Currently, a girl and Black are tied to a pole in back-to-back position with the pole between them. Vines are used to tie their bodies.

Both of them has lost their arm on the right and left side respectively. They are very weak due to loss of blood. They look so weak that they don’t seem like able to open their eyes. To lessen blood loss, the arms are wrapped with the brown clothes.

The sketch of a giant bird-like demon is drawn on the poles using their blood.

Besides, the body of a giant crow-mok is placed on the table, right to Black or left to the girl. Its body is tied to the table using vines. The edge of the table ends at its chest. Its head is straightened using a vine that extends from the top of the pole. It looks like the crow-mok is looking into the night sky. Although the crow is alive, it is too injured to fight for its survival. It can barely move. Moreover, its wings has been broken. So, it is impossible for it to escape.

A blood circle is drawn on the ground with the three of them in the center. The circle is not a huge one. It is just enough to encircle the pole and the table. Along the line of that circle, firewood, as well as dry leaves are placed in an orderly fashion.

Four people are standing surrounding the circle while one is standing in the circle between the two humans and the giant crow-mok. Not too far from them, 5 dog-moks are sitting quietly.

Rey, Brick and I are in the bush outside the range of their sense as well as the dog-moks.

“Rey, are you ready?” I asked.

“At my best possible condition” he answered.

“Brick, are you ready?” I asked again.

Without talking, he just nodded. It seems all three of us are ready for the operation “rescue love birds”.

Looking at the sacrificial ground, I am waiting for the moment they would start the ceremony, the perfect time to surprise-attack those people and save Black and the girl. I wish they start soon because I’m worrying that Black and the girl will die of blood loss.

Soon, the five of them started reciting some prayers in unison.

“O the Great Nethyn, the sun in the sky states it is the savor of the world since it gives light to living things. O the Great Nethyn, the moon in the sky states it is the savor of the world since it gives peace to the living things. O the Great Nethyn, these things are obstructing your noble procedure of destruction and creation. O the Great Nethyn, we, the followers of Nethynism gives the life of these two humans and the giant crow-mok’s lives as well as the blood of anithyn as a sign of support to your noble procedure. O Great Nethyn, with your eternal mercy, please, bless the anithyn with great strength.”

They are repeating the prayers times and times again. After 9 times of reciting the prayers, the one in the circle, take the dagger tied on his waist. The four people also take their own daggers. Then, the four surrounding the circle no longer recite the prayer. Only the one in the circle continue reciting. After a single time reciting alone, he stopped reciting.

He raised his dagger and, with his dagger, he stab his left arm which is not the hand holding the dagger. He paused for a while. Then, he recites the prayers again. He take the dagger out of his arm. Then, he stabs the dagger into the giant-crow’s chest in the place where the heart is supposed to be. The dying giant crow-mok, exhaled its last breath. Taking out the dagger, he moved to the pole where Black and the girl are tied to.

At that moment, the four surrounding the circle stab their arms with their daggers. And they recite the prayer along with the one in the circle once again. Then, the person in the circle stabs his left arm again. There is sign of pain on his face. Blood is flowing from his left arm.

From my perspective, it looks kind of silly to see someone stabs himself again and again. But it is their sacrificial ceremony after all.

After another round of prayer, the person in the circle was about to stab Black in his chest,

“Now,” as soon as I command, Brick and Rey immediately use soul fusion and jumped to the sacrificial ground like a real highJump. I hope they can hold on the four surrounding the circle for some time since I have to deal with the one in the circle and save Black and the girl.

And this all started because of Black’s mistake. It can be said that his biggest mistake in the whole life.

----- ----- ----- ----- -----

Before we reach the border between the white star wood and the starry desert, we discussed with the riders how to hunt it.

Riders’ first suggestion was to go for the crow-moks nest. They wanted to annihilate every single crow-mok they see. But we don’t know how many crow-moks there are in their nest. Besides, crows on earth are social creature. They always help their comrades. They are really united. I’m not sure about the giant crow-moks in the soul world. But I don’t want to risk our life because of their desire, neither both Rey and Brick.

Their second suggestion was to hunt the crow when they are hunting their prey such as wood lizard-mok. It is acceptable. But how do we hunt it while we are on ground and they are in air. I don’t see them landing on the ground before and after the hunt. They dive and swoop up the prey and then fly back to their nest. Without ranged weapons such as arrows and bow, I don’t think this idea is feasible.

They suggested so many things unfeasible. One of their suggestion is that Black use his high jump skill to jump high and slice the crow with his sword. It really is ridiculous. Most of their suggestions lead to mutual destruction. Both the crow and our group hurt each other in their way of doing. Although Black does not reject, due to the three of us, their suggestion never becomes our plan.

And finally, Black suggested a method approved by everyone. We will hunt the giant crow-mok using decoy. One of us will serve as the giant crow-mok’s prey. When it swoops up, the prey will immediately use his weapon to injure its body, (wing would be the best position) so it would not be able to fly anymore. Then, all of us will fight it on the ground.

But Brick and I only have pointed bones while Rey doesn’t have a single external weapon. He only has his two mok-souls.

“How daring to work with us with such little experience and such few mok souls” Trigger ridicules us.

Although we don’t like his way of speaking, we said nothing about it. We just ignored it. It is better to act weak in the face of potential enemies. We are after all in their eyes, just side kicks, Black prepared.

Black also said we don’t need to do much in hunting the giant crow-mok. Our roll is only to help him kidnap Glyph, his girlfriend.

In the end, the one to act as the decoy is Black himself since he won’t get injured even if he drops from 5 or 6 meters above. He is the perfect candidate to lure the giant crow-mok and drag it down to the ground. It looks like Black has expected this outcome. He accepted without any complain.

“Are you really okay with this?” Glyph asked caringly.

“I absolutely am. For the sake of my goal, I will risk everything I have” Black replied looking into Glyph’s eyes, “if it even means death.”

The other 4 riders looked the two and said nothing. May be there is something between the two? They might be thinking.

“Cank, Rey and Brick, help me fight the crow-mok when its wings are injured. Its elephant sized body is really strong. Work with the other five. Observe their behavior well and cooperate.” it seems he is prepared to kidnap Glyph as soon as the chief’s son get his mok-soul.