound.

Thorn hovered from his pocket, concern laced in her expression.

"Daun, are you alright?" she asked. Her innocence and carefreeness were gone, with only worry to replace it. "You're unusually down."

Daun shook his head and raised a hand. "I'm fine," he insisted, placing the plastic bag on his table. His table was messy and scattered with books and pens. "Just a bit tired."

His arms reached for his pockets to check for any loose change to dump out. He felt something hard in one of them. When he pulled it out, it was Cahaya's pendrive, with a simple yellow plastic coating.

Ah, he thought, frowning deeper. He still needed to check this. But did he? Cahaya was known for flawlessness in his work and assignments. Maybe he just wanted Daun to feel included so they would get a higher grade during the presentation.

Dark thoughts stirred in him. He glared at the plastic in his fingers, his other hand tightening into a fist. How dare he? How dare all of them? He sacrificed a lot to save his city, to stop Nightsong's plans, but they would come and tear it all down.

He hated his choices. They were too weak.

He wanted to destroy them. Destroy the world he despised.

A black bird fluttered from the window. Idisappeared into mist as it possessed the pendrive in his hand. Thorn yelped, trying to get her master's attention, but it was too late.

The ghostly lines of spiked wings appeared in front of Daun's eyes, his gaze turning to a deathly glare.

Hello, Destroyer.

Daun's eyes widened at the familiar voice.

I see you have been forsaken by those you so desperately want to help. I will give you the power to destroy everything you hate, but in exchange, you must bring me Minte and Athena's Miraculous!

So this was akumatization.

Daun wanted to say yes. He wanted to go rogue. He wanted to accept.

But that voice...

"No," Daun growled, surprising Nightsong. "I won't give into you! You, and your filthy tricks!"

He'd heard from Athena that that boy, Petir has resisted this for years. If he can, then so can he.

All he had to do was say no.

But instead, he was met with a massive headache, one that brought him to his knees. He was so shaken by this that he collapsed to his side, his green hairclip clattering to the ground, and Thorn disappearing into it.

I command you to obey me! Nightsong growled. Use your hatred! Embrace your wrath! Take revenge on those who have wronged you!

The pain was bursting from his mind, like explosions suppressing in his skull. He clutched his head, tears pooling in his eyes as he curled into a fatal position.

"NO!" Daun let out a strangled cry, rasped and desperate. "LEAVE ME ALONE! I WON'T DO AS YOU SAY!"

There was an amused laughter on the other end, but Daun could barely hear it. He only heard the high-pitched ringing in his ears.

Then you leave me no choice.

The last thing Daun saw before he blacked out was someone by his window, standing as if he's only arrived.

Then all he knew was darkness. A bottomless pit of silence, and he would drown here forever.

Chapter 11

Daun's eyes snapped open to a world of black. There was a light shining down on him. He stood on a circular platform in white.

It took him moments to realize he wasn't in pain, nor was he alone.

His eyes caught the pair of rubies at the far end of the room, but they were not jewels. They were living eyes, one that belonged to someone he knew by their blood.

"You're akumatized."

Daun's eyes narrowed, stepping back. He caught himself as he felt his heel step into air and stopped himself from falling further.

The figure stepped out, revealing himself as the akumatized villain he met last night. Daun almost laughed at the irony of it—he'd spent all night looking for him, and now he'd come to him himself.

Petir's gaze was sympathetic, but they were hollow. He was smiling, but it was pointless. He acted like he was a dream, one that would come and go as he pleases, yet remembered by no one after they wake.

"Do you want me to help you?"

Daun paused. "What?" he blurted.

"I don't like being told what to do," Petir said calmly. "And I assume you do not, either."

"But why would you help me?" Daun asked. "You're—"

Petir tilted his head. For a split second, his face was blurred out, like a video game glitch, but was restored instantly. "Akumatized as well?" He took the words right out of Daun's mouth. "Yes, I am."

He was hiding nothing.

"Then why?"

"Because I don't like being told what to do," Petir repeated.

His answer was the same from the start, and it returned again.

Daun clenched his fists. If there was another way, he would try it. But there was no time. "What do you want from me, then?"

Petir tapped his lips, though his expression was neither deep in thought or pausing to consider the factors.

"I want to talk to you at night," he confessed. There wasn't even an ounce of shame in his face when he said that. "In your dreams. I am getting lonely, so I would like someone to talk to."

Talk?

Was he extracting information?

Or did he already know that he was Minte, and this was his sick, twisted way for revenge?

"I would hurry and make your decision," Petir urged, but there was no hurry in his voice. He kept his fingers laced in front of him. "As of now, your body is heading towards a large body of civilians. If you don't regain your conscious, your akumatized abilities will cause anything you touch to explode, and plenty of lives will be lost."

He didn't look like he was lying.

"Every night?" Daun can't believe he was doing this.

Petir tilted his head again, acting like a young child.

"Not every," he said. "But sometimes, yes. Whenever I feel like it. Whenever the nights feel too long."

"Alright!" Daun shouted. "I accept that deal! Just stop me before I kill anyone!"

Petir nodded, smiling. It was calm and innocent, but there was phantom poison dripping behind that face.

The platform under Daun's feet shattered to shards, and he felt himself falling through air.

Though, as he fell, he felt that pair of hollow eyes follow him, even as he plummeted to the end of the rabbit hole.

Those eyes.

Whoever was behind them is already long dead.

As he felt his body crash at the very end, his vision snapped open like a gate opened to a flood of light. Instead of cringing at the bright surroundings, his eyes were fine, and in a different place.

He caught his body mid-action. His arm was balled into a fist, and his body was lowered in an offensive stance.

Below him were civilians rushing about in a panic.

"You back to your senses?"

Daun whirled around in shock. His body was stiff, but he could feel he was in a form of an akumatized victim. Elaborate costumes and flashy colours.

Standing a few feet away from him, was Petir. He was holding a pendrive in his fingers. Its colour changed to black.

Instead of breaking it to release the akuma, the dark colour of the drive seeped away into his fingers. He was absorbing the akuma, but Daun couldn't see how. Like roots in the ground, the akuma leeched into his fingers.

When he was done, Daun felt himself fall to his knees. He could tell he was freed from Nightsong's control, but he felt drained.

A hand was offered to him, one that was pure black. Daun stared at him in shock, and gradually took it with wariness.

At first touch, his hands were cold, almost as if he had frostbite. They were colder than hands that've been holding an ice cube for too long. Still, that hand did good pulling him to his feet, though he stumbled, almost tipping over.

"Don't be surprised if I show up at night."

With that, Petir disappeared in a flash of red and black.

Daun could only stare at the crowds below, now confused at the sudden change into peace.

It wasn't until Athena arrived, that he'd snapped out of his stupor and ran back to his dorm, in search of his fallen Miraculous.

At night, there was a knock on his door. It was faint, but it was definitely someone intentionally coming to him.

Wary of Petir's earlier words, Daun was hesitant, even as he curled his fingers around the brass knob, his fingertips tensing as he turned it.

He almost relaxed and sighed out of relief when he realized it was Cahaya.

"You were akumatized." Cahaya frowned. He looked more irritated than concerned, but that's just how he is.

If Daun didn't know better, he would be hurt.

"I was," he agreed.

Cahaya ran a hand through his hair, biting his lower lip. "Is it because of me?" he asked. "Did I do something wrong?"

Pretending to be concerned won't change Daun's opinion on him. A fake persona could only last so long. Daun was going to wait however long it takes for him to show his true colours.

For now, he would play along.

"No, of course not." Daun put an apologetic smile on his face. "I'm fine, right? No need to worry."

It's not like he ever would be in the first place.

Cahaya shrugged, shoving his hands into the pockets of their uniform. "Do you need someone to talk to?" he tried, the bruises under his eyes especially visible. "Don't hold back. I already lost someone to an akuma, I don't—"

He caught himself, like he only realized now what words were spurting from his mouth. He was a deer caught in headlights, helpless and frozen in shock.

Daun let it slide. He already knew who that was.

"You need rest," Daun said. "I'll try to proofread that draft later, but for now, you need some sleep."

Cahaya shook his hand, already beginning to leave. It was night, and it was now that Cahaya came to visit him regarding his recent akumatization.

Was that all he was concerned about? A potential villain?

"I'll pass."

He left.

Chapter 12

What is it that you want?

Someone who'll listen, perhaps. I won't feel as lonely when I die.

It was sickening.

His face was sickening. That putrid smile, that vomit-inducing tone, and the way he acts in general... it was horrendous.

"Did you not expect me?" Petir asked, his face relaxed to a satisfied expression. "I do hope you remember our deal."

Yes, the deal that Daun ever so dreaded. He knew what he was getting into, under the unseen spotlight, standing on a baseless platform. He just didn't expect it to be this night.

He should never have slept. He should've stayed awake and looked for him. But now he was worried that Petir could sense his emotions and memories in his mindscape. If so, he was as good as dead.

Why wouldn't anyone want revenge on the people who ruined their life?

"I remember," Daun said starkly. His arms were held tightly by his sides. "I was surprised that you'd come so soon."

Petir blinked at that, like an innocent kitten. He shrugged, scratching his head.

For the first time, Daun could see him clearly. His skin, the whites of his eyes were pure black, the only exception being his teeth and red eyes.

