Chapter 80: The Devil's Smile
After the serpent Kharesh's gruesome death, Elara and Ariella returned to a village on its knees. Smoke drifted from broken rooftops, and ash clung to the faces of mourning families. The beast's rampage had left scars not only on buildings but deep within the hearts of those who survived. The girls worked tirelessly—bandaging wounds, calming frightened children, and clearing rubble.
It was only after nightfall, when exhaustion set in, that they both drifted into sleep. And that's when the Queens came.
Elara found herself standing in a clearing drenched in moonlight. A pool of black water stretched out before her, mist swirling around its edges.
From the depths, a figure began to rise.
"You must act quickly," the Blue Queen said, her voice laced with urgency. "He has awakened."
Ariella's vision mirrored Elara's—a figure rising from a swamp, dark magic clinging to him like a second skin.
"He walks among you," the White Queen warned. "His name… is Laxman."
Both girls awoke at the same time—hearts pounding.
"That name…" Elara whispered as she met Ariella by the gate. "Laxman. It was him."
Ariella's eyes widened. "The man from yesterday—the one who asked for the river…"
"He was so… beautiful. He smiled at us like he was just a visitor." Elara's voice trembled.
"But he's the shadow's helper," Ariella finished grimly.
Realization hit them like a storm. They had helped the enemy.
Without wasting time, they rushed to the river—and there he was.
Laxman stood waist-deep in the water, his eyes closed, as if savoring the cold. Mist clung to him like a lover. It was no coincidence—he had risen from a swamp, and now, soaked in the village river, he looked completely at ease.
He didn't turn when they arrived, but he spoke clearly. "I thought I'd get more time before you discovered me."
The bewitching smile he'd worn the day before was gone, replaced with something far more chilling.
"You need to leave," Elara said sharply.
"We know what you are," Ariella added.
Laxman finally turned, eyes gleaming. "Do you, now? Or do you just know what they told you?"
"You work for the shadow. That's all we need to know."
"If you stand in my way," he said with that eerie calm, "I will destroy you."
Before the girls could respond, another voice broke the tension.
"Wait!"
They turned to see Percy approaching, breathless and anxious.
"I've been looking for you," he said. "I want to help. Whatever the Master set loose—I want to fight against it."
Elara and Ariella exchanged glances. "You're sure about this?"
Percy nodded. "I regret everything… Not standing up to him sooner cost me Little 7 and Little 9. I can't ignore it anymore."
"You made the right choice," Elara said gently.
"But it's late," Percy said, pain etched across his face. "Too late."
Ariella hesitated, then said, "The Master… he's dead. The serpent killed him."
Percy's breath caught. "What! He's… dead?"
"Yes," Elara confirmed. "It wasn't pretty."
He shook his head slowly. "I knew he'd fall… but I didn't expect it to be this soon."
Behind them, Laxman slowly stepped out of the water, steam rising from his damp clothes. "How touching," he murmured mockingly. "But one person's fall only makes room for another, a better one."
The girls stood firm, glaring at him. He turned and disappeared back into the trees, vanishing without another word.
With Laxman gone, the three walked back toward the village. The weight of everything that had happened—and what was coming—weighed heavily on their minds.
"What does he even want?" Ariella asked.
"I mean… what does the shadow want?" Elara echoed. "If it sent Laxman, what's its goal?"
"We need answers," Percy muttered. "Before it's too late again."
That night, the Queens appeared once more—this time together in a shared vision.
"The shadow wants control," the Blue Queen said.
"Control over your village," the White Queen added. "The same goal the Master had."
The girls stared at the misty figures. "But… did the Master want control for himself?" Ariella asked. "Or was it always the shadow pulling the strings?"
The Queens didn't answer. They simply faded.
Elara and Ariella woke with that question burning in their minds. Who had truly wanted control? The Master… or the shadow behind him?
They didn't know. But one truth stood firm:
Whatever the shadow wanted, it would stop at nothing to get it—not even if it meant killing everyone in the process.