Manny's fever was gone the next morning but he couldn't remember anything that happened yesterday.
"Oh my head." Manny groaned.
"How are you feeling tough guy?" T.J asked.
"My head hurts but other than that I'm fine. What happened yesterday?"
"You were out hunting in the woods during a storm. You had developed a fever from being in the rain for so long." Frida said. "You spent most of the day sleeping in bed and when you were awake you were very delirious and you told me some interesting things."
"Oh...Wait! What did I tell you?!"
"Let's see where to begin?" She giggled. "Well when I brought you some water to keep you hydrated you told me how you wet your bed til you were seven."
"Dude seriously?" T.J said.
T.J and Andrea burst out laughing.
"Oh God!" Manny groaned in humiliation.
"Then you told me about your childhood fear of moose."
"No! Oh no!"
The laughter grew.
"Later on when I came to give you your medicine again and after I had to pry your mouth open to get you to take it again you wouldn't stop talking about how you think Andrea is secretly a man."
"What?!" Andrea gasped feeling insulted.
"Okay that was the fever talking." Manny said.
"I am not a man!"
"I don't know you certainly fight like one." T.J said. "I think you should prove that your female by flashing us."
THUMP!
"Ow!"
"Anything else I spouted?" Manny asked.
"You told me that sometimes T.J spies on Andrea when she showers." Frida answered.
"You what?!" Andrea growled.
"Manny!" T.J snapped.
"How dare you!" She grabbed her spear. "This is going through your brain!"
She began chasing T.J around the house. Now it was Manny's turn to laugh but then he thought of something.
"Frida did I say anything about you?"
"Well-"
"It's lies! Whatever I said it was the fever I swear!"
"Oh..." She said disappointed. "Yeah I figured."
"What did I say?"
"Nothing. Nothing important." She sighed. "Excuse me I think I need to work on my guitar practice." She went upstairs to her bedroom.
"My, my, my, boys can be so clueless." Sandra said.
"Hmmph...What do you know?" Manny mumbled. "Crazy old lady."
"I heard that! You young man are quite rude." She turned toward him. "Didn't that church teach you to respect your elders?"
"Wait! You can see me?! Oh right I'm not invisible. Hey how did you know I was raised in the church?"
"Well for one thing I could see you even if you weren't invisible and second Frida told me."
"She told you?! How much?"
"A lot."
"Did she tell you about my..."
"No she didn't tell me about your weak spot. I do wonder why you told her?"
"Let's just say it was a life or death situation."
"I see. So tell me, what is your relationship with my granddaughter?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean are you friends or lovers?"
"Friends! Just friends! I swear! I don't know if she mentioned it but I vowed never to fall in love."
"Ha! You sound like your grandfather."
"You knew my grandfather?"
"Yes and your grandmother, we were best friends in our youth, almost like sisters."
"Did you ever meet my father?"
"Once but he was just a child, no more than five years old."
"What was he like?"
"Like most children his age."
"What about my grandparents?"
"Well your grandfather was greedy, selfish, controlling, and a con artist. Your grandmother was the very opposite, kind, generous, understanding, and honest."
"Really?"
"Yes. They made a very strange couple and for reasons only God knows, your grandmother came to love that jackass. No offense to your family."
"None taken I never knew him or my father." He said. "So what's up with Frida? What did I say to her last night?"
"I think she should be the one to tell you that."
"Get back here you!" Andrea shouted swinging her spear.
"Andrea I swear it was a one time thing and I only saw your back!" T.J cried.
"Um should we stop them?" Sandra asked.
"Don't worry the worst she'll do is knock him out." Manny reassured.
"Andrea what are you, part amazon?" T.J asked.
"Actually yes. My grandmother used to be part of the Amazonian tribe until she left it to marry my grandfather. Now where was I? Oh yes I was trying to kill you."
Meanwhile not too far from where they were someone was looking for Manny.
"Davi look." A young man bent down over the ground at a trail of shoe prints in the dirt. He was about seventeen years old, had straight and neatly combed hair, tan skin, and brown eyes. He was very slender and skinny but at the same time he looked so very strong while his face wore a serious expression. He was Nicholas, spirit of the jaguar, son of Santiago the spirit of the lion. He was known to be very dangerous when angered but most of the time he was calm.
"I found his tracks." He sniffed the ground. "These tracks reek of tiger fur, human blood, and sniff, sniff, hair gel. Lots of hair gel, yep it's Manny alright."
