23. Seductress

Grimm was stunned when he was in front to an old building. A brown butterfly with red eyes flies around him. Suddenly the necklace he was wearing also glowed. Red. He violently grabbed the butterfly and rubbed it like paper. Suddenly it get burned. He spontaneously stepped towards the back of the old building near the forest. His walk became a trend. He did not know why there was a force pulling him to that place... But he wanted to know why. Surprisingly, his friends just followed him.

He was stunned and could not believe what he was seeing. Here is his missing friend... He was very surprised by his condition. It hung upside down on the side of the building, its clothes open and marked with a bite on the shoulder. There are letters on the wall made of its blood. Ordinary people cannot read that... What is written on the wall is a challenge. What it says is:

“If you want this kid to live, go and beat me. Also, take the poison cure I gave if you can. I will wait for you in the cave of darkness, EXORCIST.”

Grimm immediately helped his friend. He quickly untied it and lifted it down. The veins around the bite dominate and they are black. Grimm's friends were surprised to see Salvador. Grimm laid it down and get Salvador’s bag on the corner. Based on his observations, it was not moved by the succubus that victimized it, but worse. Bitten and poisoned on the body. And when his earthly body dies, he will live again and become a slave of the demon. It will be thirsty for human flesh and blood. It is not in its own mind and all it has to do is follow its recognized master.

"W-What happened to him?" Rodel asked nervously.

His companions look at the letters on the wall. But of course, they can’t read it.

"He seems to have been the victim of a succubus demon." Grimm's short answer.

To his surprise, his friends looked at him and at Salvador. they have no idea what he is saying.

"Let's take him to our house. Dad and Uncle Clemen can help him. They're exorcists, they know what to do." said Rusty.

Everyone agreed with its suggestion. Grimm has already picked up Salvador. He feels great guilt. What happened here must have had something to do with him. Why didn't he even think of giving protection to his friends? He thought, they are safe when no one knows. But he was wrong.

"Wait, I'll just tell Salv's mother what happened!" present by Ricky.

Grimm turned his attention to it.

"Wait, Rick! It would be better for you to say that we are working on a school project. His mother might die of anxiety. As long as it's up to you to say anything, just don't tell the truth." he said.

"A-All right..." Ricky said awkwardly.

They left the area one after another. When they got to Rusty's house, Grimm immediately laid his friend down on the sofa. Rusty immediately called his father Constantine and his uncle Clemen. They quickly attended to the child.

"Your friend, Grimm, was the victim of a succubus demon." the language is Clemen.

Grimm sighed steadily. He already knows that but he just keep silent.

"I think our last mission has something to do with what happened, there is a letter of challenge there in the place where I saw my friend." He explain.

"I think so."

Constantine also approached and looked at Salvador's bite. It snatched a strange pen out of his pocket and then stamped what letters around the bite. The young man moaned in pain.

"W-Wait, what is a succubus?!" Rodel asked in astonishment.

Clemen looked at Grimm's friends. It smiled sparingly. Ricky arrived and was surprised to see everyone's serious face.

"Well, you're complete. Listen carefully to what I have to say." Clemen said seriously.

Constantine and Rusty take care of Salvador.

"Succubus’s are female demons who love to have sex with men. They gradually take the soul of their victim until it dies, teasing is their first defense because they show what their victim wants to see. They are deceptive types of demons. The succubus did not move your friend but it will be worse for him because he was bitten."

The confusion on Grimm's friends' faces was obvious.

"I think, you are all brave. How much can you gamble to help your friend?" Clemen asked the young men.

Grimm was stunned.

"Wait, I'll take care of it!" he strongly objected.

He will not allow anyone of his friends to be harm. He will not let that happen.

"Shut up, Grimm! You can't do it alone. Time is our opponent, we have to hurry. The two of us will face the demon who victimized your friend. And it is up to them to take the cure. If only the two of us could do everything, we would not be able to reach it. Your friend will die and he will become a ghoul. And Kuya Constantine has no choice but to end him forever. Do you want that thing to happen, huh?" Clemen said coolly.

Grimm bent down and clenched his fists tightly. His jaws tightened and he shivered with rage. That demon must ready for him. Get it ready for him!

"We are ready to help! We will do anything for Salv. What do we need to do?" Reynaldo asked.

Grimm would have objected but Rodel stopped him.

"Grimm, we can do something too. You have been with us for a long time in all the nonsense and fighting. Are we going to leave now?"

