Suddenly, a deafening roar reverberated through the forest, causing the ground to tremble beneath me. The vibrations coursed through my very bones. A powerful gust of wind swept in from an unknown source, upending trees, branches, rocks, and everything in its path.
"Venidith! What's happening?" I cried out, my voice filled with urgency, desperately hoping for a swift response. My mana and stamina were running dangerously low from the relentless battle.
"A Demon captain! Be careful!" Venidith's voice cracked as she shouted back, her words lost in the tumultuous wave before they fell out of sight.
Without hesitation, I sprinted through the forest, deftly avoiding any airborne debris in my path. A throbbing headache began to gnaw at my temples, perhaps a result of the strain on my eyes.
This area had proven troublesome since we arrived to liberate it. Despite my head spinning, I had to press on; I was the only one they could rely on for protection.
The entire region quaked as if in the throes of a perpetual earthquake, relentlessly uprooting trees and more.
Drawing closer to the spot where Venidith and Ayesha had been swept away, a glimmer caught my eye. It lay hidden behind a cluster of bushes, making it impossible to discern whether it was Ayesha's hair or Venidith's.
"Venidith!" I yelled as the ground continued to tremble. The glimmer moved, and Ayesha's head emerged from behind the bushes. She had managed to free herself from the chains that had restrained her, her neck and arms now unburdened.
"HELP! She's stuck, and I can't get it off!" Ayesha cried out, struggling with something unseen.
Climbing over the bushes, I found Venidith pinned beneath a sizable tree. She appeared relatively unharmed, aside from a few bruises and cuts from her battle with Ayesha. However, she wore an annoyed expression as the tree held her down.
I approached the substantial tree, hefting it with my strength and hurling it aside. Venidith lay there, momentarily stunned, but then she flashed a smile. "Aren't you quite the powerhouse?" She steadied herself and executed a graceful backflip.
"So, should we be concerned about what's causing that roar?" I inquired, casting a glance toward the source of the tumultuous noise.
The scene resembled a swirling storm, though it had a circular motion, with winds blowing outward from a central point. My right eye hinted at something malevolent at the center, positioned on the ground, emitting an eerie, unfamiliar shade of red that I hadn't seen in a long time, not even in illustrations.
"It's likely a primordial demon, but unlike me, I am not native to this realm," Venidith remarked with a yawn, pointing in the direction. "Let's move quickly; I removed Ayesha's restraints, replacing them with a binding spell."
I nodded, watching as Venidith took flight once more, Ayesha following closely behind. With no flying of my own, I could only rely on my legs, running and leaping to keep pace.
~~~~~~~~
The wind got stronger, and the constant roaring turned eerie, like something from a scary movie. It felt like the wind was trying to warn us to stay away.
Venidith didn't seem bothered by the strong winds, but Ayesha struggled. "This wind is too much," she said as she flew in a zigzag pattern. "We should see the mountain once we reach that open area, but it stays hidden until you get close."
I felt a growing sense of dread, especially as we neared the open space. Ayesha's gasp suggested she felt it too—a strong urge to run, although it didn't quite feel like fear, more like a gut feeling.
Once we entered the open area, everything changed dramatically. It was like looking at a reflection in the water. The mountain became visible, and the war tents from before looked torn apart as if something had ripped them to shreds. The wind and roaring suddenly stopped.
The APC was still there, untouched by whatever had happened. I thought about activating its A.I., but I hesitated because there was a risk it could be destroyed by whatever was inside. The mountain's peaks were now clear without the fog hiding them.
A figure gazed down at us from the mountain's summit, bathed in moonlight that revealed his form. His sharp eyes were the only reason I could discern his appearance. He resembled an ordinary young man, but his eyes held a mystery, written in the Baybayin language, much like Ayesha's.
His youthful face looked no older than 14, with disheveled, jet-black hair contrasting his smooth, marble-like skin, bathed in the moon's gentle glow. In his hand, he held a Bolo—a native sword-like weapon—though it appeared to be crafted from blood and flesh, a deep crimson red.
"So, you've finally arrived?" he intoned, his voice icy, and his expression devoid of any emotion.
It became clear that the roaring was a signal, an invitation rather than a hiding tactic.
"Where are the villagers? We can offer our help... It's not too late to find redemption," I replied, aiming for a gentle, preacher-like tone.
"No, you don't understand... I'm not like Ayesha. I've rejected Allah, I've rejected all things divine," he stated his tone remaining cold. At this point, there was no turning back. Rejecting the Holy Spirit meant damnation.
"Perhaps you could still choose to be helpful, not a malevolent force. There's a chance, isn't there?" Venidith's voice turned soft, and gentle, almost like an idol trying to captivate her fans.
"No, I bear the curse of the dark lord... I possess more power than ever... I liberated the villagers from the cultists," he responded, his tone as cold and expressionless as before.
"You didn't! You've just killed the shamans! They're good people! They were trying to save us!" Ayesha's voice broke, sounding more human, like the distressed cries of a child.
"You were merely a pawn, raised to be used... And now you've betrayed us... It's time to face the consequences," he declared, his gaze fixed on Ayesha.
"How could you! I trusted you! You said these people were evil and that they had Aisha and Mina!" Ayesha's cry was filled with a newfound humanity, her aura shifting from red to a golden hue.
"I had a feeling this might happen, though I didn't realize that girl was Mina," Venidith remarked, her gaze locked onto the man as if trying to decipher something.