"THE STAR OF SOLOMON"
"I've heard you were tasked with collecting the blood of thirteen sinners," Kassius said, leaning back as he studied Jin Ae. "How does the hunt progress?"
"I have three more to harvest," Jin Ae replied, her voice cold. "And you? What brings you into the city?"
"I am here to face my past," Kassius said, his eyes darkening. "And to retrieve something that belongs to my family by right."
"Whatever your business, be careful. The new witch leader shows no mercy—unless you can match her strength. That is why I move with caution, especially now that my task is so close to completion."
"Perhaps I can help you find your final three," Kassius suggested.
Jin Ae tilted her head. "How?"
"I've already explained the method to your grandfather." Kassius reached into his bag, searching through the shadows of the satchel until his fingers curled around a cold, metallic object. He handed it to her.
Jin Ae raised an eyebrow, weighing the item in her palm. It was a star-shaped relic, but when she held it, the points seemed to pull downward. "What is this?"
"That is the Day Star," Kassius explained. "It is the dark mirror to the Star of Solomon. This is the weapon you will wield when you face the four destined to end Saesbyeol's reign on earth."
"Me?" Jin Ae scoffed. "Why me? I am no match for their powers. I am just like you—one of my grandfather's minions, a shadow working for a ghost."
"Is that truly what you think?" Kassius stepped closer, his voice dropping to a reverent whisper. "You have no idea, do you? You are Saesbyeol's most powerful weapon. More than that... you are the one destined to inherit his throne. You are the daughter of a high-blooded Babaylan and a demon."
Jin Ae stared at him, her expression unreadable. She didn't let the revelation shake her. Instead, she thrust the star-shaped object toward his face.
"Enough talk of the past," she snapped. "I want an answer about this relic. How does it work?"
Kassius smiled at her intensity. The fire in her eyes only proved he was right about her heritage. "It is simple, my dear. All you have to do is..."
He leaned in, his hands guiding hers to show her how to awaken the device.
Meanwhile, Calista, Amelia, and Esther arrived at the White Dove headquarters. They immediately sought out Cristine, the woman known to the world as Inspector Red.
"She is in her meditation room," a member of the White Dove informed them.
When they opened the door to the inner sanctum, the three women gasped. The cold, metallic walls of the headquarters had vanished. Inside, the room had been transformed into a lush sanctuary of towering trees and vibrant plants. A gentle, fresh breeze swirled through the air, carrying the scent of rain.
In the center of the grove sat Cristine. She slowly turned as her eyes fluttered open. "I know why you are here," she said calmly, looking at her guests. "It is about Jin Ae and the new prophecy."
The three women nodded in unison.
"Please, sit with me. I will prepare tea." With a graceful wave of her hand, a teapot and four delicate cups drifted through the air, pouring steaming tea for each of them.
As they took their seats, Cristine turned to Amelia. "About Ara Choi—the reason you chose her to look after Baekhyun. You knew she would be safe from the dark entity because you recognized her as a Seseupmu."
"What is a Seseupmu?" Esther asked, unfamiliar with the term.
"Just like us here in the Philippines, we have the Babaylan," Calista explained. "In Korea, they are called Mudang. A Seseupmu is a specific type of shaman who inherits her power through her bloodline, passed down from her ancestors."
"So it is a birthright?" Esther clarified.
"Exactly," Calista replied.
Amelia leaned forward, her eyes misty with memory. "I remember what my mother told me. When she traveled to South Korea, she met a kind Mudang who helped my parents return home. She even broke a long-standing curse that had plagued our family. I remembered that Mudang's name the moment I saw Baekhyun. My only wish was to keep him safe from the Black Wolf."
"So, Ara is a Mudang as well?" Esther asked.
"It seems so," Cristine added. "I remember what she did for Jasmine. She helped the Banshee awaken when they traveled to the other realm to save the girl."
"Ara comes from the Kim family," Esther noted. "One of the most powerful Mudang clans in their country."
"So... Saesbyeol knows everything. He planned all of this."
The women turned to see Ara standing in the doorway. "Ara," Cristine said softly.
"Don't worry, I'm not angry," Ara said, though her face was etched with sadness. "I am just worried for my children."
"Ara, do not lose heart," Cristine comforted her. "Your son, Baekhyun, is seeking help just as I once did. I was able to purge the negative energy from my body with the help of the Sisters of Light. Trust in your son; he will succeed."
Ara looked at Cristine with newfound determination. "Inspector, if I truly come from a line of powerful shamans, I want you to teach me. I must learn to use my power so I can protect my children."
Esther spoke up, a puzzled expression on her face. "One more question. If Ara is the daughter of Saesbyeol and a strong Babaylan... why did he choose Jin Ae for the throne? Why the granddaughter instead of the daughter?"
"She's right," Ara echoed. "Why not me?"
Cristine took a deep breath, her gaze becoming distant. "Saesbyeol is a fallen angel. Like the others who fell because of their attraction to mortals, the laws of their blood are strange. Their first children—the half-breeds—carry the dominant blood of their mortal mothers. But the grandchildren... they are the ones who manifest the pure, ancient power of the angel. It is a cycle of rebirth. I learned this the hard way; we thought I was the daughter of Lilith, but the truth was far more complex."
