"Sam, let's grab him!" Carlo pointed at Tyler while Hanz was rolling on the ground.
The two pinned Tyler down.
"Whatever you did to Hanz, undo it now, Tyler!" Carlo screamed at him but he seemed unfazed by what was transpiring in front of him.
"Ahh! Just c-cut it off!" Hanz's hands were shaking. "Cut the fucking finger off!" He shouted with his eyes closed—pleading for someone to end his suffering.
Sam grabbed the knife that was tied to his right shin and prepared to cut Hanz's ring finger.
"No," Tyler interjected. "Wait for a couple more seconds." He said calmly.
"What is exactly happening right now? Tell me!" Carlo grabbed Tyler by his shirt and slammed him on the ground.
"Carlo, you have to trust me. This ring binds to its host. This is the Black Ring."
He immediately let go of Tyler and turned to face Hanz who suddenly transformed back to his human form.
"The Black Ring?" Sam was surprised. "But how could it—" he let go of Tyler's feet and stood up then proceeded toward Hanz who lay on the ground. "I don't understand."
"What exactly is it, Sam?" Carlo scooted near him.
"It's Xaia's prototype. It is said that whoever wears this ring can transform at will without needing to take it off." Sam's brows suddenly furrowed. "But what I don't understand is why was it in Hildred's possession?"
Tyler smoothed down his white shirt. "Because it wasn't Xaia's to begin with." He stood up and crouched over the sleeping Hanz. "Hildred was the creator of this prototype and she gave the blueprint to Minister Xaia. At first, he didn't agree with Hildred's idea of him taking full credit for her invention but eventually, he made copies. However, he couldn't replicate it perfectly even with the detailed blueprint so he ended up with these rings that the majority of the dwellers use now."
"So Hildred wanted Xaia to take all the credit?" Sam asked with a rhetorical question. "What a noble woman Hanz's mother was."
"She was a hero. I bet a photograph of her is hung somewhere in the Hall of Fame." Tyler presumed.
Sam, who frequented the Hall of Fame, scratched his head. "That's where you're wrong. When was the last time you visited the city?"
"When everyone got out of the bunkers, just like I said." His eyes widened. "Are you telling me that Hildred's sacrifice wasn't recognized?"
"You're the only one who knew about her sacrifice." Carlo butted in. "First the ring and second, she saved you. Only you knew that. How could the Minister have known about that?"
"Don't forget that she also saved Sara—"
Before Tyler could even finish his sentence, Hanz moved. His arms stretched out and slowly got up to a seating position.
"Hanz!" Carlo hugged him. "Let's see your finger!" He suggested enthusiastically as he reached for Hanz's right hand.
"Woah!" Sam exclaimed. The ring sunk into Hanz's skin with only the letter H protruding out of it. "That looks disgusting and cool at the same time!"
"Wh-What happened?" He shook his head.
Carlo stood up and assisted Hanz to get up as well. "Nothing much. You're just wearing the most badass ring ever!" He gave a thumbs up.
"Where were you headed by the way?" Tyler asked Sam while Carlo explained everything to Hanz in the background.
Sam looked up at the sky and assessed the time. "We were supposed to capture the manananggal that is terrorizing Pesca Village but..." he looked back down at Tyler. "but it's too late. We won't have enough time to do it. It's our first day of school tomorrow so we have to go back to the dorms."
"School? And why are you involved with the capture? Wait, are you going for the bounty?"
Sam nodded. "Yes. It's a three-star quest."
"Wait. I think I remember something." He turned around and put his hand on his chin. "Yeah, I've heard a group talking about stars and a manananggal when they entered the Black Woods. They arrived much earlier than you. They managed to escape my illusion by using a barrier made of water. It prevented them from inhaling my... scent."
"Oh well... there goes my three-star quest." With his head slumped, he walked toward Hanz and Carlo. "Look guys, I'm sorry but we have to head back. We have school tomorrow, remember?"
Hanz sluggishly turned his face toward Sam with a confused look. "What about your quest? I thought you wanted that done so badly."
"Well... Tyler said a group passed through the Black Woods and they were all talking about the manananggal." Sam answered.
"If that's the case, they must have captured it by now," Hanz mumbled with a serious look on his face. "Let's head back then."
"No." Tyler disagreed. "You're already here. Look!" Tyler kicked a wilted tree and all its dried leaves fell—revealing Pesca Village behind it.
Pesca Village was an area on the outskirts of Balete City known as the breeding ground for two different species of merpeople—Undin and Sirena. Flocks of migratory birds with graceful choreography soared above the floating houses that occupied the surface of the lake. Houses were also built by the shore for merpeople who like to live as humans so that they could have easy access to the ground.
