It was all fun and games inside de La Casa Madrigal of Encanto ever since Mirabel found a new foundation of its hidden secret. Thay candle that became the symbol of peace and destruction has been passed down to Mirabel as she and Isabella have finally reconciled and left of their past behind. Dolores found her very special someone and is now taking some small baby steps towards their new relationship. Abuela Alma had already forgave herself for everything, willing to redeem herself back to the person her late-husband fell in love with. And finally, Luisa and the rest of the family finally got the break they all deserved every once in a while.
Nevertheless, the Madgrigals have discovered a way to support one another through any issue without overly depending on their own strength. Bruno should not be overlooked. With Pepa and Julieta taking care of him once more to regain each other's confidence, he's living in a much better environment within the La Casa. Alright... Everyone except for Camilo...
He bid his goodbye to his mami as he and his cousins carried their own boxes filled of things they need for the children. "Be careful tonight, 'Milo! Abuela wants you all back by dawn!" Peps reminded as she shove her rain cloud towards the closet. "Si, Mami! We'll hold unto that!" he exclaimed before Mirabel dragged him with the rest of his cousins who were rushing in deep excitement for their first sleepover with the rest of the children in the center of the village under the night sky.
You might wonder what's going on... Well, let's then proceed to the story...
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Long ago, before the candle became a gift, and before the encanto was built, someone else owns the forest... A family of guardians who look after the place and the ones who got lost or ran away from their home were found here. No roof to lend their heads, no caves to stay in, no fruit or food are on sight to quench their hunger and thirst. Just the guardians circled around them as statues to asked them questions about the nature.
If one answers correctly, only shall that person gets to stay and will be served by the guardians themselves on their needs for a week before your decision to either leave or be at their service as one of them. If one got it wrong, thou shall be cursed as one of the monsters in the forest who will haunt you for the rest of the night. They hid behind the darkest part that not even a flame or light could ever reach.
Until a hunter that goes by the name Fernando Merceles became one of its common victims for harming the nature. He then begged to stay for the night before the guardian asked him the same question similar to the previous passerby's who failed to answer or left uncertain.
"A drop of seed... somewhere in the high mountains of Selidaneh where hunger shall vanquished, but grief shall consume one's loss. And clouds will parted a rain to stir them well. As hard to hold, but easy to loose. A measure of your love that is sweet as honey, but sometimes for bitter or for worse..."
They gave him three chances.
"Is it a friend?" He said.
Wrong...
"A heartbreak?"
Wrong...
"E-Emotions?"
Wrong...
And just like that, vines appeared from below and started pulling him to the deepest part of terra.
"Whoa! Whoa! WAIT A MINUTE! That escalated too quickly—First off, c-creepy... And second, can we just PLEASE go to the best part, Camilo?! I know you are basically the best tell-tale teller here in the encanto, but I've been itching to know more than just horror!" Mirabel complained and one of the kids agreed with her while slumping on his sleeping bag. All them are all circled around the fountain to listen to the story that their brunette friend of all friends was telling about.
"Patience, Mirabel. It might not be his birthday, but tonight is as special as it is. Because... Today's the same day when the town gives the Madrigal family a celebration to return the favor!" Mariano summon up with a gleeful smile, proudly defending his future brother-in-law despite the shapeshifter not really needing any cover.
"And this is the part where it gets better–"
"Are you telling the story or am I?" Camilo sassed at the two couples with his usual smirk of mischief with a little bit of sarcasm before the kids started bombering him more questions about what happens next. While some wanted to hear something else. "Ok ok! I have other stories and legends to tell, so no need to grow bore—"
"Same old guardians who has no way of living besides pulling people 6 feet below and let the magic do the working, big deal! Abuela Alma had told us about this story during the Dia De Los Muertos! I wanna hear something new, please~" A little girl name Cecilia mentioned as she got closer and sat next to him.
That got him thinking as he holds his chin and look up in the sky. That's when an idea hit him before he grabbed his guitar from Mariano that was trying to dazzle Dolores. "I suppose I have one story that no one ever heard about... Not even mi hermana~" he said, eyeing his sister who frowns at him, not trusting his statement one bit. For she knows every gossip going on in Encanto. "Don't believe me? I suspect that much, but I'm positively sure that none of you know THIS story.... Can anyone tell me what the story of 'The Girl in the Moon' was all about?" he questioned, but only received a tilt of confusion from his audience.
