Chapter 67: Death

Hindi na nag-aksaya pa ang mga bampirang kasama ko.

Sabay nawala sa tabi ko sina Rosh at Zen, sa bilis nang pagyayari ay kapwa na sila nasa tagiliran ni Freya, nakaamba na ang kanilang braso at alam kong sabay na iyong tatama sa leeg ni Freya.

But this Freya knew how to wield spells and magic, the bodies of the two princes were illuminated as her hand glowed, throwing them aware— creating continuous damage as their bodies passed by a series of trees in the nearby forest.

Ang tanging nakita ko lang ay usok mula sa katawan nilang marahil sumadsad na sa lupa mula sa magkabilang direksyon.

Hindi na ako lumingon kay Tobias. Mabilis na akong tumakbo patungo kay Freya. Unlike those shadowed dummies who were more into physical combat, Freya used her spells and illuminating lights giving us more difficulty.

Habang patuloy akong tumatakbo at si Tobias na tila lumilipad dahil kalahati ng katawan niya ay itinutulak ng tubig, ay hindi na naghintay pa si Freya at sunod-sunod na ang atake niya.

Tobias and I were in sync as we dodged Freya's every throw with her ring lights. Hanggang sa tuluyan na kami ni Tobias nakalapit sa kanya. Both of us advanced at Freya, with my metal rings, and Tobias's sharp water blades. Tobias and I simultaneously slashed, cut, swished her body, and every other kind of attack with our blades.

Alam kong natatamaan siya ngunit mas higit siyang nasasaktan at bumabagal kung galing iyon sa akin.

Until Tobias disappeared by my side and with his familiar tentacle-styled water, it crawled slowly around Freya's body, tilting her neck, choking it with his tentacles, her arms were now wide open with Tobias's power holding her. She couldn't utter a single word, or even move her fingers. Freya was tearing up as Tobias's water tentacles snaked tightly around her body— slowly killing her.

Tobias was floating behind her, his head was inches apart from Freya's face, but this was the first time that I saw his clear water— the moving tentacles as if it was really a part of him.

Napahakbang ako paatras. "T-Tobias . . ."

Hindi na nakikinig sa akin si Tobias. If Zen was harshly uncontrollable with his massacred style of killing, with a mess all over his face and body, I never thought that Tobias's silence was more threatening. As if he couldn't hear anything but Freya's squealing and pain. He wasn't smiling as wide as the monstrous Zen, but I saw a small smile, triumph, the cold emotion in his eyes, and the veins on his neck and forehead igniting at the same time.

As the water tentacles moved— I could hear the tightening of flesh, the blood flow, and even Freya's heartbeat.

"Tobias."

Isang tapik sa balikat ni Tobias ang nagpabalik sa huwisyo niya. Nasa tabi na niya ang kapatid niya. Nakabalik na rin si Zen at may hawak nang espada.

Saglit na lumuwag ang pagkakapulupot ng kapangyarihan ni Tobias kay Freya. At ang kaunting pagluwag noon ang siyang agad nagpabaliktad ng sitwasyon.

Because Freya desperately freed herself from Tobias's power. She grinned in front of me as she surged with her extended hands, I quickly turned my rings into my long wand, and before she came closer, I managed to throw the arrow-like wand in front of her.

Hindi niya agad nailigan iyon at tumama sa isang braso niya. The wand was about to send her flying back at Tobias, but the desperately insane woman sacrificed one of her arms and surged further to reach me.

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. Pilit kong pinagliwanag ang mga kamay ko upang protektahan ang sarili ko pero huli na ang lahat. Marahas akong itinulak ni Freya patungo sa hangganan ng lupa.

"Kezalli!"

With Zen, Tobias, and Rosh's power they desperately tried to reach me. Pero masyado nang mabilis ang pangyayari, kapwa na kami nahuhulog ni Freya.

Dumadanak na ang dugo ni Freya mula sa braso niya habang patuloy kaming bumabagsak. Her body was on top of me with her legs wrapped around my waist to keep me.

"Bitawan mo ako!"

"You're a stupid bitch! Don't you think you can stop me with a mere wand?! I will kill you first!"

"Protect the queen!" narinig kong sigaw ng isa sa mga pixies.

Hindi lang sila ang nagmamadaling lumipad patungo sa akin at Freya. Sa likuran namin ay sabay-sabay nang tumalon sina Zen, Rosh at Tobias, habang pilit kaming hinahabol.

