Prologue

Year 2004

Luna's P.O.V

We are three siblings that Mama supported because our youngest sister was just a baby when our father left us. And because of the difficulty of life, my twin Mara and I were forced to stop studying.

Our mother is always at work, so my twin and I also watch and take care of our youngest brother who is only two years old.

Sometimes I just cry because of our situation, but there is nothing we can do but move on and wait for the miracle that everything will be alright.

But I still can't avoid being choked in this kind of life. At a young age, I feel like I'm carrying the world.

How did my life end up like this? I'm suffocated and can't breathe whenever I'm inside our house. I feel like I'm locked in a cage with no way out.

Add to that the inexplicable things my twin does to me. My twin sister always locked me in the house, forbidding me to go out. Especially to talk to other people. She always told me not to trust anyone.

That's why I have no friends and no one wants to try to make friends with me.

They are just afraid of Mara.

We were only eight years old when they noticed that there was something different about my twin... She also insists that we are one, that I am her and she is me.

Her actions, and the way she thinks, are like an unusual kid. The way she talks- it's like she's been living for a long time.

She also always dictated to me everything that I should do- prohibited me from many things. And acting like my mother. 

When I leave the house, she always follows me.

I often don't understand her, she keeps saying things that I don't understand. Inevitably, it made me think that my twin might be going crazy.

"Where are you going again? Didn't I tell you it's dangerous out there?!" Mara said emphatically.

I took a deep breath and threw my bag on the rattan chair. "Do you see the sunlight shining brightly? You're so paranoid again! Nothing bad will happen to me and one more thing, I can handle myself because I'm not a child anymore! Mara!."

Mara ignored what I said. She grabbed my arm tightly and tried to pull me to our room "Let go of me, Mara!" I screamed and struggled as my twin held me tight "I'm not an 8-year-old kid for you to dictate to me what to do! I can decide for myself!."

"I just don't want you to get hurt!" Mara said.

"You are already hurting me! You're choking me!" I said emphatically.

"Alright! Go away!... Don't blame me if something bad happens to you or to the family anyway!" she replied.

I bit my lip when I saw Mara's sharp look at me. I couldn't help but feel bad for what she was doing to me. My mind was so confused. I want to understand her but no matter how hard I try, I still can't... because she is so hard to reach and to understand.

"Tell me the truth?!... Who are you really?" I said weakly.

Mara was stunned by my question and immediately looked away "What kind of question is that" she said.

"Because I feel like I don't know you, Mara! When will we get along? Huh? When will we understand each other? And when will this madness of yours end?!—"

"Sister? Are you and sister Mara fighting?" That's Raven, our youngest sister.

I immediately wiped my cheek. I didn't immediately realize that I was already crying "N-no, Raven. I just want to go to bed, Mara was just helping me." I said then faked a smile.

"Alright, eat before you go to sleep, okay?" Mara said then immediately pulled me into our room.

"What? Let me go! you're hurting me!" I spoke weakly because Raven might hear us.

Mara immediately let go of me... I saw her take a deep breath and sadly look at the window covered with a cloth. "Do you see that?!"

"What? The prison you made for me?" I bitterly said.

"I didn't make a prison for you, I made one for myself," Mara said bitterly and looked at me sadly "I actually gave you a safe place, Luna. But you can't see that because you sealed it there in your mind I'm strangling you!."

"Why? Isn't it?" I replied.

"You don't understand me, Luna—"

"I don't understand you because you don't make me understand, Mara! Why are you acting like this? Huh?" I cut off what else she had to say.

"Remember when I took you to the Hospital?- that was the first time I tried to start making you understand the extraordinary life we have!" Said Mara and I felt even more annoyed with her.

"You took me there and introduced me to that old woman- and she was claiming that she was your sister in your past life!!. T*ngina! Do you think I'm going to believe that lies? Mara?!" I exclaimed and grabbed my senses "You even claim that we are one!, that I am you, and you are me?!. How many more lies are you trying to make me believe Mara? Because I am sick of this! I am sick of trying to understand you!."

Mara's face lost all emotion and looked at me coldly "Maybe so- I just hope you understand me. Or maybe you will only learn to understand me when one of us is hurt and regrets will start hunting you."

I started sobbing and the tears I had been holding back started to fall. "Wake up Mara- no one will hurt me- us?!"

"You don't know the danger that awaits you outside... You don't know how much they want us to die, Luna... Do you think I want to lock you up?! I want you to be free too- want I wish I could own the curse we have... But it's not possible! Because we share the same soul- that's why we share the same curse... I hope you learn to believe me so that you can understand I was just trying to protect you!- but if you're really stubborn and still want to go out- there's nothing I can do but I didn't fail to remind you."

Why does it seem like I'm the stubborn one, that I'm the one who went down the wrong path?- She always leaves me confused and I always seem to be in the wrong. 

All I want is for us to have a relationship similar to others. A normal sibling relationship. But she always makes everything complicated and difficult.

Suddenly the bedroom door opened and I saw our mother worriedly looking at us.

"Are you guys fighting again? I just got home from work and this is what I'm going to see again? When are you two going to make up?"

"We're not fighting Ma. We're just... talking" Mara answered immediately.

My fist clenched, I was fed up with the lies in this house. "I'm done!- I can't take it anymore. Life is already hard, and you all make my life even more miserable."

I wiped the tears from my cheeks and ran away out of the house without saying a word. I heard their voices shouting my name but I couldn't look back anymore. 

Mara still followed me and so did my mother. "Luna! Come back!" My mom shouted.

"It's getting late, it's more dangerous now that we're outside. We have to go back!" Mara added, but I still didn't pay attention to them.

I stopped running when a man blocked me. It's a bit fat and not high. Maybe he's in the '40s.