"Sir are you sure we should be tracking him down?" The fifteen year old nerd was Davi, Nicholas's servant. He was chosen to serve as a scholar and to inform Nicholas of important things he also occasionally served as amusement for him. "I mean rumors say he's become more powerful...But definitely not more powerful than you! I'm sure he's no where near as powerful as you!"
"So what's the problem?"
"Well shouldn't you save your powers for something not as wasteful?"
"Davi."
"Stop speaking."
"Yes sir."
"Hey guys! Wait for me!" A girl was hurrying behind them. She was fourteen years old, fair haired and blue eyed with a cheerful face.
"Do try to keep up Lilith." Nicholas said.
"Yes sir. Sorry." She panted.
"Lilith, wait here and stay out of trouble." He ordered.
"Yes sir."
Nicholas and Davi then followed the trail.
"Beg your pardon sir but why do you keep Lilith around? Do you care for her?" Davi asked.
"Don't be stupid! I am not like Uncle! Lilith is merely the illegitimate child of one of Father's servants." He said. "Her mother died shortly after her birth-"
"Kind of like yours did."
PUNCH!
"Ow!"
"Anyway, since she was faithful Father decided to repay the woman by placing her child in a protected land to be raised by his other servants but a demon burned down the land so he chose me to protect her."
"Why you?"
"I don't know,I wonder why not Uncle? He's the one with the soft spot for humans or better yet why not my cousin? He's half human after all."
"Best not to question your father."
"You're right about that. The last time someone defied Father they never saw the light of God again."
...
Knock-knock!
"Who is it?" Frida asked.
"It's Manny."
"Please go."
"Can we talk? In all fairness I don't even remember what I said to you." Then his ears picked up something creeping around outside. He looked out the window and saw Nicholas coming toward the house. "Oh great! Frida stay inside!"
"Why?"
"Just do it!"
He went outside and to face his cousin. Frida looked through the window and watched curiously.
"Who's that?" She wondered.
"Hello Manny, how are you?" Manny's cousin asked.
"What do you want Nicholas?"
"I'm looking for a healer."
"A what?"
"A human who's a descendant of an angel. They possess a star for a heart which gives them angelic powers to heal the sick and injured they also can grant immortality if their heart is eaten. I was told that one is near you."
"What the hell are you talking about? The only people near me are a pervy a shaman, a man hating warrior, an old woman, and a blue haired girl."
"Well one of them is a healer and I need them."
"What for?"
"None of your business! Now step aside while I find out which one of them is it."
"Hold it! Just what do you plan to do with this healer?"
"As I said none of your business."
"Well that tells me whatever you have planned can't be good."
Manny blocked Nicholas's way. The young spirit was very angry with this but kept his temper under control.
"You better do as he says Manny." Davi said.
"Who's the dork?" Manny asked.
"Dork?! How dare you insult me! I'll have you know I am one of the smartest and knowledgeable humans in the world! Of all the disrespect I have never-"
"Davi."
"Yes Nicholas."
"Shut up you are a dork."
"Yes I am."
"Manny this is Davi an extraordinary scholar that Father assigned to guide me. A rather annoying one though. Now if you do not plan to let me find this healer easily I'm afraid I must fight you."
"Bring it!"
Manny transformed into his spiritual form.
"Davi, return to Lilith if you value your life."
"Yes sir."
He ran off as the two engaged in a fight. Manny was strong but Nicholas was a full fledged spirit which made him ten times as strong and powerful than his half human cousin. Young man transformed into a large flaming jaguar and lunged for Manny. Frida quickly grabbed her bow and arrow and rushed outside with T.J and Andrea following. Nicholas roared and bit down on Manny's neck. Manny howled in pain as the sharp fangs dug into his flesh. Frida shot an arrow straight into Nicholas's arm. He howled just as Manny did and dropped the half spirit. He stared angrily at Frida, He was about to attack her when Andrea stabbed his leg with her spear. He clawed at Andrea knocking her to the ground.
"Andrea!" Frida gasped running to her side.
Her face had a large scratch mark that was bleeding. Frida tore off her sleeve and used it to press on her wound. T.J felt a great rage come over him as he looked at Andrea's scarred face.
"How dare you!" T.J shouted angrily.
He took a handful of dust from his bag and threw it into his eyes. Nicholas hissed in anger, the dust T.J had thrown was made from the eye of a blind demon. If thrown into someone's eyes it would temporarily blind them. Now that Nicholas could no longer see for the moment, it allowed T.J to beat him off with Andrea's spear.
"Don't you ever hurt Andrea again!" He ordered.
"Take it easy man." Manny said. "I got him!"