"About the girl and a moon? Was it from the kingdom outside the encanto?"
"No"
"Is it about a girl born in the moon?"
"No"
"Is this a tragic love story?"
"Not even close"
"Does it have a connection with the guardian stories you were talking about?!"
"Hm. Sort of..."
"Tell us! Tell us! Tell us!" They little ones begged as they pulled him down by his hand and shirt closer to their faces to hear about it before Camilo turned to Luisa for a second and made a loud stomp, enough to get the kids to sit back down before transforming back to himself and apologize in the neighborhood for disturbing their sleeps.
"Ahh~ It's a perfect night! La Niña De La Luna... Mi princesa..." He beamed with a sigh between his smile before the kids' voices died down when he starts to play the strings from his guitarra. They were now more interested to know about this princesa that Camilo was talking about. He slowly sat down on the fountain seats as he plays a sweet melody while they scooch near his presence. He looks up at the fountain statue before he begun to tell the story,
"There's a girl from long ago
She has a gift that no one knows
Guides you safe in your dreams
And fought the monsters we all feared
She brings the light in the dark
Ignite a flame of hope we touch
We all shun her in her night
Before we woke up—left her behind
La Niña De La Luna~
Myths foretold she seeks for hate
In your room, you feel unsafe
In a gift that's seals your fate
She will rise to hold you tight
Then whispers that it'll be alright
Aaaahh~
Chant with me through the night,
Bring my princess back to life
Seek her goals and she won't lie
Amend the faults we all have hide
For the prophecy she holds,
'By the full moon, let my children be mine~'
He sang as they silently listen with wonder in their gazes while looking in the bright full moon above them. Meanwhile, the Madrigals got weirded out and just realize how big and close the moon actually was in their city. Especially Luisa, she's getting the heebie-jeebies. As for Dolores, since when did Camilo talks about a tale with such tender eyes? Mirabel can feel herself starting to feel the same familiar curiosity that got her in so much trouble before slapping herself out of that idea. Knowing that this is Isabella's first time outside the La Casa, she began to get interested too.
"When she have come and found a way
She was praised, feast with silver plates
But when a toast for life was made
THEY have come and locked her in a cage
When the dawn is raise, she was gone
Another day for us has begun
Feast and work, unaware
Of the beauty that disappeared
La Niña De La Luna~
La Niña De La Luna~
Aaaahh~
Dolores found herself shivering in the story that was supposed to be innocent. Somethings sounds so wrong with it. Mirabel too as she glanced at their surroundings. Nothing looks wrong, yet she feels like there's one.
Chant with me through the night,
Bring my princess back to life
Seek her goals and she won't lie
Amend the faults we all have hide
By the prophecy she recites,
'By then, let my children be mine'
Ahhhh~ (Mine~)
'Let my children be mine~'
By the time Camilo finished, most of the kids are already fast asleep and that includes Cecilia and Antonio in his lap head to head and Mariano in Dolores' as he smiles at the bright moon that gave them light. Graciás, mi princesa... For parting the clouds and give us light, always... However, his primas are still awake, almost hugging each other to death. "What?" He started as he put down his guitarra. "Where did you heard that? I don't think even our mama and papa, or even our Tio and Tia knows about it..." Dolores asked uneasily. Of all people, it was Camillo who first knew about the tale of the Girl in the Moon before her.
This guy is a big jokester—it couldn't be true...
He gave her a dumbfounded look for a second before he bursts out laughing, but not too loud to wake up the others. "Wow! Does my made-up tale really sound that believable? Relax, it's nothing to worry about!" He comforted before he shove his body in his sleeping bag.
"How is that made up if the Girl In the Moon was ever a real story?" Mirabel joined in, making Camilo jolt up at her sudden presence next to him before he sighed in relief when it was just her. "It's not. I just have a wild imagination. Because~ That's what it takes to be tale-teller. You need to make the story sounds believable because it's mostly based on a real-life maiden who indeed receded from the day. Now go to sleep. We all have a big day tomorrow—"
"Oh not you don't. Not just yet, primo. I want to know what happens to the niña. You said about being locked in a cage when they found her and by sunrise, she disappeared with the townspeople, oblivious and ignorant about her absence. Why is that? Did they use some kind of spell and banished her to the moon for committing something? Or was that she betrayed them to get those answers? Tell me, tell me, tell me—" Isabella wondered while shaking him vigorously, enough to get him dizzy before successfully pushing her off of his personal space.
