Chapter12:The Night Of Spirits

Mama Afia stared at the boy's back as she shook her head helplessly. " Sigh! What can I do? Anyway, I should go or else those women will chew me. " 

That's Mama Afia entered the gathering with his fellow women ending their traditional dance with her appearance.

Meanwhile.

Mazuno's figure could be seen sprinting within pathways of the village. It had been quite a while since he left his mother to find Faruq and Talata yet for some reason he was pretty much taking longer than he was supposed to which made him dumbfounded. 

The two should have just passed here and it shouldn't have been much of a job in finding them but now he didn't even sense them at all.

" T-this what is going on. Where the hell are they? Mazuno said softly as he came to an abrupt end. His pair of eyes stared into the pitch darkness that encroached on the entire place. The situation he was in now was quite unusual after all he knew every corner of this place and so he felt a little perturbed by how he couldn't find Faruq and Talata.

Thus, he made a few rounds but still returned to the same place. And for some reason his heart became restless. He couldn't wrap his head around the current situation he was in now.

Until 

AHHH!!

 A scream reached his ears. At that moment Mazuno's body almost as if carried by wind blew off at a terrifying speed. His body and senses in sync sprinting straight ahead. 

His senses spread all over the place. 

' Where? Where? Where?" 

As his body moved swiftly blending with the night. His eyes glowed a faint hazel possessing a haunting glare which showed within the night.

' There! ' 

Mazuno's senses finally pinpointed the place where the scream came from -- it bordered the direction facing the forest.

GuGumGum!!

Mazuno feeling his own heart beat suddenly felt a bone-chilling sensation through his body which was now facing the corner which was actually where he had pinpointed the scream to have come from.The chill increased exponentially the closer he was to the direction of the scream his eyes finally falling on a every disturbing scene. 

But that was only the beginning as he quickly Steeled his heart with an insane quantity of Earth Spark coursing through his Spark Threads. 

Tzitzit!! 

He twisted his body as he bent inhumanely gritting his teeth and escaping a deadly attack. It was as if everything was in slow motion as his eyes reflected a bone club with several deadly spikes decorating it. 

Hwoosh!! 

BOOM!! 

Mazuno with his arm as a shield smashed into what looked like a Translucent figure who was viciously beating a crouching figure.

SHRIEK!! 

The translucent figure with a scream was sent holing through the borders around the village straight into the forest.

The rebound sending Mazuno with his feet sweeping backwards leaving tracks on the ground as he finally came to a stop. Yet he was already stretching a wide open palm clutching at an Earth Sparked punch. 

THACK!!

BANG!! 

Mazuno's figure was sent flying his face filled with disbelief. 

' How? ' 

Everything happened within a matter of five breaths. 

' Dammit! ' 

Mazuno barely conscious from the hit now lay on the ground. His eyes peered through everything within the darkness.

 Walking towards him was a humanoid figure which switched between translucence and body. 

" This! What the hell is a spirit doing here? " he said in a stunned.

" A Spiritualist? Oh, what a prize. " The approaching humanoid figure --- of what Mazuno termed as a spirit spoke in a dreary voice with a screech ringing in Mazuno's ears. 

" Y-you? " Mazuno's eyes widened with a serious frown on his visage. Within the pitch darkness, which Mazuno could see through clearly. 

The Spirit suddenly stopped tilting his head to the side. A wide hollow grin on its visage as a reddish glow bolted from its eyes. 

Mazuno didn't dare stay still as he rolled away barely escaping an attack to his spirit.

Pushing his Earth Spark through the Spark threads within his legs he blurred disappearing from where he fell as another spirit attack descended.

The spirit seeing this grinned maliciously as it turned looking behind.

Faruq with a bloodied body lay on top of Talata whose eyes were wide open apparently terror-stricken. Her body had frozen like a statue.

Why? Why? I was just out to beat the shit out of this charcoal guy. 

