Rey didn't sleep much that night.
Not because he was scared.
Mostly because his brain refused to calm down.
He lay on his bed staring at the ceiling while the memory replayed again and again in his head.
His father.
The facility.
The container of silver light.
And the words that echoed the loudest:
"The shadow was never alone."
Rey groaned and rolled onto his side.
"…That's such a terrible sentence."
"…Why?" Luma asked softly.
Her voice sounded clearer now than before, like the memory had helped her stabilize somehow.
"Because," Rey muttered, "it means more problems later."
"…Oh."
Rey pulled the blanket over his shoulder.
"Also because my dad apparently left me a supernatural roommate."
The mark pulsed faintly.
"…Am I a bad roommate?"
Rey sighed.
"No."
He rubbed his eyes.
"You're actually the least stressful part of this whole situation."
There was a pause.
Then Luma asked something carefully.
"…Rey?"
"Yeah?"
"…What do people usually do in the morning?"
Rey blinked.
"You really don't know anything, do you?"
"…No."
Rey smirked slightly.
"Alright. Lesson one."
He sat up in bed.
"Humans wake up, complain about being tired, and then go eat something."
"…Why?"
"So we don't die."
"…That seems important."
"Very."
Morning sunlight pushed through the curtains.
Rey walked into the kitchen half-awake and grabbed a box of cereal.
Luma was unusually quiet.
Rey poured cereal into a bowl.
"You're quiet."
"…I'm thinking."
"That's either very good or very bad."
The mark flickered softly.
"…I'm trying to understand things."
Rey poured milk.
"Well, good luck."
He sat at the table and started eating.
After a moment Luma spoke again.
"…Rey."
"Yeah?"
"…Can you show me more?"
Rey raised an eyebrow.
"Show you what?"
"…Everything."
Rey nearly laughed.
"That's a lot."
"…I have time."
Rey leaned back in his chair.
He couldn't see Luma, but he could feel her presence now.
A gentle warmth in his arm.
Not controlling.
Just… there.
"Alright," he said.
"Lesson two."
He gestured around the room.
"This is a kitchen."
"…Kitchen."
"It's where humans make food."
"…Food is very important."
"You're catching on."
Later that morning Rey stepped outside.
The cool air felt refreshing.
Birds chirped somewhere in the trees nearby.
Luma immediately reacted.
"…What was that?"
"Birds."
"…Birds?"
"Flying animals."
There was a pause.
Then—
"…That's amazing."
Rey smiled slightly.
"You're very easy to impress."
"…Everything is new."
He walked down the sidewalk slowly.
His body still felt weak, but the fresh air helped.
"So what do you actually remember?" Rey asked.
"…Fragments."
"Like what?"
Luma hesitated.
Then a faint pulse moved through the mark.
"…Darkness."
Rey frowned slightly.
"…Pressure."
The glow dimmed.
"…And you."
Rey blinked.
"Me?"
"…Your mind was loud."
Rey laughed.
"That's not surprising."
"…But it was kind."
Rey didn't respond right away.
That was… an unexpected compliment.
After a moment he said quietly,
"Thanks."
Rey reached the small park near his house again.
The same place where Luma had first spoken.
He sat down on the bench.
"So," he said, "there's something we should talk about."
"…Okay."
"The thing my dad said."
The mark flickered slightly.
"…The others."
"Yeah."
Rey leaned forward, elbows on his knees.
"If the shadow wasn't the only one…"
He didn't finish the sentence.
He didn't need to.
Luma understood.
"…Then there might be more."
"Exactly."
The wind moved through the trees above them.
For a moment Rey felt the same tension he had during the battle in the facility.
But it faded quickly.
Because something had changed.
Before, he had been fighting alone.
Now he wasn't.
Luma spoke softly.
"…If they come…"
Rey looked down at the mark.
"…Yeah?"
The glow brightened slightly.
"…I will help you."
Rey smiled faintly.
"You don't even know how to help yet."
"…Then we will learn."
Rey leaned back on the bench.
"Fair enough."
For a few peaceful minutes they sat there.
Birds chirped.
Children laughed somewhere in the distance.
Normal life continued.
Then suddenly—
The mark flashed.
Bright.
Rey jolted upright.
"Whoa—"
A sharp pulse ran through his arm.
Not painful.
But strong.
"…Luma?"
Her voice sounded surprised.
"…That wasn't me."
Rey's stomach tightened.
"Then what was it?"
The mark glowed again.
But this time the light pointed somewhere.
A faint silver thread stretched outward.
Like a compass needle.
Leading somewhere far away.
Luma whispered quietly.
"…Something woke up."
Rey stood slowly.
"…You're kidding."
The silver thread trembled slightly.
Pointing toward the distant mountains.
The direction of the ruined facility.
Rey sighed.
"Well."
He cracked his neck.
"I guess normal life lasted about twelve hours."
Luma sounded apologetic.
"…I'm sorry."
Rey shook his head.
"Nah."
He started walking again.
"This time we're ready."
The mark glowed brighter.
And far away beneath the ruins…
Something old had finally opened its eyes.