"B-But this one is not just a street fight."

"Grimm, we've encountered manananggal and we've been able to defeat it together."

Grimm is no longer able to make excuses.

"In that case, all of you listen to me. Grimm and I will go to the demon to kill it. And you three, you will take care of the cure. The cure you should take is a kind of plant. Its leaves looks like fern. But it has very red flowers, it was as red as blood. This plant can cure any disease and poison in the body. You will find it in the cave where the demon that preyed on your friend is roaming."

"It looks like we can afford to take the medicine." Ricky's complacent language.

Clemen laughed softly at what he said.

"Child, the demon will not just allow you to get the cure for the poison she has given. There is definitely a guard in place of those plants, as I said, these types of demons are deceptive so you must be alert at all times and be smart."

The three young men nodded and waited for what Clemen would say next.

"Once you get to where the plants are, the disciples of the succubus will surely deceive you. Whatever they will show you. When they offer you anything, all you have to do is refuse."

"It's easy." Rodel said.

"I just don't know, kid, you will be offered something. Like food, drink and many things that you could ever imagine... And if you have not given in to them, their last offer is sex and you have nothing to do but refuse if you do not want to die." Clemen explained.

Rodel, Ricky and Reynaldo looked at each other and at the same time scratched their ears.

"I-I don't think we heard what you said last ah?" Rodel's insane language.

Clemen clenched his fist and at the same time hit the young men. He made sure what he did, got them hurt.

"AAAWWW!" they roared.

"Sure, your hearing is clear, huh?!" he scolded.

The three teenagers just nodded. Meanwhile... Salvador suddenly spoke. He is in pain and his eyes are tightly closed. Grimm approached his friend.

"Are you all right, Salv? Don't worry, we will help you!" Grimm's worried language.

"W-Woman w-with red hair..." he said softly.

Grimm grabbed his own hair and looked at his friend. That was all and it was quiet again. He heard only a faint growl.

"Don't give up, I know you are brave. Fight the poison until we get the cure." he said.

He answered him with a low growl. He looked at his companions and immediately stood up.

"Let's go right away!" he said.

He raised his right hand with his fist clenched. His friends did the same.

"All right!" simultaneous answer of his friends.

They immediately walked to the cave of darkness.

Now all of them stood in front of the cave and looked at each other. Grimm felt the nervousness of his friends but he knew they were just strengthening the inside. Darkness and light are taking over in these moments. It seems like just yesterday... Clemen looked at Grimm's friends.

"Remember what I ordered. And never take off the bracelet I gave you. That will serve as protection to the strange creatures you will encounter. Grimm and I look forward to the three of you. We know you can take the medicine. The fear you feel, leave it here outside the cave first. Because once we go inside, that is no longer allowed. You only need to exercise courage." Clemen preached to the children.

"Yes." Rodel replied.

"In that case, come on!"

Clemen started walking into the cave and everyone followed him. There are two roads inside the cave... Only the flashlights they carry are their guide.

"On the left is the location of the plants, there is the direction of the compass that I’m holding points. Grimm and him will go here to the right where the demon is. Take care of the three of you." Clemen reminded the children.

"You too Father Clemen, Grimm be careful." the language is Ricky.

"Thank you." smiling Clemen replied.

Grimm just kept quiet for a moment because the anger he was feeling was overflowing right now. They have broken up the group.

Rodel, Ricky and Reynaldo's group went to the direction that is rocky and watery. It was cool inside the cave and they also felt a strange creep there. The water almost reached their knees. The rocks are also slippery so they walk slowly. Not only did Father Clemen give them the bracelets, he also gave them things they could use as defenses. They are just silent for the whole moment and feel the surroundings. There seems to be no end to the place they are walking. They cannot see the end. The three of them stopped when they saw small lights. They looked at each other and at the compass they were holding. Those little lights fly in the distance. Their compasses point to fireflies.

"I think we should follow those fireflies." the language is Reynaldo.

"You are right, our compasses point in their direction, let’s do it so we can see the cure right away." Rodel agreed.

They followed the fireflies and were amazed to see where they were. That part of the cave is very bright because of the number of fireflies flying in the area. There is a small lake and... They were dumbfounded and could not believe what they saw. The plants they were looking for, were just there on the side with the fireflies. There were so many then and the color red was dominant all around.

(CONTINUES ....)