Blood Hunt : Project Zero

[3] 4. A miracle

[Cyrene]

From my position, I can hear them all. From the start, to finish. Bilog na bilog ang mga mata akong nakasilip sa uwang mula sa gate, pinapanood ang likod ng lalaking nangangalang Val na maglaho sa paningin ko.

I know that he knows I'm here, I know that he knows that I'm watching. He's giving me a warning, he doesn't see me as a threat. Which is a . . . fact.

I can't kill that monster right now.

Noir's words hit me. I'm taking them down with me. 

Dahil sa lalim ng iniisip ko, hindi ko namalayan ang pagharang ng dalawang anino sa harapan ko. Sumalubong sa 'kin si Kira at Noir. Pabuka pa lang ang bibig ko nang unahan na 'ko ni Kira na alam kaagad ang balak kong sabihin.

"You need to go with them, Cyrene. They will help you, you still have a goal. Your fight here ends here, this is no longer your concern." Mariin niyang hinawakan ang magkabilang balikat ko. "Focus on your goal. This has nothing to do with you."

Nothing to do with me? I'm the one Val is looking for! I was the one who killed Tsubaki! I'm the Lucifer he's talking about!

I bit my lower lip, Kira showed a smile. "I'll see you in a year." No, you won't see me again. Val will kill you if you won't give me to him.

But instead of answering her with my thoughts, I slowly nodded, eyes dead. "Yes. I'll see you in a year," I answered. I know better than anyone else what she's feeling right now.

She have a responsibility, she have a commitment. 

She gave me a look of relief, before glancing at Hunter who's just beside me. "Please, give the people in the district some reason why I need to go. I don't want them to get worried," aniya. 

Kita ko ang pagsara nang mahigpit ng mga kamao ni Hunter sa gilid ng mga mata ko. Pilit na tumango sa sinabi ng kaharap. Nalipat ang tingin ni Kira sa katabi niyang si Noir. "I'll leave the rest to you. I really apologize for this selfish request, giving you the responsibility to protect the district, but please, please do it."

Noir bit his lower lip. "What the fuck is the selfish request, Kira? After dozens of your requests, ngayon ka pa talaga humingi ng tawad." Masinsin niyang tinignan ang kausap. "This is our district too. I'll protect it 'till the sun rises."

I stood there, watching them, deciding, thinking.

What should I do in this situation? I don't want commitments anymore, I don't want to put someone else's life before mine. I'm not a human anymore, I'm not a captain that's responsible for dozens of lives.

I have a goal. There's a reason why I'm here right now, why I didn't kill myself after being a vampire. May kailangan akong gawin, may kailangan akong unahin.

I can't lose my track. . . but why? Why is it bothering me? Why is someone else's life is making me rethink my decision that I made since I was a child?

I bit my lower lip, I was staring at nowhere until Noir's face looking down at me greeted mine.

"We need to move, get ready," malamig na aniya. Natauhan ako, napatingin sa gilid namin kung saan walang senyales na nandito si Kira. "She just left," dagdag ni Noir nang mabasa ang nasa isipan ko.

"Are you okay with this?" 

His forehead furrowed. "Of course not, but I respect Kira. Way before she was a vampire, she was a captain as well."

Hindi kaagad ako nakasagot. Dinaan niya na 'ko nang muli akong magsalita.

"I . . ." I intentionally paused. "I can't do this, Noir."

"You should. May iba ka pang gagawin, hindi mo na kargo 'to."

"I know! But . . ."

Nabigla ako nang maramdaman ang mariin niyang paghawak sa pulso ko, deretso niya 'kong tinignan. "I know you're no fool, Cyrene. Hindi ka basta-basta nagdedesisyon, kaya pag-isipan mo mabuti. Hindi porke nagawa mong patayin si Tsubaki, kaya mo ng harapin ang kung sino."

May diin ang bawat salitang binitawan niya. Alam ko, alam na alam ko.

I won't forget that feeling, ever. From Crown, to Tsubaki. Again, it was just pure luck that I won. Even though I did win, it still feels like a lost. I lost myself. Nagawa kong makipagsabayan sa kaniya kapalit ng pagwala ko sa sarili ko.

I completely accepted being a vampire and lost my humanity in exchange of fighting him equally.

"It was a miracle that both you and Kira were still alive after fighting a pureblood. It was a miracle that you could walk under the sun. It was all a miracle, Cyrene. If you face Val now, you'll die."

Hindi natapos sa sasabihin niya si Noir. Pinamukha at pinaramdam niya talaga sa 'kin ang bagay na alam ko na. May lakas niyang binitawan ang pulso ko. He gave me a side glance.

"Let's go now. Focus on your hunt-"

He was about to go when this time, I was the one who grabbed his wrist. Nahinto siya, nabigla sa ginawa ko.

"I managed to do miracles twice in a row . . . don't you think I can do a third one?" malamig na sambit ko. He was taken aback, a third voice joined.

"Kung anong katangahan man ang naiisip niyo, sasama ako." Ang boses ni Hunter ang narinig ko. Napatingin si Noir sa kaniya at napasulyap din ako. "Noir, you know damn well that that Nate you're holding is not the same we've seen before."

"2? Damn, she's a fucking miracle herself. A newborn, not even a week turned, killed a pureblood and walked under the sun. Even before she's a human, she's a freaking project." Kita ko ang emosyon sa mga mata ni Hunter. "Please. Just please. I don't want to lose Kira."

There was a sudden silence. Binitawan ko si Noir. Tinalikuran ko sila.

"Evacuate the people now. We'll go to Val and get Kira after." I gave them a side glance. "Witness another miracle I'll make."

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