[Cleofa]

Shit...

Shit.

Shit!

Bakit... ngayon pa?

I can't fucking use my gift! We are weakened! We can't fight anymore!

Nakapikit ang kanan kong mata, wala akong tigil sa panginginig. Ang kamay ni Helix na nakahawak sa akin ay nararamdaman ko rin ang paglamig at onting pagnginig.

We barely won... against the King and Queen...

How... can we even face Heart now?

Hindi kami makagalaw sa mga pwesto namin, patuloy ang pagtama ng ulan sa mga balat namin. If only I can use my gift... I could at least, make some time...

Just seconds... seconds are enough... for at least, one of us escape.

"Hey, do you hear me, brats?"

Her voice give chills down my spine. Lalo akong nanghihina dahil dito. Walang makakilos sa aming lahat, walang makakibo... pare-pareho kaming natulala, napako sa kinatatayuan naming lahat.

Rinig ko ang bawat pag-apak ni Heart papunta sa amin... papalapit nang papalapit. Ramdam ko ang paghigpit ng nakaalalay na kamay sa akin ni Helix.

"I can still fight..." bulong niya. Mabilis akong natauhan at nag-aalalang napatingin sa kaniya nang hindi lumilingon.

"Me too..." dagdag ni Alvis.

"FUCKING BRATS! WHAT ARE YOU MUMBLING ABOUT?! CAN'T YOU HERE ME?!" Tumaas ang tono ng pananalita ni Heart, mas lalo ring lumalakas.

"We'll spare you some time," muling ani ni Helix. Parang hindi niya narinig ang mga salitang sinasabi ni Heart.

Puno ng pag-aalala akong napatingin sa kaniya, nanatiling nakapikit ang kanan kong mata.

I was about to say something, but he gave a reassuring smile. "Everything will be alright... I promise."

"Yeah..." I glanced at Alvis too, who's also smiling, despite the fear in his eyes. "We will follow you two later..."

With enough courage, he then looked behind us. Nagawa niyang makalingon sa pwesto ni Heart.

"So, hurry up!-"

He didn't even had the chance to finish his words.

It felt like time slowed down, at the same time, our worlds stopped.

Mabilis masyado ang nangyari, ni hindi ko nga nakita ang anino ni Heart na dumaan sa harapan namin. The next thing we saw...

Was a severed head, flying.

Literal na napako rito ang tingin ko, medyo nanlabo rin ito. I was dumbfounded, it felt like a dream.

My eyes slowly looked down as the head fell to the ground, rolling.

Exactly in front of us.

My eyes became blurry, lost for words, mind blank. My blood ran cold, whole body shaking.

I just stared at it... completely...

Terrified.

"AHHHHHHHH!!!!!"

Ang malakas at matinis na pagtili ni Risca ang gumising sa akin sa realidad. 

Mabilis kaagad nagtubig ang mga mata ko, parang binaluktot ang sikmura ko at gusto kong isuka ang bituka ko na walang laman. I can't breathe, my head is spinning.

Alvis' head and body... kept appearing in my mind.

Tuluyan akong nasuka, na may kasamang dugo, namumutla. Patuloy ang malakas na pag-iyak ni Risca, hindi nawawala ang tingin sa bangkay, si Helix ay hindi makapagsalita, natulala sa pwesto niya.

I'm too scared to show reactions... too scared to make a sound... yet, my tears kept falling in my eyes, together with blood.

Al... vis...

"Hayst, I was planning to kill you all slowly and painfully."

May nag-iisang nakapagsasalita. Nanginginig ang ulo kong napalingon sa direksyon niya.

She looks small... almost looks like a kid. But the thing is, a kid doesn't have that kind of look. Punong-puno ng dugo ang kanan niyang kamay, ang ginamit siya sa pagtanggal ng ulo ni Alvis sa isang iglap.

I want to vomit again.

Her aura is different, the look and expression she has. The bloodlust she's giving off...

At that moment, I knew...

We're all going to die here.

She's not even using her gift yet. Even if I could use mine... it's no use.

This person in front of me... is completely... on a fucking different league.

"Well, I'll hold back with my next attack." Heart slowly showed a grin, before looking at our direction. Our eyes met.

"CLEOFA!" I heard Helix snap.

Mabilis muli ang pagkilos ni Heart, sa puntong ang hangin na lang na sumabay sa pagkilos sa kaniya ang naramdaman ko. Umamba siya papunta sa direksyon namin... pero dinaanan niya lang ako.

I realized it a second late to know who she's aiming for. Nanlumo ako nang mapagtantong, natigil ang pag-iyak. Mabilis akong napalingon sa likuran ko, kung saan dumeretso si Heart.

Sa pangalawang pagkakataon... sa isang iglap.

I was only greeted by a corpse.

Heart's arm pierced through... Risca's chest.

"R-R-Ris... ca..."

My eyes are full of terror, I fell in the ground, trembling.

Lumabas ang dugo sa bibig ni Risca, pati na rin sa mga mata. Naiwang nakabukas ang mga mata niya habang nakalutang siya sa ere, butas ang dibdib.

"Tsk! Hayst! I said I'll hold back my next attack!" Heart looks pissed. Kaswal niyang inalis ang kamay niya na tumagos sa dibdib ng kasama ko, dahilan ng paglaglag nito sa lupa.

Hindi maipinta ang mukha ko nang sumunod sa katawan ni Risca ang mga mata ko.

"Ang ingay mo kasi eh..." Nagawa pang sipain ni Heart ang katawan niya.

"Oh, well. Promise, this time, I'll definitely hold back." She glanced at my direction.

I just... accepted my fate.

We were told that we can't face her no matter what... I definitely know now why.

She killed half of us... with just less... than a minute.

I can't help but to chuckle. I guess I've lost my mind...

There's no point now... right?

"H-Hoy..." voice trembling, someone caught our attention. Parehong nalipat ang tingin namin ni Heart sa kaniya.

Nakaramdam ako ng init, sobrang init...

That's when I saw Helix, using purple flames. Eyes still full of fear, body is clearly trembling. Yet, he's still standing, still has hope.

He chuckled, has a trace of fear. "Y-You definitely didn't thought that we wouldn't pull of a fight, didn't you?" His flames grew bigger... he still can't use it well... he'll burn himself. "D-DON'T BE FULL OF YOURSELF!"

Heart smirked, amused. Winasik niya ang dugong nasa kamay niya. "Brat, are you sure you're going to use your gift?" The look on her eyes... it looks like someone who doesn't have a bit of conscience with her. 

"Believe me... YOU, wouldn't want me to use my gift." She showed a teasing expression. "In physical combat, I might be the one the weakest among us... but when it comes to gifts... I can pull a decent fight with anyone."

I bit my lower lip. Fucking... weakest?

"S-Shut up!" Namuo ang mga lilang apoy, sa puntong halos kalahati na ng katawan ni Helix ang nasusunog, pati na rin ang malalapit na puno, kahit ang lupa at mga bato. 

I can see his skin, burning.

"I like the energy." I saw Heart's expression changed. In a snap, she disappeared on her position.

I didn't know what happened, I didn't know what came into my mind.

I clenched my fist, lips bleeding from biting. Pwersahan akong tumayo sa pagkakaupo, mabilis na tumungo kay Helix na kaagad akong napansin.

Just then, I saw heart in front of him, clearly immune to the fire. Helix eyes widened as he saw me rush to him, as if telling me to stop.

But... I can't lose him too.

"CLEOFA!"

CHAPTER 33
Glimpse of Death