Wearing an oversized jacket with shorts, he could pass off as a regular civilian. All he needed was to hide his skin with face paint, or even just a hood.

Is that why no one could find him?

"I wouldn't come here if I had someone else to talk to," Petir confessed, tucking his hands into his jackets. "I don't like to force myself in someone's minds."

Isn't this what you're doing?

"What do you want to talk about?" Daun spat, poison dripping from his words. "The weather? Your favourite colour? Cats or dogs?"

Petir actually considered this. It was like he lost his ability to identify sarcasm or trickery. Akuma victims do not lose any attributes, merely amplifying the deepest desires.

But this... there was not even one ounce of emotion. Not one bit of desire.

"That sounds nice," Petir agreed.

"You took away the akuma earlier, right?" Daun asked. "Where is it now? Wouldn't Nightsong be furious with you?"

If he could understand how his abilities worked, he might be able to purify the akuma.

Daun could feel frustration pooling in his stomach. All the anger he's been feeling from his failed plans, all his isolation from the other students, it all came out at once. And he was akumatized for it.

But somehow, it wasn't like Athena said. There was no breaking free. It was either you die trying or end up as a mindless pawn.

So how did Petir do it?

"Yes. He is," Petir confirmed his accusations. "He's furious at me. He already tried taking over my mind, but he failed."

He didn't answer the first question, but it gave more proof for Petir's one-in-a-kind's mental resistance. Is that why Nightsong could not break his mind? Is it why he's been resisting up until his assassination?

Or could he not break what was already broken?

"You're overthinking." Petir smiled. "There's nothing to think of. I'm just a pawn, after all."

Daun glared. His expression darkened significantly. "And you're okay with that?"

"Oh, what's this?" Petir fixed his eyes on the teen. This time, however, they were analytical, and filled with a lethal curiosity. "You're concerned about it?"

"No—"

"But yes, you're right." Petir didn't hesitate. "I am okay with being a pawn."

He turned his back on Daun and took his hands from his pockets. Like a drop into water, his figure blended into the darkness that was Daun's mind.

"Even so," Petir continued, glancing at Daun as the light above Daun extinguished, "you're not someone I would like to talk to."

The platform beneath Daun's feet shattered. Like before, he felt his body falling into air like a comet, diving into the unknown depths of his mind.

Daun's body shot awake with a jolt. He was gasping for air, sweat pooling around his body. For moments, he couldn't get his bearings, though his eyes frantically searched the room, only to see that it was always empty.

His hands reached up to his head, fingers running through strands of his hair. He felt something amongst it, the hum of magic and life.

Breathing hard, Daun buried his face into his palms, shaking.

What the hell was that?

Was this fear? Anger? He didn't know. They were intertwined. He was fuming and terrified. He was scared and livid. His feelings were like a mixture of gravel and ice, confused and unfitting for the other.

Does he know? Does he know about his identity?

A small snore caused him to arch his head to his pillow, where he saw his dark green kwami, nestled up by the covers, sound asleep. He released a shaky breath, growing exhausted as his phone rang by his table.

The soft vibrations rattled the table and caught his attention effectively. With clammy hands, he picked up his phone to check for the caller. It was an unknown number.

He put the phone to his ear after picking up. Before he could muster a hello, a woman's voice cut through. She sounded firm and official.

"Daun, your father has requested your audience tomorrow morning," his father's assistant said to him, with no room for negotiation. "You will be picked up by arranged transport by 7 in the morning. Do not be late."

She hung up.

Daun dropped the phone on the bed, expression contorting to one of fear and disbelief.

What did his father want with him?

Chapter 13

"This holiday has been bo-ring," Angin snapped, popping open a soda. "A few attacks and they call off school. No wonder everyone fails their exams!"

Api didn't answer. His eyes were fixed on the ground, where he could only see his worn-down sneakers and Angin's slippers. He was also holding a soda can, opened but not touched.

When Angin realize he was quieter than usual, he tapped Api's shoulder. "You alright?" He glared sceptically at the bruises under Api's eyes. "Can't sleep?"

Api sunk himself down to the bench. He yawned, covering his mouth with the back of his palm. "Not really," he muttered. "Just having these... weird dreams."

Weird was an understatement. It's been a few days, and he couldn't get that smile off his head. It haunted him every time he closed his eyes—taunting him, reminding him of the sins he'd committed.

Telling him that he almost helped take a life.

He's went and screwed up his life. Air probably hates him now, he hates himself, and he had that curse of a Miraculous on his ear. If there was an award for the world's largest screwup, he would win it in his sleep. If there was someone out there who was looking for idiots to slap, he would be their first target.

"That sounds tragic." Angin sat by him, drinking his soda in small gulps.

Api glanced at him, wondering why he could still be friends with him. Angin was probably the least problematic person he knows, and he was the exact opposite of that. Angin was carefree, quick to forgive; but Api held grudges and stuck by the rules—mostly.

He'd pushed everyone in his life away from him, and even his little brother. Air's already found a new big brother, Tanah. It's not like he'll need Api anyway. Tanah was a much better brother than he'll ever be.

He just worried that one day, Angin will leave him too.

Then he'll have no one that'll stand by his side.

He wanted this calm moment to last. He wanted to stay normal, to just sit under the sun with his best friend—because any minute, any moment he'll have to return to his double life of being a killer's associate, and the life that he knows it will begin to crumple faster than before.

"You're not skating?" Api asked, noting that Angin wasn't picking up his skateboard, despite the rink being next to them.

Angin shook his head. His expression was a tad bit wistful, as if the sport were bringing back bad memories.

"Don't really feel like it, to be honest." He sounded like he was tired. Not just of the sport, but to everything he's ever known. Api knows this because he sees it in himself whenever he looked in a mirror. "I'll just chill for now. Take it easy, you know?"

Take it easy, huh?

Angin didn't have a normal life, either. He was the son of a well-known doctor, and it was clear that his intelligence was also on another level. He just didn't show it as much. One of the people he tried to help was akumatized, and up until now, still missing.

He must be beating himself up over it, and it was also because of Api.

What was he? A boy that brings nothing but suffering and sorrow.

But what could he say?

Angin's father was the reason he and lost it all.

The day where he was kidnapped, the day where the life he knew before was ripped from him. Api could remember the exact moment when the light was snuffed out from his parents' eyes, and he was roughly taken to a place that no one knew about.

He was stuck in a cage made for animals, alone. In the cage next to him was a child no older than 8. It had been Air. He was crying and sobbing, his young body shaking like wild.

Api was the one that held his hand, even as the bad men came and took the other children away. He didn't know what was going on, but he figured it out years later: they were selling them. They were merchandise waiting to be shipped out.

And he could remember the day where Air was taken.

Of course, he didn't let it happen. Air screamed and cried for Api, calling out his name, but there was nothing he could do as Air was dragged away by the man.

It was then, Api did something that he would regret later in his life. He did something that would haunt his every waking moment.

He stole a gun from one of the men who was standing by his cage and shot Air's kidnapper right in the head. The man's body fell on Air, blood pooling around his young body.

Air must have been too young to comprehend this because he'd passed out from shock. Api was shot twice in his shoulder, but he was alive.

Moments later, the police finally came.

And Angin's father was arrested for child-trafficking.

Later, they were put in an orphanage. Air completely forgot about the kidnapping, and everything about that horrible incident.

All except for Api. He knew from his heart that he was his brother.

But now, Api repeated his past mistakes.

Air did not see him as a brother anymore.

Angin did not know. Air did not know. No one knew. Only him. He was the only one with this secret, and there was no one to tell.

He shouldered this burden on his own, finding adults repulsive to the point where he would skip school to avoid teachers. He could barely keep a straight face when he came back to the orphanage to see Air waiting for him with a smile.

It drove him completely insane.

He wanted to run from it all. To leave and end everything, so he could finally escape from this abusive cycle.

And when he'd gotten the power to help, to save people—

He'd gone down the same path again. The walkway built from corpses and blood. The floor made of bones and skulls.

He was destined to never escape. He was cursed to repeat history.

So, for the love of god, let him have this peace.

Api leaned on the bench, cold can of soda in his hand as he stared up to the sky.

Chapter 14

Cahaya would never consider himself as an extrovert. Sure, he was popular, he was intelligent, devilishly handsome; but he was not someone who was fond of conversation and making friends from strangers.

Still, he made it a mission for himself to go outside, to exercise to secrete some endorphins. He would need that desperately for his declining mental health, which only spiralled down ever since Petir last appeared.

He didn't know when he would show up again, and he would rather die than work with Minte. The only thing he could do was prepare himself for the upcoming battle.

But that would mean he'd have to fight Petir.

His expression darkened, yet he continued his walk. There were lines of shops on his right, and a busy road on his left. There weren't much people today. It could be because of the recent akuma attacks that left people wary.

How could he fight Petir? Cahaya thought warily, storming ahead. He could feel a weigh on his shoulders. Petir's always too nice for his own good. He dreaded what kind of powers he would have with an akuma.

Wrapped up in his thoughts, he only realized seconds later that he'd ran into someone. He was brought back to his senses when the sting of boiling hot coffee splashed on his chest, staining his sweater and dripping down the ground.

"Ah, sorry!" Cahaya spluttered, stepping back. "I wasn't looking where I was going!"

He's been too on edge. He needed to loosen up first.

