Confrontation
I found Sylvia and the others at the scene of the crime. I'm not sure how they got past the authorities guarding the place but Klint is doing his best in doing detective work which I'm pretty sure he learned from watching anime.
Nicco seems to be supportive though since he's crouched beside Klint who's examining the place.
"You know, to get more results, we should check the bodies." I say announcing my arrival to them.
Klint's face is funny. It's an expression between shock and disbelief at my suggestion. He probably doesn't want to see the dead bodies.
"No worries." Nicco inserts. "I already called someone. We'll have a copy of the autopsy report soon."
Is he serious? How did he even do that? Does that mean he has connections?
"You're wondering how I did it?" he asks which obviously makes me even more surprised. "Connections get you to lots of places."
"April, we found a lot of stuff here."
Klint walks up to me with his phone and starts showing me the pictures he took before I arrived.
The traces he found really are identical to the one in Hope Orphanage. Which means the one that killed the hikers is someone who wields dark energy. Whether they were the target or just people who got caught in the crossfire, I'm not sure. But there's one thing I'm sure; I'm going to find that Levton guy and get my revenge.
"Since we don't have all the evidence yet let's ask the local engkantos that live here about what happened."
"That's the thing April," Sylvia says. "We tried to look for them and talk to them but they'd either push us away or run away from us."
"Meaning they're not cooperating."
Why? I mean, it's a disturbance in their territory, why aren't they trying to do something? Especially when the cause is supernatural?
A god is supposed to reside in this volcano, then why is he not doing anything?
I have decided. I need to find the answers, and I need to find that guy, no matter what.
"Let's search and ask them again. This time, let's split up to two groups to cover more grounds." I say and look around. The lack of nature spirits milling around the around is really concerning.
"Then I-"
"I'll pair up with April after all I'm his observer."
Well he's got a point. But someone doesn't seem to be happy about it; Klint.
"Nicco I-"
"Let's go Klint." Sylvia starts dragging Klint to a direction while Nicco and I take the opposite direction.
A few minutes to our walk I really can't sense any supernatural or anyone really, in a ten kilometer radius which is the maximum range on my
Now even though I was focused on checking for anyone we could question regarding the death of the hikers, I can't help but notice and feel Nicco's stare on me. Well, it's more like whenever I try to look back on him his eyes would wander someplace else as if he wasn't staring at me.
That has been going on seconds after we parted ways with Sylvia and Klint.
"You know, I read that after Kanlaon retreated himself inside the volcano the area has been protected by a magkupo, a huge serpent with a rooster's crown and a powerful crow. Maybe we should start with that one?" Nicco says and looks at me.
I pause on my tracks and looks up to him.
What did he just say? This place is supposedly protected by something? Then how come I don't feel anything?
"Nicco, something is really wrong."
"What do you mean?"
"Haven't you noticed? If this area is protected by something, then how come we haven't felt or seen anything ever since we entered the volcano's premises?"
Considering that the magkupo is a powerful creature since it's a servant of Kanlaon, how come nothing's happening? Nothing has tried to stop us from snooping around. Even if the engkantos think we're humans, there should still be spirits around.
Then Sylvia said a while ago that they were either pushing them away or running away?
Why would the creatures living under the protection of a god be afraid of people like us?
Where is the protector of the volcano?
Looks like Nicco realized the same thing because he started looking around.
"Where is the magkupo?" he asks.
"It's dead." says a voice.
A figure steps out from behind a big trunk of a tree.
Damn! I didn't even notice that person! Wait, why does he look familiar?
*GASP!*
No, not a he, but a she! From the one in the shrine!
Regina!
"Regina?"
That wasn't me. How did Nicco even know her?
"Ah, Nicco. I was right. It really was you that I saw this morning. Did the Vatican send you to another errand? And you accepted it, like the dog that you have become."
I can feel bad blood between the two of them.
Wait…
"Regina, what do you mean it's dead?" I ask which earns a gasp from Nicco. He's probably wondering how I knew her. "I'll explain to you later."
"April, I believe I haven't been completely honest when I introduced myself to you. But then again, you also held back some information so I suppose we're even. I'm a demon hunter and I'm after a demon. It's a powerful one. The one that killed the magkupo and the hikers are the same."
"That demon is from the house of Dantalion in the demon world, isn't it?" I ask her.
"Indeed. But he has been causing mayhem on earth so I was sent to track him down and kill him."
Ohkay? So there are demon hunters too.
"If you're after the demon, why are you here?" Nicco shoots back, already in a defensive stance.
What's this guy's on about? Well he's doing the right thing though.
"That demon is after something called the Shards of a Primordial. The Kanlaon Heritage Shrine houses the Right Eye of the Primordial, one of the three shards, but it's under lockdown and heavy security despite losing the barrier protecting it. I'm pretty sure that demon won't even dare stepping close to its perimeter if he doesn't want the Canillo Family and Department Thirteen on his tail."
Hmm… That does make sense. But that Lloyd look alike is after the [Right Eye of the Primordial]? Why? And why is Regina here when she's supposed to keep an eye on the eye (see what I did there?) to get the demon?
And why does the [Right Eye of the Primordial] sounds a lot like the [Heart of the Primordial]?
Slayer, what is the [Right Eye of the Primordial? Does it have something to do with the [Heart of the Primordial]?
[Affirmative.]
From what she said, the right eye is part of a set called the [Shards of the Primordial]. Does the heart belong to it as well?
[Insufficient authority and data.]
Ugh. Of all things. Even the [Slayer System] won't answer it. Just what the hell is this thing inside of me?
"You haven't answered my question." Nicco growls, pulling me out of my thoughts. I noticed that his aura is increasing by the minute.
"The right eye is too guarded for me to use as bait to lure that demon. But as if Lady Fortuna is on my side, I found a boy who emits an identical aura as the eye. So, why not use the boy as the bait instead to lure the demon, right?"
The boy is me isn't it?
Yeah. It's definitely me.
Nicco suddenly moves in front of me as if shielding me.
"You're not taking April anywhere."
Damn it. Things just suddenly got worse.