Euphoria placed her paw over Echo's bullet wounds. "Damn it!" Echo grunted, wincing in pain. Euphoria rolled her eyes and pressed harder on the wound. "Be quiet! I'm trying to focus on healing your wounds, boy!" she snapped.
"Go screw yourself!" Echo yelled, banging his fist against the wall. Euphoria shot a glance at Sasha and Leo. "As I was trying to say… the code… Leo is a code. The code is someone who can unlock unimaginable powers. I must find a worthy successor—one who can handle this power. So far, Leo is close," she explained.
Sasha ran her hand through her hair in frustration. "Okay, so… jinns are spirits? Like, evil spirits?" she asked.
Leo nodded slowly. "Why do you have the power to activate the code?" Echo inquired.
Euphoria froze, her gaze dropping. "To be honest, boy, I'm not sure. Jinns usually struggle with memories. Only in death do we reclaim them. However, the weapon I can grant Leo… it comes from the original jinn slayer."
Leo's eyes widened. "You mean… like the first-ever jinn slayer?"
"Yes," Euphoria confirmed.
She finished healing Echo's knees and settled near the window, the bright moonlight streaming in. "Euphoria," Leo said, rising to approach the massive jinn. "I'm willing to learn."
Euphoria looked down at him, her brow raised. "Now you're willing? Why's that?" She chuckled.
Leo smacked his lips in frustration. "Euphoria, these jinns have plotted against me. They've killed innocent people—my wife and child in this version. They manipulate and destroy! All the nexuses they fear something you can provide. Let us have a fighting chance, Euphoria! It won't be long before they come for us. When they do, you won't be able to fight alone. Give me a chance at this. Is there no humanity left in you? Do you have—"
"ENOUGH, LEO!" Euphoria roared, her voice shaking the room. Leo's energy flared around him as he locked eyes with her.
"Euphoria," he said, his tone cold. Euphoria met his gaze and saw nothing but a dark, cold void. "I'm so angry that I can't stand it. I'm not asking anymore. I'm telling you to give me the weapon. Let's activate the code and end this."
Euphoria's expression shifted, her resolve faltering. "That… is not an option," she replied, pushing Leo aside.
The creature loomed menacingly on a nearby tree branch. "Euphoria, do you want to die?!" Echo shouted.
"I barely know what's going on, but I can tell you're a pain in the ass with this! Just use the damn weapon and let's see what happens. If we die, you can just find another code, right?" Echo insisted.
Euphoria looked down, deep in thought. "Damn you, humans," she whispered.
******
Astor soared through the air, the glowing lights of traffic beneath him. He glanced back, spotting a massive black cloud looming in the distance. "You've got to be shitting me!" he yelled, diving headfirst toward Bella and Duce. "Auughhhh!!!!!" he grunted as he landed between them, causing a massive explosion. Bella shielded her face with her arms as the dust cleared, revealing that Duce, Astor, and the crowd had vanished. Bella turned, realizing the people further up the road were still with her. "He only saved the ones down here? I'll let these insects live for now. I've already traced Leo's location."
Bella raised two fingers to her mouth and whistled sharply. A massive figure flew silently through the sky.
******
Astor tore through the forest like a meteor, crashing hard and practically tossing Duce off him. "What are you doing?! I had that situation under control!" Duce yelled, scrambling to regain his footing.
Astor stood, limping toward the large tower in the distance, his coat torn and a massive wound marring his left arm. "This has become a heavy-hitter mission. These jinns are smart and have planned something. And to make matters worse… I've found out two things, Duce."
"Okay, what's the problem?" Duce asked, concern etched on his face.
Astor hesitated before answering. "They have an even stronger beast with them. I can't defeat it. We could call in a heavy-hitter, but they won't reach this place in time. Second… apparently, these jinns are all low-level threats."
Duce nearly fell over in shock. He dropped to one knee. "You're kidding, right? There's no way these things are low-level! They have the strength and power of high-level jinns! The female I fought was stronger than me!"
"Believe me, Duce. Whatever's special about that man, the jinns fear it. We must use that power to end this," Astor explained.
Duce rushed over to help Astor walk properly. "What jinn did this to you?! I was worried, sir."
Astor fixed his gaze on Duce. "That was no jinn. That was a monster…" he said, his voice cracking slightly.
******
The creature slowly approached the tower, stopping a few yards back. "LEO!!!" it bellowed, its voice shaking the entire structure.
"Leo, don't do this. This plan is stupid!" Echo pleaded.
Leo shook his head. "It's our only shot. Besides, I left the damn rope." He opened the door, hands raised in a gesture of calm. "I'm right here. You don't need to harm anyone else."
The creature smiled, circling Leo like a predator. "You're here alone?" it asked in a dark, menacing tone.
"Truthfully, no. It's just those two humans you saw with me," Leo replied.
"That's a lie!" the creature snarled, moving closer. "I smell her! Bring me… EUPHORIA!!!" it roared. "I was created to kill her! I won't let the master down."
Leo's mind raced. What did it mean by "master"?
*So, it's a male being—the one who created this creature. I'll assume Bella is also working with him. Is it just the two of them? Or is this a group effort?*
"You don't have to follow orders. There's still a way to end this. What if I told you there was a way to possibly kill the one who made you?" Leo proposed.
The creature tilted its head. "I was built for this. It's programmed, Leo. Just think about what you humans do!"
Leo began to step closer. "Listen… I'm trying to give you a chance here. Walk away, and we'll figure this all out."
"Figure what out?" the creature asked, its body tensing.
"How we're going to save the woman trapped inside you. You seem to be a parasitic host. It might even be too late. However, there's always a way," Leo urged.
At that moment, the creature surged toward Leo. "NOW!!" Leo yelled as the windows above opened. Echo and Sasha hurled a powdery substance that burned the creature. It roared in pain, frantically wiping its face.
Euphoria emerged from behind the creature, sinking her teeth into its shoulder. The creature howled, tossing her aside. Euphoria used her claws to catch herself, spinning to face the massive jinn. She spread her wings and unleashed a powerful roar.
The creature struggled to see, the substance affecting its vision. "Damn humans!" it growled. Euphoria spotted Sasha and Leo retreating into the forest behind the creature. "You better have a good plan, boy. The only reason I'm helping is because I know I can grant you… the weapon," Euphoria whispered.
Next chapter: The weapon 2.
In 3 days