2025-02-12 06:13:38Alkan opened the door, and two male vampires stood before him. He raised an eyebrow upon seeing them.
"Do you need something?" he asked. The vampire on the left spoke. "The king is summoning you. The king of the witches is here." Alkan froze at the statement. After a few seconds, he glanced behind him, where he saw Ambong with a dark expression. There was nothing Alkan could do but follow the two men. Ambong walked beside him, silent all the while. He kept his head down, staring only at the path ahead. It wasn’t long before they reached the vampire king’s throne room. And the two men were right—there, seated on a step just below the throne of the vampire king, was Surikong. Surikong looked in Alkan’s direction, and their gazes met. A smile formed on his lips. "Alkan Buena," he greeted. It felt as if a bucket of ice water had been dumped on Alkan. A chill ran from his head to his toes, and cold sweat formed on his skin. He knew Surikong was involved in the strange events that had plagued the town of San Roque in the past—and now, once again. And he knew that Surikong held great power. Fortunately, Surikong shifted his gaze away from him and looked at Ambong, who stood beside him. "You’ve been away from San Roque for years. Why have you only returned now?" His tone was inquisitive, probing. Ambong’s face soured, and he averted his gaze. "That’s none of your business," he replied, his brow furrowed. Surikong didn’t press further and turned back to the vampire king. "I've come to take the prince," he said. The king’s brows knitted together, and he looked at Alkan. "You mean to take him as well?" he asked Surikong. Silence filled the room. Alkan felt as if he were standing on a tightrope, flames raging below him. He didn’t know which was the better choice—remaining with the vampires or going with the witches. Neither of these two factions could be trusted. Surikong chuckled. "I know that boy," he said. "He will come with us, along with the prince." Disgust flickered across the vampire king’s face, but he had no choice but to agree. The vampires were only the second most powerful tribe allied with the Black Wing Tribe. The witches, however, were first on that list—far stronger than any of them. But before the king could respond, a female voice rang through the room. "That’s not possible!" Then came the sound of hurried footsteps. Alkan turned and saw Celya approaching the throne, her brows furrowed. She bowed slightly to the king before speaking. "I won’t allow it, Father! Alkan must stay here!" The king’s face darkened, and he glared at Celya. There was a reason he had hidden her in the palace—to protect her from the witches. He knew she was beautiful, and there was no escaping the scrutinizing eyes of their kind. The witches had once come to the palace and forcibly taken the vampire queen. And because he had no power to stop them, he could do nothing but watch as they took his wife away. He would not let his only daughter suffer the same fate. "Leave. Now," the king ordered sternly. He cast occasional glances at Surikong and Ambong, and his heartbeat quickened when he realized both witches were watching his daughter. His fists clenched. "Celya, leave. Now!" he shouted. But Celya thought her father was merely annoyed at being interrupted, so she stood her ground. "Father, I want Alkan. Don’t let him leave the palace!" Silence filled the room. The vampire king had been breaking into a cold sweat for a while now. Before he could speak, Surikong suddenly said, "Young lady, raise your face so I can see your beauty more clearly." A smile played on his lips. It was a small smile, but to Alkan, it was incredibly dangerous. He glanced at Celya, his forehead creasing. He had a bad feeling about Surikong’s expression. Celya liked the compliment, so without hesitation, she lifted her face and met the witch king’s gaze. The vampire king gasped when his daughter obeyed so quickly. He bit back a curse. Why was his daughter so foolish? Who had taught her to trust witches? Even though he was restless in his seat, he did not show his concern. If he did, it would only make the witch suspicious. Surikong studied Celya’s face for a few seconds before nodding. His smile widened. "You truly are beautiful. You are the vampire princess, correct?" Celya nodded and smiled, lifting her chin slightly. Surikong’s gaze deepened. "Have you ever ventured outside the palace?" Celya hesitated for a moment, and the king’s heart filled with hope. He hoped his daughter would be wise enough not to trust a witch so easily. He knew how deceptive their kind could be. Celya blinked and smiled. "I’ve never been outside the palace." Surikong shook his head slightly, a sorrowful expression on his face. He then turned to the vampire king. "You are her father. How could you bear to confine your daughter in the palace? Do you not know that at her age, she should be allowed to explore the world?" Celya’s eyes widened at Surikong’s words. Emotions flickered across her gaze, and she clenched her fists. A smile slowly formed on her lips. "You would take this princess outside?" she asked. Surikong nodded with a smile. "Not only will I take you outside, but you may also stay in the witch tribe for as long as you wish." Celya’s excitement grew. She had never been outside the palace, so she was thrilled by the idea. She quickly turned to her father. "You’ll allow it, won’t you, Father?" The vampire king swallowed hard. Even if he didn’t want to, he had no choice. Aside from the power the witches held, he also didn’t want to humiliate his daughter—especially since she was the princess of their race. He nodded, his expression dark. But Alkan noticed something.
