The Moon Symphony

Batibat

Apo and I went out and went to where the last incident took place. I looked around and slowly walked into the woods. There were no traces of the incident, but something caught my attention. I quickly went to what I saw. Dust? Where did they come from? And why does it look like that?

It was fine dust that looked like it came from coal.

"What is that?" Apo asked.

"Dust, I guess?" I said.

It looks different from the soil here. I pulled out a small piece of cloth and placed some dust there, and I'll have Baku check this.

"So, what's your next plan?"

"I guess I have to sneak out again tonight," I said.

"Silly, do you want to die?" Apo said, worried.

"It's okay. I want to end this, and I don't want people to get hurt anymore, especially the townspeople."

"Then I'll go with you," Apo said.

"You don't need to, Apo. It would be best if you didn't get caught in this mess."

"I'll tell your sister that you'll be sneaking out tonight."

Oh my goodness, he is getting on my nerves.

"Okay, fine. You can go with me." I said and sighed.

-

Palmora Groove, Southwest of Bulan

"We need to kill the chosen warriors so that our King will be happy with us." A hooded man said.

"Our companion failed in Amihan, and he also awakened the other warrior. Failure is not an option this time." A small man said.

"No worries, I have already set up a plan that will lure out those stupid warriors. You need to sit back and watch while I end their lives." The woman said.

"Too confident, let's see." An old guy holding a staff said.

-

"Where did you guys go?" Anan asked.

"They went out on a date," Ani said and laugh.

This girl, I'm going to hit her in the head—such a tease.

"We just went out to check on something," Apo said.

"Checked on something or checked each other?" Ani said jokingly.

Gosh, this girl. She is at it again and now playing jokes on Apo too.

"Big brother, by chance, do you?" Anan asked.

"No, don't listen to Ani. She likes to play jokes despite her appearance." I said.

Everyone laughed at what I said.

'So how's your training, Ani? You are not slacking off, aren't you."

"Hoho, watch this. Ayari."

Ani closed her eyes and concentrated. Her mark lit up, and the sigil of the winds appeared on her forehead.

"Come forth, Galeforce!"

The wind vibrated, and the Galeforce appeared out of nowhere. I was shocked. How did she do that? They grow so fast in a short period.

Come on, and I did not know that I can summon the weapon by my will. I always carried Night's Fall on my back.

"Baku taught me some simple dimension magic where I can store the weapon. He told us that if we carry it around always, someone might steal it from us." Ani said.

"Baku did not teach me how to that," I said.

Everyone laughed again. Apo tapped my back and pointed towards Baku.

"No time for slacking Ayari." Go now. Ani said.

After just one teaching, I was able to use the dimension magic that Baku taught us.

"As expected of you, Master," Baku said.

I just smiled at him. I was still sulking in Baku.

Later that evening, Apo and I first made sure that no one could see us leave. It's hard if Ester knew what we have up to again. I'm sure Apo and I are dead meat if she finds out.

We hurried to the gate and sneaked behind the carriages. Excellent timing; there's an outgoing carriage. Apo and I hung on behind it, and we managed to get through again.

"We are like thieves, and this is thrilling," Apo said and laughed.

"Yes. I agree."

"So what would we do next?" He asked.

"Let's go again to the area where we saw those dust. I feel like whoever was behind this would come back again. I'm sure of it." I said.

We rushed towards the area, and I was right. A horde of sigbin appeared.

"How did you know that they will appear here again?" Apo asked.

"Earlier in the morning, I felt a faint trace of their energy, as if they were hiding and I was right. These monsters buried themselves in the soil."

The monster noticed our presence and started to charge at us.

I pulled out my dagger and started attacking the sigbin. Apo did the same.

It feels like that the sigbin is aiming at us directly. We were able to dodge most of the attacks. They were fast in nature, but we were able to predict their movements. One by one, the creatures vanished in thin air.

"It's working," Apo said while hacking the monsters.

"Wait, something is off."

Illuminate!

I cast a ball of light and threw it upwards. Apo and I stood frozen in our places.

The sigbin was reproducing at an incredible rate. All of our attacks were useless earlier.

They were exhausting us, and we need to find the caster fast. Apo said.

"Okay, I need some cover, Apo." I said.

"Sure."

Apo dashed towards the front and shouted.

Ground Crasher!

Apo punched the ground, and flames erupted, eradicating the sigbin in the frontlines.

"Go now, Yari. I'll hold them off here." Apo instructed.

"Thank you," I shouted and dashed onwards.

