Hello, angels! I hope you'll enjoy this chapter. Actually, this scene has been already inside my mind since His Bite, around 2017? Haha! It was really frustrating since I couldn't write it pa kasi super tagal pa ng story nina Kezalli at Tobias, but here we are! Finally, I reached their story! Huhu. I still can't believe that my fantasy series reached this far! Thank you so much for the support! I enjoyed writing this chapter.

Chapter 49: Green light and cloaked woman

"Go away, human. I don't want to see you anymore," he said, his words as cold as ice. When he turned away and took further steps as his frame grew smaller, I felt that invisible pull from the mirror.

I unknowingly extended one of my hands as if I could grasp something. "Sorry . . ."

I felt the warm liquid sliding from the corners of my eyes as I slowly closed them. I was about to let my whole body be dragged inside the mirror when I felt the cold necklace hanging around my neck. My eyes opened abruptly, and before the mirror could pull me further away from his world, I desperately extended both hands.

"No, not yet."

I gasped when I felt the cold frame of the old mirror, pulling my body back to the entrance. I almost threw my whole body into the room as I returned, slumping onto the floor, my hands pressed against it as I breathed heavily.

My whole body was shaking. Nervously, I looked up, trying to find Tobias, and he was there, still inside the room, with one hand on his waist and the other running through his hair. He suddenly froze, eyes widened, a mix of frustration and something else I couldn't quite decipher. "K-Kezalli . . ."

"Make an open wound, return something valuable from him, inflict physical pain and he'll forget about you . . ." I could hear a voice.

I desperately looked around to find something that would help me. Tumayo na ako at umikot ako sa silid na iyon upang maghanap ng maaaring magbigay sa kanya ng maliit na sugat habang walang tigil sa paglandas ang luha ko.

If I'm going to hurt him now, then I'd end it here. I choked with my own thoughts.

I covered my mouth with the back of my hand as I frantically looked around, trying to ignore his presence behind me. Tobias maintained our distance, but I knew that he was watching me— every turn, every walk, every movement I'd made.

"Kezalli Lanoire! I said fucking go away in this world! This is what you want, right? Go!" his voice thundered.

Mariin akong pumikit, hindi na ako lumilingon sa kanya sa halip ay halos bulong na lang ako isinagot ko.

"I will! But allow me to do this and stop this pain between us—"

"S-Stop this nonsense. You don't have the right to decide for me. Return to your mirror before I drag you!"

Suddenly, a lightning strike illuminated the room, followed by a loud clap of thunder.

I quivered.

In a second, the whole Parsua Deltora was in the middle of a storm—the mixture of raindrops and wind felt like it was about to wreck the whole castle. The window blew open violently, the damp wind whipping the curtains, tousling my hair, and rattling everything inside our room.

I could hear his heavy footsteps behind me.

"Fucking cross the damn mirror, Kezalli!" he shouted.

Natigil ako sa pagkapa sa mga kagamitan doon, napalingon at napaatras ako nang mas humakbang siya papalapit sa akin, ngunit natigilan din ako nang maramdaman kong may nabangga ako sa likuran. A table with a vase on it.

I was about to take the vase, when Tobias quickly took our distance, and before I could even touch the vase, one of his hands was tightly gripping my wrists. He was trembling, his eyes were full of rage, and his words were as sharp as any sword. "I. CAN. READ. YOUR. THOUGHTS. YOU HEARTLESS WOMAN."

Another batch of lightning and thunderstorms overwhelmed the whole Parsua Deltora, illuminating Tobias's frame as he towered over me, raindrops dripping from our bodies.

Marahas niya akong muling hinila papalapit sa salamin. Halos madulas ako sa paghila niya sa akin dahil sa pumapasok na tubig sa aming silid. He was literally dragging me, and he didn't care if he'd hurt me. "There's no fucking way that you can make an open wound on me."

I tried to struggle against him as he pulled me in front of the mirror. I thought I could no longer escape his hand but with our damped skin, and continuous splashing of the raindrops against us, I managed to pull away from Tobias and ran towards the vase. I desperately pushed it, and the sound of the breaking it echoed throughout the whole room.

Mariin pumikit si Tobias nang makita niyang nakaharap na ako sa kanya habang hawak ng dalawang kamay ko ang nabasag na parte ng vase.

"Don't make me threaten you with my power, Kezalli."

