Reality is biting Janu hard.
His realisation—once again—he was back on the menu.
The panthers hadn't given up. Not entirely. And on top of needing to break the looping spell, he couldn't shake the gnawing feeling in his chest: there had to be something—someone, maybe—that orchestrated all of this in this God forsaken place. The pattern was too precise to be random.
The pocong.
The looping forest.
Now the big cats.
One after another, like threads pulling him toward something darker. 'Too much of a coincidence for it to be a mere coincidence' Janu's thought.
His mind swirled, so many thoughts and imagination running wild, colliding and stacking until he could barely focus. Was it all scripted? Was this just fate? Was he dancing for the amusement of something more twisted than he could fathom?
He didn't know.
But the weight of not knowing was beginning to crush him.
Sensing Janu spiraling, Jantaka spoke, his tone firm but not unkind. "Look. I know and I can feel it—you're slipping. But listen to me: we can sort through the 'why' later. When we're out of this cursed loop and breathing free. Until then? Keep your head in the game. I don't plan on becoming the first guardian to fail protecting this bloodline."
Janu exhaled. His grip tightened around the torch. "I mean, Jantaka… are you not even a little bit worried this is all just a sick, twisted performance? What if our struggle's just a puppet show for some twisted audience?"
"I'd be lying if I said it didn't cross my mind." Jantaka's tone softened slightly, then shifted—cool, resolute. "But picture this: maybe we are following someone's script. So what? Let them watch. Let them believe they've got the upper hand. Because we? We play the waiting game. Because we're the slow-burning fire. We wait. We sharpen the blade. And when the time's right—we cut the tree down from the roots. Be patient, be humble and humbled and when the time comes? Let them taste their own medicine."
Janu blinked. That… made more sense than he wanted to admit.
"Alright, I couldn't agree more," he murmured. "You win that one. I just—got overwhelmed, I guess."
Jantaka chuckled. "Just doing my job, kid. Your wins are mine too. Now, you've stabilized the aura on the blade, yeah? Got any ideas where to start?"
"Not a clue. Suggestions?"
There was a pause, and Janu could feel Jantaka's presence pull inward—deep in thought.
Then suddenly, the voice returned, sharp and energized. "Aha! Got a clue!"
Janu straightened. "Okay, let me hear it then."
"I have a strong hunch about the source of the loop—it's not in the air or the trees. It's on the ground. Surface level."
That caught Janu off-guard. "On the ground? You sound pretty sure. What makes you think that?"
"Start from the beginning," Jantaka replied, tone shifting into that lecture-like cadence he always slipped into when things got serious. "Think. Starting with the why. Why did you get stuck in this place to begin with?"
Janu furrowed his brow. "I… came back. I returned to this place after a long time."
"Exactly," Jantaka said. "Let me narrow the clue, when did the loop begin?"
"When I stepped in deeper, I guess? Things got weird fast."
"Right again. Remember when I said this whole forest has an aura clinging to it, remember? The kind that reacts to presence, proximity, intent. You didn't just walk into a trap—you along with those panthers triggered it. Physically. Maybe when you stepped, touched something, or even just projected aura without meaning to."
Janu was quiet for a moment, then his eyes narrowed. "So you're saying all those clues pointed to the trigger's on the ground?. Something hidden?. But what could it be? A pressure plate? A traproot? A cursed rock?"
"Exactly," Jantaka said smugly. "We need to be scanning the ground, not the trees. And yes, before you ask—your aura may have played a part too. Every living being has one. Albeit, yours is still weak, but it's there."
"Right," Janu grumbled. "Thanks for the casual roast in the middle of your explanation."
"You're welcome," Jantaka replied smoothly. "Now focus. Look for anything off. Displaced roots. Disturbed soil. A weird arrangement of rocks. Use the Badik with the aura trick I taught you. You've got this."
"Got it." Janu took a breath, centering himself. "Thanks for the heads up. Oh—and the panthers?"
"Still circling," Jantaka said calmly. "They're expanding their formation. Slowly. Cautiously. Like they're trying to box you in."
Janu muttered a curse. "Guess we're in a race now. Me against the damn cats."
"Then keep both hands busy. Torch in one, Badik in the other. Let's see who finds what first."
And so, with the damp earth beneath his boots and the torchlight flickering across the forest floor, Janu began his careful search—eyes scanning every inch of the ground for signs of the hidden curse that bound them.