The stranger, who was wearing dark-coloured clothing, didn't have visible stains on his clothes. The only sign that he was splashed too was the shine on his jacket.

"It's alright. Accidents happen," he chuckled. "Be more careful next time, okay?"

Cahaya nodded, scratching his head as he blushed like a tomato. This was a careless mistake. "I'll pay you for another coffee," he stammered, taking out his wallet. "I owe you that much."

A hand was raised in front of him, stopping him. Strangely enough, it was covered with coffee, but the coffee acted like water washing away dust, revealing a whole new surface beneath.

Cahaya blinked at the abnormal skin colour hidden under a layer of colour. A significant layer was washed away by the coffee, revealing pure black underneath.

"That skin colour..." he muttered, looking up to the stranger's face in panic. "Petir?"

The stranger blinked. That's when Cahaya knew his suspicions were correct. His eyes were bright red, and the whites of his eyes were black.

"You caught me." Petir smiled, sipping a bit of his coffee. He drained the paper cup and tossed it into the nearest bin. Though, the paint of his arm was getting worn off, so he took out a piece of antibacterial tissue and wiped it clean. The paint was wiped off with every stroke.

Cahaya's head began to hurt. What are the odds?

"You're still... akumatized?" Cahaya asked.

"Hm. Apparently so," Petir said as if it was new to him too. "If I'm not mistaken, this is a record time. I'm also surprised you found me by accident."

For the first time, Cahaya could look at Petir without interruptions. He was walking, using his arm like they weren't injured in the first place. With his abnormal skin, he could not see the scars of the wounds either.

Akumas recover injuries too, Cahaya thought back. Many times he'd fought villains that were desperate to succumb to a disability, yet they were completely mobile when they were corrupted.

If that was the case for Petir, then it's all so simple.

Petir wanted to live. He wanted to return to his old life, but he couldn't.

Is that the reason he finally broke?

"You're not going to apprehend me?" Petir's smile was faint, but it was hollow. The person behind that face had long died before he took this form. "Especially you're insisting to not work with your partner."

"I have a lot of questions," Cahaya deadpanned. "And you're something that's new to the scheme of things."

And I don't want to rob that freedom from you. These were the words he left unsaid.

Petir hummed. "Questions," he repeated. "I see. Shall we find a more private place to talk, then?"

Cahaya should be alert of where he was going. He should be in action, because almost no akuma victims were in their right mind. Petir was dangerous because he knew about his identity.

If Petir retains that speed now, Cahaya was as good as dead.

Still, he followed Petir to a more secluded spot, on a roof of an apartment. Granted, they weren't allowed up here, but they had superhuman abilities to help them break the law more conveniently.

"So," Petir started, standing at the very edge of the building, back turned on Cahaya, "what're you thinking about?"

Cahaya stood at the centre of the roof, fists clenched. Petir hadn't bothered to touch up with his exposed hand, so he had one hand that was half painted with skin colour.

"You're not following Nightsong's orders half the time, are you?" Cahaya asked. "He should've told you to take Athena and Minte's Miraculous, but you didn't."

Petir turned to him, looking surprised. "Oh, this again?" he said, more to himself. "I suppose it is a confusing topic. But yes." He faced the cliff, his feet now closing into air. "I defied his orders. More on one occasion."

"Why are you okay?" Cahaya narrowed his eyes. He knew Petir was capable of resisting akumas since a young age, but he'd seen what Nightsong would do to his victims when they refused to cooperate. "Are you not in pain?"

That, like before, brought Petir into silence.

"Perhaps I am in pain," Petir finally said, though a lower tone than usual. "But that does not matter. He created me, but he cannot destroy me. His plans of creating the ultimate akuma backfired because he chose me."

Ultimate akuma.

What?

"I sense you're thinking what's going on, yes?" Petir didn't turn, but he sounded as if he was telling a joyful story to a toddler. "I'll tell you, but only because you're interesting to talk to."

"Interesting to talk to?" Cahaya clenched his teeth. "What am I? Just a pawn to you?"

Petir chuckled, but there was no humour to it.

"This plan required years to commence. So, he saw me; a child who's always wishing for death as his experiment. For years he sent akumas, but only to establish a stronger connection with his corruption each time. He wanted to bring out the ultimate despair—where once unleashed, will be unstoppable."

Petir sighed, hanging his head.

"But in the end, he didn't consider that his experiment will defy him. By this time, he could not take back the akuma or destroy it, because I've already become one. Or perhaps, something else."

Cahaya stared at Petir in pure horror. He could feel vomit racing up to his throat, sickening him to his core.

He wanted to throw up and curse the world, to let it burn.

Becoming an akuma?

That's not possible!

Petir turned around, his fingers laced behind his back.

"Oh, don't look at me like that," he said tranquilly, per usual. "After all, I am still the person you know as Petir."

Cahaya fell to his knees, his eyes fixed on the ground. His brain couldn't handle this tiny piece of information? Why?

HE FAILED?

Petir was right there. He's been looking for him for so long, and he's in front of him.

NO.

Cahaya looked up with a dark expression, glaring lethally at the akumatized villain. He rose to his knee, his body surrounded with a dark aura as the rim of his glasses suddenly turned pitch black, courtesy of a black bird phasing into it.

"Give me my friend back!" Cahaya shrieked in a distorted voice. "You're just a scum to this planet!"

Embrace your anger! Let it roam free and consume you!

As the black matter phased through his body, he became something else. A Miraculous holder in the control of an akuma, a symbol of knowledge and destruction now turning into something more.

Something more vengeful.

"Oh, no." Petir sighed, stepping down from the edge. "This isn't what I was hoping for at all."

The villain named Athena glared back at him, his black sniper holding him at gunpoint.

Chapter 15

Petir held his hands up, staring at the enraged hero before him. It was just like how he'd predicted, for him to lose his sense of thought and be taken over by his emotions.

He could feel a tug on his lips, prompting him to a grin. He suppressed it.

"I want my friend back," Athena demanded. The scope on his sniper moved to his head, and there was no hesitation in his finger that handled the trigger.

He emphasised the word my. Was there something that he'd missed, perhaps?

"I can sense you're confused." Petir stepped closer to him, his eyes locked onto Athena's glare. With every step, a bullet was fired. It hit its target every time: Petir's forehead. Though it did not pierce his skull, his skin was scraped.

By the fifth step and bullet, his wound was bleeding. Fresh, dark red blood pouring from his head, dripping down his cheeks like crimson tears.

Now, Petir was merely inches close to Athena's sniper. He could feel the warmth of the barrel on his face.

Petir's hand grabbed the barrel. It was hot, but he withstood the pain. "You cannot kill me." He snapped the weapon into half with nothing but his bare hand. Pieces of the gun slashed his skin and caused him to bleed, but he couldn't care less.

After all, being numb to pain was just another part of his daily life.

The sniper fell apart. The shattered pieces clattered to the ground, and Athena dropped the other half he was holding. Instead of retreating, he returned his hands to the position of a sniper, and he conjured a new one out of thin air.

Only this time, there was a gold aura surrounding it. It couldn't be normal. Athena was known for his intellect and ability to destroy—perhaps this was it? Is he pulling the big guns on someone like Petir?

How flattering.

Though, Petir had his worries. He just didn't show it. Can he withstand Athena's Miraculous Special Ability? Can he survive this blast? He didn't know. He would rather tone the risks down to a minimum, so he'll do just that.

Marks around his left leg glowed bright red. They were the same pattern of his injury, where Minte basically turned his leg into chopped sushi with his strings. There were jagged ends to each line, a sign that he'd once received stitches to close his wound, but it never worked out.

In a split second, Petir was behind Athena, as if he's just teleported. Despite his speed, there was now wind, no dust kicked up from his movements. He was completely silent, like a mere shadow.

Athena whirled around, the gold aura now surrounding his eyes too. Like Terre, his colours were swapped. Instead of grey and gold, they were black and red, albeit few shades darker than Petir's eyes.

How ironic. Petir could see the resemblance between them. If he hadn't been chosen, Nightsong might have sought after Cahaya instead.

Petir spent this valuable time sizing Athena's body up. When he'd brought him here, he wore no accessories. As much as he hated to believe it, Athena's Miraculous is the akumatized object.

If all Miraculous works the same, then he should be able to free the akuma by taking it off from him. The question is: how.

Well, the answer was simple.

Before either of them could blink, Petir had appeared behind Athena once more, holding a pair of black glasses.

He would absorb the akuma, but the magic of the Miraculous forbade him.

As soon as it left Athena's head, the black hummingbird was instantly repelled, restoring the glasses to its golden glory. In front of him, Athena collapsed, the dark matter expelling from him and he returned to his civilian self.

A kwami also appeared as the akuma left, sticking close to his Miraculous. However, it shirked away as he noticed Petir holding it, in fear of what he might do.

Cahaya woke with a growl, holding his head in agony. As he looked up, he first took in the sight that he wasn't wearing his Miraculous, and Solar was hovering by his glasses, who was held by Petir, an akumatized villain.

No, Cahaya thought, staggering to his feet. His Miraculous is in a villain's hands! He can't—

Petir approached and knelt down in front of him. Instead of tormenting him further, he handed him his glasses, without a fight.

Even Solar seemed shocked at this.