Meanwhile, in Santa Barbara...
"Madam Lochia, did you call for me?" Raven asked.
"Yes. This is about what happened to Sister Marisa," Barangay Captain Lochia sighed. "She was our last hope to be free from the curse. But you don't have to worry; our village guards are coordinating with the city police. They are investigating to find the heartless creature who killed your aunt."
Raven smiled thinly. "What if the person who killed my aunt is right here? Your investigation is pointless."
The Barangay Captain raised her eyebrows at the girl's boldness. "What do you mean?"
"You don't know? Or are you just playing us for fools?" Raven's smile faded. "Well, not me. You can never fool me, because my grandpa and I already know that you killed Sister Marisa."
Lochia recoiled, stunned. "What are you talking about, Raven? Marisa was like a sister to me. We grew up together! She took the path of the convent while I was left behind. I wanted to be a nun like her, but because my father was the captain, he forced me to follow in his footsteps as a leader. How dare you accuse me of something I didn't do!"
Suddenly, Mang Jose appeared, flanked by Ethan's team.
"Enough of your drama, Lochia," Mang Jose said sternly. "We trusted you for all these years. Why did you do this to my sister?"
"Jose, I am not the one who killed my friend! There must be—" Lochia cut herself off, her voice dying in her throat as a familiar face stepped into the office.
"Erlinda!" Lochia hissed.
Mang Jose and Raven gasped as they looked between the two women.
"Why do they look alike? Are they twins?" Raven asked.
"I forgot Lochia had a twin," Mang Jose muttered. "But what is she doing here? I thought she fled to the city after being cursed."
Jasmine and Catherine exchanged a look. They realized that while the Barangay Captain looked her age, the woman standing before them looked exactly like the younger version they had seen in Jasmine's vision.
"Hello, Sister. Did you miss me?" Erlinda asked mockingly.
"Did you kill Marisa!" Lochia roared, her fangs slowly emerging from her gums.
Erlinda just smiled, her eyes dancing with malice. "Maybe? I think so. But then again... I don't know."
"How dare you! You are no longer welcome in Santa Barbara!" Lochia turned to her men. "Arrest her!"
But the scene shifted instantly. Instead of seizing Erlinda, the village guards grabbed Lochia, pinning her arms behind her back.
"What are you doing?" Lochia barked, struggling against their grip.
As she fought, the guards' faces began to contort. One by one, they transformed, revealing their true forms as aswang.
"We have to help her!" Ethan shouted to his team. "Catherine, give them an illusion!"
The young witch leader immediately cast a spell. The aswangs blinked, suddenly seeing "targets" sprinting out of the building. Distracted, they let go of Lochia to chase the phantoms.
"Jasmine, give them a taste of a tornado with your weather pipe!" Ethan commanded.
Jasmine raised the pipe to her lips, and a howling wind began to swirl, conjuring a localized cyclone right in the middle of the Barangay Hall.
While Mang Jose and Raven helped Lochia break free from her captors, the group looked for an opening to escape. Thanks to Catherine's quick thinking, a window of opportunity opened.
"Everyone, hold onto me! we're leaving right now!" Catherine shouted, holding out both hands.
Ethan looked at the size of their group. "Can you transport all of us at once?"
"Not alone," Catherine replied quickly. "You need to use the reinforcement spell I taught you!"
"Guys, hurry!" Jasmine urged, glancing back at the swirling winds. "The tornado is starting to die down!"
"I'm counting down! One... two... three!" Catherine cried.
In a flash of light, the group vanished. Just before they disappeared, Erlinda's eyes locked onto Kaito and Ethan. She didn't look angry; she simply smirked.
Once the room was empty and the dust settled, Erlinda strolled over to the desk and sank into Lochia's chair.
"So, that was Kaito," she mused to the empty room. "He's cute, but a traitor to the Darkness Clan. Lord Saesbyeol was right about him. And that other one... the Sigbinan. I can feel his aura from here." She picked up Lochia's nameplate from the desk, stared at it for a second, and then threw it across the room with a look of disgust. "They won't succeed. They'll never free this village from the curse."
Meanwhile: Calista, Esther, and Amelia
"There is a way to defeat Saesbyeol," Cristine said, her voice low and serious.
"How?" Amelia asked.
"I thought Ethan, Baekhyun, Kaito, and Akihiko were the ones destined to finish him," Esther added.
"They are," Cristine confirmed. "But I've recently discovered that the four of them symbolize the Solomon Star. The Seal of Solomon—the six-pointed star—represents power, wisdom, and protection. Have you noticed how Akihiko and Baekhyun always guard Ethan? They represent the Protection of the star."
She paced the room, her expression intense. "Kaito symbolizes Power, as he carries the ancient abilities and knowledge of his ancestors. And Ethan... your son, Calista, has the Wisdom. His leadership and unique talents are the key."
"So, do they have to draw a star when they face Saesbyeol?" Esther asked, trying to visualize it.
"Yes," Cristine explained. "They must be in the correct alignment with the stars themselves when they finally face the Lord of Darkness."
TO BE CONTINUED...