Kabanata 59
Funeral

Celestia Rogue

"He's dead..."

Nanlulumong saad kong tila ba nagpaguho sa mundo ni Dylan at ilan pang malalapit kay Eithan.

"Eithan is dead, Dylan."

Sambit kong nagpakuyom sakaniyang mga kamao kasabay ng pagtulo ng kaniyang luha.

"No! there might still a way to save him right?!"

Tumingin siya sa gawi ng mga diyos na nagpailing lamang sa mga ito.

"Even the two great gods is not able to bring someone back to life unless it is reincarnation. It is only allowed in special cases, you know that Dylan, I'm sorry."

Kiara sighed.

The clouds then started to darkened, the wind blew stronger as the rain poured painfully.

Dylan's eyes and hair were glowing as he mourned and hugged Eithan's dead body.

"Why! Why Eithan of all theians?!"

He shouted angrily.

Misha and Noah were hugging each other while crying for the death of their dear friend.

While I felt heavy and sorrowful. He's also my friend, he's a good man in a short time we've been together.

Hindi ko maiwasang manlumo at malungkot habang nakatulala sa walang buhay niyang bangkay.

Naramdaman kong hinawakan ni Draco ang kamay ko at pinisil ito.

Seems like he's comforting me.

"LUCIAN!!!"

Dylan shouted furiously along with the powerful storm.

"Calm down Dylan! Were still not in the right state to fight him!"

The gods immediately put a barrier to stop Dylan from possibly fighting Lucian.

"Let go of me! I will kill that bastard!"

I've never seen Dylan this mad before. He's usually calm and carefree, he's always smiling and will always be there for you.

And now the Dylan I see is full of anger, pain and his aura is menaciing like a storm that will blew away everything on it's way.

"And then what? You're the one who will be killed instead in your state."

Nakahalukipkip na saad ni Allen habang madilim ang mukang nakatingin dito.

"We can't loose you too."

Kiara added.

"If you want revenge, then do it in a way, you won't loose, fucker."

Leonard hissed.

"They are right, please calm down Dylan, you know the consequence if you act too rashly. This war is not like your any war. One wrong move and were done."

Sambit pa ni Aragon na nagpakuyom sa kamao ni Dylan habang patuloy na lumuluha.

"How? How can I remain calm when I lost someone again?! when I lost my family?!"

Napaluhod siya habnag humahagulgol. Napapikit ako roon saka lumapit at mahigpit siyang niyakap.

"I don't know what words to say or there might not be any words that could ease your pain right now, but were here for you Dylan, we will avenge Eithan. We can avenge him by not loosing you too."

I said while hugging him.

Isinandal lamang ni Dylan ang ulo saaking balikat kasabay ng kaniyang paghagulgol.

We all became silent as we prayed for Eithan's soul silently.

But I feel something strange in his body.

"That's weird..."

Draco mumbled as he looked at Eithan's body.

"I can still feel a faint energy in his body."

He added that caught their attention.

"What do you mean?"

Tila ba nabuhayang tanong ni Dylan.

"That's true."

I said then looked at Dylan.

"Compare to Lucian's energy, I can feel a holy power in it, the trace of his killer that almost faint it's not easy to detect."

Mariing saad ko na nagpadilim sakanilang ekspresyon.

"And fortunately some creatures here has a damn holy power."

Malamig na saad ni Dylan habang nakatingin sa gawi ng kaniyang mga kapatid.

"What do you mean? that one of us killed Eithan? why the fuck would we do that?"

Iritang tanong ni Leonard.

"Why are you defensive?"

Malamig niyang tanong.

"Ganto na talaga ako tanga, wag mo akong pinagbibintangan dahil magkakasama tayong apat ni Celestia at Draco kanina."

Mariing giit niya saka tumingin sa gawi ng iba pa.

"Why would the killer kill Eithan in the first place? what will be it's motives?"

I asked confused.

"Because they are a disgusting traitor who acts like he's with us but on Lucian's side."

Mariing saad ni Dylan saka naikuyom ang kaniyang kamao.

"The only gods whose not with us is those three."

He added making the them seems confused.

"I hold tight into my principles that I'd rather die than commit injustice!"

Allen said firmly.

That's true, Allen is indeed like that. But I can't decide base on how I know them.

"You know how I hate Lucian, unlike some runaway goddess whom his daughter."

Iritang saad ni Aragon.

Napatingin naman sila sa gawi ni Kiara na nagpabuntong hininga rito.

"I don't hate him, but that doesn't mean I approve of the things he's done."

She sighed then looked at all of them. I can feel the overwhelming tension building up as they looked at each other cautiously.

"Asking the traitor will be pointless, who will betray us and be willing to admit it?"

Leonard hissed.

"Then we'd have to see it ourselves."

