The Author's Rewritten Drafts

[xxviii]

[xxviii]

Magda was efficient with work. Madali siyang natuto sa ilang linggong pagtratrabaho. She was agitated the her target was nowhere to be seen for a few weeks. Mas madalas pa ang pagtatagpo ng kanilang landas ni Porcupine.

Kung hindi villain ang character ni Magda, baka ito kamo ang nakalaan para sa kanya. Spoiler alert, the original draft ended with Alethea and Agila endgame. Of course, nanalo ang liwanag mula sa kadiliman.

Her mission doesn't need to win the war, it's making him the same thing as the villains he hate.

In real life, mas nananaig ang kasamaan. Side-eyeing the government line-ups... duh.

"Magda..." Hinarangan siya ni Porcupine. "Pasensya ka na sa nasabi ko sa'yo noong nakaraan." His eyes were sincere.

"Ah, wala iyon." She gave him a smile. "Wala akong matandaan. May... may nagawa ba akong kasalanan dati kaya ganoon na lang ang galit mo sa akin? Kung mayroon man, humihingi agad ako ng kapatawaran."

Porcupine stared at her for a second, shaking his head. Magda didn't do anything wrong. Kilala lang niya ang babae sa mga naging kuwento ni Agila. She was just supposed to be dead.

Suspicions arose when she came back after centuries, while Alethea went missing. Si Alethea ang bumihag sa puso ni Agila matapos ang ilang dekadang pag-iisa.

Hindi lang naman isang babae ang dumaan sa buhay ng lalaki... It seemed that every woman he cared for... he always lost them in the call of duty.

"Then, why... why are you so mad at me?"

Porcupine showed guilt in his expression. The only explanation for that was the suspicions he had of her. Pero hindi niya maiwasang maawa sa reaksyon at pagtatanong ng babae sa kanyang harapan.

Hindi niya alam kung paano sasagutin ito. Paano niya sasabihing pinaghihinalaan niya si Magda bilang sugo ng kadiliman? Or that she her sudden appearance caused the disappearance of a friend he treasures.

"Sino si Alethea?" Biglang naalala ni Magda. "Did I do something to her?"

Custus looked at her in disbelief. "This biatch."

Their suspicions were right, of course. But without any proof, it was useless. Alethea was in her kingdom. She would be there indefinitely. Mayroon siyang paggagamitan sa babae para sa kanyang plano.

First, she has to gain their trust.

"It's complicated," saad na lamang ni Porcupine.

Wala pa siyang basbas mula kay Agila na sabihin kay Magda ang nalalaman niya tungkol sa babae. They want her to retain her memories... and to know what happened to her a hundred years.

Baka magkaroon ng kasagutan ang lahat kapag naalala niya ang lahat.

Oh, well.

She knew everything.

She remembered everything.

Nawala ang atensyon ni Magda sa kanyang kausap nang dumating ang pamilyar na lalaki. Her eyes twinkled with delight. Finally, his target arrived. Nakatutok naman sa kanya ang isang pares ng mata.

She was about to say something when she was tossed on the wall. Galit na galit ang mga mata ni Agila, napuno naman ng takot ang kanyang ekspresyon. Dumagundong ang boses nito, "Do you have anything to do with Alethea's disappearance?"