When Jin Ae returned from Santa Barbara, Kassius was already waiting for her. "Are you okay?" he asked, his voice dripping with mock concern. "Why so angry? Weren't you happy to see your friends again?"
"Seriously? Are you here just to tease me?" Jin Ae snapped, her eyes flashing with irritation. "Get out of my office, Kassius. I'm sick of looking at your face."
Kassius chuckled, unfazed. "Jin Ae, Jin Ae... there is only one solution to your problems. If you truly want to go back in time, why not ask for help from the new leader of the witches? Or perhaps your brother's boyfriend—Ethan, right? I've heard the Sigbinan possesses immense power inherited from his mother, a Great Babaylan. They've traveled through time before to uncover Saesbyeol's origins."
Jin Ae paused, narrowing her eyes as she raised an eyebrow at him. "How do you know about that?"
"It doesn't matter where I got the information," Kassius replied smoothly. "What matters is that you have a chance to rewrite history. I'm certain you could have Ambrose back in your arms."
"That's not information, that's gossip," Jin Ae retorted. She walked over to her desk, grabbed a bottle of wine, and poured herself a glass with a shaking hand. "Do you really think Catherine or Ethan would help me? If you had seen Catherine's face, you'd know she wanted to kill me. And Baekhyun? He's never been more furious. So tell me—how do I stand a chance?"
She raised the glass to her lips. As she drank, a flickering female figure appeared in the mirror across the room. Jin Ae saw it, but she ignored the vision and finished the wine in one gulp.
"An alcoholic now? How tragic," Kassius mused. "But if they won't help you willingly, why not find a way to force them?"
A slow, dark smile spread across Jin Ae's face as the idea took root. "Thank you, Kassius."
"Hey, where are you going?" he called out as she headed for the door.
"I have business to attend to," Jin Ae replied, her eyes glowing a haunting shade of pink. "I'm going to send Caleb Martinez straight to hell."
Kassius watched her leave, his smile fading into something colder. "Jin Ae is certainly stronger than Cristine," he whispered to himself. "Lily's child was made pure by those nuns, but now... now we have the edge. Saesbyeol and I will succeed. The White Dove will finally pay for killing my parents. Especially Calista—she will pay for everything she did to ruin my life!"
He glanced toward Jin Ae's mirror, but he froze. Jin Ae's reflection didn't match the woman who had just left. A pale, sorrowful version of Jin Ae stood within the glass.
"If you think you and Grandpa will succeed in these horrific plans," the Soul of Jin Ae spoke, her voice echoing like a hollow wind, "you are mistaken. I will not allow it. I will take my body back from Helga."
Kassius let out a sharp, mocking laugh. "Are you kidding me? You're nothing but a lingering soul. Your other persona has rejected you. Do you know why?"
The soul in the mirror began to cry, the tears shimmering like stardust.
"Because you are weak," Kassius hissed, stepping closer to the glass. "You are useless. You can never return to your body."
"Let's see about that!" the soul cried out.
Suddenly, every piece of glassware in the office—the wine bottle, the windows, and the lamps—shattered at once. Shards of glass flew everywhere, but Kassius didn't flinch.
"Poor, pathetic soul," he muttered, stepping over the debris as he walked out of the office.
THE SACRIFICE OF THE LIGHT
Inside the ruined convent, Ethan stared at the shimmering rift on the floor. "Even though these walls are covered in sacred prayers, this small portal still managed to curse the people of Santa Barbara," he said solemnly. "The nuns who locked themselves in this room... they deliberately sacrificed their lives to contain it. But they didn't fully succeed."
He turned to Raven, his voice softening. "Sister Marisa knew the danger. That's why she sent you to another part of the convent that day—she was protecting you."
Raven's eyes welled with tears. She vividly remembered the moments before the earthquake; the Mother Superior had begged her to return to her grandfather's house, but Raven had stubbornly refused. Now she knew why.
"She is here," Catherine said suddenly, her voice dropping an octave.
"Who?" Mang Jose asked, his voice trembling.
"Your sister. She is standing right here with us," Catherine replied.
Raven looked around frantically, but the room appeared empty. "Where? I don't see anything!"
"Wait a minute," Catherine whispered, her eyes fixed on a spot next to Ethan. "She wants to tell us something."
Catherine's gaze went distant, as if she were listening to a frequency no one else could hear. Then, she spoke to the empty air. "I understand, Sister Marisa. My answer is yes—you may use my body temporarily."
A dazzling light erupted from Catherine, enveloping her in a warm, white glow. When the light faded, Catherine's posture had changed. She stood with a grace and serenity that belonged to someone much older.
"Marisa? Is that really you?" Mang Jose breathed.
"Yes, Joselito," Sister Marisa said through Catherine's lips, offering a gentle smile.
Mang Jose's face lit up. "It is her! She's the only one who calls me that. Don't worry, Marisa—Lochia and I will make Erlinda pay for what she did to you!"
"Joselito, now is not the time for vengeance," Marisa said firmly, walking toward the rift. "This young lady has graciously allowed me her body, but I can only stay for a moment. We must close this portal now."