Aragon said as his eyes glowed with flames in his hand.

All of them flew in the sky ready to fight each other making me frowned as I flew in the center, putting up a barrier to stop their attacks.

"Will you stop this?"

Inis kong saad sa mga matatandang huklubang ito.

"Seriously, you guys are such a pain in the ass!"

Dagdag ko pa.

"Well I do have a nice ass."

Leonard who's in his beast form, shrugged.

"Shut up, muka kang tanga."

Iritakong saad dahilan upang samaan ako nito ng tingin.

"Do you really think you will find who the traitor is by force? kung hindi ba naman kayo mga isa't kalahating pulpol magkakasakitan na kayo't lahat lahat ay hindi niyo padin napapaamin ang salarin."

I hissed, Allen sighed.

"Celestia is right, we should calm down---"

"I cannot just calm down! Ethan died and someone in this group killed him!"

Mariing saad nito saka naikuyom ang kaniyang mga kamao.

"I understand---"

"You don't understand Hugo! you don't fucking understand!"

He glared at the flame god as he flew down to Eithan whom Misha is Noah is with now.

They are both silently crying while looking at Eithan's corpse.

Binuhat ni Dylan ang bangkay ng kaniyang pamangkin at puno ng galit na tumingin sa gawi ng mga kapatid.

"Just make sure I wouldn't find out who the traitor is. Once I find out who killed my Nephew, I'll make sure to kill you, place you in the deepest place in hell with that fucker, Lucian."

Pagbabanta niya saka nagteleport na paalis kasama nila Misha at Noah at ng bangkay ni Eithan.

WE DECIDED TO GO to the Kingdom of Bailey where Eithan's funeral will be held.

It was a non stop rain since Eithan died. A storm that reflects the water god's grief for loosing his love one.

Made me think...

If I didn't bring my parents to my mother's original world.

Would they meet the same fate?

Naikuyom ko roon ang aking kamao. Just thinking about it is unpleasant. I don't think I could ever take it.

I need to end Lucian quickly.

But I should start it by finding out who the traitor is.

Nandilim ang paningin ko roon.

I hate the idea of one of us betraying. I don't like it, it feels unpleasant and pathetic.

"We can get through this."

Draco sighed then kissed me on my forehead. I just closed my eyes and hugged him tight.

"Dylan."

I called his name. The only ones who could see Eithan despite of being the crown prince is the real Fiona, Dylan, Misha, Noah and us who is close to him.

They never let anyone in and just like what Eithan would have wanted, they held a silent funeral.

Just with us praying silently.

"I raised Eithan as my own since my brother died."

Tulala pading saad ni Dylan habang nakatitig sa pinaglalamayang si Eithan.

Parang kahapon lang noong kasa kasama lamang namin siya.

"He is a good kid, he grew up to be a good man and I am always proud of him. I've always thought that he would be a great ruler someday."

Napahilamos ito sakaniyang muka nang ikwento iyon saka napatingin sa gawi ni Fiona.

It's the real Fiona crying so hard while hugging the casket.

The scene tightens my chest.

I understand how hard and painful it feels to loose a love one.

When we thought papa is dead, even if Mama always shows me her smile, I can hear her cry every night for years.

"And thinking that one of my siblings might be the one who killed her, that one of us might be on Lucian's side, hurts me more."

Napabuntong hininga ako doon habang tahimik na nakikinig sakaniyang mga hinaing.

I can feel how much in pain Dylan is in right now.

I don't think I should cheer him up and ask him to smile right now. We should let him mourn, we should let him cry for Eithan.

Then we'll slowly cheer him up untill he could smile again.

Not for us but even for Eithan.

"Take your time Dylan, It's okay, you'll be okay."

I sighed then patted his back.

"I won't be okay, unless I end Lucian's reign."

He said firmly making me sigh then nodded my head on him.

"We will, Dylan"

I said with a dark expression on my face.

That night I couldn't sleep a blink. I decided to stay in the Bailey kingdom's palace until Eithan's burial tommorow.

Ngunit sa dami ng iniisip ko ay hindi padin ako madalaw ng antok.

Natigilan nalamang ako at napabangon nang maramdaman ang malamig na simoy ng hangin na bumalot saaking balat dahil narin sa nipis ng aking suot.

I opened my eyes and saw the open window.

I just frowned and since I'm too lazy to use my power. I just stood up and closed it on my own.

Ngunit pagkaatras ko ay sa isang malaking bulto ako napasantal.

"Ay palakang puta----Draco?"

I frowned when I saw those pair of silver eyes. He used his power to sneak into my room and get inside the strong barrier that I put.

"Why are you here? and why the heck are you wet?"

I asked then walked bare feet till I reached my bed to get the towel in the bed side table.

"Why are you still up?"

