While she was working, a card was gently pushed on her table.She looked up and saw an unfamiliar person that was smiling down at her. The girl had same uniform with her and so Sam thought that she was also a student of the academy.

"I'm Adeline, the student president "The girl introduced herself "We organized an acquaintance party for everyone. Here's your invitation"

"Thank you but I don't like parties," Sam said as she pushed back the card to the girl.

"Oh… but you should come. I mean everyone in the school is going to attend and it would be a pity if you're the only one whose not gonna show up" The girl announced, her tone was friendly and patient that Sam thought she meant no harm "Besides, this only happen once in a while. Don't worry it's going to be fun"

"I'll check my schedule" Sam simply answered politely.

"Great," She said before she stepped back and wave goodbye with the sweetest smile Sam had never seen "I'll look forward to see you there"

Sam glued her eyes back to her laptop after that while the girl turned her back and walked excitedly with a big smile of success. She walked in haste from the library to a cla.s.sroom where Sabina and her friends were waiting.

"So?" Sabina looked at Adeline and without waiting for her news, she asked "Did she took it?"

"She did" Adeline said seemingly proud of the fact that she made Sam took the bait.

"Good job" Sabina replied with an evil grin.

She had planned her next step very carefully and this time, she made sure Sam will regret having offended her. By then, she will be able to save her reputation and everyone will stop mocking at her. All she needed to do was made everyone realized that she was better than Sam and that Ziggy might be out of his mind to have replaced her with his bodyguard.

She still have the games under her control, doesn't she?

***

As agreed upon, Xhemin fetched the professor on their meeting place and escorted him back to Princess Song's household. They travelled by foot and on the path, they pa.s.sed upon a cliff that overlooked a tiny island that was surrounded by river water on one side and salt ocean water on the right. It was right in the center of the river, on the east end part of the island where the river water and salt water met. The tiny island was all covered in green that one cannot look through it, as if its big trees and thick lushes were covering the depths of it.

Interested and mesmerized by its mystery, Xhemin called Professor Owen's attention.

"Professor what is that island called?" She said, pointing a finger toward it.

Professor Owen's followed the direction of her finger and when his eyes landed on the island, he had s.h.i.+vers.

"That the Devil's Lure" Professor Owen's whispered to Xhemin and his expression suddenly turned dim.

"Devil's Lure?" Xhemin asked and her interest surged up instantly. "What do you mean by that?"

Professor Owens knew Xhemin's curious mind cannot be help so he decided to tell the girl some of the things he knew "You know every red moon here was dreaded by the villagers because something evil happens. Last red moon, a famine fell upon that killed all the livestock in the Agus village and in the Somer village"

"And what was the red moon's connection to that island?"

"The villagers believed that the evil creature dwells in there, they call it the devil's child" Professor Owens explained further.

"Devil's child?" Xhemin frowned.

"Yes, they call it with that. Some folks said that long ago, the first roux blooded came in this island and married one of the blue blood villagers which was against the sacred rules. Because of that, they were cursed by the highest G.o.d and the wife gave birth to a monster" The old professor continued narrating as they advanced on their journey and Xhemin followed him antic.i.p.ating more from his story.

"What happened next?"

"It was believed that the monster upon birth, possessed the greatest skilled warrior to protect him and so they were not able to kill the child. Many have died and so the Elders prayed to the Highest G.o.d for mercy and they were heard. As answer to their prayers, the Highest G.o.d put an invisible powerful bar to that island and the villagers imprisoned the devil's child there"

"And what about the red moon?" Xhemin added another question as she tried to patch up the professor's story together. "What is its connection with the devil's child?"

"They said that, the Highest G.o.d let loose of the Devil's child every red moon in order that the villagers will remember not to  break any sacred rule anymore" That was the end of Professor Owen's story.

"That story gave me chills suddenly" Xhemin said as she embraced herself, aware of how the hairs at the back of her neck stood.

"Well, I have never really believed it until every red moon" Professor Owens confessed.

"Does the famine really happen?"

"It does" The old man confirmed "Either it's the work of the devil or human nature. The only thing I can say is that everyone in this island do believed in such a horrible story"

Xhemin had a serious contemplation about the Professor's story after he narrated it. She herself wondered whether those were true or just some fict.i.tious story that had been pa.s.sed every generation. If was rather hard to believe but if the famine were true, who would be hideous enough to do such terrible things during red moons?