[√]Lady of the White Rose

49: A Second Goodbye

VESPER

"You're the only who can do it!" Dagdag pa nito. "Put him to rest!"

Mabilis na bumangon si Kuya Kaido mula sa pagkakasalampak nito sa lupa. Sa pagtayo niya ay mabilis ulit itong umatake sa amin. I don't even have time to converse with the man that just arrived now. Tho I recognized him, he's the eldest son of the Caliber family, Chain Von Caliber.

Bawat wasiwas ng espada ni Kuya Kaido ay may maliliit na mga aura balls ang nabubuo, lumilipad ito papunta sa amin. At sa oras na lumapat ito sa kahit anong bagay ay bigla na lamang ito sasabog.

Tinamaan ako sa sikmura at tumilapon. My ears were ringing from the explosion and my vision blurred.

"... tess!"

"... ntess!"

"Saintess!"

Nahimasmasan ako nang may marinig na mga boses, tinatawag akong Saintess. Nang bumalik sa wisyo ang paningin ko ay nakita ko ang mga nag-aalalang mukha ng mga kasama ko. I saw Ashley, the High Priest and the... The Saint.

"V, I know I shouldn't tell you this in this kind of situation but I think you needed to know this, Frontera estate was turn upside down by the Magic Tower!" Nanlalaki ang mga matang turan ni Ashley habang niyuyogyog ang magkabila kong balikat. Pilit naman siyang pinapatigil nung dalawang kasama niya ngunit hindi ito nagpapigil.

Huh? What did she said? I didn't quite catch what she said. Is she talking about ice cream and tea?

Another explosion was heard near us, the ground shake again and we lost our balance. Sambit nung Saint na ayos lang daw mag laban kami ng seryoso ngayon dahil wala na namang ibang tao ang madadamay. Inilikas na kasi nito ang lahat ng mga knights.

"My Saintess, use me however you want." The Saint said as he kneel in front of me with his hand on his chest, right where his heart is.

"No! V, ako! Ako ang gamitin mo, mas may silbi ako kaysa sa kanya!" Presenta naman ni Ashley habang nakataas pa ang isang kamay sa ere.

Ano ang pinagsasabi nila? Sumasakit ang lalo ang ulo ko.

"Ehem, I'm way more useful than these two little kids here." The High Priest said.

They started to bicker who among them is more useful to me. At bawat isa sa kanila ay sinasabi na mas may silbi kaysa sa iba. Hindi ako makapaniwal na nagagawa pa nilang mag-away-away sa sitwasyon namin ngayon.

I created another barrier and block Kuya Kaido's attack when he suddenly appear behind the three... Idiots. Mas malakas ito kumpara kanina, dumoble ata ang lakas niya noong nag-iba ang kanyang anyo. While blocking his sword with my barrier, I can see his eyes crying with blood. His lips is slightly moving.

He's talking but I couldn't clearly what he's saying. But when I tried reading his lips, to understand what he's saying, I was surprised. No - I was beyond surprised.

"V, I'm sorry. Please, kill me."

I don't know what to feel anymore. But a thought stuck to my mind as I continue to block his attack. Is Kuya Kaido alive?

I was certain that he called my name. He even apologize and begged me to kill him. I read it as clearly, as if he actually said those words at me, like I actually heard his voice - cracking mid sentence as he begged me to kill him.

Chain appear behind Kuya Kaido and cut him with his sword. Humiyaw ito ng malakas bago mabilis na iwinasiwas ang espada niya kay Chain. Tumilapon ang huli sa malayo.

Sunod na umatake ay sina Ashley, kasama nito ang Saint at High Priest. Ashley attacked in close combat, the High Priest assisted her by throwing gigantic spears from behind. Meanwhile the Saint supported the two by providing buffs and healing.

