Elena's heart pounded in her chest. The spider-like Being loomed in front of her, its blank white mask grinning at her with malevolent glee. She barely had time to register the attack before it was upon her, its human-like hand swiping at her with terrifying speed.

"Block, Elena, block!" Her mind screamed. Instinctively, she brought her arms up, just as the attack connected. The dark indigo Aura enveloping her body crackled on impact, her guard instantly shattering. Elena stumbled backward, eyes wide with horror.

It was strong. Too strong.

That thought was interrupted when a fist hurtled in towards her stomach. She had no way to react to it. A sickening thud echoed through the alley, followed by the loud crackle of her Aura. The force of the punch sent her flying, her body hitting the ground hard and rolling to a stop. There was no physical pain—her Aura protected her from that—but the damage translated into a gnawing phantom agony in her mind and soul.

And that attack just now made her entire mind and soul reeling as if a hole was punched through her core.

“Shit…” A weak groan escaped her lips as Elena clutched her abdomen, feeling where the fist made her fly through the air. It was intact but not in her mind. Her heart was pounding out of her chest. Pure terror and fear crept into her mind, overriding any phantom pain she was experiencing.

She could not take another hit like that.

Panic seized her as she stumbled to her feet. There was no chance of victory; she needed to retreat. Her Pusaka was her only hope of survival. Use its power to teleport out of here.

Elena opened the palm of her hand, trying to summon the familiar ethereal dagger in her hands. She could feel the spark of energy, but it was elusive, slipping through her grasp like smoke. The spider creature noticed and sprang forward, its limbs poised for another series of attacks.

Desperation fueled her movements as she dodged and weaved, each attack whispering closer to its mark. The wind from the Being's swipes tugged at her hoodie, its relentless assault shattering her concentration. Her Pusaka felt distant, lost in the chaos of survival.

“Cibai, come on come on!” Elena gritted her teeth in desperation, ducking from a swipe for her head. Then, she felt it. Her Pusaka forming in her mind and her palm.

But the momentary distraction cost her. The Being's fist connected with her side, a sickening crunch filling the air. Her feet left the ground, her body slamming into the alley's brick wall. The protective barrier of energy that had always shielded her flickered and died in a burst of indigo flames.

Then it hit her. Pain, white-hot searing pain hit her body as she slumped against the wall on the back. Another weak groan escaped her mouth. Panic and disbelief warred within her. She never felt any physical pain like this before, not while fighting Unseen Beings. A frightening thought crossed her mind.

“Am I…going to die here?”

That question sent a terrifying possibility into her mind. Despair started to creep in.

“No, I can’t…”

Her teeth ground on itself as she snarled in defiance, shaking that thought away. She couldn't die yet; there was still so much she needed to do. With a grunt, she pushed herself to her feet, legs shaking beneath her.

The Being paused, its head cocked to one side as if surprised by her resilience. One limb pulled back for another strike.

Elena didn't waste a second. The attack felt faster without the assistance of her Mambang powers. She hurled herself to the side, the Being's grasping hands missing her by inches. She hit the ground rolling, breath coming in ragged gasps as she scrambled to her feet.

She ran, her heart pounding in her ears, her feet slapping against the rough tarmac. The alley seemed to stretch on forever as she desperately tried to gain some distance away. Behind her, she could hear the skittering of the Being's limbs as it pursued her.

“Come on, please!” Elena pleaded and reached within herself once more, grasping for the thread of her power again. She could feel it dancing at the edges of her consciousness right outside the sheer panic and desperation playing in her mind.

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And then, miraculously, it roared to life. The familiar feeling of her Aura enveloped her, her nerves alight with power. “Yes!” Her steps grew lighter, her movements more fluid.

But her celebration was short-lived. The Being jumped into the air and landed in front of it. Its imposing form skidded Elena to a halt. Its grinning expression taunted her before lunging towards her.

She dove to the side, narrowly avoiding a grasping hand, only to be caught by a glancing blow that spun her. The impact registered in her mind, accompanied by the crackle of her Aura. The fiery energy around her flickered, but Elena clung to it, refusing to let it fade.

For a moment, the world seemed to slow down. The grinning visage in front of her appeared to be enjoying toying with her. It was strong, fast, and always one step ahead. The thought of being outclassed and dying in the dark hands of this creepy abomination from a world hidden by most sent a chill down Elena's spine.

