Grace and Cynthia's desperate struggle to subdue Anita persisted, their bodies flung across the street time and again by her immense strength. Despite their unrelenting efforts, Anita's power proved too great to overcome. As they picked themselves up, Cynthia's concern for Princess Adaeze mounted.
"What do you mean, Adaeze is in danger?" Grace asked, her face etched with worry.
"Given what's happening to Anita, I believe our beautiful Princess might be in danger," Cynthia explained, her voice laced with urgency. "We have to find her, and quickly!"
Grace's response was skeptical. "Are you kidding? We have our hands full with Anita right now."
Cynthia nodded in agreement, her gaze fixated on the transformed woman before them. "That's true."
Just as they prepared to attempt restraining Anita once more, Samuel burst onto the scene, his presence commanding and powerful.
"Samuel?" Grace called out in surprise, her eyes wide with astonishment.
Samuel, however, wasted no time in springing into action. "Don't just stand there! Use the sleeping spray in my pocket to put her to sleep already!" he instructed
Spurred into motion, Grace quickly retrieved the spray from Samuel's pocket and unleashed it upon Anita's face, sending her into a deep slumber. As Anita's body slumped to the ground, Samuel turned to address the girls, his voice laced with urgency.
"Sammy, we need to get to Princess Adaeze, Chances are that-" Cynthia began, but Samuel completed her thought. "are that she has been transformed into a vampire too. Yes, you're right; the crimson moon is transforming people with O blood group into vampires, and Adaeze's blood group, sadly, is O."
The gravity of the situation settled upon Grace and Cynthia as they grappled with the reality of their discovery. Their expressions shifted; fear colouring their features as they realized Cynthia's suspicions had been correct all along.
"What are we waiting for? Let's find her! She could be rampaging anywhere!" Cynthia exclaimed, her voice edged with desperation.
Samuel, ever the voice of reason, remained composed. "Cynthia, calm down! Everything is under control, and Adaeze will be alright."
Cynthia's eyes searched Samuel's face, her voice pleading. "How can you be so certain?"
Samuel's response was nothing short of astonishing, sending shockwaves through the girls. "Because Ekene is with her as we speak!"
Grace and Cynthia stood frozen, their faces a mix of surprise and elation. Tears streamed down their cheeks as the weight of Samuel's revelation sank in.
"Wait, what do you mean Ekene is there with her?" Grace asked, her voice barely a whisper. "Ekene is dead!"
Samuel's explanation was matter-of-fact. "That's what we all thought, but we were wrong. According to him, he didn't die."
The girls erupted into a celebration, embracing each other as joy washed over them. Their hearts swelled with hope, their determination renewed by the knowledge that their friend was alive and fighting by their side.
Grace's eyes shone with excitement as she spoke. "Let's go and meet him, then!"
Samuel's response was pragmatic. "We will, but first, we must defeat the aliens and snakes attacking the humans here and put the vampires to sleep."
The girls nodded, their resolve unwavering.
"With Ekene alive, I'm invincible!" Grace declared, a wide smile on her face.
Cynthia mirrored her sentiment. "So am I!"
Samuel grinned, his excitement contagious. "Alright, let's go wild!"
"Right!" the girls chorused, their voices filled with determination and hope.
Samuel, Grace, and Cynthia fought side by side, their movements an intricate dance of calculated strikes and dodges. They also put unnumbered vampires to sleep. As they dispatched the last of the aliens and snakes, a sense of unity and accomplishment washed over them. Their shared trials had forged an unbreakable bond, their skills honed to a razor's edge through the crucible of battle.
Meanwhile, at the mountain, the confrontation between Ekene and Ikuku continued to escalate. Princess Adaeze, under the crimson moon's influence, launched a savage assault on Ekene, who dodged and weaved with precision. With concern etched on his face, Ekene turned to Ikuku, demanding an explanation. "What have you done to her?"
Ikuku's laughter echoed through the night air, a chilling cacophony filled with malice. He revealed the true nature of the crimson moon's spell, a twisted enchantment that granted him control over those with O blood group. "And it just so happened that your lover's blood group is O!" Ikuku gloated.
Ekene's eyes widened in shock and fury as Ikuku's words cut deep. "What did you say?" he asked, his voice laced with a dangerous edge.
Ikuku's response dripped with sadistic pleasure as he explained the two ways to break the spell – the caster's mercy or the caster's demise.
As Ekene listened to Ikuku and dodged Princess Adaeze's attacks, memories of his training sessions with Agu resurfaced, filling him with renewed determination. The path forward was clear, but the weight of the task before him bore down on Ekene's shoulders.
Ekene's eyes closed, and he was transported back to the familiar desert realm where he had trained with Agu, his otherworldly doppelganger. The memories flooded his mind as Agu's voice teased, "Ekene, the man who has captured the hearts of many ladies."
Ekene's brow furrowed. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Agu chuckled. "Let's count. Princess Adaeze, Cynthia, Grace…"
"Hey, don't even go there." Ekene interrupted, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment. "Those girls are just my friends."
"You're the only one who thinks that way," Agu countered.
"What do you mean?" Ekene asked, his curiosity piqued.
"Those girls really like you from the bottom of their hearts," Agu revealed, his tone sincere. "They wish you'd just summon the courage and ask them out. But our little cute prince is blind."
Ekene frowned, his arms crossed. "Agu, you should be training me, not giving me love advice."
Agu's expression grew serious, his words filled with wisdom. "I'm telling you about love because it's the most powerful weapon of all. Never underestimate the power of love."
As Ekene's eyes opened, Princess Adaeze's attacks intensified, each strike fueled by a primal fury. One powerful blow connected with Ekene's jaw, sending him flying and eliciting a sinister laugh from Ikuku.
"I bet you can't hit a girl," Ikuku mocked. "You never have, and you never will. That's why you will die here, Ekene."
Ignoring Ikuku's taunts, Ekene rose to his feet and approached Princess Adaeze, who prepared for another attack. As she lashed out, her fist connected with Ekene's face, causing him to wince in pain. But instead of retaliating, Ekene dropped his sword and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a tight embrace. His lips met hers in a long, passionate kiss.
"Haha." Agu, his otherworldly partner, chuckled from within Ekene's body, "Sweet! What a way to have your first kiss."
In that moment, Princess Adaeze's form began to change. Her claws and fangs receded, her hair reverting to its natural, lustrous state. The influence of the crimson moon seemed to wane, its hold on her diminishing.
Ikuku's eyes widened in disbelief as the scene unfolded before him. "The crimson moon is still activated," he mused. "How is she free from my control? What did you do, Ekene?!"
Just then, Grace appeared, her voice filled with relief as she called out, "Ekene!" She witnessed the tender moment between Ekene and Princess Adaeze before offering them a small, understanding smile. Without a word, she turned and walked away. Samuel watched her depart, his heart heavy with sympathy.
There is nothing as powerful as love...….