Chapter 5: Familiar Light

Arlo gulped as he looked cautiously at Abner's back. He had out of the blue felt an ominous feeling rising from his gut and traveling into his pounding heart.

However, all Arlo felt was confusion and skepticism. He did not understand what Abner had just said.

'What does "Pay back to those who gave you 'treats' with even 'sweeter treats'" even mean? Why do I get such a bad feeling from those simple words I don't even get?!' Arlo was nearly ripping his hair out from how hard he pulled at his green hair trying to make sense of all this with his smart brain. But of course he still didn't think of anything.

What he did get was strands of pulled out hair and a head-splitting headache from the overuse of his brain.

Unaware of Arlo's dilemma, Abner was still absorbed in his own emotions and the significance of the emblem on the second item that caught his attention.

It was the very same symbol he saw on the wrist of his assassinator before he died. A symbol he never saw before yet felt familiar with at the same time like he had seen it somewhere. Although there is a possibility that it could just be that man's tattoo, Abner was sure that was the emblem of the organization that man belonged to. There was a powerful gut feeling that told him so.

Reaching for the item, Abner took the palm-sized pendant etched with the symbol that might just be the clue he needed to find and get his revenge.

Ding ding ding dong dong dong!!

Suddenly a noisy disturbance ranged out from another pile of treasures in a corner of the large lair. Abner was snapped out of his thoughts while Arlo was also startled out of his conundrum. Both of their gazes converged onto one spot that abruptly stopped making a peep the moment the stares landed on it as if it knows it did something wrong. After which Abner turned his violet-purple eyes onto Arlo who had concurrently turned his head to look at Abner.

The two stared at each other in silence for a few seconds before Abner decided to speak, holding out the pendant towards Arlo, "Where did you steal this from?"

Arlo looked at Abner questioningly, wondering why Abner would suddenly ask him this. Then a light bulb went off in his head.

'He must have taken a fancy to it...But why does he want to know who I took it from? Does he want to rob more?' Just when Arlo thought he had found the answer to one of his questions, another question smacked him in the face right after. Reaching up, Arlo tenderly touched his cheek where he had felt the imaginary slap to his face.

"Ah...so painful~" Arlo sighed, making Abner look at him in confusion before shaking his head and asking once more to which Arlo had to take a while to think about. After all it's been such a long time now and it's not like Arlo would remember every one of the people he steals from.

Arlo tched in annoyance when he finally recalled where he got that pendant from. Just thinking about it infuriates him and makes one of his already healed wounds throb.

"How could I forget?! I nearly suffered a huge loss in the hands of this pendant's organization!" Arlo spewed out in frustration. He rubbed his green hair into a messy bird's nest before he added on, "Apparently that pendant belongs to one of their...higher-ups, it's suppose to be like their identification in that filthy and disgusting group." Arlo seriously despises those people, they nearly killed him for stealing such a flimsy piece of ornament! Who wouldn't hate someone who wants to kill them?!

"Do you know the organization's name?" Abner asked another question.

"Hmm, now that one I'm not quite sure. I didn't really bother to know what their little clique is called," Arlo paused for a moment and then thought over his words before he continued, "Well I did vow to never steal from those stingy, miserly jerks who can't even---"

Sadly before Arlo could finish swearing at those "cheap" men, Abner interrupted, "So what is their name?" Abner's expression at this time was hard and stiff, as if he was holding something back. His voice held a volcano ready to erupt yet he suppressed it down and kept his steady demeanor. His calm deep violet-purple eyes locked onto Arlo who at last continued.

"Mono...I think. I remembered so I wouldn't unintentionally take from them, and because it reminds me so much of my favorite word 'monopolize'." Arlo nodded his head to himself as he thought about monopolizing every precious treasures and items to himself, just thinking about it made him feel giddy with bliss.

Ignoring the creepy man in front of him, Abner rolled that name around on his tongue but he could swear to the Lord that he had never heard of this organization before. He wondered if they were newly established?

"To be honest, I hold grudges. Although I vowed to myself to never steal from them again. I did investigate them for a while 'til I lost interest," Arlo suddenly revealed. Going back to normal after that nauseating episode which he calls his haven-time with his expression serious for an unknown reason.