Manny grabbed Nicholas by his furry neck and flung him into the forest.
"And don't come back!" Manny shouted to him.
"Guys! Get help!" Frida said trying to stop the bleeding.
T.J lifted up Andrea's body and carried her back to Frida's house with Manny and Frida following. When they arrived, Sandra had them lay her in bed while she inspected her wounds. Poor T.J was worried out of his mind about the girl.
"She'll be alright T.J." Frida reassured him. "My grandmami knows what she's doing."
"I hope so. Um Manny."
"Yeah."
"Who was that guy? And what did he want from you?"
"His name is Nicholas, he's the spirit of the jaguar and my cousin."
"Woah! Wait up! He's your cousin!?" Frida said shocked.
"Yes. Fun fact my father has two brothers, one of them my Uncle Santiago got married and had a son. My cousin Nicholas who's a great big pain in the ass."
"Did you ever know your uncle?" Frida asked.
"No but frankly I wish I had met him instead of Nicholas. Ever since we were kids all he ever did was treat me lower than him because I'm half human or at least that what he says."
"Well why do you think he does it?"
"I think he's always been jealous of the fact I grew up with my mother while his had to move on the day he was born."
"Move on?"
"To heaven. She had was a weak spirit and delivering a child was too much for her I guess."
"That's sad."
"Yeah well he got to grow up with his father while mine just disappeared and you don't see me picking on those weaker than me."
"T.J I need some ice!" Sandra called.
"Alright."
"What happened to Andrea is very serious she can only be saved by a few herbs. Frida! Manny! Go into the woods and look for some herbs. If I can make proper ointment I can heal her scratch with no scars!"
Manny and Frida went into the woods and split up to find the herbs. Frida found some growing by a river and began to gather some. Suddenly she was startled by a growl, she turned around to see Nicholas on the ground badly injured and in pain. He turned back into his human form and passed out. She was just about to run away when a voice cried out.
"Wait! Stop!" Lilith grabbed Frida's hand. "Please help him."
"Sorry but he tried to kill my friends."
"You don't understand, he was trying to find a healer. He was poisoned during a battle a week ago and as we speak is about to die."
"If that's true then why not ask for help?"
"My friend is a very proud and stubborn spirit. He doesn't want anyone to think he's weak so he kept it a secret. I saw what he did and I'm very sorry about his cruel nature but I promise you he does mean well. Please I beg you don't let him die."
Frida sighed. "Alright I'll help him but what I'm about to do you can't tell anyone okay? Promise."
"You have my word."
Frida placed her hands on Nicholas's body. She took a deep breath and began to think about the wounds on his body just like her grandmother taught her how. Lilith watched as a glowing light shine from her fingers and healed all of Nicholas's wounds.
"Oh thank you." Lilith said.
"Yeah but don't tell him anything about this okay?"
"I know. I won't."
Frida then rushed back to her house wondering why on earth Lilith wanted that cruel spirit to live. When she and Manny got back, Sandra crushed the herbs into an ointment and spread it on Andrea's scarred face. By morning her face was completely healed with no scars.
"Wow that stuff did the trick." Andrea said looking at her face in the mirror. "Thanks Sandra."
"Think nothing of it dear."
Knock-knock!
"I'll get it." Frida went to answer the door and to her surprise it was her parents. "Mom? Dad? You're back early."
"Well that's because your mother said it was an emergency and we needed to come home right away." Emiliano said.
"Okay but can you just wait here for a minute." She closed the door. "Everyone out! My parents are back!"
As for Nicholas, when he woke and asked Lilith how he was healed she told him that an angel of mercy saved him. Though Nicholas wasn't sure she was telling the truth he didn't really care.
"Are you sure you're alright?" Lilith asked.
"I'm fine, stop worrying." He said annoyed. "Why Father chose me to be your protector I'll never know."
"Where to now sir?" Davi asked.
"To find my dear uncle."
"Rodolfo sir? But he's been missing for years. The only person who knows where he is, is your grandfather and you know there's no cooperating with him."
"Not Uncle Rodolfo, my other uncle."
"Him!? Nicholas you can't be serious! Not-"
"Yes we're going to find Tito."
"But sir he's a demon, a monster, more evil than anyone even your grandfather which is why he didn't object when your father and Uncle Rodolfo sealed him away fifteen years ago."
"I know that fool but Father has been visiting his cell frequently and that worries me that Tito might be planning something."
"Well if your father has been to see him then something must be wrong."
"Yes and I sense a great terror coming in a few weeks."