Chapter 45: Realm

As the sand swallowed my whole body with blood spilling on the golden grains, the familiar dim light from the lanterns on each House of Pleasure, the moonlight against the dancing red decorative hanging above the aisle, and even the few blinking stars that were scattered above the cloak of the night were slowly fading between my closing eyes.

Everything felt so heavy and suffocating that even the loudest noise turned into a hush until I couldn't hear anything. The pain was exhilarating yet I still had that small smile on my lips.

I could say that I was really that one cocky Gazellian, huh? The same blood that ran through Zen and Lily— that even in death would scream power.

Or could I just say that I had confidence because I knew that someone would save me?

Kung kanina ay pakiramdam ko ay halos mauubusan na ako ng hangin sa katawan dahil tila may nakadagan sa aking dibdib, ngayon naman ay ramdam ko ang mabilis na pagbulusok ng katawan ko.

I heard this before. Claret once mentioned to me that it was the same feeling when she crossed her mirror for the first time.

Buong akala ko ay tanging kadiliman lang ang siyang mamamayani sa aking paligid habang patuloy na bumubulusok ang katawan ko. But I noticed that I was sent to an endless pit that was supposed to be in utter darkness but was illuminated by falling grains of golden sand around me— like curtains in a circle. I felt as though I had been sent to a different realm.

Kusang umangat ang mga braso ko at pilit kong pinagmasdan ang bawat parte nito habang hinahanap ang tama ng mga pana rito. I knew that I was wounded. I was on the brink of death. I was sure that the whole Entertainment District was celebrating for offering another woman for their foolish tradition. Yet I was here, even with the idea that there was something beneath the sands of the Entertainment District, I was fascinated.

I was sure that I was hit by the arrows— I felt it, the pain, the metallic smell of my blood, the agonizing searing sound in my ears that I failed to understand. But now I was falling yet I wasn't scared.

Habang panay ang pagbulusok ng aking katawan, unti-unting may imaheng nagpakita sa akin sa itaas. Higit na lumawak ang ngiti sa mga labi ko nang tuluyan ko nang makita si Kreios. He was falling as well, above me with his arms wide open and his gentle eyes on me.

I never thought that I could be this happy even with the idea that my body would fall on the ground and might incur pain and damage. Sa sobrang bilis ng pagbagsak ko ay halos hindi niya ako maabutan. He tried to reach me with his hand, but I kept falling down as if there was an invisible string that was pulling me away from him.

"Give me your hand, Harper!"

Tipid akong ngumiti sa kanya. Sa halip na isang kamay ang inangat ko para sa kanya ay dalawang kamay ko. Ibinuka ko iyon na tila hinihintay ang yakap niya.

Kreios desperately tried to reach me that even the tips of our fingertips would graze yet we'd got separated again as if that small realm with curtains of golden grains around us were playing with us. I noticed in his expression that he'd gone more desperate. When I tried to look down, I realized that we were about to reach the ground.

Maybe I could jump like how a vampire should land. After all, I'd jumped a lot of times in different higher places. But as someone who was initially offered as a sacrifice, did that explain how I didn't have much choice but to let my body fall down?

Kaya ba ganito na lang ang reaksyon ni Kreios sa mga oras na ito? That in this realm— I was not powerful enough.

But he was here.

Ipipikit ko na sana ang mga mata ko habang ramdam ko ang higit na pagbagsak ng katawan ko nang agad baguhin ni Kreios ang posisyon ng pagbagsak niya. His hands that were about to reach me, wide opened to his sides— and sands exploded in his every fingertip, creating numerous strings, and when it was long enough the strings were cut off from his finger, but they attached themselves behind his back.

My eyes widened.

It was like how Kreios introduced me in the Entertainment District with my blooded wings— now it was him with visible golden grains attached to his back. After all, I am also mated to the son of a goddess— he'd always glow as majestic as that. 

Bago pa man tuluyang lumaglag ang katawan ko sa lupa, ang mga braso ni Kreios ang siyang yumakap sa akin. His feet first reached the ground as he looked at me with those crimson eyes.

"Even the most ancient tradition can't take you away from me," he whispered.

I ran the back of my hand on his cheek. A faint smile tugged my lips. "I wouldn't be taken. After all, I wouldn't sacrifice myself like this without your power."

He smiled. "Indeed."

"Will you put me down?"

Hindi na siya nagsalita at ibinaba niya na ako. Nang makatayo na ako ay muli kong tinungo ang sarili ko para humanap ng pinsala sa aking katawan.

It was either the ceremony that had the power to fix the women or... I stopped thinking when I felt how Kreios bent a little with his tilted head.

Tipid pa rin siyang nakangiti, nasa likuran ang kanyang mga kamay habang sinisilip niya ako. "Y-You did this?"

He nodded, now his lips pressed in a thin line as if he didn't want to further explain. He could heal? No.

Habang bahagya pa rin nakayuko sa akin si Kreios ay hindi na ako nag-aksaya ng oras. I cupped his face and gave him a quick kiss on his lips, his eyes widened, surprised. "Thank you. I thought I'll blind my right eye."

"You know that I'll accept you even if you lost your—" agad kong pinatigil ang sasabihin niya nang ilapat ko ang ilang daliri ko sa labi niya.

"It's fine now. Are you a healer?"

He chuckled. "Now I am going to be a threat to my sister's title?"

"What did you do?"

"I just exchanged your body to the sand I created that resembled you. It's already beneath the sand waiting for the transfer. Yes, you still felt the pain and such, but that's the downside of it. I had to wait for the perfect moment to reverse it and transfer to the sand dummy all your injuries and pain. It's a complicated move because if I fail even in a second, you and the sand will never switch. To be honest, it requires a lot of power."

