"Dad?" Avah exclaimed in shock, her gasp muffled by her trembling hand covering her mouth. In her state of disbelief, her cell phone slipped from her grasp. "This can't be happening," she whispered, a cold chill running down her spine as her heart raced. It was unimaginable, unfathomable. How could their father do this to them?
Before Avah could process the situation, a piercing scream echoed from her mother's room. Her eyes darted towards the second-story window, where their parents' room was situated.
"Mama..." she uttered, her words almost breathless, as she darted into the house, determined to reach her mother's side. Urgency fueled her as she ascended the stairs to the second floor. When she reached the door of her parents' room, she instinctively gripped the doorknob, only to recoil in pain as an intense burn seared her hand.
"Mama!" she cried out, cradling her injured hand while staring at the door in alarm. Fear coursed through her veins as she contemplated the possibility of a fire engulfing their parents' room. Her mother was trapped inside.
"Mama! Mama!" Avah shouted once more, her mind racing for a solution. she had to save her mother, no matter what.
Avah carefully examined every inch of the door, searching for any indication of smoke or fire. Yet, there was none. Confusion clouded her thoughts. Why was the doorknob scorching hot? Regardless of the reason, the priority remained clear: she had to rescue her mother.
Scanning her surroundings, her desperate gaze fell upon a piece of fabric discreetly tucked beneath a cabinet. Reacting swiftly, she snatched it, wrapping it around the blistering doorknob. However, to her horror, the moment the cloth made contact, it erupted in flames, causing Avah to scream in terror. How could such mundane fabric combust instantaneously when there was no visible fire in her parents' room?
"Mama! If you can hear me, please open the door!" Avah hollered with all her might, her eyes locked on the flaming fabric clinging to the doorknob. She needed to reach her mother, to ensure her safety. Taking a deep breath, Avah started reciting fervent prayers. Then, summoning her courage, she gestured towards the door. In a heartbeat, the door swung open, unleashing scalding air that pricked her skin. Along with the searing gust came an overpowering stench reminiscent of decomposed flesh or organic decay. The acrid tang of sulfur hung in the air.
To Avah's astonishment, there was no raging inferno on the other side of the door. Without hesitation, she darted inside, her footsteps quick and urgent, scanning the room for any sign of her mother. But her searches turned up empty.
"Mama, where are you?!" she cried out, her voice tinged with desperation, teetering on the edge of a scream. In that painful moment, Avah was consumed by an overwhelming mix of anxiety and concern for her mother's well-being.
But where is her mother? She distinctly remembers leaving her peacefully asleep in the room. Anxious, she peeks inside the bathroom, but her mother is not there either. The smell of sulfur grows stronger, mixed with the putrid scent of decaying flesh within the room. Avah scans her surroundings, desperately hoping to find her beloved Margarette.
Avah hears a dripping sound, uncertain of its origin. Goosebumps rise on her skin as she hears what sounds like the growls of a ferocious beast nearby. She tries to locate the source within the room but fails to find it.
Her heart races as she realizes the growls are coming from the ceiling, resembling those of a terrifying creature. Avah feels a wave of fear wash over her as the creature seems to crawl on the ceiling right above her. She glances towards the open door, intending to make her escape. Yet, she senses the presence of the crawling creature directly overhead.
Sweat beads on Avah's forehead as fear overwhelms her. She braces herself for the danger lurking in the room, determined to be brave for her mother. She lifts her head cautiously, seeking to witness the creature crawling on the ceiling while reciting the prayers her mother taught her. But the sight of the creature causes her knees to buckle. Avah collapses onto the smooth floor, witnessing her mother hanging from the ceiling, unconcious body detained by eight pairs of pale, rotting hands. On the other end, a dark face emerges, seemingly enveloped in a white smoke that seeps from her unconscious mother.
Without hesitation, Avah swiftly waves her luminous hand towards poor Margarette. A brilliant light emits from her hand, exploding upon contact with the creatures on the ceiling. The creatures release their hold on Margarette, visibly affected by the intense burn from the light. The room fills with their agonizing groans. Simultaneously, Margarette plummeted from the ceiling, landing heavily on her.
"Mama!" Avah shouts, her voice almost fading as her mother's hand brushes against her face. Avah disregards the sensation, her focus solely on her mother's safety.
Thankfully, the room's ceiling is not too high, and Avah hopes that Margarette is not seriously injured.
Suddenly, blood begins to trickle from Avah's nose without her notice. As the drops hit the ground, they vanish instantly, as if some unseen entity absorbed them. When her strength returns, she attempts to shake her mother awake. Yet, no matter how hard she shakes, her mother remains unconscious.
