Fatheema and Luna froze when they saw the monster standing in front of them. Slowly, they stepped back.
Luna looked extremely anxious, as if she wanted to get away from that place as quickly as possible.
Fatheema, however, steadied herself. Her hands tightened into fists as she stared directly at the black monster before her. She was ready to face its attack.
"Fatty, we need to run," Luna said nervously.
"The monster in front of us is an ifrit."
"An ifrit? What's that?" Fatheema asked.
"An ifrit is a type of monster with enormous power," Luna explained.
"They're strong and ferocious—but also cruel.
They enjoy killing and oppressing weaker beings.
They can also absorb natural energy."
"They're extremely difficult to defeat. It's better if we don't fight them."
"We have no choice, he won't let us go,"
"I'll try to face him," Fatheema said, clasping the green bracelet on her right hand.
A small hexagonal portal flickered open in the palm of her hand, and from it she drew two rattan arnis sticks, each about sixty centimeters long.
The monster rushed toward them.
Its massive body sending heavy thumps through the ground with every step.
Towering over three meters tall, the monster closed the distance in seconds. With a furious growl, it lunged forward, both hands striking out to attack.
Its fingers were tipped with long, sharp nails, and its hands shot forward to tear its prey apart.
Trang! Trang!
Its hand slammed into the arnis stick held by Fatheema.
A split second after the impact, she pivoted to the creature's side and delivered several quick strikes to its arms and elbows.
Once she was beside the monster, she quickly leaped up and struck its head as hard as she could with her stick.
Bugh!
A loud crash rang out.
Fatheema sprang back to keep her distance.
The monster roared, seemingly furious.
Its eyes flashed as it bared its sharp teeth with a low growl.
Fatheema gripped both sticks tightly, her hands still tingling after striking its head.
"It's like hitting solid rock," she thought.
She ran toward Luna, worried about her safety.
As far as she knew, Luna was a native of that world and had no fighting ability. It would be very dangerous if that black creature targeted her.
Arriving beside Luna,
She said softly, "You're right. He is strong.
We have to make a plan."
"Fatty... I'm scared," Luna said.
Meanwhile, the monster roared, letting out a terrifying, thunderous sound.
A moment later, its eyes began to glow red.
Zash! Zash! Zash!
Three flashes shot out from its eyes.
The place, which had begun to darken as the sun set, was suddenly illuminated by a reddish light.
The flashes from its eyes caused everything to fall silent for a moment.
Luna seemed frozen in place, as if she had turned into a stone statue.
Meanwhile, when the flash of light struck Fatheema's body, it affected her vision in particular.
Her eyes sparkled for a moment, and the brown of her irises slowly turned purple, marked with a distinctive dark red pattern.
Her mystical eyes— had awakened!
She ran straight toward the Ifrit monster, a staff in each hand.
The black monster roared, raising both arms high before swinging them down at Fatheema.
Its arms shot forward in a strange way, stretching like pendulums.
Fatheema jumped from side to side, avoiding the monster's attack.
Bugh! Bugh!
Its attack struck the ground, crashing loudly.
Fatheema channeled her pure energy into both weapons.
Fatheema charged in. The moment she was close enough, she slammed both arnis sticks into the monster's stomach.
Trang!
"It's just like striking solid stone!" she thought.
She sprang back to keep her distance.
"Head, stomach—I've tried both. It's like hitting rock."
"Luna, any ideas?"
"We need to escape, Fatty," Luna replied.
"Buy me some time. I'll fix the portal device. It looks like it can still be used a few more times."
"Got it!" Fatheema replied.
Then she softly recited a mantra in Kawi, an ancient Javanese language once used for sacred prayers.
"Prabhā bhūmi... maring urip."
"Prabhā ākāśa... maring eling."
"Prabhā jiwa... maring bala."
"Niat ingsun... aji Cemeti Sulayman."
"Saking kersaning... Gusti Pangeran Sejati."
She took a deep breath, curling her tongue against the roof of her mouth as she focused her energy.
Then she charged toward the black monster.
Fatheema's battle with the ifrit was fierce.
Several times her weapons collided with the monster's arms, the impact throwing her backward.
No matter what technique she used, she couldn't injure it. The monster was too strong—its body was like solid rock.
Fortunately, Fatheema managed to dodge every attack.
Her mystical eyes seemed able to read the direction of each strike before it came.
The ifrit grew furious when it still failed to injure her.
With a surge of rage, it roared at the top of its lungs.
And then —
Zash! Zash! Zash!
Flashes of red light filled the area.
The monster used the power of its demonic eyes again.
However, once again, it had no effect on Fatheema.
"Fatty! Now!" Luna shouted from a distance.
Hearing her, Fatheema turned and pivoted quickly away.
Holding both sticks in one hand, she pulled something from her pocket.
Then leaped high and threw a ball about the size of a tennis ball.
And then—
Boom!
Thick white smoke billowed around the monster within a seven-meter radius.
Not wasting the opportunity, Fatheema dashed toward Luna.
There, a dark blue portal the size of a door had already opened.
"Luna immediately pulled her hand back through the portal.
And then—
Zlap!
The portal closed instantly.
When the smoke from the bomb finally cleared, the ifrit monster stood alone in that place.
Realizing its prey had escaped, it roared in anger.
"You won't escape me!."
A hoarse, heavy voice echoed through the area.
***
On the other side of the portal.
"Are you okay, Fatty?" Luna asked.
"I'm fine," she replied breathlessly. "That monster is incredibly strong. It's immune to any attack."
"Good thing you fixed the portal quickly. I'm exhausted."
"Come on, let's go home, Fatty," Luna said, pulling Fatheema's still-trembling hand.
"Okey! Let's go" she answered exhausted.
***