Cat muttered something inaudible to Miram and stepped back. Miram's reluctance was palpable, but she raised her hand, and with a soft snap of her fingers, black, tendril-like vines – reminiscent of the sleepher – erupted from the rear of the raised platform.
The vines wrapped around Mike's body, dragging him toward the platform with an unnerving slowness, before pinning him against the wall with an unyielding grip.
Mike winced in pain as the vines constricted around him. He shot a pleading glance at Cat. "Is this part of the process?" he said.
Cat shook her head, her expression apologetic. "It's a precautionary measure, for your safety and ours. If anything were to go awry, we wouldn't want you to..." She let her voice trail off as she caught sight of Miram glowering at her.
Even after keeping quiet, the witch still continued glaring at her, like she would pounce on Cat and snap her neck at any moment.
"What?" Cat mouthed.
"How dare you use me to immobilize him!" Miram groaned. "If you don't trust him, then perhaps—"
"It's okay, Miram," Mike intervened. "I understand the risks. If something were to happen to me, I might inadvertently harm you or others." He glanced at Cat and continued. "Please, don't hesitate to eliminate me if I were to become a threat."
Miram's face, which had begun to soften, hardened once more. "That's not going to happen!" she stated. "Whenever you feel like you're losing control, remember your loved ones, your friends, and the people who care for you. Think of your duty to Perebia, and the millions of lives that depend on your success."
Mike's face broke into a faint smile, and he chuckled softly. Miram's words, though spoken in a moment of tension, brought with them a fleeting sense of relief. "Thanks for that, Miram. I'll do my best not to disappoint you all."
"Before we proceed," Miram said as she moved closer to Mike. With her glowing index finger, she gently tapped Mike on the neck, precisely where his lav was located.
Mike felt a sudden wave of dizziness wash over him like something within his mind had been turned off. He noticed a strange, unsettling sensation, like a faint humming noise, emanating from within his head.
"What have you done?" he muttered, his voice filled with a hint of disorientation. He felt a brief, fleeting weakness coursing through his body.
"I've deactivated your lav," Miram explained. "This will prevent your friend from establishing contact with you during your soul drifting. You must remain undisturbed during this process."
"I don't know what I would have done without you," Mike managed to whisper, his smile faint. "Thank you once again."
Miram shook her head, refusing his thanks. "You may thank me when you return as the true protector of Perebia," she replied. "I'll be waiting for your return, my Jyuran."
The council members watched the exchange in silence. Even Dango, notoriously the most loquacious member of the council, remained uncharacteristically silent.
*****
Jake cleared his throat before putting the receiver to his ear. "Hello, is this Mrs. Elena Smith?" he asked, attempting to sound as natural and convincing as possible.
There was a brief pause before Mrs. Smith's voice came through the line. "Yes, please, who's this and what can I do for you?"
"I'm calling regarding your son, Mike," Jake replied. "I'm one of his teachers."
"Oh, is he with you? I haven't seen him this morning. Is something wrong?"
"He's on the school's excursion with his friend," Jake replied.
"You mean Stefan?"
Jake nodded, even though he knew Mrs. Smith couldn't see him. "Yes, they'll be back in three days."
"Can I speak with my son for a moment, please?"
"He's not here at the moment, he's probably on the field playing football with his friends," Jake said. "However, his best friend, Stefan, is here with me right now."
A brief pause again.
"What do you want me to do ma'am?" Jake pressed.
"Give the phone to him, please," Mrs. Smith's voice came.
Jake handed the phone over to Stefan, who was sitting on the couch in his expansive sitting room, looking nervous and scared.
Stefan took the phone, his heart beating relentlessly in his chest. Finally, he grunted and raised it to his ear. "Hello, Mrs. Smith," he said.
"Hey Stefan, why didn't your friend tell me before embarking on an excursion?" Mrs. Smith inquired.
"He mentioned that it was too early and didn't want to disturb your sleep," Stefan replied. "And, uh, he didn't have the opportunity to speak with you last night, which is why he asked one of our instructors to call and inform you."
"What about Rachael? Is she with you?" she asked.
Stefan was hesitant, and he stumbled over his words. "Umm... yes," he stammered and slowly turned to Rachael, who shot him a heated glare.
"I mean, no!" he quickly corrected himself.
"What!? Can you please clarify?" Mrs. Smith said.
"I mean, she came to school with Mike, but she didn't join us on the excursion," Stefan replied. "She's probably at her friend's house. And… she has her phone, you can try calling her."
"I've called her several times, but she's not picking up," Mrs. Smith said.
Rachael brought out her phone to verify, and she saw her mother's missed calls. She had intentionally put her phone on silent before coming inside earlier to prevent any disturbance.
"I'll call her or her friends and inform her of your concerns," Stefan offered.
"It would be so nice if you could do that," Mrs. Smith said. "Thanks, Stefan. And good luck on your excursion."
The call came to an end.
Rachael let out a deep sigh of relief, her shoulders sagging as she turned to face Jake. "Why did you tell her that Mike would be back in three days?" she asked. "What if he's not back by then?"
"Then you should find another solution when that time comes," Jake retorted. "And by the way, you should be thanking me, kid, not scolding me! I'm still considering suing you for housebreaking."
Stefan's face darkened, and he stood up, his movements abrupt. "Thanks for your help, sir, but we'll be on our way now," he said, turning to leave.
However, Jake's words halted him in his tracks. "I didn't ask you to leave yet," he said. "I believe we still have a lot to discuss. Now, tell me, guys, how did your friend look when he transformed?"
Rachael, Stefan, and Christina glanced at each other, but none of them could describe Mike's appearance.
"Even the smallest detail would be helpful, anything at all. Even a drawing?" Jake added but was met with an intense silence from the trio.
"Oh my goodness," he gasped.
"Are you guys even close to him?" Tina, who had been quietly observing the exchange, finally intervened. "Why can't any of you describe your friend's appearance?"
"That's because we've never had the opportunity to observe him during his transformations," Stefan explained. "Would you think of observing when your life is in danger?"
Tina's reaction was instantaneous, her eyes rolling in disgust as she let out a soft hiss. Her animosity toward Stefan was palpable, but he seemed entirely unfazed by her reaction.
However, Rachael stroked her hair as she concentrated. "There are certain features that stand out in him, though," she said. "Long ears, glowing eyes, enormous wings, and sharp claws."
"Mike doesn't have claws. Does he?" Stefan said.
"He does," Christina confirmed. "I noticed them on the day I first encountered him in his alien form. I saw the claws recede before he carried me."
Her gaze drifted to Rachael, and she continued, "his claws are extremely sharp and long. If I'm not exaggerating, Mike typically doesn't need a weapon in combat. His claws looked like they could cut through metal."
Rachael nodded but said nothing. She turned to look at Jake and she caught a strange mixture of expression on his face.
"You don't believe in the legend, do you?" she asked.