Something is burning.

The Dark Thicket is burning.

To my horror, I see flames rising high into the air, shooting like rockets. “Are we far from them?” I ask Yeri as we hurry over rocky ground and grassy land.

“There’s a distance to go.”

“Can you go at super speed?”

Yeri nods. “Are you asking to be taken?”

“If taken means carried then, yes.”

Without another word, Yeri lifts me into her arms and speeds off at the supernatural pace I’ve gotten used to with Ms Pink. It also hits me how presumptuous Ms Pink has been with me. Not once has she asked me for permission to “take’ me like Yeri did. Not once.

Amidst the blur of passing trees and bushes, I see shadowy figures in the distance. The figures grow larger and larger and the smell of burning begins to irritate my nostrils. There are sounds of fighting. Yelling, shouting, grunting sounds play through the trees of the Dark Thicket and screams follow. One particularly shrill scream haunts me, almost giving me a headache.

“That was Banshee,” says Yeri.

“Banshee?” I thought those only existed in legends.

“We call her Banshee because she can tell when death is imminent. But it’s not hard to tell there’s going to be a few deaths tonight.”

We are behind some trees when Yeri puts me down.

“There’s Trowtos. What are you going to do?” she asks me.

I look about the trees. The smell of blood is in the air and it sickens me. I just want all of this to end. Right now. “I’ll walk in with the Pratikan and get their attention.”

“And?”

“I’ll play the rest by ear,” I reply and begin walking through to the clearing where beasts are mauling beasts, vampires tearing apart vampires. Without hesitation, I head to where the big red monster stands, flames flaring all around. Beside him is a figure on her knees. My heart almost stops when I realize who it is but I know I can’t let my feelings tear me down right now.

Stopping a distance from the flaming red monster, I look him in the eyes and hold up the Pratikan. “Stop, or I’ll destroy this rock.”

The responding laugh from Ttrowtos is not encouraging but I keep my chin up high.

“Who let this kid in here?” Ttrowtos hollers.

“My Lord, she is the one we speak of.” A familiar face steps out from the shadows.

“Sesgo,” the name falls from my lips, half in surprise, half in calm. I am not surprised to see her on his side but I was not expecting to see her here either.

“Hand the rock over. You are a fool who does not know the dangers that lurk within it.”

“I will destroy it. Then I’ll stop you,” I say, throwing down my non-existent gauntlets.

The empty threat sends Ttrowtos and Sesgo into another bout of laughter that makes the surrounding beasts and vampires stop and stare. Ttrowtos’s flames double up and the heat is scorching when he glares into my eyes again. “You, pest. You will kneel before me.”

To my surprise, I feel lightheaded and an urge to obey washes over me. But something else stops me from falling to my knees. A stubborn resistance. A core that refuses to give way.

Ttrowtos takes a step forward, arm and claw or paw or hand extended. “Kneel.”

The force comes again, threatening to buckle my knees but I hold my ground, clenching my teeth. A pressure is building up inside. This might be what a pressure cooker feels like. But can I contain it inside me?

“The kid is rebellious,” he bellows, still arrogantly amused. “And she thinks she can destroy the Pratikan.”

I sense two bodies coming to my side as I stand there. They stand behind me so I can’t see them but I know who they are.

“Don’t underestimate this little kid, Ttrowtos,” says Yuri, her voice dripping with honey, a succubus in her full bloom. “She is capable of destroying the Pratikan. And we are capable of destroying you after that.”

Leaning close to my ear on the left, Hyoyeon whispers, “The book says fusing with it will destroy it. Good luck.”

Fuse? How do I fuse it? What do I fuse it with?

“Kneel!” Ttrowtos hollers and my two friends tremble. Yuri clutches my shoulder hard, almost hurting me, but she remains standing while Hyoyeon crumples to the ground on her knees.

Ttrowtos laughs like a twisted devil risen from the darkest depths of hell. “Kneel!”

This time, Yuri bends over, shaking.

The sight of this makes me step forward, taking his attention away from her. “Is this what you’ve been looking for?” I ask, holding up the glowing stone. Its luminosity intensifies as Ttrowtos nears. It shakes when Ttrowtos raises his hands and stretches his palms towards it.

Afraid to lose it to him, I hug the rock to my chest. “I mean it. I will destroy it. Even if it costs me my life.”

The slits of Ttrowtos’s eyes narrow into lines and his jaw opens wide angrily, displaying a horrendous set of fangs and ugly gums. “You can die. But will you let her die?”

I gasp as the motionless figure is dragged to Ttr