Vance's POV

I shifted my body closer to Don and leaned forward to signal him to run faster in the middle of the river.

My head turned towards the huntsman who was flying as fast as an eagle, chasing us. At first I had doubts of leaving Amber behind the river shore, but I'm glad I did now.

Binalik ko ang aking tingin sa harapan.

I don't know how many seconds it will take for the enemy to catch up on us. But I am a hundred percent sure he will.

"Faster, boy," mahina kong tugon, at muling napalingon sa huntsman na naglaho na sa aking paningin.

Shit.

I pulled the reins hard to the side. Don came to a sudden stop, whining aggresively. He lifted his front legs before slowly turning around.

My fingers tightened around the reign while looking around.

Wala akong naramdamang ibang presensya, dahilan na mapatango-tango ako. Naintindihan ko kasi kung ano ang ibig sabihin ng pagkawala ng huntsman: pagod na itong maghabol.

At kapag hindi ako hihinto, babalik siya sa facility, malapit sa kung saan ko iniwan si Amber.

Ilang segundo akong napatitig sa putikang tubig sa paanan ni Don, bago napagdesisyunang bumaba na.

Tinapik ko ang likod ni Don at sinenyasan itong umalis na.

Hindi nito agad sinunod ang utos ko kaya natawa ako nang mahina. "Go," sambit ko. "I'll be fine."

His brown eyes looked at me for a while, before he turned around to show me his other side where a silver sword hung inside a leather sheath.

"No," I insisted. "I don't need it."

He didn't move an inch so I just sighed and unsheathed the sword.

"There." I showed him the sword in my hand. "Happy?"

Have you ever heard a horse of Poseidon neigh? Because the moment Don did so to express his satisfaction, the water below us rippled and his voice echoed, towards the flow of the river.

Sinundan ko ng tingin ang itim na kabayo na tumakbo sa ibabaw ng tubig. Nag-iwan ito ng maliliit na alon sa tubig, hanggang sa tuluyan na nga itong maglaho sa kadiliman, pagkatapos lumiko para sundin ang landas ng ilog.

Tinignan ko ang espada sa kamay ko.

My mom gave me this sword. She already knows I rarely use weapons because I have my ability, but she still gave it to me anyway and suggested that I let Don keep it just in case of emergency.

Napakibit ako ng balikat at dinama-dama ang bigat ng sandata sa kamay ko nang masanay ulit ako sa pagdala nito.

Mother knows best, they say. So how much more a mother who is also a daughter of Athena?

Mom knows the best of the best. And I have to admit that she's never wrong. 

Ilang beses ko na rin kasing nagamit ang espada na 'to.

Hinawakan ko ang puluhan ng espada gamit ang dalawang kamay ko. Hinigpitan ko ang pagkakapulupot ng aking mga daliri dito.

It was Dad who taught me how to use my powers...

Mabilis kong pinihit ang aking paa at sinangga ang espada ng huntsman na biglang nagparamdam sa aking likod.

But it was Mom who held my little hand when I carried a weapon for the first time.

Dumausdos ang mga paa ko dahil sa lakas ng tama ng mga talim. Kumislap ang gilid ng mga espada nang patulak kong inangat yung akin sabay ikot at pinahilig ang blade sa hita niya na agad niyang napigilan pagkatapos mapaatras.

Iginalaw niya pabilog ang kanyang mga braso para igiya palayo sa kanya ang gilid ng espada ko. Tinulak niya ito at siya na naman ang sumulong sa pag-atake.

Sunod-sunod kong sinalubong ang espada niya habang napapaatras dahil sa lakas at bilis ng galaw niya na umiigi sa bawat atake niya.

Now, this should be a problem right?

Especially after he managed to lunge his sword against mine and pushed it backwards, slicing my thigh with my own blade.

A subtle smirk curved on my face.

'Give and take, Vance.' Mom's voice rung in my ears. 'Against an enemy who is an equal, you give...'

Hindi ko kinibo ang mababaw na hiwa sa aking hita.

'And then you take.'

Bumitaw ang isang kamay ko mula sa aking espada. Habang nakatuon pa ang dulo ng kanyang sandata lagpas sa aking hita, humakbang ako papalapit sa huntsman at umikot kasabay ang kamay kong may hawak ng espada. Nanatiling nakatuwid pa rin ang kanyang braso na may hawak ng sandata kaya nagkataon akong ihilig ang espada sa leeg niyang bukas at walang makakahadlang.

Ngunit bago ko pa siya mapugutan ng ulo, pinigilan ko ang kamay ko na madala sa malakas na ugoy ng braso ko. Sa sandaling dumapo ang dulo ng blade sa maitim na telang nakatakip sa leeg at kalahati ng kanyang mukha, tumigil ako.

Sinundan ito ng ilang segundo ng katahimikan kung saan mabibigat ko lang na paghinga ang narinig ko.

Dinamdam ko ang isang butil ng pawis na tumakbo pababa sa aking pisngi.

Nagsimulang mangati ang lalamunan ko dahil sa pagod. 

"Tell me..." Gumaspang ang aking boses nang sirain ko ang katahimikan. "Were you the ones who killed an Alpha?"

Hindi siya sumagot kaya idiniin ko ang blade sa kanyang leeg, hanggang sa nakita kong namasa ang telang nakatakip sa balat niya.

"No," mahinahong sagot ng huntsman. "She was killed by someone weaker."

