There is an old saying—that haste is the devil's work. No matter how hard the devil tries to hide the sins he has committed, the truth always finds its way to the surface. Truth and goodness are destined to win. Yet those who act blinded by arrogance must ultimately pay for their deeds with their very lives.
The moment Siya's eyes fell upon him, she lunged forward and seized his throat without hesitation.
"You knew everything," she growled, her voice sharp with fury. "Why are you testing my patience? You know very well that I can end you in a single moment."
Everyone froze in shock. They had seen Siya like this before—so raw, so uncontrollably angry. No one could understand why she had suddenly grabbed George by the throat.
George's voice pulled them out of their stunned silence, accompanied by his twisted, piercing laughter.
"Ha… ha… ha…"
"Siya, no matter how far you go, you always come back to me," he said mockingly. "Seems like you have a strange attachment to me."
His laughter echoed again before he continued calmly, "You want to know the secret of this mountain, don't you? The secret you're searching for. You want to know where the path is… and whether it truly exists here."
He paused, then said quietly, "Yes. It is here. On this very mountain. The path exists too—but you've already been there."
Siya's grip tightened.
"To find it," George continued, "you'll have to use your mind. Think. Where could it be? A place where the mountain still lives… or a place where the destruction began."
A sudden realization struck Siya like lightning.
"The lab," she whispered. "The same lab that destroyed this mountain… and the world. And you're saying that's where the true source of life is? The Amrit?"
George smiled darkly.
"I must admit, Siya—you are intelligent. If my life weren't at stake, I would have killed you long ago. You are the greatest threat of all. But that brainless Jate doesn't care about any of this."
Siya yanked the chain bound to his hand, jerking him silent.
"Ali," she said coldly, "let's go."
They left in haste.
Without wasting a second, they reached the ruins of the old laboratory. The moment they arrived, Siya raised her hand.
"Step back. Both of you."
With a single, devastating strike, she shattered the ground. The earth split open, forming a massive tunnel. As they descended, Siya searched desperately for any sign of water—or light.
The mountain trembled violently with every blow she struck. She attacked again and again, determined to reach the source as quickly as possible.
Then—another violent shift.
A massive stone slid from its place, and from behind it burst a blinding light that pierced straight into Siya, Ali, and Maan's eyes. The light was so intense they couldn't keep their eyes open. The entire tunnel flooded with brilliance.
They stepped inside.
The sight before them was unreal.
The cavern was filled with divine herbs, glowing plants, and flowers so enchanting that their fragrance alone threatened to intoxicate the senses. For a moment, they stood frozen, overwhelmed.
"This… is beautiful," Maan whispered in awe.
Even Ali was stunned. "To think something this divine still exists in this age…"
"Don't touch anything," Siya warned firmly. "Focus on what we came here for."
Ali frowned. "There are so many divine herbs. How will we know which one Andy needs?"
Siya didn't answer immediately. She moved forward slowly, studying each herb carefully—almost as if she already knew what she was searching for.
Then she stopped.
One herb drew her attention completely. She focused, pressing her mind deeper—and suddenly remembered.
She had seen this plant before… in the stories told by the people.
Without overthinking, she plucked it and turned to leave.
But then another thought struck her.
She turned back to Ali and Maan.
"Come here. We're taking all of them."
Both of them stared at her.
"These herbs could be invaluable," Siya continued. "They might heal humans. Save lives. This could be a sign from the Divine."
Ali nodded and moved to help.
The moment the herbs were lifted from the ground, their glow began to fade. Siya quickly shrank each one, compressing their energy so they could be carried safely.
They had just finished collecting them when—
A deafening scream echoed through the cavern.
The entire mountain began to shake violently. Dirt and debris rained down from above.
"Run!" Siya shouted.
Just as massive stones came crashing down toward them, the world blurred—
And suddenly, they were back at the base.
Maan gasped in terror, rushing to Siya and clutching her tightly.
"I thought I was going to die today!"
Siya steadied him gently.
"As long as I'm here, not even a scratch will come to you. Don't be afraid."
In her heart, Siya felt something unfamiliar—a deep, instinctive protectiveness toward the boy.
She turned to Ali.
"Take the herb to Andy. Now."
Then she looked at Clara, her voice turning grave.
"What happened?"
Clara's face was pale with fear.
"They've arrived. People are being slaughtered mercilessly. Villagers are screaming… their cries are reaching even here. It's like they want to draw you out. Lives are being lost, Siya—do something!"
A desperate voice echoed in Siya's ears—
"Save us!"
The cry of the villagers pierced through her soul.
And Siya knew—
The real battle was about to begin.