TWENTY-FOUR

THE PERSON WHO STARTED THE GAME.

☽︎ᴥ︎︎︎☾︎

Trigger warnings! This chapter contains some mentions of death, emotional abuse, corruption, government issues, trauma, strong language, kidnapping, and political intrigue.

Note: This is a fictional story. Any mention of actual politicians or officials isn't intended to single anyone out. Please keep it in mind. It covers some weighty issues and contains trigger warnings, so proceed with caution and read it thoroughly.

If it seems too much, feel free to skip it. Avoid pushing yourself. Thanks.

NAPAHAWAK NA lang si Saku sa kaniyang baba habang palakad-lakad, halatang hindi mapakali. Sandali niyang tinaas ang kilay niya habang nakatingin sa lalaking detektib, lalo na sa mga sinasabi nito tungkol sa kaso, at isang mapangising ngiti lang ang isinagot niya.

That's interesting, he thought, looking over at Attorney Morrissey. The more immersed he became in this threat, the more he wanted it.

¸.•' ▬▬▬๑♆♟☭♆ ๑▬▬▬ ¸.•'

Hindi makapaniwala ang abogado sa kaniya. "H'wag kang kikilos nang mag-isa," paalala nito habang napahawak siya sa bewang.

"Ang sinasabi ko lang, Kuya—huwag ka munang lumabas!" sigaw ni Rino sa kapatid na walang tigil sa pagkakain ng popcorn habang dinuduro pa siya. "'Yang buhok mo, ang kintab na kintab, parang pulang garapon nga, 'di ba? Alam ko na kung ano na naman 'yang iniisip mo, pre. Kaya payo ko lang—huwag na. Who knows what the Solis are up to?"

"Eh di mas mabuti. Alam na nila na nandito ako, kaya dapat matakot sila sa kagaguhang ginawa nila." Mas lalo siyang ngumisi, at sa likod ng ngising iyon, alam mong may binabalak talaga siya.It will only be a matter of time before I fucking reveal my true self to them." As a Demigod.

Kumunot ang noo ni Saku habang tumingin kina Attorney Morrissey at Rino. Mabilis siyang napailing bago sandaling nag-isip. Bakit ba kasi lagi akong may kasamang mga maingay? Can't I just spend some alone time with my coffee and books? I'd really like that.

¸.•' ▬▬▬๑♆♟☭♆ ๑▬▬▬ ¸.•'

Umilaw naman sandali ang telepono niya at nagtaka siyang may tawag mula kay Lyrica gayon na hindi rin naman sila close ng isang 'to. Napalunok siya sandali at saka tinignan si Attorney Morrissey at sinabing, "Tumatawag ang anak ng mga Solis. Ano'ng gagawin ko?"

Isa-isa namang namuo ng tension ng paligid ng sabihin niya ang bagay na 'yon. Inayos na lang ni Attorney Morrissey ang necktie niya at lumapit sa kanya at tinapik ang balikat, "Sagutin mo." Sabi niya at huminga ito ng malalim. "But make sure it's on speaker."

Agad namang naglakad si Saku paikot at saka sinagot 'yung tawag. "What do you want?" He asked.

"Aren't you worried? Check this out! It's your girlfriend!" Lyrica shouted on the phone, laughing a little too hard, and he could feel her sneer as she clicked something.

His eyes widened for a brief time when the video camera appeared and revealed that she was filming something from the cliff.

Mina was there, and she fell from there.

Mas hinigpitan niya ang kapit sa cellphone niya tsaka ipinikit sandali ang mga mata, at malalim na huminga.

He squinted his eyes, stiffened his jaw, and shrugged his shoulders, sitting up straight. He made a fist and punched the couch.

¸.•' ▬▬▬๑♆♟☭♆ ๑▬▬▬ ¸.•'

With a fake laugh, he tousled his hair and replied, "I don't care about her. If you want her dead, then kill her."

Lyrica turned off the camera and chuckled at him while speaking on the phone. "Wow! Aren't you such a heartless guy? Alam mo, mabibiyak na ang bato. Ganun ba talaga? Hahayaan mo lang bang mamatay ang babaeng 'to?" She spoke quietly, as if she knew something.

