chapter 21: Darra's end

After a while, I noticed that Amma was no longer by my side. With a sense of urgency, I came to a sudden halt and turned around, only to find her on the ground, tightly covering her ears with her hands. She was in distress, whispering pleadingly, "Stop... Please... Make it stop... Please."

Without a moment's hesitation, I rushed towards her, desperate to understand what was causing her such agony. "Amma! What's wrong? Can you hear me? Please, talk to me," I implored, but she remained silent, locked in a torment that seemed to grip her very soul. Her anguished refrain continued, her voice barely audible, "Please, make it stop... Please."

Then, something extraordinary occurred. Amma's eyes, once filled with fear, transformed into an intense, otherworldly white. It was as if she had tapped into a hidden well of rage, unleashing an assault upon an unseen enemy. Her fists flailed through the air, striking as if engaged in a fierce battle against an invisible foe that eluded my senses.

Suddenly, a piercing cry escaped her lips, resonating with pain and anguish. I watched in horror as a mysterious mark materialized on her back, crimson with the appearance of an invisible blade's cruel cut. She crumpled to her knees, tears streaming down her face, still shielding her ears from the relentless assault.

Unable to bear witness to her suffering any longer, a surge of power surged within me, awakening my latent abilities. The mark on my forehead blazed with a vibrant red hue, while my eyes retained their normal appearance. Summoning all the strength I could muster, I uttered an incantation, "Ed'dosha," releasing an enchanted spell into the air.

As the magical energy cascaded forth, a protective dome materialized around us, shielding us from the pernicious influence of the mysterious sound. In that moment, Amma removed her trembling hands from her ears, tears glistening in her eyes, as a semblance of relief washed over her.

"Amma, what's happening?" I asked, my voice filled with concern, as I pulled her up from the ground, desperate to understand her distress.

"It's... It's the sound, the same sound from when I was just ten years old," Amma replied, her breaths heavy and labored.

"The sound? What happened with that sound?" I inquired, my confusion mounting as I tried to console her.

Amma took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts before responding. "That sound... It was there on the day she died," she revealed, her voice laced with sadness.

"She? Who are you talking about?" I probed, my curiosity piqued as I sought to unravel the mystery.

"My mother," Amma replied, her tone heavy with sorrow. "She was human, and she perished in the great battle that unfolded between the elves, humans, and demons."

A profound silence hung in the air as her words reverberated through my mind. Then, Amma resumed her tale, her voice tinged with both pain and a hint of apprehension.

"When I was just ten years old, the land was embroiled in a war of epic proportions. The humans, elves, and demons clashed, driven by a prophecy concerning a child marked for destruction—a prophecy yet to be fulfilled."

Amma paused, gathering her emotions before continuing. "On that fateful day, as the war ignited, my father fought alongside the humans, believing that the child with the mark would emerge from their ranks. He ordered my mother and me to seek refuge at our grandmother's house until the chaos subsided."

"We fled through a passage hall adorned with billowing white curtains," Amma recounted, her voice trembling with the weight of memory. "And that's when we saw her—an ethereal image of a girl concealed behind one of the curtains. In her hands, she held a long flute, and as her delicate fingers danced across its surface, a hauntingly beautiful melody filled the air."

Amidst the captivating melody, my mother's curiosity got the best of her. Ignoring the warning that dad gave us, she ordered me to wait and bravely stepped forward, parting the curtain and disappearing into the mysterious room. A moment later, a blood-curdling scream pierced the silence, jolting me into action. Ignoring the danger that lay ahead, I rushed into the room, my heart pounding in my chest.

There, I was confronted with a sight that would forever be etched in my memory. The girl who had been playing the flute stood before me, now unclothed, her lips filled with smile as she hurriedly fled the scene. My attention quickly turned to my mother, who lay helpless on the floor, blood streaming from a deep wound on her forehead. I rushed to her side, but it was too late. With her last breath, she whispered to me, her voice filled with urgency and determination.

"Go, my little Amma," she gasped, her words laden with both sadness and resolve. "Seek out your grandmother in the small, remote town, and never forget to avenge me. Darra, the musical demon, is responsible for this unspeakable act."

Her final words seared into my soul, fueling a fire within me. I vowed to honor her memory and seek justice for the tragedy that had befallen her. With a heavy heart, I embarked on a journey to find my grandmother, armed with the knowledge that a malevolent force lurked in the shadows, awaiting its reckoning.

"I'm so sorry to hear about the loss of your mother, Amma," I responded, my voice filled with empathy and sorrow. "And what about your father?" I inquired, wanting to understand the full extent of her tragic story.

