The Red Line office felt like a wrecked ship after a storm. Albertus Van Dijk was kept under heavy guard in the hospital, then transferred to a high-security correctional facility. The cult members caught in the cave were being interrogated. The shattered black crystal was secured by Dr. Maya's special team for further examination. But it all felt like a hollow victory.
"Reports from all over the city show a drastic decrease in anomalous activity," Anton reported, staring at his data screen. "Like a power outage. The 'Core' is indeed the main source."
"But He's not gone," Bimo said, standing at the window, overlooking the city. "I can still feel Him. Like a lingering stench in the air, or a very weak radio signal. He's still out there. Weak, but not dead."
"Without the 'Core,' how can He survive?" asked Riani.
"He's looking for a new energy source," Bimo replied, turning to face them. "He has no body, no big battery. So He'll look for small things. Little dots of darkness scattered throughout the city. A feeling of resentment here, a deep fear there. He'll draw them together like a magnet gathers iron shards."
"So we have to find Him before He becomes powerful again," Anton concluded.
"Exactly," Bimo said. "But we can't wait for the alarm to sound any longer. We have to actively hunt. And we need a way to track His now very faint trail."
Dr. Maya entered the room, carrying an old wooden box carved with strange symbols. "I have something that might help." She opened the box. Inside, lying on a blue velvet cloth, was an ancient bronze disc the size of a small plate. Its surface was covered with intricate writing and symbols that spiraled from the edges to the center, where a small, clear crystal lay.
"What is that?" asked Riani.
"This is one of Mr. Daru's most mysterious inventions," explained Dr. Maya. "He called it the 'Mirror of the Soul.' According to his notes, it detects not energy, but *intent*. It reacts to a strong concentration of will, especially of a spiritual or evil nature."
"How does it work?" asked Bimo, approaching the object.
"You must ignite it with your power, Bimo," said Dr. Maya. "Place your hand on it and focus your mind on the entity you wish to track. The crystal in the center will emit light. The brighter the light, and the more clearly the symbols around it are legible, the closer and stronger the intent or presence of the entity."
"This could be our guide," said Bimo, hopefully. He placed his palm on the bronze disc. He focused on memories of the "Master"—his cold voice, his pupil-less eyes, his insatiable hunger.
The disc vibrated warmly beneath his hand. The symbols on its surface began to glow with a soft golden light. The crystal in the center lit up, emitting a soft white beam, like a laser pointer pointed northeast.
"It worked!" Anton shouted. "He's somewhere in that direction."
"Let's go," Bimo said, raising his hand. The crystal's light remained steady, pointing like a compass.
They got into the car. Bimo held the Mirror of the Soul in his lap, its light shining through the windshield, guiding them. Anton drove, following the light, occasionally glancing at the GPS for their location.
Their journey took them through North Jakarta. The light pointed toward a dense, rundown area around Tanjung Priok. The roads grew narrower and muddier.
"I don't like this," Riani muttered. "There are so many tangled, broken Red Lines here. So much despair."
The light from the Mirror of the Soul grew brighter. The crystal pulsed.
"He's close," Bimo said.
They finally stopped in front of a very old, crumbling tenement. The light from the Mirror of Souls pointed directly at the door.
"Here," Bimo said, getting out of the car.
They approached the house cautiously. The door was unlocked. Bimo pushed it gently.
Inside, the atmosphere was gloomy. There was only a dirty floor mattress, a kerosene stove, and a thin old woman lying on the mattress, looking very sick. She looked like she was dying. But what made them freeze was what they saw above her.
A blurry shape, like swirling black smoke, hovered above the old woman's body. The shape had no discernible face or limbs, but from within it, emanated a tremendous hunger. It was like an invisible leech, sucking the last bits of life out of the poor woman.
"That... that's her?" Anton whispered, horrified.
"No," Bimo replied, his voice low with anger. "It's just... *part* of Him. A *shard*. A fragment of consciousness He sent to feed on the energy here. He's feeding."
The old woman groaned weakly, her dull eyes open and staring blankly at the ceiling. "Please..." her breath was barely audible. "Let me go..."
Riani couldn't stand it. She immediately ran to the woman's side and knelt. "We're here to help, Ma'am." She grabbed the woman's cold hand.
The black smoke form reacted to their presence. It spun faster, and a rough "head" formed, facing Riani. A psychic hiss pierced all of their minds, full of menace and hunger.
Food... more food...
"Get away from her!" Bimo shouted.
He raised his hand, his white flame blazing. But he hesitated. Shooting the smoke form would risk burning the already dying old woman.
The smoke form sensed Bimo's weakness. It enveloped the old woman's body tighter, using her as a human shield.
Burn us... burn her too...
Riani saw the agony in the woman's eyes. She saw how much she wanted to be free. Without thinking, Riani did something very risky. She placed both hands on the old woman's temples and concentrated all her abilities.
Not to create an illusion.
But to *share* the feeling.
She let herself feel all the old woman's pain, fear, and despair. And in return, she projected a feeling of calm, peace, and acceptance. She showed the old woman an illusion of a quiet, beautiful garden, waiting for her.
"Let go..." Riani whispered, tears streaming down her cheeks. "It's okay to go. Just relax."
The old woman smiled very weakly. Her ragged breathing became smooth and even. Her fear-filled eyes became peaceful. And then, she breathed her last breath peacefully.
At the same time, the black smoke form screamed—a shrill, angry groan at the sudden loss of its food source. It was thrown into the air, distorted and confused.
Now, without a human shield.
Bimo wasted no time. "For her," Bimo muttered, and threw a small, concentrated burst of white flame, like a bullet.
The fire struck the core of the smoke form. It evaporated quickly, leaving only the pungent smell of sulfur and the echo of a quickly fading scream.
The room fell silent. There were only them and the body of the old woman, now looking peaceful.
Riani remained on her knees, her body trembling. Anton approached her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Are you all right?"
Riani nodded, speechless.
Bimo looked at the old woman with reverence. "She's finally free." Then he looked at the Mirror of Souls in his hand. The light from the crystal had died down. "The fragment is gone."
"So... we did it?" Anton asked.
"We destroyed one fragment," Bimo corrected. "But there are more out there. This Soul Mirror will lead us to the next one. And the next one. This will be a grueling hunt. We must find and destroy each of the fragments before they become too powerful and recombine."
They called the authorities to take care of the old woman's body, then they returned to the car. Bimo turned on the Soul Mirror again. For a moment, the crystal went dark. Then, after a few seconds, it lit up again, slightly dimmer than before, and spun around, pointing in a different direction this time toward the south.
"She's moved," Bimo said, his voice tired but determined. "Next one."
And as they drove, following the light, Bimo knew that this was a new guerrilla war. A game of cat and mouse against a fragmented consciousness lurking within the city's misery. They had to be alert, fast, and relentless.
The hunt had begun.