Against the God: End of the Gifteds (HIATUS)

66

[Logan]

I know her.

I know everyone in that generation.

My eyes adjusted on the dark, my grip tighten. 

Hindi ko napansin na nakakurba na pala ang labi ko sa isang ngisi. Kusang kumilos ang katawan ko para maunang sumugod at malapitan siya. I wasn't fast enough to hit her, but fast enough to take a closer glimpse of her appearance.

Skin full of different shades of green scales, from her chest up to her cheeks. Her sclera are green not white, iris yellow with slit pupils. Her hair turned into dozens of snakes, and her lower body became a huge snake tail.

Ilang segundo ko lang 'yon nakita, parang sulyap lang. Pero hindi ko mapigilan ang paglawak ng ngisi ko at ang pagkahanga sa mga mata ko.

There it is! The famous takeover gift!

Eslin, the heiress of God Asclepius, who inherited his gift of serpent skin, a takeover gift that can turn it's user a gorgon!

I can't believe I'm seeing it in real life!

Sa isang iglap, nawala siya sa paningin ko. She camouflage with the darkness.

I smirked. "Come on, you're going to hide?" I scoffed. "I'm really looking forward in meeting you, you know? Why are you hiding yourself?"

Ibinuka ko ang kamay ko. "Come! Show me! Show me what you can really do!" ani ko habang inililibot ko ang tingin ko sa paligid.

Still, there's no sign of her. I clicked my tongue.

This is it? This is the famous boa? A fucking disappointmet.

"Fine. . ." I mumbled. "Ako ang magpapalabas sa'yo." Madiin kong inapak ang kanan kong paa.

The whole hallway was frozen in seconds, there are ice particles and icicle everywhere. "Don't be sluggish, okay?" I softly said. Hindi nawawala ang ngisi ko sa labi. "After all, gorgons are cold-blooded creatures."

Let's see. . . if you can turn me into a stone first, or I freeze you first.

I have the upper hand here, after all, I know how her gifts works. I know how all of their gifts works. Pinag-aralan ko sila, inalam ko silang lahat.

Silang kabilang sa Generation of Prodigies.

Bakit hindi? Hindi nakakalayo ang kakayahan namin.

Umikot ang paningin ko. "Your penetration only works to people who haven't seen you in a fixed range, and it can only be activated if you're in a certain distance. It won't work on me now, am I right?"

"Your toxins and venom can only work if you have physical contact with someone, again, it won't work on me."

"And of course, the grip of your tail can only work in short distances. How can you curl me up if you're hiding in the darkness?"

Umalingawngaw ang pagtawa ko. Mariin kong hinawakan ang mukha ko, sumisilip ang mga mata ko sa pagitan ng mga daliri ko.

Generation of Prodigies my ass! I'm the real prodigy! I'm born in one in a hundred thousand! I'm special!

"WHAT A DISAPPOINTMENT!" I laughed. "YOU-"

Mabilis na gumalaw ang katawan ko nang makaramdam ako ng pagkilos. There, once again, our eyes met as she appeared in front of me in a flash.

Gamit ang isa sa mga icicles, sinangga niya ang espada kong gawa sa yelo. Nagsisilabasan ang mga pangil ng mga ahas sa buhok niya at isa-isang sumusubok na manuklaw sa 'kin.

"Hey, child." Her voice is deep, at the same time sounds high pitch— mesmerizing, almost like a siren. Her eyelids are transparent, making me still see her eyes as she blink. "You speak too much. What do you want? Some kind of praise or reward with your knowledge?"

I showed a mocking smirk. "Why? Are you going to clap for me?" Dumiin ang pagsangga ko sa hawak-hawak niyang icicle at walang kahirap-hirap itong nahiwa.

The blade was about to reach her when she easily avoided it. Sa parehong pagkakataon, nakaramdam ako ng pagpulupot sa 'kin.

Napangisi ako. "This won't work on me, lady."

Hindi pa humihigpit ang buntot ni Eslin sa 'kin, namuo na ang yelo rito. Dahilan ng mabilis na pagluwag nito at ang paglaho niya ulit sa harapan ko para magtago sa dilim.

"Come on, hiding again? You're stepping too low." I continued to ridicule her as I look around me.

Tsk, she kept appearing and disappearing in a snap and I don't like it. I know I have the upper hand here, but I'm irritated. I already froze the area, it's now my domain. So how come I can't spot her?

How the fuck can she camouflage in this small frozen hallway so well? 

"Really, I can't show how disappointed I am right now. You were too hyped up." 

She was too hyped by the people, just because she was qualified to be a member of the Generation of Prodigies, but she didn't take the chance to be one of them because of an unknown reason. I bet she just wanted attention. Kung ganito pala ang mga gifted na pwedeng makasali sa GOP, wala na 'kong aasahan sa mga taong kabilang na mismo roon.

They are just disappointments, they were hyped too much.

They're not really that good, if I also took the exam to be a member of the GOP, I would easily be one of them.

I'm pretty sure of that. 

I smirked. This is nothing, the Generation of Prodigies are frauds.

"The Generation of Prodigies. . . you are all overestimated." I played with my sword. "You are all just-"

I stopped when I felt a wind pass by. Sumabay sa paghangin ang buhok ko, na sinabayan ng mga mata kong napahinto rin sa ere.

Huh. Weird. All of the windows are closed though, I froze them-

Hm?

Napasulyap ako sa gilid ko. Naramdaman kong basa ang kanang pisngi ko, kung saan naramdaman ko ang paghampas ng hangin. Napakurap-kurap akong natulala.

My right cheek is bleeding. Suddenly. 

Marahan ko 'tong hinawakan, sinisigurado kung tama ba ang nararamdaman ko. There I saw blood in my fingers.

I. . . was slashed?

How? I didn't see it, feel it. This is my domain now, so how?-

I felt it again. This time, on my left side. 

I felt a gentle touch, yet it caused my left arm to bleed.

It took seconds before I started to twitch. . . in anger.

This bitch.

Nakaramdam ulit ako ng paggalaw. Ngayon, naging alerto ako at tinaas ko ang espada ko para humanda sa susunod na atake. Pero hindi ko pa 'to tuluyang naaangat, nakaramdam ulit ako ng hangin sa kanang parte ko, dahilan ng pagkaroon ng hiwa sa damit ko sa bewang, kung saan lumabas ang guhit na unti-unting nilalabasan ng dugo.

"YOU BITCH!" My voice filled the room. "WHAT KIND OF COWARDICE IS THIS?!"

I gritted my teeth. She can't face me, so she's making these cheating attacks?!

A fucking bitch. Very well. My body is starting to emit smokes. Slowly, a thin, yet solid layer of ice surrounded my body.

Hah, this is ten times harder than an iron armor. Let's see how you'll try to scratch this with your cheat attacks-

It wasn't even seconds, before I heard a crack. Kasunod nito ay ang pag-ubo ko ng dugo. 

The fuck? How can she move in this frozen place! And her movement before. . . it wasn't her full speed?!

Muli akong nakaramdam ng paghampas ng hangin, pero may kasabay na itong matinis na boses.

"This, child. . . is what you call a disappointment."

CHAPTER 66
Disappointment