Chapter Sixteen: Show Revival

ANGLING THE katana's side blade on the neck of one of my uninvited guests, the weapon easily tore his skin and found his flesh. It didn't cut. Not yet. It was not supposed to until I wanted it to. I made sure it sank just enough for him not to easily slip away. I let it grind against his own self's meat, and on the wall, he was slammed with no chance of escape.

And when he's about to do just what his fallen comrades did before they were sent to the underworld, I bidded him farewell the same way I did to the others.

"You co—"

"Yeah, say 'hi' to Herman Morleen for me down there," I cut him off. Literally.

Sa pagbaba ko ng katana, kasabay na umagos ng bagong dugong bumalot dito ang katawan ng mersernaryong wala ng matatawag na bituka't ngala-ngala. Pinanood ko kung paanong malayang naglakbay ang likidong kakulay ng katas ng ubas sa de-kahoy na sahig, sumisiksik kahit sa makikitid sa siwang at walang pinipiling mamantsahan. Naabot nito ang hugis ng tsinelas na suot ko, isang eksenang humatak muli sa 'kin sa nakaraang pilit kong tinatakasan.

That nightmare. That bloody nightmare.

Tulad ng Sean na naroon, tila estatwa akong nakatayo sa kawalan at naiwang nakatulala sa sapatos na nakaapak sa lusak ng dugo. At kagaya ng nasa bangungot, tumingala ako sa unti-unting pagkakakonekta ng dugo hanggang sa makabuo ng imahe na tila baha ito. Sa hinaba-haba ng panahon, kwinestiyon ko ang kahulugan ng panaginip na 'yon pero heto't animo'y pinapahiwatig pala nito ang mangyayaring pagtatangka sa buhay ko.

My brows furrowed as I felt a presence from behind, one whose efforts to be stealthy were sabotaged by the subtle splash sounds made by his footsteps as he advanced toward me.

"You're right, Gavin," I sighed. "For an entity that is called the author of His children's lives, He's doing a pretty bad job for us side characters."

Alas. When my ears caught the thin whiff of wind nearby, I turned my body swiftly yet aggressively to pierce through the visitor's mouth. Dugo niya ang sumalubong sa mukha ko na siyang halos ikinapikit ko. She must've thought she could produce one last battle cry but didn't think a pathetic chatter would be the last thing I'd appreciate at this point.

"But he's doing an uglier job with you, dear sister," I told her, disgusted with the blood oozing over my skin. "I'm sure you'll be besties with the man below in that regard. He had the worst, after all." An axe dropped to the floor with a loud thud, hence her right hand was left hanging in the air.

Birds of the same feather flock together. Her comrades and she would prefer to either spit curses to my face or bite their tongues to death instead of being useful one last time. Thus, preventing her from doing either would be the best.

Kahit naman maghandog pa siya ng kapaki-pakinabang na balita, huli na. The female mercenary struggled to even process what transpired. She gurgled on her own blood in her mouth, with nothing but me, his target, as the last person she'll see as life gets taken away from her. How pitiful.

Hinigpitan ko ang kapit sa hawakan ng katana't hinila ito mula bibig niya. Her body jolted from the force, flailing as she fall. "If I were that easy, do you really think I'd live up to this day?" I scoffed, sounding slightly offended.

Kung ang mga taong ito ay kabilang sa mga alipores na nautusang hanapin ang mga nakaligtas sa raid ng Selene, masuwerte lang sila noon dahil sa alak at usok ng sigarilyong nagparalisa sa 'kin. Subalit kung tao naman sila ng Tribune na nagpupumilit na dalhin ako sa korte, then they cannot be anymore mistaken for underestimating me just because I was only watching behind the scenes most of the time.

"Mihrimah," I muttered in the realization that we'd been separated amidst the attack.

Dali-dali akong humakbang sa pagitan ng mga bangkay na nakaparada sa pasilyo. My last sight of her was when she led her bunch down to the first floor, intending to block further infiltration from the main and back doors of the house.

Hamon ang pagbaba ng palapag gayong maging ang hagdan ay may mga katawang nakaratay at malagkit na dugong nakapinta. When I got impatient, I took hold of the handrail and hopped from the landing tread. Lumikha ng pagtalsik ng dugo ang pagkalapag ko, detalyeng nagpatanto sa 'kin ang brutal na disenyo ngayon ng kusina't sala ko.

