It Has Awaken

A month after that incident

The child with white tattoos timidly went to his father,his blue eyes looking at him with anticipation.

"Father?What happened to mama?,"he asked.

But the man didn't answer,only looked at him with melancholic eyes and a sad smile,he ruffled his child's hair,"Don't worry about it."

He got up to leave.To be honest,whenever he looks at his child the image of him destroying the village won't leave his mind.

...

After the incident,Alis wasn't able to leave the bed while Amallis blacked out.The demon left his body.Micha and other shamans encaged it while it was still recovering after the exorcism,they put a suppressing barrier on the area around the east where the demon was.

Kuru stood there as Alis was softly sobbing.He had thought of something.

"I understand your concern,Alis.Therefore,I have a suggestion,"he said.

"What is it,elder?"

...

9 years ago in the current present,Rama was stunned,eyes wide as he eyed the collapsed grotto.

"Impossible,"he muttered.

...

Back to the present,

Sae was walking in the middle of the forest.She looked up,sun shining through the foliage,making the sunlight on her face bearable to keep looking at.

"Still no birds,"she thought.

Just in the corner of her eyes,she noticed something but she didn't react to it,to not make it obvious.

She walked a couple of steps away,"Now,"she whispered to the wind.

Amallis,obscured in the trees swiftly then suddenly leapt out of his hiding place in the trees' canopy,heading towards another tree.

In it,he saw a blur of someone leaping away from the trees.He followed.

...

2 months ago...

It was the middle of the night,somewhere deep in the forest,away from civilization.A skinny animal was being dragged towards a large fire,it was hauled,thrown.The skin flopping,reacting against the wind then landed on the fire,soon being consumed by it.The scent of burning hair overwhelming in the air.

The hunters turned back from the fire,soon another pair replaced them,hauling another skin and bone animal to the fire.

Kuru was watching on the sidelines,hands behind his back,watching his hunters and the burning carcasses of animals.

A hunter timidly approached him,asking if this is truly necessary.

"It is,"he answered,"unless,"his sharp eyes turned to look at the hunter,"you want to be sacrificed instead?"

"N—no,elder,my apologies,"the hunter retreated,heading back to his duties.

Kuru returned to watching the nightly scene.

...

Amallis was leaping from branch to branch,pursuing the figure in front.The figure went down to the forest floor and went into the shrubs.

"You're not getting away!"Amallis jumped down,heading to where they went."You leave me no choice,"his tattoos started to glow.A funnel like wind was summoned beside him then snaked in front,it glided from left to right,passing by shrubs in precision until it reached the figure being pursued.

The wind spirit hurried then went against the person's back,they felt a cool gust of wind.

"Gotcha!"Amallis tackled the person to the ground,pinning them hard.

The person,brown skin and curly black hair.He grunted,Amallis noticed the wavy pattern of tattoos on his biceps.He's a hunter.

"What the...,"Amallis raised his eyebrow.

Soon,Sae caught up.She recognized the person,it was one of the hunters when she and Micha asked them on that day.

"Interesting,"she thought.She stepped forward.The hunter looked up at her.Amallis was confused but he still held the hunter in place.Sae nodded at him,Amallis understands.

"Why are you following Sae?,"Amallis asked.

The hunter didn't answer,didn't even look at him in the eye."...then,"Amallis didn't want to resort to such means but if the hunter doesn't want to speak then he will make him.Amallis deliberately started to bend the hunter's limb,making him gasped in agony.

Sae stood there watching.Amallis stopped."Still not talking,who sent you?...could it be Elder Kuru?"Amallis wanted to know why,he was lost but he's trying to not let it get into his way.He looked at Sae,who was still calm as ever,still watching.

"I don't want to do this but..."Amallis started to bend the hunter's limbs again,deeper this time,making the hunter gag in pain.Amallis stopped."You're stubborn..."He said,conflict in his eyes.

"Sa—Sae,"Amallis turned to her.

"Knock him out,"Sae said.

"Huh?"

"Just do it.I'll tell you,"she said.

Amallis struck the hunter out,he set him on a tree.

"Now,can you please explain?,"he asked,"You told me you're being stalked and when you saw who,you don't seem surprised."

"Because I know,I just need to confirm it,"she answered.

"Then you know who's behind it?"

"Yes,and I think you do."

"It can't be...it can't be Elder Kuru,right?,"Amallis asked.

"Then who else do you think?"

"But...but why?"

"That's what I am going to find out,"Sae answered looking at the hunter.

"How?He doesn't want to speak,"Amallis said.

Sae let out her pendant off her neck,it has a slight color of blue."It's not that he doesn't want to,he simply can't."

...

Somewhere,in a dark room with only a small window letting out a slim stream of sunlight.Dust visibly danced,it was disturbed when someone walked past.There was a wooden altar beneath the small window.Animal bones were carefully displayed on it.Someone,with his stringy hands placed a human skull alongside the bones.

Then the person knelt.

Murmurring.

A dark aura started to rise from the altar.

...

"What do you mean by that?,"asked Amallis.

"He signed a pact,"Sae looked at Amallis who's lost.She sighed."Think of it as an agreement you will never break until the person you agreed to decides that the agreement is fulfilled."

"So it was no use questioning him,huh,"Amallis looked grave for a moment before his blue eyes lit up."What if we ask the others,maybe they know something!"

