The fire still blazed wildly, rising high before the man. His face was cold, emotionless, yet something trembled deep within him. The incantation he had just uttered felt heavy on his tongue—a reminder of the power he possessed but rarely used.
"Ah… so I've used it again. Nagini will be furious," he muttered, more to himself than anyone else. His gaze remained fixed on the flames devouring the body of the creature that had tried to stop him.
*************
Elsewhere, Rika carried Arya's unconscious body in her arms. Her breath came in ragged gasps, every step weighed down with exhaustion. Blood dripped from a small wound on her temple, but she kept walking.
"Hold on…" she whispered softly, almost like a prayer. But before she could take another step, a cold voice slipped in behind her.
"I've finally found you, little girl," Nagini said, her voice like a sharp blade cutting through the air.
Rika staggered backward, her eyes immediately locking onto the woman in the red dress with a gaze full of menace. She tried to stand tall, even as her knees trembled.
"What are you doing? I'm trying to help him, you know?" Rika tried to sound defiant, but her voice shook.
Nagini looked at her sharply. "And what exactly do you think you can do?" she asked, dripping with mockery.
Rika clenched her fists. "No matter what, I have to get him to Mother. She'll know how to save him. Don't get in my way!" Her voice cracked, full of anger and desperation.
Nagini furrowed her brow. "Mother? Who are you talking about?" she asked skeptically.
Rika stared at her intently, tears welling in her eyes. "Don't get in my way! I've already lost too much. I don't want to lose anyone else!" she screamed, her voice shattering the silence.
But Nagini was unmoved. With lightning speed, she struck Rika, sending her body crashing hard against the wall. Rika crumpled to the ground, blood trickling from the corner of her lip.
"Enough of this drama. You don't even know who you are," Nagini said coldly. But before she could continue, a faint voice escaped Rika's lips.
"I don't care who I am. All I know is that I have to save him. If you want to stop me, then I'll fight you," Rika said, her voice trembling but full of resolve.
Nagini smiled cynically. "Try it, little girl. But I'm warning you—I won't hold back."
The fight began. Rika tried to attack, but every punch missed, every kick meant nothing. Nagini moved like the wind, dodging with ease. Until finally, something within Rika shifted.
The golden-yellow color of her eyes turned blazing red. The voice that came from her lips was no longer Rika's.
"Stop bothering me," she said, her tone sounding like two voices layered over each other.
Nagini narrowed her eyes. "There you are at last," she murmured. "But I'm sorry—I won't back down. I'll destroy you, along with all your puppets."
Their battle reignited, fiercer than before. This time, Rika was able to use magic she had never possessed before. Explosion after explosion echoed through the air, shaking the city. But even though Rika had grown far stronger, Nagini still held the upper hand. Until finally, Rika collapsed, her body unable to move any longer.
Nagini stepped closer. "This ends here," she said coldly. She drew a keris from behind her sash, ready to finish it all. But as she approached Rika, a flash of memory crossed her mind. Rika's life unfolded before her like pages of a book being turned one by one.
Nagini saw a little girl who smiled even when treated cruelly. She saw Rika's struggles, her pain, and the kindness in her heart that had never faded. Tears streamed from Nagini's eyes without her realizing it.
"Liar of a mother," Rika murmured, her voice weak, barely audible. But those words pierced Nagini's heart like a dagger.
Nagini looked up, holding back her tears. The image of her first master crossed her mind. She remembered a promise she had once made—a promise she had held onto tightly even as time kept passing.
"Leave this place," Nagini said suddenly. Her voice sounded tired, but firm. "Take the human child to the great tree in the center of the city. Don't take him anywhere else."
Rika stared at her in confusion, but she didn't argue. With what little strength she had left, she began to lift Arya's body. Her steps were unsteady, but she kept moving forward. Before she went too far, she turned back.
"Thank you," she said softly, with a gentle smile so sincere it was almost painful.
Nagini stood frozen. Her hardened heart began to soften. Rika's gaze and smile reminded her of a past she had long buried.
"Was what I did right, my Lord?" she whispered in her heart, watching Rika's back slowly disappear into the fog.