DELIVERANCE BOOK 1: Battle in Chimera [Revamped]

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX: THE FALL OF THE GREAT WARRIOR

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

The Fall of the Great Warrior

***

Veana

Feeling useless and powerless, napapikit nalang ako. Ayokong makita ng mismong mga mata ko ang susunod na mangyayari. It will be painful for me, at siguradong hindi ko kakayanin iyon. I already witnessed someone losing his breath and I had enough of it. Ayokong makita pa iyon ulit.

“Everything will be fine.” Akibara said in a husky voice.

Napadilat ako nang mata nang marinig iyon — maybe out of shock, na nagawa niya pang sabihin iyon kahit namimilipit sa sakit. Or disbelief, dahil alam na alam ko, at siguradong alam din niya, na hindi magiging maayos ang lahat. It might sound ironic, but I hope this is just a dream, even for the fact that we’re inside of the dreams.

Then, a clang of a metal caught my ears, as if a collision of two swords. Napatingin ako kay Deros — kahit namimilipit pa rin sa sakit —, at pansin ko ang naiinis niyang mukha. He stood until his face was out of my vision. Instead, I looked at Akibara. He’s soundless, as if he chose to stay silent than screamed in pain. Pero may kumuha sa atensiyon ko. Shards of some kind of a glass, were scattered around Akibara. That’s when I realized na yelo pala ito. And I know someone who can made that kind of frozen ice, Audrey.

Gulat nalang ako nang biglang may sumunggab kay Deros. I wasn’t able to know what it was, pero rinig na rinig ko ang nagsasalpukang mga espada. If my guess was right, that something were fighting my brother. Then, a creature appeared beside Akibara. It’s horrifying — a body made of thick and pitch black smoke, and two red blazing eyes. But despite of his look, I didn’t felt threatened, as if the creature were here not to harm us, but to help us.

The creature covered Akibara with his smoke and then disappeared into thin air. A while after, bumalik ito, but this time, sa gilid ko. All I can see was his feet, even if I don’t saw any. It seemed like this smoke served as his robe. The same thing happened. I was covered in black smoke until everything I saw was pitch black and dark. Ni hindi ko nga makita ang sariling kamay ko. Whatever this creature was doing, it’s up to something good kasi agad nawala ang sakit na nararamdaman ko nung balutin niya ako ng usok niya. As if his smoke sucked all that pain away, and I’m glad for that.

Light slowly came into view nang unti-unting mawala ang maitim na usok sa katawan ko. I was lying upright, facing the green leaves of the tree. The Tree of Happiness. Then, a face of woman appeared before me, looking agitated.

“Okay ka lang, Veana?” nag-aalalang tanong ni Audrey.

Di ako sumagot. I’m too tired. Fighting off the pain drained every ounce of energy in my body. Gusto kong magpahinga, at iyon ang gagawin ko. I don’t care if this battle would be a failure, a defeat. Wala na rin naman kaming pag-asang manalo. Deros was just too powerful. If someone can defeat him, sana nga meron, it’s Ascathan. Tutal, siya naman ang nakatakdang tumalo sa demonyong kapatid ko. I want to sleep, and I will.

***

Audrey

Veana lost her consciousness. Kung ano man ang ginawa sa kanila ni Deros, inubos nito ang lakas ng dalawa. Elsa was healing Akibara’s wounds. Naawa nga kami sa matanda dahil sa ginawa sa kanya. As if he was crucified, pero imbis sa krus, sa lupa. Kaya ganun na lamang ang galit ko kay Deros, o sa kung ano man ang sumanib sa kanya.

Speaking of him, kinakalaban siya ngayon ni Horus, one of Eliotts pets. Pero agad ding lumipad pabalik si Horus sa amin, nang malaman niyang nakuha na ni Shadowrath ang dalawa.