As Elric crept closer to the glowing crater, the Manananggal silently hovered above, ready to pounce.
But then—she stopped mid-air.
"Ughhhmmmm~" she moaned, her grotesque face twisting in eerie pleasure.
She'd caught a scent—something far more tempting than Elric.
"This scent… Well, well, well," she purred. "Looks like tonight's not a total waste. Forget the human. I smell premium meat nearby."
Without a second glance at the boy below, the Manananggal flapped her massive wings and surged past him.
Wog—Wog—Wog—
The noise jolted Elric. He froze, knees shaking. He'd barely dodged death without realizing it—and now a lower-body-less, blood-soaked woman with massive black wings had just flown right over his head.
"Mananangg—!?" he nearly shouted, but his hand shot up to clamp his own mouth shut. Panic gripped his spine as he caught sight of the creature's writhing intestines and razor-toothed smile.
Yet… she hadn't noticed him.
Was he really just lucky? Maybe his muddy, rain-soaked sneakiness made him invisible to her senses. Or maybe she just didn't care.
Elric's survival instincts screamed: Run. Home. Now.
And he did turn—he really did—but then stopped.
"I came here to see a dragon," he whispered. "Now there's a Manananggal? What kind of fantasy crossover is this?"
He pinched himself. "Ouch!"
Nope. Not a dream.
He glanced at where the Manananggal had flown. She was heading toward the light—the same mysterious glow he'd chased for miles.
"Is she after whatever's glowing too?"
His brain waged war with itself.
Option A: Run home and pretend this night never happened.Option B: Grow a spine, investigate, and maybe get eaten.
"I gotta check it out," Elric whispered, breath short. "Even from a distance."
His fear was fading fast, replaced by overwhelming curiosity.
"If it's a dragon, and the Manananggal fights it… I need to see this."
But was it really a dragon?
He sprinted toward the source, heart hammering. The glow was dimming now, and strange shadows danced beyond the trees. Something—or several things—were moving.
"I have to hurry!"
Elric's feet pounded through mud, shoes sloshing with every step. His shirt clung to his skin, rain drenching him completely. Still, he pushed forward, eyes wide.
"Huh… huh… What the—?"
He finally reached the spot.
A large clearing, scorched and torn apart, lay ahead—clearly the impact zone. Without the mysterious light guiding him, he'd have never made it here.
And in the center, within a massive crater, was the shape of a girl.
Only… she wasn't fully visible. Most of her body was buried under cracked soil, like she'd fallen from the sky. But what was visible glowed—literally. Her skin shimmered like heated metal, steaming as if fresh from a forge.
Elric swallowed hard.
Was this the "dragon" he'd seen? Could it transform?
He ducked behind a tree, peeking cautiously.
"Maybe… she is the dragon," he whispered. "She crash-landed and turned human to soften the impact?"
Just then—
KYAAAAAH!GRAAAAAAH!
Elric's head snapped toward the sound.
Just meters away from the glowing girl, two monsters clashed.
A giant Kapre—tall as a van, dark-skinned, naked except for patches of moss—was swinging a tree trunk like a club.
In the air, darting around with wicked speed, was the Manananggal.
"RAAAAH! This girl mine! I find first!" the Kapre roared, swinging his club.
"Kyaaakheeii~ Over my missing lower body!" the Manananggal cackled, dodging and diving.
"I no let you touch her! She mine! Go away!"
"You dumb tree-hugger. She's food!"
In a flash, the Manananggal zipped behind the Kapre, dragging her sharp claws across his massive back. Blood sprayed as five deep wounds split open.
The Kapre bellowed. "RAAAAH! COME! I KILL YOU!"
"Catch me if you can, twig-boy!" she taunted, weaving between the trees.
The two monsters tore off into the forest, vanishing into the shadows, leaving behind only carnage and silence.
Elric stood, jaw slack, pants wetter than before.
"…A Kapre and a Manananggal just fought in front of me. Lola was right. I really need to stop playing Dota."
He shook himself. Breathe. Focus.
Now, with the monsters gone, the girl was alone—still unconscious in the crater.
His heart thumped harder.
This was his chance.
Time to save the girl.
But the question remained—
How?