Rian stood there panting, holding a light sword that was slowly fading into starry fragments.
"D-did we... make it?" Rian asked incredulously, staring at both his hands.
"You succeeded in restoring ten percent of my power," Zephyrus replied proudly, stepping elegantly across the ruins. "Good job, Scratching Human. You did not disappoint me."
However, Eleanor did not smile. She gazed at the night sky, now filled with dozens of red points of light racing toward them.
"It's not over yet," Eleanor said coldly. "That aircraft was only the vanguard. The main fleet of the Dark Council has found this place's coordinates. This rental apartment is no longer safe."
Malakor leaped onto Eleanor's shoulder. "We have to go to the Shelter in the Northern Mountains right now."
Rian stared at his rental home, now flattened to the ground, with only the concrete floor and smoldering debris left behind. "My home... my date... my life..."
Mochi walked over to Rian, then gently patted Rian's pant leg with his paw.
"Don't be sad, Rian," Mochi said telepathically, his voice now sounding warmer.
"When all this is over, I'll raid the Astral Palace treasury and buy you a palace made of pure gold."
Rian gave a small laugh, then scooped Mochi into his arms. "Promise? And don't forget the fish crackers."
Eleanor raised her staff to open the Teleportation Gate. Silver light began to envelop all four of them.
"Brace yourselves. This trip might make you a little nauseous," Eleanor warned.
However, just before the silver gate closed completely, an invisible black needle shot at incredible speed from the darkness of the night, pierced through the teleportation light, and embedded itself right in the back of Rian's neck!
"Agh!" Rian winced softly, clutching his neck.
"Rian! What is it?!" Mochi asked in panic as their bodies began to disappear, swallowed by the light.
"I don't know... My neck suddenly got really cold..." Rian whispered, before his eyes abruptly turned white and his body collapsed unconscious within the teleportation vortex!
From behind the darkness of the ruins, a silver-masked woman slowly grinned while holding another poisoned needle.
"The Soul-Devouring Poison has taken effect... That Cat God will watch his beloved human slowly transform into a dark monster."
The scent of old teakwood and jasmine incense wafted out to greet me the moment I pushed open the rusty iron gate. The old joglo-style stilt house stood grand yet isolated at the edge of Desa Karang Ancam.
Its spacious yard was overgrown with a lush old banyan tree, blocking out most of the midday sunlight and leaving the surrounding atmosphere dim and cold.
"This place hasn't changed much," Kalindra murmured, floating slowly around the front yard. Her hand brushed over the wooden carvings on the joglo's pillars, which were covered in Ancient Javanese symbols.
"The presence of your grandparent is still very strong here."
I climbed the creaking wooden stairs. "My grandparent died two years ago... Why does it feel like someone still lives here?"
Kalindra didn't answer. She merely gestured for me to push open the front door, which turned out to be unlocked.
Creeeak...
The thick wooden door opened slowly, revealing a spacious, dim living room. A thin layer of dust coated the antique wooden furniture, yet strangely, two cups of tea were still steaming on the table in the center, beside an incense holder whose smoke continued to curl gently upward.
My heart began pounding. "Kalindra... what's that? Who made the tea?"
"Not a human," Kalindra replied curtly. Her eyes narrowed as she stared at the darkest corner of the room.