The Return of the Witch Leader
A Family at Odds
In a quiet provincial house, the air was thick with the scent of dried grass and old wood. Magnolia looked out at the backyard, her face etched with worry. "Alya, my child, please go get your laundry. They're dry now. Don't leave a single piece out there, especially your underwear. Your grandmother's spirit will be restless if you don't listen."
Alya groaned, not looking up from her phone. "Mom, we're in the computer age. Those old beliefs Lola told you? They don't exist anymore. It's just fabric on a string."
"Alya, please. We're going to be here for two weeks. Don't start this now," Magnolia pleaded.
Alya bolted upright, her face turning red. "Two weeks? You tricked me! You said we'd be leaving tomorrow!"
"We have to wait for your aunt and the other relatives," Magnolia explained softly. "We can't bury your grandmother until her whole family is here to say goodbye."
Before she could continue, Alya's father stepped into the room, his face stern. "You will respect your mother, Alya."
"No! You never understand! You both lied to me!" Alya shouted. She ran to her room, the door slamming so hard the house shook.
"Spoiled brat," her father muttered, reaching for the doorknob.
Magnolia stopped him, placing a gentle hand on his arm. "Let her be. She's young and grieving in her own way. I'll talk to her when the air clears."
"Magnolia, I don't know where you get your patience," her husband sighed, "but I'm lucky you're my wife."
The Reckoning of Mayor Montes
While the others were planning to move Jin Ae to the White Dove facility for purification, Baekhyun had slipped away. He didn't want a facility; he wanted blood.
He stood in the Mayor's office in the small town, his knuckles bruised and the Mayor's face a bloody mess. "If I were you," Baekhyun growled, his voice dropping an octave, "I would release your pets and lift the curse on my sister right now."
Mayor Montes spat blood onto the floor, a jagged grin on his face. "Over my dead body, boy."
"If you want to see Satan today, I'll be happy to send you to him," Baekhyun hissed. His eyes glowed a predatory gold as sharp, ivory claws began to tear through his fingertips.
Just as he lunged, a voice rang out like a bell, freezing both of them in place.
"Hunong!" (Stop!)
A wave of silver light washed over the room. Both men found themselves unable to move. They turned their heads slowly to see a young woman standing in the doorway, her presence radiating a power that made the air hum.
"The new Witch Leader," the Mayor whispered, his eyes widening in terror.
"Catherine?" Baekhyun asked, breathless. "Is that really you?"
"Yes, Kuya Baekhyun," Catherine said, stepping into the room. A leather-bound book floated beside her, its pages turning rapidly on their own. She looked at the Mayor with cold, ancient eyes. "Surprise, Mayor Montes. It's time to pay for what you did to my friend."
She began to chant. The Mayor's screams were cut short as his body began to shrink and wither, his skin turning to bark and his bones into fiber. Within seconds, he had collapsed into a small, dark seed. Catherine calmly picked it up and tucked it into her pocket.
"What did you do to him?" Baekhyun asked, shifting back into his human form.
"It's a long story, Kuya. But Jin Ae is free now," Catherine said. She looked at the Sigbin cowering in the corner. "These creatures are free, too. They belong in the sanctuary."
The Illusion
Catherine turned to Baekhyun. "Are you still going through with your mission for the Black Dove?"
"I have to," Baekhyun said. "It's the only way to find my mother."
"I can help you," Catherine said. She took a strand of Sigbin fur and a common stone from the floor. She cast a swift glamour over the rock. "Take this. To your grandfather and the Black Dove, this stone will look and feel like a living Sigbin. To us, it's just a rock. Use it to get your information, and then get out. And whatever you do... do not let them know you are a Gumiho."
She looked at him sadly. "The Black Dove doesn't just want monsters; they want Gumihos. They remember what happened to the one who turned into a Nogitsune. Don't become a story like that."
With a wave of her hand, Catherine sent the real Sigbin back to their hidden realm and vanished in a swirl of mist.
The Shadow on the Clothesline
Back at the provincial house, the sun was setting. Alya had forgotten her mother's warning. On the clothesline, her laundry swayed in the evening breeze.
From the dark edge of the forest, a strange, hunched creature crept toward the porch. It moved with a jerky, unnatural rhythm. It reached out a spindly hand, picking up a piece of Alya's clothing and bringing it to its face, sniffing deeply. It moved from one garment to the next, its breathing heavy and wet.
"ALYA! YOUR CLOTHES!"
The creature vanished into the shadows the moment Magnolia's voice rang out from the kitchen. Magnolia walked out, grumbling to herself as she snatched the clothes off the line, unaware that something had just been marking them as a trail.
The Blood of a Tamawo
In the dark sanctuary of the Nogitsune, Alexis paced nervously. "Nana Esther, how is my friend?"
"He's stable," Esther replied, her voice heavy with shadow. "But the Nogitsune has claimed his eighth tail. His power is nearly absolute."
"I thought he was satisfied with his current reach," Alexis muttered, "but it seems his disciples are more ambitious than he is."
Inside the inner chamber, Kaito stared at Calista with narrowed eyes. "The prophecy changed? You expect me to believe the heavens simply shifted their mind?"
"I do not trick you, Kaito-sama," Calista said calmly, opening her ancient tome. "Read it for yourself."
