Flame 21 - Unwanted Throne

Mag-isang nakatayo si Opium Scatterella sa gilid ng Arts and Sciences building dahil ito lang ang tanging lugar na madilim at hindi masyadong nasisikatan ng araw.  Ang mga bampira na tulad ni Opium ay naaapektuhan pa rin nang sinag ng araw pero dahil malakas ang dugong dumadaloy sa kanya, hindi ito gaanong nakakaapekto 'di tulad sa mga pangkaraniwang mga bampira. He has royal Scatterella blood in his veins, what could possibly go wrong, right?

Yun nga lang, mukhang matindi ang sikat ng araw ngayon sa buong campus and he cannot stand it. He's not worrying about Olivia though, she's been wearing a protector ring for safety purposes. Siya lang naman ang ayaw magsuot noon.

"Opium!" he heard someone calling him at nakita niya ang butler ni Krauser Vaughaun na tumatakbo papalapit sa kanya.

"Kather— whoa!" agad itong umilag sa bala niya. Hindi niya napansin na nakatutok sa kanya ang silver caliber ng butler. "What the heck? Ganyan ka na ba bumati ngayon ng good morning, Katherine?!" he said and jumped a few feet away from her.

"You are so dumb! Why did you tell Krauser about the Cronus?!" she said. Ibinaba niya ang isa pang kamay to summon another gun. Agad din niyang itinutok ang dalawang baril sa kawawang bampira.

"H-He asked me! Tsaka, he was worrying about you, Katherine! Ano ba! Put that fcking gun down!" he said habang nakataas ang mga kamay at tila inaawat ang silver flame sa pag-aamok.

"I will not fall for that!" Katherine fired her gun. Hindi ito maingay dahil may nakakabit na silencer. Umiwas naman agad ang bampira pero hindi maitatanggi ang takot sa mukha nito.

"Katherine! Ano ba! That gun can kill me! Put that down!"

"NO—ugh! Bitawan mo ako!" within seconds, nahawakan agad ni Opium ang kamay niya naipaikot niya agad ang kamay ng babaeng butler sa likuran nito.

"Ayoko nga! Bakit kita bibitawan? Seryoso ka ba talaga? Are you really going to kill me?!"

"Mukha bang joke 'to sayo, Scatterella? I trusted you of the Cronus secret tapos sinabi mo kay Krauser! Now he wants to join like it's child's play! I can't risk his safety! You know that!" nagpupumiglas pa si Katherine habang hawak ni Opium ang mga kamay nito at nasa likuran pa rin niya.

"He cares about you, Katherine. Trust me," he whispered which made her stop from fighting back. Dahan-dahang binitawan ni Opium si Katherine.

Her guns disappeared and she faced him. "Even though he cared, I'd rather keep this Cronus thing as a secret to him."

He pats her shoulder and grinned. "Let him help. He made that choice so just let him be."

Umirap lang si Katherine at humalukipkip habang natawa si Opium. Aalis na sana siya nang pigilan siya ng bampira. Hinawakan siya sa magkabilang braso at naglapit ang mga mukha nila.

"What the—ANO BA!" she was pushing him away pero masyadong malakas si Opium. He moved up to her forehead and she heard him sniffing.

"I can smell Krauser on this part of your forehead," awtomatikong namula ang butler at sinubukang makaalis. Binitawan siya ng bampira at agad itong ngumisi sa kanya. "Did he kiss you?" he asked.

"SHUT THE HELL UP, OPIUM!"

"So he did kiss you. Wow. So that means he likes you? Pabor sayo yun, Katherine. Diba gusto mo din siya?"

Katherine hurriedly covered his mouth. "Shhh! Shut up! Kapag may nakarinig sayo!"

"Iba na 'yan! May nangyari na ba sa inyo?"

"Hell no! Wala! Ang dumi mong mag-isip!" umirap nalang si Katherine at lumayo na sa bampira. She sighed and rolled his eyes. "I'm not even sure why he did that last night. After the Mermius trip, naging mabait siya saken. I'm guessing dahil iyon sa nalaman niya. But until now I'm not sure with his feelings for me."

