Menedelia stood rooted on the spot. A bright smile appeared on her lips. "They're coming..." she told the guy silently.

And that was the moment Zero's knife hit Menedelia's stomach. ​​

"Arghhh..." Menedelia groaned at the impact of the stab.

"Double over. Make them believe that you're hit by my knife," he said. "How much time we got?" Zero whispered.

"A few seconds, bring the girl over here," Menedelia said. She bends down pretending that she was hit badly in the stomach and dropped on the floor dead.

Zero looked at the men. "I already killed her!" he informed them. "Nini, come here!" he commanded.

Nini rushed to his side. Zero grabbed her hand.

The leader of the men looked at the emotionless woman on the floor. "Go and check the woman if she's already dead! Two will guard the entrance of the portal!" he barked his orders.

The men moved swiftly to follow their leader's command.

Zero looked at the men guarding the portal. "Shiit!" he shouted profanities under his breath. Their drama will be revealed, and they will be killed any minute from now.

One of the men went to Menedelia's side and rolled her over. He inspected her stomach. "She's not hurt! She's still alive!" he shouted to his leader.

The guy didn't see it coming... with all the strength left in her body, Menedelia kicked him hard on the stomach sending him rolling into the edge. He finally lost his balance and fell into the murky water.

The leader was outrage. "Kill them all!" he ordered to his companions.

The two men guarding the portal rushed to the prisoners' location, ready to strike them with their mighty swords that magically appeared in their hands.

Nini and Zero rushed to Menedelia's side.

Zero gripped his knife tightly. He has no choice but to fight the men in hand-to-hand combat to the death!

Then suddenly... a ray of lights entered the portal and struck Menedelia on the head, she quickly grabbed Zero and Nini's clothes tightly. The ray of lights along with its three passengers exited the portal at lightning speed just in time before the portal closes completely.

The leader of the men wore a shocked expression on his face while staring at the area where the portal appeared earlier. "Where the hell those lights come from?" he asked aloud in confusion.

The other men jumped into the water to save their companion.

Then a guy wearing a silver cloak materialized in the center of the room.

The leader of the men dropped on the floor and kowtow. "I'm sorry, master because of my negligence the prisoners escaped!" he said.

The master smiled. "I saw what happened. Let them be... what is done is already done. There's always a next time. And no matter what they do, they can't escape my plan," he said calmly and disappeared from the area.

...

Back to Menedelia's house in the forest.

After she waked up from her nap, Rebecca saw no changes with the candle, it's still burning brightly. She let it be and exited the room.

She went to the kitchen and cooked something for lunch. After she finished cooking, she ate her food.

Done in the kitchen, she went back to Granny's room and sat on the chair. She continues staring at the candle for a long time, waiting for the result of her ritual.

Nothing happened!

The candle was still burning.

She released a deep sigh.

She looked at the three holes in the roof, pondering where the lights have gone to? Will they be able to locate Granny Menedelia's whereabouts? She hoped so!

She went to bed and lay her body down.

She's feeling sleepy. It's now time for her afternoon nap! She closed her eyes, preparing to sleep.

Suddenly...

THUD!

She heard the sound of something that fell and hit the ground outside the house.

When she glanced at the candle on the table, the flame already died.

She sits upright. "What's that sound!?" A frown appeared on her face.

She rose to her feet and exited the room. She rushed to the door, feeling apprehensive about what she will discover outside. Did an outsider successfully intruded on Granny's fortress?

She paused behind the closed door and took a peek at the hole in the wall.

Her eyes widened in surprise and shock. She saw Granny Menedelia lying on the ground along with two people!

She immediately opened the door and dashed outside.

She dropped to the ground beside her and put her head on her lap. "Granny! Granny! Wake up!" she said.

A few seconds later, Menedelia's eyelashes fluttered.

"Granny! Granny, can you hear me?" Rebecca repeated. She examined her body.

She saw no wound or signs of external injury. Huge relief washed over her.

Menedelia opened her eyes fully and smiled triumphantly after seeing Rebecca's face. "Child! You did it! You save me!" she said, grinning happily.

Rebecca smiled as tears of happiness appeared in her eyes. "You scared me! Where have you been!?" she asked.

"I was abducted together with these two people here by my side. Then the lights from the candle came to my rescue when we're about to die and brought us back here," Menedelia explained.

Rebecca's eyes darkened in anger after seeing the face of the guy who was about to kill her babies!

