Chapter 162: Chapter 162: A New Home for Loy and Riri

​The van slowed down, its pace more deliberate than before.

​Outside, the fog began to shift—transforming from a dense, suffocating charcoal to a translucent grey. The blackened trees still crowded the roadside, but gaps began to appear between them. And through those gaps, a faint, ethereal violet glow pulsed in the distance.

​Dayat held the steering wheel with one hand, his left hand gently clasping Dola’s cold fingers.

​”Husband.”

​Dola’s voice was faint. Soft. It lacked its usual sharpness.

​Dayat turned his head. Dola was looking at him, her eyes dimmed by exhaustion. Her face was pale, with faint dark circles tracing the undersides of her eyes. She looked utterly spent.

​”I want to sleep,” Dola whispered. “I’m tired.”

​Dayat nodded. He didn’t need to say anything.

​Dola offered a fleeting smile. Her eyes slowly drifted shut, and her head slumped against the seat, facing toward Dayat. Her silver hair was disheveled. She was exhausted, yet she remained breathtaking. Even in this state, Dola possessed a haunting beauty.

​”Sleep,” Dayat said softly.

​Dola didn’t reply. Her breathing had already steadied into a rhythmic hum. Perhaps she had already fallen asleep, or perhaps she was simply resting her eyes. Regardless, Dayat did not let go of her hand.

​In the back seat, Loy stared out the window. Black forests. Mist. The occasional blur of a massive trunk passing by too quickly to track.

​”What is… Castle Zero like?” His voice was hollow, devoid of energy. His eyes remained listless.

​Dayat caught his gaze in the rearview mirror. “It’s big.”

​”How big?”

​”A small castle. But a castle nonetheless.”

​Loy frowned. In his mind, he imagined an ancient stone ruin—the crumbling remains of some forgotten noble estate. Cracked walls. Shattered windows. The wind howling through the gaps in the masonry.

​”Is it an ancient castle? Like some ruined noble estate?”

​Dayat smiled thinly. “No. Not ancient.”

​”Then what is it?”

​”You’ll see for yourself soon enough.”

​Loy didn’t press further. Beside him, Riri stirred. Her eyes were also fixed on the world outside, though they lacked focus. She squeezed Loy’s hand.

​”Are we… are we even worthy of living there?” Riri whispered, her voice barely a breath. “A place like that?”

​Dayat heard her. He glanced back, his eyes meeting Riri’s in the mirror. “You are worthy. You’ll see when we get there.”

​Riri bit her lip, unconvinced but silent.

​Loy let out a heavy sigh. “Is Kancil there?”

​”Yes,” Dayat replied.

​”Alone?”

​”Lunethra is with him.”

​”Who’s that?”

​Dayat gave a small, knowing smile. “A good friend of Kancil’s. She’s kind and welcoming. You’ll meet her soon.”

​Loy nodded slowly. His gaze drifted to Dola, who was asleep in the front seat. Her silver hair draped over half her face. Her chest rose and fell in a steady, graceful cadence. She slept with an innate elegance. Powerful, terrifying, and yet… now she just looked like a woman who had given everything she had.

​”Is Miss Dola asleep?” Loy asked.

​”She’s exhausted. Let her rest.”

​Loy didn’t ask anything else. He watched Dola for a few moments. She looked vulnerable now, a far cry from the untouchable goddess he had seen at the bandit camp.

​”Miss Dola is really strong, isn’t she?” Loy whispered.

​Dayat’s smile widened slightly. “Very strong. She is the strongest of us all.”

​Riri gripped Loy’s hand tighter, her eyes fixed on Dola. There was a spark of awe in her gaze—unspoken, but unmistakable.

​”Who does the castle belong to?” Loy asked again.

​”It belongs to me and Dola.”

​”How did you… get a castle?”

​Dayat didn’t answer immediately. He took a breath. “It’s a long story. I’ll tell you once we’ve settled in.”

​Loy didn’t push. He simply nodded.

​Riri shifted beside him. “Kancil… has he changed?”

