While watching TV, Viora had unknowingly fallen asleep on the couch. When she woke up, she found herself covered with a blanket. Something else caught her attention—a talisman with a moon symbol hanging around her neck like a necklace. She held it gently, admiring its beauty as she murmured in a soft voice,
"Mama Ipoh?"
Setting the blanket aside, Viora carefully inspected the talisman. The intricate moon design seemed almost alive, glowing faintly under the dim light. She instinctively reached up to remove it but hesitated, an unexplainable sense of caution washing over her. With a frown, she decided to leave it on—at least until Mama Ipoh returned.
Her stomach growled, pulling her thoughts to the table. A plate of spaghetti was waiting for her in her usual spot. She sighed, realizing she must have fallen asleep before dinner. Sitting down, she ate quietly, finishing her meal in about fifteen minutes.
Something felt off. The usual soft glow and playful hum of the plasma spirits were missing. The house felt strangely quiet without them. As unease crept in, Viora walked to the door, noticing a sticker stuck on it. She jumped up to grab it, holding it close as she read:
"Hello, sugar,
I'm so sorry we couldn't eat dinner together. Something urgent came up last minute, and I had to attend to it. Please forgive me—I know it's reckless to leave a child alone, but I promise this is the first and last time.
By now, you've noticed the talisman with the moon symbol. DO NOT REMOVE IT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES while I'm gone. It's very important. And don't forget to eat everything on your plate! Stay safe, my little star!
– Mama Ipoh
[Complete with a hand-drawn smiling face]
Viora stared at the note, sighing deeply.
"What kind of urgent thing would make her leave like this? And why can't I take off this necklace?"
She glanced back at the moon talisman around her neck, its gentle glow a small comfort in the now-silent house. Clutching it tightly, she muttered,
"Please, Mama Ipoh, come back soon…"
As Viora stood in the quiet house, clutching the note in her hand, a faint, familiar glow appeared in front of the door. A tiny orb of blue plasma phased through the wood, floating erratically. The spirit kept repeating in a chirping voice,
"Fuwa-fuwa! Fuwa-fuwa!"
Viora instinctively stepped back, her grip on the note tightening. Her heart raced as she asked hesitantly,
"Do you know where Mama Ipoh and the rest of your friends are?"
The orb paused in midair, seemingly understanding her question. Then, something strange began to happen. Its light grew brighter and brighter, radiating with an intensity that made Viora squint. The once-soft glow transformed into a mesmerizing mix of blue and yellow flames, flickering and dancing in the air.
Viora gasped, stumbling back in fear at first. But when the flames brushed against her skin, she realized they didn't hurt. Instead, they brought a comforting warmth, like the embrace of a familiar memory.
As she stared, transfixed by the fiery display, the world around her shifted. The room faded, replaced by a vivid vision that unfolded before her eyes.
Viora's vision shifted again, pulling her deeper into the unfolding scene. She saw Mama Ipoh walking around the same barricade they'd passed earlier in the day. The burnt trees surrounded her, their scorched forms stark and lifeless against the dim forest.
Mama Ipoh paused and let out a sigh, her voice low and laced with exhaustion.
"I hope I can finish this before more of my fire runs out…"
Without hesitation, she crouched slightly and leaped into the air with an inhuman grace, clearing the barricade effortlessly. She landed softly amidst the charred remains of the trees. Her expression turned serious as she surveyed the area, her eyes scanning the blackened trunks for any sign of movementRaising her hand, Mama Ipoh wove a series of intricate gestures. In response, several orbs of blue plasma emerged from the shadows, swirling protectively around her. Her voice rang out clearly, powerful and resolute:
"By the little blue fire of dawn, to the mighty fire of the falling sun, by the pact I forged with this very blue plasma—come to me! Reikyō Yūgō! Let my fire burn away the wicked and make me one with the spirit of blue fire!"
As she chanted, an extraordinary transformation overtook her. Her afro burst into brilliant flames of blue and yellow plasma, the light casting radiant shadows across the burned clearing. Streams of glowing fire flowed from her sunglasses and the vibrant accessories she wore, each piece igniting with an ethereal glow. Her clothing seemed to pulse with energy, alive with the luminous power of the spirits she had summoned.
Standing tall, her voice carried an air of unshakable confidence.
"I've grown weaker over the years, but for a corrupted spirit like you, I won't need to burn much of my fire! So stop hiding and show yourself!"
The vision sharpened, and Viora found herself immersed in the unfolding chaos. Something emerged from the charred remnants of the ten burned trees. The figures were humanoid but monstrous, each towering at least seven feet tall. Their forms were composed of twisted black wood, their jagged limbs moving with unnatural rigidity. From within their warped, bark-like faces, eyes glowed with a furious red light.
