Chapter 171 - Harmless

Graven just finished visiting her father and his brother in the mansion, and everything is okay in South Pond Town.

His brother Cooper and Sarah together with their children were a picture of a happy family. Laura's departure from the mansion proved to be a good thing for his brother and his strange family. His father Nicholas is much happier and healthier due to the presence of his grandchildren in his daily life.​​

Everything turns out good for his brother and his father...

On the contrary, everything turns bad for him and Laura...worst he might end up getting killed by the black liquid inside his body.

He hasn't solved three of his worst dilemma to date yet... finding the two missing women and worrying about their situation is torturing him every minute every second and soon the black liquid will create havoc inside his body!

Damn!

His life suddenly spiraled out of control from his grasp.

Ugh! With those depressing thoughts in mind, he teleported into Terros's place. He needs someone to talk to!

When he arrived at the place... the bamboo house was quiet.

Where is the old man?

"Old man...where are you?" he called out to him.

He was about to climb the wooden stairs to go to the second floor of the bamboo house when Terros appeared from nowhere carrying a jar made of clay.

"Son, I'm here... I went to the stream a few minutes ago to get some drinking water," Terros explained.

"Ah, okay," Graven said. "Let me carry that for you," he said and took the jar from the old man and hoisted it on his shoulder effortlessly.

"I'll have to return to the stream to gather more water for our one-week supply," Terros said.

"No problem, I'll go with you to the stream and carry the jar for you until we finished," Graven said.

"Thanks, son," Terros murmured.

They went upstairs and Graven transferred the water from the jar into a much bigger clay jar that can stock up to one week's drinking water supply.

"I have to stock water supply today while the sun is up because once the rain starts pouring in, it will be hard to secure clean water from the stream because it easily gets muddy," Terros explained.

"I understand, old man!" Graven said.

Meanwhile, inside the nearby room. Veronica and Elva were peeking at the tiny hole in the wall, staring at Graven from the bedroom.

Graven felt a powerful presence somewhere... not only one but two. He glanced at the closest room near him. Hmm, that must be Terros shy friend looking through the small hole on the wall.

Terros looked at Graven. "Son, let's go!" he said and walked towards the door.

"Okay." Graven picked up the jar and followed the old man outside.

Back in Veronica's room.

Elva looked at her companion. "Where are they going?" she asked, feeling excited like a teenager.

Veronica rolled her eyes. How ironic! The thousand years old deity is acting like a teenager seeing her crush for the first time. "The men are going to the stream located fifty meters away from this house to get drinking water," she answered.

Elva's eyes twinkled. "I must follow them!" she said.

"Be careful dear Elva, conceal your presence! Graven's body can emit deadly flames in split second and he might mistake you as an enemy or intruder - he might accidentally burn you to dust!" she warned her benefactor.

Elva smiled. "I know what I'm doing!" she said and disappeared from the room.

Veronica sighed and left the room to tend her garden in the backyard.

Outside the bamboo house...

The men can be seen walking on the path that leads to the forest, it will end up in a stream.

"How's it's going, son? You don't have success yet in finding your adoptive sister and missing wife yet?" Terros asked.

"Not yet," Graven replied sadly.

"I'm sorry, son. I felt so hopeless that until now I still can't solve the mystery of the black liquid," Terros said in a dispirited voice.

Graven breathed deeply. "Don't be too hard on yourself, old man. If it's my destiny to die one day then there's nothing we can do about it," he said. He sounded like he already resigned to his fate. "My only wish is to find Rebecca and Laura before I die. If I found them, I'll die happily," he said.

Terros patted Graven's shoulder to console his friend. "I have good news for you though!" he finally said.

Graven looked at his companion in great anticipation. "What is it, old man?" he asked.

"My lady friend finally finished her creation in the form of a brown powder. All you need to do is sprinkle the powder on the air - do it in every town that you are going to visit. The powder can magically penetrate the concealing method used by anyone. Then you can finally locate the scent of your wife and your adoptive sister," Terros explained.

"Great!" Graven smiled brightly for the first time, and for a long time ever since Rebecca and Laura went missing. Deep inside him, he was already rejoicing because he will be seeing again the missing two women, soon!

"After we finished our task, I'll give you the powder when we returned home," Terros said.

"How effective it is?" Graven asked.

