KING OF TORMENTS [Completed]

CHAPTER 63

I didn't know what exactly my father did to me, but I felt my body getting heavy and weak after something pricked my neck. Para akong lantang gulay sa gitna ng mga malulusog na halaman.

River lifted me in his arms before I totally lost my balance. My head was screaming with warning. My senses heightened urging me to do something, but I couldn't even lift a finger. My eyes were the only one who didn't betray my mind. Naramdaman ko ang pamamasa ng aking mga mata habang nasa bisig ako ng kapatid ko.

Halos puti lahat ang nakikita ko. I was not sure if the walls and ceiling were really white or my eyes were only seeing one color. I attempted to close my eyes and I mentally sighed when I could still control it, unlike the other parts of my body that seemed detached from my command.

Gusto kong matulog. Nakaramdam ako ng labis na pagod—pagod na kailanman ay hindi ko pa naranasan sa buong buhay ko. But even my consciousness was out of my grasp. No matter how exhausted I was, my mind remained alert and my ears were vigilant from the noise in the surroundings.

"She'll be our asset."

"I know, and I can't wait."

"Matagal na ito dapat. I don't know why her body can still fight, making her glitch for a long time."

I heard River and Daddy talking. They were talking about me as if I was an object—a prized possession and not a human being with emotion.

"Dad, what exacly is your plan?"

"They are foolish, aren't they? Sometimes reverse psychology is not applicable in all situation. They think they can stop me from ruining that university when Sapphire will leave? Well, they just made the situation easier for me. It was all planned and Sapphire made it run so smooth."

I heard their plans clearly. I remembered Saunder's hypothesis. He was right, my father was really cunning, only that he was wrong about his speculations. Leaving Chaos University was not a wise move. Ryker's warning was not a deceptive move to divert my attention. My father really used River as a bait. It was a trap. We thought we could stop him from his game by doing what we think was the opposite of his plan, without knowing our moves were futile in fact, it worsened the situation. Mas ginawa naming madali para sa kaniya ang lahat.

"I have invested my resources for this, Mr. Sinclaire. Please make sure she's no longer a glitch."

Then, I heard another voice. Pamilyar ito sa aking pandininig at nakakasigurado akong narinig ko na ito kung saan.

"I'm certain this time. You're a doctor, Vaughn. You already knew the probability of its success. I spent years in studying where did I go wrong the last time I attempted it."

"I saw her in the hospital, still fucking afraid of blood. Kaya normal lang na magdalawang isip ako. She's the only weakness of the young Launder. One simple mistake, she can die and we'll lose our ace. I want to hear it, Sinclaire. If you can't erase her fears, how can you assure me that you can erase her emotions?"

My mind screamed when I remembered him.

He was the nurse in the hospital, the one who called me a glitch.

"Relax, Kuya. Mr. Sinclaire will not disappoint us. In fact, he will give us bonus! It's not only about controlling emotions... it involves manipulation of memories! Cool!"

Another familiar voice butted in.

"He promised me the same thing three years ago, Eron. But what happened? Her daughter only lost some of her memories but he failed to implant fake one that we needed badly for our plans. He can't even make Sapphire hate the Launder completely!"

Eron! Fear completely engulfed my system.

"I assured you, Vaughn, the next time my Sapphire opens her eyes... kaya na niyang patayin ang batang Launder na walang pagdadalawang isip."

No! What are they talking about?

"I'll make sure that I'll feed her mind with fake memories. She will loathed that Launder. She will kill him. And when the king already died... Chaos University will be ruined slowly. Once it crumpled completely, mafioso and assassins will no longer be controlled by the claws of the government. We'll be free from that agreement..."

Kung kaya ko lang pagalawin ang katawan ko ay walang pagdadalawang isip ko silang babarilin hanggang sa mawalan ng buhay! Sino sila para kontrolin ang buhay ko? They were even planning not only to manipulate my emotions but also to alter my memories and feed me with fake one! And they wanted me to kill Davil? I would fucking die first before doing that!

I couldn't feel my body so I was not aware what was really happening around me. Nakarinig ako ng mga pagdadabog at mga sigawan. Maraming boses. May nagtatalo. May mga kalabog at tunog ng mga basag na gamit.

Then, I heard a voice that made me felt I was still lucky. That person was the only salvation I had right now.

"I won't allow you to hurt my sister! Please stop including her to your evil plans!"

Lush. I still have my Kuya! Please, help me!

"Leave, Lush."

"Are you fucking out of your mind, River? That's our sister! She's not a guinea pig that you can just use for your experiment!"

"Drag him out, Eron."

"No! How dare you, old man? Huwag mong idamay ang kapatid ko sa kasakiman niyo! You can fucking conquer the world with your golden asses—the hell I care! Just don't include my sister!"

"Drag him out, now!"

"Let me go, asshole! You used to be the Upper Hierarchy's Knight but you have the audacity to betray your alma mater! Let me go—"

Kinabahan ako nang unti-unting humina ang boses ni Lush hanggang sa tuluyan na itong naglaho. Ngunit kahit gaano pa ako katakot, nanatiling hindi ko kontrolado ang aking katawan. I could not even open my eyes now.

"Let's start!"

I didn't know what happen after that voice shouted. Unti-unti na akong hinila ng antok. Unti-unting nawala ang mga boses sa paligid.

I knew they wanted to make me forget. They wanted to alter my memories and feed me with lies. But something happened. Something I couldn't really explain properly.

They wanted me to forget but something snapped inside my head.

When I completely succumb to darkness, I saw something... a light perhaps... or maybe a silhouette. I was not really sure.

They wanted me to forget something, but I ended up remembering everything.

***