Fuck! Sigaw niya sa kanyang isip. Kahit anong kasinungalingan ang sabihin niya, hindi maitataboy ang kanyang pag-aalala kay Mina.

Ngunit kailangan niyang magpanggap, dahil alam niyang delikado ang taong kinakalaban niya.

¸.•' ▬▬▬๑♆♟☭♆ ๑▬▬▬ ¸.•'

Is she okay? Is she hurt? I really want to know where she is! As soon as this call is over, I'll contact her to check on her. Bulong niya sa isip niya, tsaka napahawak siya sa dibdib.

Tila napatigil siya na parang may gustong sabihin ngunit hindi niya masabi. Alam ni Saku kung gaano kadumi maglaro ang mga Solis, at anuman ang ipangtapat na pananakot ng babaeng 'to, hinding-hindi niya ito uurungan.

Nasa harap na rin niya ang pain niya, kaya siya mismo ang maghahanap ng sagot kung bakit nauwi sa panganib ang buhay niya.

"So you really don't care if I do something to her, huh? I could seriously hurt her, you know." Lyrica stated on the phone, her breath getting harder, and then she murmured while giggling strangely.

"Kahit dalin mo pa sa akin 'yan ng bangkay na—wala akong pakialam." Mariin niyang sambit, sinasara ang kamao at mas hinahigpitan pa ang kapit sa telepono.

¸.•' ▬▬▬๑♆♟☭♆ ๑▬▬▬ ¸.•'

"You're really pushing my patience, Saku! Hindi ka ba talaga pupunta o ano!?" sigaw ni Lyrica sa telepono, habang nananatiling tahimik si Saku, hawak ang telepono at pinindot ang cellphone para ma-record ang pag-uusap nila.

Isang ngiti ang gumuhit sa mukha ng lalaki habang hinahawakan niya ang kanyang labi at sabay bulong sa kanyang isipan. Sige, magalit ka pa.

Saku thought, That's the reaction I was hoping for, and a little smile spread across his face as he relished his small success.

"I'm not going. I'm done with your games," he said. "I hope you remember how much you've already turned my life into a nightmare. You drowned my twin, and I witnessed everything. Everyone's after me because of some stupid mistake."

Alam na ng mga tao kung gaano kakaiba ang paraan niya ng pag-iisip. Kaya sa puntong 'to, handa na siyang makipaglaro kahit kanino. At ngayong nasa harap na niya ang pain niya, paano pa ba siya aatras?

¸.•' ▬▬▬๑♆♟☭♆ ๑▬▬▬ ¸.•'

Sa tingin nila, siguro nga basta siya kakagat sa kagustuhan nila dahil hawak nila ang mahalaga sa kanya. Willhelmina is more aware of the situation, and he believes she may be fine.

Just for a short while. Until he learns how to properly control Lyrica.

"Noong rally ka pa!" sigaw ni Lyrica mula sa kabilang linya. "Ha! Hindi ka pa rin talaga tapos, 'no? You planned that rally to damage my father's reputation! What do you want?"

"Wala akong maalalang nasabi na mali, lalo na't ipinaglalaban ko lang naman ang katotohanan."

Kung patuloy kayong magpapanggap na walang nakikita, para na rin kayong nagsasabi na wala kayong pakialam sa nangyayaring korapsyon. Many people, including him, attended the event that day to protest the alleged exploitation of public officials and contractors, who are accused of stealing billions of dollars from the government through infrastructure projects.

¸.•' ▬▬▬๑♆♟☭♆ ๑▬▬▬ ¸.•'

Want to discover what's the most frustrating?

We are well aware that climate change poses issues for vulnerable countries. Every year, floods kill people, and despite the government's promises that it is addressing the problem, it appears that nothing is improving.

It's crazy how quickly people get imprisoned for something as minor, but when it comes to larger issues, the solutions appear to take forever. Have you observed how many people are struggling, and how they are spending the country's money?