"Mama, please wake up!" pleads Avah, tears streaming down her face. Determined, she rises to her feet and places her hands under her mother's armpits, intending to pull her out of the room. In the corner of her eye, Avah spots a candle situated in the middle of a large gray powder pentagram on the floor. The pentagram lies inside a large circle, also traced with the same gray powder. Beside the candle rests a black book her mother often used for rituals. But what kind of ritual? Avah has no idea why Margarette practicing dark arts inside her room.
Temporarily releasing her grip on her mother, Avah swiftly grabs the open black book. With it in her hands, she again drags her mother towards the doorway. However, before they can make their escape, another creature gradually emerges from the floor of the room.
Avah was filled with terror as she witnessed the gradual emergence of an enormous creature from the floor. Its bloodshot eyes remained fixed upon her, while its grin resembled that of a ferocious beast. Dim growls escaped from the creature, seemingly serving as a warning to Avah.
In that moment, doubt clouded Avah's mind. She questioned the state of her sanity, contemplating whether she was trapped within a nightmare. Regardless of the answer, her utmost priority was to safely guide her mother away from the clutches of the colossal being within the room.
Simultaneously, as the monstrous entity ascended, shadows stealthily crept into the space. Their faces concealed beneath crimson eyes and dark, torn cloaks, they hovered weightlessly, leaving behind a wispy trail of mist in their wake.
With Avah regaining her composure, she immediately resumed pulling her unconscious mother towards the door. However, her efforts proved futile no matter how hard she pulled. A shiver ran down her spine as she noticed two pairs of dark, bony hands firmly gripping Margarette's ankles. Slowly emerging from the floor, the hands multiplied in number.
"No, this can't be happening! Mama, please wake up!" Avah cried out in desperation. Fear tightened its grip on her as the monstrous creature positioned its hands near their location.
"You, Avah, Magarette's child. I now possess you, just as I possess your mother. Surrender yourself as she did, for you are powerless. I now control your mother's soul and body," the creature uttered with a bone-chilling voice.
"Never! You do not own us, especially not my mother. I will not allow what you're saying!" Avah retorted bravely to the monstrous being, which was nearly free from the floor. According to Avah's estimation, it stood at a terrifying height of approximately nine feet. Its emaciated body appeared to have formed from thick, black smoke, featuring a wide mouth filled with hundreds of sharp teeth and an abnormally long, forked tongue resembling that of a snake.
Avah almost jumped when she suddenly felt the freezing grip of hands around her feet. A sharp pain coursed through her body, causing her to let out a scream. Releasing her hold on her mother, she began reciting an incantation. Once again, her palms emitted a radiant light, gesturing towards the approaching shadows. The blinding light burst forth, causing the dark figures to scatter in fear of Avah's created illumination.
Despite the exhaustion resulting from exerting her hidden power, Avah immediately hauled Margarette closer to the door. However, before they could reach it, the darkness enveloped Avah's created light.
"You cannot escape me, Avah, until I claim your soul. You cannot escape until I possess your body," the booming voice of the giant creature echoed towards Avah. In that moment, the monstrous being slowly advanced towards her.
"Who are you? Why are you doing this to us?" Avah boldly questioned the monstrous being.
"I am your wildest dream, your bliss, your fantasy and deepest desire. I am who I am, humanity's harbinger of chaos," replied the creature, withholding its true name from Avah.
"You're a demon! Demons have no place in this household!" Avah's voice reverberated through the room. She yearned to harness her power once again, but it had abandoned her, leaving her weakened and defenseless.
The towering figure before her unleashed a thunderous laugh, reveling in Avah's newfound powerlessness.
"It seems you've forgotten, Avah, that despite your father's lineage, the blood of your mother, a blood witch, flows through you. The blood of a being steeped in dark magic," the colossal creature jeered, poised to strike at Avah and Margarette.
Just as the creature prepared to attack, the door behind Avah swung open, revealing a young man who swiftly pulled her away. Without a choice, Avah reluctantly followed him as they retreated from their mother's room.
"Our mother is gone, Avah. We must save ourselves," the young man said urgently.
"No, I have to save Mama!" Avah protested, her instincts pulling her back towards their burning room. However, before she could reach it, the door violently closed and erupted in flames.
The young man forcefully pulled Avah away from the fiery door, ensuring her safety. The flames spread rapidly throughout the house, propelling the siblings further away from the danger.
"Mama!" She shouted. "Let me go, David! We have to save her," Avah screamed, her desperation drowning out the crackling fire. Ignoring the acrid smoke that stung their eyes and choked their lungs, they pressed forward.
"You cannot escape me, Avah. I won't allow it!" bellowed the creature, causing the entire two-story house to tremble.
Unfazed, Avah stood her ground, defiantly addressing the creature. "I fear no one, whoever or whatever you may be, creature of the inferno!" She managed to break free from David's grip, her resolve unwavering.