I summoned ice needles and targeted the remaining Sigbins that escaped from Apo's attack. They keep on appearing even using an area of effect attack.

I reached the end of the woods and saw a woman standing there as if she was waiting for me.

"Well, hello there." The woman said and laughed shrilly.

"Who are you?" I asked.

Her appearance was so creepy. She was wearing a black dress, and bones were dangling around her waist, appearing like a belt. A bone-made tiara sat on her head. What crept me out the most was her face; it's rotting, and her eyeballs were popping out already.

She just laughed at my question.

"What do you want?" I asked again.

"I am Batibat, one of the heralds of darkness. I came here to claim your life." She said.

"Why? Did I do anything wrong with you?"

"No, you did not. But for our plans to succeed, we need to exterminate you and the other successors."

"I won't allow you to do what you want," I said.

"Oh, such a righteous person. It's disgusting, and I want to shred you into pieces. Die!"

Batibat summoned another horde of monsters to attack me. They are more vicious than the ones that we fought earlier.

They started to attack me, but I was able to dodge their attacks.

Light armory!

I summoned daggers of light and started to attack the monsters. One by one, they fell, but they reproduce too fast.

Crap. I need to defeat Batibat as fast as I can.

"Let's see how long you can last." She said and summoned another horde of monsters.

They kept on attacking me, but I was able to repel most of them. Thanks to the enchantment I learned the other day.

As their number decreased, I move forward to get near Batibat. I used Light Armory again so that I can open a path towards her.

"How tenacious." Batibat said.

Let's see if you can still keep fighting!

She then summoned two giant snakes to attack me.

Too fast! I gasped.

Luckily, I was able to leap before they were able to hit me. The two snakes kept on hissing, watching my movements. I dashed towards them and lunged my attack, but the snake's scales were too hard.

I heard Batibat laughing.

What are you going to do now? Entertain me more.

I closed my eyes and tried to feel their presence. Is it Left or Right?

Below!

I jumped, and the snakes appeared from the ground. The first snake tried to swallow me, but I dodged it. I did not notice the second snake's tail and lashed my back.

I got thrown backward, receiving a direct hit. I coughed up blood because of the force that hit me. If I did not enchant my body, my ribs broke already.

"I must have underestimated you, human! I hate you, All of you." Batibat shouted in rage.

"Why blame it on us? Bulan did not do anything to you. Why kill innocent people?"

"I was once a human like you, and I'm not too fond of the fact that I was one. The King saved me from the misery." Batibat said.

King?

"Humans are disgusting. They do everything to get what they want, even if they would hurt others. Humans are selfish creatures. The people killed my family to get what they want. They took advantage of me, my weakness. The people did this to me. Look at my face; because of envy, they did this to me. After doing what they want, they just dumped me like garbage."

I must say, I agree with her. I suffered a lot too, with my kind.

"But not all humans are like that!" I shouted.

"I don't believe your mouth! Foul creature!" Batibat said with full rage.

"I won't let you do what you want. Why hurt innocent people!"

Pure rage was radiating from Batibat. Her appearance started to change. Like the village chief from Amihan, miasma appeared surrounding her.

The twin snakes transformed too, more vicious than before. They started to attack me.

Crap, their movements were faster. I can't predict where they will come out.

Think Ayari.

I summoned Ice Needles and used Light Armory at the same time. I directed my attacks towards the snakes, but they evaded them.

Batibat kept on laughing.

"Now die chosen warrior!"

The twin snakes charged at me at full speed. I jumped and was able to evade it, luckily.

Something I did not expect happened. Two sigbin pounced at me. I will not make it on time.

I tried to move my body, but instead of me getting hit. Apo shielded me from the attack. He was bitten by the sigbin.

Apo!

We both fell to the ground.

"Hey! Apo, wake up."

His color started to fade. The wound began to get worse.

Poison?

I cut my clothes and wrapped them around his wound to stop the bleeding. I don't know how to use any healing spell.

"What are you going to do now, chosen warrior?" Batibat kept on laughing.

"I will never forgive you!" I shouted.

"Oh, the boy is angry now, haha."

"Kill him!" Batibat shouted.

The snakes did not listen to her, as if they were rooted in place. Batibat kept on commanding them, but nothing is happening. After a few seconds, both of the snakes split in half and disappeared.

"What did you do?" Batibat shouted.

Moonlight energy started to waltz around me. The ground was shaking because of the pressure.

"I will never forgive you, and now you must pay with your life, demon!"