However, Ansel quietly admitted to himself and Andre that he wanted Rhea to be transformed into a human. Apparently, he hadn't thought as far as Andrew was thinking. But deep inside his heart, he felt the truth of Andrew's words.
There was something undeniably different about the way he felt when he was near Rhea. Especially when he was behind her. When he watched her delicate movements and the subtle glow that surrounded her.
She had become more than just a Guardian Spirit to him. She had become a presence that occupied his thoughts even when she was not there. Rhea, too, seemed to linger in his mind, elusive yet persistent.
"It is not important." Ansel said quietly to Andrew. His voice was steady but tinged with a hint of melancholy.
Beyond his personal turmoil, there was a far more pressing matter that weighed heavily on his mind. He had made a promise, and he had to keep it.
Despite his doubts and fears, he knew he had to try to perform the exorcism in the Aokigahara forest. It was a task fraught with danger and uncertainty. But it was one he could not abandon.
As Ansel's gaze lingered on Rhea, a sudden vision struck him, sharp and vivid. This time, the vision did not fade quickly. Instead, it clung to him, haunting his thoughts and becoming a heavy burden on his soul. The vision was dark and foreboding. It was filled with shadows that whispered of trials yet to come.
He swallowed hard, feeling the weight of the unknown pressing down on him. Whatever lay ahead, he knew that his journey was far from over. The path he walked was intertwined with Rhea's fate in ways he had yet to understand.
***
Ansel was alone in his room, the quiet stillness wrapping around him like a heavy cloak. His eyes caught sight of Rhea as she emerged gracefully from Viorenving. Her ethereal form shimmered softly in the dim light.
Intrigued, he moved toward the bedroom window and opened it wide. Suddenly, a brilliant white light flooded the room, so bright and dazzling that he had to shield his eyes.
The light was unlike anything he had ever seen before. It pulsed with an almost otherworldly energy. Before he could react, it seemed to pull him downward, as if the very floor beneath him had vanished.
Ansel found himself gently lowered to the ground floor of his house, the glow still lingering in the air around him.
The house felt unnervingly quiet, too quiet. The usual creaks and whispers of the old wooden beams were absent. It was replaced by a heavy silence that pressed on his chest. His first thought was of Mr. McVeigh, his beloved grandfather.
Ansel called out. His voice was echoing softly through the empty rooms. "Grandpa… Grandpa….Where are you? Are you home?"
But there was no answer.
Ansel's heart quickened as he began to search every corner of the house. He moved through the living room, the kitchen, the narrow hallway, and the small study.
But there was no sign of Mr. McVeigh anywhere. The silence seemed to grow heavier with each passing moment.
Feeling a growing unease, Ansel made his way to the backyard. The moonlight cast long shadows across the garden. And there, in the center, stood a large tub he hadn't noticed before. It was old and weathered, its surface reflecting the pale light like a dark mirror.
"What do you think will happen? Why is there such a big tub here?" Ansel muttered to himself. He stepped closer with cautious curiosity.
He reached out and dipped his hand into the water. A sharp chill shot through his fingers. He said. "Oughh… the water is so chill."
He was pulling his hand back quickly and rubbing his palms together to warm them. The cold seemed unnatural, as if the tub held more than just water.
A sudden, unsettling feeling crept over him. A premonition of something terrible about to unfold. He couldn't quite put his finger on it. But the sense of impending doom was undeniable.
Then, a memory flashed through his mind, one of his visions. The vision where he had killed Heka, the dark force that had haunted him for so long. The memory was vivid and raw, filled with pain and struggle.
"Does this have anything to do with killing Heka?" Ansel whispered to himself. His breath was catching in his throat. It was another vision besides his vision of killing Heka.
He stared into the cold water, searching for answers in its depths. He knew that whatever was coming was tied to that fateful act. The quiet of the house, the mysterious tub, and the chilling water all seemed to be pieces of a puzzle he had yet to solve.
Ansel's heart was pounding with a mix of fear and determination. He knew that the path ahead would be dangerous. But he had no choice but to face whatever awaited him, alone or with Rhea by his side.
Suddenly, a sharp sound shattered the silence, a clatter. As if something heavy had fallen. The noise came from the kitchen. Ansel's heart jumped. And without hesitation, he rushed toward the source of the sound, his footsteps quick and cautious.
"Empty…" The voice echoed loudly from the kitchen. But when Ansel arrived, there was nothing out of place. No objects lay scattered on the floor, no sign of disturbance.
The room was as still and quiet as before. The only presence was Rhea, who stood there calmly. Her eyes reflected the faint light.
"Rhea…" Ansel's voice was soft. It was filled with a mixture of confusion and concern.
Without a word, Rhea turned and walked toward the door leading outside. Ansel followed her, curiosity and unease knotting in his chest.
Beyond the door, a blinding white light spilled out, dazzling and pure. It was almost too bright to look at directly, yet it beckoned them forward. Rhea stepped into the light, and Ansel, without hesitation, followed.