I tried to scan every direction, imagining what occurred when I was upstairs. A few mercenaries were pinned on the walls with knives and shurikens while others unceremoniously found their resting place on my kitchen counter, couch, atop the television, or sitting on the rocking chair. If I didn't know better, I would've thought this was a haunted house except for the perfectly preserved furniture and items in the house.

The woman had her priorities straight. These people's lives are worthless compared to the repair and replacement costs.

Sa kabila ng pagkamangha ko, hindi ko naisantabi ang namumuong pagkabalisa. Iniakyat kong muli ang pangalawang palapag at makailang beses na inikot ang una ngunit ni katiting na bakas ng presensya niya ay wala. Sigurado akong buhay siya gawa ng siya ang dahilan kung ba't humihinga pa kaming dalawa matapos ng raid. Kaya nasaan siya?

Did she use the opportunity to escape from my questions?

When I had this idea, I immediately ran out of the house like a madman, hoping I'd discover her small figure under the moonlight and in the middle of fields of green. However, what welcomed me was far from what I'd hoped.

Naghihikahos sa paghinga, nanlambot ang mga binti ko nang masaksikhan ang nagbabagang sunog kung saan matatagpuan ang bayan. A red searing inferno descended upon the peaceful town. Black smokes reigned over the top of its entirety. Tentacles of fire of oranges and pinks danced hauntingly and tauntingly as if telling me that I may have defended my abode but not the town I was embraced in.

'It was a distraction...' I concluded internally. Ako man ang pakay nila subalit hindi pa ang katapusan ko ang nais nila. Agarang pumasok sa isipan ko ang mga taong nakasalumuha ko sa loob ng maiksing panahon at mga kaganapang hinding-hindi mo mararanasan ninuman sa pinaggalingan ko.

"They wanted me to see it..." I whispered as my legs finally landed on dirt and so was the katana that my weakened grip had slipped. "This is their real intention."

Napayuko ako't napatitig sa lupa't maliliit na damong nakapunla rito. What were they thinking? Why are they involving the townpeople? How did they find me?!

Mabibigat ang paghinga akong tumingala't nasilayang mas lumaki ang apoy sa loob ng ilang segundong wala rito ang mga mata ko. Kung kanina'y para bang napunan ko na ang karamihan sa mga katanungan ko sa pagbabalik ng mga alaala ko at nandoon ang kumpiyansang nandiyan si Mihrimah para kumpletuhin ito, puwes ngayon ay nabablangko ako. Hindi ko maintindihan kung para saan ang nangyayari at anong koneksyon ng mga inosente kung Tribune man o ang mga umatake sa Selene ang salarin sa likod ng sunog.

But only Mihrimah knows about me being here...

I shook my head in disbelief before the idea could creep deeper. "No... She wouldn't," I mumbled helplessly, convincing the doubtful Vantress blood of mine that she wasn't the one who tipped my location off. "She promised... and it doesn't fit."

"Arff! Arff!"

The speed at which my head snapped from where the bark came from is almost impossible. I blinked multiple times, wondering if the tiny creature skipping about to reach me was indeed Bean.

I guess cats are not the only privileged ones with nine lives.

"Bean!" tawag ko at matumba-tumba akong tumayo para kunin siya at ikalong sa mga bisig ko. "You little thing, you are alive! Thank goodness."

I hugged him in relief. But at the same time, I'd like to smack myself for not remembering him when I was searching for Mihrimah a while ago. Now that I think about it, he's nowhere to be found earlier.

"You rascal, where have you been?" I caressed his furry back. "I'm sorry. Everything was so sudden."

Bean purred as he nuzzled desperately against my chest as if what only mattered was finally finding refuge and solace in my arms. I can't help but bite my lower lip out of guilt. He must've been scared all this time.

"Don't worry, you're safe now," I gulped and patted his head gently.

