Raksa Wangsa, Kirani's father, sensed the rebellion in his daughter's heart and began watching her closely.
He saw Kirani helping Sakya Kumara leave the house, but he let her do it because his instincts told him it was time for Kirani to find someone who could protect her, rather than continuing to live with him as fugitives without any clear destination.
Raksa had also sensed the dark aura carried by the members of the Red Lotus Sect, who had discovered the location of his current home.
"At least Kirani will be safe for now... She doesn't know how important she is to the continuation of human life in this Mortal World. I already suspected that the young man named Sakya Kumara was a powerful swordsman who had lost his strength. I hope he'll be able to protect Kirani someday," Raksa prayed.
Before Raksa could think any further, the door to his house was violently kicked in from outside.
Crash...!
"Raksa Wangsa... where have you hidden the Red Lotus Sect's relic?" asked Abimanyu Mangkubumi, the Demon Sword Swordsman.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Raksa replied curtly.
"Don't play dumb, Raksa! Hand over the relic your wife brought, and I'll spare your life," Abimanyu said.
"I'm curious who really killed Sahira. Was it you, or that Abinawa fellow...?" Raksa said sarcastically.
"Raksa...! Raksa...! You never learn from the past! Sahira belonged to the Red Lotus Sect, not to you!" Abimanyu shouted.
"Sahira was my wife... She was no longer a member of the Red Lotus Sect! What kind of sect would be cruel enough to kill one of its own pillars...? Or don't tell me you had feelings for Sahira too?" Raksa taunted him again.
"Stop talking so much! Show me the Red Lotus Sect's relic, and I'll spare your life!" Abimanyu shouted.
"Otherwise, don't blame this Demon Sword when it comes to rest against your neck..." he threatened.
"You damn demon... You have no place in the human world! Get out of this Mortal World. You and that demon Abinawa have no right to be here!" Raksa yelled.
Bam!
Abimanyu's kick landed squarely in Raksa's chest, sending him sprawling backward.
Raksa clutched his chest, which ached and felt constricted from Abimanyu's powerful kick.
"Quickly, tell me where you've hidden the Red Lotus Relic our leader wants!" Abimanyu demanded again.
"I'd rather die. That relic doesn't belong in your leader's hands!" Raksa challenged him.
"Very well... If that's what you want, I'll grant your wish," Abimanyu replied furiously.
The Demon Sword Swordsman immediately thrust his sword toward Raksa's chest. But Raksa Wangsa was no ordinary swordsman. He easily evaded Abimanyu's thrust.
In his prime, Raksa Wangsa had been famous as the Thunderfist Swordsman. His powerful hands could unleash techniques whose energy was strong enough to leave his opponents stunned and gravely wounded. His hands were also as hard as steel and could withstand a slash from even the sharpest sword.
"Is that all you've got, Demon Sword Swordsman?" Raksa Wangsa mocked.
Humiliated by Raksa Wangsa, Abimanyu flew into a rage and ordered the members of the Red Lotus Sect to gang up on him.
"Kill him!" he shouted at his men.
"Hahaha... What a coward... You have to gang up on me! Where's all that amazing skill of yours? Turns out you're nothing but a loser!" Raksa Wangsa taunted.
Raksa Wangsa continued insulting Abimanyu, whom he believed had played a part in his wife's death.
"How dare you insult me... you damn swordsman!" Abimanyu roared furiously.
"If you've got the guts, come face me yourself... Don't just rely on your men! You coward!" Raksa taunted again.
In the blink of an eye, every member of the Red Lotus Sect lay helpless on the ground, defeated by Raksa Wangsa's thunderfist strikes.
"The Red Lotus Sect's members are no match for me! Come on!" Raksa Wangsa challenged.
"You're truly impressive! No wonder Sahira chose you as her partner... But I have to kill you! What a shame...!" Abimanyu said, secretly admiring Raksa Wangsa's prowess.
After saving Sakya Kumara's life, Kirani intended to return to her home in the middle of the forest.
She hoped her father hadn't found out what she'd done. So she quickened her pace toward the house. If her father learned that she had taken Sakya Kumara out of the house, the young man's safety could be threatened, because her father would keep searching for him until he found him.
As she began approaching the house, she saw thick smoke billowing into the sky in the distance. The smoke was black, indicating that something large was burning.
Anxious feelings began to overtake Kirani, since theirs was the only house near this forest. She hoped it wasn't their only home that was burning.
Is Father all right? she wondered.
But the girl realized that her father couldn't possibly be all right, especially after everything they had been through.
The closer she got to the house, the clearer the thick smoke became. It was indeed coming from her home. The anxiety in her heart turned into panic.
Kirani ran as fast as she could toward the house, which had burned to the ground, searching for her father.
There was no sign of her father anywhere around the house.
She couldn't even find his body. If he had burned along with the house, there was no trace of him left.
Kirani lowered her head in despair and sat there silently, crying. She was all alone in this world now. Even after all this time, she still didn't know why they had to hide and keep moving from place to place.
Her father, the one she had hoped would explain everything, had now vanished without a trace. Everything remained a mystery to her until she could find her father again.