"Luna! Get away from him!!" Mara shouted.

I can't control my hand, my hand and arm are shaking. I can't run or even step back- what is this?

"Luna, my child!" I heard Mama scream.

I fell from my position when Mara pushed me.

I didn't notice that the man was already holding a knife that had been hidden behind him.

"Run, Luna!" Mara said as she held the man's hand to prevent him from hurting us.

Mama held me by the arm and that's where I got the strength to stand up. I wanted to help Mara but my hand still didn't stop from trembling.

While I see Mama and Mara fighting over the man with a knife, I feel scared and don't know what to do.

"Mara!!" I screamed as the man kicked my twin, which caused her to be thrown away.

"Don't hurt my children!" Our Mother screamed but the man was too strong. The blade aimed at the sky- with the man's other hand... it pulled our Mother's arm with all his strength causing her to lose her balance and be unable to dodge its attack.

His blade... pierced our Mother's body. "Mom!! No!" I was about to run to our mother when Mara grabbed me by the arm to stop me.

"We have to run! Luna! You can't be injured- our lives will be in greater danger not only at his hands" Mara uttered.

"Run!" our Mother shouted who was tightly clinging to the man so that he could not come near us.

"We can't leave you-"

"Just listen to me now!! We'll all die if we don't run!" Mara tried to pull me but I couldn't leave mom... I can't leave her like that!.

"Mom!!" Mom's body fell on the road floor and completely lost consciousness.

"The smell of your souls is familiar!- so you are reincarnated as a woman, so beautiful!" The man's voice was deep and hair-raising.

Third P.O.V

They ran a long way around but the man still didn't stop chasing them.

As Mara stopped running and just sat down "Run now" she said weakly.

"I won't leave you here, Mara" Luna was sobbing and trying to stand up her twin. "Please get up!- he's so close to us!" Luna begged her twin sister.

Mara shook her head and opened her palm "I was injured while fighting him. They will follow us no matter what we do running. So run away Luna. At least one of us will survive.

"This is not the time for that! We have to run while there is still time" Luna was wailing and begging but Mara was ready to sacrifice herself.

They are being chased by an unusual person. And Mara was aware of it. No matter what they do running it will find and find them. Because the blood flowing through their bodies is phoenix blood.

Luna's hand trembled signaling that a reincarnated monster was just around the corner.

Luna has the ability to feel danger from monsters, demons, or those reincarnated as humans, but she was just not aware of it because she chose not to believe her sister.

"Hide!" Mara shouted then pushed her sister away.

Luna had no choice but to hide among the nearby tall trees. She covered her mouth tightly with her palm. The presence of the reincarnated monster made her hand tremble even more.

While Mara bravely faced the man, even if he was the cause of her death.

The man smiled and slowly closed his eyes as he inhaled the scent of Mara's blood "As fragrant as a rose" he whispered.

Mara sighed audibly and fixed her intense gaze on the man. Even though she knows she has little chance of success, she nevertheless intends to fight while the creatures are not yet coming after her fragrant blood. 

Any monsters who drank her blood would gain uncanny strength, which would undoubtedly be extremely harmful to Luna, her twin sister.

"Let's end this bullsh*t" Mara exclaimed.

When the man started to attack, Mara immediately bent down and hit the man's thigh hard with her elbow causing him to kneel. He was immediately able to stand up despite being trampled by her. 

"Ahhh!!" Mara screamed in pain as the knife stabbed near her heart. Holding her breath she pulled it out then wrapped her thigh and arm from behind the man and quickly plunged the knife into his heart.

Mara lay weakly on the floor of the road while catching her breath. "I never expected to die like this," she murmured.

"Mara!!" Luna said while sobbing and gently caressing her twin's cheek.

"I'm sorry," Mara stammered.

"I should be the one who says sorry... it's my fault, if only I had listened to you... this wouldn't have happened" Luna said. 

Luna was full of regret for what had happened.

Her stupid action brought them in great danger. 

"No, Luna. I messed everything up, I made this decision. I chose to take this curse that brought me, us, endless damnation and tragic death" Mara said huskily.

"Huh? What are you talking about?... I'm going to ask for help, we need someone to take you to the Hospital" Luna said and was about to stand up when Mara stopped her

"Don't... they will only be in danger by helping me... At any time someone like that man will come again and kill us" Mara said and stared at her sister intently "For the last time, please, listen to me. Everything I told you is true. You and I are one. We share the same soul and split into different bodies... I remember our past lives while you were carefree and the holder of the blue flame."

Luna was even more confused by Mara's words. She didn't know how she should respond to what she said. "I still don't understand you" was the only word she said.

"They are not just a myth or legend Luna... they are real... Many monsters and demons want to kill us because we share the same soul with a twin curse. They will not stop until we are killed... And now listen to me, The scent of my blood has spread and our situation will be more dangerous... so before they come, you have to run and hide." Mara added that she was having a hard time speaking because she had lost a lot of blood.

"I can't leave you like this," Luna uttered.

"I c-can't take it a-anymore, Luna. Run away with Raven and protect her from danger" Mara stammered while gasping for breath.

"No, don't leave me, Mara. I can't do this alone, please" Luna begged.

"I will not leave you, silly... I will always be there because I am your other half... We will finally be one... Now, run away with Raven and find your twin flame... he will be the answer to all your questions. Find the phoenix and he will save you from destruction" Mara said as her eyes slowly closed lost consciousness.

"No!!" Luna's hands are shaking while carefully touching her sister's cheek.

She screamed while hugging her twin's body "I'm s-sorry!, I messed up everything!... it's my fault that you're in this situation, please wake up Mara?!. We'll get Mama back! Mara !!!."