"I'll leave you here." Tyler with a smile on his face, waved at them.
"W-Where are you g-going?" Hanz stuttered.
Tyler rested his arm over Hanz's shoulder. "I'm going back to the heart of the city to finally report what I've witnessed in the Vanishing. I'll wait for you there." He playfully made a mess with Hanz's hair. "Don't worry. Now that I've found you, I'm going to fulfill my promise to your mother."
Hanz scoffed. "I'm not worried," he said with coldness in his eyes but his voice sounded otherwise.
"I know." He finally dropped his arms to his side and faced the Woods. Without looking back at the trio, he waved once again. "Be careful guys, manananggal are a scary lot."
"I'm n-not scared!" Carlo shouted with a voice that denounced his statement.
Tyler vanished into the thicket in front of him as the three proceeded toward the houses by the shore.
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Sam knocked on the door of a hut made of bamboo and weaves of dried coconut leaves. "Chief Talula?" He shouted.
Immediately, the door seemed to have opened by itself.
"Alright, I'm outta here!" Carlo, scared, quickly turned around and prepared to run away but Hanz got a hold of his shirt which prevented him from going anywhere. "The door opened by itself!"
Sam and Hanz both looked around but there was indeed no one.
"Looks like the village chief has left," Sam stated.
"Or was eaten by the manananggal," Hanz added.
Carlo waved his hands frantically. " Let me go!"
"I'm down here boys!" The voice of a child caught them off guard.
"Y-You're a child?" Sam was shocked to see a child in front of him with her arms crossed.
"One more disrespectful remark and I will have my people throw you into the lake!" The child with curly, orange hair and gapped teeth snapped at them.
Carlo stopped struggling and stared at the little girl that stood by the door. "Y-You're Talula the village chief?"
Talula fixed her clothes and posture. "In the flesh." She suddenly spoke in an annoyingly sassy manner. "Are you here to celebrate the upcoming Berberoka Festival?"
"We are here for the bounty quest you posted," Sam replied.
She rolled her eyes as her head slumped. "Again? I already have a group that's taking care of it." Her hand rested on her hips. "But I guess another group of hunters wouldn't hurt. Come inside!" She invited them in and offered them a seat.
"We're not gonna stay for long. We just want to capture it then leave." Hanz remained standing while the two sat by the table made of bamboo.
Talula's eyes looked furious. "Capture?" She stomped the wooden floor with her little foot. "No, no! Kill! I want you to kill that large bat!"
The boys looked at each other.
"What exactly happened here?" Sam asked.
She exhaled and then sat on a chair next to Carlo's. "Yesterday we caught a lot of fish so everyone was there to get their share. Then suddenly, we heard a loud growling noise coming from the woods but we thought that it was just a wild animal so we ignored it."
"Can you be more straightforward? Where is the manananggal now?" Hanz let out a sigh.
"Hanz..." Sam looked apologetic about Hanz's behavior. "Sorry, Talula. He's tired—we had to fight a tikbalang on our way here so if you could be more straight to the point then that would be—"
"I get it." She cut him off. "She's at the lighthouse being sieged by Kurt and his friends."
"Kurt?" Carlo inquired.
"They must be the group Tyler was talking about." Sam guessed.
"He's my grandson. You gotta be careful around him. I hate to say it but he could sometimes be a real dick."
"Your grandson? But you're just a child!" Carlo's eyes got bigger.
"I'm 404 years old. I would suggest not to pay attention too much to a tree dweller's human form as it's just for show." She stared down at her ring.
All three boys shrugged and walked closer to the door.
"Alright, Talula. We better head off now." Sam said his goodbyes and they all went out the door.
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The lighthouse stood on top of a cliff that was connected to a natural bridge over the lake. The lights were off as it was just a little over noon. The Sun's bright light was suddenly covered by a silhouette of a winged creature—its shadow was cast right on top of Hanz.
"There you are," Hanz said as he looked up at the winged creature that hovered above the lighthouse.
It screeched and swooped down but all three of them managed to duck in time. The gust of wind made by the flapping of its wings caused their clothes and hair to ripple.
A manananggal is a vicious winged creature known for being able to separate its upper torso from the lower parts of its body. Due to the painful process that they undergo every time they turn, they've grown to have higher pain tolerance than any tree dweller.
"We have to find where she left her lower body so we can lure her and kill her in one go," Sam suggested.
"But where is the lower body?" Carlo asked.
