Thieves of Harmony

9' Thirteenth

Tumakbo ako sa takot. Humihiyaw at nawala na nga ang ayos ng bun ko. I held the dagger in my hand tight, then I faced the demon. I have practiced martial arts, I'm sure somehow malalaban ko rin itong demonyong ito.

Hiningal ako at nanginginig itong kinalaban. I counterattacked all his attacks, and tried to cut him with this dagger. Sinipa ko ang tiyan niya, at nang makayuko siya ay tinarak ko ang dagger sa kaniyang mabukol na likod. The demon screamed in pain, but I did not stop. Tinanggal ko ang dagger at akmang dadaplisan ang kaniyang leeg nang bigla akong tumalipon.

I groaned in frustration. Nakita ko rin na dumudugo ang aking siko.

Lumapit sa'kin ang demonyo, ngunit biglang nagtama ang aming paningin. Gamit ang mata ko, I sort of begged him to stop. Pero for sure 'di naman ako nito naiintindihan. Tumayo ako at tumakbo papalyo sa kaniya, I turned around to see if he was still following me. Pero nagulat ako nang tumigil ito doon sa pwesto niya kanina habang nakatingin sa'kin.

Did he just followed my orders?

Pero mali ako. Sa likod niya'y nakita ko ang tatay ko na may hawak ng espada, tila sasaksakin ang demonyo. My eyes widened, my father is saving me?

The demon's eyes glowed and turned to my father who was running towards it.

I screamed and ran, "Father!"

Sumigaw naman siya pabalik, "Tumakbo ka na, Melizabeth!"

Umiling ako at tumakbo para sugurin ang demonyo ngunit tumalipon nalang ako bigla. Ngayon nama'y tuhod ko ang dumugo. Ngunit binalewala ko lang ito at gumapang papunta sa demonyo. I held his foot but he kicked me again causing me to be thrown far away again.

I saw my father struggling while fighting the demon. Nagkaroon na siya ng sugat kung saan saan at puno na rin siya ng dugo. But he was so strong that he still managed to fight the demon.

No, I can't afford to lose someone again.

Hinawakan ko nang mahigpit ang aking dagger. And with all force and energy, binato ko iyon sa demonyo.

But he dodged it, and...

In one snap, my world changed. Nakita kong tumarak sa dibdib ng aking ama ang dagger. I gasped and held my breath. Namuo na ang luha sa'king mga mata, at tuluyang bumuhos ang mga luha nang tumingin sa'kin ang aking ama.

"M-melizabeth," bulong ng tatay ko habang umuubo ng dugo. My tear fell when he said while struggling for life, "Be alive."

Tumakbo ako papunta sa kaniya at niyakap siya, gayunpamang siya'y duguan. I didn't care, my father was dying because of me. Tiningnan ko siya and I said, "Don't die. I'm sorry... I didn't mean it. I'm going to call the healers."

He squeezed my hand with all his strength, "W-wag na... Alam kong mamamatay na rin ako... I lost too much blood... It's not your fault."

I continued on saying sorry nonstop. Pinatay ko siya! I killed my father!

Tumulo na ang luha ko sa mukha niya, umiling ako. At napahagulgol nang marinig ang huling mga salita ng aking ama, "Happy 13th Birthday, Melizabeth."

I shut my eyes as I felt my father dying in my arms. I'm surprised when he remembered my birthday when I didn't even remember it.

Paano magiging masaya ang 13th birthday ko, when I just killed someone! I killed my father!

"Father!" I heard my sister's voice.

Tumakbo siya papunta sa'min. Napalingon din ang demonyo sa kaniya, at hinarap ito.

Oh my, is he going to kill my sister?

"Don't!" Sigaw ko sa demonyo, napatingin siya sa'kin at tinungo ang kaniyang ulo sa'kin as if he was bowing.

Nakalapit sa'min si Elisse. Nanlaki ang mata niya at kaagad na bumuhos ang luha niya, "T-this is your dagger, Melizabeth..."

Sabi niya nang makitang nakatarak ang aking dagger kay ama. Tumango ako, "I-i'm sorry..." iyon lamang ang nasabi ko.

My sister flushed in anger, "Murderer! You witch!"

Sabi niya at sinabunutan ako, "Pinatay mo si Ama! You deserve to rot in hell!"

Hinayaan ko lang siya. It's true. I deserve this. I deserve every hate in the world.

I was only 13, yet I have already killed.

Napatingin ako sa demonyo, at nang magtama ang mata namin, biglang nag-glow ang kaniyang mga mata. Just like when he attacked my father.

"Elisse!" Sigaw ko at akmang ilalayo siya sa demonyo. But again, I was too late.

The demon forced his hands inside my sister's back, and I even heard the crushing of her bones. Elisse coughed blood, at napaiyak. "Y-you m-murderer..."

Bumagsak siya sa lupa, katabi ang aking ama. Matagal bago nagprocess sakin ang nangyari. The demon killed my sister. She's dead. My father's dead.

Napatigil ako nang paghinga. Tuloy tuloy ang luha ko that I could barely see them because of the blur. Napaluhod ako at sumigaw.

Kinuha ko ang espada ni ama, I was angry. In wrath for the demon that made my family die. Tumayo ako at nanghihinang tinutok ang espada sa demonyo.

"Bakit mo sila pinatay?" My voice was shaking. Dahil sa takot, kaba, galit at pagsisisi.

"To protect you, my queen," I cringed at his words, at walang pasabing pinatay ang demonyo.

If only I had killed you before they have arrived.

Now, three are dead under me. My heart became numb of all the pains, but I know I was still in sorrow.

Napaluhod ako dahil sa panghihina, and I felt my heart clenching. Nanlalabo na rin ang paningin ko. Ngunit may nakita akong paa, sa harap ko. He stood in front of me, kaya't napatingala ako sa kaniya.

Pero hindi ko na talaga kinaya kaya't napahiga ako, masyado akong nanghihina. But I still heard the man, "Hades, hindi ba masyado kang naging malupit sa batang 'to? She's just thirteen, and kakathirteen niya lang!"

Nagulat ako nang marinig ko ang boses ni Hades, "The world will be more cruel to her, she needs to learn to be cruel too, Thanatos."

I opened my eyes to look at them. The guy carried me into his arms, and looked at me intently. I tried to speak, but I couldn't, I was too weak.

Thieves of Harmony
By lostmortals
Plagiarism is a crime.

Thank you for reading!