Terros was silent for a moment. "I haven't tried it yet but my lady friend knows what she's doing. She's excellent when it comes to that stuff so I trust her. You will know if it is effective or not after you used it," he replied.

"Okay, thanks, old man! I owe you and your friend a lot," he said feeling grateful and alive again for the first time after staying in the dark for a while.

They resumed walking and finally arrived at the stream, which was surrounded by towering trees and wild bushes growing abundantly like mushrooms in the bank.

The men walked to the area of the stream where the clear water can be found.

Graven lowered the jar and filled it will clear water.

A few minutes later, Graven finished filling the jar.

"Let's go back now to the house," Terros said.

"Ok," Graven replied.

The men retraced their steps and went back inside the forest, walking leisurely on the path leading back to the house.

The men repeated the process of going back to the house and filling the water jar with water and back to the stream again - five times until they finished the task.

The men were resting, sitting on the wooden bench under the shade of the tree.

"I'll go upstairs to get the powder so that you can begin your journey of finding the missing women," Terros said and walked towards the wooden stairs.

Graven waited under the shade of the tree, the excitement of seeing his wife again was rapidly growing intensely in his stomach. He looked at the towering mountain ahead with renewed hope shining in his eyes.

Then all of a sudden... he felt a cold gush of wind caressed his nape it stayed in that area of his body for a few seconds... his right hand moved and touched his nape and found nothing... he raised his head and looked at the tree above him in confusion.

There's nothing in the branches of the tree.

He was in that position when Terros returned. "Why are you looking at the tree, young man?" he inquired.

Graven shifted his attention to Terros. "Nothing...just a cold wind blowing into my nape..." he answered while looking at the plastic bottle that the old man was holding in his right hand.

Terros put the plastic bottle into Graven's hand. "That is the magical powder that you need to sprinkle in the air in the town that you are going to visit. Just used one cap in every town... it contains millions of particles that will spread out in other areas covering the entire town. It should serve its purpose well because it's designed that way..." he explained.

"Thank you, old man. May I speak to your lady friend? I just want to personally thank her for going through all the hassle and effort in making this magical powder..." he said.

"Some other time my friend. When she's ready to face anyone..." Terros said.

Graven's brows furrowed. "What's wrong with her?"

Terros shrugged. "It's a long story... I'll tell you everything after you come back here," he said.

"Okay, I'll take my leave now," Graven said and rose to his feet.

"Good luck, son!" Terros said.

"Thanks, old man!" Graven replied. He looked at the house for a few seconds, initiated the teleportation process in his mind, and disappeared from the place instantly.

Terros lowered himself on the wooden bench. He wants to go back to the house and check Veronica's room 'coz he was sure that the deity was back inside the house again and the ladies were probably talking to each other right now. He can feel the deity's powerful aura in every corner of his house when he entered his room and took the plastic bottle containing the powder from his room.

He was analyzing the character of the thousand years old deity. Does he have to worry about her trespassing his property? And why is Veronica hesitating in introducing her friend to him? It bothers him deeply. He needs to meet the deity personally so that he will have an idea if she is a friend or a foe?

Meanwhile...

Inside Veronica's room.

Elva was grinning happily, she looks like she won the lottery.

Veronica rolled her eyes. "You already have your fill, Goddess. What is your next plan?" she asked trying to know what's on the deity's mind.

Elva looked at her companion and smiled mysteriously. "Secret!" she said, a mischievous glint appeared in her eyes.

"I warn you, don't hurt Graven. You might excel in witchery and other stuff but..." Veronica didn't finish her words.

Elva raised her brow. "What - my dear? Can you finish your sentence?" she asked suspiciously.

Veronica sighed deeply. "Nothing... all I'm asking from you is don't harm the guy. Terros won't like it. Just a friendly reminder," she said.

"Don't threaten me, my dear. I have enormous power under my sleeve, more than you can imagine," Elva said in a sugary voice laced with venom. After a while, she shrugged. "Don't worry, I'm harmless unless I'm provoked first!" she said and grinned wickedly.

A few minutes later.

Elva Sunbelle disappeared from the room.

Veronica was shaking her head. Something tells her that the deity's obsession with Graven won't come to a good end.

She went to bed and lie down, trying to erase the nagging worries that are beginning to form in her mind.