The Shadow will rule and The Shadow will kill. Who will save us when The Shadow demands blood? Who will save us when The Shadow takes our children? There is no one to stand for us, no one to protect us from the reaches of The Shadow. We are doomed. Offer your souls before the reaping, and avoid the suffering. Death awaits for us all, for the Earth is doomed. The Shadow rules.

-The words of a madman, 6 years after The Shadow came

He gave his soul to The Shadow only hours later

*****************************

The following morning, LuHan woke to hear SuHo and Chen arguing quietly over something in a book, Chen looking very passionate for the first time since LuHan had met him. Locking eyes with Chanyeol across the room, the tall boy rolled his eyes and grinned. "Books." He said in that deep voice, and LuHan had to laugh in agreement.

SuHo apparently heard Chanyeol's comment, though, and turned in irritation toward him. "Oh, what would you know about books, you big oaf?" Chanyeol's eyes widened as his mouth dropped open, but then he started right back in on SuHo.

LuHan had had enough of the silly arguing yesterday, so he simply stood with a sigh and left the room. He was at the point that he would rather wander the tunnels alone than listen to the endless insults and bickering.

He decided to head deeper into the tunnels, and after only a few moments saw a light ahead of him. Drawing closer to it, he could see the panda-eyed boy (whom he had discovered was named Tao) standing there, examining the insciptions on the walls. LuHan edged closer and could feel Tao's aura stiffen when he realized he wasn't alone. 

"Hi, Tao," he said quietly. "I'm LuHan."

Tao didn't answer, simply kept staring at the wall, so LuHan looked over his shoulder to see what was so interesting. Twelve symbols formed a ring on the wall, all connected yet all unique. LuHan recognized one of them as his own symbol of the Cat, so he could only guess that all of the symbols belonged to The Guardians. "Which one are you?" He asked, and reached out his hand to touch his symbol. "This is me... the Cat." He turned his head toward Tao to smile, but saw the cold look on the other boys face and paused, and before LuHan could regain his smile, Tao turned and walked away, headed deeper into the tunnels.

'What? What did I do? Why does everyone hate me?' LuHan wanted to scream, but kept his mouth shut and turned to head back into the main roon. No need to blow up and make them all hate him more. 

But seriously... was it too much to ask to just have someone, ANYONE, give him a chance?!?

Only hours later, another boy arrived, simply driving in the reminder that LuHan was an undesirable. Both the boy and his mentor reminded LuHan strongly of those kind of people who might smile to your face but happily stab you in the back, and that alone made LuHan a bit wary of them.