An Obvious Result

Iyana's POV

"Hahaha!" Halakhak ng kalaban ko na malayo na sa akin. He snapped? Nababaliw na siya? Ganoon ba siya magalit? Tumatawa? Ang unique din niya. "I won't let you surrender kid. You will die!" May pa-english pang nalalaman. "Hindi ka na makakaalis diyan!"

The golem did let down its giant foot pero, simple ko lang itong hinawakan. So basically, I'm holding and preventing his foot to crush me down. Mukhang marami ang nagulat. Ah this is tiring.

"Sino ba may sabing aalis ako?" Tanong ko pabalik sa kalaban ko.

Pinaibabaw ulit ng golem ang paa niya and started stomping of me like I'm some kind of ant. Bumabaon na sa lupa ang paa ko dahil sa lakas ng impact. Hanggang sa tinulak ko ito at natumba. When it fell down, the rocks broke in pieces. Ang bigat! Ang sakit sa balikat! I swung my arms arouns para mawala ang pangingilo nito.

"That is almost impossible. Isa ka lamang assassin." Sabi niya. Hala. Supposed to be assassin nga pala ako. Hindi ba 'to magagawa ng mga assassins? Ah bahala na.

When I realised. Sabay sabay na namang umatake sa akin ang mga minnions ng kalaban kong parang baliw na dahil sa kakangiti. Naiinis na ako. Kahot ano din ang pagpapatumba ko sa mga laruan ng lalaking yan, pilit niyaparin silang binubuo. Who wouldn't be annoyed of that?! Grabe din siguro ang mahika sa katawan niya. It wouldn't be drained easily. If I only I could use my weapons matatapos ko narin 'to.

Unlike Andrea, I'm not planning to show off like she did in her match. Iniiwasan ko lang talaga ang mga galaw that takes up a lot of energy. Kaonti lang ang tulog ko kagabi kaya wala talaga aking gana.

Ilag lang ng ialg ang ginagawa ko at kung may pagkakataon ay pinapatimba ko narin sila. Ginagamit ko amg mga atake ng mga golems para mawasak ang mga munting sindalo niya pero ganoon parin ang ginagawa niya, he builds them up. Nagpatuloy ang ganoong pangyayari fot the next ten minutes at nabo-bired na ang mga tao. I noticed some even went out for a bit at pagbalik ay may pagkain mg dala.

Cheeseburger....I want to eat a hot and yummy cheeseburger. Hindi pa ako nakapagbreakfast. Nagising na kasi ako kaninang umaga ay tsaktong tumitipon na ang mga tao at magsisimula na ang third match. But back at the present....

Napapansin kong grabe na ang paghinga ng lalaki. He's sweating as well. I summoned three invisible bullets para tamaan siya pero laking-gulat ko na inilagan niya ang mga ito last moment when it was about ot hit him. When he moved, nawala ang iba sa mga sundalo niya.

I see, so he can't move that much kung ginamit niya both of his magic. If course, it takes a ton out from his body at kung gagalaw lang siya mas magiging mahina pa ang mga laruan niya.

If Keila was the one here fighting, she would have had figured all of this out ages ago. At kung siya nga ang naglalaban dito ngayon, she would have been already devising a plan. Pero dahil observer lamang ako at hindi ako ganoon kagaling mag-isip tulad niya, gagawin ko nalang kung ano ang palagi kong ginagawa.

Making things easier and quicker.

I summoned a hundred of invisible bullets around me, at isa-isa nitong pinuntirya ang mga golems at ang mga sundalo. Habang nanonood lang akong matumba ang mga laruan niya, nakita ko naman siyang nahihirapan na talaga.

I made another batch of bullets go to him. Hindi ko parin hanggang ngayon alam kung paano niya napapansin ang mga invisible bullets ko, but once again he dodged all of those six bullets at kitang-kita sa pader ang paglubog ng mga bala ko dito.

Pero ngayon nawala na talaga ang mga bakas ng laruan niya. Even if he try to make another one, I doubt it'll last. Napahawak siya sa pader dahil sa pagod. Break muna ba? I could wait a for a minute or two. Pero nagmamadali din ako.

