Lyrica pressed her fiery fist into the Hari's face, trying to keep him in place. However, despite squeezing his head in, Uruk was still able to speak to her fine.
"So you've come."
In that split second, black flames emerged from Uruk and engulfed Lyrica's fire.
"Damn..."
Lyrica was forced to back away. With her guard up, she watched the Hari pick himself up.
'I know I hit him hard, and yet his face looks as good as a newborn baby.'
"He can heal himself!" Kael shouted from behind the girl, stealing her attention from the Hari. "He can regenerate any damage you deal with him, but that doesn't mean you're not hurting him! He is being forced to heal because he cannot cut Hari Uruk's body to allow him to avoid physical attacks!"
"So you're saying the most ideal way to get rid of him is fighting him in his current state, huh?" Lyrica cracked her fists together.
"I... No, we've been expecting you two, especially you, Lyrica. You promised them that you'll come back, didn't you?" Uruk removed the dirt off his shoulder.
"I know they are, but you? Now that's news to me!" Lyrica kicked the ground so hard, sending clusters of dirt on Uruk's way.
The Hari ward off the dirt with his dark flames. But the moment he did, Lyrica appeared before him and threw a hard punch.
Pow!
Lyrica's fist buried into Uruk's cheek before making him roll to the surface. After that, she continued her assault without pause. And while she does...
"The way you address him... So mother's suspicion is correct?"
"Yes." Kael gently bobbed his head in reply to Aran whilst sitting on the ground. "Hari Uruk is possessed by an Anino. But not just any Anino."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"It's the Anino from thirteen years ago."
"...!"
Lyrica heard it thanks to her elevated hearing. 'Huh? Anino from thirteen years ago?'
It was no surprise that Lyrica is oblivious, but when Kael said those words, Aran's eyes widened in shock as the memories of his past flooded his mind in full throttle.
13 Years Ago...
"We're receiving more and more reports of families who are seemingly killing off each other, leaving one behind who would later commit suicide from across multiple villages, towns, and cities."
Ever since the first mysterious case of a certain family who killed one another with one young boy missing, numerous cases of families killing each other off with the last one standing eventually committing suicide have begun surfacing in many areas under the territory of Reilaea at an alarming rate.
A week has passed since it all started, an investigation led by Renel himself concluded that the missing young boy from the first case had turned into an Anino and is the sole culprit behind all the recent killings.
"Entrusting only a few people to hunt down and exterminate an Intelligent type of an Anino who's born out of hatred and vengeance is going to be very difficult," Renel stated in front of a few Makabayans, the Malaya messenger, and the Reyna beside him.
"I agree," Amaya replied in agreement before she pulled herself up from her seat. "We must gather as many people as we can to get rid of this thing once and for all."
With that, a big operation to hunt down and exterminate the Anino who's causing the deaths and suicides began. Civilians, adventurers, and soldiers. Renel and Amaya encouraged everyone who's able to fight and hold their own to participate in the hunt. Fortunately, a lot of people were willing to join without expecting anything in return, came to them, while the others are in it for the handsome sum of gold that's waiting for those who succeeded in exterminating the Anino.
While the hunt went on smoothly and quietly, Aran was also quietly observing everything that was happening in the throne room in secret. His parents didn't want him to get involved with the situation because obviously, he was still a kid and they're not sure if they'll receive good news before otherwise. But Aran, as stubbornly curious as a child he is, wanted to see and know what's going on. And so, now and then, he'd sneak a peek on the throne room.
And just the day after yesterday when the hunt began, a Malayan messenger came to report to Renel and Amaya.
'I-I have to hide!'
Aran hid behind one of the pillars not far from Amaya's throne seat and the Makabayans standing in line.
"What is it?"
The Malayan messenger kneeled in front of Amaya and Renel.
"The Anino has been located in the town of Eisvel."
The news brought both Amaya and Renel up from their seats.
"Well? Is it dead?"
The Malayan messenger, with a grim look on his face, replied:
"The civilians who saw the Anino tried to catch it. But sadly, it slipped off their sight just as they found it. All they could do was to save the last member of the family it targeted. All the survivor's family members are dead."
While the messenger further informed the Hari and the Reyna that the soldiers and adventurers dispatched in the town are doing a follow-up operation together, Aran is trying to process what he just heard behind the pillar.
"Dead? What does he mean by dead?"
Not realizing his voice was leaking out of his tiny mouth, a Makabayan heard him from behind and he was busted. Although he has been grounded for going against what he was told, Aran still managed to find a way to sneak out of his room, all for the sake of finding out what the word "Dead" means.
Two weeks later, another messenger came to report to Renel and Amaya. Of course, Aran was there. This time, he's hiding behind a pillar near the throne seat of his father, Renel.
By the troubled look on the messenger's face, even Aran already knew what news the messenger has.
"My apologies, everyone is dead."
It's been the same news since last week. There are participators of the hunt who would find the Anino in a new city or town. Every time they do, the families that the Anino targeted are already dead, and worse, there are no more survivors to be rescued. But that's not all.
"The soldiers and adventurers dispatched in the area that banded together with the civilians to exterminate the Anino have all been killed, except for one."
"My god..."
"This is getting out of hand."
While the Hari and Reyna are both growing concerned about the worsening situation, Aran's curiosity is also swelling up.
'Just what is this Anino they are talking about? What do they mean by Dead? I want to know!'
One morning, Renel came to Aran's room.
"Come with me, Aran."
"Father..."
Renel and Aran rode their royal kalesa toward a certain city. Upon reaching their destination, Aran realized their purpose was to share their condolences with the families of the adventurers, soldiers, and civilians who participated and died on the hunt for the Anino.
That day, Aran learned what was clouding his curiosity.
"Waaaahh... Ama!!"
"Renato!!"
Sleeping people who will never wake up again are inside a coffin, relatives cried out of deep grief, and people standing quietly with their heads down, trying to hide their sadness.
It was a scene that was new to him, but he immediately understood those overflowing tears, their grieving screams, and the pained silence of the others, including his father.
Aran returned home with an answer to his questions.
'So that's what they mean by "Dead." Those people are crying, screaming, and not saying a word in front of those who were killed by the Anino because they will never open their eyes again.'
Because of what he had seen, Aran could not help but picture the scene in his mind, with either his father or mother being in one of those coffins while he's standing in front of it.
Before he could even wonder what he would have felt in that scenario, tears are already gushing out of his eyes. He then started bawling.
"Waaaahhh!!"
"Aran!"
"Aran!"
His parents came in a rush and get him into their warm embrace.
"I... I don wahn you... To n-nie! Ima! Spa!"
"Everything's gonna be all right, Aran. There, there."
Even Amaya's gentle voice couldn't stop his emotions from spilling out. But he eventually calmed down as he fell asleep on his bed next to his mother.