The irrationally transformed Evildoer attacked them, or perhaps sought to release through Lu Li's hand; the truth may never be known.
The only fact that remains is the Evildoer dealt with the pursuing strangeness from the gathering place, only to be killed by Lu Li.
Katerina picked up the black thorns fallen on the street and retreated into Elm Forest.
This place still shelters Lu Li as it did twenty-four years ago.
The Elm District might not remain peaceful next—Weird Lair will not let it go.
The trouble is Katerina's blanket was left in the stone house, and it's uncertain whether the strangeness is dead, or how long it will take for Weird Lair to arrive; they cannot go back to retrieve the blanket.
What they can do seems only to erase the footprints at the forest entrance to avoid being tracked into Elm Forest.
But the blanket hangs like a sword over their heads, if Weird Lair has means to trace and curse at a strange level, they are powerless to resist.