He began waving the Badik just above the ground, sweeping in slow arcs, searching for even the faintest response. But still—nothing. No pulse. No reaction. The blade remained quiet.
Anxious, Janu stole glances over his shoulder now and then, his eyes darting between the trees. He couldn't afford to get caught off-guard by the panthers. Not again.
Noticing Janu's growing tension, Jantaka spoke up in that smooth, half-mocking tone of his. "Relax. You've got my eyes on your back. Just focus on the spell. They're still in the scouting phase."
"Easy for you to say," Janu muttered. "This kind of searching is really exhausting, you know."
"Alright then enough complaining, let's try a different approach," Jantaka offered. "Let your Badik decide it for you."
"Huh?" Janu blinked. "What's that even mean?"
"You've been forcing it onto the Badik. Projecting your own idea and interpretation of what the spell source is—what it should look like. But what if the Badik already knows more than you do?"
"You're doing the cryptic thing again," Janu grumbled. "Can you not please? Just be clear for once, my life is on the thin line here."
Jantaka gave an exaggerated sigh. "Remember what I told you? When imbued with a controlled aura, the Badik will react to external energy sources. That includes the spell. Now look again. Focus. Is it humming? Pulsing? Anything?"
Janu frowned. "Didn't I just do that a minute ago?"
"Yes, but you were hearing, not listening. You were searching, not observing."
"Hhmm… alright, fine. One more try."
Still puzzled, but knowing he didn't have better options left, Janu reset his stance and started scanning again—this time, slower, more deliberate. He let his eyes follow the subtle flickers of the indigo aura.
At first, it seemed the same, no response. But then—he caught it. A flicker. A faint, rhythmic hum, barely noticeable.
Janu narrowed his eyes.
It was happening only when the Badik was pointed toward the roots.
"Wait… no way. I didn't see that earlier. How did you even know?"
"Well duh," Jantaka replied dryly. "It's an extension of me, that is my aura afterall. But you treat it like a flashlight. While I treat it like my extension limb. That's why I said—you were searching, not observing. Now you understand what you should do now, right?"
Janu exhaled sharply. "Alright, alright. So it's something about the roots, yeah?"
"That's a start. But don't assume it's all trees. It might be right under your nose. Look for clues. Patterns. Anything unnatural."
"Got it. Oh—and update on our panther friends?"
"They're still circling," Jantaka said, voice tightening. "Something about their formation is starting to irritate me. But they're not dare attacking and keeping their distance—for now."
"Good enough. Let's keep moving."
"I'll start marking the trees that I have checked," Janu suggested.
Jantaka replied with the suggestion "Good idea, it might help us track a pattern."
Janu nodded. He began methodically scanning trees with the Badik, one after the other. Each time he felt nothing substantial, he marked the bark with an X using a bit of coal scraped from a burnt stick.
One tree. Nothing.
X.
Another tree. Faint humming, but nothing significant.
Another X.
And again.
X.
The process repeated. All the while, Janu kept one eye on the shadows. The panthers were still watching. Still waiting. As if they knew he still had strength left—and they were smart enough to wait until he didn't.
Then something changed.
A few trees ahead, Janu spotted scorch marks—signs of old fire damage—but something about them felt… off.
"Jantaka, look. That fire damage. Doesn't it feel strange to you?"
Jantaka gave a thoughtful hum. "Yeah. There's something wrong about that burn. I'm curious about it"
"Let's check it out."
"Suit yourself," Jantaka said. "The panthers are still watching, but they're keeping their distance."
Janu approached the scorched area cautiously, torch raised. The blackened ground still smoldered faintly, but the way the flames danced—it wasn't natural. Around the burned patch, the air shimmered unnaturally, like a glitched TV screen trying to hold an image together.
His eyes widened. "Wait a second… This is from that tall pocong. The fire from its trail. It's still burning?"
Jantaka grunted. "That thing was wicked to its core. Not surprised, its fire leaves scars."
Janu said, "That bastard really messed this place up. But this… This looks like reality's cracking."
"Well," Jantaka said, his tone lowering, tone turned darker. "You'd be surprised what kind of torment some souls has go through. The one that left this? Yeah… that one's suffering was immense."
Janu squinted at the warping air. "What kind of suffering are we talking about here?"