"Gusto mo tanungin ko siya?" he said and was about to leave.

Agad inilabas ni Katherine ang baril niya at itinutok niya iyon sa dibdib ng bampira. "Move and I'll kill you."

"Sabi ko nga, dito lang ako," Opium said and did not continue mocking her. Nag-eenjoy siyang kulitin si Katherine dahil hindi ito natatakot sa kanya. She's like Olivia, but cuter.

"Wala akong class ngayon. Ang boring," she said and sat down on one of the benches.

"Hey, maybe you can come with me." Opium said and somehow his faced glowed.

"Where?"

Opium and Katherine went out of the car and looked around Santa Monica Mental Center. The mental institution was established around 1800's and is one of the leading mental health institutions in New Wellington.

"What are we doing in this place?" Katherine asked as she was looking and observing some patients that are roaming around the area.

One old woman was chasing a butterfly around. A man sitting alone in a bench was talking to himself and somehow having an argument. One little girl was walking around while dragging a worn out doll.

"You'll see," he smiled and walked towards the rooms. He stopped at a door with the numbers 366 on it. He turned the door knob and opened the door.

Sumilip si Katherine sa loob and saw a woman sitting on her bed with curtains blocking the sunlight. She was reading a book and did not even bothered looking at both of them.

"Hi Mom," bati ni Opium sabay halik sa babae. Hindi man lang pinansin ng babae si Opium at patuloy lang sa pagbabasa ng libro.

"T-That's your— Mom?" Katherine asked him. He nodded. "So that means, she's also Olivia's Mom?"

"No. Me, Olivia at Oraion have different birth mothers. My mom was the only one alive because she's a vampire too, both their parents were humans."

Katherine nodded. She looked at his Mom intently and noticed her pale complexion. Not to mention her vivid eyes and being young looking. Pero kahit ganoon hindi maitago ni Katherine ang takot sa kakaibang aura meron sa kanya. Doon din napansin ni Katherine na nakatali ang kamay at paa ng babae gamit ang metal chains.

"W-What Coven does she belong before marrying your father?"

"Roosevelt Coven."

Kinilabutan si Katherine because that coven was wiped out of existence by the Scatterella Coven. Isa ang Roosevelt Coven sa sumubok mapabagsak ang Scatterella coven over the past few years. Hindi sila kailanman nagtagumpay hanggang sa naubos na ang kanilang coven.

"She was a prisoner of our coven when my Dad and she met each other. Noong napanganak ako, itinakas ako ng Mom ko and went to Roosevelt Coven but after defeating the coven, kinuha ako ni Dad at dinala sa Scatterella. Naiwan si Mom sa Roosevelt until I saw her again in the last battle eighteen years ago. She was about to be killed pero iniligtas ko siya at dinala dito."

"Your Dad doesn't know she's still alive?"

He nodded. "Yes. Ang alam ng lahat ay patay na ang Mom ko. Nobody knows, except you."

"But— why bring me here? Why say this to me?" nagtatakang tanong ni Katherine kay Opium.

He smiled and looked at his Mom. "Wala ka kasing class, diba yun ang sabi mo? So I brought you here." Marahan niyang hinawakan ang maputlang kamay ng kanyang Mom.

You can see a different Opium whenever he looks at his Mom. Punong-puno ng affection at pagmamahal. Not everyone see this type of Opium and Katherine felt a bit lucky to have seen it for real.

Lumapit si Katherine at hinawakan din ang kamay ng Mom ni Opium when all of a sudden, her Mom turned and face both of them. Ngayon lang nalipat ang atensyon ng babae dahil kanina pa ito nagbabasa ng libro. Ngumiti si Katherine sa kanya but Opium was taken aback and pulled Katherine away from his Mom's bed.

Nangilabot ng husto si Katherine as soon as she saw his Mom. Nangitim ang buong mata nito at may mga tumulong dugo sa gilid nito. Her sharp teeth was filled with blood and her whole body was filled with black marks.

"THE WHOLE COVEN IS A LIE! IT'S A LIE! EVERYTHING IS A LIE!" she yelled while the only thing holding her down was the chains from her hands and feet.