"Don't you..." Cahaya groaned, still struggling to stand from his knees. "Aren't you being controlled by Nightsong?"

Petir blinked, tilting his head. Drops of blood dripped from his face and stained the ground between them.

"I have my own free will," he stated blandly, putting the glasses on Cahaya's head.

Whatever the Miraculous was doing, it was keeping it clean from Petir's blood.

Cahaya frowned, squinting his eyes. "You're—you're bleeding," he stammered, trying to push himself up faster. "I was... akumatized? And I hurt you."

Petir shrugged. He stood up, trailing small drops of blood from his hand and head. "Luckily, it was only me," he said. "If it was anyone else, you would have killed."

"Y—yeah..."

Petir walked to the ledge, looking down as his hands were in his pockets. The traffic beneath was busy, but up here, he could only hear muffled sounds of engines and the shriek of the wind.

Kill, huh?

So they could kill. They were designed to kill, even.

He just wondered how Minte could sleep knowing that he almost killed a man. Does it not haunt him every night? How the outcome could have been: stepping in the blood of the victim that he'd chosen; seeing the light snuff out from their eyes; and bear the burden of a life for eternity, up until death.

He was curious. Very, very curious.

"Are you okay?" Cahaya's hoarse voice asked him, causing him to turn around. "I—I can help you treat your wounds."

Petir shook his head, smiling. He wiped the blood from his face with his jacket sleeve, though there was a visible wound on his forehead.

"This is just a scratch. No need to worry."

Cahaya frowned, still looking too weak to be on his feet, but he stuck through. "Do you even have a place to sleep at night?" he rasped. "Do you have a roof over your head when you sleep?"

"I do not sleep. I don't have humans' bodily functions or need for any necessities. You can rest easy."

"I can't!" Cahaya blurted, stepping closer. "Petir, you're my friend! I go to sleep knowing you're out here alone, and you can't get rid of your akuma because Minte's trying to kill you. I care, Petir. More than you know."

Petir cupped his own chin with his fingers, staring at the boy in silent wonder. Perhaps there was place for him in this world, after all.

"That's not worry," Petir deadpanned, putting his hand down. "That is obsession. It is dangerous."

"Is it so wrong to be obsessed with a friend who's being sought after by a villain for years? Is it obsession when you keep forfeiting your health because you think you're alone in this world? Is it me who's wrong when you keep lying to me even after we promised to not keep secrets from each other?"

Petir kept silent.

"Just listen to me!" Cahaya screamed, grabbing Petir's wrist. "You're hurt by the world; I know. You think that you're a nobody, but that's not true! There's hundreds and thousands who see you as a god. You're just too blind to notice it."

A small trickle of blood streamed from Petir's hand to Cahaya's, but he didn't let go. As weak as he looked, the fire in his eyes was real.

"Let me help you," he snapped, holding his wrist tighter. "For the both of us."

He looked ridiculous; like he fell from his bed and barely got the time for breakfast. His hair was a mess with a pair of glasses dropped on it, but the seriousness in his gaze was dead serious.

They kept this silence for moments; minutes, even. Neither of them showed any sign of making the first move for redemption or rebuttal.

Eventually, Petir sighed, his arm relaxing.

"Alright then," he said, nodding. "I'll let you try."

For seconds, Cahaya's face was fixated into a surprised gape, but he recovered and wrapped his arms around Petir's, smiling wildly and crying like a toddler.

Petir's blood stained his shoulder, but he didn't care. These days, Petir seemed to be shedding a lot of blood lately.

Hopefully, Cahaya will stop any blood from being shed, however long it takes.

Chapter 16

To say the least, Angin was fortunately he didn't fall over and die from a heart attack. A few minutes ago, he'd received a text from Cahaya, saying that he needed him at his dormitory ASAP, along with an address attached to it. With such a short notice and time frame, Angin snuck out of the hospital and transformed.

When Angin arrived at the dorm, it was a massive building that looked like it belonged in a sci-fi movie. No wonder mom wants me to study here, he thought, eyes narrowing as he checked for signs of the Owl Miraculous user.

Eventually, he received another text, which he read in speed.

Cahaya: Room is top floor, third from right. There's a bag of gummy bears on the table.

And indeed, Angin saw a plastic bag of sweets. He recognized it as the same brand that Solar ate when they first revealed their identities together (even if it was a complete accident).

Carefully, he tapped on the window. He saw two figures, though one looked more invisible than the other. The room was barely lit, only lighted up by the table lamp on the desk, glowing a faint gold.

With a swift motion, Cahaya opened the window, letting him in.

Angin was reluctant to detransform because he was still wary of the third presence.

"Um," he said, glancing over to Cahaya, "should I... or—"

Cahaya sighed, closing the window. "Yeah. He's neutral." Cahaya glanced at the third person sceptically. "I think."

"You think."

"I don't know. Your choice."

Angin glanced at the third person. He was sitting on the bed, looking straight at them with a blank expression. Though, what caught him off was the colour of his skin and eyes.

"Oh."

Petir noticed him staring. He grinned and gave him a thumbs up, then he looked back to his front to doze off.

Angin pursed his lip, turning to Cahaya. "How did you find him? Or, convince him not to commit homicide?"

Cahaya shrugged. "By the power of love and friendship, apparently," he groused.

He didn't look like he was joking.

"He un-akumatized me," Cahaya continued. "We talked on a building, I almost kill him, and we're here."

"You're akumatized?" Angin turned alert. "Where's the akuma?"

"God if I know." Cahaya's eyes slid to Petir, his expression souring.

If Petir noticed it, he didn't comment on it.

"So, what'd you need me for?" Angin felt like this wasn't just a get-together. Finding Petir was a feat, but to call out to him specifically? There had to be something wrong.

His instincts never steered him wrong in the past, and he certainly won't now. There was a peculiar vibe that Petir was giving off, like his mind was in two places at once. His body was here, but his attention and energy were spent elsewhere.

Angin looked closely, and he noticed a bandage wrapped around his hand and forehead. It looked hastily done, like an amateur trying to execute the instructions but had no experience in the task.

"You're one of the older Miraculous users, right?" Cahaya asked. "And you have your own district that you fight before Nightsong suddenly went silent."

Angin nodded. "Yeah. Collecting the akumas was tough without Minte."

"Have you ever seen a Miraculous getting akumatized?"

"A Miraculous," Angin repeated. "Those things, that are our source of power. Akumatized. Possessed by a ghostly chicken. Taken over by a parrot of gloom and doom."

"Yes."

"Oh, god."

Cahaya held his head. "I know, right?" he spat. "Terre was akumatized once, and now me. Both targeted our Miraculouses. I'm starting to think they're coincidences, but that means the amount of advanced akumas have been escalating."

"Did you ask Solar?" Angin tried, remembering that kwamis were eternal, regardless of age. If their Miraculous wasn't damaged, then time would only be existing to count the number of their masters.

Cahaya nodded, pointing a thumb over his shoulder. The owl kwami was buried in a small pile of books, reading and occasionally sneezing a feather out that would magically disappear in a small burst of light.

"He said that it's the first time he's seen it," Cahaya admitted. "But it's dangerous. You're the only Miraculous user I know that hasn't been akumatized yet."

Angin frowned. "Then why don't you ask him?"

He pointed to Petir, who barely listened in to their conversation.

"It's a risk. Even with his... condition, I'm not sure whether Nightsong can detect him listening to valuable information." The intellect sighed, putting a hand on the table. His fingers were shaking. Not from fear, but exhaustion. "I don't know what to do."

"I'll tell you what you need to know."

They turned simultaneously to the akumatized teen, who was now standing with his hands stuck in his pockets.

Angin didn't know the boy well, but every cell in his body screamed, RUN! He wasn't sure what relationship did Cahaya and Petir have, how long they've known each other, or even their chemistry, but Cahaya grinned back at him, as if they'd exchanged a thousand words with a mere gaze and the nod of the head.

Angin felt a shudder run through his spine. It was like both of them were always on the same page, no matter what book they're going through.

They were on a completely different level, that's for sure.

"The more powerful the akuma, the more difficult it is for him to control them," Petir said calmly. "So I can fight his influences no problem."

"How are you sure about this?" Cahaya asked.

"You've experienced it yourself, didn't you? He doesn't know your identity, which means he can't look into memories. Only recent emotions and images."

Cahaya nodded, convinced.

Angin cut in, "But how are we sure you're in control, and not Nightsong?"

Petir shrugged, turning to Cahaya again. "One time you mixed up your coffee and you accidentally swallowed a frog's heart."

Angin wasn't sure how that would be relevant, but his doubts were gone when he turned to Cahaya. Cahaya was as pale as a sheet, sweat rolling down his forehead like the memory haunted him.

So, it was true?

"Wait, what?!" Angin spluttered, whirling to Cahaya. "What did you do? And how?"

"I—" Cahaya choked on his own breath, glaring at Petir with pink cheeks. "Two years ago, I put my coffee in a clean beaker to save time. One day the coffee cooled down and I didn't look what I was grabbing. One of the teachers performed the Heimlich manoeuvre on me and I threw it up."

The thought alone was enough for Angin to gag.

"So," Petir looked back to him, not even looking the slightest bit guilty, "do you believe me?"

Angin and Cahaya exchanged glances, though Cahaya looked more flustered than anything.

