ALEXANDRA'S POV

"Aoi?"

Hindi ako makapaniwala sa nakita ko. He is so close to me I can smell his breath. Parang malulunod ako sa asul niyang mga mata at sa malamig niyang titig.

But how did he sneak on me without me noticing? Is it because I let my guard down for a few minutes?

I picked up my pace at mabilis na nilabas ang dagger na nakasabit sa hita ko na tinakpan ng short ko. I attacked him.

Ang bilis niya gumalaw. He can match my speed. Panay iwas lang siya.

But as an assassin, the longer I engage in battle, the shorter my chance of winning will be. And that's why I need to end this.

"Speed of Phonoi," I whispered as my entire body became lighter and flexible.

My speed increases at ramdam kong nahihirapan na siyang sabayan ako. And there I found my opening.

I went behind him and placed the dagger on his throat. He was completely caught off guard.

"What do you want?" I whispered. I can feel my eyes glow yellow.

"You're not an E-rank warrior," malamig niyang sambit habang nakataas pareho ang kamay.

How can he stay calm even in this situation?

"This is my final warning," malamig kong sabi while a portion of my blade slightly buries to his neck until it bleeds.

When I said that I can turn off my emotion, this is what I mean. I don't care who he is. As long as I see him as a threat or an enemy, I will kill him.

"You forgot to remove the traces of Mr. Wilson's blood on you. I can smell it from a mile."

I was shocked at agad tiningnan ang paa ko. There was a freakin' blood stain on my foot.

Mabilis nakagalaw si Aoi at nakawala sa pagkakahawak ko. He even grabbed my arm and slammed me to the ground.

How can he move so fast? He can almost compete with my speed.

Napangiti ako. This is a first. Anyone who knew my real identity never lived to tell the tale. Except him.

Napatingin ako kay Aoi. He has a slim yet muscular figure. His deep blue eyes stare at me the way I stare at my prey. His dark messy hair compliments his eyes. He's a completely different person from the one I know in the academy.

Nakatayo lang siya yet I can tell that he's entirely aware of his surroundings and my movement.

"No one will believe you even if you tell them," sabi ko sa kanya.

From the darkness, I saw him grin. "I won't."

Nagtaka ako. "Why? And what do you want from me?"

His thin lips curved into a grin as his eyes seems to glow in blue. Those eyes are the same of a predator who already took countless lives by his own hands.

"I just want to know who took down my prey first," he said before he disappeared into the darkness.

I cannot kill him because I know he's strong. It's just that...

I can't.

--

Para akong bangag habang naglalakad patungo sa CR ng school. Kalat na sa buong campus ang pagkamatay ng matandang 'yon and how his evil deeds were exposed to the school. The evidence was so strong that their power and influence cannot hide his deeds. The palace itself intervenes and the Wilson family were stripped off of their nobility and confiscated their properties and wealth.

"Thanks, Cronus," sambit ko as the magic screens that are distributed to the most populated portion of the campus slowly dessipates. Nakapalabas doon ang lahat ng mga kasamaang ginawa ni Wilson, censoring the identities of his victims.

"You, brat!"

Rinig kong reklamo ni Cronus through my head. He's the greek god of time. I used his power to turn back time and play it live on screen using the power of Theia. The Goddess of Vision.

"Hayaan mo na ang bata, Cronus. She's being a good person," pagsingit ni Theia in a soft calming voice.

"She's stealing my time! Not borrowing it! I'm having a good sleep and she'll blast me with her scream!"

Napatawa ako as I'm imagining his face right now. When I ask the power of a god, even with just my thoughts, malakas ang volume ng boses ko pag dating sa kanila. And when I ask, they cannot refuse it.

"But thanks, though." Seryoso kong pasasalamat sa kanila. They finally quited down.

Lutang akong pumasok sa CR at naghilamos in an attempt to remove my drowsiness. Pero wala talagang epekto.

Napatingin ako sa salamin. There are dark circles under my eyes and there's water dripping from the ends of my hair. Mukhang nabasa sa sink pag hilamos ko at mahaba na rin kasi. I have a black, long, and straight hair that rests on my waist. Medyo may kaputian rin ako at kahit hindi naman stand out ang beauty ko, at least wala akong pimples.

Hindi ako maayos na nakatulog kagabi dahil sa nangyari. It is my first time to encounter someone who can match my skills.

I'm thrilled.

Tapos si Aoi pa. Hays, meron ka pa bang 'di kaya gawin, my love? Charot.

I walked towards the cafeteria to grab some coffee and muffin. Nasa academy hospital pa si Charm ngayon undergoing treatment. Masyadong na drain ang mana sa katawan niya which almost endangered her life. But she held on which gives me enough time to document the entire scene and broadcast it to the entire kingdom. Of course I protected Charm's identity.

