[Luminous Cosmos, Apostle HQ]
Saurav stared at the files in his hands, his eyes scanning the pages with razor-sharp focus while he took a careful sip of his coffee.
"Yo!" Luv's voice boomed as the door flew open with a bang.
Saurav choked, sputtering coffee everywhere. He snatched a napkin, wiping his face furiously while shooting daggers at the grinning intruder. "Why—" he growled through clenched teeth, "—do you always show up without notice or an appointment?!"
"I've known a lot of Presidents," Luv said with a lazy shrug, leaning against the doorframe. "And you? You're by far the angriest of them all."
"Don't act like you know them," Saurav snapped, adjusting his tie with sharp, irritable tugs. "You only have the memories of your incarnations. That's not the same as knowing them personally."
"Feels close enough," Luv said airily, strolling in like he owned the place and flopping onto the sofa, folding his legs comfortably. "Familiarity's a powerful thing."
Saurav pinched the bridge of his nose. "Why are you even here?" he asked, his voice full of the kind of exhaustion only Luv could inspire. He glanced down at the coffee-stained papers and his scowl deepened. "Look what you did!"
"Are those…" Luv's eyes narrowed. "Are those the files related to Ananya's case?"
Saurav flinched. Magic crackled at his fingertips as he waved his hand over the paper, the stain vanishing as the document turned crisp and clean again. "How does her case concern you?" he asked, his tone dangerously low. "Aren't you here for something else, detective?"
"Tell me, President," Luv said with a slow, knowing smirk, "what lies did you cook up to frame her? Even the Scholars and the Ethereal Court swallowed your accusations. Just give me one piece of your so-called evidence—I'll unravel the whole truth in seconds."
Saurav's lips curled in a cold, almost pitying smile. "The Cosmic Hollow reacted the same way," he said softly. "You're all so enchanted by her personality. But believe me—she isn't the person you think she is. She's the type who'd abandon anyone, no matter how much care or loyalty they gave her. And if she can use someone? She wouldn't hesitate to betray them."
Luv's eyes darkened. "So that's the story you fed them," he said, his voice low with anger. "Then show me the source of your so-called investigation. What are you afraid of?"
With a flick of his wrist, Saurav tossed the file at him. Luv's magic flared instinctively, the papers stopping midair before he caught them neatly in his hands. He flipped through the pages—and his cocky demeanor shattered.
His eyes widened. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he rifled through the evidence, his movements becoming more frantic with each turn of the page.
Saurav settled back into his chair, sipping his coffee with infuriating calm. "Satisfied?" he asked, his voice dripping with smugness.
"Huh?" Luv's voice cracked as he looked up, then back at the damning documents. "This… this can't be…"
The papers contained detailed records—parcel transactions between Ananya and a certain whale from Skirmish, forbidden black magic tomes found sealed in her office, testimonies from known criminals swearing she used black mana. And none of it bore the slightest trace of forgery or magical interference.
"No," Luv whispered, his hands trembling as he flipped desperately through the pages. "There has to be… a flaw."
"Did I just make the great detective… falter?" Saurav's smile widened.
Luv froze, his breath ragged. With a sharp motion, he slammed the file shut and hurled it onto the sofa. He buried his head in his hands. "She… she actually…"
"It took me years to gather this evidence," Saurav said quietly. "The irony, right? You all accused me of fabricating lies, but in reality, it was her. She spun her web of deception so well that even you—her most loyal defender—fell for it."
"Of course I did!" Luv shot to his feet, his voice cracking with rage. "You—" he jabbed a trembling finger at Saurav "—you might be the reason she turned out like this!"
"Believe what you want," Saurav said with an air of finality. "But if you need more proof… perhaps you should hear it from her yourself. Now get out. I have more important matters to deal with."
Luv's fists clenched so tightly his knuckles went white. Without another word, he stormed toward the door, slamming it shut so violently that the walls shook.
Saurav sighed, rubbing his temples. "If that door breaks," he muttered, "I swear I'm sending him the repair bill."
***
The tentacle slithered along the edge of the wall, its slimy surface rippling as grotesque eyes sprouted from its flesh. The eyeballs twitched, scanning the room in eerie synchronization before the creature withdrew, vanishing into the shadows.
"Safe…" Kaia whispered, swiping the sweat from her face.
"Damn it, move over! This place has, like, no space!" Yona hissed, squirming uncomfortably in the cramped wardrobe.
The wardrobe rocked dangerously as they struggled to find room, their limbs tangling in the confined space.
"Maybe if you lost some weight—"
"What did you just say?!" Yona's foot slammed down on Kaia's with aggressive precision.
"Hngh—!" Kaia grunted, biting back a cry. "I'm already suffocating—could you not crush me?!"
"Then why don't you find another place to hide? Leave me here in peace!"
"We're not here to hide forever," Kaia muttered, massaging her abused foot.
Yona's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Oh, really?" She grabbed Kaia's collar, dragging her close until their noses almost touched. "Then what are we doing here, genius?"
"I—I have a plan, okay?!"
"A plan?" Yona's voice climbed an octave. "Where even are we?!"
Their argument reached just the right decibel to invite disaster.
The tentacle slithered back into the room.
Kaia froze. "Oh, great. Now we're going to die."
"Honestly?" Yona huffed. "I'd rather have been sacrificed than die in this closet with your stinky breath."
"Excuse me?!" Kaia's eyes widened with indignation. "I brush twice a day, thank you very much!"
"That's not the point! The point is you! I don't want my last moments spent arguing with an idiot!"
"And what's so bad about dying with me?!"
Neither noticed the tentacles multiplying behind them. They slithered closer, silent and menacing, exchanging eerie nods as they inched toward the wardrobe.
Yona stumbled, her breath suddenly ragged. Kaia caught her just as her friend's face paled, sweat beading along her forehead.
"We… we need to get out," Yona whispered, her voice weak.
Kaia's eyes darkened with resolve. She felt it—the creeping presence drawing near. The wardrobe rattled violently as something pushed against the door. The moment it burst open, Kaia was already moving.
With lightning speed, her sword flashed, slicing through the approaching tentacles. Severed limbs flopped to the ground, writhing in agony.
"What the—are you a ninja?!" Yona gasped, clutching her chest as she tried to catch her breath.
"I just adapt quickly," Kaia said, extending a hand toward Yona.
But before Yona could take it, Kaia's body went rigid.
"Kaia…!" Yona's voice broke as she saw the figure behind her. She moved without thinking, shoving Kaia aside just as the cold glint of a blade slashed across her own body.
Kaia's eyes went wide with horror.
A low, dangerous chuckle filled the room.
"Found you," Zareth murmured, his lips curling into a sinister smile.