"Sir Alcy, Lady Lara—you're okay!"

  Luku hurried over, stopping short when he saw the family still locked in a tight embrace. Relief washed over his face, his shoulders finally easing as he took in the sight before him.

  Lara's face lit up at the sight of him. Still wrapped in her mother's arms, she leaned forward eagerly.

  "How is everyone!? Are they safe—did they make it!?"

  Luku smiled, the tension finally leaving him. "Yes. They all made it. No one got hurt."

  Alcy let out a breathy laugh, still held close by his mother. "See, Lara? What did I tell you—they can handle anything. That dude must be crying!"

  Luku shivered at the words, knowing exactly who Alcy meant. "W-well, actually—"

  Mr. Stone cut in, a quiet chuckle escaping him.

  "You kids are in for a shock."

  "Come now, sweetie," Mr. Stone said gently. "This isn't over yet. Let's not keep our savior waiting too long."

  Mrs. Stone, still wiping her tears, shook her head. "One—one more second!"

  Mr. Stone, Luku, and the children couldn't help but smile at the sight.

  "Well then," Mr. Stone said at last, indulgent. "I'll let you have your way. Come, Luku—let's join our honored guest inside."

  Luku smiled. "Right."

  He gave the siblings a small wave and followed behind Mr. Stone.

  "Mom..." Alcy started.

  "Hush, Alcy! Just let me," Mrs. Stone replied, still stubborn.

  Lara couldn't help but chuckle. "Oh, Mom—you're supposed to be the adult here."

  "You both will never understand," she said softly, lovingly, pulling them closer.

  "...Okay, my darlings," Mom said, her voice trembling as she took a steady breath. "Mom's okay now."

  She finally let them go, then leaned in and kissed each of them on the cheeks. "Oh, my kids are so brave... so strong," she said, trying to smile as she playfully pinched them.

  "Oh, Mom," Lara muttered, her face flushing.

  Then Mrs. Stone's eyes dropped to Lara's jacket.

  The dark bloodstains.

  She froze.

  This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  "Mom?" Alcy asked carefully.

  "Is that where you...?" Mrs. Stone whispered to Lara, her voice cracking as tears threatened to spill once more.

  "Who would do such a thing... to children?" she whispered, her voice shaking as she nearly broke into tears again.

  "Well..." Lara hesitated.

  Then Alcy spoke up instead. "That blue lady—the one walking with Sele just now... she was the one who did it."

  "What!?" Mrs. Stone gasped, shock flooding her face.

  In the next instant, she stood up and rushed toward the private room.

  "Mom, wait—what are you doing!?" Lara cried out, fear rising in her voice. She turned sharply to her brother. "Alcy, what's wrong with you!"

  The two siblings didn't wait another second—they ran after their mother.

  Everyone was seated at the table in heavy silence, waiting for the others to arrive.

  Sele sat to Muuey's right, relaxed but alert. Fei sat on his left, her posture stiff, eyes lowered yet watchful. Across from him, Mr. Stone sat straight-backed, hands folded, his expression unreadable.

  Luku and Gasilin stood on opposite sides of the table, silent sentinels.

  Then the door burst open.

  Mrs. Stone hurried in, her steps sharp and urgent.

  "Hey, honey, finally ready to—"

  Mr. Stone felt it then—the hostility in her movement, the sudden shift in the air—but he was too slow to react.

  Before he knew it—

  Slap.

  The sound cracked through the room.

  Mrs. Stone's hand had struck Fei's right cheek—clean, sharp, unforgiving.

  Everyone froze.

  For a split second, Fei didn't move.

  Then the color drained from her eyes, turning hollow, lifeless. Her composure shattered as killing intent poured out of her like a blade unsheathed. The air itself seemed to tighten as she slowly turned her face back toward Mrs. Stone.

  Fear rippled through the room.

  It wasn't like Muuey's presence—cold, crushing, absolute—but it was still enough to make hearts seize and breaths hitch. A raw, violent reminder settled over everyone present:

  Fei was not someone to be pushed around.

  By the time Fei's eyes met Mrs. Stone's, it was already too late for apologies.

  Yet even knowing she could be killed at any moment, Mrs. Stone did not step back. She stood her ground, jaw tight, eyes burning with grief and fury.

  Muuey did nothing.

  Sele merely watched, her expression unreadable.

  Gasilin was the closest—but even he wasn't fast enough.

  Lara and Alcy felt it instantly—the danger—but they were too far away to reach her in time.

  "No...!" Alcy's heart slammed in his chest as panic overtook him.

  She's going to kill Mom!

  The thought raced through his mind as he pushed forward, fighting against the seconds slipping away.

  "MOM!" Lara screamed, sprinting toward her.

  Mrs. Stone only turned her back slightly—and smiled at her. A small, gentle smile, as if to say she already knew.

  That it was over.

  Then came the sound.

  The sickening swish of flesh being cut open by a blade.

  Blood—warm, violent—splattered across Mrs. Stone's face.

  But it wasn't hers.

  As she turned in shock, she saw Fei.

  Fei was trembling, her body shaking violently from the pain tearing through her. Her expression was wrong—empty, disconnected from reality, as if her mind hadn't caught up to what had just happened. Her legs bent inward, struggling to keep her upright, barely holding her from collapsing onto the floor.

  Everyone—except Muuey and Sele—was frozen in shock at the sight of Fei's grotesque movements, her tongue hanging out unnaturally, her body twitching like something no longer fully human.

  Gasilin reacted instantly. He grabbed Mrs. Stone and pulled her back to her husband's side, shielding her. At the same time, Luku stepped in front of Lara and Alcy, his body blocking their view, refusing to let them see any more of the horror unfolding.

  "A-ah... ahh..." Fei tried to speak, but no real words came out—only broken sounds.

  Her legs finally gave way.

  She collapsed face-first onto the floor.

  The impact was brutal. The dull, sickening thud made it painfully clear—her nose, her teeth, shattered on contact.

  Mrs. Stone squeezed her eyes shut, unable to bear the sight any longer.

  "Fei just collapsed in a gruesome display of pain! What caused her body to react that way?"