” HOW ARE YOU ABLE TO TOUCH ME AGAIN THIS TIME? ”
Mia yelled as soon as Jin placed one hand over her shoulder and flipped her gently down. Her entire body was shivering. It was the body’s automatic response to her previous experience.
” Mia! Calm down! I am not here to hurt you! I am not that beast! ”
His words rang as empty as the hollow of the tree trunk they were in.
” Mia I am sorry that I am having to do this by force. But I need to get that pendent out of you before heading back to the immortal world! ”
Mia wanted to take a step back but her back was already leaning against the wood.
” But… But you were sent flying… ”
” The pendant mistook me and my intention as belonging to the beast. It took a moment to adjust! … Mia now I will need you to lay down. Let me start the process already. We don’t want to be more delayed than we already are! ”
Mia had no other option. She had to head back to her son in the earliest. Over powering this being was out of question. Surrendering was the only option.
” Thank you! ”
Jin waved his hands and Mia’s body was levitating in the air. White thread like fibres started coming out from all the sides . It looked like some fine spiders web. The fibres moved slowly but steadily untill it wrapped itself all around Mia’s body.
” Ummm, Uncle… Uncle Jin… What exactly is happening? ”
” These are the fibres of the Tree of Knowledge. It will help me pass my remaining soul essence inside the pendant. Then I will be able to pull it out. It is a bit slow but it is painless. Please bead with me a little! ”
” Is there a painful process that is faster? I am running out of time! ”
Mia’s voice was full of desperation.
” There is. But it will still take some time and the pain is way too much! ”
” I am fine by that. Even seconds matter. It’s about my baby boy. Please do the one that takes the least time. ”
Jin looked hesitant. But he understood the urgency that Mia was facing.
” Alright Mia. Place this between your teeth. ”
He handed a wooden branch in her hand.
” What is this for? ”
” To stop you from biting your own tongue in pain! ”
After she positioned it nicely Jin went toward, facing her face to face.
” I will be baring the Wolf inside me and dig inside your flesh at the centre of the pendant. I will close my eyes with this cloth, ” He showed her the one he had torn from his own dress before blindfolding himself.
” My claws will act as a medium and my essence will flow from myself inside the pendant but… ”
” But you will have to bear the pain till the end. It will be quick but if terminated prior completion, it will be get very complicated. It might take ages to reverse the process after that!”
Mia nodded. She understood how grave was the situation.
Mia watched as Jin’s hands and limbs started modifying. She had never witnessed such phenomenon. It was a spectacle in itself. It was like each bone in his limbs were breaking before reforming itself. She had self taught herself to bare her fangs and claws. But that was very different from a transformation in the original form.
She was with awe mixed with a little fright.
His eyes were behind the blindfold so there was no telling how it looked from the outside.
He plunged those massive wolf claws inside Mia’s chest. The branch she was biting on to sure had a very important role to play.
The pain was so severe that she could have easily chewed off her tongues and lips without even realising. Her body was yelling to tear out of the trap. Physically it might have been possible but she was stopping herself consciously. Constantly.
It might have been just a few minutes but it felt to Mia like hours. But she dared not ask how much longer or the time.
Jin suddenly started pulling his claws out and then gave a loud howl looking up into nothing.
A thin filament of white discharge floated towards the wound dug open by his nails. It swept inside and with a mighty jolt, pulled something dig deep inside Mia’s flesh.
” Aaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh! ”
Mia let out a blood crawling yell. It was much much more painful than everything that had already happened.
But then within a moment she saw something shiny floating out.
Jin was back to normal.
” Mia you see the pendant, don’t you? Grab it. Quick. Grab it before it gets misplaced. ”
Mia followed instruction.
She pulled her outer cloak over herself. Her wound was already starting to heal it self.
” I got it , ” She yelled sitting up.
Jin opened his blind fold and came rushing towards her. Moa extended the pendant towards him.
Jin smiled, ” This body has its own limitation. I cannot touch or yield the power of this pendant all by myself. ”
The look Mia gave him was out of this world.
” Did you trick me again? Did you not say we would be able to save my baby with this pendant ‘ s help? ”
” Mia, you are getting me wrong again. I did not say this pendant will help save your child. I said we will go save him after we get hold of this. Beside, we will need back up to get inside the more kingdom. Not all of us are able to breathe underwater easily like yourself. ”
” Then why did you need the pendant for! ”
Mia’s voice was still rebellious.
” We need to take it to Nanako. I will need her help to bring an end to our curse forever. With this pendant ‘s help. “