[3RD POV]

The night is young. 

In the middle of a forest where the trees are dead, there's a group of gifteds. Malayo ang pagitan sa isa't isa, pero iisa lang ang destinasyon. The King is behind, to protect the troop, the Queen is in front, to lead them.

Joker, with Zeke, and Clover are in the middle, riding the carriage.

They're moving in their pace, until the silent and peaceful ride... was disturbed.

When the King, Keo, who was supposed to be behind, almost a kilometer away from the front, was suddenly in front, literally feet away from the Queen, Koa, is.

Well, he didn't actually went in front. Just a part of him— his head.

Ang dahilan kung bakit agad nalaman ni Koa ang pagkawala ng kapatid niya sa kabila ng pagitan ng layo nila sa isa't isa, ay ang paghagis ng kung sino ng ulo nito sa harapan niya.

She doesn't know what she's supposed to be afraid of.

Is it the fact that her brother died?

Is it the fact that her brother, who's an expert in the battle field, suddenly died without them noticing?

Or is it the fact... that despite being almost a kilometer away, someone... someone just casually threw his head in front of her?

Halo-halo ang pakiramdam na namuo sa kaniya, takot, diri, lungkot, galit. Nagsisimula siyang manginig, hindi alam ang gagawin.

Sa parehong pagkakataon, sa halos isang kilometro ang layo sa kanila, isang katawan ng lalaking walang ulo ang nakahilata. Sa taas nito, ay isang babaeng kaswal na nakaupo.

Her red hair is shining under the moonlight, flowing with the wind. With some spatter of blood on her face, she's grinning, casually wiping it off with her arm.

Sa likod niya ay isang lalaking may malamig na ekspresyon, walang ganang malayo ang tingin.

"I think you threw it too far away..." sambit ni Yadiel habang tinatanaw ang direksyon kung saan hinagis ng kasama niya ang ulo ng lalaking inuupan nito ngayon.

"Oh come on, I never missed." With a psychotic look on her face, she doesn't look like a teacher at all. Xilah really resembles... her brother Cross.

She then looked at the dead body she's sitting. "This one is kinda tough, 'ight?" she scoffed.

Yadiel winced, glancing at her. "After you took off his head just about 2 minutes after you two faced?"

Xilah chuckled with what he said. "The fact that he lasted 2 minutes was good enough."

Napaismid ang kasama niya sa narinig. Bago muling mapunta ang tingin sa malayo, parang may tinatanaw.

"They're coming now... and they're quite good."

"Hmmm, scared?"

Nanatiling walang buhay ang mga mata ni Yadiel. "Nah, not really... but there's going to be a pain among them."

Naging malayo na rin ang tingin ni Xilah, alam kung sino ang tinutukoy ng kasama niya. "That must be the leader, huh? Their boss? A Diener." Napatayo na rin siya at pinagpagan ang sarili. "Not even you, would survive facing that, right Yady?"

Hindi maipinta ang mukha ni Yadiel sa narinig. "The fuck? It will be hard, but I'll win. And don't call me Yady," giit niya.

Natawa ang pinsan niya sa narinig. Sa pagitan ng tangkad nila, nagawa pa nitong abutin ang ulo niya at guluhin ang buhok niya.

"But you're Yady, Cross is Ossy." She laughed. "But kidding aside, not even you, can leave with complete limbs if you faced that thing."

Tanging pag-ismid ang sinagot ni Yadiel, sapagkat alam niyang hindi niya maitatanggi ang sinabi ni Xilah. Among the people who are coming, one of them stands out the most.

Even being away for almost a kilometer, its bloodlust and aura can be felt in their positions. They both knew that the person who's coming at them... is not an ordinary person.

"Then, I'll greet the beast," ani Xilah. Yadiel glanced at her, to see his cousin's expression. Something popped in his mind... she has the same expression she had, years ago.

Normally, hindi ito hahayaan ni Yadiel at ipipilit niyang siya ang haharap. Pero ngayon, alam niyang hindi niya 'to magagawa. Maliban sa alam niya sa sarili na mahihirapan siyang harapin ang magiging kalaban niya, alam niya rin na hindi niya magagawang manalo pagdating kay Xilah.

At isa pa, wala siyang dapat ikabahala. Kahit alam niyang hindi niya basta-basta makahaharap ang halimaw na tinutukoy nila, iba 'yon pagdating kay Xilah.

She's more than... a beast.

"Then, I'll wait for the others here," natatanging sagot ni Yadiel.

