When they already knew where to find Stella, they immediately run towards the hill to check if she was still there. It wasn't that long when they reached the place.

They stopped when they saw an unbelievable, crazy thing that happened around the area.  They didn't find Stella there but both of them were sure that Stella had been around. She might not be around what marked she had left in the area signified her strong presence.

Nawala bigla sa kanilang isipan na hanapin si Stella dahil mas nangibabaw ang kamanghang-manghang pangyayari na nakita nila.

"Pa'no nangyari 'to?" takang tanong ni Pell. Wala siyang ideya kung anong nangyayari dahil ang mga damo at puno ay tila hinahalikan ang lupa at may circle marked gitna na ro'n nanggaling ang lakas na nagpayuko sa mga nakapaligid dito.

"I think I know the answer to your question, Pell," ngisi pa ni Edmond. "But now is not the time for that."

"At ano namang alam mo na hindi ko alam, Ed?"

"Just... not this time, Pell," pag-uulit ni Edmond.

"'Di bale, should we find Stella na ba?"

"I think we should," Edmond answered.

Maraming pumapasok sa isipan ni Edmond at hindi siya lubos makapag-concentrate kung ano nang gagawin. Sinusunod na lamang niya si Pellegrino kung saan man ito pumunta. Nang matunton ni Pell ang amoy ng dalaga ay kaagad silang tumungo sa kinaroroonan nito.

They both stumbled upon running towards the area. Pareho naman silang bumagsak sa lupa at mabalot ng damo at buhangin ang kanilang damit. When they checked what they've gotten into, they just out what was it, it was Stella.

Mabilis na lumapit ang dalawa kay Stella at inalis ang dumi sa mukha ni Stella. Nang maalis niya ang bawat dahon at buhangin ang kanyang mukha. Ginising naman ni Edmond ito. Pell was there guessing what would happen next. 

Saglit lang din naman ay unti-unti nang bumalik ang ulirat ni Stella kaya nakahinga na nang maluwag ang dalawa. Nang makita niya naman si Edmond at si Pell ay halos nagulat naman ito at napalayo sa dalawa. Nagtaka rin siya kung nasaan siya ngayon. Ang naaalala lamang niya ay idinala siya kung saan nina Alycia at Reubert pero ang iba na naman ang kasama niya ngayon.

Stella wanted to run away but she can't when the two creatures are much faster than her. Edmond reached out to her, but she backed away. He tried reaching out to her again.

"You'll be fine, Stella," he said. "We're here to keep you out of danger."

Nang mapagaan ni Edmond ang loob ng dalaga ay kumalma na rin naman ito. Pero hindi niya pa rin maaalis sa isipan niyang may ginawa siyang hindi magandang bagay sa bampirang ito. 

"Pell and I will bring you back to the motel, okay?" Edmon assured her.

Stella nodded and took a deep breath. Inalalayan naman siya ni Edmond na makatayo mula sa pagkakasalampak sa lupa. Pinapagpagan naman niya ang mga damo at buhangin na dumikit sa kanyang pwetan.

In a quick second, Edmond took Stella, and only a few seconds they reached the motel altogether.

Ully and Elius surprised upon the arrival of the three. Ully immediately stood from slouching when he found Stella on Edmond's hand. He let go of her and she walked towards him. He gave her a tight hug and Stella was just gawking straight. Elius found something on her so put his attention to the vampires who brought her back home.

"What happened out there, Ed?" he asked.

"It's happening," he said. Elius already figured out what he's talking about. 

Wala pa rin namang ideya si Pell kung anong tinutukoy ng kanyang kaibigan. Hindi na naman niya binalak pang magtanong dahil sa sinabi ni Edmond kanina. Kung hindi man ito ang tamang oras ay malalaman niya rin iyon sa mga susunod na araw.

"Is she okay?" Elius asked. Dinala naman ni Ully si Stella sa kamay at saka tumungo sa kusina para kuhaan ito ng tubig saka inabot nang makabalik kaagad. Tinitigan namna nila si Stella habang umiinom ito. They know the tap water has been contaminated by vervain particle so it would affect her in some way. But it was a relief for everybody she didn't react anything to it. Tama nga talaga ang hinala niya noon pa man.

"She's strong..." Edmond muttered. "But she doesn't know that yet."

"Hindi ko ba talaga malalaman kung anong meron?" singit ni Pellegrino. "Is she a..."

"If you're thinking what I was thinking, you're probably right," Edmond said. "Just keep it to ourselves first and we'll just observe her in the next few days. I think it's too early to say something to her. She wasn't aware of it though."

"And she's in the town on the right timing," Elius smirked. "But would she be ever ready for it?"

"I'm not sure... but we'll see."