Kahit saan ako magpunta puro usapan about sa pag patay kay sir Wilson ang aking naririnig. The school and the palace are currently investigating the case.

Nakarating ako sa cafeteria at halos puno na ang mga table. Recess na rin kasi. Thankfully, may bakanteng table sa pinakasulok na may iisang upuan. I rushed towards it at iniwan ko ang panyo ko doon to make sure na walang kukuha ng pwesto at para makaorder na ako.

After minutes na pakikipag bardagulan sa crowd, nakapag order na rin ako. Hindi ko rin kasi makasama sina Taryn at Nyla dahil pull out na naman sila sa class nila for training. Two weeks nalang kasi at Inter-Academy na.

I am delightfully enjoying my Iced Mango Lattē and Banana muffin when I noticed na may tinitingnan at nagtitilian ang mga babae. A shadow covered my table kaya napatingala ako.

Si Kaizen pala.

Nakapamulsa siya at seryosong nakatingin sa 'kin. Bigla na namang bumilis ang tibok ng puso ko. Kulang lang siguro 'to sa tulog kaya kung ano-ano na nararamdaman ko.

"Bakit?" bungad ko.

"Anong bakit? Bakit mo ako iniwan?"

I heard the nearby table gasps. Napalakas rin kasi ang pagkakasabi ni Kaizen.

"Narinig mo 'yon?"

"Naging sila?"

"At siya pa ang may audacity na iwan si Kaizen? My Kaizen?"

"Anong sa 'yo, eh 'di ka nga kilala niyan."

"How dare you!"

"Pero seryoso? Pinatulan siya ni Kaizen? Akala ko friends lang sila. 'Di naman siya ganon kaganda kaya akala ko 'di siya papatulan."

"Sinabi mo pa! Ang landi niya pala. 'Di ba siya rin 'yong lumalandi kay Aoi? Tapos si Kaizen pala ex niya? The nerve?!"

Napahinga ako ng malalim at tiningnan si Kaizen ng masama.

"Sinasadya mo?"

Malakas siyang tumawa. "Joke lang, guys. Sabay kasi sana kaming kakain kaso pag lingon ko nauna na pala siya dito sa table," paliwanag ng abnoy na 'to.

"Ahh..." the crowd replied and return to their own businesses.

Kinuha ni Kaizen yung upuan sa kabilang table at patawa-tawang umupo sa tapat ko. Agad ko siyang sinabunutan.

"Aray!" daing niya.

"Kailangan gamitin ang pagkapeymus mo para gantihan ako? What if i-bully ako?"

Kinuha niya yung Mango Lattē sa kamay ko at tumikim.

"Hoy!" pagsaway ko pero wala siyang pake.

"I-bully? Baka ikaw pa mambully sa kanila. Sa tigas ba naman ng mukha mo," tumawa siya ng malakas na napapatingin na yung table na katabi namin.

"Ah ganon? Gusto mo itesting ko muna sa mukha mo?"

Inirapan niya ako at kinuha naman yung banana muffin ko.

"Ang tamis," reklamo niya at binalik sa 'kin.

"What if malaman nilang bading ka? Yung irap pa lang wala na akong laban, eh." Asar ko.

"Gusto mo bang malaman kung bading ako o hindi?" he grin and winked at me.

I irked at hindi ko nalang siya pinansin. I am enjoying my banana muffin and mango lattē and no one can take it from me.

"Pero bakit ka nga nawala kagabi?" tanong ni Kaizen.

Biglang nagsitilian na naman ang mga babae rito. Sanay na naman ako sa ganon. It's either si Kaizen 'yon or si Aoi.

Aoi?

Napatingin ako sa entrance at papasok nga siya ng cafeteria. Bihira ko lang siya makita dito and this is one of the rare moments.

His messy hair dances with the breeze as his cold, blue eyes roam the area. The black colored long-sleeve uniform with a gray tie compliments his cold undertone making him even more attractive.

Panay tingin at nagtitilian pa rin ang mga babae dito at syempre sanay na sila na ako lang yung nagpapapansin kay Aoi na hindi naman pinapansin.

"You reek of blood, Alexandra."

Naalala ko na naman yung nangyari kagabi at kung gaano siya kalapit sa 'kin. For years, that was also the first time he ever spoke to me.

My heart began to race.

I mean, yeah, I like him. Pero hindi ko na 'yon masyado binibig deal pa simula una. I've been rejected by him a thousand times at nasanay na ako 'non. And my heart never felt this way for a long time.

His gaze met mine at hindi ko alam pero bigla akong umiwas.

Usually, if this was an ordinary day, malamang nagtatalon na ako sa tuwa at kilig. He never looked at me normally. Yung tingin niya lagi sa 'kin ay it's either naiirita siya or gusto na niya ako patayin. But this one's different.

"Did he just smile?" rinig kong bulungan nila.

"Nakita mo rin?"