"A...anong...gina..gawa mo?" Mahina lamang ang boses niya pero naririnig ko parin ito. Most people would never know about those invisible bullets. Ang iisipin nila ay sadyang napagod lang talaga ang kalaban ko.

"Standing..?" Sagot ko pero hindi ako sure kung yan ang sagot na hinahap niya. It kust slipped my mouth.

"I've been using wind magic for a while now kaya alam ko kung may nangyayari sa hangin. I could feel the change in the air." So that's why he's able to defend my attacks. "You're not an assassin are you? At least, the way you move isn't."

"Halata ba? Hindi ko kasi alam kung paano umakto." Hindi ko alam kung dapat ko ba talagang aminin yan pero bahala na.

"You're underestimating me."

"Yup!" I could see his glares from where he is. "Or else I would have fought you seriously." I don't want to fight using my real strength and be called a monster knowing my opponent can't handle my attacks for ending up being dead. That's how I lived my life so far. I'm not proud and confident like Andrea, I'm just stating facts base on logic.

"Mom! I-I swear...hindi ko kasalanan yun." I begged my mom to believe me as I let my tears flow down endlessly like a river.

I was in my room. The windows were all closed, the door was locked tight. But even then, I could hear the chatters of people just outside. Journalists, and other important people were there waiting outside for me to get out.

I couldn't stop crying just remembering the way I first discovered my ability. It happened few weeks after I took over this body, and I was used to calling it my own. I didn't realise I had such a powerful ability. It wasn't my fualt. That, I kept on repeating.

A very important friend of mine died nang hindi ko sinasadyang ipalabas ang mga bala ko. It happened in a moment, at bago ko pa man marealise ang ginawa ko, I saw her there bathing in her own blood. Lumuhod ako sa tabi niya, wala akong maramdaman. But I knew I regretted it. Ginising ko siya. Inulit-ulit ang katagang 'hindi ko sinasadya' at 'wala akong kasalanan'.

But I never said the word 'sorry'. I never even thought of apologising. Then my mother looked at me, her eyes looked so sad. She won't even smile to reassure me that everything's okay. It was as if she's saying that, 'it's not okay'.

Pinunasan niya ang mga tumutulong luha sa mata ko at yinakap ako ng mahigpit. A week after that, my father did everything so that the news won't spread. Thanks to his reputatation, no one was even brave enough to bring it out and it remained a bad memory 'till now.

But my mother was never the same. She never smiled at me the same way she did before all of those unfortunate things happened. Alam kong mahal niya ako, pero ang sakit lang malamang parang tinuturing niya na akong halimaw. Just like how children around me that time treated me.

"Mom, I'm not a monster." I told her, one day in her study. Both my parents looked at me. Their faces looked so worried na hindi ko alam kung bakit. They were doubting me. They were doubting their own daughter!

"I know you're not sweety." Wika niya sabay hawak sa mukha ko. Sinabi niya yun at masaya dapat ako. Pero iba ang pinapakita nila sa mga mukha nila.

The days where I can't control my ability kept comming. Even the people around the house started fearing me. They treated me so special just to prevent me from being mad dahil kung magagalit ako, natatakot silang papatayin ko sila. My mother snapped in front of me that she slapped me so hard, that cheek became numb.

"Mom! Stop that!" Pagpigil sa kaniya ni Kuya Lian. Nagulat din siya sa ginawa niya and attempted to approach me.

Pero tinapik ko lang ang mga kamay niya. Nagalit din ako sa nangyari. My own mother was looking at me with dusqust when she slapped me! Who wouldn't be angry?

I never talked to her since. A day came when my father had to send me to the Academy, to control my ability. I never went home since. Few years later and I received letter saying she was dying. It was as if my world stopped in front of me. I regretted everything I did all those years. Like ignoring her letters, not seeing her when she was visiting me, and such.

I went home just after hearing that, and there she was, laying so weak on that soft and warm bed. Tumabi ako sa kaniya, hindi ko na namalayan na umiiyak na naman pala ako.