"The guards caged her up... chain her body in the bars... then throw her at the deepest part of the lake of who-knows-where and died right on the spot during the night by drowning. The End. Now can I please go to sleep?" He pleaded before pulling the covers over his head and ignore his now speechless primas. "That doesn't even sound real—Come on, 'Milo~" Before Isabella can even pull him back awake, Luisa spoke up, "Let him catch up some shut-eye. Entertaining kids and helping out the adults all day can be more tiring than lifting weights"
"Hmph!"
"Hmm... Girl In The Moon... where have I heard that before..." Mirabel heard Dolores mumbled and only perked her interest more as they stare at the white glowing full moon.
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Before the sunrise came out to greet the Encanto, Camilo was the only person who is wide awake to star-gaze at the moon that is slowly disappearing to bring forth the daylight. He woke up in the middle of the night when he heard voices whispering in his ears from the woods. Strange. That was Dolores' magic... He attempted to wake her up to inquire if she had heard anything, but she only said that he might've just gotten a bad dream. He was unable to fall asleep and spent the entire night awake, not believing a word she said. Gradually, he looked around to take a look on his surroundings. He noticed a blue-purple flame next to the trees, but it quickly vanished as the wind blew out their light. The sound of crickets and animal howls could then be heard.
You're watching us, aren't you... Arnaldo... he thought with full guard as he watch the dark forest swallow the floating flames that was made by 'her' to guide the lost kids to Encanto. They were in the center village. How is he able to visualize the dark creepy forest from this range?
He is not Dolores...
Nor his Tio Bruno...
So why won't it stay silent on his ears? Camilo finally decided to left his camping bag and decided to check it out with a nearby candle lamp gripped on his right hand. Once he reached outside the village bridge, the noise got louder.
Why can't Dolores hear any of this? Is the forest unaffected by her powers? No, it can't be. She can hear anyone from miles away! Just like that split mountain! He mentally argued with his mind before he saw the mists appearing right under his foot, then a trail leading him somewhere.
"What are you trying to tell me?" He wondered as his feet slowly move towards that direction. As he entered the forest, it was darker than how he remembered. His eyes are practically blind from the dark. The forest trees started to swift as the wind blows their leaves and branches. The only light around him are the mist and his lamp. Camilo stumbled a few times from the tree trunks at the lack of of light as the tall trees have covered the moonlight.
A distant howl made things more nerve-wracking as he clutched into his ruana for extra warmth from the sudden cold winds attacking his petite figure. Soon, he was led to a small glowing pond with the moonlight directed towards it.
"Lean closer..." The boy's body tensed up, more alerted in realization as his legs froze, afraid to get pulled down by someone or drown when a strange voice called for him. It's a mixture of a man and woman. He made a wrong decision to follow the mist, but the voice stops him when he plans to walk away.
"I won't hurt you, mi cariño... I am the Reflection and I brought you here for a reason..." they said as he turn his head over his shoulder back to the unmoving pond. "A r-reason?" He repeated as his eye move around for answers.
"Yes. You have been chosen as her last children of the night. Many kids who knows the story have stopped believing while some have forgotten because of HIS nightmares that keeps haunting them every night. But you, my boy... Despite tasting his wrath to control his night terrors, you never left her behind... Now, come closer and I'll show you... Don't be afraid of me. I'll protect you from Arnaldo..." Their voice were kind and gentle as a few swinging vines give him a little push before he cautiously sat down on his knees next to water.
This is impossible. Maybe I'm going crazy...
"What do you see, Camilo?" They asked as he lean to the water and see his reflection.
"I see... me..." he hesitated as he felt the reflection growing a bit blurry.
Most of the time, his room mirrors never showed him his own real form. That's because his memories are all jumbled up to remember who he was. But the reflection from the water was enough for him to breathe and reassures him that they know what he really looks like. Does he actually look like this? Since when did he have freckles? Was his nose always this big?
