c h a p t e r f i f t y t w o
2019, December
Rio de Janeiro
RAIN'S POV
"You shot him."
I felt like my ears pop and it's ringing from what I've heard. Did I heard it wrong? I...I shot him? Rio?
"Rio..." I uttered to myself as if I lost my privelege to say his name. He died because of me. Rio is my younger brother. If it is true that my father is Ruine instead of Rainer, then Rainer would actually be Rio's father because they had him when I was young.
"Do not get him into you," Rainer reminded me but I just can't. Five years ago, during the first BANG Merlin, I am sure that I brought him home after I picked him up from school.
2014, December
New York City
"Rio, I have something to do so is it okay if I leave you with Jess?" Jess was our maid and his nanny. "Sure. I'll be at home. I'll wait for you."
*
I was fighting the Thanatos that day. But, strangely there was a bombing. I don't know where it came from. Everyone stopped including us, battling with our lives in line. Everyone runs as fast as they could when numerous firing was heard. I was supposed to leave but I saw this little kid crying so I took him and hid him from the shooting. There are only some places I know in that area that is safe and I brought him there.
"Stay here, okay?" He kept crying as if he's looking for someone.
"My brother...have you seen my brother?" he asked between his sobs.
"What's his name?"
"Aldrin..."
"Okay. I'll be back. Just stay here. I'll bring your brother." He nodded and I closed the space. I went back to find that guy he was pertaining to. Despite the crowd and the on-going shooting, I went around to find him and stopped when I saw a familiar face at the center of the battle circle.
"No...No..."
"Rio!" I was trying to pass between the crowd but they are dragging me away.
"If I can't find you, go to a place where I can see you."
No. No. No. It can't be.
"Rio!!!" He was looking everyone but he couldn't see me. He was holding a kid. That's the kid that I hid. Why is he out there? And why is he with him? Just as I got out of the crowd, I saw a masked man in a coat, standing on the hanging platform above the spectators area. "Rio!" I cried so he could look at me and run but I saw the masked man held his gun up and pulled the trigger in a snap. I had to pull the trigger too but I missed.
Rio fell to the floor with a bullet in his head and his eyes open, staring at me. The masked man...he killed him. I saw that coat...I have seen it. And he was wearing it right now.
2019, December
Rio de Janeiro
As tears fell from my eyes, I looked at him with hatred and the power for vengeance is taking over me. "You killed my brother." I uttered with every word as though it was engraved in my heart. He tried to distort my memory but he didn't know that it was the very reason why I am looking for the witch's knot. To know who might have killed my brother and why does he have to do such cruel thing.
He looked at me and the sudden grin in his face told me it was true. "YOU SCUMBAG!!!!!"
"Isn't it funny? Because of that you made it easier for me to find the witch's knot." All this time, he used me for his own purpose. And I was a fool to fall for his trap.
Nandilim ang paningin ko at tila wala akong naririnig. Pinulot ko ang katanang gamit ng kalaban.
"You know what's even funnier? It was supposed to be Ruine."
"Shut up!" sigaw ko at sinugod siya. Umilag siya ngunit nagawa niyang umatake at nasugatan ako sa tagiliran.
"I supposed he is looking for someone. But then, I saw you and Rio and I thought you have the passion to get things in a short period of time. Sorry about Rio, though."
THIRD PERSON' POV
"F*ck you!" sigaw ni Rainer at sabay silang sumugod ni Rain. Nagkatinginan ang mag-ama at sabay silang lumaban. Samantala, nagsidatingan ang iba pang mga kalaban kaya naman napasubo rin sina Ace at Pin. Hindi pa rin maintindihan ni Ace ang mga narinig niya.
Sumugod si Rain, tumalon mula sa bato at inihampas ang katana. Napaatras naman si Red at sinabayan naman iyon ng malakas na sipa ni Rainer. Nagsalitan ang dalawa sa pag-atake ngunit nakabawi si Red at nahawakan ang braso ni Rainer, umikot papunta sa likod at binali ang braso nito. Sumigaw ito sa sakit.
Mabilis na umatake si Rain gamit ang katana at umilag lang si Red. Nakahanap ito ng pagkakataon para tumakbo kaya sinundan naman siya ni Rain. Nakarating sila sa ibaba ng estatwa at doon naglaban. Tinanggal ni Red ang kaniyang necktie at itinali sa kaniyang kamay na nakahawak sa kunai upang hindi niya ito mabitawan.
Siya naman ang naunang sumugod at mas mabilis ito sa paggalaw ni Rain. Ngunit nagawang pigilan ni Rain ang mga atake nito. "I should've disposed you years ago."
"Then you will never get this," sabi ng dalaga at itinaas ang kaniyang kwintas na naglalaman ng mga piraso.
Hindi makapaniwala ang matanda sa nakita. Kumpleto na ito. Nagawa ni Rain na kunin ang piraso mula sa kaniyang ina nang mapansin niya kung nasaan ito. Nasa orasan ito ng nanay niya.
"Hand them over and I'll let everyone go."
Si Rain naman ang ngumisi ngayon. "Uh-uh. Not so fast." Mabilis pa sa alas kwatrong nakalapit si Rain sa tabi ng matanda at agad niya itong sinugatan sa tagiliran ngunit mas malalim.
Panay ang palitan nila ng pagsugat, at may mga natamo na rin si Rain na saksak dahilan ng kaniyang pagkahilo. Pinilit niyang umangat ngunit sinuntok siya ni Red kaya bumaliktad ito. Duguan na rin ang dalaga. Dumating sina Rainer, Pin at Ace ngunit pinigilan sila ng dalaga. Gamit ang katana, ginawa niya itong tungkod para tumayo. Hinigit ni Red ang kwintas ngunit nahawakan ng dalaga ang kamay nito at nang sasampalin na sana niya ito pero niyakap ni Rain ang matanda sa tagiliran at mabilis na itinulak. "RAIN!!!!!!" sigaw nila ngunit hindi ito pinakinggan ng dalaga. Tumakbo sila para pigilan siya pero mabilis siya at habang ginagawa niya iyon, nilagay niya ang orasan niya sa pinakahuling feature ng kaniyang orasan, ang self-destruct.
"AHHHHHH!!!!" Tumulo ang luha niya habang tinutulak ang matanda patungo sa cliff at inihulog niya ang sarili niya kasama ito. Pinagsasasaksak siya ni Red sa ere ngunit hindi siya bumitaw.
"RAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" sigaw nila nang marinig ang malakas na pagsabog.
***
The Night Queen
by jrhabellie
YOU ARE READING
The Night Queen
ActionTHE SUPREME TRILOGY BOOK 1 Rain Louise Scott, a candidate for B.A.N.G. Merlin, has sent herself on a quest, finding the pieces of the Witch's knot. But along the way, she came across the reaper of death for all that she was finding was more than wha...
