Following the return from Elise's temples, the alicorn remained at the fief while her condition stabilized. However, she had no true rest. My tireless assistants hounded her with constant questions, interrogating her about every detail of what had happened, documenting everything with obsessive thoroughness. Although Elise considered it literal torture, I insisted that every minute sensation and fleeting thought be recorded. That data would be invaluable knowledge for the future.
On the other hand, there was Hannah and me… and that's where the real intrigue began.
Upon our return, that mysterious boy appeared once more. His charisma and supernatural allure gravitated around Hannah again, trying to get close to her, to seduce her. This time, however, he seemed even more insistent, wrapped in a deeper shroud of mystery.
His seduction was blatant. Hannah was increasingly surprised by the young man's charm. He was perfect. That was the sensation he projected: an impeccable being, someone who seemed to embody everything she could ever desire. Her heart and mind were in danger of losing themselves to him… or so it would have been, had she not witnessed Elise's power and divinity—something impossible to ignore.
Had her heart not remained firm, had she not seen what she saw, Hannah would have already surrendered completely to that infatuation. She was a single step away from falling definitively into the arms of that charming boy.
And then the day came.
He asked her to leave with him. Hannah could not accept easily. Following her refusal, the boy departed, but not before leaving her with a mystery-laden promise: she was to find him alone, on the shore of an Amazonian lake, during the night of the full moon. His words echoed like the offer of an ancient gallant, promising forbidden fruit to a lovestruck maiden.
With the arrival of the full moon, Hannah felt increasingly nervous, though she didn't have to wait long.
As night fell, she was already wandering through the lush jungle paths. Anyone else would have felt a paralyzing terror entering that place under the darkness, knowing that, besides common predators, supernatural creatures also lurked. But Hannah was no longer afraid. She had learned; she had prepared. She was no longer a helpless girl.
The destination was far, but she pressed on, her heart racing and her mind on edge. The night had arrived, and with it, possibly, the definitive moment.
As she drew closer, her steps grew heavy. Her heart beat with such force that she felt the flush rise to her face, while a slight tremor ran through her body from nerves and fear.
Finally, she emerged from the brush and found herself in an open area. A great lake stretched before her, with the full moon reflecting on its surface like a perfect mirror. The place was enchanting, worthy of being remembered and immortalized, imbued with an almost palpable magical aura.
Hannah walked to the shore, caught by that dreamlike image, when suddenly, ripples disturbed the calm of the water. She stepped back immediately, breaking out of her fascination, and fixed her eyes on the center of the lake.
Then it happened.
From the exact point where the moon was reflected, a figure began to emerge slowly. At first, shadows hid its shape, but gradually the moonlight illuminated enough to reveal the truth.
A male figure emerged with imposing presence: muscular and dominant, but unmistakably non-human. His body was covered in iridescent scales, with fins protruding from various parts, and a mouth full of sharp teeth that glinted under the moon. He was like the unnatural fusion of a man and a fish, yet wrapped in an aura of primal majesty… accentuated even further by the fact that he advanced riding upon a colossal black crocodile—or perhaps a caiman.
Hannah froze as she beheld that monstrous yet hauntingly charming figure. But that wasn't the only thing the moonlight revealed. In the water behind the creature, other forms began to manifest. Heads barely broke the surface, showing only glowing eyes. They weren't entirely distinguishable, but they shared clear traits: shimmering scales and long hair that suggested female forms, though clearly non-human.
The creature of the lake extended his hand toward Hannah with unexpected softness, charged with a strange tenderness, as if inviting her to come closer… to enter the lagoon.
Hannah, however, recoiled suddenly.
The gesture surprised the creature, while Hannah's expression transformed into a mix of disappointment and genuine pain. She lowered her head slightly and let out a heavy sigh.
"Why did it have to be like this…?" she murmured. "Red was right…"
In that instant, several figures emerged from the bushes.
It was us: Tonks, Elise, and me.
"Yes… it's him," Elise said in a grave voice, staring fixedly at the lord of the lake. "The sensation is the same."
"Wow… he really is a fish-man!" Tonks commented with total nonchalance, though an excited smile spread across her face. "Good thing I convinced you to bring me. I couldn't miss this. It's going to be exciting."
She pulled out her wand naturally. Since becoming a mother, her life had been too quiet, in a sense. Now that she knew for sure that Ditto was safe regarding… well, everything… she craved a bit of the "old adventure." That's why she had left our son in Andromeda's care and come with the clear intention of feeling the adrenaline of action again.
I took a step forward, locking eyes with the figure dominating the lake.
"So you finally show your true nature… Yakuruna," I said, with a mix of arrogance and evident annoyance, addressing the being waiting in the center of the waters.
The beast slowly lowered the hand he had extended, turning his face to look at me with genuine anger. Even so, I couldn't help but notice how his attention briefly drifted toward Tonks, drawn by her presence. He would have also shown concern for Elise's aura, were it not for the fact that she was weakened by the loss of faith to the point of not passively manifesting any divinity currently.
