The Land In Between

C H A P T E R 3 8

"You only wanted her for the security she gave you, so why..." Amihan glares, "Why did you come back for her?" The stalemate was terrifying, and the barrier Amihan put up slowly began to weaken. But he kept his nerve, and eventually Manisilat folds her arms. "I don't have to explain myself to you."

"You should, after all...I was not the one who left her in the woods to die." Manisilat lunged, eyes anger filled and incredibly deadly. Internally, Amihan hated this. He was never one for provocation and was always taught to respect whichever entity was willing to work with him. Somehow, little by little, he's losing it when it comes to Manisilat.

He dodges and brings out his arnis. Luckily enough, he remembered some of Manisilat's movements due to seeing Likha's memory of her. He avoids her hands, uses his arnis as a way to distance himself from her, knowing that she could read him as soon as she touches him. It was a pain and a half to keep avoiding and dodging, where he needed.

'A little more, just a little more...'

Amihan moves to the side, touches the barrier and feels its energy. 'It's enough!' He raises a fist, high and proud, as the barrier stretches thinner and moves upwards. It sends Manisilat through a loop and off her feet, before Amihan slams his fist down and the barrier collapses on Manisilat.

Alab still floats safely and immediately moves towards Amihan, as Amihan concentrates on the energy in his hand, forming it into a ball forcefully before eventually crushing it with all his might. "For the good of all, and harm of none, the Ritual is sealed and the Binding is done."

Binding?...What 'Binding'? Alab asks. Amihan looks down on his hands, "I am of mainline descent in the Alliance." The soul bristles, but Amihan moves the conversation along. "I am also the son of a Babaylan. It is in my blood that I can't form Contracts, so this is as close as we can get. Manisilat never considered the fact that this isn't a Contract, even if we did present it as one."

His eyes trail to Manisilat, whose body is heaving heavily on the floor and as her head rises, her hair grows out streaks of white. Her eyes were wide, grasping at her hair as she looked at Amihan. "My energy wasn't enough for someone as strong as a Divinity, so I had to make her lash out at times just so she'd release the extra I needed." He bows cordially, "Hello Manisilat, I've never properly introduced myself. I am Amihan, and I am not your servant."

Manisilat curls her lip, "What have you done?!" Amihan lifts his shoulders before relaxing them with an exhale, "I've done all I can do, I cannot form a Contract with you. I can only form a Binding wherein you essentially become a spirit guide of sorts to help me." The Divinity wobbly shakes before trying to move on her own two feet, "You've...you've tricked me!" The human shakes his head, "I did not, I have been honest this entire time. You still have control over my body if you wish, and this soul is still yours if you want it." Amihan gestures towards Alab by his shoulder. He fixes his posture, and hopes he looks like the shadow of a Lord he once was. "However, if you continue to abuse your power over me, it is within my ability to remove the Binding and by extension...the removal would destroy you. If a spirit guide fails in its job, it has no use anymore and must be returned to the Universe."

There is one thing in Manisilat's eyes right now, and that is fear. The moment Amihan mentioned that she could be destroyed, she felt something creeping down her spine, in a more sinister way than any of her snakes. 'No...No, no, no, NO, NO! I did not become a Divinity only to have to become the lower end of the sword! NO! HOW DARE THIS HUMAN!'

"Yes...How dare I?" Amihan says and Manisilat is stunned. "You...how could you hear my thoughts?!" The human presses his lips tight before moving forward, Alab following by his side. He stops a few steps in front of Manisilat before answering, "You have control over my body, but since you are my spirit guide...I can borrow your abilities too." Manisilat levels him, even as she slowly feels her control over the situation loosen. "But you aren't touching me, how would you even..."