"J-just allow me to make a cut. Forget about me . . ."

Tobias huffed. He frustratingly placed one of his hands on his waist, ran his fingers through his hair and then he laughed. Another batch of lightning and thunder boomed around us.

"Should I be thankful for that? How thoughtful of you, human girl."

Mas dumilim lang ang titig sa akin ni Tobias kasabay nang biglang pagbuo ng tubig mula sa kanyang likuran. I saw the familiar tentacles made of water crawling around his body as he walked closer to me. I desperately extended both of my hands as he approached me.

"Leave."

Inangat na ni Tobias ang isa niyang kamay at higit na lumapit sa akin ang tubig mula sa kanya. I knew what would happen when his power touched my skin, I'd burn. I'd feel the scrutinizing pain.

Even with my trembling lips, I tried to answer. "If I leave, you might die, you might suffer without properly cutting our bond—"

"Tumigil ka na, Kezalli. Stop pretending that you care because you never—" he cut off his own sentence. Instead, he turned his attention to his power.

He extended both of his hands, and the water around him broadened as if it were his wings— and from those growing wings, more tentacles of water appeared.

"I'm sorry—"

"STOP TALKING! I DON'T WANT TO HEAR YOUR VOICE!" matalim ang mga mata niyang nakatitig sa akin habang ang isang kamay niya'y nakahawak na sa kanyang sentido.

I took a step closer, and his water touched my skin. The side of my arm got burned. I winched and Tobias's eyes widened, his water drew back. As I tightly gripped the broken part of the vase, I didn't notice that I already had a cut on my hands. My blood was dripping with the raindrops.

When I stepped closer, more of his water tentacles drew back.

I thought I could still come near Tobias when suddenly I felt something strange in my hands. I stopped and stared in astonishment as my palms suddenly brightened— with a mixture of white and green light.

I gasped. What's going on?

When I opened my wounded hands, the piece of the broken vase quickly flew directly at Tobias as if the white and green light in my hands could understand my thoughts. But Tobias's water protected him from the broken piece.

Hindi lang ako ang natigilan ng mga oras na iyon dahil maging si Tobias ay natutula sa aming nasaksihan.

Was that my power? Did I lift that broken piece of vase? In this situation?

I looked at the remaining pieces of the broken vase on the floor, and before I knew it, I was desperately sending it to Tobias, but he was quick enough to manipulate his water to protect himself.

His laughter grew louder— a different kind of laughter that I had never heard before.

"Now you're trying to challenge my power?"

Hindi lang mga piraso ng nabasag na vase ang sinubukan kong paliparin patungo sa kanya, dahil kung anuman ang nakikita ko ay lumilipad na sa kanya. Ngunit hindi man lang gumagalaw si Tobias sa kanyang kinatatayuan habang mariin siyang nakatitig sa akin.

"How desperate are you to hurt me, Kezalli? How desperate are you to runaway from me without a trace?"

Marahas kong pinunasan ang naghalong luha at ulan sa pisngi ko habang tahimik akong umaatake sa kanya. "This is the only—"

Hindi ko na natuloy pa ang sasabihin ko nang biglang umangat ang dalawang kamay ko. At napasigaw na ako sa kirot nang pumulupot doon ang tubig ni Tobias habang nasusunog ang balat ko. He quickly took the distance between us as he harshly cupped my face to meet his eyes.

"There is no fucking way I'll let you erase my memories just like how you treat yourself, Kezalli. You'll run. You'll escape. You'll turn your back. But you'll forever remember that you left someone here— loving you so much who you left to die. We're even, human. We're fucking even now. Pareho tayong masaktan."

"I'm sorry . . ."

When another piece of broken vase tried to hit his cheek, another tentacle made of water protected him. He let go of my burning wrist, and before I knew it, he was already climbing by the window, he turned around and let himself fall.

"Tobias!"

Hinabol ko siya sa may bintana at tinanaw ko siya sa ibaba. Natigilan ako nang makitang hindi na siya nag-iisa roon kundi kasama na niyang naglalakad ang pamilyar na matanda na nagawa pang lumingon sa akin.

My brows knitted. I took a step back away from the window. I covered my mouth as I confusingly tried to understand the sudden situation.

"W-what's going on?"

Halos sabunutan ko ang sarili ko habang nagsisigaw na ako sa loob ng silid at pabalik-balik sa paglalakad.

