Though he said that he wouldn't look for Ari, the dark god can't stop himself from looking for her. However, finding her isn't easy. Soon, he realizes that she's not even in this world. Knowing full well that Ari can't do magic right now, he's even surer that someone is helping her.
"She's not even in this world," He grumbles to himself. Why would she talk about ending things? No matter what happens, she should never speak like that. He can't even think of a life without her. He gnashes his teeth. To think about ending things with him because of someone else? "Ending things? It will never happen."
But who is helping her? Adira frowns. Why is she like this toward him? He should have held onto her. He takes a deep breath and then, he paces around the room. Is she really going to end things with him?
Adira has never felt like this before. The thought of living his life without her again fills him with fear. He presses his hand on his chest. There's no way that he will let her go. However, her demand is too unreasonable. Why does she want to save something that can't be saved?
He walks to the window and looks at the sky. There are only two moons visible. Where did the third moon go? Adira creases his forehead and narrows his eyes. Is it Ril'Yah? He clenches his teeth. Is Mirinae behind this?
After a few minutes, Adira is glaring at two girls around eight-year-old. Raya and Riha hold each other's hand, shaking nervously under Adira's intense pressure. They couldn't refuse when the Dark God summoned them. Where is their mother?
"Where is my bride?" Adira asks them with a penetrating voice.
"We don't know." Raya tells him with a quivering voice, "We haven't seen her since the time she was taken away by the nameless creature."
Raya and Riha wince when the temperature of the room drops further. Adira fists his hand. They don't seem like they are telling a lie. But there's a missing moon. He has a feeling that Ari is with the third moon. "Where is your third sister?"
"She's missing." Riha doesn't dare to look at him. "She is not in this world right now."
Both Ari and Ril'Yah are gone at the same time. Adira lets out a frustrated sigh. Does Ari hate him now? If she starts hating him, what will he do? She's mad at him. How is he going to pacify her? He shouldn't have lost his temper back then.
A nameless creature who reminds her of him? What's similar between them?
Ari is too kind.
Isn't that one of the reasons why he loves her?
There's a knock on the door. Mogrok enters the hall. "Lord, there's a messenger from the kingdom of light."
Did Noras find Kresi already? Adira glances at the two sisters. "You can leave now."
In the next instant, the two moons are gone. A spiritual beast walks into the hall. It's an enormous bird made up of sparkling colourful light. Adira shakes his head, annoyed. Noras is such a show-off.
"Say it." The Dark God is already losing his patience, worried and frustrated. The colourful rays of light are adding to his annoyance. She's with someone else. That boy calls her sister. His face turns sour. Sister? Why does that boy call her sister? Couldn't it be a lady or something else? She can't have a brother or a lover. What if she leaves him for that boy?
She did leave him for that boy.
"I brought Kresi back." Noras' deep voice comes out of the bird's mouth. "She's in prison for now. I have sent the summon to everyone who has been involved with this case. The trial will start tomorrow morning. Don't be late."
The bird gives him a bow and leaves through the door.
"Kresi Mirin," Adira murmurs. He needs to have a talk with her. It's best if the sins are transferred back to Kresi before the trial begins.
When he arrives at Noras' Palace, he is informed that Noras is preparing for the trial. Ea and other goddesses are busy with something. He's invited to their gathering right away. After refusing the invitation, Adira pretends to leave the palace. He sneaks to the dungeon where Noras keeps his prisoner.
After walking through the maze, he reaches the last cell. As usual, Noras is using the same spell to lock the door. Adira has broken them countless times. In the past, the god of light would imprison any dark creature who had gone to the kingdom of light. Whenever the prison became full, Adira would come and free his people without having a discussion. That's probably one of the reasons why God Noras hates him.
Adira steps into the cell. The girl is sitting on the floor, leaning against the wall. She looks just like how Ari used to look before she died. It's irritating for him. Though their appearance is the same, they aren't same in any way. Her body is fully human, incapable of conducting ehr through her vessel. This must be the body that Noras gave her.
She opens her eyes. A snicker escapes her lips.
"Why are you laughing?" Adira questions her calmly. She used to be his harbinger once.
"I heard a lot about the Dark God." Kresi tilts her head, watching him with her golden eyes. "You look too human to me."
He used to be different. Adira stares at her. There was a time when those golden eyes used to be full of affection for him. Those were Ari's eyes. Why did Ari look at him with disappointment? Did he hurt her?
"You are here, but your mind is somewhere else." Kresi clicks her tongue. "Dark God, are you truly prepared for the trial tomorrow?"
"You should be worried," Adira says to her. He did want to ask why she was that cruel. Then, he has an inkling why Kresi became like this. "You were my harbinger. Tell me everything that happened that night. Don't leave any detail. I will do my best to help you."
After hearing that, Kresi bursts into laughter. Adira knits his brows. Did he make a joke? He's not in a good mood. If this mortal hadn't made such a mistake, that nameless creature wouldn't be here. His Ari wouldn't be mad at him. He releases his breath. "Don't test my patience, Kresi Mirin."
"I didn't expect the Dark God to be such a fool." Kresi jeers at him. "Of all the people, I thought that you would recognize my soul."
He studies her. Her soul? There aren't any previous life's memory in that soul. Did she never reincarnate before she was born as Kresi Mirin? She must be a new soul then. "I don't think that we have met before."
"Oh, we did." Kresi smiles at him darkly. "Dark God, I am Amara, your first wife."