"Talula mentioned a growling noise coming from the Black Woods before it all went down. Someone should go there and check if that's where she turned." Hanz recalled as he looked back at the wooded area.
"I'll do it." Carlo raised his hand.
Sam nodded at him. "Be quick. We'll keep the torso busy."
Carlo bolted away as Hanz darted his head from side to side.
"Where did it go now?" The manananggal that just attacked them was gone.
Below the cliff was a clearing where four people stood. The Sun was so bright that it was hard for everyone to see.
"Sam," Hanz called. "That has to be Talula's grandson and his friends."
Sam turned his head to look at what Hanz was talking about. "You're right. It has to be Kurt." Suddenly one of the people in the clearing screamed.
"Wait. The manananggal is there with them!" Hanz pointed at one of the figures who was attacking a girl. They both started sprinting toward the commotion.
"Jane!" The boy who they thought was Kurt started yelling. The manananggal was on top of a girl who was fighting for her life. "Hang on, Jane!" He yelled one more time then took off his ring.
The handsome young man with green eyes shaped like an almond started to turn. His smooth fair skin changed into a slimy green complexion with occasional discoloration and scales. His green hair got darker and longer which also gave the impression that it was wet. Webs in between his fingers and toes appeared as his torso shortened. The tall and handsome guy was now an ugly, frog-like creature known as the undin.
"Damn." Sam, who was still running along with Hanz, almost laughed but he was able to hold it.
"Focus, Sam. That girl is in danger." Hanz reminded him of the matter at hand.
"Water bullets!" Kurt hissed as tiny projectiles made of water shot out of his index finger like a gun. The manananggal who was on top of Jane turned her face toward him. She growled and then spun around as she propelled herself in the air to dodge the bullets.
The two arrived at the scene with their hands on their knees.
"Who the fuck are you?" Kurt with his wide frog-like mouth addressed Hanz and Sam. He aimed his finger at them.
"We-We're here for the bounty." Sam panted as he spoke. "Need a hand?"
Kurt put his hand down. "There's no way I'm sharing it with you." He walked toward the hovering manananggal as he pushed the two who were standing in the way.
"Let's talk about it later. What's important is we take it down as soon as possible." Sam unoffended, convinced him.
"It seems like she doesn't know what she's doing. Like she doesn't know how to control herself in her original form." Hanz observed the creature.
"What are you on about? Didn't you see she almost killed Jane if I hadn't turned?"
Hanz side-eyed him with his right brow slightly raised.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Kurt lunged forward at Hanz and pushed him. "Let me guess, do you think I'm ugly and stupid?"
The other person that stood near Jane walked up. "Kurt, that's enough. You're overreacting!"
Kurt made a few small steps back. "Shut up, Tris. I didn't ask for your opinion."
"You have to calm down or—" Tris stopped talking when the winged creature dove onto Jane who was still lying on the ground.
"Help!" Jane cried as the manananggal's claws dug deep into her chest.
Sam immediately took off his ring and turned into a ball of fire that floated in the air. His facial features were still present but his arms and legs were gone. Makeshift arms were conjured by his flames that flicked off embers whenever he moved.
"Flame whip!" His voice echoed and a line of fire emerged from his hand that behaved like a whip. He swung his arm and the whip wrapped around the manananggal's body locking her arms in place. "Finish her now, Hanz!"
As Jane made gurgling noises from her mouth, Hanz immediately turned into an aswang. He moved behind the manananggal with his right arm pointed directly at her heart. But as he was about to stick his hand, a loud scream filled the air on the open field.
"Stop! It's Imelda!" Carlo, who was covered in blood, carried the lower body of the manananggal.
Hanz looked back at the weeping Carlo. The blood on his face apparently came from Imelda's mutilated lower body.
"Who?" Sam asked.
"What are you doing? Kill that wrench!" Kurt, outraged, aimed his finger at Imelda. "I'll do it then. Grandma will be proud of me now!"
A thud immediately came after Kurt spoke. It was Hanz—he hit Kurt on the head and his unconscious body now lay on the grassy field.
"Wh-What the—" Tris reacted.
"Carlo... please tell me I didn't knock him out for nothing. Prove to me that this manananggal is Imelda." Hanz, with a sympathetic look in his eyes, asked Carlo.
"Can't you smell the lavender perfume? It was the same scent she wore when we met her in the marketplace." He then grabbed the blue dress that the manananggal's lower body was wearing. "See? The same thing she was wearing that same day."
Imelda struggled as the heat from Sam's flame whip burned her skin.