"Hey...sweety..." my mother looked so fragile and weak. How can she even manage to smile given that state?

"I'm sorry....Mom, I'm sorry." Tears wouldn't stop no matter how I prevent them. "I'm really sorry.." she held my hand tight as for the other wiped my tears away. But it was useless. My tears just kept coming.

"Finally....You're always having a hard time realising your mistakes and you can never apologise because of that." She smiled. "I'm glad seeing my daughter grow up..."

And then I realised it. My mother didn't think of me as a monster. She never smiled the same way simply because she was worried I'd grow up into a monster. The kind of person who mever realises her mistakes and never apoligise.

Remembering about it, that was the last time I cried and my world completely changed back then.

"Imposibleng manalo ka." Hirit niya. I snapped out of my thoughts dahil dun. I wiped a forming memory away and looked in front of me. Why would I ever remember something like that now? I sighed. I need to focus.

"Why? Dahil isa ka lamang bata. I doubt you even attend school. People are saying nakabuntot lang kayo sa kasama niyong taga-Academy. Don't overestimate yourself kid." Kung si Andrea siguro ang sinabihan niya ng ganyan kanina pa nabali ang mga buto nito.

"To be honest," naiinis din ako sa sinabi niya kaya lumalakad ako ngayon papunta sa kaniya. "Sa lahat na naging kalaban ko, ikaw ang pinakamahina. You failed to entertain me. In other words, you're useless." Wala siyang ideya sa kung ano ang pinagsasasabi ko and not that I care to explain.

He built another golem and it blocked my way towards him. Natatakot ba siya? Hindi ba at sabi niya isa lamang akong bata? He built air daggers at isa isa itong pinapunta sa akin. I'm auite amazed na nagagawa niya pang gawin yun. Pero sinangga ko ito gamit ang dagger na kanina ko pa hawak-hawak sa kanila kong kamay.

The golem started moving as well at susuntukin na sana ako nang tumalon ako paibabaw at pumatong sa kamao nito. Its movements are much slower this time. Dahil siguro paubos narin ang mahika niya. I didn't bother taking out he golem dahil alam kong maya-maya ay mawawala din naman ito. Simply because making this huge toy move would waste a lot of his energy. At sa huli tama nga ako. The golem crumbled in pieces and I successfully landed in the ground, sa unahan ng kalaban ko.

"You're free to criticise me when you've already beaten me. Until then, don't underestimate me." Tinatawg pa naman akong bata?!

"I'm not underestimating you for my sake. Sinasabi ko lang ang totoo for the sake of Roy." Wala akong maintindihan sa sinabi niya. "With the way you are, hindi niyo matatalo si Roy...walang makakatalo sa kaniya." I took a glance above at the left side.

Nakita ko ang tinutukoy niyang lalaki na nakatingin din sa akin. He's standing there on the other side of the arena's waiting area. Kinuha niya ang maskara niya na nakatakip sa mukha niya. I saw his smirk. I smirked as well. Ganoon ba talaga siya kalakas? I'm rather interested in seeing that.

"Would that smirk of his disappear if you die?" Nagulat siya sa tanong ko at napatingin ako sa kaniya. He's still standing kaya technically kailangan niya pang tumingin sa ibaba para makita ako.

"I highly doubt that." He slid his foot para madulas ako at dahil sa biglaan niyang paggalaw ay nadulas nga ako. Argh! I've let my guard down!

He took the magnum gun na tinapon ko kanina gamit ang magic niyang hangin. When he got a hold ofnit, tinutok niya sa akin ito. Nagpadala ako sa mga sinasabi niya. Hindi ko namalayan na nagsto-store lang pala siya ng enerhiya para makagalaw ulit. But using my own gun laban sa akin huh?

"You can't surrender on me kid. Papatayin nalang kita." He pulled the trigger pero ginalaw ko na lamang ang ulo ko sa kabila para hindi ako matamaan ng bala. Duh! I've seen thousands of bullets all my life na naka-adapt na ako sa bilis nila. Nagulat siya nang hindi ako matamaan lahit ilang ulit niya na ito tinira sa ulo ko.

