Siya had already stepped into the unknown with George, yet she had no true idea of how many trials still lay ahead of her. The path she had chosen was shrouded in uncertainty, but strangely, she felt no danger from George. Not even a faint instinct warned her that he could become a threat.
That very absence of fear was what led Siya to take him along.
Whether her decision was right or disastrously wrong—only time would reveal.
As the boat sliced through the dark waters, George broke the silence.
"You must have figured it out by now, Siya… where the island is."
Siya kept her eyes fixed on the horizon. "Yes. I know where it lies. The sea route is the safest. According to my calculations, we won't face much trouble."
George laughed softly, a sound that echoed oddly over the water. "Alright then."
Siya felt a flicker of confusion at his reaction, but she pushed it aside. Trusting her instincts, she moved forward—because turning back was no longer an option.
Far away, in a hidden sanctum wrapped in ancient energy, Ali's penance had finally come to an end. The Manipura Chakra within him awakened, blazing like a dormant sun that had suddenly remembered how to burn.
This time, it hadn't taken long.
The moment his chakra awakened, Ali spoke only one name.
"Boss…"
It was as if he already knew—Siya had left. Not for something small, but for something monumental.
His voice didn't fade into emptiness.
It reached her.
Even across impossible distances, Siya heard him.
She smiled faintly, her heart tightening. You're awake now… You must be worried.
Ali didn't stop calling out to her. "Boss, where are you?"
Andy rushed to his side the moment Ali opened his eyes and told him everything—what had happened during his meditation, the disturbances, the strange shifts in energy.
Ali's worry deepened.
"I'm going to her," Ali said firmly.
Andy hesitated. "Do you even know where she is?"
Ali closed his eyes. "No. But I can find out."
He slipped back into meditation, his consciousness expanding beyond physical limits. Within moments, his voice echoed once more.
"Boss… where are you? Answer me."
This time, Siya answered.
"I'm awake, Ali. And yes—your Manipura Chakra has fully awakened. Your powers have grown."
"Boss," Ali interrupted, urgency sharp in his voice, "where are you? And why did you go alone? I know you don't need anyone—but you could have taken me with you."
Siya exhaled slowly. "Ali, I'm very far now. And I'm not alone. George is with me."
Ali stiffened. "George?"
"Don't worry," Siya said calmly. "Trust me. I'll return soon. For now, you need to stay there and manage everything."
Her tone hardened. "Keep a close watch on Mann—don't let him lose control again. And Clara… especially Clara. She was possessed once. I suspect the influence may still be there. Don't let her leave her room. Tell Andy to keep his distance."
She paused, then added softly, "You must hold everything together until I return."
And then—Ali awakened.
Andy searched his face anxiously. "Did you reach her? Where is she? Is she safe?"
Ali nodded slowly. "She's safe. She didn't tell me where she is, but she promised she'll return soon. She wants us to stay here and control the situation. Clara might still be under influence—we have to be careful."
Both of them felt the same crushing weight.
They were not by her side.
Back on the boat, Siya noticed something unsettling.
As she finished speaking with Ali, she caught a glimpse of George's reflection in the water. There was a subtle smile on his face—too controlled, too knowing.
There was no anger in his eyes.
No cruelty.
And that terrified her more.
"You look… different," Siya said slowly.
In one swift movement, she pressed a knife against George's neck. "Who are you?" she demanded. "You're not George. The man I captured—you are not him."
George chuckled. "Of course I'm not," he said lightly. "What, you think I just fell from the sky and slipped into his body?"
Siya didn't smile. The knife pressed closer. "Does this look like a joke to you?"
She leaned in. "Tell me who you are. Or the consequences will be severe."
George opened his mouth to speak—
And the boat violently lurched.
The water roared.
George grabbed Siya and pulled her down just as something massive slammed into the boat.
They survived—barely.
When Siya looked up, her breath caught in her throat.
A serpent.
Not just a serpent—a colossal one. So vast that it seemed capable of swallowing the entire island whole.
"Why didn't you tell me about this?" Siya shouted.
George smirked. "You were so confident. I thought I'd let you taste the danger first."
Rage flared through her. "How do we survive this?"
"There's no time to think," George replied sharply. "If we came through the sky, it would've crushed us. Teleportation would've reduced our bodies to ash. You chose the only route with a one-percent survival chance."
He met her gaze. "This creature is the only thing capable of breaking the invisible shield around the island."
Siya clenched her fists.
"And now?" she asked.
George's voice dropped. "Now it depends on you."
"You can't die," he continued. "But I can."
Siya scoffed. "Since when can you die?"
"I may not die permanently," George said calmly, "but this thing will chew my body to pieces. And if my soul doesn't find a host within twenty-four hours—"
His eyes darkened. "I'll merge into your body. You know that, Mother."
Siya's expression hardened. "Good. One less monster in the world."
George laughed. "Nice joke. Now save me."
Before she could respond, the serpent struck again.
The boat shattered.
Siya hovered in the air, power radiating from her, eyes locked onto the beast. She didn't attack immediately. She needed its weakness.
Think, she told herself. Break the shield.
Her mind raced.
Vinegar.
She pulled out the container she had brought.
"I can confuse it," she muttered. "Spread this in the water. The smell will drive it away."
She pulled George out and tossed him the container. "Do it."
As the vinegar hit the water, the effect was immediate. The serpent recoiled, thrashing violently, retreating from the scent.
Siya seized the moment.
With all her strength, she struck its head.
The serpent roared in agony, crashing blindly—straight into the invisible shield.
The impact shattered it.
The island trembled.
A deep vibration surged through the ground, followed by a terrifying roar from within the island itself. In a single violent motion, the serpent was dragged under—gone in an instant.
Silence returned.
The path was open.
As Siya stepped onto the island, something felt wrong.
There was no danger.
No serpents.
No chaos.
Only greenery. Endless, breathtaking greenery.
It was peaceful—too peaceful.
The kind of silence that didn't calm you…
It erased noise itself.
George's voice echoed softly, "Strange, isn't it? No snakes. No guards. Nothing."
Siya stared ahead.
"What is the secret of this silence?" she whispered.
"A greater danger," she wondered, "or the calm before devastation?"
And with that unanswered question, she stepped deeper into the island—unaware that this quiet would soon scream louder than any war she had ever faced.