"He's infected with ajam," Sarahliza concluded.
"I'll get the book," Mimya said, quickly running out of the living room.
Oenhi stood behind them, her gaze fixed on the man writhing in pain, shaking violently against the table.
"What's happening to him?" Oenhi asked, her voice laced with worry.
"He's becoming a wraith," Sarahliza said, her tone urgent. "But I need to stop the process."
The sound of Gibbit's groans echoed through the room, each one more desperate than the last. Oenhi couldn't bear to listen any longer. She rushed outside, needing to escape the haunting sound of his suffering.
Inside, the mask forming over Gibbit's left eye swirled, a chaotic blend of white and purple patterns. His voice distorted as the mask solidified, covering his face like a swarm of shadows. It twists around forming spiral like pattern, with a single eye in it.
At that moment, Mimya burst back into the room, a heavy book in her arms. She handed it to Sarahliza, who swiftly flipped it open.
"Okay now, I hope this works," Sarahliza muttered under her breath, eyes scanning the page. Then, without hesitation, she raised her hands. Green energy emanated from her palms, spreading across the floor and forming a glowing circle around the table. A circle composed of arcane.
"This is going to hurt," Sarahliza warned, her voice steady. "Runecraft Configuration: Suppression."
The green circle intensified turning magenta coloured, glowing brighter as it extended toward Gibbit. Rune letters, ancient symbols, burned into his skin, their power halting the chaotic movement of green fluid inside him. The mask disintegrated, followed by the veins that had started to creep across his skin.
Gibbit gasped, his body jerking as the pain finally stopped. "Holy... Dear Saint Stianos, thank you..." he whispered, still trembling, and rolled onto his stomach.
"You'll be fine. For now," Sarahliza said, her tone calming but firm.
"I never felt pain like that in my life," Gibbit said, shaking his head. "Thanks, Lisa."
Mimya shot a teasing look at Gibbit. "Always depending on Lisa to save the day. Coward."
"I'm not a coward, young lady!" Gibbit protested, pushing himself to his feet, though his body still felt numb from the ordeal.
"Come to think of it, where's the little girl?" Gibbit asked, glancing around.
Sarahliza frowned, recalling how Oenhi had run off earlier. She felt a pang of sympathy, knowing the child was likely overwhelmed by the scene.
"Mimya, go find Oenhi. We'll talk later," Sarahliza said, her voice softening.
Mimya nodded and left the room, heading outside to find the troubled girl.
Meanwhile, Oenhi stood at the back of the house, trying to calm herself with deep breaths. The man's suffering, the transformation into a wraith, it all terrified her. Could she ever face creatures like that, especially if they were capable of such cruelty? Doubts began to creep into her mind. Would she ever be strong enough to find her grandpa if she couldn't even handle this?
"You good, kid?" a voice called from the edge of the woods, interrupting her spiraling thoughts.
Oenhi turned to see Cecillet, her mask cracked and leaking dark fluid.
"You really did one on me back there," Cecillet continued, grinning. "Looked like you didn't even know you could do that."
Oenhi hesitated before blurting out, "Where's my grandpa?"
Cecillet chuckled darkly. "Hmm... You had to deal with that guy I turned into an impure wraith. I hope they stopped the process in time. Gave me the excuse to retrieve him early, though, at the cost of getting hurt."
Oenhi's heart skipped a beat. "What does that mean? Is he okay?"
Cecillet's grin widened. "Mazaeta possesses your grandpa's body. He's using him as a vessel."
The concept of possession didn't make sense to Oenhi, but she could tell it was bad, terribly bad. "What does that mean? What does Mazaeta want with him?"
"Mazaeta's controlling him. Your grandpa's just a shell now," Cecillet explained, shrugging. "You get it now?"
Oenhi's mind raced, but before she could process everything, Mimya appeared, running toward her. She pointed a finger at Cecillet. Green energy growing on the tip.
"Hey, not here to fight," Cecillet said, raising her hands in mock surrender. "Only here to give you some details."
Mimya narrowed her eyes. "Details? Why should we trust you?"
Cecillet shrugged nonchalantly. "Well, Mazaeta told me to tell you. We both see potential in her, but I don't know what he wants with you. I'm just here for the chaos."
Mimya's suspicion only grew. "What's your angle? Why should we believe you?"
"I'm not in it for the evil stuff," Cecillet replied, her tone playful. "I just like the thrill. The action. It's fun for me, so I do what I do. I'm a fool for chaos. And I may or may not be turning people randomly into wraiths for the fun of it." She continued giggling away at her own fantasizes.
The crack in her mask started to heal, disappearing entirely as she turned away, walking back into the woods.
"You've got a year to stop Mazaeta. He's up to something big, something dangerous. You're the only ones who can stop him," Cecillet called over her shoulder. "He's targeting Montogree."
Mimya clenched her fists. "And if we don't stop him?"
"More people will die," Cecillet said, her voice dripping with amusement. "Could be happening right now. Maybe worse. It's your choice. But the chaos will keep spreading."
With that, Cecillet vanished into the dark depths of the woods, leaving Oenhi standing there, shaken. The weight of the situation hit her all at once. People were dying. Wraiths were being created. And her grandpa... he was being controlled by something dark and sinister.
Mimya studied Oenhi, who looked lost in thought. Before Mimya could say anything, Oenhi spoke.
"I'll get my grandpa back," she said, her voice firm, her expression determined.
"You're really going to believe her?" Mimya asked, disbelief in her tone.
Oenhi nodded, not wavering. "She said people are in danger, not just us. If those evil guys are hurting people, then someone has to stop them."
Mimya's gaze softened for a moment, but Sarahliza's voice interrupted. "Oenhi, those are supernatural monsters. They can hurt you. Or even worse."
Oenhi's eyes flashed with frustration. "Stop calling me a kid! I don't care! My grandpa's in danger, and people are being hurt. I'll stop them. I promised my grandpa that I'd keep smiling, even when I kick their butts. If you don't want to help, then I'll go myself."
Sarahliza's gaze softened, her heart heavy with the weight of Oenhi's words. It reminded her of someone from her past, someone she couldn't forget.
A small sigh escaped her lips. "Are you sure? Because if you go, there's no turning back. You'll be thrown into a world of monsters. Monsters that won't hesitate to destroy you."
Oenhi didn't flinch. A calm smile formed on her face. "Yes. Teach me how to use your mumbo-jumbo powers or whatever it's called!"
"Mumbo what?" Mimya asked, raising an eyebrow.
Sarahliza smiled faintly despite the seriousness of the situation. "Alright, kid. I'll teach you. But you need to understand, this is dangerous. Are you ready?"
Oenhi nodded without hesitation. "I'm ready."