Descendants of the Gods

Chapter 77: Thunderous Eyes

NEPHELE ABERIE'S Point of View

Tinulungan ako ni Dwayne na makababa sa puno. Bago pa man ako bumagsak sa lupa ay sinalo niya ako at maingat na binaba sa lupa.

Pinagpagan ko ang aking damit at binaba ang palda na kanina ay nakaangat. "Thank you." Sambit ko sakaniya bago itaas ang aking tingin sa rooftop na pinagbagsakan ko kanina.

"Do you think he's still there?" Tanong niya sa akin. Hindi ako kumibo dahil hindi ko rin alam ang sagot. I purse my lip as I think. Kailangan kong makarating muli sa rooftop kung gusto kong ituloy ang sinimulan namin.

Tumingin muli ako kay Dwayne. I gesture with a slight move of my head. "Let's go. Hindi tayo pwedeng magsayang ng oras."

"Are you sure?" He asks worriedly with an eyebrow raised. Kahit kailan talaga ay may attitude ito. "You're not in good shape. Hindi ka ba napapagod?"

I look down. Yes, I'm tired. Kahit ang maglakad ay mahirap nang gawin para sa akin. Every part of my body is numb and wobbly. Ilang beses rin akong natamaan ng kidlat, isama mo pa yung ilang sipa na ginawa sa akin ni Juno kanina.

But still, I know I need to fight. No one else can go against him except me. I'll make sure I win this time.

Umiling ako. "Don't worry, ayos lang ako." I assure him but he's not convinced.

This is one of the things he always does, masyado siyang nag-aalala kaya kahit kapani-paniwala ang pagsisinungaling mo ay hindi siya naniniwala. And yet, I still miss that about him.

It's been so long since I talked this civil with him. Kadalasan kasi, hindi na niya ako kinakausap pag nagkakasalubong o nagsasama kami sa isang lugar. If he does talk to me, he would talk harshly. That's why I settle with avoiding him instead of seeing him act that way with me.

I can't blame him. What I did is a lot worse than how he treated me.

"Promise, Dwayne. Okay lang talaga ako. Besides..." Lihim akong napangiti. "I don't need to move to defeat him later."

Sinimangutan ako ni Dwayne pero hindi nagtagal ay napabuntong hininga siya. "Fine. But if I see you struggle even just for a moment, we're retreating whether you like it or not."

I roll my eyes. "Why would we do that?"

"Because you're injured. Hindi ka p'wedeng sumabak sa laban kung hindi maayos ang katawan mo," Inakbayan niya ako at nagsimula na kaming naglakad. Hindi ko na napigilan ang pagngiti sa ginawa niya. "Your health is top one priority. If it isn't, worse things will happen."

"Okay, if you say so." Sabi ko nalang bago kami magpatuloy sa paglalakad.

It's quiet, too quiet. The atmosphere is eerie and it's making my heart pound a million times faster.

Nakalabas kami sa medyo magubat na parte ng headquarters at tumayo sa harap ng building. I don't know where we are right now, but I still look up to the rooftop.

Napatigil ang mga mata ko sa isang pigura na malapit sa gilid ng rooftop. The figure is silently standing still, and even that is enough to make me feel intimidated.

I squint my eyes to see clearly and I see his bright blue eyes staring down at me. Natatakpan ng katawan niya ang liwanag mula sa buwan kaya hindi ko siya makita ng mabuti, pero sapat na ang kulay ng mga mata niya para makilala ko siya.

The skies start to rumble violently. Flashes of blue lightning compliment the vastness of the dark skies.

Suddenly, his body is struck by a pillar of massive lightning. Nawala ang katawan niya sa itaas ng gusali ngunit hindi pa man nakakalipas ang isang segundo ay may tumamang kidlat sa harapan namin na kasing laki nung nauna.