"That's right. My boy, what you see is what you'll meet. You are the chosen creator of her story. And this story you must seek... So watch and listen very carefully..." Camilo had the urge to just nod before he slowly lean to his reflection again. The unmoved water in the pond slowly swirls around his vision before a moving image appeared. A girl with thin, yet long straight hair that reaches her waist with her arms raised gracefully as she dance around her flowly dress that almost matches Isa's, but with a bit of Dolores's top and without the flowers. Her form was just like Camilo's.
"Her name was Jacinta... An ordinary girl who lived in a village, just outside this town. She was known for her beauty and grace in dancing and was known to be the only fair maiden to be born with a blessing. As long as she keeps on dancing her heart out, her village will never grow famished and parched, giving her the name 'Luciana'. She grew up with a wholesome family and taught her everything with kindness and compassion. With a gift so endearing, it's not surprising for Arnaldo's eyes to catch interest of the beauty like the rest of her suitors, but only for the fair maiden to also refuse his declaration and compare the amount of love she felt on the joy she brings forth to the children. 'I long for my lover, but I have to wait. An act so true will seal my fate...'" he watches the small waves of the water form her figure and expression before seeing an enraged lord growing bitter and furious from the rejection. Camilo flinch back when the water suddenly turn black as ink, telling him that this is the part where it gets bad.
The vision grew worse when he forces her to come with him and set a deal to give her a better life, but only to be rejected again. When midnight came, she was abducted. The dark swirling pool passed forward all the events happening with the torture and manipulation she went through. They made the maiden dance endlessly with chains to entertain his own people as her own. Her hair had been cut off short and body got a bit boney. It then reached to the part where she had to seduced them out of her will. They starved her, assaulted her, shame her own figure before she could even get her chance to escape. She soon found a spell that can end everyone's suffering as she returns back to her home. Her people welcomed her back with best hospitality. She then announced a toast to begin her plan, but before can do so, the guards broke down the door and caged her for this so called 'treason'.
That's Camilo's cue to slowly backed away from the pond in horror when the tale he story-tell the kids are flashing right before his eyes. At that moment, a black liquid shoot out of the water and went directly towards to grab his wrist, but only for the near tree to end up breaking when they sprout their branches to secure him from getting pull in the black water. "Go. Run into the light, Camilo... He's coming. Find Luciana and bring her back..." The Pond of Reflection warned before an object shoot right out for him from the water to catch. A moon stone crystal that is shape like a heart before it starts to glow from his palm.
"D-Don't I get a w-word out of this?!"
"Go. Go and finish her story. She chose you..."
"But w-why me?! W-What do I have that my family don't?!"
The pond didn't answer him back before his eyes dilated at the sight of the moonlight getting covered by a black fog. At the same time, he caught the same mist giving him a way out of this place. He wasted no time to process what's happening before shoving the stone inside his pocket and ran as fast as he can back to the city.
After such foolishness, he definitely needed to see his Tio Bruno. Soon after, he was startled by a sudden, evil chuckle that seemed to be coming from behind him.