Then came the sound—a collective scream of rage that shook the forest. Even though Viora was not physically there, the echo of that scream reached her, rattling her head and leaving her ears ringing.
She clutched the talisman tightly, thinking to herself,
So they were the ones who made that horrible scream earlier in the forest.
In the vision, Mama Ipoh showed no sign of fear. She clapped her hands together, the sound crisp and commanding, and her lips curled into a confident smirk.
"Wow, you guys certainly pack some power… at least here," she said, her tone brimming with mock admiration. "Where I'm from? You wouldn't even last a second against the shamans of my homeland."
She raised her hand, gesturing to the glowing orbs of blue plasma now circling her.
"These little spirits, born of the blue fire, are the legacy of my ancestors. A gift to our clan for our efforts as shamans. They may only be of the Shōrei rank, but they'll be more than enough for all of you!" Her voice swelled with pride, her stance unyielding. "After all, I hail from the country of Sylvanara—the land of shamans!"
The name resonated in Viora's mind as she watched in awe.
A country of shamans? I've never heard of a place like that… And what's with all those complicated words? They don't sound like English at all…
Her thoughts trailed off as the vision continued, Mama Ipoh radiating confidence and power as the monstrous figures began to close in. Despite their terrifying appearance, the light of the blue flames surrounding her shone with an unyielding resolve, ready to face the challenge head-on.
Mama Ipoh moved with an elegant precision, weaving her hand in a circular motion. A devastating wave of blue and yellow plasma-fire erupted from her fingertips, blazing toward the corrupted spirits at terrifying speed. One of the creatures stepped forward to intercept the attack, raising its twisted, root-like limbs in a futile attempt to block the onslaught.
The fire met its target with overwhelming force. The dark roots were reduced to ash on contact, disintegrating into the air. The now-limbless spirit let out a guttural scream of fury as it charged forward, rage blazing in its crimson eyes.
Mama Ipoh remained calm, her voice resonating with both authority and compassion as she whispered,
"I understand your pain well… That's why I'll purify the spirit within your heart."
The spirit lunged, moments away from striking her, but before it could make contact, its head was consumed by a surge of blue and yellow flames. The fire burned brightly, silent and swift, leaving no trace of the creature as it crumbled into ash. Not even a final scream escaped its form.
The other corrupted spirits, their furious red eyes glowing in the dim light, froze in place. Their rage faltered, giving way to something unexpected: disbelief.
They stared at Mama Ipoh with a mix of fear and shock, their monstrous forms trembling slightly as if realizing they were up against a force far greater than they had anticipated
The corrupted spirits shook off their hesitation and charged toward Mama Ipoh with renewed ferocity, their twisted forms barreling through the scorched earth. Mama Ipoh stood her ground, a smirk playing across her lips as she watched them close the distance.
"Coming for more?" she taunted, her tone as sharp as her focus.
Tiny flames of blue and yellow ignited at the tips of her fingers, glowing like miniature stars. She raised her hand, forming it into a playful gun-like gesture, her smirk widening.
"I've got enough ammunition for all of you!"
With those words, she unleashed her fire, a rapid succession of searing plasma beams shooting from her fingertips. Each shot crackled through the air with precision, as if guided by an unseen force. Mama Ipoh switched fingers after each shot, ensuring none of the spirits could predict her rhythm.
The first beam struck one spirit in its twisted, root-like arm, disintegrating it instantly. The next found its mark in another's leg, toppling the hulking figure to the ground. One by one, the corrupted spirits were struck in different limbs, each attack precise, incapacitating them without outright destroying their cores.
The spirits howled in agony and frustration, their dark forms writhing as the blue and yellow flames clung to them, refusing to be extinguished. Mama Ipoh remained calm, her glowing sunglasses reflecting the flickering chaos before her.
"That's right," she said, her smirk unwavering, "dance a little more for me."
then her right hand was enveloped in a single orb of intense blue and yellow plasma,sweat falling down her face and she said:
"And by dance, I mean you all become a dance of falling ash!" Mama Ipoh declared with a triumphant grin.
The orbs of plasma around her surged with intense light, transforming into a barrage of radiant rays. Each beam struck the remaining corrupted spirits directly in the face, their forms disintegrating into ash upon impact. The air was thick with the swirling remnants of what had once been monstrous entities, now reduced to nothingness.
As the last corrupted spirit vanished, Mama Ipoh's fiery, glowing form began to fade. Her afro returned to its usual state, and the plasma orbs, now dimmer, emerged from her chest one by one, floating gently around her. She fell to her knees, fatigue evident in her labored breaths.
The blue spirits floated closer, their movements jittery with worry. One nudged her shoulder lightly, as if asking if she was alright.
Mama Ipoh raised a hand, signaling for them to calm down. "Don't worry," she said, her voice steady but softer than before. "It takes more than that to put me down."