I tried to fight against Freya pero hindi ko naisip na darating ako sa sitwasyon na makikipaglaban ako sa ere habang may nakasakay na katawan sa akin! She might only have one hand, but with a spell on it? I couldn't win against her! I am into damn combat! Wala akong laban kung higit na mahika ang gagamitin niya!

But I didn't give up. Pilit akong nanlaban sa ere gamit ang nalalaman ko sa kapangyarihan habang sunod-sunod ang atake niya. "I will kill you! Kung kikitilin ako ng mga walang hiyang prinsipeng ito, isasama kita! We will die together! Sasamahan mo ako!"

With her remaining arm and the remaining power she had, she drew her sharp hand in the air, suddenly it glowed against the sunlight as if it was the sharpest sword I had ever seen in my entire life.

I tried to cover it with my arms to protect myself, but her hand were as sharp as any sword I couldn't imagine. Dahil nagawa ko man ipatong ang dalawa kong kamay sa dibdib ko na tila may magagawa iyon para protektahan ang sarili ko, tumagos pa rin ang kamay niya.

Piercing both of my hands through my chest. Malakas na sigaw ang lumabas ang labi ko at nasundan iyon ng malakas na sigaw ni Tobias.

"Kezalli! No!"

Kasabay nang pagbuga ko ng sariling dugo ay ang sunod-sunod na pagkapit nina Tobias, Zen, at Rosh sa likuran ni Freya.

Pinagtutulungan na nila si Freya.

Zen's arms were trying to behead Freya, but she was laughing, enjoying the agony in my eyes as she pushed her arms inside me. I heard how Rosh's arms pierced Freya's back grabbing her heart.

"Die! Die! Get away from her! Fucking cut her arms, Tobias!" sigaw ni Rosh.

"S-Should I chop off her hand? Should I pull it? What am I going to do?!" nanlalaki ang mga mata ni Tobias at hindi siya magkaintindihan kung saan titingin at hahawak sa akin.

He looked lost.

Walang tigil sa pagtawa si Freya at pilit na nanlalaban sa pamamagitan ng kapangyarihan niyang yumayakap sa sarili niya.

I saw a glimpse of tears from Zen's cheek as he repeatedly hit Freya's mouth to stop her from laughing. He drew a small dagger, and he kept stabbing her neck.

But just like the other part of Freya's body that suddenly had unlimited strength— as if casting everything in one final attack— a spell I knew was suicide for any spell wielder like us, she's giving everything with this attack on my chest. All her power. She's desperate to die with me.

Tobias with tears on his cheeks was trying to pull Freya's arms from my chest.

"I have her heart! I have her heart!" sigaw ni Freya.

"Fuck you! I have your heart!" sigaw ni Rosh.

"Kill me! Kill me! Kill me then!" tumatawang sabi ni Freya.

I screamed when I felt her hand squeezing my heart more. Mas lalong nagdilim ang paningin ni Tobias at isaksak niya na rin ang isa niyang kamay sa katawan ni Freya.

I knew that Rosh could do it right away, but as afraid as Tobias, he couldn't think of anything but hold her and give her the same pain that I had.

I could imagine the horror in everyone's eyes as they witnessed the five of us, falling from the highest waterfall in this world, with the three vampires of the prophecy, killing Freya with her arms on my chest.

Naghahalo na ang dugo namin ni Freya dahil sa walang tigil na saksak ni Zen, sa patuloy na pagtulak ni Rosh ng kanyang braso mula sa likuran, at ang paulit-ulit na pagputol ni Tobias ng braso ni Freya na muling nabubuo.

"Fuck, she's losing so much blood!" sigaw ni Rosh.

"Your hand!"

Agad inangat ni Tobias ang braso niya at lumipad ang yelo roon. It cut Tobias's wrist and he placed it on my mouth.

I tried to drink, but I couldn't taste it anymore.

Tawa nang tawa si Freya sa nangyayari.

"The wand . . ." I whispered and choked.

"Kezalli . . ."

Lalo nang naging desperado ang tatlo at naging agresibo na sila sa pag-atake kay Freya. I couldn't see them well. Ang tanging malinaw na lang sa akin ay ang pagtawa ni Freya at ang tunog ng laman niya na patuloy na inaatake ng tatlong bampirang nakakapit sa kanya.

She'd be affected by the wand— the only weapon that damaged her.