"Oo! Akala ko namamalik-mata lang ako."

"Omg, he smiled at me!"

"No! Sa 'kin siya nakatingin!"

"God, he's handsome."

Hindi ko maintindihan yung nararamdaman ko. Nagwawala ang puso ko at hindi ako mapakali.

Napahigop ako sa kape ko at muntik pa akong mabulunan. I expected na tatawa si Kaizen kasi ayon palagi ginagawa niya but when I look at him, hindi maipinta ang mukha niya na nakatingin sa likuran ko. Ngayon ko lang siya nakitang ganito kaseryoso.

"Do you want something?" Kaizen asked in a serious tone.

I can feel it. He's behind me.

"Can I talk to you?" Aoi asked.

Yes, siya ang nasa likod ko and I know that he's talking to me.

Hindi ako lumingon habang iniisip ko pa kung pano makaalis sa sitwasyong 'to.

Mag panggap kaya akong natatae? Or masakit tiyan ko? Or nahihilo?

"Pwede mo naman sabihin dito." Walang kaemo-emosyon ang boses ni Kaizen.

"I'm referring to Alexandra," he replied in a cold tone as well.

Hindi ako nakatingin sa kanila but I can feel the tension between them.

"This is urgent." Nabigla ako nung hinawakan ni Aoi ang braso ko at marahan akong hinila patayo.

At ako naman, hindi ko alam kung bakit hindi ako umangal o nagsalita manlang. It's like I'm under his spell.

I am about to follow him when Kaizen grabbed my other hand. Napatingin ako sa kanya and I can feel him telling me not to go with him.

Hawak ni Aoi ang kanang braso ko habang hawak naman ni Kaizen ang kaliwang braso ko.

Ramdam ko ang pag init ng mukha ko at pinag titinginan na kami dito.

I just want to enjoy my iced coffee and muffin!

Pareho kong binawi ang braso at kamay ko mula sa kanila as we are already making a scene.

"Uhm... Kai, it's okay." I smiled at Kaizen to assure him that I'm going to be fine. Alam kong nag-aalala lang siya kasi alam niyang gusto ko si Aoi. And Aoi might take advantage of it and does some stuff that might hurt me.

I know he treats me like a sister and a best friend kaya naintindihan ko siya.

I caught a glimpse of sadness in his eyes pero agad rin namang nawala. He smiled back. "Sige. I'll be here," he said at umupo na ulit sa kanyang pwesto.

Lumingon ako kay Aoi na walang kaemo-emosyon. Tumalikod siya sa 'kin at nagsimula nang maglakad paalis habang nakapamulsa.

I followed him not minding the piercing stares of the students around us.

"Is that why you left me yesterday?"

Agad akong napalingon sa loob ng cafeteria when I heard Kaizen's voice in my head ngunit wala na siya doon sa aming pwesto kanina.

"Tara na." Aoi grabbed my arm at marahan akong hinila papasok ng Higher Building. Baka guni-guni ko lang.

The Higher building is where the top students, elites, and the Higher Student Council held their lectures. Dito rin sina Taryn, Nyla, at Kaizen.

Tahimik lang ako habang hinahawakan niya pa rin ang braso ko. My heart wouldn't stop racing at parang hindi na ako makahinga.

This is my first time na tumapak sa Higher Building. An E student like me has no place in here pero hindi ko alam kung bakit dito niya ako dinala. Umakyat kami sa rooftop. He immediately locked the doors when we arrived and sealed it with magic.

Umihip ang preskong hangin as I'm trying my best na hindi gumulo ang buhok ko.

I don't know what he wants but I'll kill him if he tries to attack me.

"That's not really your form, is it?" bungad niya.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"The only survivor who serves directly to King Thelonious Warrior. The King who created the birth of warriors."

My mind went blank the moment I heard his name again. I slowly unsheathed my dagger below my skirt.

"You are his most loyal servant. You are the myth taught from generations to generations which kill anyone who betrays the King."

He might be the same as me. Maybe we fought a long time ago. He can be a knight of that traitor.

I will kill him...

"The Servant. The only human being who can use the power of the gods in all dimensions. An assassin born to kill anyone to protect the King."

I charged towards him but my body wouldn't move.

W-What...?

"Verena Audrielle Goldendust. That is your name."

"Who are you?!"

Nanginginig ang buong katawan ko. Parang bumalik ako sa nakaraan. Sa nakaraan kung saan wala akong nagawa upang iligtas siya.

"You can't kill me because of his absolute order to you," he said with not even a hint of emotion.

"Do not kill them or I will abandon you." That was my King's last order which binds me to refrain from killing anyone from his bloodline.

Which means...

"I have the blood of The Betrayer. And I'm here to stop the resurrection of the King. I'm here to kill you, Servant."

  
~*~
  

Author's note:

PHONOI - were the personified spirits of murder, killing, and slaughter.