"ASSEY!" Aiko screamed.
"Don't worry," Jhuni's voice came from the darkness. "He'll wake up in about fifteen minutes."
Aiko turned sharply and rushed to Jhuni's side.
"Jhuni, run. There's a woman with a strange, terrifying presence. Even Assey fears her. Please, go. No matter what Assey has done, he's my brother. No one is beyond redemption, and I want to save him… from her," she pleaded in a breathless rush.
Jhuni didn't reply with words. Instead, he wrapped his arms around her.
"I love you, Aiko. I want to see you again, with our family whole. You're not allowed to die, okay?" he whispered, his voice trembling with emotion.
He pulled back just enough to plant a gentle kiss on her forehead.
"And bring our daughter home safely," Aiko added softly. "Go now, before she comes."
With that, Jhuni disappeared into the forest, running at full speed. He knew danger lurked close—and he had to reach the shore before sunrise.
⸻
Aiko knelt beside Assey's body. Since the day he created the Black Magic Tribe, she hadn't been this close to him. He never allowed anyone near.
Her eyes trailed to his hairy arm. With a trembling thumb, she stroked it gently.
"Assey… my one and only brother," she whispered. "What happened to you? Why did you turn against both God and mankind? This… this isn't the Assey I know. Please… whoever you are—leave my brother alone."
Tears welled in her eyes as she gripped his arm tightly.
Suddenly, the wind picked up, rustling the trees around them. The white eagle descended from the sky, and the woman stepped down gracefully.
"Mm," she hummed. "I loved my twin sister just like this… until she stole the man I'd been watching for years." Her tone was dry, cruel. "It's not hard to guess what I did to her."
She began walking toward Aiko.
Aiko's heart pounded. A deep frown formed across her face as she rose to her feet and turned to face the woman.
"Who is your sister?" she asked, though a part of her already knew.
The woman grinned slyly.
"You guessed right, my dear. My twin sister is Yaaya—your mother."
Aiko's expression froze, her voice dropping to a cold whisper.
"So… you're the one behind all of this. You hurt my mother, and now you're planning to erase her bloodline too?"
"Tsk—don't say it like that," the woman chuckled darkly. "Your mother is very much alive. She's watching us right now. I want her to see how I slowly erase her existence… one drop at a time. Go on, say hi to her."
Then—hurried breaths broke through the air.
"You… You! What did you do to my mother? You liar!" Assey's voice roared, his eyes glowing red with fury.
But before he could move, the woman sprayed a strange liquid across his face.
"Hush, my dear," she said gently, as if calming a child. "You've done so much. Rest now while I take care of the rest."
Assey slumped unconscious.
She raised her hand, and four shadowy figures—quads—emerged from the darkness. Without a word, they carried Assey and tied him to the back of the black vulture. Two others grabbed Aiko, holding her down.
She struggled violently, but they taped her mouth shut and bound her to the vulture.
The trees rustled louder, as if they too were alarmed… and then they flew away into the night sky.