She looked at the group with authority. "Raven, give me the book. The rest of you, find the holy water in the drawers."
Raven hurried to hand over the sacred text. Meanwhile, Baekhyun and Akihiko lunged for a small glass bottle at the same time.
"It's mine! I saw it first!" Akihiko hissed, tugging on the bottle.
"Fine! Take it!" Baekhyun snapped, letting go. "You always have to be the center of attention anyway."
"Really? You two are fighting over holy water right now?" Ethan growled. He snatched the bottle from their hands and handed it to Sister Marisa.
Kaito and Jasmine shared a quiet laugh at the absurdity of the moment as Sister Marisa began to pour the water in a circle around the rift, reciting a rhythmic, ancient chant.
"What language is that?" Baekhyun whispered.
"It's the Pater Noster—the 'Our Father'—but in Latin," Kaito explained.
"Look at you, a regular history buff," Akihiko muttered. "Unlike some people here."
"That is enough!" Ethan hissed, glaring at them. "Sister Marisa is trying to save us. One more word and I'll tie you both to a log and set you drifting across the Pacific Ocean."
Kaito leaned in close to Ethan's ear. "Did you know," he whispered, "that the Pacific Ocean is located between Asia and Australia to the west and the Americas to the east? It stretches from the Arctic to the Southern Ocean. In fact, the Philippine Sea is a marginal sea of the western North Pacific—"
"Oh, so now you're a walking encyclopedia?" Ethan interrupted, forcing a pained smile.
He looked over at Jasmine, hoping for some support, but she simply gave him a cheeky thumbs-up and moved further away, clearly enjoying the chaos of the boys' bickering.
THE ELEVENTH SACRIFICE
Back in the city, Jin Ae began the hunt for her eleventh victim. "Now, it's time to meet your nightmare," she whispered. She sent a message to Caleb Martinez, and like clockwork, the man responded immediately.
"Perfect," she murmured, pulling a tube of pink lipstick from her bag. "I have to prepare so that when he arrives, everything is set." As she applied the color, the air in the room seemed to shimmer and warp.
Caleb rushed to her apartment, fueled by the text claiming she had a high fever. He already had a scheme in motion. His pattern was always the same: court a woman for a week, shower her with expensive gifts, and once they were "official," begin his abuse. But this time, the script had been rewritten.
When Caleb reached the apartment, he rang the bell, but there was no answer. Remembering her text saying the door would be unlocked because she was too weak to move, he let himself in. Inside, he found Jin Ae lying on the bed in a thin, silk gown.
"Anna?" he called softly.
"You're here, babe," she replied, her voice frail and trembling. "I wanted to cook for us, but I can't move. Could you buy me some medicine? My kit is empty. After that... you can leave. I know you're busy."
"It's okay," Caleb said, his eyes wandering greedily over her figure. "I'll be your doctor now."
"Really? You're so sweet," Jin Ae purred.
Caleb couldn't restrain himself any longer. He reached out, grabbing her roughly. "Is it okay if I touch you, babe?"
"Of course," she whispered, her voice turning unnaturally sweet. "It's all yours... because you're a maniac. A sex offender who kills women."
Caleb froze. "What did you say?"
Jin Ae's eyes snapped open, glowing a vibrant, demonic pink. Caleb scrambled backward, hitting the wall. "What is happening? Why did you stop, babe? Don't you like this?"
She stood up, and Caleb's heart nearly stopped. Horns began to sprout from her head, tearing through her skin. "What are you?" he stammered. "Are you even human?"
"Don't you remember?" a voice whispered directly into his ear.
Caleb spun around. Jin Ae was standing behind him, even though he could still see her body lying on the bed. Before he could scream, she swung a baseball bat, connecting squarely with his head.
THE ASYLUM OF THE DAMNED
Caleb woke up screaming, his hands shielded in front of his face. But he wasn't in the apartment anymore. He was in a cold, damp hallway. A woman stood before him, drenched in blood.
"Janina?" he gasped.
"Antoinette?" he whispered, seeing another figure. "You're dead! What are you doing here?"
The bloody woman lunged, her fingers clamping around his throat. "I'll take you to hell! You killed me, killer!"
In a blink, the scene shifted again. Caleb found himself strapped to a bed in a white straightjacket, the walls of a psychiatric ward closing in on him. The door creaked open, and two nurses stepped in.
"Janina? You again?" Caleb whimpered.
"Hey, Mr. Martinez, you're awake," Jin Ae said, wearing a nurse's uniform and a twisted smile. "Did you rest well?"
The other nurse prepared a tray of syringes. "Look, our patient is agitated," Jin Ae noted. "Inject the sedative to help him relax."
"Why are you doing this? Who are you?" Caleb roared.
Jin Ae stopped the other nurse's hand. "Are you sure you want to know who I am?"
"Yes! When I get out of here, I'll have my troops kill you! You damn sh*t!"
Jin Ae laughed. "Wow. In a straightjacket and still acting brave? Unbelievable. I'll tell you my name, but don't regret it."