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Surikong grinned widely. “That’s a good decision. Get ready, we’ll be leaving soon.” Celya happily turned around and stepped back toward the door. But she stopped in her tracks when she passed by Alkan. She looked at his face and smirked, as if challenging him. Then she rolled her eyes and continued walking. He ignored the princess’s actions and turned to Surikong, who was still smiling at him. His lips pressed into a thin line before he turned away and left the room. He could still hear Surikong’s voice behind him, saying, “You should get ready too, Alkan. We’re leaving soon.” Alkan clenched his fists. He really didn’t like being told what to do. However, he wanted to get out of that palace, so he decided to follow Surikong’s orders without arguing. As the sun neared the western horizon, Alkan found himself standing outside a factory. The king did not accompany them, but he had sent two large men to escort them to the entrance. “We can only go this far, king of witches,”
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Before he could process what was happening, several women ran in his direction. He was rooted to the spot, startled when one of them grabbed his arm and pulled him away from the scene. "Move! The Black Wing Tribe is coming!" she gasped. Her face was pale, her breathing ragged. He could feel the cold tremble in her hands. "They’re all dead! There's nothing left for you there!" He didn't know whether to laugh or cry at her words. He hadn’t come to that settlement looking for family. Still, he let her pull him along. So that she wouldn’t fall behind, he took hold of her arm instead and ran at the front of the group. He heard her sharp intake of breath but noticed she didn’t complain—she simply ran, trying to keep up with him. Alkan's ears had perked up at what the woman had said. The Black Wing Tribe is coming? Did that mean they were the ones responsible for the burning village? He glanced at the woman beside him. He couldn't tell which tribe she belonged to, but she didn’t seem
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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.
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The woman glanced at the child and shook her head. "When the baby was born, a light surrounded it. After that, we didn’t see anything strange—except for the fact that Ester’s child is incredibly beautiful." Alkan’s gaze deepened. His suspicions were correct. The tribe couldn’t see the white light wrapped around the infant. This would make capturing the child much easier. However, he was growing concerned about Ester. If he couldn’t take the baby, he might have to abduct Ester instead.Alkan spent several days in the cave with the tribe of priests. In the past few days, he had been trying to push away his thoughts of abducting the baby, constantly reminding himself that it was not yet the right time. His patience seemed to pay off when Ester called him over and had him sit in front of her. The woman smiled at him. “This is my daughter, Wakin,” she said, revealing the face of a young girl. Alkan’s gaze deepened as he looked at the child. At last, Ester herself had introduced her da
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The women roared in unison. Even the exorcists were taken aback. They were no longer the weak, weeping women from before. They were resolute, determined to fight. Seizing the opportunity, Alkan grabbed the baby and fled through a hole in the cave wall, running without looking back. He didn’t know how long he had been running. He only knew that the sun was setting when he left the cave with the baby. Darkness had swallowed the surroundings, and the wind had turned cold. The only sounds he could hear were the chirping of crickets. Panting, he stopped running. His eyes had already adjusted to the darkness, so he knew he was standing under the shade of a large tree. He lowered his gaze to the baby, still surrounded by a white glow. He smiled. He hadn’t seen any shadows earlier, so he knew he had made the right decision. Suddenly, he heard a rustling sound not far away. Alkan became alert. Holding his breath, he turned toward the source of the noise, but he saw no movement in that