"Kezalli!"

I knew that voice was from the highest place of Deltora— Pryor. My eyes weren't clear anymore, but his silhouette standing in front of the highest waterfall, with a familiar long wand in his hand gave me a sudden light.

"Your wand!"

I saw how he positioned himself and threw the wand like a spear in our direction.

Napasigaw na lang ako at napahagulgol sa harapan nina Rosh, Tobias at Zen nang marahas kong hinala ang sarili kong mga kamay mula sa espada na nakabaon doon.

My hands were bleeding and trembling, but with the remaining strength that I had, with Rosh's arm still inside Freya's chest, I pierced both of mine on her body, catching my wand that turned into metal rings.

Dumanak ang dugo niya sa mukha ko nang magsuka ito sa atake ko. Kasabay ng mga luha ko ay ang mariin kong paghila ng mga bakal na iyon patungo sa katawan niya.

Hindi na pagtawa kundi malakas na pagsigaw sa sakit ang narinig ko mula kay Freya.

Finally, Zen, Rosh, and Tobias attacks worked on her body. Zen managed to behead Freya, Rosh pulled her heart and crushed it on his palm, and Tobias's water blade endlessly cut her into pieces.

That sudden insanity in their mind with their attention just on Freya made them forget me for a second, I felt my body sinking as I lost my grip on the metal ring, but I couldn't help but smile. My weapon absorbed the same blood— the similar blood that those remaining witches have.

I gasped, and another blood left my mouth as I continued to fall.

I saw how Tobias used his water to catch me, but he stopped himself, with the fear of burning me with his power. Rosh drew his roses vines, and Zen's hands were extended. At the side of my eyes, I saw black wings flying and a red sling swinging

"Damn, I can't catch her!" napapailing na si Rosh sa kanyang sarili.

I knew that I'd die.

No matter how powerful Claret and her healing ability, with my weak heart and blood loss, I knew that I'd die soon. Ramdam na iyon ni Tobias kanina pa lang nang dumapo na silang tatlo sa likuran ni Freya. He knew better than anyone if his mate was dying and couldn't be saved.

And just like now, I knew that he couldn't see anything, all he could feel was my declining life. There was no way I'd survive the same attack that killed Kalla.

In the middle of chasing, Tobias stopped in mid-air, suddenly his body was now surrounded by his own water and there was a blade in his hand as he placed it under his neck.

"No . . . you have to live, Tobias. This is just a beginning."

Sa natitirang lakas na mayroon ako, pilit akong sumigaw nang napakalakas.

"THEY ARE HERE! THE TWO REMAINING WITCHES ARE HERE! MY METAL BLADES WILL COME AFTER THEM! KILL THEM!"

Dalawang malakas na pagsabog ang siyang natanggap ng malaking bilog na tubig na nakapaligid ko Tobias. Pryor and Marah's inside.

"CLARET!" I shouted again.

I tried to look over my shoulder despite Rosh and Zen's hands trying to reach me. "It's not the end. I will come back." I whispered.

"YES!" malakas na sigaw pabalik ni Claret.

Suddenly, Claret was floating on the water, and as she stepped on it, a blue symbol appeared on it, with her bent knees and extended hand. The vines under the water grew, covering the whole water as a familiar mirror emerged in the middle of it.

Rosh's eyes widened. He gasped. "M-my mirror . . ."

With Claret's power, she held my body and allowed the reflection of her blue symbol, and green lotus symbol in the sky with the mirror and my body between it.

This has been our theory.

If Astrid was dying when the mirror claimed her during that earthquake . . .

Then it will accept me.

The mirror will save me from death.

Because I am a woman of the prophecy.

Rosh and Zen were about to catch me, but when I smiled at them, they stopped and let me go.

I closed my eyes, I felt my whole body burning, not by fire, but by a portal, I knew only I and a few women could cross. As I was sinking, slowly I opened my eyes, I saw the familiar blue fire around me.

I crept a small smile on my lips before I tried to communicate with Tobias for the last time. "Live, my love, find the two remaining witches inside Deltora. I will come back for you."

I took a deep breath, seeing the clear opening of a mirror as it slowly grew smaller as I continued to sink.

Tears fell on my cheeks, realizing I was about to survive, I killed Freya, and my rings found the witches outside.

I closed my eyes, feeling my faint heartbeat.

Finally, I entered Astrid's mirror.