Previously...
Ethan and his team arrived at the coordinates for the Church of the Sisters of Light. As they approached, a voice called out in recognition.
"Sir Kaito?" an old man asked, peering at them. Standing beside him was his granddaughter, who stepped forward with a sharp gaze.
"My name is Raven—yes, like the crow," the young woman answered.
"You have an uncommon name," Ethan remarked.
Now, with the introductions behind them, Ethan and his team continue their quest to find the church that freed Cristine from the grip of dark energy.
The continuation...
"Am I hearing that right? You're looking for the Church of the Sisters of Light?" the old man asked, his voice skeptical.
"Yes, we need their help," Ethan replied.
"It's been thirty years since that church was destroyed by an earthquake," the old man sighed. He was interrupted when his granddaughter returned, carrying a tray of snacks and steaming tea.
"The Church of the Sisters of Light... I know where it is," she said, pouring the tea for Ethan, Akihiko, Baekhyun, and Kaito. "If you'd like, I can take you there."
Akihiko leaned in, inhaling the steam. "This smells delicious," he remarked.
"What are you talking about, Raven?" Mang Jose asked, his face etched with worry. "We aren't allowed to go there. That church is the reason we are cursed!"
Raven looked at her grandfather as she finished serving the tea. "Maybe they can help us cure it. Our shaman told us about the prophecy, remember?"
"Prophecy?" Ethan asked, setting his cup down.
"Before she died, the shaman said a group would come," Mang Jose explained. "People of different races, united by one desire. She said they would need the Sisters of Light to seal the curse and free our town."
Baekhyun looked around the room. "If you don't mind me asking, Mang Jose... what kind of curse are we talking about? Does it affect the whole town?"
Kaito took a sip of his tea and answered for them. "Aswang."
"Sir Kaito is right," Mang Jose admitted. "But we are not like the others. We only eat animal meat and vegetables. We live just like humans."
"You are humans," Ethan insisted. "But even if we are the ones from the prophecy, how do we find a member of the Sisters? My mother told me they were all killed..."
Ethan trailed off, but Baekhyun quickly reminded him of the nun who was a close friend of Cristine's.
"Yes! Inspector Red and Sister Marisa," Raven said with a nod. "Sister Marisa is my aunt."
"What are we waiting for then?" Ethan stood up. "Let's go see her."
"Not tonight," Mang Jose warned. "The village is dangerous after dark."
"Why?" Ethan asked. "If you guys are 'good' Aswang, shouldn't everything be okay?"
"In this part of town, yes," Raven explained. "But on the other side, it's different—especially with Captain Lochia's group."
A sudden, heavy knock at the door silenced the room. Mang Jose stood up quickly, signaling for them to be quiet.
"It's Lochia. She knows we have visitors," he whispered. "Don't worry, I'll handle this."
He walked to the door and opened it slowly. Ethan and Kaito exchanged an uneasy look as they caught sight of the Captain.
"Good evening, Captain Lochia," Mang Jose said, forced warmth in his voice. "To what do I owe the visit? Did Raven do something silly at the office?"
"No, she's fine," Lochia replied, her eyes scanning the room. "I'm here to confirm the report of visitors."
"Ah, yes. My nephews," Mang Jose lied smoothly. "They came from the city for my birthday. They'll be heading back in two days."
Lochia lingered for a moment. "I see. Please let me know next time so we can ensure their safety. And tell Raven to be at the office early tomorrow. I have a busy day ahead."
"I will," Mang Jose promised.
Once she left, he closed the door and bolted it, returning to the living room with a relieved sigh.
"What happened, Lolo?" Raven asked.
"Everything is fine for now," Mang Jose said. "She wants you in early tomorrow. As for you boys, you'll leave first thing in the morning to find my sister."
Meanwhile, Jin Ae had already begun her move against Miss Hidalgo. She had taken on a new persona to catch the woman in her latest scheme. Miss Hidalgo was a serial fraudster who never seemed to stop.
"First, she told me she owned a cooperative where my money would grow; now, she's a car dealer," Jin Ae muttered to herself. She shifted her voice, lowering it to a masculine tone, and stepped toward her target.
