Escaping Darkness

Chapter 22

RAGE

Rage looked away from the dying body of Yohan.

"You chose the wrong king."napalingon si Rage noong madinig niya ang boses ni Calvin.

"Why betray him?"tanong pa ni Calvin.

"You do not need to know. You will be with your king soon enough."malamig na tugon ni Rage. Kung gising si Yohan ay makikita niya na kakaiba si Rage ngayon sa Rage na nakasama niya ng maraming taon. Rage was always smiling when he was with Yohan. He would either smile mockingly or in schadenfreude. Pero ang Rage na kaharap ni Calvin ngayon ay hindi mo makikitaan ng emosyon. Tila magkaibang tao ang Rage noon sa Rage ngayon.

"Ikaw ang nagpalaki sa kanya. Paano mo siya nagawang traydorin?"tugon pa muli ni Calvin.

"Pinalaki ka ng kapatid mo. Paano mo siya nagawang talikuran?"balik tanong ni Rage kay Calvin. When Calvin didn't answer, Rage looked away as if bored. Nilapitan niya si Zack at lumuhod sa harap nito.

"My King"wika ni Rage habang tinutulungan niyang tumayo ang binata. Zack is covered in blood and wounds. Ngunit hindi tulad noon, hindi na mabilis ang paghilom ng mga sugat nito. Zack transferred the power of darkness into Yohan. He is human now.

"Do not touch me."malamig na wika ni Zack sa diablo. Rage emotionlessly stepped back. Agad namang lumapit si Greed upang suportahan si Zack.

"You won't regret it?"simpleng tanong ni Greed kay Rage nang matapos nitong alalayan ang binata.

"No. I made my choice. I won't regret it."tugon ni Rage.

Zack stood up and approached Yohan's body. Ni hindi man lang nito tinitigan ang katawang nakahandusay sa sahig. Hinawakan niya lamang ang sibat na nakatarak sa puso ni Yohan at hinugot ito. Fresh black blood flowed out from Yohan's body. Hindi ito pinansin ni Zack at initsa niya kay Rage ang armas.

"Hell's spear in exchange for your loyalty. This should conclude our deal."Zack said indifferently.

"Thank you my King."Rage said simply. Hindi makikitaan ng kahit na anong emosyon ang mukha ni Rage pero mahigpit ang pagkakahawak niya sa sibat.

"Kill the angel. This is my last order to you."tugon ni Zack bago niya talikuran si Rage at lapitan si Ara na tulala sa sahig. She seemed to be in shock.

Rage calmly approached Calvin. He used Yohan's spear to draw Calvin's black wings out. Then he swiftly ripped them out of Calvin's back. Bago pa man makasigaw si Calvin, ay agad na binali ni Rage ang leeg nito. Calvin's body dropped on the floor lifeless.

"Its a pity that he chose the wrong king to support."wika ni Greed habang nakatingin sa katawan ng dating anghel.

Rage remained silent as he looked away.

Rage did not know Calvin that well. Ang alam lamang niya tungkol rito ay isa itong demonyo. He was a demon who hated the darkness. Ang unang beses niyang nakita ito ay noong piliin nito si Yohan. 

"Bring her to me. Bring Ara Hope to me."Yohan ordered him. Calvin agreed. Which brings them to today.

"He fooled everyone but he failed because he chose an incompetent king"Greed said with disgust. Rage still refused to speak as he walked away. He looked at the sphere in his hand and gripped it tighter. He never looked at Yohan's body. Not even once.

GREED

Greed stared at his son. No he is not his son.

"My king."tawag ni Greed kay Zack nang umalis si Rage.

"I want to forget everything."ito lamang ang naging tugon sa kanya ni Zack. Ni hindi man lang siya nilingon nito. Ang lahat ng atensyon nito ay nakapuon sa dalagang nasa bisig niya.

"And then?"Greed's eyes were cold as he answered Zack.

"Mag-uumpisa kami uli. Buburahin mo ang alaala ko at ang alaala niya. We will start again."tugon pa muli ni Zack.

"May mababago ba? Burahin mo man ang alaala, hindi mo mababago kung sino siya. Hindi mo mababago kung sino ka."tugon ni Greed. He never hid his dislike for Zack's choices. He wants Zack to have everything he deserves and more. And she... is not what he deserves.

"Everything is different. I am human now."mahinang tugon ni Zack habang yakap niya ang dalaga. Zack smiled gently as he watched Ara sleep.

"Is it? She is already tainted."simpleng tugon ni Greed. They both know what being tainted means. Erasing her memory will do nothing. Nothing will change.

Greed watched as Zack hugged that woman tighter. He watched as Zack's eyes once again get filled with desperation. He raised him. Greed guarded Zack since he was a child. With Zack's whole life, his eyes were always filled with that emotion. Desperation. Maybe he failed in raising him. These are Greed's thoughts as he stared at Zack.

"I will find a way. I--"

"I could cleanse her."putol ni Greed kay Zack. Zack looked at him abruptly.

He finally looked at me. My son. My king. Maybe he really did raised him wrong. He failed to give him what he needed.

"I could cleanse her."

Even though that is asking me to die my king.

Zack just continued to look at him with desperation. Greed smiled and bowed his head.

Greed's son shall want nothing for he shall have everything.

"I will cleanse her my king. No need to worry."

"Then I guess this is goodbye my king."

"Wait."pigil ni Zack kay Greed.

"At what price? Will it hurt you?"tanong pa ni Zack. Greed smiled when he heard Zack's words.

Maybe he didn't fail that much as a parent if Zack cared enough to ask him.

"No my king. I will just have to sleep for a very long time."mahinang tugon ni Greed. Greed watched as Zack took a breath of relief.

"Okay."Zack answered.

"Okay..."tugon naman ni Greed. Greed looked away to hide the disappointment in his eyes.

Goodbye my king.