"As far of my knowledge, there's a belief of a religion that when someone who sins so deeply in life may face punishment in death. The kind of punishment where both your souls and bodies wouldn't get rest even in death. Don't be shocked if their afterlife beyond the grave got punished severely and according to their sins. And this one is so severe, it got punished with what you humans call 'hellfire'"
Janu stared into the distorted air, his skin crawling. He stepped back instinctively. "That's… seriously fucked up." He let out a shaky breath. "And you're saying this guy was—what—buried that way? Isn't this kind of burial performed by the muslims right?"
"Well, yes," Jantaka said matter-of-factly, "it's common among Muslim burials to wrap the dead and place them in the earth without a coffin. And it is said that when someone dies with grave sins there will be punishment on their grave until the end of time. This one? Clearly got what it deserves, I suspect a wicked, gut wrenching sin."
Janu exhaled, eyes scanning the scorched area again. "So that explains the flame… but why does it still feel like it's alive?"
"Because in some way—it is. You could say its literal divine judgement"
"It's kind of satisfying, knowing bad people get punished like that," Janu muttered. "And wow… just wow. To think I got chased by that thing and lived to tell the tale. I'm seriously grateful."
"Yeah… you're one lucky bastard, that's for sure." Jantaka's voice carried a smirk. "But hold on—what was that bit about religion, kid? You sound like someone who's not really in it yourself. Your parents are Muslim, aren't they? Don't tell me you're one of those people who call themselves atheists. It's a bit ironic, after all this, if you still don't believe it."
"No, no—it's not like I reject religion," Janu replied quickly. "I do believe there's something greater out there. Just... I don't feel like I belong in any of it. And only my dad's Muslim, anyway. But let's drop this talk for now. If I survive this, we'll revisit this topic. You've seen what religion's done to my family if you really reside within me all this time."
"Yeah…" Jantaka's voice lowered. "That's one thing I'll never get about you humans. One difference, and suddenly you're all strangers to each other."
"Exactly… but let's leave it at that for now." Janu shook his head, focusing back on the flickering fire ahead. "We can debate philosophy after we're not being hunted. Back to business—did you notice that fire? The way the space around it glitches out? Like a broken video game."
"Yeah, I noticed," Jantaka said. "And whatever that feeling is, I don't like it. It's really unpleasant."
"I'll try scanning the area with the Badik. Maybe it'll pick something up."
"Go ahead. Can't hurt to try."
Just as Janu was about to step closer to the strange flames, Jantaka's voice snapped sharp in his head.
"Wait, kid! One of the panthers—its movement just shifted. Aggressive. They're not attacking yet, but they're watching real close. And something about their posture… feels off."
"Great. Why now of all things?!"
Before Janu could spiral into more worry, he felt it. A faint vibration of the Badik and its aura in his grip.
"Hey! Kid! Your Badik—it's responding!"
"What?! Really?!" Janu looked down.
Sure enough, the dagger pulsed with a subtle rhythm—gentle, like a heartbeat, rippling like a drop of water striking a still surface. The aura shimmered faintly, almost in sync with the warping space near the root-veined ground.
"We're close, kid. I can feel it too. Start searching now! The panthers—they feel it too. They're beginning to move, closing in steadily. Looks like they figure it out too."
A realization crashed down on Janu.
"Don't tell me… they've been circling this whole time not to hunt me, but to wait—for me to find the source for them. And then once I do, they'll tear me down?!"
"Yeah," Jantaka said grimly. "Feels like they're being used. Someone—or something—is pulling the strings."
"Damn it… I knew it. There really is someone pulling strings on us! Like hell I'll let things go your way bitch!"
Fueled by urgency and fury, Janu frantically resumed his search. The Badik pulsed stronger when pointed to the left—too weak. Right—faint. But then, when he instinctively angled it toward a thick braid of exposed roots, it suddenly thrummed with power.
"It's flaring up, Jantaka! I think I found it!"
"That's the place! Follow the pattern! Trace those root-veins!"
"On it!"
Janu followed the twisting roots, each one humming beneath the blade like veins carrying magic instead of blood. The deeper he traced, the stronger the resonance grew—faster, steadier, like he was nearing a heart.
Finally, he stopped. The Badik vibrated with such intensity it buzzed in his palm. A knot of gnarled roots, pulsing with invisible pressure, sat at the center.