"You must be Anthony Santiago?" Miss Hidalgo asked, approaching with a practiced, professional smile. Jin Ae smiled back, her illusion spell holding perfectly so the woman wouldn't recognize her.
"Yes. I'm the one who chatted with you on Insta," Jin Ae—as Anthony—replied. "When can I see the cars you're selling?"
The woman's smile widened as she beckoned for Jin Ae to follow. "Follow me, Mr. Santiago. Our office is just on the second block. Let me show you our inventory."
They arrived at a massive car showroom. To anyone else, it looked perfectly legitimate. Jin Ae glanced at the rows of shining vehicles. I hope you've changed, Miss Hidalgo, she thought grimly. Or else you'll be sent straight to Hell.
Miss Hidalgo led her to a sleek, crimson sports car. "You have excellent taste, Mr. Santiago. This is the Ferrari 296 GTB. Red is an awesome choice for a young bachelor like yourself."
"How much?" Jin Ae asked bluntly.
"This usually costs 20 million," Miss Hidalgo said, her eyes glinting. "But as a new customer, I'll give you a discount. I can offer a fixed price of 17 million, and that includes ten years of insurance. How does that sound, Mr. Santiago?"
Jin Ae offered a cold, knowing smile. "It sounds like a good deal. I'll take it. And I'll pay right now... in cash."
The joy on Miss Hidalgo's face was instantaneous; she practically glowed at the mention of a cash payment. "Oh! Let's go inside immediately so we can prepare the contract," she chirped.
Going back to Ethan and his team,
The next morning, as the sun began to rise, the group hurried to Sister Marisa's house. But as they approached the gate, an eerie silence hung over the property.
"Aunt Marisa?" Raven called out, but there was no answer. The windows remained dark, and no one came to the door. Sensing something was wrong, Raven pushed the gate open and sprinted toward the house, with Ethan and his team close behind.
They found the front door ajar. Inside, the house was in shambles—furniture was overturned and Sister Marisa's belongings lay shattered across the floor. In the center of the wreckage, Marisa lay motionless on the ground.
"Aunt Marisa!" Raven cried, rushing to her side. Kaito reached out, gently checking the nun's pulse. He looked up, his expression grim.
"She's dead. It happened about twenty-four hours ago," Kaito stated.
"How can you be so sure?" Akihiko asked, his voice shaking.
"I was a doctor once," Kaito replied. "Ethan's mother taught me how to heal and how to recognize the signs of death."
"Who did this to her?" Raven sobbed. Baekhyun stepped forward, placing a hand near the scene as he activated his ability to see the past. A vision flickered into his mind: a massive, hairy creature lunging at the nun. He narrowed his eyes, catching a specific detail on the beast's skin.
"A star symbol," Baekhyun muttered. "The creature had a star-shaped mark."
"A star?" Raven gasped, seeing the vision through Baekhyun's eyes.
"Do you know who it belongs to?" Ethan asked.
"I do... and I know where to find her," Raven growled. Her face twisted with rage, and her fingernails grew into long, sharp claws that pierced her own palms, drawing blood. She was on the verge of losing control and shifting into her beast form, but Kaito quickly grabbed her shoulders.
"I know how you feel. I've been where you are," Kaito said firmly, forcing her to meet his eyes. "But you have to control your emotions, Raven. One reckless mistake can ruin everything. Don't follow in my footsteps."
Slowly, the tension left Raven's body, and her claws retracted as she returned to her human form.
"We should report this to the Captain," Akihiko suggested.
"No!" Raven snapped. "Lochia killed her. She knew my aunt was the last nun of the Sisters of Light."
Ethan looked at the body, a feeling of dread sinking in. "If Lochia is the killer, we need to warn Mang Jose. But if Sister Marisa is gone... how do we seal the curse? She was our only hope."
"We're lost," Baekhyun sighed, looking defeated. "The one person who could save Cristine is dead. Maybe we've failed."
Suddenly, the door creaked open further as Catherine and Jasmine hurried inside.
"Finally, we found you guys!" Catherine exclaimed. Jasmine, however, stopped dead in her tracks, staring at the corpse on the floor.
"She's the one," Jasmine whispered, her eyes wide. "She's the woman I saw in my vision."
TO BE CONTINUED...