"Go on, Kezalli. You'll have to free him from you. You'll have to save him from his pain." Bulong sa akin ng boses ng matandang babae.

Huminga na ako nang malalim at tumakbo na ako palabas ng silid na iyon. Sa halip na sundan ko sina Tobias at ang matandang babae ay isang lugar lang ang pumasok sa isip ko.

I found myself climbing up the castle's highest floor. I was running desperately at the spiraled stoned stairs with the continuous lightning and thunder outside, still with raindrops dripping from my body, I couldn't help but slip on my steps.

Ilang beses akong natatalisod, nasusubsob, at nahuhulog sa hagdan habang patuloy na lumuluha. "I'm sorry, Tobias . . . I'm sorry . . ."

Hila ko na ang aking isang paa habang patuloy ako sa pag-akyat sa walang katapusang hagdan patungo sa itaas ng kastilyo. Nakahawak na ang isang kamay ko sa pader habang patuloy ako sa paghakbang.

"Please . . ."

I mustered all my remaining strength and followed the longest stairs I had ever climbed. As I trailed the path toward the highest floor of the castle, I noticed the antique decorations adorning the walls. I was about to take another step when a familiar weapon caught my eye, making me stop and stare. Before I knew it, I was pulling the bow and arrows from the wall and continued running, stumbling, and groaning in pain.

When I finally reached the last step, I pushed open the door, and as I stepped outside, I was greeted by the sight of all of Parsua Deltora engulfed by a devastating storm. The darkness was so thick as if the whole kingdom could feel our emotions.

I kneeled desperately in the middle of the highest floor, harsh wind and raindrops splashing all over me. I pulled the necklace from my neck and raised both hands, tightly gripping the wooden body of my arrow as I pointed it directly at the emerald necklace I had received from Tobias. "I'm sorry . . ."

With all my strength, I pierced the necklace, creating a dust of emeralds that turned into a thick mixture—like poison—on the metal of the arrow. My knees were shaking as I stood up, hands and fingers trembling as I tried to familiarize myself with the bow and arrows.

I positioned myself where I could still see Tobias. He was still with the woman as if he were in a trance. Tears flowed as I readied my arrow. I closed my eyes, hearing the familiar sound of the wood as I pulled the strings, feeling the cold metal near my finger, and sensing the hammering of my chest.

Suddenly, I felt slender arms around me and heard a familiar voice—a woman's voice. Her tone shifted, repeating from the voice of a young woman to the old voice of an elder.

"You have to make an open wound, Kezalli. You have to free him. You have to remove him from his pain. You have to save him from you."

As another cloaked woman appeared behind my back, whispering and caressing my arms, my tears continued to fall. I sobbed loudly, my breathing heavy, my throat aching, and my chest tightening.

"Once you let go of the arrow, he'll forget about you."

With her whispers, new memories of Tobias flashed through my mind. The way his emerald eyes looked at me, how he caressed my cheeks, smiled at me, tenderly called my name. How he kissed me, shared stories, ate with me, lovingly offered his blood, held my hand, and how he countlessly whispered how he loved me.

With trembling hands and eyes trying to see the identity of the woman, I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and tightened my grip one last time. Before I knew it, I released my arrow, creating a familiar green light and a searing whistle against the wind. As my arrow flew like a phoenix, the darkness of Parsua Deltora was suddenly lit by green light showers, as if half the globe was embraced by green meteor showers.

It was as if the storm had stopped.

I ran desperately to the edge of the highest floor, hands pressed on the stone barrier, almost hanging my whole body over, wishing I could fly with my arrows. Slowly, as if time had slowed down, the hood of the woman beside Tobias fell off. She looked at me with a resigned smile.

My arrow directly struck the woman.

She was myself— the manifestation of all my doubts, fear, pain, and sadness.

Tobias looked back. He was with a tired yet relieved expression. And I shouted at the top of my lungs, on the top of the highest place on Parsua Deltora, lit with the brightest green light that stopped the storm.

My voice echoed with the green light around the whole Parsua Deltora.

"BALIKAN MO AKO DITO, TOBIAS! BALIKAN MO 'KO!"

"I'm sorry for everything, for being this coward, for running away, but I love you . . . take me again, take me again, please . . ."

And then, water materialized behind my back, and before I could even move, familiar arms wrapped around my body, kissing my neck."Babalikan . . . paulit-ulit na babalikan, mahal."