[Tsubaki]

Vampires: an interesting creature, mysterious at the same time.

We never grow old. We never get sick. We're literally immortals. I have always thought that we are blessed. We are all special— almost perfect beings.

But seems like we still have flaws.

Nakikipagpalitan ako ng atake. Ilang oras na rin ang lumipas. I'm starting to realize that I'm starting to put some force on every attack I made, I'm already exerting myself. Unlike my first attacks.

It means that— I'm starting to struggle.

Maybe I was so lost in thoughts, I was having too much fun that I let this fight for too long. Kaya kong lumaban nang matagal na panahon, ang pinagkaiba nga lang, iba ang katapat ko ngayon.

I examined her every moves as she slash her katana. This hunter is starting to have random patterns, but unpredictable ones. She kept aiming to my sensitive spots.

So as possible, I avoid her attacks. Hindi tulad kanina na sinasalo ko ang lahat. I was too easy going, I admit. I really did, underestimated her.

She already gave me countless of critical blows, I lost count on how many times I lost my head.

Pinag-iisipan ko na ngayon ang bawat galaw ko. . . pero. . . 

I clicked my tongue, looking at the hunter in front of me.

I'm already losing my pace, already exerting myself, unlike her who's giving her all since the start.

So how come. . . her moves didn't change at all!?

Iniwasan ko ang katana na muntik ng tumama sa kanang parte ng mukha ko, pero namilog ang mga mata ko nang makaramdam ng pag-karate chop sa kaliwang bewang ko dahilan ng pag-usog din ng katawan ko at pagtama ko sa katana.

Her pace since the start didn't change. Her moves are not slowing, showing that she's losing energy or strength. In fact. . . she's getting faster and her attacks are having more impact!

Just. . . who— what are you?

She attacked me, slashing her katana towards my neck. Walang pag-aalinlangan kong sinalo gamit ang mga kamay ko ang atake niya, kinuha ko ang chansang 'yon para buong pwersa siyang sipain sa sikmura.

And with my other hand that is holding my katana, I aimed for her neck. Her other hand tried to stop me, but with brute force, I outpowered her.

This is it-

My eyes slowly widened, followed by a gasp when she faced towards the katana. With both of her hands full, she used her mouth to catch the blade. Umuusok ang bunganga niya nang tamaan ng patalim na kinakagatan ng pangil niya.

Hey, are you fucking serious right now?

I clicked my tongue. Her bite is fucking strong!

I changed the direction of the blade upwards. Losing the chance to slice her neck, I slashed downwards instead, cutting her chin down to her right hand. I'm planning to punch a hole at her chest but I was stopped by a loud kick on the stomach.

I gritted my teeth. She lost a limb, and she can still give that hard kick?!

Tsk! Fuck it!

I rushed towards her again, before she have a chance to regenerate her hand.

Fuck this, I'm irritated!

I pulled her hair and punched her on the face, she stabbed my legs. 

I'm really, really irritated!

I'm in rage, attacking her in every possible way.

"DON'T FUCK WITH ME YOU DISGUSTING CREATURE!" I screamed. With both of my hands, I tried to stab her in the chest. She generated her other hand, catching the blade as it pierce her palm.

"YOU TRASH! WHO ARE YOU TO DO THIS?! TO PUT ME IN THIS KIND OF SITUATION?!!!" I can feel my veins popping in my neck, my words full of emotions and curses unlike my elegant usual self. "YOU'RE NOTHING COMPARED TO ME!!! YOU'RE A LOW BEING! YOU HUMANS ARE THE WORST!!! YOU ONLY EXIST FOR PLEASURE AND FOOD!!! DON'T BE AHEAD OF YOURSELF!!!"

With other hand, she tried to grip me, but with my other hand, I cut her arm off. We're at the top of the roof, her, lying on the bricks while I'm standing at the top of her, pinning her down with my katana piercing her hand.

"KNOW YOUR PLACE BEFORE ME!!! YOU'RE NOTHING LIKE ME— LIKE US!!" I showed a sinister grin, my nails are getting longer. "YOU. . . you're not chosen beings like us."