"Seriously?" I spat with fury. "We finally meet face to face and you're already eyeing another one of my women." My gaze hardened, hate growing undisguised against this creature that tried to court Hannah right under my nose. "I'm going to make you suffer like a bitch," I added, slamming my fist into my palm, releasing part of the pent-up rage.
Yes. That half-man, half-fish abomination was the dreaded Yakuruna. An ancestral legend of the jungle that turned out to be all too real. Known for seducing and kidnapping mothers and daughters to make them his wives, his myth had crossed generations as a whispered warning.
When Elise mentioned back then that Hannah was trying to "defy" her, she wasn't talking about simple insolence. She had sensed a strange divine power in her, one that didn't belong to her. It was the power of this thing.
The Yakuruna was not a true god, but a demigod, much like Elise once was. An anomalous being, unable to rise beyond that level in this era without the proper energies. He could not ascend to full divinity, but he would also never fall below the rank of demigod. Without a doubt, a formidable entity for this era and many others.
Ever since Elise revealed that detail to me upon our return, I began paying much more attention to what was happening. Then I understood everything. That was why I couldn't find the bastard. His divine power hid his presence from me, diverted me, confused me. With the "Aspects" project underway, I was weakened in certain areas.
If I had had him in front of me, even in disguise, I would have known. But he had been clever. He never truly showed himself. Perhaps he feared me. Perhaps he sensed the danger I represented. After all, he wasn't a true god, and wizards and witches still had the possibility of defeating him under the right circumstances—or at least making him suffer losses he clearly wanted to avoid.
After proper investigation, I finally knew who and what he was. I even managed to spy on him, with some help, during his encounters with Hannah.
I told her everything.
Hannah had also been affected by the Yakuruna's divine power, until she witnessed Elise's outburst and her own divine energy dispersed the influence he had left on her. With the charm broken, Hannah began to notice the strangeness of her infatuation—or at least a part of her did.
It should be noted that, as a being known for seducing women, the Yakuruna possessed genuine skills and talents. Hannah was truly in love, in part. That's why she didn't want to believe me at first when I told her that her "Prince Charming" was actually a being that…
In the end, this moment laid it all bare, especially now. Behind the Yakuruna, the heads poking out of the water rose completely, finally revealing their true forms.
They were women. Several beautiful fish-women who still bore traces of having once been human in their features. Emerging to the waist, they showed us fangs, scales, and feral glares, growling or hissing with a sound impossible to classify. Their hostility was directed mainly at me—the direct obstacle to their husband's plans.
"You have good taste," I mocked. "Though, considering you tried to steal the girl I like, that was already obvious…"
I cracked my knuckles and pulled out my wands. The Jarjacha wands. Tonight, I was going to give it my all.
"But you still look like a rookie," I continued, pointing to his harem. "Only those? I have many more… and much more beautiful."
The beast did not flinch.
"You shall be their food," the Yakuruna said in a deep, captivating tone that resonated throughout the lagoon, slamming his hand hard against the back of his gigantic black crocodile. "And then I will take those women you boast about so much." He then slowly turned his head toward Hannah. "Come, Hannah. Join me. I will give you the happiness you seek."
He was persuading her one last time before killing me, as if I were nothing more than a minor nuisance.
Behind him, the fish-women also seemed to call to Hannah. They used no words, but emitted a strange, enveloping song, heavy with emotion. It sounded like the call of lost sisters, inviting her to join them.
Hannah stepped back.
She looked tempted. The Yakuruna was using his divine power to influence her mind, presenting himself as the best possible option. He even tried to activate the residue of divine energy he had left in her, transformed into an illusion of love.
But he didn't know.
Elise had already erased that influence. She had treated Hannah after every encounter. Even now, Elise employed what little divine power she had left to protect her… and protect us all. In a conflict of designs, nothing is more effective than one divinity facing another.
Free from external manipulation, Hannah could only feel more hurt.
The perfect man she thought she saw was nothing more than a facade. Another monster who wanted her as part of his harem.
Then she looked at me and hesitated.
She thought that perhaps we were all the same. At least I was a familiar face… though she couldn't deny that my intentions weren't all that different. Without a word, Hannah pulled out her wand and held it in front of her in a defensive position.
"Fine…" the Yakuruna sighed. "First I will kill him. Then I will come for you. Do not worry… you will learn to love me once I get rid of the insect."
Then he looked at Tonks.
"You too. You are beautiful and strong. My invitation extends to you. My family will accept you."
"I don't want to be a disgusting fish!" Tonks shouted with absolute disgust and amusement at the coming battle. "Besides, I already have my own evil, perverted demon. Believe me, nothing you offer can be better… or worse… than what he already gives me. At least with him, I don't have to think about laying eggs."
The image crossed her mind, and she shuddered.