"So, what was she like before she died?"

Chayse's voice broke the silence, her eyes taking in the sight of the pale girl lying on the bed. The girl rested beautifully against the black sheets, her dark hair sprawled over the silk pillow.

Umismid si Evil. Hindi niya alam kung paano nagawang i-preserve ni Everick ang katawan nito, pero malakas ang kutob niyang ginagamit nito ang kanyang healing ability. He doesn't know the extent of the Knight's powers, but Evil knows he's the kind of lunatic to exhaust all resources just for his mad maiden's sake.

'And here we are, standing inside her room. Kapag nalaman ni Everick ito, baka mapaaga ang tapos ng mundo,' isip-isip ni Evil habang nakapamulsa. 'Actually, that might not be such a bad idea.'

Ini-imagine na ni Evil. Oh, that would solve all their problems! Tutal wala namang saysay ang mundong ito, why not let it burn to ashes?

Wala namang forever, maliban na lang sa kanilang mga imortal.

Alam niyang hindi na niya dapat dinala si Chayse sa bahay ng mga Claveria, lalo't nakikitira na rin dito ang former killers ng EKT na binuhay nila noong nakaraan. And that's the irony of this whole situation...

"She has the ability to revive the dead with just a kiss, something Everick can't do," Evil recalled the details, his eyes assessing the doll-like human in front of them. "Nakakatawa na kailangan nating buhayin ang babaeng kayang bumuhay ng patay gamit ang elixir of life na posibleng ninakaw ng tatay niya---ARAY!"

Agad na napahawak si Evil sa kanyang ulo at gulat na tiningnan ang blonde.

Binatukan ba naman siya!

"What the fuck was that for? Do you even know who I am, human?!"

Pero humalukipkip lang si Chayse at walang takot na nakipagtagisan ng tingin sa kanya.

"I was asking what was she like as a human, not as a tool, dumbass! Kung sabagay mukhang kagamitan lang naman ang tingin mo sa mga tao, Your Highness," Chayse mocked. She even had the guts to stab an index finger at his chest for emphasis! How rude.

Hinuli ni Evil ang daliri nito at inis na sumagot, "Wala namang pinakaiba 'yon. And how dare you talk to me like that! I command you to---!"

"Ayan ka na naman sa 'command-command' mo, eh! Oh, come on! You're acting like a spoiled brat again throwing tantrums!"

"AM NOT!"

"YES, YOU ARE! PARA KANG BABY!"

"WHAT? AKO ANG LIDER NG NEVERWOODS!"

"DAHIL NAG-TA-TANTRUMS KA SIGURO KAPAG HINDI MO NAKUKUHA ANG GUSTO MO!"

Chayse stepped closer and even craned her head to meet his eyes properly. The height difference alone would probably give her a stiff neck, but she seems to not care about the consequences.

"Kaya siguro hindi mo pa rin maintindihan ang mga kapatid mo."

Natigilan si Evil. Paano naman napasok sina Joker at Knight dito?

"Matagal naman na kaming hindi nagkakaintindihan," Evil grabbed both her wrists instead. She's crazy! Parang nagsisisi na siyang nakipagkasundo sa isang 'to. Kaso wala nang atrasan dahil sa katakot-takot na dami ng agreement na pinirmahan niya.

But Chayse snorted and took another step closer...

Doon niya napansing masyado na silang malapit sa isa't isa. Mukha namang walang pakialam rito si Chayse at inis pang inilapit ang sarili sa nakababatang Neverwood. His eyes widened when she placed both hands on his chest, on the very spot right over his heart.

"Until now, you don't understand why your brothers fell in love with humans, do you?"

"I..."

"EUREKA!"

She announced, as if she just made a new discovery. Ngumiti nang malawak ang dalaga at ipinagpatuloy ang kanyang litanya, "and that's something you lost a long time ago, Evil. The ability to love---genuinely, unconditionally, and whole-heartedly. I can imagine you guys had to build walls to emotionally protect yourselves, especially when people around you die and you're forced to watch it happen over and over and over again... Bawal ma-attach sa kahit sino o kahit ano dahil may hangganan lang ang lahat. Dahil kailangan mo ring pakawalan," napabuntong-hininga si Chayse na tila may malalim na pinanghuhugutan. "Hindi ba?"