"Aha! There you are… sneaky bastard." Janu grinned, crouching to mark the location. "I'll need to deal with you, after I deal with the predators."
"Nice idea but be careful kid. Remember what I told you about the nature of the spell. No brute force."
"I know, I know. I just disabled the aura."
Janu extinguished the Badik's glow and crouched down to make a crude but clear mark in the dirt. But before he could finish—
"Watch out!" Jantaka yelled. "Left side from the bushes—now!"
"What the fu—?!"
Janu turned just in time to catch a flicker of motion—a sleek black shape lunging at him from the brush. Instinct kicked in. He swung the torch hard.
"AGH!"
The flames arced. The attacker hissed and recoiled—scorched near the jawline. Janu stumbled back, heart pounding in his chest like a war drum. Breath ragged, he faced the panther now crouched before him, lips curled in a warning snarl.
"Shit… back for another round, huh?" he muttered, eyes locked with the beast's glowing ones.
The panther hissed again, crouching low, circling slightly. Janu could see the scorch mark along its neck, skin blistered and smoking faintly.
"Well well," he growled. "Tried to go for my throat from behind, huh? You fucker!"
"Don't forget what I taught you!" Jantaka barked. "Make yourself big—shout. You've got fire. The torch hurt it before. You can force it back."
"I know!"
Janu widened his stance, lifted his arms, brandished the torch—and roared.
"AHHHHH!"
The flame danced wildly, casting flickering shadows across the clearing. The panther hissed again, but this time, it recoiled. Ears flat. Body lowered like a housecat cornered under a table.
Then—retreat. With a final snarl, it leapt back into the brush, vanishing into the shadows.
Jantaka's voice came sharp again. "It's not over! They're regrouping. This was just a test! They'll come for you again."
"I figured." Janu steadied his breathing, gripping the torch tighter. "Well then. Rematch, huh?"
"Here comes another one! From your right!"
Without a second thought, Janu twisted sharply to his right, his eyes met a glance with the striking golden eyes of the panther—just in time to catch the gleam of golden eyes emerging from the shadows. The panther lunged.
"Watch out!" Jantaka's voice rang in his mind.
Janu leapt backward instinctively, narrowly avoiding the beast's claws. He barely landed before Jantaka barked again:
"Now's your chance—counterattack, kid! You're not here just to receive a beating, are you?"
"Yeah, I know!"
As his feet hit the ground, Janu launched forward with a burst of energy, torch leading the charge. He aimed straight for the panther's eyes. The fire flared in its face, forcing the beast to flinch and avert its gaze—leaving just enough of an opening. In one fluid motion, Janu dipped low and swept his Badik in a horizontal slash toward the creature's throat.
The blade found flesh.
Not deep enough to kill, but blood sprayed from the gash below the panther's neck. The beast recoiled with a guttural growl, staggering back into the dark with a limp.
Hah… hah… hah… "Finally got you, bastard," Janu hissed between breaths.
"Excellent, kid!" Jantaka's voice came smug and proud. "Nice reflexes—and you went for a vital spot. This isn't your first rodeo, is it?"
"YEAH, BUT NOT NOW, JANTAKA!" Janu shouted, half in reply, half to intimidate the animal.
HISSSS… GRRRR…
The panther growled, its body rumbling with tension. Burned, bleeding, and disoriented, it hesitated. Janu could see it in its eyes—shock, fear, confusion. And then it vanished into the brush, tail low, steps unsure.
"There's two more, right?! Where are they?!"
"Both incoming!" Jantaka warned. "Left and right at your back—simultaneously!"
"SON OF A BI—"
Janu spun, only to see both panthers charging from opposite angles. One had already leapt midair, jaws wide, claws extended. With no time to dodge, Janu raised his Badik, slashing toward the lunged predator.
Steel met flesh. But the second panther, more grounded and calculated, swiped with its paw.
Claws tore through Janu's left forearm.
"AGH!!" he screamed, the pain blinding.
The jacket ripped clean through. Blood trickled from the torn muscle. The panther staggered mid-air from the torch's light, hesitating just long enough. Gritting his teeth through the pain, Janu's eyes narrowed.
Not today.
His hand flipped the Badik mid-swing—horizontal to vertical—his thumb sliding beneath the hilt, fingers bracing the grip. The blade pointed upward, tip angled perfectly. With a roar, Janu stabbed with full force.
