"Why did you kill him?"
Maldo asked, staring at the huge man who had just fallen to the ground.
"He was annoying... and he deserved it," Luca replied, raising his hands in denial, as if absolving himself of wrongdoing.
Maldo contemplated his features for a moment, with a restless gaze, sighed quietly, then began to walk toward the exit as if his mind was preoccupied with thinking about what would happen next.
I didn't expect to be able to defeat that mass of muscle.
And if Luca hadn't intervened at the right moment, I would have been finished today.
Damn it! I need to hone my powers more, but first I have to figure out the issue with colors.
Luca interrupted his thoughts with his excessive movement, suddenly shrinking his body to the size of a small insect, then nimbly jumping onto Maldo's shoulder.
"What's on your mind?" Luca asked curiously, his small eyes shining with a sharpness disproportionate to his new size.
After hearing his voice, Maldo stopped walking for a moment and turned his face toward him, as if an idea had flashed into his mind. Perhaps Luca, with his experience, had the answer.
"Something strange is happening to me... I see everything clearly, but the colors... they disappear and reappear from person to person. I might see someone in their natural colors, while another appears only in dull, black and white. I don't understand why," he asked.
Luca remained silent for a few seconds, his small fingers patting Maldo's shoulder as if he were thinking seriously, which was unusual for him. Then he replied.
"Hmm... I see that it's a really strange problem! Actually, this is the first time I've heard of something like this.
But... I have a hunch, though I'm not sure about it, that you don't see people as they appear... but rather you see their intentions."
"Their intentions!" Maldo exclaimed.
"Yes, their intentions," Luca said calmly. "Let me explain further.
You see with your eyes, but it is your mind that interprets what you see based on how you feel about your surroundings.
For example, when you see someone with colors... it means you feel that they are peaceful. As for those without colors, it means that you feel they are dangerous or have bad intentions.
With each word, Maldo began to notice something strange in his surroundings. The colors that appeared and disappeared depending on the face. He realized that it was not just a glitch in his vision, but signals addressing him directly.
"What strange logic... I can hardly believe it," said Maldo, feeling a mixture of surprise and confusion.
Luca said nothing more and suddenly disappeared after sitting on Maldo's shoulder, leaving him alone with his thoughts. Maldo continued walking down the long corridor, each step echoing off the walls, until he reached his room.
He stopped at the door, his eyes gently taking in the scene: Sally sat quietly on the bed, holding a book in her hands, her eyes fixed on it with warmth.
She slowly raised her head and said in a soft voice.
"Maldo! I was looking for you."
Unconsciously, a slight smile appeared on Maldo's face, and his mind was filled with curiosity. "What are you holding in your hand?"
Sally held the book up enthusiastically.
"It's a book about the phoenix. Mr. Daniel gave it to me and told me to enjoy it with you... It's so beautiful! I've read it three times, and I'm still amazed every time by the little phoenix.
"Let me see," he said, and sat down next to her. He reached out and took the book.
He began to turn the pages slowly, contemplating the colorful illustrations, until his eyes fell on a phrase written in large, inspiring letters:
"I am not defeated, I am reborn and have become stronger.
I am not broken, I am reshaped.
I do not collapse, I blossom from the depths of pain."
He paused for a moment, his eyes glowing with concentration. The words of the phoenix were not just letters on paper, but a small flame burning inside him, stirring something deep within, making him feel a new strength gradually seeping into his heart and soul.
As soon as he turned the page, a carefully drawn picture of a phoenix appeared, its crimson colors sparkling on the paper as if it were alive.
He looked up at Sally with eyes wide with surprise:
"Is this what a phoenix looks like?"
"Yes." She nodded quietly.
"It looks like you... red, strong, and beautiful too," Maldo said lightly, his eyes contemplating the drawing.
Sally was flustered and caught a strand of her hair between her fingers, not expecting that comparison. Her cheeks quickly turned red and she stammered:
"Um... uh..."
Maldo contemplated her for a moment, then quietly closed the book, as if the words he had read were still echoing in his head.
Thoughts jostled inside him, then he asked in a low voice, as if the question came from deep within him:
"Sally... are you happy with this life?"
"Yes, it's wonderful," she replied energetically and asked him back, "What about you? Do you like it?"
"Me!" He couldn't answer right away. The answer was like a riddle with no solution. Then he said, "I don't have any feelings about life. It's just boring."
He paused for a moment and stared at her, then added, "But... I don't feel that boredom when I'm with you."
"Hmm, what a beautiful description, little one," Luca commented lightly without interfering.
Sally didn't comment on his words at first. She got out of bed and walked in front of him, then turned around and her bright smile lit up the room.
"I'm glad to hear that... I'm really happy to have met a wonderful friend like you, and that alone makes life more enjoyable, Maldo" she said to him.
She stood there beautifully, and Maldo felt a momentary breeze caress his body. Her smile filled him with a remarkable warmth.
"Okay... I like this girl," commented Luca, and this time he decided to intervene between them. He jumped off Maldo's shoulder, stretched his body, and regained his normal size and powerful aura.
Maldo's face showed signs of surprise. He didn't understand what he was up to until he heard Sally's voice.
"Wow, who is this handsome gentleman?" Sally said, pointing at Luca.
"You see him? You too?" Maldo asked in surprise. She was the first one other than him to see Luca.
Luca laughed sarcastically and waved his hand boastfully. "Of course you see me, I gave her permission to see me, you idiot."
"W-who is this?!" she said. She was overcome with astonishment. She moved closer to Luca and poked him with her finger to make sure he was real.
"This is... my friend," Maldo replied confidently.
He thought she would be scared, that she might recoil, that she might scream... but to his surprise, she suddenly smiled widely and said with childlike wonder,
"Amazing... you're wonderful!"
He was clearly delighted, enjoying her reaction.
When Maldo was sure she was enjoying herself, he stepped back and sat down again.
"Are you a demon? Or an angel? Tell me... Tell me about yourself, I want to know everything." Her curiosity was piqued and her questions began to flow one after another.
"I am Luca, the cursed black swan spirit. Would you like to be my friend, little lady?" He replied as if giving a theatrical performance:
"A spirit...? This is the first time I've seen a spirit. How wonderful," Sally muttered in a low but audible voice.
"Don't mind him, Sally. He may be a spirit, but he's a complete idiot," said Maldo, deliberately spoiling Luca's fun.
Luca gasped and disappeared from in front of Sally, reappearing in front of him and grumbling,
"I'm an idiot!?" He pointed at himself. "Say that again, you stubborn little girl," he said.
Then Sally's laughter echoed through the room. They turned to her, and she was laughing softly, covering her mouth with her hand.
"You guys are really funny. I'm lucky to have friends like you," said Sally.
Luca and Molda's faces were filled with satisfaction.
At that moment, Maldo heard the sound of boots approaching, stomping on the wood. He quickly turned to Luca.
"Footsteps are approaching," he said.
Luca nodded, his expression turning serious, while Sally didn't understand what was happening or why the atmosphere had suddenly become tense. She wanted to ask, but Maldo put his hand over her lips and whispered.
"Shhh! Someone's coming."