"If you trust him, then so do I." Angin didn't hesitate.

Cahaya nodded, smiling at Angin's agreement.

Petir hummed, looking more interested than the floorboards than their plan to overthrow an evil villain.

"I'll tell you what I know."

Chapter 17

Air has been having nightmares lately, and not the ones where he dreamt that his brownies were secretly stuffed with broccoli.

He was young, but even he could tell that it wasn't normal. They were real, they were painful. He would wake up covered in sweat, clutching his sides as he panted from phantom pains. Tears would spring to his eyes, head aching to react to the wound, but there was none.

It was only minutes, seconds of a dream, but it felt as if it were hours. Whenever he closed his eyes, he would open them to another world. A time where electricity didn't exist, a time where there was no such thing as phones.

Every time, it starts with him running, parkouring through buildings, with someone close behind him. That person wasn't persecuting him, they were protecting him. Or at least, trying to.

They sounded like they were exhausted, and his body felt like he was being dragged down by a hundredfold of gravity.

Then, he would hear a cry, a shout for his attention, then he would feel a sharp pain on both his sides, with a cold sensation of a weapon running through him, exiting his left waist.

He remembered losing his balance and plummeting to his death. The last thing he saw was the person before cradling him, their tears falling on his face.

After a few times, he could make out their features.

Tanah.

He wasn't sure how he knew it was Tanah, because it was a completely different person. This hero wielded the Tiger Miraculous, and it had been a female. There was a part of him that told him that this was the person he went to see every day.

It didn't take him long to piece together the puzzles, especially after asking Ais about it. She'd confirmed with a grieving tone and a nod, saying: Yes. You died in his arms.

When he asked how long it had been since, Ais only shook her head.

"I do not remember. I only know that many eras have passed since."

Tanah mentioned reincarnation before, didn't he? Air couldn't understand much, but he had an instinct that Tanah lived through thousands of years, but he still smiled at Air, at everyone. He was a good brother.

Every night, the same dream would return, and each time would be more vivid than before. The pain slowly became surreal, until he woke up with his sides acting and in tears.

Everyone else was asleep, but some older sisters and brothers were using the light of the moon to do their homework or play games with each other. They noticed him and came to his bed. A sister held his hand and petted his head until he fell asleep. The rest of them sat by him and made sure he was in no pain and continued to study.

Somewhere, Air felt a little disappointment. Api was not there to comfort him. Instead, he was in another corner of the room, breathing soft snores as he slept peacefully.

Sometimes, the tears weren't just from physical pain.

Chapter 18

"How was school today?" Tanah asked, slinging Air's bag over his shoulder. The young child was holding a yellow plastic Tupperware, the sides still warm and fresh. "Did you stay awake?"

Air stared at his packed lunch in his hands. Usually, he would be drooling and playing mental games to surprise him with whatever he would be having. Tanah always surprised him: tomato sandwiches, spaghetti with cheese and chicken, a fish salad with shredded egg whites—even dishes he couldn't name.

But now, he could feel the weight of Tanah's lives on his shoulders, even if it weren't his own. He was young, a child, but he knew how it would feel like to be disappointed over and over again.

"Air?"

Air finally looked up, a concerned gleam in his eyes. "Tanah, is it really true that you were my sister before? Not a brother?"

Tanah blinked at him, his expression stiffening. "Huh? Who told you that?"

Air didn't want Tanah to worry, because he's been having all of those dreams. When he looked at Tanah now, he was terrified of seeing the same distressed, grieving expression as his previous incarnations.

"Ais," he lied. Well, it wasn't a full lie. Ais only confirmed his confusions. "I asked about how I died."

Another lie.

Tanah frowned. He pushed Air's back gently, urging them to find a place in the park to sit down. Air didn't understand Tanah's expression. It was like he was trying to force back things he wanted to say.

Tanah eventually had a counter for him. "Why would you ask that?" he wisped, more tired than anything. "It happened so long ago. It's not important."

Air stopped in his footsteps, pulling Tanah's shirt, stopping him too. "I fell off a building, didn't I?" he asked, suddenly afraid as he saw Tanah's expression shift to one of utter disbelief. "There was a lot of blood. You were holding me."

He didn't mention the weapon running through his sides. He didn't know what it was, either.

He could feel Tanah's body stiffen, like he hadn't been presented with a situation that backed him into a corner. He looked as if he was facing a failed Math test, knowing that his parents prepared hellish punishments back home.

"Did you ask Ais that, too?" His voice was barely a whisper.

Tanah smiled at him, but it was weak and shaky.

Air, looking down, felt bad as he was shoving all the blame onto the kwami. "Yes," he lied through his teeth, already feeling guilt eating at his systems.

He hated lying, and especially to big brother—sister? and Api.

The older teen sighed, rubbing his eyes with his fingers and palm. Though, he held Air's hand gently and led him towards their destination. "If you're okay with it, then I'm fine too," he said, not looking into Air's eyes.

Air held his hand too, his arm curved at a ninety-degree angle as his hand was in Tanah's. His hand was warm, and his fingers felt firm and safe.

"So, what homework do you have today?" Tanah asked brightly. He acted like the conversation just now didn't happen at all.

Air didn't want to question. He didn't want big brother to feel bad. "History," he counted, naming subjects off the top of his head. "And Malay. I also have a spelling test on Friday."

"We'll word hard today, okay?"

"Okay."

(I won't let you die again.)

Chapter 19

"I don't know who Nightsong is."

Angin couldn't stop thinking about this one sentence. There were many questions asked, and all of them skilfully answered. All with a reason and explanation, with evidence throughout history provided.

Damn, he really can't underestimate anyone who comes from Celestium Academy.

When Cahaya presented Petir with the most important question, he only had one thing to say. I don't know who Nightsong is. He had no information, no leads, and certainly no answer.

Of all the questions, this was the one he gave them an empty basket for.

By daybreak, Angin had to leave. He bid them a hasty farewell and quickly departed back to his own house, to mull over the facts that they'd discussed.

Why can some akumas infect Miraculouses?

Petir shrugged, pointing at Cahaya's pair of glasses. "We call them Omega Akumas. Some akumas pick up rare emotions and feed off them, hence the new ability. It affects minds, not powers."

He seemed to know this from personal experience, not from orders.

Why is your akuma in your leg?

"This is an Alpha Akuma. Ones that infest a user for at least years. In testing stage, but Nightsong has next to no control over victims. I'm the only successful experiment so far."

When he talks about this, he patted his left thigh to make sure it was there. Though his injured limbs were his left arm and right leg, they were functioning perfectly.

What powers do you have?

"I can trap you in your mind. Speed. Strength. Nails."

None of them asked for the nails part.

To sum it up, it was an insightful discussion, but there was either too much to work with or no information at all. Most of their conversation revolved around Petir; not Nightsong.

If Petir retained any sense of his former self, he would have lashed out and snapped at them for paying so much heed to his wellbeing.

Then, when Angin asked, Do you hate Minte and Pyra?

Another question Petir didn't answer. It wasn't him not having it, it was him not willing to answer the inquiry. He'd said he held no grudges, no hate for anyone, but it appeared to Angin that the fact's being tested over time.

For the most part, Angin didn't push the topic further. If Petir reconsiders his view on revenge, then provoking him would be the last thing they wanted.

Eventually, Angin slid his own window open and snuck in his own room. He closed the curtains and checked the hallway outside his room and confirmed that everyone else was still asleep.

He breathed a sigh of relief. "Taufan, down to ground."

With a bright flash, he was taken out of his hero identity and returned to his preppy self Angin. His kwami yapped for fresh carrots, which he dug out under his pillow for him.

"That," Taufan chomped bits of his carrot, "was the strangest conversation I have ever heard in my lifetime."

Angin plopped himself on his bed, the bed rattling and the mattress bouncing. "Yeah," he agreed, groaning as he pulled the blanket over his head to salvage minutes of his precious sleep. "It's not every day that an akuma victim doesn't have the urge to commit genocide."

Taufan shrugged. He tossed the half-eaten carrot in the air and swallowed it in a gulp like Kirby. "First time for everything!" he declared, diving straight to rest under Angin's blankets.

Moments later, Angin heard the creak of a doorknob from the next room. He groaned mentally, hugging the blanket tighter. Damnit! He just hoped that his mother won't yank the blankets off—Taufan was knocked out cold. He didn't even know a kwami could sleep that heavy.

Quote by Taufan—a supposed immortal deity that's lived through hundreds of years but has the mindset of a complete five-year-old—"first time for everything." Not every first time would be fun anyways.

As expected but not welcome, his room door was flamboyantly swung open by his mother. His mother's voice rang through his room as she turned on the lights. "Get up already! You can't spend your whole day sleeping."

She was already dressed in her hospital uniform, a doctor's robe and jeans.

Angin groaned, turning his head to his alarm by his pillow. It's only five in the morning! It made sense, because she's a busy woman in the hospital. She'd expect her son to follow her routine because she believed an early riser brought a healthy lifestyle.

Minutes later, he heard the engine of the car starting, then the resonating sound of the metal gates as they closed. Angin breathed another sigh of relief, covering his head with his blanket to catch more shuteye.

Unfortunately, luck was not on his side. When it was nine, he was startled awake by a ringing phone.

He picked it up groggily, his vision blurry. Though he could still make out the picture of the caller: Api.

