VERM

Iyon ang isa sa mga pinakamadugong laban na natunghayan ko sa talambuhay ko. I was not surprised how that fight would end up since I know they're both familiars owned by two powerful witches.

"Puntahan mo sina Margot sa loob, ako na ang bahala rito," ang utos pa sa akin ni Armando habang nakatuon ang kaniyang atensiyon sa nag-aalab na labanan sa pagitan ng familiar niya at ng halimaw dito sa asylum.

My fight or flight instinct kicks in and I decided to run on my way to the Asylum, but this time, to avoid the fight going on between those two creatures, minabuti kong doon magtungo sa likod nito.

I want to see how that fight would end but I can trust Armando to remain his calm while having his familiar defeat whoever owns that demon who has killed Abby.

Paano ko sasabihin kay Angel ang mga nangyari, that one of the innocent citizens of Wichita has been killed because of letting her help with our mission. She was supposed to graduate soon, and because of this situation, her future has abruptly ended.

We had ruined Abby's  life.

But why are they doing this? Kung ibinigay lang nila sa amin si Monalisa, hindi na sana humantong sa ganitong sitwasyon ang lahat. It all started from them, when they refused to communicate and act against their own rules.

They want peace? Then why let this thing happen? Bakit nila hinayaang magkaroon ng gulo rito sa asylum? Paano kung makarating yung mga pasyente sa mismong bayan ng Wichita? What if they stir the peacefulness of the town itself?

I know something is wrong about this. Hindi ako panatag sa mga nangyayari. They are pulling someone's string. Kaya hindi ako puwedeng magpasawalang-bahala na lang sa mga bagay na gaya nito.

I would never let anyone harm Angel or Monalisa. I did let it happen once, pero hindi ko hahayaang may mangyaring masama sa kanila ulit. Whoever has abducted Angel, he will pay for what he has done!

Running on my way around to find an entryway to the asylum, I can't manage but ask myself, kung ganito ang lakas na mayroon ang mga witches, why do they need Monalisa's body? Is there something from us, werewolves, that made us somewhat a special case for them?

Kung sakaling nagagawa naming labanan yung puwersa nila kumpara sa mga normal na tao, baka iyon na talaga ang kasagutan kung bakit ayaw isuko ni Lara ang katawan ni Monalisa sa amin.

That doesn't look good for Angel. Kung dadalhin siya ng sinumang taong dumakip sa kaniya sa lugar kung saan nila isinasagawa yung ritual na iyon, siguradong siya na ang isasalang nila para buhayin ang kung sinumang gusto nilang buhayin sa mga ninuno nila noon.

If only our pack could submit a reinforcement here, baka mas naging madali ang lahat para sa amin ni Manuel. And speaking of Manuel, kamusta na kaya ang lagay nila ngayon? Lalo na at may kasama pa silang reporter na sabik na sabik malaman ang sikreto ng pack namin.

I stopped for a second when I reached the backyard of the asylum. Dito ko nakita kung gaano karaming pasyente ang nakawala dahil may mga pasyenteng kasalukuyang nakahandusay sa lupa habang nakatitig sa kalangitan.

They tend to be unconscious but still wide-awake. Para silang na-hypnotized ng kung sinuman. I looked around again, trying my best to sense if someone is watching me.

Meanwhile, the sound of growling from the ongoing fight between those two monsters reverberated into the walls that made me shiver. Hindi ko ata kakayaning tapatan ang puwersa ng mga halimaw na iyon.

Mula sa yanig pa lang ng mga ginagawa nilang pag-atake, walang-wala na akong panapat. I can't even fight Armando when he used that telepathy on me. My brain can't manage to apprehend what he was giving to me.

I clenched my teeth, time is running out. Kailangan ko na talagang lalo pang magmadali. Armando is fighting there with his familiar, and I hope he could manage to stall that hideous demon before everything is too late.

After wondering around for some few minutes, agad ko na ring natagpuan ang pintuan sa likuran ng Asylum. It was built from wood and I can see some mark of scratches on its surface. Tila gustong tumakas ng mga pasyente sa daanang ito pero hindi nila magawa-gawa.

Another thing that I noticed is the fact that the wooden door is locked from the inside. That's why even how hard I try to push it open, something is blocking it from the other side.

I was waiting for an opportunity to barge in and break the door. Wala naman sigurong mawawala kung sisirain ko ang pintuan na ito hindi ba?

Without any moment of hesitation, I pushed myself into the wooden door resulting for it to crash on impact. Nawasak ang pintuan at nagkalat ang mga tipak nito sa sahig.