"Isang bagay na hindi mo maiintindihan," sagot ni Saku sa telepono niya. "Kasi nga, parang wala rin naman sa'yo ang tatay mong diktador at magnanakaw."

¸.•' ▬▬▬๑♆♟☭♆ ๑▬▬▬ ¸.•'

"Tumahimik ka na!" sigaw ni Lyrica sa telepono.

Saku chuckles in disbelief over the phone. "Ah, talaga? So, what's the deal? I went to the rally, and your father was mentioned as one of the corrupt officials, so he tried to hire someone to kill me off the bus I was on?"

Isang bagay na kinailing na lang niya. Para bang kapag nanindigan ka para sa tama at ipinahayag mo ang katotohanan, mahirap itong tanggapin ng iba dahil sa kapangyarihang hawak nila. Madali na lang nilang baguhin ang katotohanan dahil sa kanilang posisyon.

"You're forgetting who you're talking to. You only have one opportunity to save the girl. Submit to me, and she shall live. You have thirty seconds."

Pagkatapos ng tawag, agad niyang itinapon ang telepono kay Attorney Morrissey, at hindi naman siya nagdalawang-isip na abutin 'to. The man's expression was concerned as he looked at Saku's phone and cleared his throat.

"Seriously? " he muttered, lifting his brows slightly, tightening his teeth as his chin moved anxiously, and blinking in surprise. "My Mina is in trouble."

¸.•' ▬▬▬๑♆♟☭♆ ๑▬▬▬ ¸.•'

Hindi na mapigilan ni Saku ang sarili; isinara niya ang kanyang kamay at isang pulang enerhiya ang sumiklab mula rito, at tinadyakan niya ang sofa na direktang tumilapon sa pader. It hit with a loud thud, sending the cushions flying like leaves in the wind.

It echoed throughout the room, and then the windows shattered, sending shards flying and hitting his face slightly. The breeze from outside added to the stress as he withdrew the shard from his bleeding skin. Then, unexpectedly, dark veins began to appear on his face, as if they were repairing it with this black, inky pattern.

"Walang mananakit sa kanya! I promise your daughter will be okay! I refuse to let anyone hurt her! I'll kill them if they do."

"Kuya, wala kang gagawin." Rino's eyes shimmered like the water, with a sign of Poseidon's Trident glowing at their center. Without warning, a beautiful blue glow surrounded him, illuminating everything around.

For a little while, the wind whispered through his hair. Suddenly, a strong gust swept across his back, filling the long sleeves of his shirt and causing his slacks to puff around him

Later, the damaged window allowed for a delicate hiss of waves to accompany each breath of air. Above the ocean, the distant cry of gulls resonated, as if Rino was crying to them, hoping to connect with the sea.

¸.•' ▬▬▬๑♆♟☭♆ ๑▬▬▬ ¸.•'

"Nasa gitna siya ng kamatayan ngayon, Rino!" sigaw ni Saku, saka niya ginulo ang kanyang buhok. "So you really think I should stick around here?"

"Seriously, what a fool," he murmured. "If you really cared about her, you should not have told Lyrica those things."

In an instant, music notes glided through the air, accompanied by an enticing melodious melody. It switched to a legato technique, gliding effortlessly from one note to the next, accompanied by beautiful broken chords.

The music swelled gracefully, recalling the delicate strumming of a harp. Nakayuko si Saku at binuka ang kanyang mga kamay, at mas lumakas pa ang tunog.

¸.•' ▬▬▬๑♆♟☭♆ ๑▬▬▬ ¸.•'

He exhaled deeply, and with a quick movement of his hands, he summoned ice spikes. They grew with astonishing ease, sprouting from the ground around him, forming an impressive show of frozen creativity.

He then stepped onto the floor, and everything around him changed. The surface froze, and his feet were quickly wrapped in its icy grip, sending delicate, frigid breaths of frost into the air. May ilang usok ng init na nagmumula sa kanyang balikat matapos. Was this because of his anxiety?