Hanz nodded and finally put down his hand. "Did you see her ring?"
"Here." Carlo showed the bloody ring in his hand. "It was on the ground by her feet. It must've fallen off or something."
"Sam we must connect Imelda's torso to her lower body then make her wear her ring," Hanz suggested. "We must hurry, her skin is burning."
Sam pulled the screeching Imelda toward her lower body.
"Now let go, Sam," Hanz said as he guided the torso to connect it. "Carlo, the ring!"
Immediately, Carlo stepped in front of Imelda and put on her ring. She instantly turned into a human. Gone were the bat-like wings, claws, and fangs; and her torso perfectly reconnected into her lower body.
Imelda's hazel eyes blinked profusely. Hanz transformed into a human in the background.
"Jane!" Tris took a small vial out of the pocket of her tight skinny jeans. Jane, who was bleeding through the mouth, was still awake. "Drink this." The vial contained a slimy red fluid with some pieces of shredded leaves. Jane gulped the potion down as Tris held her head for some leverage.
"Will she be okay?" Sam, who also turned back into a human, asked.
"It's Willow's remedy so I have high hopes." Tris brushed her fingers through her hair. "Thank you."
Meanwhile, Imelda's hands started to shake.
"Imelda, can you hear me?" Carlo held her hands with a worried look. "It's me... It's Carlo."
"What—" she glared at her hands with panic. "What ha-have I done?"
Hanz lowered his head. "Calm down, Imelda. You're okay," he said.
Imelda's pupils darted around as if she was assessing the situation. "Th-That's Jane, isn't it? Did I hurt her?"
Carlo held both her shoulders. "Look at me." Imelda's eyes were still locked onto Jane. "Imelda, I want you to look at me."
Imelda finally stared at Carlo–her eyes were red. "C-Carlo?"
He nodded. "Tell me. What happened to you in the Black Woods?"
Her gaze shifted from Carlo to the trees behind him. "I-I was walking in the Black Woods to gather some gugo which I ran out of when suddenly my finger was struck by this weird sensation." She played with her ring with her thumb as she spoke. "I ignored it as it was only for a brief moment. When I was walking back, I felt like my ring finger was being pricked by needles so I immediately took off my ring."
"So that's why you transformed into a manananggal. But why did you terrorize Pesca Village? Did the ring have something to do with it?" Carlo queried.
"N-No. It wasn't anyone's fault. It wasn't my ring." She stopped playing with her ring and put her hands down to her side. "I-I can't tell you."
"You have to tell me, Imelda. If we can't justify everything that happened, the Council will get involved. Pesca Village's chief actually wanted us to kill you." Carlo spoke softly.
She started crying. Her hands now covered her mouth. "I don't know how I can say this to you."
Sam and Hanz looked at each other and walked a few steps back.
"Look... It's just you and me here. Tell me what's wrong."
"I..." her voice was trembling. "Carlo, I... I have no control of myself when I'm in my original form."
Carlo looked at Hanz and Sam to make sure they weren't hearing anything.
"So that's why you're so afraid of the idea that—"
"I'm afraid that if my ring malfunctions, I could hurt someone." She cut him off and hugged him.
"Wha—" Carlo's eyes shimmered. "I... can't—"
Hanz stepped in. "Sorry, but I think Carlo's lost it again."
Imelda stepped back—her face was red.
"Alright. You have to come with me to the village chief, Imelda. Don't worry, I'll handle all the talking." Sam reassured her.
"Sam, I'll come with you. The chief wants her dead." Carlo snapped back into reality.
"She's not a wild beast nor a wild tree dweller. She'll understand when she hears our explanation. You have to go back to the heart of the city because Jane needs medical attention." Sam offered his hand to Imelda.
"Wait!" Tris jogged toward Sam and Imelda. "I just wanna say that I'm fine with you taking the credit for the bounty. I mean, I really don't mind. But I want you to know that Kurt really wants to get the credit for this quest for his grandma. She despises him. Do you get where I am going with this?"
"I do. You're saying that he wants to take the credit so that his grandma could see him differently." Sam subtly tilted his head.
"Yes. And once he learns that you took the credit, he might lose it." Tris added.
"I also have reasons why I want the credit for this bounty. If he ever gets angry at me for taking it, I'll accept the consequences."
Tris looked briefly at Hanz
who was staring down at the unconscious body of Kurt. "I'm his friend but he crosses the line most of the time so I'm just warning you that if he finds out you took the credit, he might go for you."
"Thanks for the warning but..." Sam turned his back to Tris, "tell him I'm not scared of him."
End of Chapter 6