Endless Pen [COMPLETED]

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

ATHANASIA'S POV

"You need to calm down first and listen to me, Athanasia," the goddess Jelayah said after I saw my past—my memories. I did what she asked and wiped away my tears as I forced myself to stop crying. "Asia, I know you're just trying to cope with everything but you need to know this." I looked up and saw the worry in her eyes. "Like what I told you a while ago, your mission is to end Zagan's life and in order to do that, it must be you who should wield this blessed sword."

I nodded, letting her know that I understand what she was saying. "But why do you look worried?"

"Your fate is already sketched. You shall be able to kill Zagan on the night of your book signing event but—" She looked straight into my eyes. "—if a powerful being messes with that fate, everything else will crumble."

Napaangat naman ang kilay ko. Anong ibig niyang sabihin— "Bangun..."

Agad siyang tumango. "Yes. I am well aware of his feelings for you, Asia—"

"K-Kaya mo bang..." Huminga ako ng malalim. "Kaya mo bang panandaliang alisin ang kakayahan ni Bangun na makakita ng hinaharap?"

Tinitigan niya muna ako ng ilang saglit bago umiling. "I can't." Pinilit ko kaagad na mag-isip ng ibang paraan nang muli siyang magsalita. "But I can mess with his ability."

"Anong ibig mong sabihin?"

"I could make him see an alternate future."

"I just realized, using that police officer was an advantage for me." He stared at me. Naisip ko naman si SPO3 Benjie. "He had blue eyes like me and you started liking him, making me think that I could actually use him to lure you back to me." Hindi ako umimik sa pinagsasasabi niya. Ayokong mahalata niyang naaapektuhan ako ng pinagsasasabi niya. When I didn't say anything, he changed the topic. "How was the past two days, mí Amor?" tanong sa akin ni Zagan habang nakangiti.

Kung noon kami nagkita ay paniguradong nanaisin kong yakapin siya at makasama pero iba na ngayon. "Why are you doing this, Zagan? Why are you killing people?"

"Aww... Where is the mí Corazón, mí Amor?" pang-aasar niya. Nang hindi ko siya sagutin ay saka siya mahinang natawa. "Mí Amor, my beloved Asia, did you not like what I'm doing for you?"

Alam kong nahalata niya ang kaguluhan na nasa mukha ko. "What do you mean? Anong para sa akin?"

"Isn't that what I have told you from the start, Asia? Tatapusin natin silang lahat. Kukuhanin natin sa kanila ang mga mahahalaga sa kanila. We will overrule them all, Asia. You and I shall rule the world—"

"We? We, Zagan? We or just you? Simula't sapul, Zagan. Sinabi ko sayong wala tayong mapapala sa pagpatay ng kung sino-sino, lalong-lalo na kung mga inosente, but no!" I couldn't help but raise my voice and pointed at him with full anger. "You never listened. But I did, didn't I? I listened to you and became a fool for you."

Napatigil naman ako nang makita ko siyang nakangiti at tumatawa. "You loved me too much, Asia, and I had to put it to use, mi Amor. I knew that with you as the village chief, I would win. I would rule the world. I would have the power and everyone would fear me." Napailing naman siya. "But then, hindi ko naman pwedeng gawin 'yun kung ikaw nang ikaw ang makikita ng mga tao, diba? So I had to eliminate you after we performed the sacred ceremony of the wedding." Nakangiti siyang tumingin sa akin.

Dahan-dahang lumaki ang mga mata ko sa huli niyang sinabi. "Y-You what?" Nanatili siyang nakangiti sa akin. Zagan killed... me? In full rage, I couldn't stop myself from advancing and removing my sword from its case. All I see was red. I want him dead.

I tried everything to hit him but all he did was evade. I couldn't kill him and it is frustrating me, even more, when he started laughing like a maniac. "She didn't tell you, did she?" Napatigil ako sa paghabol at pag-atake sa kanya. "Did that goddess tell you that you and I are one?" Nang hindi ako makasagot ay ngumisi siya. "As long as you live, I live. And hey, mi Amor, just so you know? Every character in those stories of yours, I killed them. I killed them all on your behalf, Athanasia. Therefore, you are the murderer of those innocent people." His smile widened even more. "But that shouldn't bother you at all. You have taken countless lives, what's the difference when adding a little more to that?" Bigla siyang nawala sa harap ko at lumitaw sa likuran ko. Ramdam ko ang hininga niya sa likod ng tenga ko. "We are one, Athanasia. We're both killers in exchange for power."

So if I die, he dies. Bigla namang pumasok sa isip ko ang mga tao sa book signing ko. Someone even said that they'll never get tired of coming to my events. That they appreciate me and my work. Then Bangun entered my mind. His smiling face. I want to live for them.

I want to live for him.

Pero kapag nanatili akong buhay, maraming tao ang madadamay. Mga inosenteng tao.

"The funny thing is you can't kill me unless you kill yourself." He then chuckled. "But the funnier part is that you can never die, mi Amor." He walked until he was in front of me. "So let's be together until the world becomes ours."

Matagal ko siyang tinitigan. He does have a point. I can't die. I held my sword tighter. But what if... what if I finally can? "No, Zagan." I stood my ground. "I can't let you kill or hurt anyone anymore. If I wasn't able to stop you and your craziness before then maybe... maybe now I can." I gripped my sword. One part of me wants to say no but there's another part that says I have to do this. "If I die, then you'll go down with me, right?" I neared the blade of my sword to my neck.

He then chuckled. "You can't die, Athanasia. You're making me laugh trying to be the hero of the story."

I smirked. "I can if I have the goddess' blessing, and the funny thing is that I actually do." I then quickly slit my neck.

As I feel myself choking on my blood, I can hear Zagan's panicked screams and profanities. I was on the floor but my head's direction was towards his so I could see him fading until he was no longer standing there. I could also see golden lights coming out of me. Ahh.. the curse that was given to me before.

I tried closing my eyes so I'll die properly. But as I closed them, I felt tears escaping from my eyes. There was only one person in my mind as I let the darkness swallow me.

I'm sorry, Bangun. I love you.