"The Moon Shines On Death..."

Absence

"Just hold it." Sidapa breathed.

"I'm scared. It looks so big."

"Well, it is big. Nothing I can do about that."

"And it's so black, and curved upwards. It just looks so... massive." Bulan complained.

"But I thought you said you could handle... my sword."

"I did. It's just, well it looks so different from what I was used to. I practiced with swords that are made of luminous materials, and indestructible alloy." Bulan stared at the sword in Sidapa's grasp.

"This death sword is of indestructible material too. But instead of light, it harnessed power from darkness. Just try it." Sidapa handed the weapon to Bulan.

Bulan turned the weapon over in his hands. He weilded it, and tried shifting it from one hand to the other. It had smoke emanating from it.

"It's so light, for something so big I really thought it would be heavy." Bulan was amazed.

"Now, strike me." Sidapa commanded, and a great big scythe appeared out of thin air and Sidapa assumed a defensive stance.

"Oh no, wait. We're not really doing this now are we, I mean shouldn't we... waaaiiiittt!!!"

Sidapa attacked, his moves so quick that Bulan almost got cut while moving away from the black tip of the scythe.

"Defend yourself. Use what I taught you. Show me what you've learned." Sidapa relentlessly advanced, cutting through the air with a swishing sound.

Bulan had no choice but to swing the death sword to defend himself. He alternated between stopping the scythe from hitting him, to hitting back.

They battled for quite some time, black smoke against black smoke. The weapons made defeaning sounds, high pitched and trilling.

Sidapa lunged forward, one final swish with his scyhte in a circular motion and Bulan's sword was yanked from his grasp. Sidapa aimed the blade of the scythe against Bulan's throat, rendering the moon god immobile.

"Show off!" Bulan grumbled.

"You did well. For someone who handled my sword the first time." Sidapa winked.

"You're just saying that." Bulan went to pick up the dark sword on the ground.

"No really. It seems I have nothing to worry about while I'm in the underworld. I think you can defend yourself pretty well now."

"You're leaving?" Bulan straightened, looking at Sidapa. A worried look on his boyish face.

"I am needed. There's quite a long line of newly departed that need to be screened before being granted entrance to either Sulad or Macca. The recent attacks of the night creatures have caused quite a number of casualties in the neighboring islands."

"I hate to point it out to you, but these are your creatures. They listen to you. You need to keep them in check." Bulan complained.

"Is the little one telling me how to run my business?"

"I'm just saying. These sudden rise in the number of deaths is caused mainly by creatures under your dominion." Bulan handed the sword back to Sidapa.

"I have asked Pandaki, my assistant, to review the events. I will dish out the necessary punishments. I leave the decission with Pandaki on whom to give a second life to. I do not wish to stay too long there... I want to be able to protect you."

"I am not a child. Our lives as gods cannot be measured by years like mortals. We age differently. I may look like a boy, but I am older by centuries than my looks. Besides, like you said, I can take care of myself. Thanks to your training." Bulan replied.

"Still, I do not want you climbing the sky in my absence. I wish for you to stay here at the shrouded mountain until I get back. Here take this, and use it. My sword, like everything else I possess is yours for the taking... my brilliant moon."

"I shall keep your sword... warm, in your absence. Come back to me soon, my black cloud."

"I will. I most certainly will." Sidapa promised, with a genuine smile.