Someone weaker?

I glared at him from the side of my eye, tired and annoyed, at the ego he possessed and was not afraid to show.

"No wonder the records said nothing about huntsmen like you." I rested half an inch of my blade inside the cut of his neck, causing him to close his eyes for a moment.

"Now, let go of your sword or I make sure the records stay the same," dagdag ko.

His jaw slightly moved before I heard the sound of metal fall on shallow water.

"Good," I gave him an empty smile. "Remove your mask."

His eyes twitched, almost to a flicker. A sign of hesitation. 

My brows raised. "No?" 

It was the way he stared at empty space that gave me an answer. He has decided not to move an inch and my hand theatened to curve the blade down to the very base of his thick neck.

"Kill me," aniya. "Kill me now-"

"You know..." I slightly leaned my head to the side while a sinister grin formed on my lips. "I will still get to see your face when you're dead." I chuckled bitterly. "Might as well do it while you're alive."

My smile disappeared after he suddenly laughed. "You can't kill me, demigod." His voice was mocking me. "You need me alive."

"You." Matigas ang pagkasabi niya ng bawat kataga. "-need my memories."

Taking a deep breath, I answered, "I suppose there's more of you?" I guessed. "We can always ask the others."

Umiling siya, dahilan na manliit ang aking mga mata.

Maybe he was right.

I'm only wasting time if I'm not going to kill him.

Panandalian kong inangat ang espada mula sa gitna ng kanyang leeg at mabigat itong pinalihis sa kung saan nakadugtong ang kanyang leeg sa iba pang bahagi ng kanyang katawan.

Bumaon ito, ngunit laking gulat ko nalang nang kusang tumigil ang blade bago umabot sa malaking ugat niya. Pakiramdam ko tumama ito sa pader kaya napatingin ako sa huntsman na nakaangat na ang magkabilang sulok ng labi.

What the fuck?

A second of complete silence was followed by the loud ringing of my sword hitting thick metal. My blade vibrated. A deafening echo spread throughout the area and shook my hand holding the sword.

Napabitaw ako nang lumakas ang matinis na tunog. Wala sa sarili akong napaatras at napatakip sa aking magkabilang tenga.

Invisible waves from the sound continued to push me away, until the ringing was able to get inside my head and ignited a burning sensation, sharp pain, like needles were being hammered on my scalp.

My nails aggressively dug unto my hair. I stopped myself from pulling out strands and scratched my ears off instead.

And the sound never stopped. It only got worse.

My back hit a dead end. A stone wall.

My vision doubled from the ringing. 

"Stop it-" Blood trickled from my ears.

Every limb of my body started to tremble. Invisible waves penetrated inside me, causing my muscles to convulse increasingly.

I sprawled across the wall with my head high from the pain.

A force was driving my mind and body to tense immensely, I knew my veins will burst if I won't do anything.

Everything blackened once I closed my eyes shut.

My head leaned frantically from one side to another. Large invisible nails crucified every inch of my body to the wall, and I couldn't help but shed a single tear.

Despite this, I continued to focus on my breathing.

I chose to feel the warmth under my skin, and not the cold rising inside. And I continued to do so until the ringing stopped and I fell on the ground, face first.

I heard the huntsman's footsteps getting closer so I raised my hand to stop him.

So this is what dying feels like...

Mabuti nalang at sinunod niya ang senyas ko kaya nabigyan ako ng panahon na iangat ang sarili ko. Itinukod ko ang aking magkabilang palad at pinasan ang namimigat kong katawan. Dahan-dahan akong napatayo upang harapin muli ang huntsman.

Unang dumako ang aking mga mata sa espada ko na naipasakamay niya.

I pursed my lips, deciding to swallow blood instead of coughing it out.

"Wait-" My body wobbled to the side but I never lost balance.

He took a step closer so I screamed, "Fucking wait, will you?!"

Napahinto siya.

"You are not..." His brows furrowed. "Dead?"

"Aura-" I paused to catch my breath. "Auraic Studies."

"How-" He didn't get to finish when the ground started to shiver with a grumbling sound. 

Rocks bounced from the tremor and the moment he looked at the large wave of water forming from one part of the river, I violently swerved my right arm, sending the wave rushing towards us, swallowing him whole and taking him gods know where.

Napahilamos ako ng mukha pagkatapos daanan ng tubig.

Paupo akong bumagsak sa ilog at saka humiga sa ilalim ng tubig. Ilang sandali pa'y nakarinig ako ng mga yabag ng paa kaya agad akong napabangon.

Nakita ko sina Bella at Zack na nagmamadaling tumungo sa'kin.

Letting out a long sigh, I slowly stood on my feet and greeted them with a relieved sigh and heavy shoulders.

Sinubukan kong salubungin sila pero kamuntikan na akong mawalan ng balanse kung hindi lang kay Zack na lumitaw sa tabi ko at inalalayan akong tumayo.

May napansin ako mula sa sulok ng aking paningin kaya napasilip ako sa duguang likod ni Zack. 

Tinabihan din ako ni Bella sa kabila at kagaya ng ginawa ni Zack, inangat niya ang namimigat kong braso at ipinatong ito sa likod ng kanyang leeg.

"So..." I whistled lowly. "What were you two doing out in the woods in the middle of the night?"

"Amputa- nakaya pang- tumahimik ka nga, bro," ani Zack. "Midnight stroll lang."