Before she could speak, the needle entered his arm. Caleb spiraled into darkness, only to wake up tied to a wooden chair. He looked at the nurse beside Jin Ae and saw her belly swell—she was pregnant.
He remembered Janina. He remembered the scandal he had covered up by using his parents' influence to have her committed to an asylum. He remembered what he and his friends had done to her.
"Do you remember this?" Janina asked, her voice hollow.
"Of course he does," Jin Ae said. "He told the public you were unstable. He and his barbaric friends raped a woman who just wanted to help her parents in the province. All because of his ego."
"She would have destroyed my future!" Caleb yelled.
"And even though she was pregnant, you tortured her," Jin Ae continued, her voice cold as ice. "Before Janina and her child died, you used ECT—Electroconvulsive Therapy. But you turned the voltage to the maximum, frying her brain and killing the baby in her womb. And that is exactly what we are going to do today. Nurse Janina?"
"Allow me, Doc," Janina said, approaching Caleb with the electrodes.
Caleb thrashed, but the apparatus was clamped onto his skull. Jin Ae reached for the dial and flipped it to the highest setting.
ZZZT!
Caleb's world exploded in white light. When he opened his eyes, he was back in the present, tied to a chair in a dark room, facing the real Jin Ae.
"Let me go... what do you want?" Caleb sobbed, his spirit broken.
Jin Ae turned to a man standing in the shadows. "You can leave now, Izaac. Thank you for the help." Izaac gave Caleb one last hard stare before exiting.
"Now, back to your question," Jin Ae said, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "What do I want? Hmm..." She pointed a finger at his forehead. "I know!"
"What? Money? Anything! Just let me go!"
"Okay, let's start," Jin Ae said, her eyes glowing pink again. "I have a few questions for you first."
THE LIFTING CURSE
Ethan stood at the convent entrance, breathless. Thick, white smoke began to roll across the hills of Santa Barbara like a heavy mist. It was the sign they had been waiting for: the curse had finally been lifted.
"I'm human again," Lochia murmured, looking at her hands with a touch of sadness. Beside her, Erlinda hissed in frustration.
"The end is near!" Erlinda cackled. "Saesbyeol will succeed, and all of you will be crushed!"
"She's been cursed by Jin Ae," Catherine interrupted, handing Lochia a small bundle of parchment. "Take these. You need to burn these papers, mix the ashes into a glass of water, and make her drink it. It will break the hold Jin Ae has over her mind."
"Thank you, Catherine," Captain Lochia said, clutching the papers.
"We have to get back to the city," Baekhyun said, his brow furrowed with worry. "We need to stop Jin Ae before she goes any further. I'm scared of what she's becoming."
"Hijo," Mang Jose said, stepping forward. "Raven is the only one who will return with you. I'm staying here. I'm an old man; I can't handle long flights anymore. I'll stay and wait for my granddaughter to come home when her work is done—as a true Sister of Light."
"Grandpa..." Raven whispered, hugging him tight.
"Santa Barbara is safe now, apo. Madam Lochia and I will protect this town and keep the peace."
Raven pulled back, wiping a tear. "Okay, Grandpa. But Madam Lochia, please watch him. Report to me immediately if he starts drinking Lambanog again!"
Lochia laughed. "Actually, dear, wait right there! I have some coconut vodka in my room. You all need to try it—it's the pride of Santa Barbara." She rushed off and returned a moment later, handing each of them a bottle.
"Don't worry, Raven," Mang Jose added with a wink. "I can reach you on my 'Bookgram' account now. Jasmine helped me set it up. My username is Joselito_Pogi."
Kaito unscrewed the cap of his bottle and took a sniff. "I've never tried this, but it smells delicious."
THE ELEVENTH SINNER'S END
Back in the dark room, Jin Ae stood over Caleb, the pink glow in her eyes pulsing like a heartbeat.
"Do you regret what you did?" she asked softly. "Can you promise never to do it again?"
"I promise! I swear!" Caleb sobbed, his voice cracking. "I'll never hurt anyone again! Just let me go!"
Jin Ae tilted her head, a terrifyingly sweet smile spreading across her lips. "You asked before... who am I?" Her voice began to distort, echoing as if a hundred people were speaking at once. "I am Helga."
She leaned in close, her face inches from his. She pulled a jagged dagger from her belt.
"Please!" Caleb begged, thrashing against his restraints. "I promised! I said I was sorry!"
"Antoinette and Janina were just the beginning," Jin Ae whispered. "So many other souls are trapped in silence because of you. Some are dead, others are living ghosts, too afraid to speak. But the door to Hell is open now, Caleb. And it's waiting for a sinner like you."
"Welcome home."
With a sudden, violent motion, she plunged the dagger into his chest. She didn't stop at one strike. She stabbed him repeatedly, her movements frantic and rhythmic. As the crimson spray hit her face, Jin Ae didn't flinch. She simply threw her head back and laughed—a sound that was no longer human.
TO BE CONTINUED...