"My name is Helga," she whispered, her voice cold. "I am here to ask: do you repent for your crimes? Did you feel even a flicker of mercy for those you killed?"
The man sneered, showing no fear. "No. Why should I? The weak in this world are meant to be culled. It's simple survival, Jin Ae."
"Mayor Juanito... welcome to the everlasting fires of Hell," she replied.
As she spoke, her voice seemed to echo with an unnatural power. Without hesitation, she plunged her dagger into the Mayor's chest. As the blade sank in, the weapon began to pulse, thirstily drinking the victim's blood. Jin Ae watched, mesmerized, as the circular crystal atop the hilt gradually filled with a deep, glowing crimson. A sudden, terrifying wave of joy washed over her, and she broke into a dark laugh as the life faded from the Mayor's eyes.
Then, the world shattered.
"NO!"
Jin Ae bolted upright in bed, her scream echoing in the quiet room. Her heart hammered against her ribs like a trapped bird. Trembling, she immediately folded her hands and began to mutter a frantic prayer, trying to wash away the memory of the blood and the laughter.
But as she sat there in the dark, she couldn't help but wonder: was it truly just a dream?
The Training Grounds
Ethan gasped for air, his face flushing. "Wait—I can't... breathe," he managed to choke out. Kaito's magic tightened around his throat like an invisible noose.
"You have to act, Ethan!" Kaito urged, his voice stern. "Saesbyeol won't give you a 'time-out' or show an ounce of mercy."
Forcing himself to focus through the panic, Ethan reached out to the earth. He called to the roots beneath them. Suddenly, massive vines erupted from the soil, lashing out and coiling around Kaito's limbs. The distraction was enough; the magical pressure snapped, and Ethan stumbled back, drawing in a jagged breath.
"Good job," Kaito noted, impressed. "Using nature is the true instinct of a Babaylan."
Ethan wiped sweat from his brow. "I have a good teacher. What's next?"
"Me," a voice rang out.
Ethan's eyes widened. "Mom?"
Calista stepped forward, her expression unyielding. "Don't get too comfortable just because I'm your mother, Ethan."
Nearby, Catherine watched with sparkling eyes. "Go, Ethan!" she cheered.
"Mother versus son," Jasmine mused, leaning against a tree. "Both spellcasters. This is going to be interesting."
Nana Amelia sighed softly. "If Senior Lucas were here, he would be so proud of his son's progress."
"Indeed," Nana Esther agreed. "He's improved so much from his days as a Night Crawler."
"That's the power of love," Jasmine added, glancing at Baekhyun and Akihiko, who were standing nearby, channelling their support toward Ethan.
"You two, stay focused," Kaito commanded the foxes. "This is like a deep meditation. Channel your energy to him."
Before they could resume, the air shimmered. A ghostly figure appeared.
"Guada?" Catherine asked, stepping forward.
"Headmistress, this is an emergency. I am only here via projection," the young witch said urgently. "There is a serial killer in the city. The witches are coordinating with the police, but we have a strong feeling Saesbyeol is involved. We are still investigating the connection."
"Thank you, Guada," Catherine said. "Did you ask Ninong Jeff for assistance?"
"Yes, Headmistress."
"I'm heading back to the city immediately. See you soon." Guada bowed and vanished into thin air.
"Monday, let's go," Jasmine said, signaling the group.
"Nana Esther, Nana Amelia—we must leave," Catherine informed the elders. After warm goodbyes and warnings to stay safe, the women prepared to depart.
Calista looked at Catherine. "Be careful. If this is one of Saesbyeol's minions, they won't play fair."
Catherine nodded and disappeared with the others in a blur of motion. Calista turned back to her son, her hands sparking with electricity. "Saesbyeol is growing stronger, but you have us, Ethan. We will help you win this war—but only if you're ready!"
Without warning, she launched a bolt of lightning. Ethan reacted instantly, summoning a massive slab of rock from the ground to shield himself. The lightning hissed against the stone.
"Fight me, Ethan!" Calista shouted. "Kaito, stop Baekhyun and Akihiko from supporting him. Now!"
Calista unleashed a massive surge of electricity that shattered Ethan's rock shield into a thousand pieces. Meanwhile, Kaito stepped between the two foxes and Ethan.
"Why?" Baekhyun asked, frustrated.
"Orders from your mother-in-law," Kaito replied, his nine tails unfurling behind him with a majestic glow. "It's time you learned what these are actually for. Our first tail represents Multiplication. Watch."
In a blur of motion, Kaito's form flickered, and suddenly, several identical copies of him surrounded the startled foxes.
The Seventh Victim
Jin Ae looked over the file of her latest target.
"Mary Hidalgo," she whispered to herself. "A fraudster who stole millions from cooperative investors back in 2000, only to start the same cycle all over again." Jin Ae's eyes went cold. "The Eighth Commandment: Thou shalt not steal. This is exactly why you're on my list."
Adjusting her blonde wig and smoothing out her disguise, Jin Ae stepped into the cafe. She approached the woman with a bright, practiced smile.
"Hi, Miss Hidalgo! It's so nice to meet you. I am incredibly sorry I'm late; I hope you can forgive me," Jin Ae said, extending a hand. Mary Hidalgo didn't take it, but she offered a sharp, greedy smile in return.
"You must be Anne Mendez," Mary said.
"That's me. I have to say, I'm fascinated by what you're offering. My money growing in just a week? That's exactly what I need. I'm far too busy with my own business to wait around for traditional banks."
Mary leaned in, her interest piqued. "And what business is that, exactly?"