Nang ibuka ni Kreios ang isa niyang kamay at nagpalutang siya ng kaunting buhangin ay bumagsak lang ulit iyon sa palad niya.

"T-That's a good ability... you never mentioned—" he cut me off with a shrug.

"I don't show much of my ability, Gazellian."

"But it exhausted your power."

"It's fine. I just need a few minutes of rest."

"How about my blood?"

Sumulyap si Kreios sa leeg ko. "I am fine. We should proceed."

Napatitig ako kay Kreios. He was completely serious right now. I was used to him being playful even in the middle of our mission.

Ipinilig ko ang ulo ko at nakinig na lang ako sa kanya. He was right. We need to continue. Tumingin na ako sa paligid. Tila nasa gitna kami ng isang kuweba na mayroong napakaraming lagusan.

Nang yumuko ako ay pansin ko na nasa gitna kami ng isang bilog. I could see unfamiliar symbols drawn on the ground. Probably the same ground where the other sacrificial maiden was offered.

"Nahulog din sila katulad ko?"

Tumingala ako. Wala na iyong dinaanan namin ni Kreios na buhangin na pumapatak sa paligid.

"I am not sure, Harper."

"Was it you?"

He blinked. "What?"

"You made it. That realm."

He simply nodded. "I used to create an alternate realm before. When I first met Claret and when she was still in Mudelior. She told me that it can be her temporary escape."

That's why it took most of his power. Hindi lang niya ako ipinalit sa buhangin. He made that realm so he could confuse this place into accepting me as one of the sacrificial maidens, rather than a visitor who forced herself inside.

"You are really full of surprises, Kreios."

"Maybe?"

Hindi ko na siya sinagot ulit at tumingin ako sa paligid sa nakaparaming madilim na lagusan na naghihintay sa amin.

"This is not the Holy Land yet."

Nakanguso na si Kreios habang gumagala na rin ang mga mata niya sa paligid. "Yes, I suppose so."

Huminga ako nang malalim. "Kung wala ang kapangyarihan mo at katulad lang ako ng mga babaeng unang inialay sa larong iyon. Dapat ba ay patay na ako? Ano ang mangyayari sa kanila sa sandaling matapos ang pagbabaon sa kanila nang buhay?"

"They died, of course. They wouldn't be able to breathe."

Kumunot ang noo ko sa sinabi ni Kreios. "What if they were sent here as well? And they took these different paths..." itinuro ko ang mga daan na nasa harapan namin.

"That's impossible, Harper. You came here because of my power. We tricked the ancient tradition just like how your father and Aunt Danna tricked those creatures above." Saglit akong natigilan sa sinabi ni Kreios lalo na sa paraan ng pagbanggit niya sa pangalan ni Danna.

He mentioned her with familiar affection.

Agad akong nag-iwas ng tingin sa kanya. Bakit ba ako magtataka? Kreios and Desmond had a close bond like siblings. I was sure that they shared a lot of stories together.

Lumingon muli si Kreios sa paligid at sa bawat daan na naghihintay sa amin. Kapwa madidilim iyon at kahit ang mga mata namin bilang mga bampira ay walang makita roon.

"And these paths are definitely filled with something that would kill us both," he said calmly. Impossible.

"Should we pick now?"

Hindi agad nagsalita si Kreios pero ang mga mata niya ay naroon pa rin. I tried to glance at his hand. Kapwa nakakuyom iyon. I knew that he was hesitant. He used a lot of his power, and he didn't want to risk an adventure that he couldn't properly protect me.

"We could wait here for a while and think then."

Doon lang nawala ang atensyon niya sa mga daan at napatitig siya sa akin. "I am fine."

"You will if you'll drink from me."

Hinawi ko na ang mga buhok ko at inilahad ko iyon sa isang balikat ko. I pointed to my neck. "Here."

"No."

"Kreios, I am fine because of your secret ability. Why can't I give back?"

Hinawakan ko na ang dalawang kamay niya. "Let's sit."

Nang hilahin ko siya habang dahan-dahan akong umupo sa lupa ay wala siyang ibang pinagpilian kundi sumunod sa akin. We just stayed seated on the ground, still with our fingers intertwined together.

Nag-iwas ng tingin sa akin si Kreios. I knew that he was just trying to be considerate. We were in the middle of our mission, and here he was, needing my blood.

"Aren't you happy right now?" I asked, almost a whisper.

"Why?"

Marahan kong pinaglaro ang mga daliri namin. Hindi na ako nakatitig sa kanya at roon na lang ako sa mga kamay naming magkahawak nakangiting nakatingin.

"This was our initial plan, Kreios. An adventure. Just the two of us. I am not a queen, and you are not a king. Just Harper. Just Kreios."

Nang unti-unti akong nag-angat ng tingin sa kanya, biglang lumambot ang ekspresyon niya.

"And we're about to find the Holy Land."

Tumango ako sa kanya.

He gently pulled my hands to his lips, kissing my fingers gently with his eyes closed. "Can I drink now?"

I smiled and nodded.

Kreios bared his fangs and sank them, not into my neck, but into my wrist. I watched him, with my heart beating so fast. My other hand cupped his right cheek. "You know that I love you, right?"

He nodded.

Still, with his eyes closed, he gently tugged a few of my fingers, running the tip of his nose with its feathery touch as if savoring even my faintest scent. He trailed his tongue along the laces of blood on my wrist. "Every drop of you belongs to me, and every drop of me is yours. I love you... so much."