Katherine can see pain while Opium was watching his Mom. She looks horrible but as she observed, Opium was never terrified with her. They had no choice but to leave the room and let the nurses take over.

"Naaawa ka sa Mom mo..." she said to him habang nakatayo sila sa tabi ng kotse ni Opium.

He chuckled and played with his car keys. "You got me," he said.

"Your Mom is strong enough to be alive until now. Be thankful for that, at least, you get to see her, that she's okay. She's fine... that she's alive."

"Yeah. I am always thankful for that."

Nagpasya na silang bumalik sa Larkworth when Katherine thought of something.

"What does your Mom meant with 'the coven is a lie'? What coven is she referring? Her coven? Or your coven?"

Opium shrugged and hopped in the car. He did not bother asking himself because every time her Mom suddenly had an attack, that’s the only thing she kept on saying.

Pero napaisip tuloy siya... oo nga. Kaninong Coven ang tinutukoy ng kanyang ina?

***

Nakauwi si Opium sa Scar Mansion na medyo madilim na. Agad siyang sinalubong ni Oraion kasama si Deborah. Sa stage ng development ni Oraion, mukhang hindi ito magiging bampira. Mabilis lang lumaki ang mga bampira at sa edad ngayon ni Oraion dapat ay naghahanap na ito ng dugo. He's not showing any signs of being a vampire either.

"Hi Kuya Opium!" masiglang bati sa kanya.

Umirap lang siya dito at hindi ito pinansin. Naiinis siya sa bunso niyang kapatid. Wala siyang responsibilidad sa bahay na ito. Walang expectations, walang kokontrol sa buhay niya. Not like him, na siyang magmamana ng buong coven balang araw.

"Where have you been all day?" bungad naman ni Olivia sa kanya nang makarating ito sa second floor. Napangiti si Opium na makita ang kapatid, buong araw niya itong hindi nakita.

"Cut class, same as usual."

"I can smell Katherine Lovell. Kasama mo siya?!" tumaas agad ang kilay niya that made Opium chuckled.

"Yes, I was with her." Kapansin-pansin na hindi na gaanong nagagalit si Olivia kapag nalalaman niya na magkasama si Opium at Katherine. Opium assumed that they both had a girl talk while stuck in Mermius and went quite well.

Lalapit pa sana si Opium para sana hawakan ang kamay ni Olivia when his sister glowed. "DAD!" she ran towards their Dad and hugged him. "Finally! Ngayon nalang ulit tayo nagkita! Just in time, let's all have dinner together! I will call Oraion, nasa baba sila ni Deborah and—"

"No thanks. Kumain na ako sa labas, Olivia." Lord Gifford declined and turned to face Opium. "I want to talk to you now, go to my office," he said coldly and left.

Opium clenched his fist as he can see Olivia standing there and looking at their Dad walking away.

"Olivia, susunod ako sa dinner—"

"No. I'm not hungry. Kayo nalang," she said and walked out leaving Opium alone. He wanted to follow her... and hug her. He knows she's upset but he needs to talk to his Dad first.

Labag sa loob na pumasok si Opium sa office ni Lord Gifford Scatterella. Puno ang opisina niya ng ulo ng iba't ibang hayop. His Dad likes hunting.

"How is everything in the coven so far while I'm not around, son?" nakangising tanong ng kanyang ama.

"The coven is in good shape, Dad. Nothing to worry about."

His Dad chuckled and gave a sly smile. "Of course. And we need to celebrate as I have successfully obliterated yet another threat to our Coven."

Opium smiled awkwardly upon hearing what his father told him. "G-Great. But who are you referring to?" naiilang na tanong niya.

Nag-iba ang anyo ng kanyang ama, humaba ang pangil niya at naging pula ang mga mata. May kinuha siyang box mula sa drawer at ipinatong iyon sa table niya. Binuksan niya iyon at nagulat si Opium na makitang puso iyon— puso ng isang tao.

"K-Kanino—"

"We found out where Scarlet Roosevelt is... buhay pa pala siya... that btch should have been dead long ago!" He said as he angrily puts his fist down on his table.

"S-Scar— Scarlet Roosevelt?"

