The night in Sei Village was unnaturally silent. Only the distant rustling of pine trees and the occasional murmur of wind moving across the small wooden fences broke the stillness. The single disappearing cow from earlier hung in Lanthaba's mind, like a puzzle he had to solve immediately.
Michael, leaning against a gatepost near the village edge, whispered to him and Yaikhomba, "The teleportation wasn't random. The animal can't have gone far. It must be somewhere in the forest across the ridge. If we don't move quickly, it will be impossible to track."
Lanthaba nodded, eyes scanning the shadows that pooled beneath the trees. "Agreed. Yaikhomba, let's go. The forest is our only lead right now."
Yaikhomba tightened the strap of his utility belt, cradling the crystal shards in his hand. "We'll be careful. If this is a Thawai User… it's not going to be easy."
The two of them moved silently into the dense treeline, boots crunching softly against fallen pine needles. Michael and Sorel remained in the village, keeping watch over the remaining cattle and the villagers. Every movement had to be precise. The night was their ally, but also their enemy.
Into the Forest
By 2:00 AM, the moon had risen high, spilling pale silver light across the forest floor. Lanthaba and Yaikhomba had made their way toward the Manipur–Nagaland border, moving with the careful, practiced precision of trained sorcerers.
As they crested a hill, Yaikhomba's eyes narrowed. "There." He pointed. Below, in a small clearing illuminated by moonlight, two men were loading cattle into a black truck. The animals shifted nervously, but there were no signs of struggle — the guards were either absent or unconscious.
Lanthaba crouched behind a tree, observing. "Professional thieves?" he muttered. "No. Too clean. Too precise. Definitely Thawai."
Yaikhomba's crystal shards hummed faintly as they responded to the subtle flow of energy around the men. "I'll handle the trapping. Cover me."
The pair exchanged a quick glance. They didn't need words; years of training and trust spoke for them.
The Ambush
Yaikhomba stepped forward from the shadows. "Hey! You filthy bastards! Be ready for what you've done!"
He raised his hand, and a flurry of crystal shards shot forward, spinning like a cyclone. The Thawai User on the left stumbled into the trap, the shards forming a hard crystalline cage around him.
But the second man reacted instantly. His long, dark hair swung around his face as he activated a Sleep-Inducing Thawai, sending a wave toward Yaikhomba. The young sorcerer's body went limp; his eyes closed, and he collapsed silently onto the forest floor.
Lanthaba's heart skipped a beat. He could see the unconscious form of his teammate lying nearby. There was no time for hesitation. He activated his Anti Gravity Systems, the inherent Thawai technique of the Thangjam Lineage.
For twenty meters around him, gravity seemed to vanish. The two Thawai Users floated helplessly above the ground. Lanthaba surged forward, landing a heavy punch on the man who had used the sleep technique. The impact reverberated through the air, and the man groaned violently.
The second man, trying to counter, attempted a Spatial Teleport directly at Lanthaba — but the movement was instantly nullified by the Anti Gravity field. With a swift kick, Lanthaba sent him crashing to the ground. Both men were unconscious… or so it seemed.
The Unexpected Challenger
A sudden shift in the forest energy made Lanthaba tense. He spun around. A massive figure emerged from the shadows — tall, muscular, and with long square-cut hair. Sunglasses reflected the moonlight, hiding his eyes, but his presence radiated power.
The first punch struck without warning. Lanthaba felt the pain instantly, his body rocked backward.
"You're skilled in planning, but weak in strength," the man said calmly, his voice echoing ominously in the clearing. "Are you from the Thawai Society? And let me guess — Anti Gravity Systems. Inherent technique of the Thangjam Lineage. I'd pay a high price for this."
Lanthaba steadied himself. "I'm not interested in selling."
The man chuckled. "We'll see about that."
Yaikhomba, still regaining consciousness, launched a desperate Crystallokinesis attack, encasing his fists in solid crystal. The shards flew toward the muscular Thawai User — but they shattered against a subtle, invisible barrier. The man lunged at Yaikhomba, landing a powerful punch directly to his stomach. Pain shot through him, but he pushed through, suppressing it as he rose to his feet.
"How… how are you awake?" the man demanded.
Yaikhomba gritted his teeth. "Not telling," he muttered through the pain, and concentrated all his strength into a single punch. The strike connected with the man's arm, forcing him to block.
Ingon Barrier and Coordinated Attack
Lanthaba activated an Ingon Barrier behind him — a small, defensive field created using Anti Gravity Systems. The barrier stabilized Yaikhomba, preventing him from floating uncontrollably due to the altered gravity. The muscular man, caught mid-attack, floated slightly as he tried to regain balance.
Yaikhomba struck again, his fists crystalized and moving in a rapid flurry. Lanthaba punched simultaneously. Both attacks were blocked by the muscular man, who deflected each strike and retaliated with a devastating counter punch. Both Lanthaba and Yaikhomba stumbled, coughing, but remained standing.
"You are Mahei Maithou," the man said with a smirk, referencing their perceived weakness. "Unlucky to meet none other than Nomgrum Maithou."
Yaikhomba, drained from the earlier Sleep-Inducing attack, fainted. Lanthaba looked down at him, then turned back toward the muscular man.
"Let's make this fair," Lanthaba said, a calm smile forming.
The Summon: Humanoid Dead Dog
From the darkness, a Humanoid Dead Dog emerged, its form twisted and cloaked in a dark aura. It took a defensive position, shielding Lanthaba from further attacks. Its presence exuded raw power and malice, a perfect complement to Lanthaba's strategy.
Lanthaba struck the muscular man with a heavy punch. The Dead Dog followed with a vicious blow from behind, catching the enemy off guard.
The man smirked, summoning Ireon, turning it into iron to absorb the damage. Lanthaba did not relent. He used hand summoning to bind the man temporarily, then created a flame from another dimension, forcing him to release his technique to avoid getting burned.
Teamwork and Capture
Sorel, observing the fight from the tree line, leapt into action. He extended his arms, casting Shadow Bind to restrain the muscular Thawai User. Michael landed a precise punch, knocking him unconscious.
Lanthaba moved quickly to stabilize Yaikhomba, who was still unconscious but breathing steadily.
The other two Thawai Users — previously defeated and floating — were rounded up. Government officials, who had followed the team secretly, arrived and took all three Thawai Users into custody.
Exhausted, battered, and drained of energy, both Lanthaba and Yaikhomba collapsed onto the forest floor. The night was quiet again, except for the distant sound of the black van leaving the area, carrying away the captured criminals.
Aftermath
The first real mission was complete. The villagers' cattle were safe, the Thawai Users neutralized, and the hidden network across the border disrupted — at least for now.
Lanthaba looked up at the moon, feeling the weight of his exhaustion. "We need to recover," he muttered.
Yaikhomba, slowly regaining consciousness, opened one eye. "That… was something else."
Michael and Sorel joined them, expressions a mix of pride and concern. "You did well," Sorel said. "But don't think this is over. Whoever sent them might retaliate."
Lanthaba nodded, stretching his body and letting the adrenaline fade. His eyes, however, already scanned the shadows. There was more to this — he could feel it.
The night had tested them, but it had also revealed the true scale of threats waiting beyond Manipur's borders. The Sei Village mission had begun as a simple cattle disappearance, but it ended with lessons about power, strategy, and the depth of human cunning.
And for Lanthaba, the mission was only the beginning.
In the far away from the Sei Village in Challong Hills, Chandel District. Abnormal Activity start in the nearby village.