PREVIOUSLY:
Ethan and his team traveled to Santa Barbara to seek aid from the last surviving member of the Sisters of Light. Their world shattered upon discovering the nun had been murdered by an unknown entity. The mystery deepened when the killer was revealed to be the twin sister of Captain Lochia.
THE ENCOUNTER:
"Erlinda!" Lochia barked, her voice thick with rage. Beside her, Mang Jose and Raven stood frozen, paralyzed by the sight of the woman before them.
"Hello, Sister," Erlinda purred, tilting her head. "Did you miss me?"
The situation spiraled into chaos as the team realized the truth: Raven is actually the youngest member of the Sisters of Light. Now, Erlinda and her minions are determined to eliminate her and seize the sacred book hidden within the ruins of the broken convent.
"Only my granddaughter can enter and exit that church," Mang Jose stated firmly.
THE LIGHT CONVENT (CONTINUED)
"Funny. If that's what you think, Jose, you're wrong," Erlinda sneered. "Because right now, no matter how sacred this place is, I can enter—and it is all because of Helga."
Erlinda immediately transformed and vanished underground, tunneling toward the Convent.
"Helga?" Baekhyun muttered. He stared at Kaito, but the Nogitsune gave him a look of pure confusion; he had no idea what Erlinda meant either.
"I'll stop my sister. I'll take care of her," Lochia declared. She shifted into her Abwak form and dove into the earth to pursue her twin.
"But—" Mang Jose started, but he couldn't stop her in time.
"Don't worry, Mang Jose, we'll follow Ethan inside the church," Jasmine said. But as they turned to move, they were suddenly frozen in place. "What is happening? Why can't I move?"
"Girls... didn't you miss me?" a familiar voice asked.
Jasmine and Catherine spun around, gasping at the figure before them.
"Jin Ae," Baekhyun breathed, seeing his sister again.
"Jin Ae, what happened to your appearance?" Catherine asked.
"Why? Is this the first time you've seen a beauty?" Jin Ae replied. "I don't need your compliments; I know I am more beautiful now." Her expression darkened the moment she saw her brother.
"I'll take care of my sister. Follow Ethan inside the convent!" Baekhyun shouted. But Jin Ae waved her hands, and Catherine and Jasmine found themselves completely paralyzed.
"Jin Ae, what are you doing?" Catherine cried.
"Jin Ae, wake up! I know you are still in there!" Jasmine added.
Jin Ae laughed. "I am awake, Jasmine. What are you talking about?" She turned her gaze to Baekhyun. "Brother, aren't you happy to see me? If you really cared about me, you would have found me and saved me from Grandpa's cruelty. But I don't regret it. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't be this powerful."
With a sharp gesture, Jasmine, Catherine, Kaito, and Akihiko were suddenly hoisted into the air. Baekhyun watched in horror as his friends began to struggle for breath.
"What are you doing, Jin Ae? Put them down!" Baekhyun pleaded. "You don't know what I sacrificed for you. I tried to find you, but Grandpa was too powerful. We're here in Santa Barbara to find a cure for that evil spirit possessing you. Raven is the only one who can save you!"
"You're too late, brother," Jin Ae said, her eyes gleaming as she watched her victims struggle. "I've already accepted the dark power."
"It's not too late, Jin Ae. Trust your brother," Kaito choked out.
"Shut up! I'm not asking for your opinion!" Jin Ae snapped. Kaito's face turned pale as the invisible grip around his throat tightened.
"I have no choice but to fight you," Baekhyun whispered. His appearance began to change—his ears grew pointed like a fox's, and his battle suit shimmered into existence.
"Amazing. You're a Gumiho... Grandpa was right," Jin Ae remarked. She abruptly released her hold, dropping Kaito, Akihiko, Catherine, and Jasmine to the ground.
"What are you doing, Baekhyun?" Aki gasped, rubbing his neck. "Jin Ae is still your sister. We're here to save her. Ethan won't be happy if you fight her."
"Aki is right," Catherine said, standing up. "You guys follow Ethan inside. I'll take care of Jin Ae."
"But—"
"Don't worry, Kuya," Jasmine interrupted. "I'll stay with Catherine. Jin Ae won't hurt us. She's our friend. I can feel that she's still in there."
Kaito and Aki grabbed Baekhyun's arms and forced him toward the convent.
"Let the youngsters solve this for now," Kaito muttered. "Trust the witch leader and the banshee."
As Baekhyun walked away, he saw a flash of sadness on his sister's face, but it was quickly replaced by a fierce glare. Jasmine and Catherine noticed the change instantly.
"Where is the real Jin Ae?" Catherine asked.
"What are you talking about? Are you blind?" Jin Ae replied sarcastically. "You became the leader of the witches and immediately lost your sight?"
"Jin Ae, we know you're there. You have to fight that dark entity!" Jasmine cried.
Jin Ae suddenly clutched her head, bowing down as if in pain. Jasmine slowly approached her. "Jin Ae? Is that you?"
When Jin Ae raised her head, she was crying. "Help me..." she sobbed.
"We're already working on a way! Please, hold on!" Jasmine reached out, but Jin Ae's expression snapped back to one of malice. Her hands shot out, catching both Jasmine and Catherine by the throat.
"Who are you?" Catherine wheezed.
