I turn the compass over in my hand. The dokkaebi had said I was in possession of the fallen star, and the compass is the only thing I have on me. And the prophecy confirmed the weapon is made of gold. The compass has to be the last fallen star.

If it isn’t, then where in the world is the real artifact?

The goddess locks her eyes on me, and her glowing skin starts radiating an angry orange. “You don’t complete your job, and then you try to attack me. What utter insubordination! You want to know how we’re different, you and I?” She sneers and all traces of the kind, frumpy woman disappear. “I follow through with my threats. You will feel my wrath, child. This I promise you.”

Emmett runs in between me and the goddess. “You’re full of it!” he screams. “You’re powerless here without a willing host to use. You’re nothing but an empty shell. That’s why you had to possess my mom’s body!”

The goddess smiles and reaches out for the threads. “Indeed. Which is why I’m lucky to have one connected already.” She reels it in like a fishing line, and her catch is none other than my auntie.

“Help!” Auntie Okja calls out, realizing what is about to happen.

I run and grab her from behind, trying to hold her back. Eomma and Appa then wrap their arms around my waist, soon followed by Emmett, Taeyo, Sora, and Austin. We all pull on Auntie Okja with our collective weight, trying to prevent her from moving an inch closer.

But we’re no match for a divine being. The Cave Bear Goddess wins this tug-of-war, and as Auntie Okja screams for her life, the deity reaches out and puts her hand on my auntie’s head.

There is a sound like crashing cymbals. Auntie Okja’s body convulses and floats in the air. Her face distorts and her limbs flail about. Then the goddess disappears, and Auntie Okja’s body falls to a heap on the floor.

“No!” I scream. “Not my auntie, too!”

The goddess, now in Auntie Okja’s body, picks herself up off the floor. She straightens, clicking her vertebrae into place, then puts her hands on her hips and smiles. “All right, mortals, let me show you how it’s done. Who wants to go first?”

29: Get Your Battle Gear on, Fambam!

“NO, STOP! PLEASE!” I SHOUT, as the goddess approaches my parents in her newly possessed body. My auntie’s body.

She ignores me. Instead, she walks toward my appa and flicks her finger as if catapulting a bug. Appa is propelled into the air and lands with a thud against one of the Gom pews.

“James!” Eomma cries, running to his side. She rubs her wrists and heals him as panicked tears roll down her face.