​Dayat looked in the mirror. Riri’s face was still pale, her eyes puffy from crying. But a flicker of curiosity had returned to her gaze.

​”Yes. He has,” Dayat answered. “But don’t be afraid. He’s still the same Kancil. He’s just stronger now. More trained.”

​Riri bit her lip. “That’s good then,” Loy whispered. “Kancil becoming strong.”

​Riri nodded slowly, but her gaze remained distant. Something was weighing on her mind.

​”I… I want to be like Kancil,” she whispered.

​Dayat glanced back. “You can be. We’ll train together.”

​”Really?”

​”Definitely. Kancil started from zero too. You can do the same.”

​Riri didn’t respond. She just held Loy’s hand tighter, her eyes beginning to glisten. It wasn’t sadness this time. It was emotion. Perhaps relief. She couldn’t tell.

​Loy nodded, turning back to the window. The forest was still black, the mist still thin, but the violet light in the distance was growing more defined. It was a steady, pulsing glow—not blinding, but unshakable. Like a neon light that never flickered.

​”What is that?” Loy asked, his face pressed against the glass.

​”Castle Zero,” Dayat said.

​”Whoa…” Loy was breathless. He could only stare at the violet radiance.

​Riri stared as well, her mouth hanging slightly open. “Beautiful…”

​On the Terrace of Equilibrium, Kancil stood waiting.

​It had been over an hour. Maybe two. He had lost track. All he knew was that his legs were starting to ache, but he refused to sit down.

​His fingers drummed incessantly against the balcony railing. His body was a bundle of restless energy, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. His eyes never wavered from the direction of the forest.

​Lunethra stood beside him, silent. Her green dress fluttered gently in the night breeze, her emerald eyes fixed on the same horizon.

​”When will they be here?” Kancil asked.

​”Soon.”

​”You’ve been saying ’soon’ for an hour.”

​Lunethra didn’t reply. She only let out a soft sigh.

​Kancil sighed as well, his grip tightening on the stone railing. “They’re bringing my friends, right?”

​Lunethra turned to him, her eyes meeting his. “I don’t know, Kancil. I wasn’t there.”

​Kancil fell silent, biting his lip. His gaze returned to the forest. “I hope they’re with them,” he whispered.

​Lunethra didn’t say anything. She simply placed a reassuring hand on Kancil’s shoulder.

​In the distance, the howl of a wolf echoed. One. Then two. Then a chorus of them. The sound rippled through the black trees, more frequent than usual.

​Kancil tensed. “Wolves.”

​”Yes.”

​”Why are they so loud tonight?”

​Lunethra didn’t answer. Her eyes narrowed. Something was moving in that forest. Something she couldn’t quite identify.

​”They’re safe, right?” Kancil asked.

​”Dayat and Dola are strong.”

​”That’s not an answer.”

​Lunethra looked at Kancil. Her gaze was soft but firm. “They are safe. Trust them.”

​Kancil wasn’t entirely convinced, but he didn’t ask again. He just stared into the darkness.

​The violet light ahead began to take shape.

​It was no longer a mere point of light. It became lines, then silhouettes, then walls.

​Castle Zero.

​From a distance, the structure looked indomitable—pitch black with pulsing violet veins. It wasn’t massive; it was a small castle, but a castle nonetheless. There was a tower on one side and a balcony on the upper floor. The main gate was wide, forged from a shimmering black metal.

​There were no guards. No creatures lurked around the gates.

​Loy stared with wide eyes, his mouth agape. “Is that… is that the castle?”

​”Yes,” Dayat said.

​”Whoa…” Loy was speechless. He could only gape.

​Beside him, Riri was the same. Her eyes sparkled, not from the violet light, but from pure wonder. “It’s like a dream,” she whispered.

​Dayat smiled as he eased off the accelerator. The van began to slow.

​On the terrace, Kancil saw the lights. Two white beams in the distance, moving, approaching.

​”That’s them!” Kancil shouted.

​He didn’t wait. He bolted, his feet hitting the stone stairs with a rapid thud. Lunethra tried to keep up, but Kancil was too fast.