"Nag-aalala ako sa kanya," muling sabi niya at mas lalo pa kuminang ang pulang liwanag mula sa kinatatayuan niya.

Demigods like them found themselves caught between the Twilight Vale and the First Domain, also known as the mortal realm. Not only do their parents protect children from danger, but they also do so while they are dealing with extreme emotions.

You know, when Saku grasped the black leaves, glanced at the painting, or the ground shifted, it felt like a reminder that Hades wanted a connection, or maybe it was his emotions wanting to express.

¸.•' ▬▬▬๑♆♟☭♆ ๑▬▬▬ ¸.•'

"Subukan mo minsang kumalma, pre." Kinusot-kusot ni Rino ang kanyang mata. "Mapag-uusapan na naman tayo ng kung anu-anong isyu dito! Damn! People in this village can be really frustrating! Fuck!"

"Boys, boys." Sita ni Attorney Morrissey at lumapit sa dalawang magkapatid at inakbayan sila. "I understand that you guys are Demigods. Unfortunately, my daughter is one, too. Pero sana maawa na kayo sa budget ko. Pang-walo na 'yang iri-renovate dahil sa sira nito," sabi niya habang nangingilid ang luha.

"Dad . . . " Mina whispered over the phone that she was sounding a little wheezy at parang nahihirapan na siya magsalita. Her voice was usually soft and kind, and you could feel the sweet tone in it. "Ipasa n'yo po kay Saku; kailangan ko po siyang makausap."

"Sure, my dear." Sabi ni Attorney Morrissey habang inabot niya ang phone kay Saku.

¸.•' ▬▬▬๑♆♟☭♆ ๑▬▬▬ ¸.•'

"What was that all about? Seriously? You actually want me dead here? Are you crazy? And you want my corpse? Kung pinapalo ko kaya 'yang mala-garapon mong buhok!" sigaw ni Mina sa kabilang linya.

Tapos inilayo ni Saku ang cellphone mula sa kanya, saka siya napapikit sandali, at inilagay ang hinlilit na daliri sa tainga dahil sobra siyang naingayan sa boses nito.

"Wow, angry bird yata 'yang crush mo." Tawang-tawa si Rino sa ingay ng boses ng babae, at sandaling napataas ang kilay ni Saku sa kanya, saka sinipat siya ng tingin, tapos inirapan na lang ang kapatid.

Sinara na lang ni Saku ang kamay niya, huminga nang malalim, at mahigpit na hinawakan ang kaniyang cellphone. "Ayos ka lang ba? May masakit ba sa'yo? Nasaktan ka ba? Where are you? Can you just tell me what it's like? I can't relax knowing you're in a tough spot." His voice was low and trembling, as if a storm was rising inside him.

¸.•' ▬▬▬๑♆♟☭♆ ๑▬▬▬ ¸.•'

"I'm—"

"Willhelmina Raniyah, please. Please don't say you're okay. You're already involved because of the things I do." mahinahon niyang ibinulong 'yon bago niya ginulo ang buhok niya.

"Hey, you're being kind of nice to me, and I'm not really used to that. What's going on, Saku?" Mina asked on the phone, raising her brow as she noticed she was sitting up straight and clearing her throat. "Nahanap ako nila Nana bago pa ako ilibing ni Lyrica. Sino ba 'yon? Bigla-bigla na lang niya ako pinakidnap. At prinotektahan ako ni Shori kaya okay naman na ako. Ikaw pa, may binabalak ka na namang masama, 'no! Huwag na!"

"Libing?" Napahigpit ang hawak niya. "Pwes, ako ang maglilibing sa kanya nang buhay! Huwag niyang ubusin ang pasensya ko! Dahil kapag ako ang gumanti, mas triple ang aabutin niya! I'll kill—" Mariin niyang sinabi 'yon at agad na tinakpan ang sarili niyang bibig.

¸.•' ▬▬▬๑♆♟☭♆ ๑▬▬▬ ¸.•'

Kitang-kita ang matinding pamumula sa buong mukha niya—na para bang kahit sa maikling sandaling 'yon, ay pwedeng-pwede siyang gumanti anumang oras na gustuhin niya. He was flushed, veins bursting on his neck, and clenching his jaw before punching the sofa, which produced a very loud noise over the phone. His heart was racing like crazy, and it appeared that he was about to lose it.