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If it weren’t for the group of black sawikin heading toward the river, she would never have given Alkan to the siren. Even though she could have taken Alkan away at that moment, she worried that the black sawikin would realize that three exorcists had come to the river. They might also catch the scent of the infant Irwin had been holding earlier. If that happened, the Black Palace would immediately know that the rumor about the child of prophecy being from the priestly tribe was a lie. She hadn’t gone far from the river when she heard the faint whistling of wings. Looking up at the sky, she saw a group of black sawikin passing through. Her jaw tightened, and she raised her hand. Dark light shone from her palms as she ran faster. The rustling of leaves and the crunch of her footsteps against the dry foliage echoed in the air. She sensed the sawikin hesitate before turning their attention toward her. The exorcist grinned widely and sped up. In no time, she felt the black sawikin p
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Alkan let out a deep sigh. The mermaids were currently troubled by the sudden increase of sawikin on the river's surface. They were worried that if they went out, the sawikin would capture them. The mermaids needed to go to land to gather food for Alkan. Since he was a mortal and had different dietary needs, a group of mermaids would travel to land once a month to collect food. However, two months had passed, and they still couldn't leave due to the growing number of sawikin on the river’s surface."B-But—""The king will not go to—""I will go," he interrupted the silver-haired mermaid. The six mermaids turned to him, so he smiled. "Where is the council chamber? I'll follow you," he said to the attendant.If it weren’t for the food problem, he wouldn’t have gone. Besides, something was urging him to go. He had a feeling that food wasn’t the only issue—it was also about the sawikin on the river’s surface. Something bad was about to happen, and he
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In the blink of an eye, all the sirens in the room disappeared—except for Selena. She continued to stare at Alkan, her eyes holding an emotion he couldn't quite decipher. How many centuries had it been since a sawikin last set foot beneath the river? Selena still remembered how her mother had forbidden her from venturing onto land because of the winged beings that ruled the skies. They were a different kind, not their equals, her mother had said. The creatures called sawikin were dangerous, and if she ever encountered one, she must never approach it—she must flee at once. For those who could swim and those who could fly would never see eye to eye. But Selena had always been stubborn as a child. Instead of running from the sawikin she saw by the riverbank, her curiosity led her closer. She introduced herself to the sawikin. For years, they secretly met, and when she became the leader of the siren tribe, she invited the sawikin to visit the depths of the river. He agreed, though
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Selena secretly laughed, but there was no mockery in her expression. Only a smile and laughter appeared on her face. These were the habits she had developed ever since she became the leader of the siren tribe. She had never revealed her true self to anyone. Only she knew what lay behind her cheerful and kind expression. Alkan glanced at the siren woman. He studied her face carefully and could see the hidden mockery in her eyes. Hah. He knew Selena was lying. It wasn’t a secret among creatures that he had the ability to read and understand emotions. This was called human psychology. And because the beings in Tribal never studied such things, they were unaware that he could read expressions. That’s why he could easily tell who was lying—just like Selena. It was obvious she had no intention of letting him go. The intense hatred in her eyes made it clear she wouldn’t simply free someone who had a good relationship with her enemy. He also knew that the only reason Selena hadn’t kille
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He was silent for a few minutes after hearing what Selena said. He avoided her gaze and fell into deep thought. If he could use the mermaid tribe, rescuing Valeria would be much easier. But his conscience couldn't bear the thought of embracing another woman.Besides, wasn't the mermaid tribe under the rule of the White Palace? If he could gain the White Palace's support, he wouldn't have to sleep beside a mermaid. Yes. He still had a choice."No," he firmly rejected Selena's offer. "The mermaid tribe is under the White Palace's rule. So if I manage to ask for the White Palace’s help, your tribe will also aid in rescuing Valeria."Selena rested her chin on her hand and watched him with a smile. His lips twitched. He was uncomfortable with her mocking gaze."Did you know that the mermaid tribe has a saying? 'An enemy of one is an enemy of all. A single fight means a lifetime of separation.' Do you understand what that means?" Selena asked.He shook his head. The mermaid's eyes narrowed