"Don't worry. I won't surrender." Sabi ko nalang. He really is underestimating me. Akala niya ba ganoon lang ako kabilis matalo? I've fought opponents far more stronger than him.

"Bakit ayaw mong mamatay!!" Galit niyang sigaw habang pinapapaputok parin ang kawawang baril ko. Obviously because the God of Death wouldn't allow it yet.

"Napapagod na ako makita ang pagmumukha mo. Tapusin na natin 'to." I jumped back a meter away from him and grabbed another dagger sa isa ko pang boots. "Let's see who's faster. Ako o ikaw? Hindi ako gagalaw sa pwesto kong ito. If I did, I'll surrender." The deal is easy right?

"Heh. Sige ba. Halata namang mas mabilis ang bala kaysa sa hawak mong laruan." Malamang. But who knows maybe this little toy of mine can kill him.

"In 1..." sabay naming bilang. Para nga kaming mga batang naglalaro eh. "...2...and 3!"

Malamang nauna ang bala niya pero parang nag slow motion sa akin ang lahat. My eyes are faster than any bullets. Nang makita ko itong papalapit sa mukha ko, that was when I threw my dagger towards that direction. Nakita ko kung paano sinangga ng dagger ko ang bala na yun making the bullet slightly altering its direction. The bullet just went passed sa gilid ko habang ang dagger ko...nakabaon sa dibdib niya. Kung hindi siya maaagapan, baka mamatay nga siya.

Nagulat yata ang mga taong nanonood at natahimik ang lahat. Is it that surprising and shocking?

Napaluhod ang lalaki habang tinitignan ang pagturo ng dugo mula sa dibdib niya. That must have hurt a lot. Thomas immediately went in the middle of the two of us amd declared the match finish. Sunod ay nagsidatingan ang mga medics and brought him to the hospital.

I yawned.

May kung ano-ano pa ang simasabi ang host while congratulating me. I could hear people chanting my name in support but that really didn't flatter me. Bumalik ako sa waiting area sa ibabaw ng arena kung nasaan ang dalawa. I hate it when they don't praise me.

"Ginamit mo ang invisible bullets mo kanina!" Hindi makapaniwalang sabi ni Andrea. For her that is probably 'cheating'. But from how I see it, parang hindi din naman. I only shrugged at her.

"That took you an hour." Grabe! Isang oras na yun? Hindi ko manlang namalayan. "Ang galing mo." Pagpuri sa akin ni Keila.

Hindi ko mapigilang mapangiya sa sinabi niya. Alam ko sa sarili ko na kung may ipupuri ang multong 'to ay totoong kapuri-puri talaga ang pinupuri niya. I smiled proudly na para bang bata na nakakuha ng perfect score sa test niya. Natawa naman ang dalawa sa hindi ko alam na rason.

"Asa ka namang totoo yun!" Asar ni Andrea at biglang umiba ang masaya kong mood.

"At least natapos ako sayo ng mas maaga!" Sigaw ko sa kaniya. "At totoo yun!"

Napatingin kaming dalawa kay Keila na nagpipigil ng tawa. Pero tumawa siya. Humalakhak talag siya ng tawa. Natahimik kaming dalawa ni Andrea. Minsan lang tumawa 'to si Keila, but there's always something incredible with the way she laughs. It's so reassuring at para bang mawawala agad ang inis o pagod mo.

Medyo naluha siya sa kakatawa pero tumigil narin sa wakas na may kaonting bakas na ngiti sa labi niya. That's the most real smile I've seen from here so far. It's always so satisfying seeing her that way.

"O? Bakit natahimik kayo diyan?" Tanong niya and both of us smiled unknowingly. "I didn't expect Iyana to not notice my sarcasm." Matatawa na sana ako pero bigla itong napalitan ng isa na namang inis. Sarcasm pala ha?

"O diba? Sabi ko sayo eh!" Pagmamayabang ni Andrea. Kailan pa kami naging ganito ka immature? But....I'm somehow liking the three of us this way.

And so, the three of us started fighting. Again.