Yet. Yet. Why did he get beat up protecting me from that monstrosity? Talata couldn't wrap her head around her current predicament

Haah! Haah! 

The fear which had gripped her made it so that she failed to breathe a moment. Thinking about all this made her cry silently as she hugged the now unconscious Faruq. It was at this hopeless juncture that a ray of hope appeared in the form of a white-haired boy with pale white skin. 

" Talata " 

He called with his back facing them. " Mazunoo! " she said sobbing with her eyes twinkled " Mazuno, Faruq h-he saved me and now he... " 

" TALATA! " Mazuno shouted as he stood guard before them with the Spirit making its way towards them with a sinister aura emanating from its translucent body.

Talata's body trembled upon hearing Mazuno call her name out so loud. Clearly, the situation they were in was very dire. Though she knew Mazuno had now awakened she knew very well how powerful spirits were especially evil spirits from folktales they were told making her swallow all her cries by biting her lips with an expression which said -- I'm listening.

" Talata you don't have to worry about Faruq he's going to be alright. But you have to listen to me. I want you to pick up Faruq and walk in the direction of the bonfire. My mother and the rest will notice your presence immediately you are out of this darkness. " Mazuno said calmly as his finger directly touched the girl's forehead injecting an Earth Spark to enhance her even sight.

" Now go! " 

" This! " 

Talata who had now picked up Faruq supporting him with a fragile-looking body hesitated but quickly shook her head seeing Mazuno's firm gaze. " 

" TCH! YOU LITTLE BASTARD. YOU DARE! " 

SHRIEK!! 

Mazuno grinned at the enraged evil spirit. 

" Of course I dare. How dare you an evil spirit sneak into our village to commit evil. " 

" YOU! I will kill them. " the evil spirit declared with a claw masking its hands as it quickly blended in the darkness streaming straight towards Talata and Faruq. 

In the darkness the hollow eyes of the evil spirit glowed with killing intent. ' Those two can't be allowed outside the veil. Or else my cover would be blown. ' 

Mazuno with his eyes having a small hazel glowed in the darkness his expression serious. He didn't know why that evil spirit was enraged with the idea of letting Talata and Faruq who were not even Spiritualists leave. But no matter what reason it was Mazuno knew he had found a weakness which he was more determined to strike with his all. 

And so his Earth Spark channelled as he raised his hand. Golden lines flashed and disappeared as he shot a golden beam towards the darkness.

Pingg!! 

The whole place illuminated with a golden radiance exposing the evil spirit whose eyes filled with murder warped into trepidation. 

" WHAT? " 

BOOM!! 

Its figure was immediately covered in the golden radiant as it screamed in agony.

AHHHHH

NOOOO!!

But sadly for him the golden radiance of Mazuno was derived from his [ Attained Technique: Devouring Star ] which was as natural and powerful as the sun something which evil spirits can never contend with making Mazuno their most powerful nemesis.

' How? How did a Godly flame appear around a child. I-I have to relay it to my Creator. ' the evil spirit thought as it was completed and utterly engulfed in the golden flame disappearing under Mazuno's astonished expression. Clearly he didn't predict such an outcome since the evil spirit was powerful than him from their earlier exchange. 

Thus he could only stare at his palm with his heart racing. 

And so like that the veiled darkness around him disappeared with the usual night sky appearing above him. 

Far away from his direction stood a tired-looking Talata whose eyes reflected Mazuno who seemed to be looking at his palm. She then looked at the night sky specifically at the moon. 

' Did Mazuno kill that evil spirit? But he just awakened his spirituality few days ago. ' she thought with a sudden dizziness washing over her entire.

Bam!! 

She fell flat on the ground together with Faruq.

...

Bonfire Gathering.

Mama Afia sat cross-legged as she held hands with the other spiritualist women. Before them was an animal skin with a bone placed on a green leaf. They all were deep in concentration as they spoke in their native tongue.

All the villagers from children to adults watched quietly from their seats. 