Before Jin Ae could answer, a waiter approached their table.
"Oh, perfect timing," Jin Ae intervened. "I'll have the Tiramisu and a Cappuccino, please. How about you, Miss Hidalgo? Since I kept you waiting, please, let me handle the bill." She gave a playful wink.
"I'll have the same as my new partner," Mary told the waiter, clearly impressed by 'Anne's' generosity.
"Coming right up, ladies," the waiter said, lingering for a second to wink back at Jin Ae.
Mary noticed immediately. "He clearly likes blondes," she teased once he left. "He has good taste."
Jin Ae giggled, playing the part of the flustered socialite. "Oh, Miss Hidalgo, you're making me blush! Anyway, back to business. Let's discuss the proposal."
Mary's eyes turned to literal dollar signs. "Is it true? You're looking to invest a hundred million dollars? Not pesos?"
"That's right," Jin Ae said smoothly, her voice devoid of any hesitation. "Is that going to be an issue for you?"
"No! No, not at all! That is... absolutely wonderful." Mary beamed as the waiter returned with their trays.
"Thank you, Izaac," Jin Ae said, reading the name on his silver tag.
"You're very welcome, beautiful," Izaac replied.
Mary couldn't help herself; she loved playing matchmaker when she was in a good mood. "Hey, young man, do you have a partner?"
Izaac grinned. "Not yet. I'm still waiting for the right person to walk through those doors."
Mary gestured toward Jin Ae. "Well, I want you to meet my business partner, Miss Anne Mendez. She's single, isn't that right, Anne?"
"Miss Hidalgo! That's so embarrassing!" Jin Ae tucked a strand of her blonde wig behind her ear, acting the part of the shy investor perfectly.
"You two would be perfect together," Mary laughed.
Izaac extended his hand properly this time. "In that case, it's nice to meet you, Anne."
Jin Ae took his hand, her smile hitting her eyes, though for a very different reason than Izaac or Mary suspected. "Nice to meet you too, Izaac."
The Investigation
On the other side of the city, the air shimmered as Catherine and Jasmine materialized where the witches were gathered.
"Headmistress," Guada said, bowing deeply as they approached.
"There's no need for that, Guada," Catherine said, her eyes searching the crowd. "Where is Meryl?"
As if on cue, Meryl and Meriam stepped out from the shadows of the meeting hall. "Headmistress, we've already gathered the details you requested regarding the killer," Meryl said, her expression grave.
Jasmine blinked in surprise. "Really? That was fast."
Meriam handed a heavy stack of folders to Catherine. As the Headmistress flipped them open, she was met with gruesome crime scene photos showing the victims' bodies.
"Thirteen stab wounds," Catherine noted, her voice steady despite the carnage on the pages.
"At a glance, it looks like a typical spree killer," Jasmine remarked, leaning over her shoulder. "Brutal, but human."
"You're wrong," Meriam countered, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Their souls are missing. There is no spiritual trace left in the bodies." She pointed to the photos of the first six victims.
Catherine traced the jagged edges of the wounds in the photos. "The count is the same for every single one... and the shape of these punctures... they look familiar."
Jasmine's eyes widened as the realization hit. "Like the ones in the stories from Jin Ae's grandmother."
"It's as I feared," Catherine said, closing the folder with a heavy thud. "The weapon used was the Stiléto apó ti Géenna."
"The Dagger from Hell?" Meryl whispered, a chill running down her spine.
"Now we have our confirmation," Meriam said. "Saesbyeol is behind this. Only someone linked to her could wield such a cursed blade."
"So, what's the move?" Jasmine asked.
"I have to report this to Baekhyun and Ethan," Catherine decided. "Especially Baekhyun. He's not going to take this news well—especially if it involves stolen souls."
"Should we have the other witches patrol the city streets, Headmistress?" Meriam asked.
Catherine shook her head, her face etched with worry. "No. Let the others rest. I don't want anyone else getting hurt by that blade. For now, we'll let the police handle the surface-level investigation, but I need to speak with Ninong Jeff again. We need a coordinated strike."
"Understood, Headmistress," Meryl said. Both sisters bowed respectfully.
With a final, somber look at the folders, Catherine took Jasmine's hand. In a flash of light, they vanished, leaving the scent of ozone behind.
The Trial of the Sigbinan
"Mom, stop! That hurts!" Ethan yelled.
He was suspended ten feet in the air, dangling precariously by his ankles from Calista's thick, thorny vines. Below him, a monstrous, carnivorous plant snapped its leafy jaws, its serrated edges dripping with a foul-smelling nectar as it waited for him to fall.
Calista stood below, her arms crossed, her eyes showing no sign of yielding. "Ethan, no one is coming to save you. Your husband and your best friend are occupied with their own training. Even Nana Amelia and Nana Esther have agreed to stay out of this."
Ethan felt the vines slip an inch. He looked down at the waiting maw of the plant and panicked. "This is crazy!"
"You must do something before that plant decides you're its next meal," Calista warned.
Desperate, Ethan began to chant, his fingers twitching as he tried to weave a protection spell. "By the elements of the earth—"
"No!" Calista barked. With a flick of her wrist, a smaller vine lashed out, stinging Ethan's hand and breaking his concentration. "No magic, Ethan. You've become too dependent on spells. You have to use your natural ability—the power of the Sigbinan within you."
Ethan's blood ran cold as he swung back and forth. "But Mom! I don't know how to control it yet!"
"Then you'd better learn quickly," Calista replied, her voice echoing through the training grounds. "Because the vines are letting go... now."
TO BE CONTINUED...