Their teamwork was pretty great, they even drove Kuya Kaido to a corner but they weren't able to defeat him. Lumakas ang hangin at muling kumidlat at kumulog ang kalangitan. Naputol ni Ashley ang kanang kamay nitong may hawak ng espada. Muti itong humiyaw at nagwala.

Nahawakan nito sa bente si Ashley at inihampas sa lupa ng makailang beses. The High Priest immediately tried to rescue her, pinaulanan nito ng mga spear na tumusok sa likuran nito. Humiyaw lamang ito sa sakit ngunit hindi binitawan ang katawan ni Ashley na ngayon ay nawalan na ng malay. Blood covered her head, face and neck.

Kinabahan ako sa lagay nito. Gumawa ako ulit ng isang espada gamit ang mana ko bago umatake. Pinutol ko ang kamay nitong nakahawak kay Ashley, I gently grab her and teleported beside the Saint. Mabilis naman nitong ginamot si Ashley, samantalang mabilis din akong bumalik upang kalabanin si Kuya Kaido.

Humugot ako ng malalim na hininga bago ito hinarap. I saw how he scream in pain and after a while his limbs slowly grow again, like how a lizard grow his tail again.

Habang tinitignan ko ito ng matagal ay mas lalong napupuno ng galit ant dibdib ko. Galit para sa mga taong gumawa nito sa kuya ko. Binaboy nila ang katawa niya, pagkatapos nilang hukayin ito sa kanyang libingan ay ginawa nila itong parang isang hayop. I cannot forgive them, even after I'll die, I won't forgive them.

Hinayaan ko ang mana sa katawan ko na balutin ang buong katawan ko, parang isang kumot. Lahat ng mga sugat at galos sa katawan ko ay naghihilom. Nabalik din ang lakas na nawala sa akin kanina. Tumingala ako, patuloy pa rin sa pag-ikot ang madilim na ulap sa kalangitan.

"May the Goddess guide me," I mumble softly before advancing towards Kuya Kaido. Kagat-kagat ko ang pang-ibabang labi, pinipigilan ang sariling maging emosyonal habang pinagpuputol ko ang mga kamay at bente nito.

Masakit pakinggan para sa akin ang mga sigaw at daing nito. I force to stop myself from throwing my weapon away and just throw myself at him, hug him tightly, tears streaming down myself and tell him how I missed him so much. That's what I wanted to do...

But I am not blind. I see clearly that it's no longer him. Kuya Kaido is already dead, he's long gone. And people who died can't be brought back to life again.

"V," my arm stop when I was about to cut his head when I heard him utter my name. Mahina lang ngunit rinig ko. Dumikit lamang ang espada ko sa leeg nito.

"V, m-my baby sister..."

That's all it took before all the walls I've build crumbles to the ground. Ah, ang rupok.

Itinaas nito ang putol na kamay, ilang segundo lang ay naging buo na ulit ang kamay niya. Saktong lumapat ito sa pisngi ko. Isang luha ang dumaloy sa pisngi ko. Bumalik sa normal ang mga mata nito at nagkatitigan kaming dalawa. Ngumiti ito bago pinunasan ang pisngi ko.

"I must have greatly pained you," his voice crack mid sentence, I cry even more. "I wasn't even able to bid you goodbye. I'm a bad brother, making my beloved little sister cry like this, leaving her like this..."

I let go of my sword and throw myself at him without hesitation. Humagulgol ako ng iyak sa mga braso nito, parang isang batang paslit. Mas lalo pang nakadagdag sa pag-iyak ko ang magaan na pagtapik niya sa ulo ko. It reminded me of the good old days where he would gently pat my head to stop me from crying.

"Kuya, miss na miss na kita." Nagkandabuhol buhol ang mga salita ko dahil sa malakas na pag-iyak. Kahit ako mismo ay hindi naintindihan ang sinabi ko. Naghahalo na rin ang sipon at luha ko pero wala na akong pakialam, mas lalo kong hinigpitan ang yakap kay Kuya Kaido. No words can tell how I miss him.