​Kancil leaped down from the final step, his feet landing on the black soil. He kept running. His lungs burned, but he didn’t stop until he reached the side of the van. He pressed his hand against the rear door. It was cold. He stared at the dark glass, his chest heaving.

​He didn’t open it immediately. He waited. Or perhaps he hesitated. He didn’t know which.

​The front door opened. Dayat stepped out.

​”Kancil.”

​”Brother Dayat!”

​Kancil almost ran to Dayat, but he stopped. His gaze drifted back to the rear door. “Are they… inside?”

​Dayat nodded. “Yes. They’re here.”

​Kancil took a breath. His hand reached for the door handle. He pulled it open.

​Inside, it was dark.

​But Kancil could see them. Two pairs of eyes stared back at him from the rear seat.

​Loy.

​Riri.

​Their faces hadn’t changed. They were just as he remembered. But there were wounds. Bruises. Puffy eyes.

​Kancil looked at Loy. Loy looked at Kancil.

​Neither spoke.

​Kancil glanced at the seat beside Loy. Empty.

​He glanced at the seat beside Riri. Empty.

​There was no Tomas. There was no Sany.

​Kancil bit his lip. “Where are Tomas and Sany?” His voice was hopeful, enthusiastic, as if he didn’t already know. As if he hoped they were just sleeping somewhere else.

​Loy didn’t answer.

​”Loy. Where are Tomas and Sany?”

​Loy squeezed Riri’s hand tighter. Riri looked down, her shoulders beginning to shake.

​Kancil looked from one to the other. His eyes began to water, but he didn’t cry. Not yet.

​”Loy. Answer me.”

​Loy shook his head. A single, small shake.

​Kancil went still.

​Lunethra stood behind Kancil. She saw Loy. She saw Riri. She saw the empty seats. She didn’t ask anything. She simply remained silent.

​Dayat stood by the van. Dola had stepped out as well. Her body was still weary, but she stood tall.

​Kancil remained at the van door, his hand still gripping the handle. He wouldn’t let go.

​Loy finally spoke, his voice raspy. “Kancil… I…”

​”Don’t.” Kancil shook his head. “Don’t say anything.”

​He reached out his hands. Both of them. One for Loy. One for Riri.

​”Come on. Let’s go home.”

​Loy took Kancil’s hand. It felt small—smaller than he remembered. Or perhaps it was his own hand that had grown. He couldn’t tell.

​Riri took his hand as well, her fingers trembling.

​Kancil pulled them out of the van.

​The moment she stood on the black soil, Riri burst into tears. It wasn’t a quiet sob; it was a wail that tore from her chest. It had been bottled up for too long, and now it all came pouring out.

​Loy tried to hold it back, biting his lip, but the tears fell anyway, tracing paths down his bruised cheeks.

​Kancil didn’t cry. He simply pulled them both into a hug.

​His arms weren’t quite long enough, but he forced them to be. Loy and Riri hugged him back, their fingers clutching at him.

​”I’m sorry…” Kancil whispered, his voice breaking. “I’m sorry I took so long… I’m sorry I didn’t come sooner…”

​Loy closed his eyes, his tears soaking into Kancil’s shoulder. “We waited… we waited so long…”

​Riri cried harder, her hands clutching Kancil’s jacket as if she’d never let go.

​Lunethra gave them space, standing a few paces back. She watched the scene in silence, a faint, sad smile on her lips.

​Dayat stood by the van, hands on his hips. Dola was beside him.

​”I don’t need help,” Dola said, her voice weak.

​”I didn’t say I was going to help.”

​”You think I didn’t see you looking?”

​Dayat sighed, his hand reaching for Dola’s shoulder. “Get inside. Rest.”

​”I don’t want to.”

​”You’re exhausted.”

​”I don’t want to.”

​Dayat looked at Dola. Dola looked back.

​”I can walk by myself,” Dola said.

​They stood in silence for a moment.

​”But I want you with me,” Dola whispered.

