The Devil's Cage

A white-and-yellow striped cat approached Kieran with light steps.

The cat was unlike most strays, which moved in a guarded, vigilant manner when they came across a stranger.

It looked casual and relaxed, strolling around the compound with its tail up and shaking all four of its limbs with every step.

To Kieran, it did not look like a cat, but a lion patrolling its turf.

As the cat made eye contact with him, Kieran squinted.

Was that admiration?

That’s the feeling Kieran got from the cat’s stare, yet it was not something a cat could express. Such a sentiment did not even exist among animals. Only humans could feel it.

It had to be Nikorei the Shaman. After some thought, Kieran recalled where he had seen the cat before.

It had been in the newspaper articles. All the pictures had had a cat in them, which was supposed to be Nikorei’s pet. Kieran’s mind instantly filled with theories.

"Since this is a test, there should be at least one or more invigilators watching over us! Among all the people who have showed up so far, this cat is the only one related to Nikorei! This means that the cat is the invigilator!"

Although the answer Kieran came up with was a little outrageous, when the cat came closer to him, his guess was confirmed.

Elli, Cidney and Raul came back to their senses after the shock of Debosky’s sudden appearance.

They all looked at Kieran in curiosity and reverence. Elli’s curiosity was particularly strong. The naive little girl was in complete awe as the flames on Kieran’s boots burned bright.

Only when Cidney and Raul were startled by the approaching cat, did Elli notice it.

"Tiki?"

This was what Elli called the cat. She noticed that Cidney and Raul looked confused by the cat’s sudden appearance.

"This is Tiki, Nikorei’s pet cat! I’ve seen it quite a few times in newspapers and magazines! It really is a cute fat cat!" Elli said.

Kieran noticed that Tiki was a little upset. He could tell by its manner and the look in its eyes as Elli called it a "fat cat". He was sure that it was annoyed.

"Meow!" Tiki meowed lightly before turning around and heading outside. When it reached the door, it turned around and meowed again.

"Is it asking us to follow it?" Elli asked Kieran with a curious expression. Raul and Cidney shared the same expression with her.

Kieran had displayed his strength during the earlier drama with Debosky’s ghost, so he had automatically been granted absolute authority in their temporary team.

"Let’s follow it!" he said in answer to their questioning gazes.

He was not surprised by Tiki’s behavior now that he had confirmed that it was the shaman’s invigilator.

The four of them followed the cat, leaving 13th Lanconbelle Street. The group shuttled through streets and alleys under the veil of the night.

Just as Raul could not hold on any longer due to the wound in her abdomen, Tiki finally stopped.

The group arrived before a three-storey building. It was not that big, but there was a garden in front of it.

"Meow!"

Tiki entered the compound through a gap in the fence surrounding the garden.

The garden gate opened up by itself without any movement from Kieran and co.

It wasn’t an automatic electronic gate. There was something special about it.

Kieran activated his [Tracking] without a second thought, and saw a translucent figure standing by the door.

It was different from the formless souls. The figure had a clear face and manner. Except for its translucent body, it was no different than a normal human.

It seemed to have noticed Kieran’s gaze as well, as it took a welcoming posture and nodded gently.

Kieran nodded in reply and quickly followed Tiki through the garden and into the house.

The door was once again opened by the friendly spirit.

Elli, Raul and Cidney looked scared. They were unable to see the spirit. Even though they knew they were meeting Nikorei the Shaman, they were still not prepared for it. Judging by the shaman’s reputation and previous actions though, it seemed like they were in safe hands.

Still, their eyes were filled with worry as they faced the unknown.

Could learning [Mystical Knowledge] help them understand the paranormal?

Elli was just a naive, naughty little girl, who had learned [Mystical Knowledge] out of curiosity and excitement.

It was even simpler for Raul and Cidney, who had been seeking revenge from Debosky.

It was absolutely normal for them to be worried before the unknown. After all, their motives for learning [Mystical Knowledge] were different from Kieran’s, who had remained calm throughout the whole incident.

Kieran could see spirits clearly, and he knew what he needed to achieve.

He needed to become Nikorei’s assistant.

He scanned the entire area as he followed Tiki inside, his vigilance and curiosity making him want to discover the difference between a shaman’s and a common person’s house.

After he scanned the place with his [Tracking], he realized there was not much of a difference.

When he entered the study though, he felt a force pass through his body. He felt as if he was not walking through a door, but a strong water veil.

Kieran looked down instinctively and saw a carpet covering the floor of the whole study.

It was a mixture of red, white and green. Red and green composed the base, interweaving with each other as the white color formed the shape of a small deer across the carpet. There was also a thin golden thread weaved between the three colors.

Kieran was sure that the force that had passed through him had come from the carpet.

What kind of alchemy was that?

Kieran frowned as he looked at the carpet under his feet.

Even his Master Level [Mystical Knowledge] could not provide him with an answer. He had no idea what the carpet was made of or what it was used for.

"Nice observation!"

The admiring tone caught Kieran’s attention, who immediately turned towards the source of the voice.

A silver-haired, kind old lady was sitting behind the desk with Tiki in her arms. When she noticed Kieran’s stare, she replied with a kind smile.

It was Nikorei the Shaman.

She looked exactly like the picture in the newspaper, so it was very easy for Kieran to recognize her.

The old lady scanned Kieran and the others over with an appraising look before she said, "Considering there was a small incident, all of you have passed the test!"

Her prolonged tone of speech was twisted at the end, but her words made Elli breathe out in relief.

Raul and Cidney looked at each other for a while. It seemed as if they wanted to say something, but they were interrupted by the old lady, who waved her hand at them.

"That bastard got what he deserved! I always keep my word. Just leave the rest to me. Cidney, take Raul to the second floor and pick a room. Even though she’s been treated by you, she’s not fit to stay up all night."

The old lady called out their names as she made arrangements for them.

Raul and Cidney bowed in gratitude before they headed upstairs.

"How could she do that to herself?" Nikorei sighed as the two of them left.

Then she turned her attention to Elli and Kieran.

"Ms. Jones, you are really talented. If time allows it, I wouldn’t mind teaching you more about the mystical arts while you serve as my assistant."

"Could I shoot fire like 2567?" the young girl asked as soon as the old lady had finished.

"If you are talented enough and work hard enough, why not? Now head upstairs and pick a room!" Nikorei said.

The young girl went upstairs, hopping off happily after saying goodnight to Kieran. She did not even care to understand what Nikorei had said.

When Elli left, Kieran was left alone in the study with Nikorei and Tiki.

"Well, Mr. 2567, we are alone now. It’s time to discuss a more serious matter!"

Kieran and Nikorei locked gazes before she asked in a stern tone that did not match her age, "What happened in Alcatraz Prison? Or to be more specific, how much do you know about the bronze coffin?"

The bronze coffin!

Her words made Kieran’s heart skip a beat.