According to their customs on first night of every month a warding of evil spirits carried out by the villagers. As deduced from the name on this particular day evil spirits which roam around are suppressed so that they stay away from human settlement.

" Is time. Release all your Earth Spark. " Mama Afia said as he channelled her Earth Spark. 

Following her words the women all nodded their eyes still close. 

" Now just like we do every first night of every month. Send all your Earth Spark through the green leaf and to the bone. " 

Immediately as Mama Afia's words fell a light sparked on the leaf with the bone as fuel. A tower in light shot towards the sky illuminating the whole area. 

Dinggg!! 

This phenomenon happened every where whether it was the outskirts or Adwumum village itself. Thus today was bound to be utter decimation of evil spirits. 

Light streaked across the sky making it so that when one looked at the earth from space they will see a Star. 

And to the denizens of Adwumum village and other villages they called this very night ' The Night Vigil. '

None could hide from the light as all darkness disappeared.

...

Adwumum forest. 

Shrieks and agonizing screams was heard everywhere in the forest. Spawned spirits tainted with evil were burnt turning to dust which scattered into the air. 

Sitting on the a stone was a shapely figure shrouded in darkness. For some reason the light seem to be blocked by an invisible barrier.

" It seems I need to accelerate Master's plans. But before that I need to get my hands on a suitable vessel. I hope that ' Brute ' guy doesn't disappoint me. Hehehe! I can't wait to get out of this withering body. " The figure spoke in a soothing enchanting voice.

At the same time Mazuno stared at a withering skull with squinted eyes. He now stood within the forest gazing at the leftovers of the humanoid body he had smashed away in his first encounter with the evil spirits. 

" It seems the ' The Night Vigil ritual ' eliminated timely sparing me the time in dealing with it. Anyway I have to inform mother immediately. " Mazuno said before retrieving the skull. According to the little that he knew evil spirits possessing human body meant only one thing. 

" Spirit Possession " 

With that in tole he left the forest appearing beside two figures lying in each other's embrace. 

He looked at them as he sighed ' Do I have to carry them at the end? '

...

" Mama Afia where's Mazuno? " Adepa said sitting beside Afia.

" My son, now that you asked he should have returned with Faruq and Talata. " 

" Hmm. But I don't see them around. " 

Mama Afia hearing Adepa's words raised a brow. She had clearly been focused with the ' The Night Vigil ritual ' that she had forgotten. 

But before she could say anything she was interrupted by someone.

" What are you doing here? Adepa don't you know this part is reserved only for grownups. " Mama Dara words suddenly jolted Adepa making her turn stiffly towards her mother. 

" Mama. " 

" Sis Afia why are you indulging this unruly little girl. " Mama Dara said with her hands folded beneath the fleshy heap on her chest as she stared at her daughter and Mama Afia.

Zzzzzzz

But before Mama Afia could come up with anything just like now their Spiritual senses zapped making both of them stare at each other their eyes glowing. 

" Did you feel it? " Mama Afia questioned with a serious face at Mama Dara who nodded. 

" It seems to have disappeared just as it appeared. " 

At the same time a petite woman who now stood before the bonfire invited the folklorist with the present villagers all cheering happily. 

" It seems I will have to depend on you Dara. " 

" Now that the troublesome woman has appeared I can't possibly leave. " Mama Afia said as she stood up making her way towards the bonfire where a woman with a staff in her grasp stood. 

" I understand Sis Afia. " Mama Dara answered with her eyes now on his daughter. 

" What are you sitting here for hurry and go join your friends before your Mama here disciplines you. " 

Adepa quickly nodded as she scurried off with an incredulous expression clearly not least believing that her mother would not abide by those words. 

Mama Dara seeing her daughter flee like that couldn't help but chuckle as her body disappeared amiss the now joyous atmosphere. 

" Now let's see where that sinister Earth Spark came from. "

[ A/N:Finally Home. Just came back home after finishing my studies.]