Jasmine fumbled for the weather pipe in her pocket. Though it was only the size of a small bottle, she triggered the mechanism. It extended instantly, hitting Jin Ae in the stomach and forcing her to let go.
"You traitor!" Jin Ae spat.
"A traitor?" Jasmine gasped. "What are you talking about? If this is about being class valedictorian back in college, I told you I didn't want it! I tried to talk to the professor, but you stopped me. We can't go back and change the past!"
"No! You stole the man I love!"
"What? Is this about Ambrose?" Catherine asked, stunned.
"Yes! And you have no idea how much I loved him!"
"But you told me you'd sacrifice your feelings for him," Catherine reminded her. "You knew Ambrose liked Jasmine and only saw you as a younger sister. I thought we were clear on that."
"Really, Jin Ae?" Jasmine began to cry. "After all these years, you're bringing this up? Is this why you accepted the curse of Saesbyeol? Your grandmother told us everything. Ambrose and I were just friends after we broke up! When we were in the Tamawo world, why didn't you just tell him your feelings then?"
"I didn't have time," Jin Ae muttered.
"What do you mean, Jasmine?" Catherine asked. "She wasn't even with us then."
"No, she was there," Jasmine revealed. "She used astral travel to follow us from the White Dove headquarters. She was the one who helped Alya find the portal. I kept it from you, Catherine, because you were so distracted by your training. And before Ambrose died... he confessed to me that he realized he had feelings for you, Jin Ae. I tried to save him, but I'm not a witch. I couldn't perform a healing ritual. I am just the voice of death."
Jasmine dropped her weather pipe. The force of it hitting the ground caused the earth to tremble.
"You're right," Jin Ae whispered. "If I could go back in time, I would rectify everything—especially that night when Ambrose confessed his feelings for you. I will get everything that's mine."
With a wave of her hands, she vanished.
INSIDE THE CONVENT
Jasmine's face shifted from a sweet girl to a cold, serious warrior. "Let's help them inside," she said, retrieving her pipe.
Inside the ruins, the scene was devastating. Mang Jose and Captain Lochia were unconscious. Baekhyun, Ethan, and Akihiko had suffered the same fate after trying to fight Erlinda.
"You'll have to go through my corpse before you get the book or this child," Kaito growled, standing over Raven.
"Really, Kaito? How pathetic," Erlinda said with a smirk.
"Shut up and leave with your ugly minions. Don't force me to reveal my true form," Kaito warned.
Erlinda pulled a glass object from her bag. "Saesbyeol already knows how to finish off you three foxes. Look at this mirror."
Kaito recoiled. "Why, Kuya Kaito?" Raven asked, trembling.
"That's the Toli Mirror," Kaito whispered. "Made in Mongolia by shamans to drive away spirits. Even a Gumiho or Kitsune can be conquered by it."
Erlinda raised the mirror, but a sudden, violent gust of wind tore through the room, knocking the glass from her hand.
"Sorry we're late," Catherine said, stepping into the fray. She looked at the unconscious sheriff and the old man, then at the horrifying minions. "My God... Ethan, Baekhyun, Aki!"
"It's good you girls showed up," Erlinda taunted. "Are you happy with your reunion?"
Catherine and Jasmine didn't answer. They rushed her together.
"I am so tired of this woman," Jasmine hissed. "Now, cover your ears! This hag is about to hear how Asia's songbird screams!"
Jasmine let out a piercing wail that sent the minions stumbling back.
"You want to play?" Catherine added. "I'll make you Raven's doll."
Using her String Spell, Catherine sent invisible threads clinging to Erlinda. With every twitch of Catherine's fingers, Erlinda's body moved like a puppet. "What if you scratch yourself until you bleed? Or use your own hands to end this? Does that sound fun?"
"Stop!" Lochia cried out, staggering to her feet. "Erlinda will be held accountable by the law. I will be the one to punish my twin. Please."
"Catherine, she's right," Ethan added, rising slowly. "We aren't killers. We restore balance. Did you forget what Nana Esther taught us?"
Catherine sighed and released the spell. Lochia immediately bound her sister in sacred handcuffs, while Mang Jose secured the rest of the companions.
"What if they escape those?" Raven asked.
"Don't worry," Lochia said. "Marisa blessed these with a prayer before she died. I visited her specifically for these."
Catherine spotted the Toli Mirror on the floor and picked it up. "How did Saesbyeol even know about this?"
"That mirror can finish us with a snap of a finger," Baekhyun said, eyeing the glass.
"I have a feeling someone is helping Jin Ae and Saesbyeol," Jasmine mused. "But who?"
"He is too powerful for you," Erlinda cackled. "You'll all be dead soon."
"That's enough, Erlinda!" Lochia dragged her sister away.
"We'll find out who it is," Ethan said firmly. "For now, hide the mirror and get Raven and Mang Jose to safety."
"The White Dove headquarters," Kaito suggested. "Calista and the others are there."
"Kaito is right," Aki agreed. "Inspector Cristine can guide her."
"They're getting stronger, Ethan," Baekhyun said. "What's our next move?"
"We seek the Babaylans," Ethan replied. "We need to know how to counter that mirror."
"But Kuya Ethan..." Raven whispered, pointing to the floor. "What about that little portal?"
They all turned. A small, shimmering opening was forming on the floor, swirling with an unknown energy.
TO BE CONTINUED...