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He couldn’t decide whether to laugh or cry at what the woman had said. Pregnant? Intercourse? He had no intention of doing everything she was ordering him to do! He loved Valeria, and he couldn’t bear the thought of sleeping with another woman. Besides, he came here to save his wife... not to fulfill whatever desires these women had. His fists clenched. Was this the exorcist woman’s plan to torment him? His jaw tightened at the thought. “Come. The leader is calling for you,” the woman said before walking away. But Alkan remained where he stood. His lips pressed into a firm line as he watched the siren walk further away. After a moment, she stopped and turned to him, her forehead creased. “Why are you still not following?” she asked. He swallowed before speaking. “I won’t meet with the leader. Tell them to send me back to the White Palace.” The woman’s eyes widened slightly as she stared at him, then looked away with a sigh. “Aren’t you hungry? The leader has been waiting at the
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The black sawikin sighed. "Because I have a fairy blood, I can recognize the energy of every tribe belonging to the five pillars of Tribal." She fell silent. She had forgotten. That must have been why he warned her earlier. He must have sensed something strange in the area. A few minutes later, as they continued flying through the air, she became alert when she sensed a group of black sawikin a hundred meters away. She quickly grabbed the arm of the sawikin holding her. "Put me down, quickly! Your companions are here!" But the sawikin didn't listen to her. ... As the female exorcist desperately tried to escape the persistent black sawikin, the mermaid carried Alkan’s body into the depths of the river. Alkan was unconscious as the mermaid held him. His head was encased in a bubble the mermaid had created to keep him from drowning. At that moment, the only thing he could remember was the occasional singing of the mermaid, lulling him into a sense of peace. He couldn't fig
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She stood frozen as countless skeletal figures dragged themselves toward her. What kind of creatures were these? There's no records in history that mentioned skeletons rising from the ground. "My lady, this is not the time to be surprised," the black sawikin said, sounding mildly disgusted as it eyed the approaching skeletons. "If you don’t move, you’ll be their dinner." Snapping back to reality, she took a deep breath and raised her hand. Wind gathered in her palm, forming a small whirlwind. She unleashed it at the cluster of skeletons nearer to her. The force shattered them, but they kept crawling toward her, undeterred. Her lips pressed into a thin line. She summoned another whirlwind, but it still wasn’t enough to diminish their numbers. The black sawikin frowned. "You might need fire to get rid of them completely." She turned to him with a glare. "If you're not going to help, just shut up!" she snapped, focusing on summoning another whirlwind. Relief washed over h
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The sawikin grinned. "Why don’t we find out?" He opened his mouth, about to shout. Without thinking, she removed her claws from his throat and leaned down—pressing her lips against his. Her expression darkened. She couldn’t believe it. She had just kissed a sawikin. His lips curved against hers. And before she could pull away, his hand slid behind her, pressing her even closer. She inhaled sharply, eyes widening. She struggled to move, but his grip was like stone. He deepened the kiss. And to her horror—he was enjoying it. Damn it. This was not part of the plan. She let the sawikin kiss her, and several minutes passed before he finally released her. Only then did she push herself up from where she had been pinned down. She shot the sawikin a glare, but it only responded with a mischievous smile. Despite the anger simmering inside her, she refused to use magic for revenge. If she did, its companions would immediately sense an exorcist’s presence. Taking a deep bre