Sa isang punto, bagamat nasa kalagitnaan pa rin ako ng pag-aanalisa kung may kinalaman ang babaeng tinanggap ko sa pamamahay ko sa mga nangyayari, natagpuan ko na lang ang kamay na ginagamit ko upang tapikin ang ulo ni Bean na nanginginig. At the same time, the anxiety similar to how you can't take your eyes off over a container that is about to be full faded.

It was a bizarre feeling. Like something has turned the loud faucet off, preventing it from overflowing. The adrenaline, the urgency, the panic, all turned pale when I came into contact with another's warmth. My golden burrito broke me free from that bubble of hopelessness and allowed me to turn to where my logic and rationality lie among everything ablaze.

"You're really a man's best friend, little beanie," I smirked and tilted my head against his.

Sa kabilang banda, dumako ang paningin ko sa nagngangalit pa ring sunog sa 'di kalayuang ibayo. "If the asshole wants me to see something, it must be really something. I shouldn't fail him, should I?" nanliliit ang paningin kong ani. "Let's check it out."

To call me composed at the moment is an exaggeration, if I must say. I am aware of the chaos looming not just only over the town but at the top of my head, but if I am going to face it halfway, I might as well confront it with the opposite expression it wants from me. I ain't dying for anyone's satisfaction.

I slowed my pace down, walking back inside the house to fetch my keys and carefully settling Bean on the car's passenger seat. Kung ganoon na kalaki ang sunog, hindi magtatagal ay darating na ang mga ambulansya't bumbero para sumaklolo. I have to hurry or I'll miss the show I've been refusing to watch for months for the sake of my peace and solitude.

Wala na ring oras para manlumo 'pagkat sa itim ng usok at ningas ng apoy kahit sa malayo, milagro na kung nabibilang lang sa mga daliri ang mga yumao. It's no use to cry over spilled milk. What matters is to stop it from spilling further. May kinalaman man si Mihrimah, ang Tribune o ang mga umatake sa Selene ang salarin, I have to see what spectacle is waiting for me.

Since the perpetrator is exerting so much effort to piss me off, I shall be the judge of it all.

Once I was set on the road, I stomped on the accelerator and went as fast as possible. Road signs and speed limit be damned but I ain't going to be bothered now, especially when I've already done way worse at the cabin. Gush of wind slapped against my skin as I kept going faster and faster, and when I sniffed the suffocating smell of burnt flesh and wood, I readied myself to kick the brake.

"Stay here for a while. I'm just going to check on something, okay?" I reminded Bean as I fixed his favorite blanket around him as soon as we stopped. He whined but did not seem to protest given how he cuddled himself comfortably with it.

I smiled. I wish I could go back to sleep right now just like him. A night ago, everything was steady and unhurried, then all of a sudden, every single thing went south in a flash. It felt like being driven over by a car and still processing what injuries I've got.

Sa pagmartsa ng mga unang hakbang ko papalapit sa bukana ng bayan, hindi ko maikubli ang namumuo na namang kaba. It's not that I am afraid of the perpetrator. Anyone can be killed, mind you, and everyone has a destined demise to meet. No one is exempted from the inevitable conditions of being human. What didn't sit well with me was that I could not guess what awaited me. It's like walking blind on a path where thousands of thorny roses are lying around.

The number of mercenaries who attacked us is no small number for two. It's more horrible to think if they're actually expecting only me to be in the house. Therefore, killing me is a favorable outcome, but if their odds are not in their favor, they would want a statement. The perpetrator is mocking risks. It did not matter whether I came out dead or alive, he'd scorch the town still.

Why is he going all out?!

And when I arrived to see the answers, I understood what the grand ensemble was for. And I can't deny, that the abrupt unveiling of the curtains of the show's climax stole my breath away.

Sa entabladong nararapat ay para sa nalalapit na pista ng bayan, isang tulos ang nakatirik. Katawan nito'y kahalintulad ng katanang hawak ko kanina, inaagusan ng dugo at nakatarak sa buhay ng kung sino. I could imagine almost everyone that will end up in that state, but not her.

Or at least, it shouldn't have been her.

Dahil kung ang tinitingalang Alexandra Dela Vega nga ang may-ari ng ulong nakatarak sa tulos, sino ang makapagsasabi kung sino ang susunod?

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A/N: Chapter 17 is to be posted next week! :>