"Yes. Your birth mother, from the coven that wanted to kill us all. Scarlet Roosevelt, and we finally can say that we have won the war." He grabbed the heart out from the box and took a bite from it. Blood squirted all over his face as he take chunks of it and chew it aggressively with his sharp teeth.

Tinitignan niya lang ang Dad niya habang mag-isa nitong kinakain ang puso ng kanyang ina. But inside, he had crumbled apart.

After asking permission to leave his office, Opium tried to walk and leave to go back to Santa Monica but he felt something in his stomach. He ran to the kitchen sink and puked. Akala niya, matitiis ng sikmura niya ang ginawa ng kanyang ama. His vision was blurry until he realized he was crying.

Sinuntok niya ang pader ng paulit ulit habang tahimik na umiiyak. He felt useless and weak. Akala ng lahat, Opium is the strongest vampire ever lived but he's not.

He never wanted this throne.

He never wanted this name.

He never wanted this family.

He wasn't ready. He was never ready to say goodbye to her. It was so sudden, so soon. Hindi niya akalain na huling pagbisita na pala niya iyon.

"Opium?" nagulat siya ng makita ang kapatid niya na nasa tapat niya. "Are you okay?" she said and cupped his cheeks.

"No. I'm not okay Olivia," he cried like a little kid as he hugged her tight. Hindi malaman ni Olivia why he was crying.

Seeing Opium cry is the last thing she has in mind.

When he had calmed down, she treated his swollen knuckles after punching the walls earlier. Nobody said a word but Olivia wanted to ask why.

"Do you remember my Mom?" she was startled to hear him start a conversation.

"Yes. Scarlet Roosevelt? What about her?"

"She did not die during the Great War. I saved her and kept her hidden in Santa Monica."

Bakas sa mukha ni Olivia ang pagkagulat sa sinabi ni Opium. "You what? But she's an enemy of the coven—"

"...and she is also my mother."

Olivia remained quiet. She wanted to hug Opium and comfort him but she can't! She just can't—she should be happy that he's hurting and finally saw him weak. But she was also hurting. Nasasaktan din siya, seeing Opium like this.

"Dad... he found out about her and killed her today. It was an awful sight, seeing her heart getting eaten. It was so painful," he clutched his chest and gasped.

Hinawakan ni Olivia ang pisngi ni Opium and wiped the tears from his cheeks. "What can I do to ease the pain?" she asked with her soft and loving voice.

He smiled and holds her hand. "If I tell you that a kiss can help ease the pain, will you kiss me?" he whispered.

Olivia did not answer and moved closer to him. Opium was surprised to realize that she will really kiss him, on point! Nanigas siya at walang nagawa kundi ang pumikit. He was eagerly waiting for her soft lips on his but he got impatient and opened his eyes.

"Akala mo naman, hahalikan kita? In your dreams, perverted brother!" umirap ito tsaka kinuha ang first aid kit at lumabas ng kwarto niya.

Opium could not believe that Olivia got her there. Natawa nalang siya sa sarili niya dahil umasa siya ng sobra sa halik na iyon.

"Someday, I am going to kiss your lips, dear sister. I swear, I will kiss you and you will fall for me so bad," he said and smirked.

Bigla namang nag-vibrate ang phone niya at nakita niyang may message mula sa unknown sender.

From: Unknown

Sir Opium Scatterella, nurse po ako ni Lady Scar. Siguro po nabalitaan niyo na ang nangyari sa kanya. May gusto lang po akong sabihin sa inyo, may nangyari po kasing kakaiba kay Lady Scar bago siya patayin ng mga bampira na umatake dito kanina. Gusto ko po sanang makausap kayo ng personal. Bukas. 10 AM, sa isang coffee shop malapit sa subway station ng Downtown New Wellington. Pasensya na po sa abala. -Nurse Lorie

Kinutuban na agad si Opium tungkol dito at agad siyang nagreply sa Nurse na pupunta siya. Pero ano kayang nangyari sa kanyang Mom? And how did Lord Gifford found out about his Mom? How did he track her down?

Well, he hoped these questions will be answered as soon as he meets the nurse.

* * * *

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