"The news reached us while I was with my grandmother," Amma replied, her voice heavy with sadness. "He perished during the great war," she added, the weight of her father's loss evident in her words.

My heart ached for Amma, and a deep determination to help her seek justice welled up within me. "But something doesn't quite add up, Amma," I voiced my concerns, my curiosity driving me forward. "If all that you've described happened in our real world, where humans, elves, and demons coexist, how did this otherworldly sound find its way here?" I pondered aloud, hoping to unravel the mystery.

"You're right, Jordan," Amma agreed, her voice tinged with a mix of curiosity and determination. "There must be someone behind all of this, orchestrating these events," she mused, her thoughts aligning with mine.

As I contemplated the situation, a thought struck me. It would take a being of immense power to manipulate reality in such a manner. Could it be Margro, the leader of the infamous Elvara demonic group? If so, it would mean that my father is the one doing all this. Could he be Zargo, the enigmatic figure behind it all? The only way to find out the truth would be to confront and defeat Zargo, if indeed he existed.

With a resolute expression, I turned to Amma. "We will do whatever it takes to uncover the truth, Amma," I declared, my voice filled with determination. "Together, we will avenge your mother and bring justice to those responsible for these dark events."

Stepping out from the protective dome, I felt an inexplicable surge of courage as I sought to confront the haunting melody that had plagued our lives. The ethereal sound lingered in the air, a haunting reminder of the evil that had befallen us.

Summoning every ounce of determination, I chanted the ancient incantation, "ry eto force," invoking a powerful spell that unveiled a mesmerizing sight before me. A young and enchanting figure emerged, her naked form glowing with an otherworldly radiance. In her delicate hands, she held a long flute, its edges sharp and foreboding.

Unbeknownst to her, her eyes remained closed as she continued to play the flute, completely unaware of my presence. Fueled by a mix of determination and anger, I struck the flute from her grasp, causing her eyes to flutter open, emanating an eerie green glow.

With an unsettling voice dripping with malice, she demanded, "Who are you?" Her tone was laced with a demonic quality that sent shivers down my spine, yet I refused to be intimidated.

The weight of the moment hung in the air as I locked eyes with the mysterious entity before me. I could sense the malevolence that surrounded her, the darkness that had taken hold.

"That's doesn't matter, What truly matters is the impending loss of your own head," I snapped back, my anger simmering. "And there she is, the little girl we meet again after all this time," she sneered, her words dripping with mockery as she glanced at Amma trapped within the confinements of the dome. Amma's eyes locked onto the demon who had mercilessly taken her mother's life. Desperate to break free and avenge her, she struggled against the invisible barrier that held her captive. In a blink, the demon snatched the flute from my grasp, a blur of motion, and swiftly aimed it at my forehead, leaving an indelible mark. Fury surged through me, my eyes ablaze with a blinding white light, and my clenched fist radiating an intense glow. I yearned to strike back, but it felt as though the entire weight of the world conspired to hold me in check.

"You think you can lay a finger on me? It'll take more than glowing eyes to defeat me, hahaha," the demon taunted, her voice dripping with arrogance. Unfazed, I retorted, "That's where you're mistaken." With a swift kick, I sent her hurtling through the air. Fueled by anger, I charged towards her, delivering a powerful punch to her chest, but her laughter persisted. "Why is she still laughing? Is this some ploy to deceive me into thinking she's formidable?" I pondered silently as I lunged at her once more, aiming for another crushing blow. But this time, she got the upper hand. She gripped my neck tightly, lifting me off the ground, and sneered, "Indeed, you're a worthy adversary, but I'm afraid it ends here." Gasping for air, I struggled to breathe as her grip tightened. Witnessing the dire situation, Amma's anger intensified. She summoned a portal from within the dome and materialized behind the demon, ready to take action.

As my eyelids drooped, I witnessed a gleaming sword impale the demon's forehead, freeing me from her clutches. Collapsing to the ground, I struggled to catch my breath. Amma's determined voice rang out, "Two against one, not so funny now. This is for my mother!" With a swift thrust, she drove the sword deep into the demon's heart, eliciting a bone-chilling scream as the demon disintegrated into swirling dust, vanishing into the night. Gasping for air, I heard Amma's concerned voice, "Are you alright, Jordan?" With a smile, I reassured her, "I've never been better. Thank you, Amma." Her smile matched mine as she replied, "No need to mention it. Let's move forward." Yet, an enigmatic moonlight continued to trail our every step, casting an aura of mystery upon our journey.