The White Chronicle

Chapter 23 - To the rescue!

The party of Aswangs snarls and encircles their prey. Juan is done; the information from the Manananggal was heard loud and clear. And the aswangs hurled their anger.

"So the Manananggals are making blood sacrifices for an Anito? The nerve they have on disrupting the balance and the Pact!"

"Isn't this the reason why we have the Pact? We made a deal! The tribes of darkness will hear this treason!"

"The Manananggal are out of the Pact! How dare you betray your brothers of the night?"

Juan ordered his frogs to disengage their magic. The frogs disappear immediately with white smoke appearing on where they stood. Juan's frog appears right back on his shoulders, resting from his wounds.

The Aswangs hold the Manananggal down. The Manananggal plead for mercy but the Aswang didn't pay attention. In one swift motion, all of the Aswang pulled the Manananggal's body part from all directions. The Manananggal didn't have the time to scream, all was heard was he plead for his life. The party was in no mood to celebrate over a small victory, they know where their people are held and they must hurry.

The party called for a discussion. They huddle and are planning for an attack on the Manananggal's cave. During Juan's interrogation, the Manananggal spilled that their kidnapped victims are taken to a hidden cave just outside of the mountain ranges. The party all agreed to attack the Manananggal but they are not decided on how to do it. Others want to infiltrate the cave as quietly as possible but the other half argues that the more time they sneaking around, the fewer Aswangs they will save. They want to storm in and charge with full force but the other half counters them that will alert the Manananggal and might kill all of the victims.

Juan was about to give his piece on this but he felt a searing pain on his sides. It was too intense that it made him falls to his knees in pain. He pants and grasp for air, one of the aswang notice and helped him to his feet. It's the magic, it's taking its toll on Juan's true body back at the Inn. He was spending so much magic that his energy is starting to burn out.

"I must be careful or else I might not get to the bottom of this," Juan says to himself as he clenches his blade closer to his chest back at the Inn. The party is still divided and Juan ditches the group. He instead opted for his specialty, infiltrate a place and blend in with the people and hopefully, they buy his reasoning.

He transforms himself into an eagle and flies into the air. While flying, Juan's mind is occupied with what disguise he should do so he can blend in with the Manananggal. He thinks about the hand-like wings on their back, the fangs, and long tongue, the red eyes, and the pale white skin. And he is thinking about it, his real body in the Inn felt a sensation – a large bang vibrates thru the Inn. He can feel that something is up back in Vale. From the sound of where it came from the airships above Vale must suffer an attack.

"Sorry Leshin, whatever that is I hope you can hold it off until I get back"

The moon was kind tonight; it gives Juan the cold yet welcoming feeling. Reminds him of home; the days he will tend the farm with his wife, and by night they will return to home and enjoy the rest of the day with their kids after a long day's work. Juan closes his eyes for a moment "Fenrir, Jormungandr, Hel, Angrboda . . . we will be reunited I promise. I will make everything right."

After flying for a while Juan spots the cave with his eagle eyes and sees a large patch of banana trees near the cave. Juan lands one of a banana tree nearby the cave. There he heard two manananggal are flying about the cave's entrance then another manananggal flies from the sky while carrying its kidnap victim on its tongue. The two guards let him pass and congratulate him for bringing another sacrifice for their lord.