"Hello?" he asked, trying to rid any source of exhaustion in his voice, but failing. "What's up?"

"Are you sleeping?" Api asked, sceptical. "Did I wake you up?"

"No no." Angin pinched the bridge of his nose. "Just sneezed for a bit. Do you need anything?"

"Just asking if you want to hang out today," Api said. "It's getting boring in the orphanage."

Angin nearly belched. He didn't feel like doing anything today. "Don't you have your brother to take care of?"

"I don't have a brother." Api's tone turned hateful. "I'm free for the day. You up?"

In one hand, Angin was urging to return to his sleep and stay in his bed for the whole day. In the other, he was concerned as to what Api could have meant by that. Something must have happened, but he was just too tired to continue his accusations.

"What time?" Angin drawled, sleepiness returning to his voice. "Can it be afternoon? Or evening?"

"Sure," Api said without another thought. "Um, four?"

"Sounds good."

"Yeah. See you at the usual."

"Yeah. Bye."

Angin hung up, and dropped the phone next to the alarm clock. He collapsed back on his bed, waking Taufan up so he could turn off the lights.

Taufan was groaning and complaining the way through, but Angin didn't have an inch of sympathy. Since when do kwamis need sleep, anyway? Oh wait, because they don't.

Chapter 20

Angin hated dragging himself around when he was exhausted, especially when his sleep schedules are slowly orientating themselves to times they're not supposed to be. At this rate, he'll be Batman reborn: dead awake in the dead of light, dead asleep in the dead of school.

Still, he forced himself to his feet, to freshen up and put on his shoes. He wasn't someone to say no to an invitation, because it would mean leaving them alone. He's known Api for a few years now, and he's the only person he was willing to hang out with.

Leaving Api to fare for himself didn't sit well with Angin. So, even if he's on the brink of sleep, he'll make himself go to accompany him. It was the least he could do as a friend.

Though, for the first time in his life, he was late.

He didn't notice that time was passing, fast. It was like he was moving in slow motion while the rest of the world moved in a regular speed. Angin panicked in his room and scurried around, thinking of all the apologies he could muster.

Then he turned to Taufan, who was innocently hovering by him.

"Taufan, high sky!"

In the air, Angin flew at speeds he didn't even know he could fly. This was more urgent than any villain on the loose—it was him being dumb enough to not pay attention to clocks! In exchange, Taufan might not trust him enough to let him use the Miraculous for trivial tasks in the future.

Angin deserved that.

"Ah, shit shit shit shit shit—" he cursed, glaring at his suit's lack of a watch. Hero uniforms are all fun and games until you realize you don't have watches or you can't go to toilets in them.

Guess nothing could be perfect.

It only took him minutes to arrive at the park, whereas on foot it would have taken him half an hour or so. Hiding deep in the trees where he confirmed that no one was looking, he sighed and detransformed, looking for his friend in the open.

He was surprised to see that Api wasn't here. The skating rink was empty, save for few kids who were trying out the rink with bikes. Api wasn't the best student, but he was rarely tardy.

Strange.

Angin looked around, patting his pocket to confirm that Taufan was safely tucked away in in it. Api was nowhere to be found, unless he'd left to nearby shops to get something to eat or drink.

He glanced at his watch, noting that he was fifteen minutes late. He groaned; Api probably decided that he was still asleep and left to do everything himself.

Taking out his phone, opting to text Api to mention that he arrived. But before he did, the corner of his eye caught a foreign being, which he quickly whirled towards.

It was a singular door, standing alone in the bark of the tree. There was a checker pattern on it, coloured orange and black. It was fused with the tree trunk, like it was purposefully installed within.

Even stranger.

What's weirder is that none of the kids gave it any thought. Granted, it wasn't the most noticeable and they were young, but it certainly was odd.

Or it could be a villain's doing.

"You seeing this?" Angin whispered, frowning at the door.

He felt Taufan shuffle in his pocket. "Yeah. I've seen that power somewhere before."

Powers that relate to doors. Taufan's seen it, which meant it could be a Miraculous.

Pyra.

"Why is he here?" Angin demanded, inching closer. His hand was hovering over the silver knob, itching to turn it and walk inside.

Shouldn't he tell Cahaya about this? But Petir's with him. If Petir's really hesitating over the endgame of revenge, then he shouldn't bring the topic up in front of them.

For now, Angin can settle this alone. He swung open the door and stepped inside, walking into a completely different space and world.

"Not this again," Angin deadpanned, glaring at the familiar classroom. "What the hell? Taufan, high sky!"

Like before, nothing happened.

Damnit.

This was the same paradox as before, right? Not an inch was out of place. The only difference were the tables and chairs were neatly tidied, and the windows were not broken. The sky outside remained in a permanent sunset, the warm lights pouring onto the wooden tables like liquid gold.

He was here now. And that meant—

"Angin?"

Angin snapped to the voice, holding out a light blue boomerang to attack. Like every other Miraculous, this was his civilian weapon.

"You?" Angin spat, venom dripping in his voice. "Why the hell are you here? You're running away after trying to kill an innocent student? You're supposed to save people!"

Pyra looked taken aback. Not by his words, but by his presence. "You're—you're not supposed to be here," he emphasised. "How are you in here?"

"Do you know what happened to the guy you tried to kill?" Angin snapped, barely listening to him anymore. His body was shaking with rage, fuelled by his exhausted irritation. "Did you know you helped a murderer?"

"Yes! I know!" Pyra blurted, more defensive and desperate than anything. "He haunts me every night, okay? I regret what I did, but what can I do? He's after my blood, and I see him every fucking night!"

Angin's stance relaxed. "Explain."

Pyra's expression softened too, his posture easing. His shoulders were slumped, and he looked like he hadn't slept in a while.

"I know he's akumatized," he said. "I see him every time I sleep. He can enter minds, and he keeps showing up in mine." His expression turned bitter. "Why do you want to know any of this?"

"Why?" Angin repeated, fury returning. "WHY?" He threw the boomerang onto the wall out of anger. It spun and embedded itself into the wall, creating spiderweb-like cracks on the concrete. "Because you bloody DESERVE it! What's the use of feeling sorry after you helped ruin someone's life?!"

"Angin, please—"

Angin released a feral growl. "How do you know my name?"

To his surprise, the Miraculous user began to detransform before him. The faint, vertical glow phased through his head, his shoulders, to his toes.

And what Angin saw scarred him for life.

"Because it's me," Api croaked. There was a stream of tears running down his face, his entire body trembling in fear. "Angin, please. I—I didn't know any better."

Angin's body froze in shock and denial. He stared and stared at the familiar face behind him, yet there was no kwami. Ah, that's right—they're still in the paradox, which meant that he could be lying to him.

"No," Angin snapped, stepping backwards. "Stop using someone's face. It just makes you more of a coward."

"This is my face!" Api snapped, stepping forward to Angin's retreat. "I'm Api! I promise. We've been friends for years! Don't you remember that time when we first snuck out of school together? Where Tanah caught up with us and made us scrub toilets for a month?"

Angin's face was twisted between denial, horror, and disbelief. He could feel his back pressing onto the door, his hand scrambling for the knob to escape.

"You're Api," Angin said through gritted teeth, though it was airy. "You're—you're my best friend," he added, his body relaxing as he took in the information.

Api began to nod, a relieved expression phasing through his face, a smile slowly making its way up.

Angin's expression hardened. "Not anymore," he said bitterly.

He left the paradox and slammed the door behind him.

Chapter 21

Tanah would consider himself a calm individual. Just not when he was facing up against unforeseen dangers in the Miraculous side of the world.

Air's behaviour began to worry him, and it wasn't caused by Ais being a difficult kwami to manage. He glanced at Tanah more when he was doing his homework, clutched the edges of his shirt whenever they went to second floors or higher, and always pulled them away from any sight of heights.

The change in attitude didn't bring him any worries at first, but it was only when Tanah began to think back to the day where Air first died in his previous life.

He says he knows things from the past, didn't he? He said he asked Air, but it was worrisome. Some things are meant to stay hidden, and especially things like these.

For now, he would only observe, like how he always does.

"Tanah, look at that!" Air pulled at his shirt, pointing a finger at a tree.

Tanah glanced towards the direction he was looking at, and instantly understood why he was calling out this specific trunk. There was a door embedded in the bark, but there was no hinges. It was like it was a part of the tree.

He frowned, recalling its familiar powers. Pyra is here? But why?

Pulling Air's hand, he began to bring him somewhere safe. This was too abnormal to leave this alone, so finding a safe place where Air could be for now was essential.

"Tanah?" Air asked, looking up to him as Tanah looked for any benches. "Are you going to go in by yourself?"

Tanah turned to him, surprised. Though there shouldn't be much shock; his intentions were quite out in the open.

"Yeah, I am." Tanah came clean. He kept reminding himself no matter Air's age, he was still a wielder of one of the most powerful Miraculous there is. "It's too dangerous for you to come along."

Air frowned. "But I have Ais with me," he argued. "I want to be strong. So I can protect you!"

For a moment, Tanah felt his heart stop. God, please no. Still, he smiled at Air, kneeling down to him. "It's something personal, alright?" he said. "I promise to tell you what's happening."