Nagulat ako sa aking nakita dahil wala nang tao sa loob ng asylum. Wala na akong natagpuang buhay na pagala-gala sa paligid. Most of the bodies that I discovered were lying facedown on the floor, may bahid ng dugo ang ilan sa kanila.

Kung bibilangin, maraming mga nurse ang makikita kumpara sa mga inosenteng pasyente na wala nang buhay. They were damaged in some ways, may ilang may hiwa ang mukha, at may ilan sa kanilang bali-bali ang mga buto sa katawan.

I even found one of them staring back at me with an open eyes, that woman in white nurse uniform, was dead already as she slumped alone by herself in one corner of the bloodstained lobby.

Napailing na lamang ako. It was all their fault. They did this to these innocent individuals, wala silang kinalaman sa mga nangyayari pero sila ang naging collateral damage nang dahil sa gusto naming iligtas si Monalisa.

We didn't expect that so many lives will perish because of us. Mas lalo tuloy akong nawalan ng pasensiya at awa sa kanila, I felt like they didn't deserve any amount of pity at all.

Oras na mapasakamay ko ang isa sa kanila, I will surely make them pay for this. They will never let this catastrophe just like that. Pipigilan namin sila sa anumang hangarin na mayroon sila.

I retraced myself on my way upstairs para mapuntahan ang kuwarto ni Margot. While I'm running, rinig na rinig ko naman ang lakas ng mga puwersang nagpaparamdam sa labas ng asylum.

Kaunting oras na lang, Armando. I know you can hold the fort for a few more minutes. Mabilis ko lang na ilalabas si Margot dito.

I managed to run upstairs without encountering any signs of danger. Mukhang huli na ang lahat at nangyari na nga ang hindi dapat mangyari dito sa lugar na ito. If only I had the chance to prevent this from happening, I would have stayed.

Sa pagpunta ko sa tapat ng pintuan ng kuwarto ni Margot, I started knocking on it. "Margot, ako 'to, si Verm. Nasa labas na si Armando, kailangan na nating umalis."

I tried opening the door when I didn't hear any response. "Margot," I called her name again as my hands gripped the doorknob tighter. "Pakibuksan ng pinto."

Wala pa ring taong nagsasalita mula sa loob kaya hindi na ako nag-atubiling sipain ang pintuan. I kicked it with my full strength and it got destroyed into pieces of wood in no time.

Sa pagpasok ko sa loob ng kuwarto ni Margot ay nakita ko siyang nakaupo sa gitna ng silid habang nakapikit. She was not moving but I know she is still alive.

"Margot," I was about to touch her when I felt a barrier protecting her from anything that could touch her. Hindi ko siya nagawang mahawakan dahil doon.

She was supposed to hear me calling her name, maganda ngang nililigtas niya ang sarili niya laban sa mga pag-atake sa pamamagitan ng barrier na ito but this is not the time to remain in this state.

"Margot, tara na," I knocked over the barrier, trying my chance to grab her attention but to no avail. "Margot!"

Then she suddenly opened her eyes and it totally shocked me when I find her eyes completely white and no iris at all. Para siyang sinasaniban at may kung anong nasa loob ng kaniyang katawan na kinokontrol siya.

She slowly reached out her hands on me and I can barely hear her whisper something under her breath, something that sounds like, "Samantha..."

Kumunot ang noo ko. "Samantha?" bulong ko sa sarili.

Then slowly her eyes went back to normal. She gasped as she stared back at me. "Nandito ka na rin sa wakas," hinawakan niya ako sa magkabila kong braso at sa isang kisap-mata ay tuluyang naglaho ang barrier na namagitan sa aming dalawa kanina.

Tumayo si Margot. "Hindi ko na alam kung nasaan si Angel ngayon, pasensiya na, maging ang kasama niyang si Abby, hindi ko rin alam kung saan na sila nagtungo."

It was not the right time to tell her what happened. "Kailangan na ho nating umalis ngayon, wag niyo muna silang alalahanin. Nandito na po si Armando," aniko.

"Si Armando," her eyes glistened. Tila ba matagal niya nang hinihintay na maganap ang pangyayaring ito. "Nandito na siya?" she was smiling, as tears slowly flow on her cheeks.

Tumango ako at agad ko siyang inalalayan na sumama sa akin. And seeing the fact that she couldn't run fast at this age, I decided to carry her over.

"Tara na ho," dagdag ko bago kami agad na umalis.