"̸̧̡̡̨̰̭͈͖͖̼̭̗̹̩̜̽̈́͐̆̎͛͝͝ͅǦ̴̥̰̞̼̗͓͖̤͓̂͗̈́̐̀͂̏̽̾͐͝͠i̵̧̞̳͚̰̗̩͎̹̤̓̆̿͌͆͗̍̈͌̾͒v̵̧̖̭̯͚̬̳͚̝̫͗͊̈́̍̃͆̃̾́̂̽̊̑͆͘ĕ̶̛̛̛͚͚͔̻̼̈́̍͋̽̈́̿̌͂̈́̀̈́̓̄̊̚͘͜ ̵̼̠̖̅͒͛͆̉̓̓̐͑̏͛̅̏̈́̚͝͝͠m̶̡̛̯̥͈̗̝̲̘̼̞̖̜̺̝̼̯͍̦͙͛̾͛̋̿͝ͅë̷̛̛̟̗̭̤́̽̀̔́̀͒́̀̒̋̈́̽́͑̕̚ ̵̹̞̖̹͓̥͔̖̘̠̼͎͖̜̺͓̪̜̱̳͑̂̄̒̽̅́̚b̴̧̛̻̪̮͙̬̖̩͚̯̻̻͇̙̥́̅̓̆̀̈́̿̂͂͒̄͋͗͘͜a̵̧̢̱̫̠̟̹̗͑͒̍̆̍̋́̈́̈́̐͂̽̓̔̈́̏̕͘̕̚͝c̴̨͔̦̠̩͙̞̮̬̗̈͐̀̂́͋̄̿̂̂͗̕̚͜k̸̨̢̰͉͎̞͈̲̝̙͈͚̟̹̺̓̂̐̕͜͝ ̵̛̖̭̅͂̀̈́͋͘m̷̜̲̗̟̫̼̳̹̜̻͕̻̠̙̈̌̏͊ͅÿ̷͚̝̥̦̼̝͉́͒̂̃͛͆͊̄̆̽̎͘̚͜͠͝ ̸̯̾̅͛̕ḅ̸͓͗̇̔̓̍͐̂̐͗͒̔͘͝͠ę̴̢̧̛̤̲̠͔͈̮̗̳̦͎̭̽̑̚ĺ̴̢͔̳͉͕̦̈́́̉ǫ̴̛̛̛̲͉̳̟̞̜̖̼̟̭͔͚̟̼̣̀̀̊̄͌́̒̐̀̐͐̄̄̚͠͠͝v̴̮̝̤͐́͆̀̈́̓̊̎͜ȩ̸̜̲͓̱̱̗̺̟͔̭͐̍͋̑̾̈́̔̂̀̚͜͠͠d̶͙̓̓͑̊̑̑̋̔́̀̂̔̀͆̾̄͘͘͘'̴̨̢̭̹͉͉̻̰͇̓͌͛͐͆̽̿͊̒̏͘s̸̱̖̜̲̱͎͉̱̼͕̦̈́̓̄̍͑̂̿̇̔͋͌̽̋̿͘ ̸̛̭̟͚͙̪̤͔̌͌͂̐̉̒̈́̈̂̿͠͝ḿ̶̢̢̧̨̜̗͈̲͙͐́͋̂̏̀̂̿̃͊̑̑̏͒̆̐̕̕̕͝ȯ̴̡͇̪͚̘̩̐̿̾͊̇̀͆̀̎̽͝ơ̴̢̩̲̦̬̣̂͋́̌̏͗͒͊͋̅̏͑͘͝͝n̴̮̗̝̬̮̟̗̞͔̩͈̤̘̙̩̏̋̓̾͘͜ͅs̶̺̺͇̭̟̩̞͕̪̭̩̜͋̈̿͂͛̇̒̓̂͆̔̽͌̇̕͝͠ţ̵̨̧̺̹̜͓̦̣̠͇̺̪̣̬͚͖̯̆̓̌̒̈͋͆͝ͅͅȏ̸̢̑̓̚͠͠n̷͔͈̘̜̻͙͗̐̃͋̈́̓͘͝ę̵̯̫͇̞̫̣͍̩̲̩̺̏̿̿̃̓͐̑͛̈́͝͠͝ͅͅ,̴̪͈̩̭̋̽̈̄̅͋̓̊͛̀͐͑̽̀́͝͠͝ ̴̢̡̳͍̎b̵͚̝͛̀͂̃̏͘͠o̴̧̢̨̢̻̞̲͖̳̞̱̙̮̠͙̙͍̠̭͝ỷ̴̧̡̢̰̟̦̖̺͙̥̭͓̜̟̫̃̑̑̃͐͒̿̓̉̋̈́̂͑̅͋̕͝ͅ...̴̛̛̦̬̗͉̳̥͍͍̮͉̖̳̦͓̹̻͚̫̬̝͑́̔̇̾͗̊͗͆͗̕̚͠ͅ ̷̡̺̲̮͚͖̮͖̙͇͚̪̋́̂́̅̀̽̀ͅY̸͎̹̼͎̰̪͚̻̺̙̌̈́͗̋̏̏̿́̏̈́͜o̶̢͓̰̹̗̣̼̞̙̟̦͓̰̣͆u̷̧̢̹͇̫̱̤͖͎̮̭̫̥̺͔̬̣̠͋̏̈́͑̽̂̀͌̋̓͘͠͝ͅ ̴̡̛͎̪̦̗̬̭̥̫̤͓̂͆̄̾͋͂̎̋͑̎̍̆̋͘͠h̶̢̛̛̬̦̣͎̘͍̟̳̬̤͊̓̓̈́̅̍͑̈ͅḁ̵̧̪͌͛̿͗̽̅̿̀̊̌̈̈́̈́̄͑̀͛̒̕̕̚v̸̛̬̟̫͆̀͆̉̓̀̈̅́̌̀̒́̚͝ę̷͖̻͚͓͍͕͍͔͓̹̽̀̄̈́̾̊̀̑̍̎̄̎͛̉̒͂̌̆͗̐̚͜ ̷̢̨̘̘̪̫͙̣̖̬̘̼̰͊̎̍̉̀̽̈́̄̃͑̓̓͑͝͠ͅn̶̹̣͈̬̱͉̼̝̽̈́́̏́̂̈́́͝ơ̴̼̮̩̦̹̮͉̄̓̇̀͊́̀̃̔̕͘ ̶͎̹͓̬̝̯̽̌̈̽̒̐̽̑̔̒̑͌͋̂̄̿̌̆͠͝i̸̝̹͈̤̬̅̈̓̍͐̃̋̑́̈́̒̈́̐̐̀͘͘͝͝͝ͅͅd̶̮͔̳̬̖̬͉͋ͅë̶̡̡̡̹̣̟̯̬͍̹͎͙̬̖̲͉́͑̆̈͐̀́̔̾̃̈́̍̀̈́̕͜͜ą̶̨͙͔̙̝͕͎̠̪͉͚̗͈͕̬̤̤̫̈́͌̃̾̀̃ͅ ̶̡̨̧̛̥̲̣̮̅͋͘͜͝ẁ̷̡̧̢̘̭̮̰͔͓͉̪̩̟̠̫̉̃̇̕͜h̴̢̨͎͎͔̩̩̤̦̫̟͙̦̳̻͐̌̓̄̋͊̇̊̉̒͐͒́̍̉͒̊͝͝͝ͅa̷̛̤͉̥̤͕͚̙̘͎̭̹̦͈̼̱̺͐̑͗̓̍̓͌̈́̿̆͗̇̈́̇̊͘͜͠͠ṱ̴̨̧̛͇̠͈̬̳̻̬͕͗̿̃̈́̕͝͝ ̷̢̛̻̮̿̓̒͛̎́̄͊̆̇̚y̷̢̧̻͕̺̼̟̟̦̯̑̉͑͆̈́̆̑̈́̆͒̀̕͠͝ͅơ̴̛̥̂͐̿͐̓͂̃͐͗̂̎̆͌̈́͘̕͝͠u̴̢̬͔̯̦̝̟̇͑̐̄̈̏̌̋͐͌͋̈́͗̂͠ ̴̛̭̝͆͂̓̔͋̑͗̈́͊̑̂̀̀̇̋̃͘̚͠͝j̵̨̢̛̖̳̘͇̘͙̥̪̲̘͙̭͉̻̖̻̘͋͐͗̉̒̊͗̐̿̆͑ų̸͖̼̦͚̖͙̮̥͖̣̫̱̹̎̂̌̓̾̂̓̚͜ͅș̶̨̨̢̛̝̻͓̩̥̠̤̥̜͖͉̘͓̞͌͛̏̏̈́̋͆̃̏͐̈́͋͑̎̊t̵̨̳̲̜͍̺̭̲͎̳̺̻̼̦̻̬̓̚̕ ̵̢̝͈͔̱̖̺̹̭͓̖͍̪̜̝̙̲̹̍̽́ͅͅp̶̞̻͖̦̗̞̜̦̪̥̙̑̍͒̓͐͂͘͘̚͜ų̶͔̭͇̣͚͔̹̙̦̭̭̥͖̠̙̀̌̈͗̎͑̈́̿̈́̇͂̔͊͑͜ţ̵̢̘͖̦̜̝͐̀͗̒͋̈́̃͛̚ ̸̛̲̲̱͓̜̲͔̘͔̱̳̭̘͎̳̖̠̠͎͎̍͑̑̒͋̓̈́̂̇̚͘͠͝͠ẙ̵̨̧̞͕̼̺̜̗̠̫̹͓̦͙̝̹̖̥̜̖͐͒͋̚ͅö̶̧̢͈͇̟̑̉͆̇͋̍̇̑̅̋͜ư̶̢̰̠̥̖̥̰̮̬͔̪̬̗̝̞̝̭̰̠̈́͌̀́͊̏̚̚ͅͅṟ̸̡̡̻̝͚͎̪͔̬̜̼̻͚̗̘̟͂͌s̴̡̧̖̼̻̭̼̟̥͔͖͔̣̻̱̓̾͌͌̾̒͒̿̂̌̎̓̾̚̕e̵͖͕͖͖̱̘̼͔͉̪̊̄̊̎̑̔͊͆̾́̂̇͐̊͂̂̕͠ḷ̷̡̙̭̖͖̞̓̃͋̽̊̂́̈́f̴̡̛̜̟̯̝̾̂̔̅̈́̈̋̏̑̀́̈́̕̚̚͘ ̴̧̛͚̦͚̫̳̮͚͔̤̰͚͇͇͇͎̒͌̅̋̓͐̆̂̿̑͘͠͠i̵̛̼̯͔͑͗̓̏̓̐͊͆̈́̈́̆͛͒̐̂̅̏̽́n̴̢͖̰̦̯̘̫͌̒̑͘ṭ̸̨͈̣͓̫̱̪͕͓̩̜̯͔̾̃̿͌̋̄̏̆̑̈́͘o̸̡̝͈͈͚̹͊͜͜...̴̡̥̜̙͔̟̻͉̦͉͗̔̒̍̂͋̒̄"̵̢̧̛͕͓̯̭̤̘͖̘̞̙̰̙̝͔̞̻̎͊̓̃̐̂͘͝
A spine chilling voice sent Camilo on edge as he let out a small yelp and stumbled on his way out, falling from his own feet and onto a mist that quickly vanished, leaving him groaning. His pupils shrunk in fear when he notice the moonstone calling for him a bit further before he successfully got it back and hid it under his ruana. As he forced himself to push past the agony on his knee and continued to go forward despite the growing number of pain, the poisonous voice began to approach him nearer.
Even though this is obviously untrue, a close examination of the stinging sensation on his knee suffices to refute his unfounded claims. He is suddenly lifted out of there at that moment by a trusted creature he knows so well. When a black dust ball nearly shot Camilo in the head and struck a tree instead, he let out a startled scream from the unexpected attack and clings to the jaguar for dear life.
That was too close!
The same tree tremble like crazy before its trunk blocked his way with a loud thunderous 'thud'. The mists from the previous direction disappeared before new ones appeared after and led them in a different path towards another escape route. The voices started to closer before Camilo shifted himself into Antonio's size, giving Parce the advantage to run faster by the light weight he is now carrying. The last time he looked back, he saw the shadows were utilizing the trees as a shortcut to get closer to them. For once, he really wants to be able to grow flowers like Isa.