Later on, the three of them decided to let them be alone so Stella could have a proper rest. Pell also told them that he would be leaving the town for now so he could find some creatures like them who would like to help them for the great danger. When he said that and Edmond agreed, he immediately vanished. Before Elius and Edmond could leave, Ully called out Ed's attention and his face was full of worries and frustrations.

"Ully, you'll know about it soon..." He patted Ully's shoulder.

After that, Edmond took Elius and they both left the motel together. Napasinghal na lamang si Ully dahil wala kahit na anong impormasyon ang ibinigay sa kanya kung anong nangyari kay Stella. Bumalik naman ito sa tabi ni Stella at hinayaang magpahinga. Nagpatuloy naman si Ully sa panonood ng TV.

Nang lingunin ulit ni Ully si Stella ay nagulat pa ito na gising pa ito at nanonood din sa TV. Bagamat pansin niya ang pagkatulala nito ay agad niyang winagayway ang kamay sa mukha ni Stella at doon lang siya natauhan.

"Sorry... I just spaced out."

"Pansin na pansin ko nga," komento ni Ully. Kahit ayaw magtanong ni Ully sa kaibigan sa nangyari pero dahil hindi rin siya mapapanatag kung ano mang nangyari rito. "Stels, if you don't mind telling me what happened earlier, ano bang nangyari? Sinaktan ka ba nila Alycia at Reubert? At bakit ayaw din sabihin sa akin nina Ed?"

She looked blankly at his face. "N-nothing... Alycia and Reubert left me passing out in the hell. Good thing, Ed and Elius found me there. There's no trouble. I'm... fine."

Hindi pa rin naman kuntento si Ully sa sinagot ng kaibigan. 

"Iyon lang ba ang nangyari? Elius told me that you poisoned Edmond, to what it cost, Stels? Hindi ko alam kung bakit mo nagawa 'yon. Parang... nag-iiba ka na. Alam ko namang may ginagawa kang mga bagay na hindi ako kasama. That's okay if it's a personal thing pero kung ipinapahamak mo ang konesyon natin sa mga bampira na 'yon para sa pansariling interes, bakit mo naman gagawin 'yon?" aniya at saka humugot ng malalim na hininga. "Good thing, Ed just let it go."

"Hindi ko ginawa 'yon para sa pansariling interes. It was for our project. Ginawa ko 'yon kahit sinugal ko na ang buhay ko. Hindi lang 'yon basta-basta."

Napailing naman si Ully. Gusto man niyang intindihan ang paliwanag ni Stella pero mali pa rin iyon para sa kanya. "Binantaan mo na nga si Chieftain Clements, nilason mo pa si Ed. Ano pa ba ang tinatago mo na hindi ko alam, Stels? Hindi na kita maintindihan."

"Hindi ko rin naman ginusto 'yon. Don't blame me for all the things I've done. Trabaho ang ipinunta ko rito at hindi ang makipagkaibigan sa mga bampirang iyon."

"Trabaho nga lang ba talaga? O handa ka na ring bitawan ako para lang gawin ang mga gusto mong gawin sa buhay?"

"Ully please... don't think about that. We'll talk tomorrow. Gusto ko ng magpahinga."

Napakunot na lamang si Ully at hinayaan si Stella na umayos sa pagkakahiga. Napansin naman nito nang tumalikod ay nahagip niya ang kakaibang bagay sa batok nito. Isa iyong simbolo na hindi niya alam kung bakit may gano'n si Stella. Para iyong tattoo. At kailanman ay hindi niya iyon nakita sa batok ng dalaga. It's a pentagram symbol. A star inside the circle.

Ibinalik na lamang ni Ully ang atensyon sa TV hangga't sa may kumatok sa pinto. Nagtaka naman siya kung sino ang mga iyon kaya dinaluhan niya at pinagbuksan ng pinto ang mga 'yon. Bumungad naman sa kanya sina Chloei at Keonne. Napakunot noo na lamang si Ully habang ineeksamina ang dalawa.

"Anong ginagawa niyo?" takang tanong ni Ully sa dalawa. "May kailangan ba kayo?"

Umiling si Chloei. "Wala. Wala kaming kailangan sa inyo but we're here just to inform you na ilalabas na namin ang una naming article about Freymount kaya sana handa rin kayo sa mga bala niyo. Our company will love our story so be ready to lose."

"Let's see," ngisi ni Ully. "Tingnan natin kung tamang tao nga talaga ang binabangga niyo."

Tumawa na lamang ang dalawa at saka bumalik sa kanilang room next to them. Napailing na lamang si Ully at sinarado nang pabagsak ang pinto.

***

They are coming...

A great reminder that every town wouldn't be able to avoid chaos. Because sooner or later, something will happen. The fact that this town lost its beacon of peace and prosperity, would they still be able to hold it longer? Because this town became the beacon of havoc. A big pandemonium is coming and destruction is inevitable.