With towering rage, attack full of force, I'm ready to end it all with a one attack on her head. I was really into the moment— until a little spark reached my eyes.

As if an automatic response, my body was literally frozen as my head turn towards its direction. Being at the roof at the top of the castle, the trees under us, I can fully see it. My eyes reached the light, at the same time, I felt the unsettling burn on my skin.

The dawn.

All of the cells on my body responded, I felt the blood flowing my veins. My brain has an immediate response.

Retreat, you're going to die.

It was the fastest second I had in my life— for more than 7 centuries.

It isn't the humans that we fear. It isn't the hunters. It is the sun. Our greatest foe. 

The sun rises fast. But I can be faster. I glanced at my room. It is a wreck, the sunlight would reach me. I need to go down, faster-

I felt it. Again.

That bloodlust that I felt when I was about to kill Kira. And it's just behind me.

It feels like time is slowing down for me as I slowly looked back, seeing a pair of crimson red eyes locked on me.

You really got to be kidding me-

My body was too focus on escaping, I didn't get the change to defend myself. My body just slowly fell as her katana pierce through my throat, pinning me on the roof.

Napabuga ako ng dugo, namimilog ang mga mata. Ilang segundo lang ang pagitan, magkaiba na kami ng pwesto ngayon. I'm on the roof, lying. She's at the top of me, pinning me with a katana.

My eyesight became blurry as I scream in pain. All of my senses are starting to shut down.

Fuck! Fuck! I'm going to die! I'm going to die!

Sinubukan kong takpan ang sarili ko gamit ang mga kamay ko na para bang may mangyayari. Then, as I start to cover myself, a certain scenario came to me.

The scene of my mother, in the same position of me.

"M-Mother. . ." I called her name, full of fear as we hide from her. We, the youngest of her children, little kids, hiding from her. 

She soon found us, her red crimson eyes is glaring at us. Nanginginig ang mga kamay niya na nakatutok sa 'min, na parang nanggagalaiti.

"Monsters. . . demons. . . I should've never gave birth to you. I should've killed you all," she said while crying. I was shivering in fear, hiding behind my older brother who's still just a kid like me.

It's just seconds before she snapped back to reality. Her face softened, still crying while looking at us. Napailing-iling siyang tumakbo paalis sa 'min.

"Mother!" we called her name as we follow her. But we can not fully go to her.

For she went outside and greeted the sun.

Nanginginig ang buong katawan ko, naalala ang alaala na 'yon. Mariin akong napakagat sa ibabang labi.

Fuck. . . I can't move. This is so unfair. So fucking unfair. I can't die like this!

Napaismid ako, buo ang desisyon. Inalis ko ang pagtakip ng mga kamay ko sa sarili ko at mariing hinawakan ang babaeng nakapatong sa 'kin.

With a katana pierced on my throat, I still managed to show a grin and laugh. "If I'll die here, I'll take you to hell with me-"

It's my first time seeing the sky brightening, first time feeling the heat of the sun as it burns my skin into ashes. And my first time. . . witnessing a creature like me, fully fine even with the sun touching her skin.

My eyes are fully widened. I don't know if I'm surprised because of anger, or surprised because of amazement. Seeing this beautiful creature, who's more beautiful than my mother, in front of me.

A tear escaped from my eye, I bitterly smiled. I suddenly became immune to the pain as I slowly burn from the sun. With my memories flashing before my eyes and witnessing this stunning moment— I fully accepted my death.

"This is really so unfair. . . why did God created perfect beings only to make their lives in hell?" I purely asked.

For the first time since our serious fight, she talked. She gained her consciousness, still have her cold looking crimson eyes looking down on me. The wind blew making her hair move with it.

"Huh? Unfair? You call this unfair? After all of the lives you've taken? You're really disgusting." She held her katana that's in my throat, my body is burning.

I think that this is the perfect ending for a perfect— almost perfect being like me. The sun is giving me its warm touch, as this woman at the top of me is giving me her cold gaze.

I can't feel my body anymore as I slowly perish.

Ah. . . so this is my end.

"And your life isn't hell." Her voice are starting to sound like an angel for me, as it slowly fades away.

"I'm just about to take you there." 

━━━ † ━━━