Doomsday Pillars

Chapter 184 - Egyptian Doll

The situation turned very confusing. It seemed like the fighters who had died did not have the memory of that fight at all, while those who had survived the tragedy were currently confused.

Cindy hugged Theo tightly making him embarrassed. Theo did not understand the American woman's way of thinking. Could it be she was touched by the wedding he had led?

Cindy hugged Theo for a while as tears dripped from her eyes, but a moment later, the woman's attitude reversed 180 degrees. She started hitting Theo's chest wet with her tears and said, 

"Seriously! If you don't have the power, then don't act like a hero, you stupid man!

"..." Theo was speechless at Cindy's sudden outburst.

The people within Alex's vicinity noticed the atmosphere became heavy.. Alex, Aria, Cindy, Jerry, Daisy, and Tommy still clearly remembered everything that had happened, but Sergei and Raufgar, although not victims, didn't. The power of the spirit of space and time was way different from the elementals. Alex couldn't understand it.

As Alex watched the smiling faces of everyone else who attended the wedding, he couldn't help but think what's the purpose of the old man. This was the second the man in gray saved his life.

While Alex was lost in thought, Rama, as well as his martial arts masters, Arief, James, Nathanael, and Winter, arrived also confused.

Everyone approached Alex searching for answers. They couldn't comprehend the things that had just happened.

But suddenly, a bright ray fell in the south. Right in the deepest and most crowded zombies. All of them including Alex were mesmerized by the light. They wanted to know what was happening.

Arief stared at Alex waiting for orders.

Alex nodded in agreement and he decided to send the best fighters along with the bear squad to investigate in the area where the beam fell. Alex wants to go with them, but currently, he's very concerned about her daughter,  so they split into two groups. "Remember to be careful. the first sign of trouble, retreat immediately."

"Get ready!" Arief shouted.

Most of them made their way where the beam fell while Aria, Cindy, and Theo accompanied Alex back to the base.

The darkness enveloped the night as Alex rushed back to his family's residence. He opened the door strongly and surprised his wife.

"What is wrong?" Devita asked.

Alex didn't answer and went straight to his daughter's bedroom only to find her fast asleep. Alex heaved a sigh of relief. He then searched for the beetle but it wasn't here. So he decided to wait and guard in the next room.

Aria, Cindy, and Theo also waited. Not long after, Cindy and Theo began to feel drowsy due to all of the fighting earlier this day. Devita stood up and prepared a warm tea for them.

While waiting, Alex inspected the wooden sword he was holding all this time. He tried to put it in the storage ring but it didn't work. In his previous life, he had heard that there were some high-level artifacts that couldn't be stored in the storage. It seemed like this wooden sword was a very valuable item.

This sword looked ordinary. It stretched for about a meter long with a handle that appeared to be a little Chinese sword-shaped rod. Although it looked simple, the sword was actually quite sharp. Apart from its sharpness, Alex couldn't find any unique points of the sword.

like a magician Devita quickly made a belt from an old bag so the sword could be hung on Alex's back.

"Perfect!" Alex smiled

Aria watched the closeness of the two and she suddenly became uncomfortable and decided to wait outside the room.

Devita noticed this and said to Alex, "It seems like Aria likes you."

"Haha. Are you jealous?"

"..."

"Yes, I am. You have been single for the last ten years, right? Of course, I'm worried," said his wife in a joking manner. But Alex's face became dark, making her regret her joke. For the last 10 years, Alex had lived a life like in hell and couldn't even joke about it. Alex did, however, understood his wife's good intention and tried to smile, but Devita hugged him.

Her tight hug and kiss made him forget the hardships of the end times momentarily. Not long after, Devita also fell asleep on Alex's lap.

Three hours later, the first-morning sun illuminated their room and Alex felt an aura coming from Tiffany's bedroom...

"!!!"

Alex sprinted into the bedroom and encountered an oddly dressed little girl.

The little girl standing had black hair with a beautiful dark bronze-skin wearing old-fashioned clothing. She looked like an Egyptian doll. 

"Calm down, I don't have any malicious intentions." said the little girl as she looked at Tiffany sleeping soundly.