​Dayat smiled. His hand slid from her shoulder to clasp her hand. “Come on. Let’s go in together.”

​Lunethra approached the van.

​She looked inside. Dalgor was lying on the back seat, his eyes closed, his chest rising and falling slowly. He groaned occasionally in his sleep.

​Without asking, Lunethra lifted Dalgor’s body, supporting the old man’s shoulders. Dalgor was heavy, but Lunethra was strong.

​Dayat stepped closer. “I’ll help.”

​”No need. Take Dola inside,” Lunethra said.

​Dayat looked at Dola. She shook her head. “I don’t need to be carried.”

​”I didn’t say I was going to carry you.”

​”You think I didn’t see you looking?”

​Dayat sighed. “Let’s just go in, you stubborn woman.”

​They walked toward the castle doors. Kancil was still holding Loy and Riri, their hands locked together. Finally, Kancil led them both forward—left hand for Loy, right hand for Riri.

​”Come on,” Kancil said. “I’ll show you your rooms. We’ll all stay in the same area.”

​The three of them walked together. Loy and Riri were still weeping softly, but their steps followed his.

​The castle doors opened silently.

​Inside, it was warm.

​Black walls pulsed with violet veins of light. The floors were made of an unknown material—shimmering but not slippery. High ceilings loomed overhead, and dim violet lamps glowed in every corner.

​Loy looked around with wide eyes. “This is… incredible.”

​”Yeah,” Kancil said. “Cool, right?”

​”So cool…”

​Riri looked as well, her eyes shining. Her hand still gripped Kancil’s.

​”This is The Heart of Logic,” Kancil said. “The center of the castle. This is where we usually gather.”

​Loy didn’t understand the name, but he didn’t ask. He just kept staring.

​Kancil smiled. “This is your home now.”

​Lunethra brought Dalgor to a room in the west wing.

​The room was small, with a single iron bed in the center covered in crisp white sheets. A wooden table stood nearby with several bottles of medicine. The walls were white, unlike the blackened interior of the rest of the castle.

​She laid Dalgor on the bed. The old man groaned softly, his eyes remaining shut.

​Lunethra took a damp cloth from the table and wiped the sweat from Dalgor’s forehead. “You’re safe here,” she whispered.

​She didn’t know if Dalgor could hear her, but she spoke anyway.

​Kancil stood in the middle of the room. Loy and Riri were still at his side, their hands still joined.

​”This is The Heart of Logic,” Kancil repeated. “Our gathering place.”

​Loy looked around. “It’s amazing.”

​Riri nodded. “Like a palace.”

​”Not a palace. A castle.”

​”Right. A castle.”

​Kancil smiled. “Come on. I’ll show you your rooms.”

​He led them toward a corridor on the eastern side.

​Dayat watched them go, a faint smile on his lips.

​”You did it,” Dola whispered from her chair.

​”Not yet.”

​”Loy and Riri are safe.”

​”Yes. But Tomas and Sany…”

​Dola opened her eyes and looked at Dayat. “You can’t save everyone.”

​”I know that. I’m not a god.”

​”But you tried. That’s what matters.”

​Dayat didn’t answer. He just stared at the corridor where Kancil, Loy, and Riri had disappeared.

​”This castle is their home now,” Dola said.

​”Yes.”

​”And ours.”

​Dayat turned to Dola. She was reclining in the chair again, her eyes closed, her breathing shallow. He gently stroked her hair.

​”Thank you,” he whispered again.

​Dola didn’t reply. She was already asleep.

​Outside, the castle doors closed slowly.

​There was no sound. Only the faint hiss of hinges that never creaked.

​The Wailing Forest remained dark. Fog swirled between the black trees. Whatever had been moving in the distance was gone.

​Perhaps it was still there. Perhaps it was waiting.

​But for tonight, they were safe.

​Inside The Heart of Logic, Dayat stood beside the sleeping Dola. Kancil was showing Loy and Riri their rooms. Lunethra was tending to Dalgor in the medical ward.

​No one spoke.

​There was only a warm, heavy silence.

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