Siguro ganoon na nga talaga ang nararamdaman niya. He was a guy ablaze, with fire pouring through his veins. The rage within him burned fierce and unrelenting, an unstoppable force. This fierce fire was fueled by one irrefutable truth: when those he cared about were hurt, his resolve got even stronger.

Kung hindi sila marunong maglaro nang patas, eh di ganun din ang ibabalik niya. At kung iniisip ng iba na kaya nila siyang paikutin, nagkakamali na sila mula't mula pa. When the game starts, he always plays dirty. That's just who he is.

¸.•' ▬▬▬๑♆♟☭♆ ๑▬▬▬ ¸.•'

"Mga hayop talaga 'yong mga 'yon," bulong niya. "Hangga't alam nilang makapangyarihan sila, kahit sino kaya nilang pabagsakin!" Sigaw niya na, sabay padyak sa galit.

Kasi paano na lang 'yong iba? 'Yong walang laban? Parang kaya na lang nilang pabagsakin o ipapatay kung sino man dahil lang sa kapangyarihan nila. Wala namang pinagkaiba—noon nga, inaambush lang siya sa bus. It's all about the money! That's the main issue here, you know. Money is what keeps everything moving; it's the fuel that drives it all.

In this game, you'll probably pick things up quickly. Ambition without money won't get you far. You'll do whatever it takes to get started and build your personal stake in the issue. Once you've established a foothold, things begin to work in your favor financially. You see their power, influence, and the legacy they are creating. It's all part of the same cycle, especially with so many political families involved.

¸.•' ▬▬▬๑♆♟☭♆ ๑▬▬▬ ¸.•'

Dishonest politicians often recruit their spouses, children, and other family members to seek government jobs in order to continue their corrupt practices. Instead of exploring alternative sources of income, they see this as an easy means to make money by taking a cut of government projects.

We should stop allowing elected politicians to manage government programs. Instead, these initiatives and acquisitions should be managed by specific government entities. Elected politicians' roles should be more ceremonial and focused on enacting laws. Their salary should be fixed, and the government should pay for their support staff.

"I'm not really getting it," Mina murmured quietly. "I'm starting to feel a little anxious. What are you going to do?"

¸.•' ▬▬▬๑♆♟☭♆ ๑▬▬▬ ¸.•'

Alam na alam ni Saku ang patakaran ng pamilyang 'yon. Nadamay na rin ang kanyang kakambal noon. Buo pa rin sa kanyang alaala ang insidenteng nangyari noong nilunod nila si Salvatore, dahil nakita ni Salvatore ang ilegal na gawain ng mga pamilyang 'yon.

Dahil dito, napilitan siyang dalhin ang kanyang kapatid upang lunurin ng tatay ni Lyrica, habang siya naman ay tumakas lamang mula sa malagim na nakaraan na 'yon.

He's an important witness, therefore that person is determined to kill him.

¸.•' ▬▬▬๑♆♟☭♆ ๑▬▬▬ ¸.•'

"Gagawin ko na ang dapat matagal ko nang ginawa. Kung hindi sila marunong maging patas, eh 'di hindi rin ako magiging patas." sabi niya kay Mina habang magkausap sila sa telepono, at sandaling pumikit siya. I'm going use my fate to trap myself and end this pain for good.

Saku stood in stillness, his breathing regular and rhythmic. He softly tapped the tips of his fingers, and as if woken by his intention, whirling threads of bright black appeared in front of him, each laced with menacing thorns.

The strands danced and twisted towards his hands, entwining with the dark power that hummed in the air like an electric current. This intimate fusion created a frightening atmosphere, indicating that he was not only ready, but eager to release his strength in the face of any challenge.

His demeanor became stern as he forced a smile, "So he wants me to leave Mina and take a risk? Okay, but I'm the one who fucking decides what happens to her."