"Avah!" David cried out, reaching for his older sister.
Avah sprinted back into their mother's room, despite the suffocating smoke that surrounded her. There, she found Margarette, coughing and disoriented.
"Mama!" Avah shouted as she rushed to assist her mother.
"A-Avah?" Margarette uttered weakly, her confusion palpable.
"David, help me with Mama!" Avah called out, her voice strained from the smoke-filled air.
As Avah helped Margarette to stand, she remained oblivious to the colossal creature lurking behind them, poised to strike. It hungered to devour Avah's soul and possess her body, taking physical form. And that's precisely what happened. Just as Avah took a step forward, a paralyzing force gripped her.
"Avah?" Margarette called out in alarm, witnessing her daughter's sudden immobility. Avah's eyes turned an eerie white, her body frozen in place.
"Mmmp...mmp."
Avah's faint moans were the only sounds she could produce.
"A-Avah, my child!" Margarette cried out, her voice filled with terror, helplessly witnessing the demonic entity materialize beside her daughter. Avah struggled, but Margarette was powerless to save her.
"No! Spare my child! It is I! I am your master, for I released you from the Abyss!" Margarette pleaded desperately.
The creature laughed callously, dismissive of Margarette's pleas. "I recognize no master, Margarette. You know well the price paid for releasing creatures like me. However, I find your child, with celestial blood running through her veins, far more intriguing," it replied, pressing its slimy tongue against Avah's stiffened face.
"No! Have mercy on my child, I implore you!"
Yet, the creature remained resolute in consuming Avah's soul. It drew her closer, locking eyes with her. Slowly, Avah's mouth opened, convulsions wracking her body as the dark entity clung to her. From her mouth, a smoke-like substance emerged, which the creature greedily devoured.
"Avah!" David's powerful voice resounded, his hand ablaze with light. He thrust his hand towards the entity that threatened his sister's very essence. A blinding burst of light erupted within the engulfed room, sending burning debris soaring through the air. Acting swiftly, David caught Avah as she was released by the monstrous creature. Despite her weight, he supported her, refusing to let her fall.
"Quickly, let's get out of here!" Margarette shouted to David, her heart pounding, still reeling from the sight of her children in danger.
Before they could take a step, a massive, sinewy hand seized David's leg, causing him to lose his grip on Avah, who remained weak and laying on the floor.
"David!" Margarette cried out, her desperate longing to reach her two children overwhelming.
"Run, Mama! Save Av..." David's final words were cut short as the giant hand snatched him away, swallowing him into the inferno beneath the floor. Margarette teetered on the brink of madness, witnessing her youngest child consumed by the raging flame.
"Da...vid, my beloved sibling..." Avah's feeble voice escaped her as she watched the merciless fate of her brother, her body wracked with boundless weakness.
Margarette knelt on the floor, her gaze empty as she watched David vanish into the depths of the floor. A sense of helplessness overwhelmed her, knowing that she had unleashed the monster by using her powers as a blood witch. With each passing moment, she feared her own heart might burst, putting her life at risk, while witnessing her youngest child consumed by the floor. David's muffled cries echoed in her ears, growing fainter as the burning room sealed itself shut.
"David!" Avah's scream filled the air, accompanied by her uncontrollable sobs.
In a matter of seconds, the front door of the house burst open, revealing five men adorned in red, robust uniforms and helmets. The blaring sirens of the firetruck resonated outside, signaling their arrival.
Avah's gaze fixated on the approaching rescuers. She watched as Margarette collapsed to the floor, while three of the firefighters hastened to their aid. Simultaneously, the remaining two focused on battling the flames engulfing the room.
"Mama..." Avah's voice quivered, her eyes widening at the sight of the dark, twisted veins crawling along Margarette's neck.
"Mama..." Avah called out once more, attempting to crawl towards her mother. However, a firefighter intercepted her, gently placing an oxygen mask over her mouth.
Those were the events that unfolded in their lives in just two days. She never expected her mother to unleash Asmodius, one of the princes of Hell. Now their lives were in danger, including the life of her recently discovered half-sibling from her father's side. Her father had another family in the Philippines, which their mother couldn't accept, especially after the betrayal from their beloved father. Could she blame her mother for seeking help from a fallen angel to seek revenge against her unfaithful husband? Avah realized that in the past few days, she had noticed her mother's pain resurfacing. She witnessed Margarette being consumed by anguish and sorrow as the betrayal weighed heavily on her mind. It came as no surprise to Avah that her mother's pain resurfaced after the revelation of her father's betrayal.
Inside the dark tunnel, she needed to find a way out, heeding Levi's warning. Levi, the fallen angel that Margarette had released in her younger days, had feelings for her mother, but those feelings were cast aside when her mother met Roland, her father.