"Ahh!" Someone hold unto his shoulder as the jaguar tried to shake it off of him. To prevent himself from freaking out, he then remembered the lamp is still tightly gripped in his first before flashing it the nightmare's eyes, scaring both him and the hideous creature in sight before he return back to his original body and kick him off of his back, dropping his night lamp in the process as he left, leaving the night,ares to swallow the only light that was surrounding the forest.
Just in time, he reached outside the woods, however, he noticed that the sunrise hasn't even reached half of the village. Parce halts on the center of the city, still dark before Camilo grabbed all the lamp he could find and lit them all, enough for the nightmares to not reach the children. He covers his ears from the screeching that got closer before they backed away when a ray of sunshine scares them off. Camilo slowly lowered his arm and was too stunned to speak when Antonio was awake next to him while holding a hidden flashlight under his camping bag before they both watch the shadows retreat from too much light.
Antonio found himself clenching into his big brother's ruana in fear before a familiar arm return the gesture by bringing him close to his side for comfort.
"Cami, w-what was that?" He asked, a little startled about an unknown creature he couldn't identify that is close to almost eating him alive. The youngest brother was the first one broke their silence after sitting still in the fountain once all the nightmares have cleared out.
"Toñito, you're the animal lover here. Shouldn't you supposed to know what that is?"