Kaito leaned in, his voice a low growl as he read the shimmering ink:
"The Nogitsune requires the blood of a Tamawo to earn the Tail of Destruction. Yet, a tri-force of blood shall rise to meet him: a union of spirits from the Philippines, Japan, and Korea."
"The old ways said only a Sigbinan could kill me," Kaito mused, a chill running down his spine. "Now it's a coalition? Who are these creatures?"
"If it's from our land, it's the Sigbinan," Zac added, scratching his head. "But Japan and Korea? Are we talking about Kitsunes and Gumihos?"
"That is for you to discover," Kaito commanded. "Calista, use your knowledge of the stars and your craft as a witch to find them."
Calista stiffened, her eyes flashing. "I am not a witch, Kaito-sama. I am a Babaylan. My magic is of the earth and the spirits, not the hearth." With a sharp nod, she gripped her book and vanished into the shadows of the hallway.
Red Hair and Ancient Spirits
Back at Nana Amelia's, the door swung open to reveal Baekhyun and a transformed Catherine.
"Catherine! Is that you?" Nana Amelia gasped, dropping her wooden spoon. "Your hair... it's red!"
"It's good to see you, Lola Amelia," Catherine said with a respectful bow.
"Why red, child? Did Esther approve of this? You had such lovely dark hair, but if you start dyeing it at this age—"
"Nana Amelia, it's the style!" Baekhyun interrupted with a grin. "Red is 'in' right now."
"Baekhyun, my apo, you're a K-pop idol in Korea, so we expect you to look like a rainbow," Amelia teased, winking at Catherine. "But Esther's grandchild? She's the new leader of the Coven. Red is the color of power."
"She looks incredible, Lola," Aki added, leaning against the doorframe.
"Tell me, Catherine," Amelia said, her expression turning curious. "Did you visit the La Fiery?"
"La Who?" Ethan asked, confused.
"It's a long story, Kuya Ethan," Catherine explained. "I was chosen by the Fiery Spirit to keep the Heart of Hestia until the rightful keeper claims it. But yes, Lola, I saw Ate Gabriela. She sent this for you." She handed over a small sachet of fragrant herbs.
"Jasmine and Rose tea!" Amelia beamed. "The best for the nerves. Aki, help me in the kitchen. We need a pot immediately. And stay focused—Elijah will be back next week."
Aki's face lit up at the mention of Elijah, and he practically skipped into the kitchen behind her.
The Plan and the Census Girl
Once they were alone, Catherine's face grew serious. "Jin Ae is safe. The Babaylan are purifying her as we speak. But Baekhyun, are you really going to trick your grandfather with that stone?"
"It's the only way to keep my mom safe," Baekhyun said.
"Jasmine gave us an update," Ethan added. "She spotted Mr. Choi's minions in the town where your mother is hiding. She and Ambrose are doing everything they can to divert them."
"Ambrose?" Catherine raised an eyebrow. "Jasmine's ex? This should be interesting."
The Vigilante of the Wind
In the distant town, the sun was setting as a group of black-suited men prowled the streets. From a rooftop, Jasmine watched them through a lace mask.
"Ambrose, stay back!" Jasmine hissed. "If they see the Mayor hanging out with a vigilante, your career is over. I'll handle the distraction."
"That mask... it's the one we used when we—" Ambrose started, a smirk playing on his lips.
"I don't have anything else to hide my face!" Jasmine snapped, her cheeks flushing. "Just let them think I'm a vigilante. Let them call me..."
"The Bunny Girl?" Ambrose teased.
"No. The Census Girl," Jasmine replied. She raised her Weather Pipe, an ancient tool of the Banshees, and blew a sharp, concentrated breath into it.
A massive gale erupted from the pipe, a localized hurricane that sent the goons flying backward, their papers and hats scattering across the cobblestones. They scrambled in confusion, blinded by the dust and wind.
Ambrose watched from the shadows, laughing as he leaned against a brick wall. "She's absolutely crazy," he whispered to himself, his eyes full of admiration. "And God, I love it."
The Shadow on the Line
Alya stood by the window, her eyes narrowing as she looked toward the backyard. There, standing right beside the wooden posts of the clothesline, was a man she didn't recognize. He was lean, with an unnerving stillness about him. When he noticed her watching, his lips curled into a slow, knowing smile that made her skin crawl.
"Who is that guy?" Alya asked, nudging her cousin who was drying a stack of bowls.
"Where?" her cousin asked, leaning over to get a better look.
Alya blinked, looking back at the spot by the laundry. The space was empty. The grass was still, and the only thing moving was the corner of a white sheet flapping in the breeze. The man had vanished as if he had never been there at all.
"He... he must have left already," Alya stammered, though her heart was pounding against her ribs.
"Cousin, quit daydreaming," her cousin teased, handing her a pile of chinaware. "Let's get these to the kitchen. Tita Magnolia needs these plates for the arrival of the guests tonight. Move it!"
Alya took the plates, but she couldn't shake the feeling of those eyes on her. She followed her cousin inside, but as she closed the kitchen door, she couldn't help but wonder if the "old beliefs" her mother talked about were actually warnings she should have taken seriously.
TO BE CONTINUED...