The blade plunged into the panther's throat.
STAB…
ROAR!!!
A cry of agony ripped from the beast's maw as the force of Janu's attack slammed it down into the dirt. The sheer momentum drove the panther into the ground with a heavy thud.
Blood sprayed across Janu's sleeve.
But he wasn't done. His eyes darted to the second panther.
They locked gazes.
The remaining beast hissed, ears flattened, eyes wide. Fear took over. And then—retreat. Like a scolded stray, it turned and bolted into the trees.
Hah… hah… hah… Janu panted, breath ragged, chest heaving.
He looked down at the injured panther beneath him. It still thrashed weakly, pawing at the dirt. Desperation in its eyes.
Janu mounted the beast, locking it under his weight. It tried to throw him off, but its strength had faded.
"You done now?!" Janu spat, his voice trembling with adrenaline. "Think twice before attacking next time, you stupid cat! Jantaka! Where are the rest of them?!"
Jantaka's voice returned, cool and calculated. "The rest? They scattered. Bolted off in all directions. But they're still trapped in the loop—running, doubling back on themselves. We've got a window. But we have to break this spell before they regroup or get smart."
"Agreed… but let me finish the job first."
With a grim breath, Janu drove the Badik deeper, angling it downward along the panther's throat. The blade was already embedded deep in the flesh, but he dragged it further, tracing a brutal path along the lower neck. The panther spasmed violently beneath him, but Janu had it pinned—straddling its belly, locking its body in place with both legs.
It thrashed, desperate. But Janu didn't relent.
With each inch he carved, the Badik pulsed brighter, responding to his intent. The indigo aura flared—fierce, primal, alive. Unaware, Janu had begun pouring more aura into the blade. Unbeknown to Janu, this made the panther life force disrupted.
Making its resistance weakened. Its muscles trembled, its breath ragged. Then came the final moment—Janu's blade nicked something vital. He felt the snap. The shudder. The stillness.
The beast exhaled one last time.
And went limp.
Jantaka's voice broke the silence. Calm, with just the hint of a grin. "You've got a steady hand, kid. Looks like all those years helping with Eid Adha at the mosque finally paid off."
"Yeah," Janu muttered, breathless. "All I wanted was free meat back then... Now I'm doing it for survival. Funny how things turn out."
"Dark twist, huh? Alright. Let's wrap this up and break the damn spell."
"Yeah…"
Suddenly, a sharp jolt of pain flared in Janu's arm. He winced, eyes narrowing. The adrenaline was wearing off.
"Shit... the wound." He looked down at his left arm. Blood trickled freely from a trio of claw marks. "Gotta patch this up first."
He shrugged off his jacket and fished a half-empty water bottle from his pack. Tilting it carefully, he poured it over the wound.
Hssst—! "Agh, that stings!"
"You're clear for now," Jantaka assured him. "They're keeping their distance. Guess they don't want round two."
"Good… I always pack a first aid kit for hikes. Never thought I'd be using it like this, though."
Janu pulled out the kit, grabbing a wad of tissue and a small bottle of alcohol. He soaked the tissue and carefully wiped around the wound—but not directly on it.
"Tch—FUCKING CATS!"
Once the blood was cleaned, he pulled out gauze and a bottle of iodine. Gritting his teeth, he poured it straight into the wound.
"ARGHHH!!"
His whole body tensed, but he didn't stop. He wrapped the gauze tightly around the injury, making sure the pressure was firm. As soon as he tied it off—
ROAR!!!
A thunderous growl echoed from deep in the forest. Not a panther's roar—something deeper. Older.
Janu froze. "You heard that?"
"Yeah..." Jantaka's tone sharpened. "The same presence we felt when we encountered that 'tiger' earlier."
Janu narrowed his eyes toward the trees. "You think that thing controls the panthers?"
"It's possible. We're not the only ones being played here."
Janu flexed his fingers, testing the bandage. "I'm good to go."
"Then let's finish this. The spell's still active, and your panther friends? They're getting really tired of this looping bullshit."
Janu shoved the first aid kit back into his pack, tightened the straps, and stood.
"Alright," he muttered. "Let's end this."
He turned back toward the spot where the Badik had pulsed the strongest—and walked into the mist, blade in one hand, torch in the other.