He asked then started unbuttoning his shirt. Ako naman ay walang kahiya hiyang pinagpyestahan ang katawan niya habang nakaupo sa kama.

"I was just gonna check if you're okay, but the the rain poured hard again."

He shrugged.

"Why didn't you block it?"

I asked.

"I was in deep thought."

He said.

Nailing nalang akong nilapitan siya upang ako na ang magpunas sa buhok niya.

"What are you thinking so hard about?"

Tanong ko habang pinatutuyo ang buhok niya at sinasalubong ang maiinit at nakapapasong mga titig niya.

Mukang nagdadalawang isip pa ito saka nag iwas ng tingin bago sumagot.

"Y-You, I was imagining you in a wedding dress I got distracted."

He stammered and even if it's dark, I can still see how red his cheeks are with what he said.

cute...

That made me chuckle then pinched his cheeks making him frown as I decided to just dry him using my power.

"You should go to sleep."

Sambit niyang nagpairap saakin.

"Well I wish I could."

Napabuntong hininga kong saad.

"I have so much in my mind right now. I'm wonder how is my parents doing right now, who killed Eithan, how to cheer up Dylan and who the fuck betrayed us."

I sighed.

Iniunan ko nalamang ang ulo sakaniyang dibdib.

"Then think about it tommorow and sleep."

Sambit niya saka hinalikan ako sa noo at marahang binuhat patungo sa kama.

"I know you're tired--"

"Not really."

Pagputol ko sakaniyang sinasabi.

"Maybe not physically but you're probably mentally drained after all that happened."

Kalmado niyang saad saka inihiga na ako sa kama saka binalot ng kumot na para bang turon.

Napasimangot ako doon na mahinang nagpatawa sakaniya marahil ay dahil sa itsura ko ngayon.

Pinitik niya ako sa noo.

"You should rest."

He chuckled while I frowned.

I then closed my eyes to try to catch some sleep. I can hear Draco humming a calming song in a silence of the night.

Just him being here calms me.

His presence is comforting, it gives me warmth.

Nakikinig lamang ako sakaniya habang marahan niyang hinahaplos ang buhok ko. Hanggang sa unti unti akong dalawin ng antok at tuluyang makatulog.

When I opened my eyes, I can only see light.

A very bright place.

And there is someone very familiar in the middle of it.

"Eithan..."

I mumbled as a tear fell from my eyes. I then ran in his direction and hugged him tight.

"Eithan!"

I said to my friend happily while crying.

"Bakit naman biglaan? Hindi mo ba alam kung gaano mo pinaiyak ang pamilya mo?! Sila Misha, Noah, ang aunt Fiona mo, si Dylan!"

Iritang saad kong nagpangiti lamang sakaniya saka marahang pinunasan ang luha ko.

He's talking yet I couldn't hear him. But he looks concerned and bothered. His eyes were looking at me filled with worry as he mouthed something.

"Mag iingat ka sakaniya.."

Iyon lamang ang naitindihan ko sa mga katagang kaniyang binanggit na lalo lamang nagpagulo saaking isipan.

"What do you mean?!"

Naguguluhan kong tanong ngunit nanatili lamang na seryoso ang muka niyang kinuha ang pulsuhan kong tila ba ay may iginuguhit doong nagpatigil saaking pilit na iniintindi iyon.

Marami akong tanong at gustong sabihin. Ngunit bago ko pa man iyon maitanong ay bigla nalamang akong nakaramdam ng mga malakas at pamilyar na presensya.

Doon ay nagmulat ako ng matang naalimpungatan sa kaganapan sa labas.

Inis akong napabangon roong isinuot ang robang tumalon mula sa bintana ng mataas na palapag kung saan naroroon ang aking silid at marahang lumapag sa damuhan malapit sa kinaroroonan ng mga istorbo.

It's those fucking gods looking at each other intensely.

"Why are you all here?"

Malamig na saad ni Dylan na nagpaiwas tingin lamang sa apat.

I can feel them earlier but just hiding probably from Dylan who is still not ready to face any of them right now.

"We just wanted to know how are you."

Kiara sighed then looked at Dylan. I can see how hurt he is while looking at them, trying not to be shaken up.

"Still misserable."

Seryoso niyang saad saka nag iwas ng tingin.

Napuno ng katahimikan ang lahat habang nakatitig lamang sa isa't isa.

I can feel how they are warry of each other, how a wall is formed between them.

"What an awful sight..."

A familiar voice said making us all stop as it we looked at the person who just came from the garden holding a white rose.

"Lucian wanted us to be parted, so he could easily defeat us."

He added making us froze as we all looked at him surprised.

"No way, you..."

Kunot noong saad ko nang maramdaman ang kakaibang enerhiyang bumabalot sa bagong dating.

"Hello brothers, I'm finally awake."

Aspen, the protector of the land and the god of nature said...