Chapter 416: _More Pressing Matters

Hale-Ferguson Residence, Aurelia

Ding-dong.

Thoth took a step back after ringing the front doorbell, head turning to Loki beside him.

"What’s with that look?"

The lord of chaos’ lips were twisted with disapproval. "I’m still not sure of whatever experiment you want to pull now... but please go easy on the kid."

"What makes you think I won’t?"

Before Loki could say anything, the door swung open.

Devon’s golden eyes welcomed them with a questioning look, moving from Thoth and then to Loki.

"Oh." He managed a smile. "Good morning, guys. What’s up?"

The SSS-Rank Guide looked inside.

Sure enough, he caught Orion peeking from a couch he sat on—the boy quickly hiding himself when he was spotted.

A small, almost negligible detail.

Yet enough to make Thoth pause.

Did the child perceive them before they even arrived?

"Don’t mind baldy over here," Loki hit Thoth’s shoulder with a light chuckle. "We’re just here to say hi. Well, I am. Thoth’s here to... check on the little guy."

They brushed past Devon before he could protest, leaving Thoth standing before the S-Rank. The latter’s lips parted and closed.

He didn’t know how to feel about letting him in, knowing he wanted to ’check on’ Orion. But it would probably be helpful to the boy.

"Please, come in."

Thoth walked in with an acknowledging nod, gaze sweeping through the place merely for novelty’s sake. He focused on Orion soon enough, lips drawing in a friendly smile.

"Hello, little one." He waved at the boy who clung to a throw pillow like it was life support. "You remember me, right? I—"

"Yo, Orion!" Loki brushed past him, collapsing on the space beside the child. "Tickle attack!"

They immediately grabbed Orion, tickling his sides. His lips quivered at first. Then soon enough the boy burst into gleeful laughter, struggling to hide his stomach from Loki’s onslaught.

"No fair!"

Thoth watched in silence.

Seeing Orion laugh for the first time since the nightmare caught him unexpectedly off guard.

"Ambrose isn’t home, by the way." Devon pointed out behind him, in the middle of heading to the kitchen to get coffee. "He got summoned to—"

"I’m aware," Thoth glanced over his shoulder for a beat. "And as much as I would’ve liked asking the young SS-Rank more questions on how he’s able to maintain five stable permanent links... I believe there are far more pressing matters to attend to."

Devon stayed silent.

Once Loki pulled their fingers away from Orion and his breathing relaxed again, Thoth stepped in.

"Orion." He sat at the boy’s other side, smile staying intact. "I’m only here to ask you a few questions. Okay? Nothing serious at all."

Orion lowered his eyes, neither moving nor speaking.

Still, Thoth went on. "Have you had any more nightmares?"

Silence.

"... Have you seen anything weird or scary? Maybe the woman from the stars?"

More silence.

Devon’s lips pursed as he strode back into the living room with a cup of creamy hot coffee.

"Maybe we should do this later." He suggested. "We’ve been taking things slow with him. I won’t want anything that would place too much pressure on him."

Thoth cut his eyes to Devon for a quiet moment before shaking his head.

"I understand your concern," he said gently. "But this may be the only opportunity we have to understand what the child witnessed."

Before Devon could object again, the Guide slowly reached forward.

His fingers lightly wrapped around Orion’s much smaller hand.

The reaction was almost immediate.

A soft golden radiance drifted from Thoth’s palm, flowing into the little boy in gentle waves. It eased racing thoughts, untangled fear and gradually relaxed every tense muscle in Orion’s small body.

The child’s rigid shoulders slowly lowered.

His breathing steadied.

Even the nervous grip he had on the throw pillow loosened.

Thoth smiled faintly. "There we are."

Loki, who’d been watching from the opposite side of the couch, quietly folded their arms. Even Devon visibly relaxed after seeing Orion’s expression soften instead of worsen.

Thoth spoke again, keeping his tone slow enough for a frightened child. "Can you tell me what you saw that day?"

Orion remained quiet.

"The woman you mentioned..." Thoth gave his hand one reassuring squeeze. "What did she say to you?"

The boy’s lips finally parted.

"I..." His pupils suddenly contracted.

A brilliant white light exploded within both irises.

Orion gasped violently, both hands flying to his head as though something had pierced straight through his mind.

"It hurts...!"

Devon’s eyes widened. "Orion!"

He lunged toward the couch—and stopped.

The steam rising from the untouched coffee froze halfway through the air.

The curtains stopped swaying.

The television became perfectly still, its moving images locked in place.

Even Loki’s worried expression remained frozen exactly as it had been a heartbeat earlier.

Silence swallowed everything.

Orion’s breathing gradually steadied again.

The pain faded just enough for him to lift his head.

"Huh?" He blinked in confusion.

Everyone had become statues.

Only he could still move.

A faint sound suddenly echoed through the room.

Footsteps.

Orion slowly turned toward the hallway.

Someone stood there.

The figure didn’t approach or threaten him.

They simply watched him in complete silence.

For reasons Orion himself couldn’t explain, he wasn’t scared.

He only felt... confused, his small brows knitting together.

"Why did you do that?"

★★★★★

Amazon Rainforest

Ambrose threw himself sideways just as an enormous vine burst from beneath the forest floor, smashing straight through the space where he’d been standing barely a fraction of a second earlier.

The impact alone split the earth apart.

Chunks of stone and uprooted trees were launched into the air as Hunters scattered in every direction, frantic shouts instantly replacing the orderly atmosphere from only moments ago.

"Fall back!"

"It’s attacking!"

Another tree suddenly twisted upon itself, its trunk bending like soft rope before countless sharpened roots erupted outward.

Several Hunters weren’t fast enough.

Gabriel’s pupils flashed.

The impaled Hunters vanished from where they stood, reappearing dozens of metres away before the roots could tear completely through them.

More vines immediately chased after them.

Valentine finally moved.

An invisible wave rolled outward from his body.

Every branch, vine and root entering that field instantly withered, centuries of life draining away in seconds before crumbling into grey ash.

Even then... More replaced them.

The entire rainforest seemed endless.

Javier’s expression darkened as he raised both hands.

"Everyone!" His voice thundered across the battlefield. "Stop moving!"

Several Hunters looked at him as though he’d gone insane.

"What?!"

"Do it!"

There was such certainty behind the command that even the panicking Hunters hesitated.

Javier slowly lowered himself onto both knees.

He pressed his palms against the trembling earth once more.

If he couldn’t overpower whatever had seized control... Then he’d simply listen.

The rainforest answered.

Countless roots connected with his consciousness. Millions of leaves brushed against his awareness.

For one brief moment... He touched it.

A presence spread throughout every tree, every flower, every strand of moss and every grain of soil beneath the Amazon.

Then a single voice echoed directly inside Javier’s mind.

Cold and ancient beyond measure.

"Leave."