Lucy stared at the page, heart pounding.
"What is the meaning of this?" she whispered.
She flipped to the next page.
"The Deumans that somehow entered the forest must have eaten the Tacca integrifolia. Every one of them has become as powerful as the Demon King."
Her breath caught.
"Now what should I do…?"
In the Forest
"What the hell are they?" Sara whispered, voice shaking.
The shadows stepped fully into moonlight.
They looked like Deumans… but wrong. Skin pale as the moon, nails pitch-black like the night sky, silver hair glowing faintly, long curled black horns that seemed to drink the light instead of reflecting it.
"Those are Deumans," Liza said, stunned.
"But they look different from the one in the cave," Eris said.
Marcos's eyes narrowed. "They've eaten Tacca integrifolia. I think so."
The air turned colder. The forest went completely silent—no birds, no wind, no insects.
Then—
Grrrrrrrrrrrrr…
One Deuman moved first. Slow. Deliberate. Testing.
Its silver hair caught the moon like liquid metal. Black claws flexed.
Sara took a step back. "It's… looking at us."
The Deuman's head tilted. Eyes locked on Marcos.
It exploded forward.
Marcos shoved Sara aside. The claw missed her by inches, raking the air with a sound like tearing cloth.
Marcos rolled, came up with blades drawn.
The Deuman landed, cratering the earth. Dust billowed.
Another one moved—faster. Straight at Eris.
Liza tackled Eris out of the way. The claw gouged the ground where Eris had stood, sending dirt and stone flying.
"Stay behind me!" Liza shouted, sword raised.
Sara scrambled to her feet, bow shaking in her hands.
The first Deuman turned toward Marcos again.
It blurred.
Marcos barely blocked—the impact drove him back three steps, boots skidding through dirt. His arms trembled from the force.
"These things are heavy," he grunted.
The Deuman pressed. Claws slashed in a blur.
Marcos parried once—twice—then took a glancing hit across his ribs. Blood sprayed.
"Marcos!" Sara screamed.
He staggered but didn't fall.
Golden lightning crackled along his blades.
He lunged.
One slash—across the Deuman's chest. Black blood hissed on the ground.
The creature staggered… then lunged again.
Marcos twisted, but another claw caught his shoulder. He hissed in pain.
More Deumans emerged—five, six, seven—circling.
"They're surrounding us," Liza said, voice tight.
Sara loosed an arrow. It struck one in the thigh. The Deuman barely flinched—ripped the arrow out and kept coming.
Eris was shaking. "There's too many…"
Marcos took a deep breath.
Golden fire erupted around him—bright, wild, roaring.
He sheathed his daggers.
Drew a longer sword from the flames.
His eyes burned pure gold.
"Now come!" he roared.
The Deumans charged as one.
Marcos vanished.
A heartbeat later—bodies fell apart. Black blood sprayed in arcs.
One Deuman reached him—claws raking down his back.
Marcos spun. Sword flashed. The Deuman split from shoulder to hip.
They kept regenerating—limbs twisting back into place, wounds closing with sickening wet sounds.
Marcos raised one hand.
Golden fire surged outward in a wave.
Screams—inhuman, echoing—filled the forest as the flames consumed them.
Ash drifted on the wind.
Marcos stood there, chest heaving, covered in blood—his own and theirs.
He turned toward the sisters.
Took one step.
Then collapsed.
"Marcos!" Sara dropped beside him, hands shaking as she touched his face.
Liza knelt fast. "He's poisoned too. Look—the veins are already spreading."
Eris pressed glowing hands to his wounds. "I can heal the cuts… but not the poison…"
Grrr…
A much deeper growl echoed from deeper in the forest—something bigger.
"We need to get out," Liza said. "Now."
They lifted Marcos and ran.
Outside the Forest
"Are you all right?!" Lucy rushed forward. Her eyes widened at Marcos. "What happened to him?"
"Poisoned by Deumans," Liza said.
"Let's take him to Jeff's house," Lucy said quickly.
Jeff's House
"Kai's condition is getting worse," Jeff said grimly.
The door slammed open.
"Jeff!" Lucy burst in.
"What—?"
They carried Marcos inside.
"What happened?" Jeff demanded.
"Poisoned by Deumans," Sara said. Tears streaked her face.
They laid Marcos on the bed next to Kai.
"What do we do now?" Eris asked, voice breaking. "They're both going to die like this."
"We need Tacca chantrieri," Liza said.
"But if you go back into that forest—" Lucy started.
"Then what should we do?" Liza snapped.
The room fell silent.
In the corner, something began to glow faintly