She leaned back slightly, her gaze turning to the now-quiet forest, her eyes filled with a mix of exhaustion and contemplation. "But still," she murmured, "what could have happened for the spirits of those trees to be so angry?"
Her words lingered in the air as she rested, the orbs circling her protectively, their gentle glow illuminating the ash-strewn ground around them.
A deep, chilling voice echoed through the forest, reverberating through the silence:
"That would be because of me..."
Mama Ipoh's eyes widened in shock, but she quickly steeled herself, standing with unwavering determination. Her voice cut through the air, firm and resolute:
"And who are you?"
Her thoughts raced as she prepared for what was to come. Damn it, using more of my superflux now will push me closer to the edge. If it weren't for this sickness... Her jaw clenched as her mind drifted briefly. That cursed scientist and their meddling...
Snapping back to the present, she steadied her stance, bracing herself for the approaching threat. Emerging from the shadows of the burned forest was a man.
He was tall and gaunt, with hair as white as freshly fallen snow, save for a single streak of crimson that stood out like a wound. His outfit resembled a flowing black kimono, its fabric adorned with intricate blood-red symbols that seemed to writhe and shift like living runes.
The man's face twisted into a wicked smile, and his eyes—black as the void, refusing to reflect even the faintest light—fixed on Mama Ipoh. When he spoke, his voice was smooth, mocking, and laced with malevolence:
"My name is Hephaestus, one of the ten lower corrupted spirits chosen by the Followers of the Wicked."
He took a step forward, his ominous presence heavy in the air. The symbols on his kimono pulsed faintly, as though alive.
Mama Ipoh narrowed her eyes, her hand instinctively twitching toward her talismans. Despite the fire burning low within her and her body's weariness, her spirit remained unbroken.
Mama Ipoh's eyes widened for a moment before narrowing in suspicion. Her mind churned, thoughts racing as she struggled to piece the situation together.
The Wicked… He's still alive? After all these years? But why… why would he send a low corrupted spirit here of all places?
Her gaze flickered over Hephaestus, analyzing every detail of his unsettling presence. Something doesn't add up. This is too far removed from their usual domains. What's his true purpose in coming here? What could he possibly gain from targeting a place like this?
The spirit flames around her flickered faintly, mirroring her unease. Despite her exhaustion, her stance remained firm, her instincts screaming that whatever was happening here wasn't the full story.
Mama Ipoh exhaled slowly, forcing her rising dread to the back of her mind. If he's a pawn, then there's a bigger hand at play. And I need to find out what it is before it's too late.
She fixed her gaze on Hephaestus, her voice calm but edged with steel.
"What's your master planning, spirit? Don't think I can't see through this little game of yours."
Hephaestus shrugged nonchalantly.
"Who knows what he and his followers are planning? I was only able to interact with them, and they let me escape Hell under one condition... to cause as much chaos as possible and wait for their next orders. But it's been nearly ten years since I received any orders, so I got a little bored. I decided to burn down some trees and corrupt the spirits residing in them, just long enough to provoke them into attacking the mundane folk. But then you came along and ruined all the fun."
Mama Ipoh narrowed her eyes, her hand instinctively twitching toward her talismans. Despite the fire burning low within her and her body's weariness, her spirit remained unbroken.
"Chosen or not," she said, voice calm yet cutting, "you've made a grave mistake coming here."
She then held one of her talismans and spoke, her voice filled with determination:
"By the billions of thunder strikes that have struck the earth, I call upon your power! Shōkanjutsu of the Chūrei rank, I summon the Thunder Wolf!"
A wolf made of pure electricity emerged from the talisman. Mama Ipoh gently patted the wolf on the head and said,
"Sorry, old friend. It looks like we have to fight again at last. Please, help me as much as you can!"
The wolf let out a deafening howl and launched multiple beams of electricity at Hephaestus, who waved his hand dismissively and said:
"Is this all there is to the shamans of Sylvanara?"
His hand transformed as he prepared for the incoming attack. He didn't try to dodge—it was clear he wasn't fast enough to avoid literal lightning—but instead smirked and said:
"I may not be fast enough to avoid it, but I'm definitely strong enough to withstand it!"
Then, a ray of light enveloped the battlefield. Viora, who was still watching the scene through her vision, felt her heart skip a beat as she thought to herself, Mama Ipoh!!
chapter twenty-five
{After Chapter Poem}
My fire may start small, like the ember of a cigar that dies upon hitting the ground, but fire can grow, it can blaze.
I will burn, and continue to burn... and grow, outshining every flame that dares to face me.
I may kneel to your greater, more devastating fire, but soon, I will rise again,
to burn your flames to dust—flames I once deemed unreachable.
My fire will grow, and grow, until it becomes an endless inferno,
a star burning bright in the heavens above.