As Mrs. Ruth stumbled into her home, pain rippled through her body. Every bruise burned as if alive, their dark edges cracking further with every breath she took. Anxiety churned within her chest, yet she moved with purpose, heading straight for the washroom. The reflection in the mirror startled her: her eyes were sunken, her face pale, and her arms marred with deep, angry bruises that refused to heal.
Filling the sink with cold water, she began to clean the blood-streaked shawl and the cuts on her arms. As the water was full of blood, her thoughts returned to Mirabel. The image of her daughter, bound and bleeding on an altar, haunted her. Mirabel had to be saved at any cost.
Determined, she grabbed her purse and some cash. But just as she reached the door, her body stiffened, and the world tilted. Darkness enveloped her, and she fell into a vision.
Mirabel stood before her, bathed in an eerie glow. She was smiling, her expression serene, yet blood poured from wounds that should have been fatal. The juxtaposition of peace and suffering sent a chill down Ruth's spine.
"Mirabel!" she cried, trying to reach her, but her legs wouldn't move.
Mirabel's voice was soft but distant. "You're close, Mother. But hurry… time is slipping."
The vision shattered like glass, and Ruth jolted awake, gasping for air. Her heart raced as her hands trembled. That serene expression, it wasn't right. Mirabel couldn't possibly be content where she was. Whatever Chief Mina had done to her, it had to be undone.
Ruth opted for discretion. She wouldn't use her official convoy or alert anyone to her movements. Closing her eyes, she pinched one of her bruises, the sharp pain serving as her anchor. With a shimmer, she vanished and reappeared at Mirabel's old apartment.
The air was warm and filled with the distant hum of the city. Ruth's heart sank as she saw lights on inside the unit. A young couple lived there now, their laughter faintly audible through the door.
Ruth stayed invisible, pinching her bruised arm to maintain her concealment. She scanned the room through a slightly ajar window. No sign of the chocolate box. Frustration bubbled within her, and she released her grip, becoming visible again. She knocked sharply on the door.
A young woman holding a baby answered, her husband trailing behind her. They greeted Ruth warmly, though with curiosity.
"I'm sorry to intrude," Ruth began, her voice measured. "I'm looking for something my daughter left behind. She lived here before you moved in, and it's of great importance."
The couple exchanged glances but invited her in.
Ruth stepped inside and immediately felt a strange energy. The air was lighter, almost cleansing, a stark contrast to the oppressive darkness she had felt in Mina's mansion. Still, she didn't have time to dwell on it.
"Did you happen to find a small chocolate box when you moved in?" she asked, scanning the room.
The wife hesitated, her fingers gripping the baby tightly. "I think I saw something like that, but I threw it out while cleaning."
Ruth's stomach dropped. "Threw it out? Are you certain?"
The woman's face grew pale. "Wait," she said nervously. "Before I tossed it, a man in a black robe appeared. He warned me not to throw it away, or something terrible would happen to my family, but I really didn't take it serious".
The husband interjected, his expression serious. "I saw him too. She thought it was a hallucination, but I went back and retrieved the box."
Ruth's heart leaped. "Where is it now?"
The couple looked at each other, then back at her. "We don't know. It disappeared a few days after that."
Suddenly, the baby in the wife's arms let out a piercing scream, writhing as if in pain. Ruth's bruises began to glow faintly, the warmth intensifying. She scanned the room, her instincts guiding her toward the corner.
"Stay here," she ordered, her voice firm as she moved toward the glow.
Pinching her arm again, she focused her energy, and with a shimmer, the chocolate box materialized on the floor. The couple gasped, their fear evident.
Ruth's fingers trembled as she picked up the box. The moment she opened it, a mechanical click echoed, and a digital timer appeared, counting down: 00:59.
Panic surged through her veins. What did this mean? Obianuju hadn't mentioned a timer.
She rummaged through the box but found nothing else inside,no puzzle, but a ribbon. Her mind raced. Was this a trap?
Meanwhile, deep within Mina's mansion, the final ritual had begun. Mirabel and Chief Mina laid on the altar, their chest exposed, Mirabel's face was eerily calm despite the chaos around her. Mina, now in his grotesque form, stared at her. His laughter boomed as chained spirits and creatures bore witness to the event.
The gods, seated on golden thrones, chanted in unison, their voices weaving an incantation that thickened the air. The Alpha of their kind, robed in black and gold, stepped forward, holding a golden dagger aloft.
"Your Wife will fail," Mina sneered at Obianuju, who was bound among the prisoners. "She is weak. She will never solve the puzzle."
Obianuju, despite his chains, smiled faintly. "You underestimate her."
The Alpha raised the dagger high, his chants growing louder, as he stabs Chief Mina. But as the blade descended toward Mirabel, it froze mid-air.
The mansion fell silent. Time itself seemed to halt. Spirits, creatures, and even Mina who laid still on the alter suspended, their forms locked in place. Only Mirabel's eyes remained active, darting around in confusion.
Back in the apartment, Ruth clutched the box tightly, her bruises burning as if alive. The red ribbon tied faintly around her arm. She gasped, realizing she didn't just tie it, it had wrapped itself around her arm.
As she touched the ribbon, the glow of her bruises intensified, sending a wave of energy that reverberated through the room. The couple shielded their baby, watching in awe and terror as Ruth's form seemed to shimmer.
The timer on the box ticked down: 00:27.
Ruth knew she was running out of time. But she just couldn't find the puzzle in the chocolate box ,and she concluded that it was only needful to take the box back to her husband. But little did she know she was making a huge mistake going back to the mansion.
Closing her eyes and pinching on her bruise, she focused her energy, preparing for the next step.