The image of Vivian flashed through her mind. Her younger sister shot her a mischievous look before beaming wide, eyes arching adorably in the familiar smile she grew up with and loved. The memory filled Elena with a desperate determination. She couldn't leave Vivian alone, not like this.

With a fierce cry, she threw out her hand, willing her Pusaka to materialize. For a heartbeat, she felt the familiar weight of the dagger in her palm, the metal cool and reassuring against her skin. Triumph filled her heart - she had a chance.

Elena hurled the dagger with all her might, watching as it arced through the air behind the Being, its blade glinting in the faint light. Now, she just needed to teleport away.

But the Being was faster. It slammed into her, its weight bearing her to the ground. Elena felt her Aura shatter, the protective barrier of energy dissolving like mist. She hit the pavement hard, the impact driving the air from her lungs. She rolled, her body screaming in protest, every nerve ending alight with agony. Her forearm and knees were scratched by the rough ground of the alleyway, drawing blood from her skin.

The Being loomed over her, its blank mask filling her vision. Elena could see her own reflection in the smooth white surface, her face contorted with fear and pain. She scrabbled backward, her fingers clawing at the rough ground, but there was nowhere to go, no escape from the creature's relentless advance.

An abnormally large hand gripped her neck. Cold and slimy fingers dug into her skin, constricting her airway as Elena felt herself raised off the ground. Elena frantically clawed at the vice grip on her neck, panicking at the force and the inevitable end.

Her vision blurred, both from losing air and from tears. The core trembled, both from frustration and fear.

“Sorry, Viv…”

And then, like a miracle, the sound of gunshots and loud sparks rang in her ears. Elena dropped to the alleyway tarmac, air rushing back into her lungs. A series of throaty coughs escaped her mouth, burning her throat. She raised her head to the figure landing in front of her. A person she secretly wished to be here.

Arif stood with his handgun Pusaka already drawn. His Aura, dense and liquid-like, no longer had the gentle ebb and flow pulses to it. Instead, the protective indigo crashed into each other, like raging waves in a storm.

Her mentor glanced back at Elena over his shoulder. She expected a look of worry, or concern, or the usual distant, aloofness she always saw him with.

But his eyes were filled with disgust and rage.

"What the hell are you doing?" Arif shouted with a raw, guttural voice piercing through the narrow alleyway. Elena flinched at his tone and outburst, and her core trembled again from fear and shame. She opened her mouth to respond, to defend herself, but the words died on her lips.

“Just get out of here!” Arif hissed. His attention turned back to the Being, his Aura crashing wildly as he raised his Pusaka. The creature hissed, its limbs twitching in agitation, but it seemed wary now, hesitant to engage with this new threat.

Loud gunshots were followed by a flurry of Dark Energy bullets raining on the masked spider creature. It reeled slightly before skittering up and along the alley wall. A staccato of broken debris from missed shots rang as Arif’s volley of shots followed its movement. The Being lunged forward from the wall, ready for an attack.

Arif blocked that strike from above, violent crackles spurred from the impact. With a grunt, he heaved his weight forward, sending the Being rolling a good few meters away. Elena’s mouth hung wide at her mentor’s display of strength and power. Arif brushed off an attack that sent her reeling from a single hit and even retaliated.

Arif flicked his handgun to his side, particles of Dark Energy slowly gathering at its barrel. He sprung forward, body low, sprinting in a blur of purple and blue. The masked spider creature regained its footing, realizing an angered Mambang quickly approaching it. It swiped its numerous limbs forward to deter the attacker from closing in.

With the grace of a gymnast, Arif jumped up. His body twisted in the air, arching over the Being. He landed without any trouble behind it, jamming the barrel of his Pusaka into its slimy body.

A flash of dark purple penetrated the Being through its blank white mask. It was a point-blank shot of concentrated Dark Energy. A loud inhuman screech echoed before it faded away with a whimper and thick swirls of grey smoke.

Arif stood victorious, but his expression held no triumph. Elena watched as her mentor's pace quickened, his steps heavy with anger as he approached her. He looked her straight in the eyes, his gaze burning with fury and disappointment.

“YOU IDIOT!”