ForMad Tales: Tuna Wars

13

13

Dime:

The time has come for me to do my part, unfortunately.

Ibinaon ko ang aking kamay sa duguang dibdib ni Erion. He reached for my hand but he didn't oppose to what I'm doing. He closed his eyes and smiled faintly.

I almost begged the Duke to give me his soul. I accepted his death but I don't think I can accept him being away from me. Maybe in time I could finally move on. Until my memories of him were taken away.

Touching what's left of his broken soul has brought me back to the time when I first met him.

Nakilala ko siya noon sa academia. Naatasan siya na maging instructor ng mga batang bampira sa sining. Me and my classmates are always looking forward to our art class with him. He has that charm to make even the most obnoxious child vampire to heed and paint.

The art hall always smells of fresh flowers. He praises us for whatever shit we draw in our canvasses. Palaging natatapos ang klase nang may ngiti sa aming mga labi. We always look forward to our next session.

Palagi ko siyang naiisip kahit pa nakalaya na ako mula sa academia. The next time I saw him, I am running away from my clan. Naniniwala ako na tadhana na magkita kami nu'ng gabing iyon. Hindi ko alam kung ano pa ang ibang paliwanag doon. Nakita ko siya sa ilog ng isang bundok kung saan ko naisip na dumaan.

He was suicidal and was wading in the water, waiting for the sun to devour him. I prevented him from dying maybe because I am selfish. That selfishness of mine might be the start of his insanity.

There are more bad memories than good in the years that followed. I've become delusional for keeping my feelings. I want us to continue painting together however there are many occasions I almost lose my hand.

Erion's body finally crumbled to dust. Tumayo ako at lumapit sa aking painting. Kinuha ko ang aking paintbrush. The silvery orbs that glows from my hand traversed to the paintbrush down into the canvass. Because I only recovered few fragments of his soul, it produced a faded dull image that I had to retouch with normal colours.

The painting now has its subject. Erion, in a fairy-like glow , was sitting on the chair surrounded by his favorite flowers. His delightful smile that I loved the most was now immortalized.

"He is... the most beautiful vampire I met in my life," ang pinakaunang komento ni Lord Hyperion nang matapos niyang sipatin ang painting. "And probably the most cruel."

Nang oras na talikuran niya ako, isa-isang nagliyab sa nagngangalit na apoy ang naiwang mga tagasilbi ni Erion. Binuhat niya si Sugar at lumabas ng silid.

Muli akong humarap sa canvass at tinakpan ko ito ng telon. Balak ko itong dalhin sa aking office pero dahil sa sitwasyon ngayon, baka manatili muna ito dito.

Nilingon ko ang bintana. In doing so, I caught a glimpse of wavy hair in the color of ashes and white hem of a clothing.

I shrugged. I almost forgot that since I sealed a soul of the dead, I am now considered haunted if I don't destroy the memento which would be the painting. I will feel his presence around me from now on but I don't think I will ever see his face again. That's why I've chosen his portrait as a memento.

As I walked towards the door, I could feel Erion accompanying me. I glanced at the floor and saw white pair of bare feet beside mine.

****

Ganymede:

Napilitan akong umuwi ng von Hairenn estate dahil sa outrage ng aking mga magulang. Wala sa hinagap ko na ganu'n lang kadali sa kanila ang atakihin ang mahal na Prinsipe. Hindi sila natatakot at walang pakialam sa magiging kinalabasan ng kanilang aksyon.