Overlord of the Four Powers

Chapter 13: Ester

Yes, there were times when he could control the shadow without knowing that it had a mind of its own because of Ambong. But now, Ambong was no longer inside his body, so he didn’t know how to summon the shadow.

"I am not part of the witch's lineage. There was someone who taught me how to manipulate it..." His lips pressed into a thin line. "Besides, if the black sawikin had sent me here, the women would have already been lying lifeless on the ground."

"Then show me your ability!" the man demanded.

With no other choice, Alkan closed his eyes. He focused on himself until he felt the creeping cold from his soles, rising up his legs, arms, neck, and finally to his face. His muscles shivered with dread. This was the familiar sensation whenever the shadow touched his body.

And it seemed his suspicion was right when he heard a woman scream. Footsteps followed, scurrying away from him. He knew the women had taken refuge in a corner.

When he opened his eyes, even he was taken aback. He saw his shadow peel away from his skin and take the shape of a person before him.

He couldn't tell if it was Ambong because its face remained obscured. Even so, Alkan could feel the immense presence radiating from it, making his heart pound hard in his chest from fear. He was certain—this was not the same presence Ambong had when he took human form before.

He froze in place. He only saw the shadow moving, pacing inside the cave. From time to time, it passed by the women who had been trembling in fear.

The man frowned at what he saw.

Alkan felt cold sweat dripping his back. In truth, he had no control over the shadow. He hoped the man wouldn’t notice that the shadow had a mind of its own.

The man took a deep breath and raised his hand. "Enough. The women are already scared. I believe you can manipulate shadows."

And as if it could hear, the shadow took a step closer to Alkan. He straightened up, suppressing the tremor in his knees. Why wouldn't these shadows leave him alone? He thought Ambong was the only one residing in his body. Why was there another shadow within him?

He couldn't help but be annoyed at Surikong. This was that witch's fault. If only he hadn’t meddled in Aling Nena and her husband's lives, maybe Alkan’s family wouldn’t have had to flee from San Roque, and he wouldn’t be living in fear.

Deep in thought, he failed to notice the woman who had pulled him earlier staring at him. There was an unreadable emotion in her eyes. After a moment, she looked away and stepped toward her companions.

He could only watch her retreating figure before sighing. Ever since he arrived in the land of the Tribals, he had felt that things were out of balance. At times, he could sense that the creatures here wanted him gone.

But it was true. Since arriving in the vampire tribe, he had been on high alert, never fully trusting anyone. Only now, with the priests’ tribe in crisis, could he breathe a little easier, knowing they had no time to plot against him.

"Go sit in the corner and stay away from the women," the man ordered before stepping toward his male companions.

While they were talking, the men continued covering the cave entrance with a large rock. However, they didn’t completely seal it, leaving a small opening just big enough for air to pass through. He figured they couldn’t block the entrance entirely, or they might suffocate inside—especially since they could be trapped here for weeks or months.

"Don't worry," the man reassured the women. "This cave is stocked with enough food to last a year. We won’t live here permanently. In time, we will leave, so take care of yourselves and the children."

There were many children inside the cave, but he noticed that nearly half of them had no parents with them. They huddled in a corner without a woman tending to them.

He then saw the woman who had pulled him earlier approach the children. She asked them something, then stood up to retrieve food from what the three men had unpacked.

It seemed this cave belonged to the priests' tribe, prepared for emergencies like this. He glanced at the entrance and sighed. He couldn't tell whether it was still daylight outside or if night had fallen. The cave was dark, illuminated only by the glow of small fireflies clinging to the ceiling.

If he were to remain here for months, he worried that he might not find Valeria alive. He needed to leave as soon as possible.

Discreetly, he glanced at the woman holding a baby surrounded by light. Who was that child? Among all the infants the women held, why was this one the only one enveloped in light?

"Are you looking at Ester?" a female voice asked from behind him.

Alkan turned and saw the same woman who dragged him to this cave. He gave her a slight smile before returning his gaze to the baby. "Ester is the woman's name?"

"Yes."

Alkan fell silent for a moment. He wasn’t interested in the woman—only in her child. But he didn’t let that show.

The woman sat beside him. "Ester is the most beautiful woman in our tribe. She was born with a rare talent, which is why the leader of her generation chose her to go to the Black Palace. But on her journey there, she vanished without a trace. She was missing for years and only returned three months ago. Everyone was shocked to see that Ester was heavily pregnant. That’s when we learned that she had been taken by a White Sawikin who had abandoned his allegiance to the White Palace. When the Black Wing Tribe attacked the village where Ester and the White Sawikin lived, the white sawikin helped Ester escape."

A soft smile appeared on the woman’s lips. "He gave her a protection spell, which is why the Black Sawikin didn’t kill or capture her. Ester escaped and returned to the tribe. But the man paid a heavy price for her safety—his life."

Alkan looked at the infant. Ordinary eyes couldn't see it, but he could. The glowing light was the protection the man had given Ester. It seemed that after she gave birth, the protection spell transferred to the child.

"Do you see anything unusual about the baby?" he asked.