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Instead of obeying Meena’s orders, Rayan should’ve left as soon as she mentioned the word murder. The fate of being a Grim Reaper against his will would've been better than being a monster who helped a witch kill seven people, even if they weren’t exactly innocent.
There was much he didn’t know about the supernatural world, but he knew one thing: you should run in the other direction if you saw a witch approach. They were the most cruel and power-hungry creatures. Meena might have taught him the spell to hide from Grim Reapers, but he was indebted to her, and she shackled him to a life he didn’t want, with no way out. And she took away his free will as assuredly as his father would’ve if he had forced Rayan to take his place in the Underworld. Was there really a difference between them?
After Meena and Zim left, Rayan wandered for a while. He couldn’t reach or find Sameer anywhere. People told him that his friend vanished not long after him, and no one knew where he went. Disheartened, Rayan ended up back at the nameless shop. Unsure of why he was there or what he hoped to achieve, he thought if anyone could help him, it was the old shopkeeper. Maybe he could help him find Sameer. Yet, he knew that wasn't a good idea, and he might inadvertently put his best friend in danger. Only if there was a way to ensure Sameer's safety. There he was, in a shop where no sane human would dare to set foot, and all he cared about was having one last hope. He wondered if the shop sold hope. The thought made him chuckle.
"Hello, how may I help you?" the shopkeeper said in his usual cheerful tone. He must have recognized Rayan because he added, "Ah, you’re back. I wondered." He left the sentence incomplete.
"Is there a way to ensure someone's safety against all supernatural creatures?" Rayan came straight to the point. After all, the shopkeeper wasn't a friend and wasn't there for chitchat.
"I wondered," the man repeated. Then, he took a deep breath and said, "Are you Rayan, by any chance?"
His unexpected query stunned Rayan into silence. The man observed him and waited patiently for his response, while Rayan collected himself. "Yes, but how do you know my name?"
"Ah, that explains so much. So much. I knew I had seen you somewhere, but I couldn't be sure. No wonder."
Rayan thought 'wonder' must be his favorite word of the day. Annoyed, he said, "You didn't answer me."
"Oh, yes. I apologize, young sir. You see, your friend was here looking for you. When I used my tools to locate you, I vaguely saw your face. Later you came to my shop. And I had a hunch, but it's not my place to get curious. I'm but a shopkeeper," he said with all the humility of the world. As if anyone would believe that.
"My friend, you say?" Rayan's eyes brightened, and a genuine smile adorned his face. "You mean Sameer?" Because who else could it be? He didn’t have many friends, and only one would be brave enough to look for him in a shop like this or go to the end of the world to find him.
"Yes, indeed."
Rayan couldn't believe his ears. Sameer hadn't forgotten him and even found the nameless shop searching for his whereabouts. The thought lightened his mood and strengthened his resolve to find and contact Sameer at once. He repeated his earlier query, and the shopkeeper told him about a talisman that would protect the wearer from anyone who approached with evil intent. Rayan bought it with what little money he had left. Thankfully, he had the foresight of getting some cash before leaving the house.
"I don't usually interfere with my customer's affairs, but if I may be so bold as to advise you, young man?" The shopkeeper looked at him cautiously, as if trying not to overstep.
"Yes, please." Rayan was no longer rude to him. After all, the man had given him the best news he had received in a long time—a ray of hope had finally appeared on the horizon of his dark life, and his mood had lifted.
"Your friend is now a Grim Reaper," the man stated plainly.
That startled Rayan into another stupor. The destiny he ran away from found Sameer. In his heart of hearts, he felt like it was his fault.
Not waiting for a response, the shopkeeper continued, "If you wish, I can summon him here for you. You don't need to go anywhere looking for him. I can smell the spell on you. You are hiding from Grim Reapers. Are you not? No wonder your friend couldn’t find you. And he tried. Oh, how he tried."
The shopkeeper was in an unusually chatty mood, but Rayan didn’t mind it. But then, his eyes widened in shock. There was something fishy about it, though. If the man could smell the magic why hadn't he said anything during Rayan's earlier visits when he came to purchase stuff for Meena? And why was he so eager to help now?
Ignoring Rayan’s silence, the shopkeeper kept talking. "Sameer won't be able to see you even if you find him. It's best if you meet him in my shop. What do you say?"
“Okay,” Rayan agreed. What other choice did he have? But he reminded himself to be on his guard. There was no reason to trust the shopkeeper, regardless of how harmless he appeared.
The shopkeeper led him to a room in his shop's basement. It was a bare room with white-washed walls and no windows. He told Rayan to wait in a corner while he chanted from a spell book, which he had brought down with him. A brilliant light blinded them for a mere second. And then Sameer was standing there. Looking stunned and disoriented.
Rayan took him in, and tears welled up in his eyes. Sameer was there. He couldn’t believe it. After all this time, he was seeing his friend and realizing how much he had been missed.
Sameer’s eyes must have adjusted to the room’s bright light. He gasped and rushed to engulf Rayan in a tight hug that seemed to go on forever. The gesture brought fresh tears to Rayan's eyes. The two friends didn't even notice it when the shopkeeper discretely left the room.