Alex recognized that voice. It was the voice of the beetle who had possessed his daughter. "Is this your true form?"

"No, the beetle is my real form. But I transformed to a human so I could easily talk to you."

"Who are you? What do you want?"

"I...I have almost forgotten my name. It's been a long time... I think I was called by the name Khepri."

"Khepri..."

Cindy, who was an expert archaeologist, immediately knew the name. Khepri was the name of an ancient god. God in the form of beetles that were worshiped by the people of Egypt long ago. The strange girl in front of them today was that mysterious beetle. a mysterious powerful beetle with the same name, could this Khepri is that same god?

Khepri continued and said, "It was by accident that I found this girl had the ability that controlled the animals. I deemed it interesting and dangerous at the same time but as I get to know this human more, I started liking her. That's why I helped you."

Alex still couldn't trust the creature in front of him. Although this creature appeared harmless, Alex knew the strength of the mutated animals from Riau island and this creature was able to make the Garuda submit. He needed to be careful.

Alex replied, "Whatever your intentions are, I can't let you possess my daughter's body!"

"Humans... It's very interesting how humans care deeply about their children."

"Isn't that the same for all parents?"

"That may be so for the majority of all species. But for us beetles, we don't understand it. We can kill or even eat our own disobedient children." The way the creature say it give such a dangerous aura that made Alex unconsciously drew the wooden sword

When the strange girl saw the wooden sword in Alex's hand, she was reminded of the old man's strength.. she decided to quickly do what she came to do. The strange girl walked toward Tiffany and Alex tried to stop her actions but a strong force stopped him from getting closer. Seeing the girl getting close to his daughter, Alex's heart beat faster.. he panicked.

"What are you doing?!"

The strange girl ignored Alex, pulled out a strange bottle, and opened its cap.  A strong fragrant smell filling up the whole room.. the girl took out a pill from the bottle and pushed it into Tiffany's mouth.

"!!!"

A few seconds later, the strong force seemed to have disappeared and Alex rushed in. But the strange girl had already retreated a few meters away from the bed.

"What did you do to my daughter? Alex quickly hold her daughter in his arm

"Calm down, I gave her a very rare pill. It'll help her."

Alex didn't trust the strange girl in front of him and was starting to get enraged when he suddenly heard something.

"Cough! Cough!"

"Tiffany! Tiffany!"

Tiffany slowly opened her eyes… everyone in the room suddenly startled. Alex too, Something has changed with his daughter,

"Tiffany.. your.. your eyes.."

To everyone's surprise, Tiffany's eyes seemed to have returned to normal. "Da-daddy?" 

Tiffany blinked several times as she looked around the room with a large smile on her face.. and quickly her eyes landed on the strange girl a few meters away from her bed. She tilted her head and asked, "Cerri?"

"..."

Tiffany sat up and felt that her whole body was thoroughly refreshed. She looked around and couldn't believe what she was able to see again. Tiffany's eyes started to well up.

Alex saw his daughter's reaction and responded positively to this. His family's safety was very important to him.

Alex questioned the strange girl once more, but this time a little more calmly,

 "Tell me.. What is your purpose?"

The strange girl briefly looked at Alex before turning to Tiffany with hesitant eyes. "I-I want to be friends with Tiffany. Can-can we still be friends, Tiffany?"

Tiffany answered without hesitation. "Of course we can... we already are, Cerri!"

Tiffany's reply made the strange girl happy and said, "Tiffany, let's play again next time! I have something to do for the moment, but I'll stop by once a while."

After that, the strange girl transformed back into a beetle and flew away. 

Tiffany waved her hands and said, "Bye, Cerri!"

Alex couldn't do anything against the beetle's power. It seemed that unless he reached the Saint Realm he wouldn't be able to do anything. He still didn't trust the beetle and couldn't tell if what had happened would be a fortune or a disaster for his little girl. But at the very least, he had witnessed this beetle help his daughter to see again. Alex believed at least at the moment the beetle did not mean harm.

Not long after the beetle had left, a few people arrived in Alex's residence. It was Arief and the others, they had finished their surveillance and had come to report immediately. 

"How was it? What did you find?" Alex asked.