Air needed to know about the situation. Push comes to shove, Air might have to join the line of fire, and Tanah would avoid that situation with everything he's got. He would push his own body to its limits, so the young child won't have to face the horrors of war and cruelty.

Though, the boy wasn't satisfied. The creates between his eyebrows grew deeper, visible irritation now showing prominently on his face.

"I'm going," he insisted.

Tanah tried not to bite his tongue. Like his previous incarnation, Air is indeed stubborn.

"Fine," he relented, putting a hand on his shoulder. "But if anything dangerous happens, you run the other way. Understood?"

Air didn't look too ecstatic on his escape plan, but he nodded. "Understood."

Tanah rose to his feet and braced himself to face the Monkey Miraculous user. Perhaps he would know who it was behind the mask this time around.

But before they could even get close, the door swung open, and was slammed shut. They saw Angin fume in a distance, his hands balled into fists as he stormed away from said door.

"Um," Air said, pointing a finger at Angin, "is that the bad guy?"

Tanah shook his head, in shock of the revelation of events. "No, no—he's a friend. On our side," he stammered, his eyes following Angin. Dear, he looked positively furious. "I wonder what happened. Give me a second."

He sprinted over to the Pegasus Miraculous user and caught him by a hand on the shoulder. Angin whirled around in surprise, caught between shock and anger, reaction simmering on whether he should yell at him or greet him.

Eventually, Angin snapped out of his stupor. "Tanah?" he demanded. "What're you doing here?"

"You came out of that door," Tanah said. "You saw Pyra?"

At the mention of the Miraculous user, Angin's expression faltered. Perhaps he wasn't ready to establish an emotional barrier about this subject.

"Did you?" Tanah pressed, frowning at Angin's emotional struggle.

Angin shook his head, but his eyes were firm on Tanah's.

"No," he deadpanned. "He hid himself from me. Must've thought I was some random kid."

Oh? Maybe Pyra doesn't know that only Miraculous users can enter his paradox.

Or Angin could be lying.

"Ah, you sure?" Tanah asked. "I was about to go in there myself."

"It—it's a waste of your time." Angin sighed, massaging his eyes. There were faint bruises under them. "I'll head back and catch some Zs."

"Okay, then bye."

"Ciaos."

When Tanah turned back to Air, the child was blinking innocently at their conversation.

"He's lying, you know?" Air said.

Tanah nodded, sighing in defeat. "Yes, yes, I know," he admitted, holding Air's hand. "But something must have happened. We'll respect his decision."

They didn't go in that door that day.

Little did they know, the accused Miraculous user was behind that very door, crumpled on the ground as he cried to himself over his broken life. There was no one out there to hear his distress, not even Nightsong and his akumas.

If they had opened that door, would things be different that way?

Chapter 22

Petir was someone that enjoyed silence. Even before he lost his life as a student in Celestium, before he was forced to leave Cahaya's side, the quietness was the only thing that would never fail to lift his spirits.

As Cahaya was back at school catching up on lost work, Petir hid in his room. The windows were closed and the curtains were shut, with the intention of hiding Petir there. Petir wasn't meant to be here. By common sense, he shouldn't even be allowed to roam around the city.

He sat on the floor cross-legged, his eyes dazed and lost in his own thoughts. For once, they no longer looked hollow, with the bits of life remaining in them as he reminisced his life before it all went to hell.

He had friends. He had status. He had a family. He had all he could ever want. Why did he fight so hard? Why did he study so long? What was the motivation that drove him to work to his very core? He wanted to feel like he belonged, but did he, in the end?

Of course not.

No matter how hard he tries, no matter how bright Cahaya's smile is, he always felt like an outsider, like he was someone that was about to fade in the blink of the eye. He enjoyed his time at Celestium, but he always felt like something was off.

There was always a question that ran in his mind. Am I supposed to be alive? That question remained unanswered up until now, where not even Nightsong could give him an answer, where even the villain couldn't find his drive for revenge or life.

Perhaps he's a lost cause. The only option out is to finally leave.

Petir sighed, turning to the innards of the room. There was a bookshelf by the left corner, with textbooks and files of past exams and notes, all written and marked by Cahaya. They were neatly compiled, colour-coded, and even arranged according to difficulty.

A faint smile appeared on his lips. Cahaya will always be Cahaya, no matter what.

His eyes eventually fell on the singular, white box at the bottom of the shelf. It was an odd placement, and it looked fairly new. There wasn't a speck of dust on the white coating, like it was polished every day. Curiosity drove him to move closer, to open it. It wasn't just Nightsong's influence on him; it was his own instinct.

Now only inches away, his gaze was fixated on the shade of pure white. It looked similarly to the shade of Cahaya's hero costume. His fingers moved around the sides, looking for an opening.

With a click, the top was pushed open like a jewellery box. The insides were silver, darker than white. It was almost empty, save for a smaller round box tucked away to a corner. It looked like a smaller version of the container it was placed in.

Petir put a hand on the smaller box, its cool surface itching his skin. His mouth twitched, sensing a familiar energy within the smooth exterior. The magic of a Miraculous. However, this one seemed to be erratic, disorganized, like the harmony of its strings of magic had been cut into pieces.

It was reduced to a formless screech of sorrow. Yet somehow, he was drawn towards it.

His fingers curled around the container to pick it up, then hold it delicately on his palm. He could sense something inside, something more unstable and dangerous than the other heroes he'd met so far.

Without hesitation, he opened that box. Its lid was attached to a side with a hinge, like a box made for a ring. But instead of a ring, there was a black choker inside, with a single red jewel embedded at the front, with small metal spikes around the leather.

So this is a Miraculous. A Miraculous that he's never seen before.

He looked closer. The dark didn't affect his vision. He could see cracks inside the jewel, almost hidden by its darkened colour by nature.

Beside it, like a glitch in a broken CD, a small form took shape in a miniature burst of fireworks. Unlike the other kwamis, its transformation was violently volatile, its form shifting between a kwami and a mass of energy.

Finally, a black figure took its place, though there were bright red cracks on its small figure, like it was falling apart like porcelain.

Petir's face tensed. Hali? he thought instinctively, panic rising to his stomach. His fear was soon squashed as he examined the kwami's features. Hali looked like a cheetah, but this looked like a panther. Tired and defeated, yes, but a panther nonetheless.

"I am Thunderstorm," the kwami introduced, its voice deep but feminine. "I am the kwami of the Panther. And you are?"

Petir sighed from his nose. "So, you're a broken Miraculous," he stated. "Why is that?"

Thunderstorm flinched and glared at him in return. Still, she answered him nonetheless. "I was severely damaged when a past Miraculous user fused the Owl Miraculous and me to give himself the capability to cheat death. He can reincarnate and leave whenever he pleases, but I'm stuck here, forgotten."

"Shouldn't such power be only created when one fuses the Cat and Owl Miraculous?" Petir argued. "The power to purify and the power to destroy."

"That's a lie," Thunderstorm spat, glaring at the box she used to reside in. "Is this what you've been told? I'm sure I've only been asleep for a year."

"I don't know when you went to sleep, but it's definitely not just a year," Petir said. There was no smile on his face now, only seriousness. "If it isn't the Cat and the Owl, then what is it? You and the Owl?"

Thunderstorm crossed her arms, somehow managing a murderous glare even as a chibi. "Obviously! The power of Reality and the power of Destruction! Who started replacing me with the damn cat?"

"The power of Reality?"

"Yes! I control the very fabric of the universe itself! See what I have been reduced to, by those accursed fakes!"

For one, Petir would be relieved. Because even if Nightsong landed his hands on both the Cat and the Owl Miraculous, the world wouldn't be over. For the next, if such a powerful Miraculous existed, at least once upon a time, he was glad that it's never been misused.

Because god knows what could change with just one wrong word in the story.

"But," Thunderstorm started, her voice softening as she casted her blood red eyes on him, mirroring his own, "I sense great anger in you. You're angry that your life brings nothing but destruction and pain to yourself and others."

Petir blinked, like he hadn't heard her. "What?"

"That's why I came out," she continued. "I refused to take form, even as the new Master said please. But I can tell that we're sharing the same pain. You can understand how I feel, and I can understand you. We're one in the same."

One in the same?

"Using my power would take a lot from you." Thunderstorm hovered by his face. "It would also bring you pain, misery, and even take your life. But I can free you from Gamma's control. You won't have to live in the darkness forever."

Gamma? So that's the name of the Bird Miraculous.

If he were still the Petir he used to be, the offer would be tempting. But now, he wasn't someone who should go by that name. He was somebody else; something else.

He was something that could not have anything to do with any Miraculous.

"I'll think about it." Petir smiled at her, though it was blank with no emotion. Still, he opened the choker's lock and wore it around his neck, the red jewel covered by his hood. It was almost unnoticeable without the piece of red—the black colour of the choker blending in with his skin.

He closed Thunderstorm's Miracle Box and put it back, then shut it and pushed it back to where it came from.

Yes, he would think about it.

Chapter 23

Api was an emotional wreck.

He laid on the carpeted floor, with nothing but a moist towel on him for warmth. The others around him were asleep and in the land of dreams, but his eyes were wide open.

There were bruises under his eyes, because he was afraid to sleep. He was once afraid of the nights, but now he was terrified of the day coming, too.

In just two weeks, he lost his brother and only friend. He'd pushed his brother away, and his friend resented him for who he was behind the scenes. Angin refused to affiliate with someone who had a hand in an attempt for blood.