The usually easy-going Arlo lost his playfulness as he began to tell Abner everything he had found out about the Mono organization.

From selling women to brothels to kidnapping children to abusing and raping widows to turning ordinary citizens to slaves and selling them to all kinds of horrendous acts. They were like the devil's incarnation on earth, bringing chaos and destruction where they go. Yet for some reason they were never caught and the organization was not widely known either.

A great fire was lit in Abner's heart. It burned greater and greater, wilder and wilder the more he heard of their atrocities. His already pounding heart started racing within his heaving chest. Abner curled his hands into fists and tightened them increasingly.

If what Abner was going to do to that organization was for his personal revenge... now, things got more than just personal. It hit his sore spot. The one thing he can't tolerate the most is when people like them treat human lives like trash.

The more he thought about it, the heart his heart seems to beat. Faster. Faster. And faster. His heart seemed like it was about to explode!

That was when Abner started to realize that something was wrong. He clutched at the area around his heart, the fabric crinkled in his fist. Abner took deep breaths and tried to calm himself down, thinking that he got too agitated.

He inhaled and exhaled multiple times yet his heart continued to go faster, quicker, on and on and on. Abner gasped in pain, he truly felt as if his heart was about to explode.

Arlo seemed to realize that something was wrong with Abner as he watched him take in frantic breaths. But there was nothing Arlo could do for Abner who seemed to be in pain.

The beating of Abner's heart gradually became louder and louder until even Arlo could hear. Seeming to realize the cause of Abner's discomfort, Arlo asked, "Abner, does your heart hurt?"

Arlo was really nervous at this point in time. He couldn't help thinking if his friend was about to have a heart attack!

Although it is a pitiful and sad truth to admit, Arlo had never had a friend before Abner came along. He had always preferred to be by himself and even if he did want a friend, no one was willing. Who would want to be friends with a thief and get into trouble? Who would want rumors to spread about them being thieves too just because they have a thief friend? Who would even want to know him once he tells them he's a thief?

Even when Arlo had asked Abner to be friends with him for his life-saving grace saying that that was the only thing he could offer, Arlo understood that Abner is very likely to reject him. Not mentioning the fact that Abner knows he's a thief, Arlo had originally stole from Abner before!

So the truth is, Abner is Arlo's first ever friend—who Arlo seriously does not want to lose.

Thud!

Absorbed in his worrying thoughts, it was only when the sound of a body crashing into the floor was heard that Arlo snapped himself out of it. In shock, Arlo hurried over to where Abner had collapsed on to the cold, hard ground.

"Wha...what is this?! Abner...Abner, Abner, wake up, Abner!!" Arlo urgently shook Abner but he did not open his eyes. No matter what Arlo did to him, Abner did not respond---not even a pinky twitched. Not even when he was slapped.

On the other hand, Abner's consciousness had fallen into a deep and endless darkness that wrapped all around him as if to swallow him. He felt cold, his temperature dropping rapidly---which Arlo felt and was freaking out about.

It was like Abner was frozen in a millennia old ice that was bound to freeze his heart and his soul. Unlike what one would think, Abner wasn't scared. He felt not even a hint of fear in his conscious. As before the forever-frozen ice could start to grab hold of his life, another sensation was felt. The feeling a complete opposite to what was felt from the icy cold.

Warmth. It was as if the sun had been liquefied as streams of heat and warmth started to flood into his nerves and gently caressed his senses. It was comforting and familiar. As the light began to envelope him wholly, his feeling of familiarity intensified.

His conscious opened his eyes, revealing violet-purple pupils that shone brightly with light, as he finally remembered where he had felt this vivid sensation before.

It was when he was just reborn into his current body. It was at that time he had felt this comforting warmth surrounding him from head to toe. Abner wasn't sure if it was the effect of this light that allowed him to have his second chance, but he was certain that this light will not do him any harm. On the contrary, it will only benefit him as he could sense his physical body changing. His bones were strengthened, his veins were fortified, his skin became even smoother and resilient, his heart became stronger, and his mind became clearer and faster.

It was like the light was upgrading his current body. Even his soul became stronger. Abner could feel the resilience of his soul toughening.

Just like that Abner was lost in time as his conscious again blurred and shut off. Drowning in an ocean of warmth.