Maya-maya pa, ngumiti ito.

Nakatitig pa rin sa kanya.

"Just because your brothers finally found a reason to believe in humanity again, by falling in love with it, doesn't mean you need to act all tough and mighty. Love isn't a weakness. It doesn't make anyone any less of themselves, Evil... Hey, maybe someday you'll find your reason too, right?"

Natuod na lang sa kanyang kinatatayuan si Evil sa sinabi nito. Ilang sandali pa, nagpaalam na ang dalaga at lumabas na ng silid.

"Phase one of our plan starts tomorrow. Make sure your team is on board," Chayse walked towards the door. She then turned to give him a reassuring smile. "Good night, King."

He didn't respond.

Nang tuluyan nang makalabas ng silid si Chayse, doon lang naalala ni Evil na baka mahuli siya nina Everick. "Shit, nakauwi na kaya ang mga 'yon?" Knowing his brother usually visits this place at night, he cursed under his breath. With how clumsy that girl is, she'll get herself in trouble in no time!

'Sakit ka talaga sa ulo, Blondie!'

Dali-dali niyang binuksan ang pinto at akmang susundan na sana ang dalaga nang bumungad sa kanya ang seryosong mukha ni Everick Neverwood.

Evil froze, suddenly nervous.

Wait, why the heck is he nervous? Tsk.

"You two were inside Sadako's room.. without my permission. Nakasalubong ko kani-kanina lang 'yong kasama mo."

"About that---"

"Don't worry, she's still alive. Wala akong ginawang masama sa kanya."

Everick sighed and raked a hand through his messy hair. Evil nodded and waited for whatever he was gonna say (or yell) at him. Alam niyang isa ito sa mga bagay kung saan nagiging "overprotective" ang kanyang kapatid. Not wanting him to get the wrong impression, magpapaliwanag na sana si Evil nang bigla niyang narinig ang...

Mahinang tawa ni Everick?

What the fuck?

Nababaliw na talaga ang mga kapatid niya. Pare-pareho na yata silang nasisiraan ng bait sa mga nangyayari rito sa Eastwood!

"I know it's shitty to assume you actually care about us... that you want to help me with Kleopatra's condition," Everick eyed the maiden lying peacefully on the bed behind his brother. A longing expression in his eyes before they shifted to the King. "I know your only objective is to kill that man and to end this curse... a war you've fought the hardest, for our sake. Nagkataon lang siguro na nagkaroon din ng oportunidad para buhayin muli ang babaeng mahal ko."

Naninibago si Evil. 'Di niya alam kung matatawa siya dahil ngayon lang sumeryoso ulit si Everick magmula noong namatay si Kleopatra, o kung masusuka siya dahil mukhang wala na rin itong ipinagkaiba kay Joker.

That look in Everick's eyes when he glanced at the dead girl... is the same look Joker gives to Marquessa Legazpi.

The man has fallen deeply into a pit he can no longer climb out of.

'Disgusting,' Evil thought and cleared his throat. "What are you trying to say? Cut to the chase, kailangan ko nang umuwi at magpahinga dahil marami pa tayong gagawin bukas."

Napailing na lang si Everick, pero kalaunan nagsalit na rin ito...

"Thank you, Evil."

At nilagpasan na siya nito para lapitan ang bangkay ng dalaga.

Matagal bago nakakilos si Evil.

Ilang sandali pa, tahimik na lang siyang umalis ng bahay ng mga Claveria, nagbalat-kayo bilang uwak, at lumipad pabalik sa gubat.

That was the first time Everick ever thanked him for anything.

It's been a long night, indeed.

---

"A poet would fight with his words,
as a knight would with his sword;
but a king would sit on his lavish throne,
to take control and lead the war."

---Chayse Dayanghirang