If he was alone, he would scream. He would throw his pillows around and throw a tantrum, but he can't. He was always in a room full of people, but he always felt so alone. Most of the younger kids already started to hate him for hurting Air's feelings, while the older kids looked at him with disapproval. Nobody said anything to him, but he could feel their judgemental stares looking at him when he turned his back.

He swung his arm over his eyes, forcing himself to sleep. Perhaps tonight would be one where he wouldn't see those eyes of red. The same pair of eyes that haunted him even as the owner was laying for dead in a hospital bed.

He was not lucky at all.

When he reopened his eyes, he found himself in the world of ink-soup darkness, with only a platform of light that gave him footing. Instead of hiding, that demon stood right before him, only few feet away.

"Do me a favour," Api spat. "Go rot in hell."

Petir shrugged, his eyes rolling in thought. He was considering it? Damn his luck.

"I'm not here for social calling," Petir said as his expression turned dark. "I'm here to ask you a question."

Api raised his eyebrow, looking for any trace of a lie. Petir looked serious, like the person he used to be, but his body was relaxed, maybe even looser than before. It was like he'd been struggling against the current for so long, and it was time that he finally broke.

"Yeah?"

Petir looked him dead in the eye. "Do you want me to die?"

Silence.

Api stared at Petir, waiting for him to call it off as a joke, but he found none. His mouth twitched as he realized that the man across him was as serious as his face; the question that decided the life of another.

Did he want Petir to die? The one that was the source of all his nightmares. The one that caused his best friend to turn away from him. The one that ruined his reputation and future as a hero.

How could someone say no to a question like this? To finally get rid of their cause of pain?

His fists clenched by him, shaking with anger.

"Yes," he admitted, almost furious. "You're the reason I'm scared to sleep at night. You're why I lost everyone close to me."

Petir tilted his head, the crease between his brows gone. Instead, he looked relieved, like someone's finally said something he's been waiting to hear for ages.

"Okay then." He smiles, giving Api his hand. "I'll grant your wish."

Api stared at his bare palm. It was pure black, like the night sky. There were no blades hidden in the sleeve of his jacket. There was no poison laced in his nails. It was just Petir, giving a hand and displaying his vulnerability.

Api took it. His eyes widened as he felt the warmth of human skin. It wasn't the heat of a monster; it was the warmth of another human being. Someone whose heart was beating. Someone that breathed the same air as him.

Petir is human, just like him.

The platform Api stood on did not shatter. Instead, Petir pulled him from the circle of white and further into the darkness. When Api's feet stepped off the circle, he found himself back on the floor, his hand in someone else's.

"Let's go outside for this," Petir whispered, a hollow smile on his face. He pulled Api to his feet and led him outside, his hand never leaving his.

Somehow, they managed to slip past the nursemaids and the lock, that Petir destroyed silently with a glowing fingernail. They didn't go too far, just in an alleyway around the block. There, Petir finally released his hand, and brought himself to stand across Api.

"Thunderstorm," Petir said to no one but himself, "Run Wild."

To Api's horror, there was the similar flash that transformed the heroes to their signature forms. But instead of white, it was pitch black and red.

When Api looked again, Petir looked different.

His skin was no longer black, but instead, it was regular skin. His eyes were no longer red, restored to their chocolate brown. He looked like how he was supposed to look, before he was akumatized. Though his face was mostly covered by a black mask mostly seen in a masked ball, this was definitely Petir.

"What—" Api spluttered, backing against a wall. "You have a Miraculous—?"

Petir nodded, tilting his head. "For now, yes," he agreed. Despite his transformation back to human, his face was paler than usual, sweat rolling down his forehead. His hand was clutching his chest in pain, but he was still smiling.

Petir turned to Api. "You want me to die, do you not?"

Api was at a loss for words, his tongue tied from the shock. As he watched, a knife materialized in his hand. The blade was held between his fingers, but the handle was facing Api, as if inviting him to take it.

"What are you doing?" Api asked, almost desperate.

He thrust the handle into Api's hands. Api was forced to hold it, and Petir's hand clamped around Api's. He pointed the blade's end to his heart, looking into Api's eyes as he began to press down to draw blood.

"Granting your wish," he answered, giving him a smile. "But you see, I wanted to die as myself. Thunderstorm, Closed Grounds."

He detransformed in front of him, but there was no sign of any akuma anywhere. It was just Petir, in his own self, with human skin and eyes.

And that knife would cut through his chest.

"No," Api stammered, pulling back. "I don't want to do this!"

For the first time, Api saw Petir smile as who he was. Not a someone under Nightsong's control, not someone cold and distanced in class, but as who he was down to the very core, where everything he stood to be was stripped away to reveal his true self.

And that self is broken. Api could see it in his eyes.

"Once I'm gone, take the choker around my neck and give it to Angin," Petir continued, ignoring Api's words. "He'll understand what to do."

Angin? Why drag him into all of this?

Without warning, Petir pushed the knife into his own heart, with Api's hands still on the handle.

As Api fell to his knees with blood on his face, shell-shocked of what he just witnessed, he didn't catch the small figure outside the alley, witnessing the same event that Api just lived through.

Chapter 24

"What..." Cahaya stared at the empty Miracle Box in horror, his hands trembling as the empty box stared back at him. Solar was by his side, panicking and hooting all over, never once stopping to calm down. "When did this happen? I was sure it was here yesterday!"

As the Guardian, he was sure to check the Miracle Box every given day. It was his duty to ensure the safety of the Miraculous, even if there was only one left. Today, when he returned from his class late at night, he realized that Petir had disappeared, and the position of the box was shifted. Noting that the two odd occurrences might be connected, he immediately dove for the Miracle Box, which to his unfortunate surprise and expectation, and found the Cheetah Miraculous was gone.

Many possible scenarios went through his mind. Did one of Nightsong's minions break in and steal Thunderstorm and kidnap Petir? No, his room looked clean; and Petir would never leave without a fight. Did Petir decide on a walk outside and Thunderstorm wanted to see the outside world? Definitely not—she wouldn't even see her own friends. Did Thunderstorm possess Petir and use his body to get ice-cream? But why though?

OR DID THUNDERSTORM TURN HUMAN AND THEY FELL IN LOVE—

Cahaya slapped himself for that, while Solar turned to him in worry. Of all the masters he's had, he never had one that was delusional.

Cahaya frowned, the Miracle Box wide open in front of his crossed legs. He racked his brain trying to figure out what Petir was doing. He wanted to believe his akumatized friend that he's on the right side, since he'd told them valuable insight on how Nightsong's capabilities worked. He wanted to believe that Petir wasn't using him just to get closer to the Miraculous, but he could be wrong.

God, it hurt to think of the worst scenarios.

The question was: why would Petir take a broken Miraculous? Thunderstorm was unused for many reasons, as told by Solar and the other kwami. They spoke the topic with a sombre manner, casting pitied glances at the leader kwami: Gempa. But they turned to someone else as well, not just pity for the leader who's lost a comrade. He always noticed how Solar went quiet whenever they talked about it, even if he didn't realize that Cahaya was always attentive to their mindless conversations.

He could remember Gempa's warning as clear as day. The true nature to what will happen to Thunderstorm's wearers after one single transformation. Her power used to be invincible, stronger than the other kwamis in her own path. Now, as soon as one transformation is done, the wearer's life force and will to live will be leeched away like vampire, until the day they die. It was why Thunderstorm was locked away in the first place.

A kwami of creation, reduced to ashes; a kwami of power, becoming a vampire of life.

Now, that Petir was missing along with her... it worried him to his bone.

"Solar," Cahaya whispered, closing the Miracle Box, "Sunrise."

In the sky, Cahaya wasn't sure what he was looking for. He was wandering aimlessly under the night sky, looking for someone who doesn't like to be found. If Petir had something to do, he would be back by now; he's seen his speed first-hand. If it weren't for him confirming his suspicions before, he would have assumed that it was teleportation.

What would someone like Petir do? He had no idea. The one thing he liked about Petir was that he could never figure out what he was thinking, just like Petir can't figure him out. They were the two sides of the same coin, never seeing each other in the full picture. It made his life a but more unpredictable, and more interesting. Without Petir, everything to him was just another chess piece on the board, the happy ending of a child's show. Expected, calculated, and easily brushed past.

Cahaya refrained himself from screaming. He didn't want to reveal his night out to anyone below, and if Petir really intended on using the Cheetah Miraculous for misdeeds, then he would be alerted. He wasn't worried of his potential crimes, but rather Petir himself. He'd better not use the Miraculous, he thought warily, silver eyes squinting at every alleyway.

For minutes, he could find nothing. There was no crime, no busy street, only the silent night and the hum of the wind. Of all the nights Petir chose, it had to be the one where it was peaceful, where the people of the city could finally relax.

Though, Cahaya had a hope bubbling in his stomach, his instincts trusting Petir to do the right thing. Call him selfish, call him delusional, but he was glad Petir was out of his vision for a bit, and the fact that he had powers to defend himself was fantastic. Cahaya didn't have to look after him, because he could do it himself. Cahaya didn't need to worry over Petir; at least not anymore.

Sighing in exhaustion, Cahaya finally turned back to the direction of his dorm. Petir would be back soon. He knew it.