"I doubt it,I don't think he's the only one who signed a pact,"she looked at the knocked hunter.

Amallis became silent.This is...confusing,maddening,he doesn't know how to properly describe it!It's confusing!Is it really true that Elder Kuru is behind this?If so why does he need to spy on Sae?Does he not trust her but he could have objected in the first place.Is he afraid that Sae will uncover something,if so what is he hiding?

Amallis looked at Sae,who knelt before the hunter examining him.

"How are you so calm?How far do you know about this?,"he thought.Amallis thought back when Sae questioned him about the hunters.She said it's an order from an elder...then who could it be?

"Sae,can you please tell me who sent you to look over Elder Kuru's actions?"

"Polyo,"she answered.

Polyo?Why him,what does Elder Polyo know?Do the other elders know about this?

"I...see..."

Sae looked at Amallis.It's rare to see him like this."I wish I could you tell but I need to be sure of myself first,"she thought.

She touched the neck of the hunter."No use,I couldn't pinpoint where the seal is."

"What should we do about him?,"asked Amallis.

Sae sighed,"I don't know we can ask Polyo about it."

...

At Polyo's residence,Sae told him everything.

"I see,"Polyo narrowed his eyes.He ran his palm across his face then sighed heavily.All he wanted is to know what Kuru had been doing before the attacks but instead the news came as bigger as expected.

"I will have to ask a tight lipped shaman to make a pact with the hunter you caught,"he leaned closer to Sae,"As of now,I want you to be careful and report anything that is suspicious."

"Anything,huh?"

"Yes,also watch over Amallis.I don't want him to cause such troubles,"Polyo said.

"Don't worry,Elder,you yourself know that."

Polyo glanced at her.Does she know about Amallis?Well,since she had been working for him,he would not be surprised if yes.It doesn't really concern him if she knows but he would be lying to himself if he said he isn't even a tad bit curious about their relationship.

He sighed,"Just come to me if you have something to tell."

"Yes but may I ask,if I have the position,Elder,"Sae said."What are you planning to do with Elder Kuru?"

"...""A thorough questioning."

...

Rama hurriedly barged in to Kuru's door."Elder!"

Kuru was in the middle of the room.Rama immediately went into his direction.

"Elder!The stone...it's GONE!,"such desperation filled Rama's voice.

Kuru didn't answer,only looked at Rama in the eye."...""I see.I understand your concern,Rama,however what do you want me to do?"

Rama caught his breath,he sighed shakingly."So that's it...there's nothing that can be done with it?"

"I'm afraid not...that is if you can find who took the stone then get it back."

Rama can't help but collapsed,kneeling on the ground.
"I'm sorry...Alis."

...

Sae went out of Polyo's residence.She already did the potions for tonight's attack so technically she is free.Free to gather her thoughts that is.She looked around.Villagers and their abodes everywhere.

"Right,I can't think here,"she said.

She went inside Micha's residence then found a good corner to space out then think without anyone judging her.

Now that the hunter is taken care of,that doesn't mean that Kuru won't stalk her again.In any case Kuru or whoever sent the hunter will soon notice that their spy got caught,if they can make a pact then that would mean they can sense if there's an overlapping pact within theirs.

She groaned.This matter concerns her because she is a target,it would be great if not.That she can only wish for.Why would someone be watching her movements?She thought back to her actions.Does Elder Kuru finds her suspicious?Suspicious of what exactly...could it be because of Amallis.Well,all she knows is that Amallis almost committed a massacre but she suspects it wasn't simple.Is Amallis really enough to make him go this far?

No.

If that's the case,Micha and the other elders will realistically back him up.There must be another reason.The hunters and him being busy before the event.

"Wait,"she mumbled.

...

""May I ask how's the hunting?""

"Kuru shook his head,"We hardly have any yield.""...

"If you visit the town there is also a shortage of meat,which makes it a luxury,"Sae said,"What I am trying to say is there are more predators than prey and the disproportion makes the predators find alternative food,which is why the shadow fiends attack every night."...

""Not only did you beat me from laying out the facts to my companions but you also noticed that.I have to say I am impressed,outsider.""

""Beat you to it?You know,you could have said it already.Why wait?,"she asked."

""I don't know,perhaps I was hesitating,"he answered."

...

She recalled those incidents.Kuru knows that she knows why the forest is hostile,the ratio between prey and predators.He knew about this and yet chose to remain silent.

"What's stopping him to lie?,"she stood up.She has to tell Polyo about this.

Now it all makes sense.Polyo doesn't want Sae to find out how the proportion of prey and predator came to be.Then the issue behind the overhunting isn't caused by the town's hunters but by the hands of Kuru and his hunters!

She is now walking back towards Polyo,quickening her pace.

...

Rama left Kuru's residence.Kuru was stroking his long hair with a calm smile,he closed his green eyes.

"My time has come but my job is already finished."

Somewhere,in the dark room with the altar full of bones,someone finished their chanting.

In the east of the forest,where the pure orbs are and the suppressing barrier,it shook,disturbing the mana fireflies floating around.

...

Micha was mediating in the village's worship place.She felt a disturbance in the air,a dreadful force.She opened her eyes then suddenly stood up.

"Elder?,"a shaman asked.

"To the east NOW!"

...

Meanwhile back to the dark room and the bone altar.The kneeling person finished their chant,the dark aura embracing them.

"You did a great job."

The demon said.