As I find our way to go outside, minabuti ko na doon kami dumaan sa likuran kung saan mas ligtas. Hindi nga makapaniwala si Margot sa nangyari, she was so shocked to see the dead people lying on the ground. Halos maramdaman ko ang tibok ng puso niya habang buhat-buhat ko siya.

"A-a-anong ginawa nila..." bulong ni Margot bago na lamang niya ipinikit ang kaniyang mata at sumandig sa aking braso.

"Wag ho kayong mag-alala, pagbabayarin ho natin sila sa lahat ng mga nangyari," aniko habang iniisip ko ang kapakanan nina Angel at Monalisa.

As we reached the part that we were about to see the front yard of the Asylum, we had witnessed a scene full of gore. May mga lamang-loob na nagkalat sa lupa, may ilan din na makikitang nakadikit sa pader.

The demon who had skinned Abby alive has been terrorizing the whole place by killing every one that it encounters. Mabuti na lang at wala na si Ricardo sa likuran ni Armando. He must have fled away.

Meanwhile, Armando is just there, watching his familiar fight the demon physically. Hindi niya inaalis ang tingin niya sa kaniyang alagang familiar. For him, he wants to see it trample the demon who has killed a lot of innocent people. Mapa-nurse o pasiyente ay wala itong tinatantanan.

"Armando!" I called his name that made him look into my direction.

Nakita ko ang pagmulat ng kaniyang mga mata nang makita niyang buhat ko si Margot. It was a fleeting moment that I know would be priceless to witness. They're longing to see each other and finally this is the right time for this to happen.

Sumenyas si Armando na huwag muna kaming lumapit dahil masyado pang delikado at wala kaming ligtas na madadaanan patungo sa direksyon niya. He even pointed out the damage on his own familiar, duguan na rin ang kaniyang alaga at maging ito ay hirap na kalabanin ang human familiar ng sinumang witch ang nagmamay-ari nito.

I nodded my head as I look for a different path for safety. "Humanap ho muna tayo ng ligtas na mapagtataguan," aniko kay Margot.

She just slowly nodded her head in approval.

At dahil alam ko na hindi puwedeng lumabas ng perimeter ng Asylum si Margot, it would be useless for me to sneak her out of the walls. She will be brought back into her room again if it happens.

Kaya nang makahanap ako ng malapit na pader kung saan wala masyadong gulo ang makikita, I decided to settle Margot to sit there for safety. I even looked around to see if there's anyone who would become a threat for us.

Mabuti na lamang at wala na akong nakikitang panganib. Every single patient of the Asylum has successfully escaped, if not, has perished in this chaos along with the other innocent doctors and nurses.

Kami na lamang ang naiwan dito nina Armando at ng halimaw na pilit pa rin nilang dinadaig sa mga oras na ito. Kailan kaya magaganap ang laban nila, I hope everything will end as soon as possible. Para makaalis na kami sa bayan na ito.

"Verm," Margot called my name.

"Bakit ho?" I looked at her, concerned.

"Yung kasama ninyong babae, si Samantha. Protektahan mo siya," huminga nang malalim si Margot. "Malakas ang pakiramdam ko na isa rin siya sa aming lahi. May dugo rin siya ng pagiging witch."

Kumunot ang noo ko. "P-paano ho nangyari yun?"

"May familiar siyang nagbabantay sa kaniya, lagi siya nitong sinusundan ngunit hindi niya ito gustong harapin kaya hanggang ngayon, hindi pa niya nalalaman ang katotohanan na may kakayahan siyang kontrolin ang nilalang na ito," she even made it confusing.

Paanong magiging witch si Samantha, I didn't even feel anything special from her. There's no kind of weird feeling between me and her, mula nang magkakilala kami, tila isa lang siyang normal na babae na nagtatrabaho kasama si Angel.

I really don't understand what Margot was talking about.

"Isa ring witch si Samantha, kailangan ko siyang makausap, malaki ang maitutulong niya sa atin," she smiled at me. "Maaaring siya rin ang maging sagot sa lahat ng problemang kinahaharap natin ngayon."

I can't help but nod my head. There's no need to say anything that would make the situation seems unreal. Masyadong nang magulo ang lahat, hindi ko na maintindihan kung ang lahat ba ng nangyayari ngayon e planado, isang coincidence? O talagang nakatadhanang mapunta ang bawat isang may kakaibang katauhan dito sa bayan na ito?

Are we all connected at some point? If that is the case, then what lies at the center of this spiderweb? Kami bang mga werewolves ang  dahilan nang lahat, o ang mga witches ang siyang may hawak sa mangyayari sa katapusan?