Xilah showed a smirk, glancing at her cousin. "That's my Yady." Dumiin ang pagkakaapak niya sa lupa, bumebwelo sa pagtalon.

"Then, I'll bring you the head."

Hindi na nakasagot si Yadiel nang sa isang iglap, madiin at mabilis ang mataas na pagtalon ng kasama niya. Bumaon ang sapatos niya sa lupa. His eyes followed her as he murmured, "I told you to not call me that."

Her red hair is flying with the wind, sparkling under the moonlight.

Once again, a scene flashed in his mind.

He heaved a sigh. "I told him that I'll protect you in his stead," he said to himself. "But how can I do that when you still think of me as a kid and someone you should protect?" There's a hint of sadness in his voice.

Huminga siya nang malalim, bago ituon sa iba ang atensyon. Pinasok niya ang dalawang kamay sa magkabilang bulsa.

"Well, you'll bring me the head... then I'll bring you their bodies."

Humampas ang malamig na simoy ng hangin. Si Xilah na naunang kumilos ay ginawang tapakan ang bawat tangkay ng mga patay na puno sa pagtalon. She was alert, ready in battle. And the fact that she noticed the 'beast's presence even it was far away from her, she didn't noticed the huge hand that suddenly appeared in front of her face the moment she step on a branch, about to jump.

Namilog ang mga mata niya. She managed to react fast, but she was still a second late. Because of that, she still felt the impact when she fell from the branch. 

Nakaharang ang dalawang braso sa harap, nakatayong nahulog si Xilah. Ang kaninang nakangising labi ay nawala ng ilang segundo. Her look sharpened, cold and dead. As she look in front, to the person who just appeared out of no where.

Almost two times taller than her, even to Yadiel who's a 6 footer. She knew at that moment, that this is the beast they felt minutes ago. The strongest gifted among the troop— Clover.

Inalis ng lalaki ang suot-suot niyang salamin habang naglalakad. Walang buhay ang mga mata at mababa ang tingin.

Umayos ng tayo ang babae, sinalubong ang mga mata ng lalaking hindi hihigit sa benteng talampakan ang pagitan sa kaniya.

Regardless of the sting she felt when she fell from the branch, and the aura and bloodlust that the guy is releasing, she showed a teasing look.

"I was just about to get you, how nice of you to greet me first," she scoffed.

Hindi nagpakita ng emosyon si Clover, nanatiling mababa ang tingin sa kaniya.

Instead of answering her, he didn't beat around the bush. "You're the one who killed one of my men," aniya.

Napaangat ang dalawang kilay ni Xilah na hindi inaasahan ang deretsong karakter niya. "Hmmm, men? Not one of your boys? I was sure he was just a boy," she chuckled, still showing a teasing look.

Nanatiling walang ekspresyon si Clover, mukhang kalmado, pero nasa loob ang kulo.

"What a choice of big words you have, as a small woman like you." The tension and pressure kept getting heavier and heavier. "Are you really 'that' Venus?"

Nakuha ng sinabi niya ang atensyon ng babaeng kaharap na natigil sa pagtawa. Nagtama ang mga tingin nila, na sinundan ng isang ngisi ni Xilah.

"You can decide."

Those words are the last words Xilah spoke before the battle started. Indeed, she has an outstanding aura, enough for Clover to know that she can easily kill his King. But still, there is something missing.

He has been to many battles and fights before, so he knows. He knows that the woman in front of him... doesn't show any special traits at all.

She's different from the 'Venus' he had heard of, almost a decade ago.

He started walking closer to Xilah, breathing heavier as he change his eyes.

"I already have my answer."

Naging alerto ang babae sa sinabi niya, kapwa nagbago ang mga mata. Xilah looked at the man in front of her, getting bigger and bigger, as if enough to reach the moon.

Mas lalong umangat ang tingin niya nang tumriple ang laki nito. He might not have fully turned into that mythical creature, Clover still has large keen fangs, white fur on his arms, chest, legs, and face, and sharp Claws.

And the strength and abilities it has, he also has it as well.

Like a lycan... a beast indeed.

"Wow... this is going to be troublesome..." ani Xilah sa sarili habang nakaangat ang tingin, pinapanood ang mabilisang pagbabagong anyo ng kaharap. Hinanda niya ang sarili niya para umatake.

"A takeover gift... a hybrid of a man... and a wolf— no, Fenrir itself."

CHAPTER 42
A beast

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