"Oh, why do you looked pissed!" Menedelia asked.

"Granny! This guy here threatened to kill my babies inside my tummy if he can't find you. He told me that you stole the ring from him. He was so angry that he's willing to kill the innocent babies in my tummy! Good thing that blinding light arrived in the nick of time and took him away!" Rebecca said between gritted teeth.

Menedelia glanced at the guy named Zero and at Nini. She was shaking her head a few times. "Please calm down, okay? I would kill him myself if he succeeded in killing the twins! But he didn't!" she said. "What else he had done to you while I'm away?" she asked.

Rebecca sighed. "He was trying to put a pill in my mouth that could abort the babies if you don't come back to return the ring!" she explained.

"Alright, help me to my feet. I need to enter the house and rest," Menedelia explained. "The sun is biting my skin!" she complained.

Rebecca helped Granny to her feet.

Menedelia was glad that she was able to stand on her two feet without any problem. "Great! I thought I have a broken hip bone!" she said.

"What are we going to do with them, Granny? And who is this girl?" Rebecca asked, her brows knitted together while looking at the girl that she'd never seen before.

"Ah, that one... it's a long story. I'll tell you everything about her. But first, help me transfer them under the shade of the tree over there. They will be protected from the sun rays there," Menedelia said.

Rebecca pouted angrily but obeyed Granny's order nonetheless.

They managed to settle the guy and the girl under the shade of the tree.

Rebecca looked at them. "Until when they are like this?" she asked.

"They will wake up after one hour," Menedelia answered. "Let's go to the house first. I need to lie down on my bed and take a long rest before I'll tell you everything," she said.

The women walked towards the house and entered the open door.

They reached the room.

Menedelia glanced at the candle on the table and smiled brightly, then she proceeds to the bed and lies down. "It's nice to be back home!" she said and looked at her charge. "Thank you for saving me, child. If you didn't execute the candle ritual and made an offering of your blood, I will be dead by now," she said. "How's the wound on your palm? Does it hurt?" she asked worriedly.

Rebecca shook her head. "Nah, this is nothing. I've been through a lot of pain compared to this small cut, Granny. So please stop worrying about my cut. You know that I will do anything to save you!" she said.

"Thank you again, child," Menedelia said, about to close her eyes but remembered the people outside. "Promise me not to hurt and kill the guy outside while I'm sleeping..." she said.

"But why?" Rebecca can't understand Granny's purpose of wanting to spare the guy's life. If she only knew that her twins were about to die in that guy's hands, she won't hesitate to kill him herself.

"Child, that guy had every opportunity to kill me and leave that place safe and free with the girl, but he didn't kill me, which means he is not entirely bad. I think he will only go ballistic or barbaric if he is angry or provoked. I'll tell you the rest of the story after I wake up, okay?" Menedelia said.

"Just tell me in a few words what exactly happened to you when you went missing?" Rebecca insisted.

Menedelia released a deep sigh. "The light abducted me, same with that guy named Zero. They imprisoned us in a strange place. Men came and throw knives at us, ordering us to kill each other within 24 hours. The one who remains alive after the deadline can take the girl out of that place through the portal. Within 24 hours, the guy didn't even try to kill me even if he already had the weapon in his hand, and he can easily defeat me in physical combat since we both lose our power there. If he is downright bad, he already killed me and left me alone there! But he didn't!" she elaborated further.

Rebecca took a deep breath. "And what is the story of the girl?" she asked.

"That girl was the owner of that amethyst ring! She was the baby that went missing 20 years ago! I already told you about the missing baby in the shop, right?" Menedelia reminded her.

"Yeah... I remember," Rebecca nodded her head. "So, the girl was imprisoned in that place for twenty years?" she asked.

"Yeah... that's right. So, can I take a rest now? Please?" Menedelia said.

Rebecca smiled. "Sleep well, Granny! And welcome home! Don't worry, I won't kill that guy," she assured her.

Menedelia closed her eyes and drifted into a deep slumber to allow her body to recuperate from her recent ordeal.

Rebecca didn't leave Granny's side until she heard her snoring soundly.

She went to the table, gathered the candle along with the paper and matchstick, and put them back in the cabinet.

Then she left the room and walked towards the door.

She opened her palm. Her dagger appeared in her hand. She's going to kill someone today for revenge!

She exited the house and walked towards the tree.