Kael stood near the funeral ground, dressed in a plain white shirt. His hollow eyes were fixed on Ashu's body.
Rexon stepped up beside him quietly. "Kael... everyone knows who you are now."
Kael nodded slowly. "I know. Soon, I'll have to tell the world the truth about us."
"What about your powers?" Rexon asked, tilting his head.
"We'll talk about that later," Kael replied, his voice barely above a whisper.
Rexon took a step back, standing silently behind him. Several men dressed in traditional white dhotis and kurtas moved gently, placing Ashu's body onto a wooden funeral pyre. A few feet away, others prepared a second pyre for Vrinda.
Watching them, Kael felt a deep, unbearable ache in his chest. He tightened his fists, biting his lower lip until the sharp, metallic taste of blood filled his mouth. Tears welled up in his eyes.
I could have saved them, he thought bitterly. If only I was faster...
As the flames caught the wood, the surrounding crowd seemed to melt away into thick white smoke. The quiet crackle of the fire grew loud, until it was just Kael standing alone in an endless mist before the two burning pyres.
Two glowing, ethereal forms floated up from the rising smoke, hovering gently in the air.
Kael looked up, his voice cracking. "Who are you?"
The male soul offered a warm, familiar smile. "Hi, Boss. I think you know me. I am Dusk."
Kael froze, tears spilling over his cheeks. "Why... why were you living inside Ashu's body?"
Dusk let out a soft laugh. "Ashu was my second chance at life. And honestly, Kael? You were the best boss in the whole world."
Kael stepped back, his brows furrowing. "Who killed you?"
Dusk's gentle smile faded for a second. "Mantra."
Kael fell silent. He remembered what Nyxara had told him—that Dusk had once loved Mantra in a past life, even though she never returned his feelings. But now, Kael's eyes shifted to the luminous, divine soul floating right next to Dusk.
"And who is she?" Kael asked softly.
Dusk looked at the female soul with profound tenderness. "This is my wife."
Dusk gestured toward Kael. "Close your eyes, Boss."
Kael closed his eyes. In his mind, he saw the image of Vrinda's broken phone—the candid picture of Ashu working diligently, stamped with the words: My future husband.
A fresh wave of tears burst from Kael's eyes. He wept openly, unable to hold back the pain any longer.
Dusk smiled softly. "Cry as much as you need to, Boss. Let all the pain out."
Wiping his face with his sleeve, Kael looked toward the female soul. "What is your real name?"
"Shina," Dusk answered for her warmly.
Kael forced himself to stand tall. "Have a safe journey."
Dusk's eyes sparkled with genuine joy. "Thank you, Boss. You know... consider this my success party."
Before Kael could react, Dusk extended his glowing arms and wrapped Kael in a tight, ethereal embrace. "Thank you for everything, Boss."
As the light began to fade, Dusk and Shina started dissolving into golden particles.
Kael looked at Shina, a soft smile breaking through his tears. "Shina... no, Vrinda. Please live happily with Ashu now."
Shina bowed her head gently, her voice echoing like a soft breeze. "Yes, Sir."
The two souls vanished completely into the sky, and the heavy fog slowly cleared.
Kael found himself standing back at the edge of the real funeral grounds. The flames were roaring high into the gray evening air.
He let out a small, faint chuckle. "They really are happy together now..."
His chuckle faded, replaced by a deep, serious expression as he stared into the embers. Their souls were finally at peace, but they were still gone from this world.
Kael turned his back on the flames, walking over to where Sara, Renjiro, and Rexon were waiting in silence.
"Kael..." Sara began softly, her eyes full of concern.
"I'm fine," Kael said, his voice flat and steady. "The past is over. But from today on, we don't let anyone else die."
Renjiro adjusted his coat, his eyes sharpening as he fell into step beside Kael. "Where do we go from here?"
Kael looked up at the dark sky, his golden eyes glowing with quiet determination. "We clean up the rest of the demons. Every single one of them."