If Margot can provide some answers, I would protect her at all cost.

And all of a sudden, I heard a very loud noise coming from the demon from afar. Maging si Margot ay hindi rin naiwasang mapalingon sa direksiyon nito. Her face was filled with panic, but I can see the courage on her eyes.

"Dito ka lang, Margot. Kami nang bahala ni Armando sa halimaw na 'to," ang sabi ko pa kay Margot bago ako tuluyang tumayo para harapin ang halimaw na nagwawala sa harapan ng Asylum.

Kahit tirik na tirik ang araw sa kalangitan, pakiramdam ko ay nasa ilalim ako ng nagniningning na liwanag ng bilog na buwan. I can feel the urge running on my veins, the heat slowly scorching the skin at the back of my head, even the adrenaline rushing throughout my whole body.

Unti-unting lumilinaw ang paningin ko at ang talas ng aking pandinig ay mas lalong tumaas. I can even sense a lot of patients running away from this place, and some of them screaming loudly in pain, worse is most of them are dying—gasping for air, as they couldn't breathe for whatever damage this creature has done to them.

Kung nandito lang sana kami para protektahan ang mga inosenteng taong kagaya nila. Ito ba ang kapalit ng pagliligtas sa buhay ni Monalisa? I kept asking myself the same question over and over again, hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala.

Hindi ko alam kung tama ba itong ginagawa ko sa sarili ko. I am a werewolf and I am one of them. We're not normal, but we'll never do something like this that will harm others.

Unless they will force us to do so.

I started walking, pacing, up until my feet started growing into huge limbs that can jump a hundred feet from the ground.

In a moment, I found myself as a werewolf tearing into the air, down into the demon who's watching me from below.

Then I shouted as loud as I can, "Tatapusin na kitang demonyo ka!" as my sharp teeth plunged into its neck.

Black blood gushed out of the wounds and I felt its claws over my body. Sinusubukan nitong kumuha ng pagkakataong balatan ako nang buhay, ngunit ang hindi nito alam ay marami pa akong nakahandang surpresa para sa kaniya.

Before its hand could even grab my hands, I immediately went from its neck into its shoulders and bit it hard enough that it would flail.

Meanwhile, Armando was shouting my name but I couldn't hear him clearly. The bloodlust in my eyes needs to be satiated, I'm craving of death.

I want this demon to die from my hands since Armando finds it hard to kill it with his familiar alone anymore. Kailangan na niya ng tulong ko.

The demon's arms has been damaged and it's now useless as it freely sway beside it. Sinubukan naman nito akong dakmain sa pamamagitan ng isa pa nitong kamay but Armando's familiar came the rescue and cut the other arm with a swift slice of air.

With that damage we had inflicted to the demon, I jumped back, pushing it off on the ground. It looked into my eyes, those black eyeballs staring back at me, filled with anger and same thirst for blood.

I can only imagine how feral the next sound that I heard coming from it. It roared as if trying its best to lure others to come and help it. Too bad nobody would help this demon at this point.

Oras na para tapusin namin ang nilalang na ito.

While standing in front of it, I noticed how many wounds Armando's familiar has inflicted to the creature. Bukod sa mga hiwa sa balat nito ay makikita ring may mga nakabukang sugat dulot ng mga matatalas na kuko ni Vindicta.

It pierced on its body as if a needle being pushed into a clay. Kulang na lang at mawala sa porma ang hugis ng katawan nito. Pero kahit na gaano kalaki ang damage na nagawa ni Vindicta sa halimaw na ito, it was still a huge threat for us.

Minabuti ko nang tapusin agad ang halimaw sa harapan ko bago pa mahuli ang lahat. Nilapitan ko ito at agad kong dinakma ang ulo at ang kaniyang balikat. I forced his neck to be exposed and as I've done it, I immediately bit its neck and tore it apart.

Nagkalat ang dugo sa paligid, maging ang aking mukha ay natalsikan nito. The taste of its blood tasted bitter, something rusty. Hanggang sa unti-unting tumamis ang lasa ng dugo nito sa aking bibig.

I began biting and ravaging its neck hanggang sa tuluyan kong maputol ang ulo nito. In that span of a moment, I beheaded the dangerous familiar. Thanks with the help of Armando's familiar, masyado na itong mahina upang manlaban pa.

Even if the creature is no longer breathing, I continued biting, up until I found myself eating the corpse of this demon.

There would be nothing sweeter than the taste of revenge...