The Mysteries of Agent Scythe

Kabanata 22: Sickles and Scythe

[Zin's POV]

Naguguluhan ko lang siya na sinundan habang patuloy ito sa paghahanap ng libro na magpapatunay na ako nga talaga ang dating Head Commander ng AEA.

Napakunot ang noo ko nung yumuko siya matapos naming marating ang panghuling shelf. Namangha ako sa pagtulak niya sa gilid ng shelf at bumukas ang maliit na compartment. May libro roon na kulay kayumanggi at pinpalibutan ng alikabok.

Lumapit kami sa may maliit na lamesa sa kabilang hallway at doon niya pinunasan.

"The first book since the rebirth era began," he said as he go through the pages. There were different handwritings. Letters were written in different languages, it looks ancient.

"See? That's you. You are Seven."

Tumigil siya sa isang litrato. Litrato ng mukha ko. Nakasuot ng kalasag at seryoso ang mga mata.

"There were dopplegangers before and I'm just like them." I said, unimpressed.

I have read about doppelgangers.
It said that doppelgangers are spitting images of one who has been alive before. Two doppelgangers can't be alive at the same time. Doppelgangers can only exist after the last one died. Doppelgangers doesn't contain memories from another one and they are different people. Doppelgangers only represents the visual image of another and nothing else.

"No, you are him. The sickle! Yes, the sickle tells it all."

The librarian turned the page into the next and I saw Seven, holdinga pair of sickle. He's with the other higher ups.

"He's the first sickle user," bulong ko.

"Yes, but your sickle is not just any other sickle. Your sickle is that sickle," turo niya sa hawak ni Seven sa litrato.

"The sickle dies with its owner." I said utterly confused.

"And the sickle is also born again with its owner. No weapons are the same. There could be difference in the tip of the blade, the markings on the edge, and the grip of the same kind... but yours, it is exactly the same as his. Look!" Pumunta siya sa kabilang page at doon nakaguhit ang design ng sickle ni Seven... ng sickle ko.

The grip of my sickle has an inverted fire symbol from the Ancient Chinese scrolls. There were also ancient writings engraved on the edges of my sickles. It's identical.

Pinanood ko ang matanda sa paghablot ng isang libro sa shelf na nasa kanyang likuran. Kabisado niyang binuksan ang libro at tumigil sa panlimang pahina. Inilapit niya iyon sa akin at binasa ko naman.

The only AL-X weapons with no other kind. The scythe and the sickles.

"That page says it all." Tumawa ito at napatulala lang ako. My brain is unable to process everything. Si Seven at ako ay iisa?

"You're not a doppelganger. You're the reincarnation of Seven Keller. Hope is back once again!" Masigla nitong deklara at umalingawngaw ang boses niya sa buong library.

"Here are the informations of Seven Keller, might help to flash some memories from the past."

Pinahiram niya sa akin ang librong nakuha niya kanina sa nakatagong compartment ng shelf. Binuklat ko iyon at sinimulan ang pagbabasa.

Seven Keller was killed 600 years ago by the Elvesmiths. The detailed event was not written. It was said that he was killed, walang sinabi kung anong rank ang pumaslang sa kanya o paano.

"That's Smith?" Turo ko sa lalaking katabi ni Seven sa litrato.

"Yes, the coward one." Tumawa ito.

"Then why was he known and not Seven?"

"The writer of all these books doesn't want people to know."

Inuwestra niya sa akin ang isang katerbang libro sa mga shelves. Halos karamihan sa mga iyon ay mukhang luma na.

I scanned my eyes through the page. I stare at every higher ups present in the picture and my sight stopped on a familiar figure.

"She looks like Agent Scythe," bulong ko at hinawakan ang litrato ng kamukha niya. She's wearing a long dress hoodie, her hair was styled in a wolf cut and her hands are both clasped in front of her.

"Oh yes, the scythe! She is the scythe! The undead. No sickle and no scythe, no peace." Kumibit-balikat ito at nagsalubong naman ang mga kilay ko dahil ni isa sa mga sinabi niya ay wala akong naintindihan.

"What do you mean? Who is she? Is she a Cofflin, the first assassin?"

"The original assassin. You see, together with your sickles and her scythe, you can bring back peace once again."

"Explain it to me." I said.

"This woman is alive until now." Turo niya sa litrato ng babaeng kamukha ni Agent. Mas lalo akong naguluhan sa sinabi niya.

"That can't be it. This picture is from 600 years ago."

"Exactly! She is not called The Undead for nothing." Bigla akong nanghina sa realisasyon. "She is the writer I'm talking about. The one who wrote all these books, she is immortal. She's not just alive for 600 years, she's been alive even before the first batch of Elvesmiths came to Earth."

I was speechless. I want to laugh so hard because of this insanity but I cannot, a part of me believes every word he says.

"The only assassin to ever exist. Well, I mean a real one. Others are just clones created from her."

Nagsasalita ito na parang wala lang habang ako ay halos hindi na makapagsalita. Inangat niya ang kanyang tingin at malakas na napatawa nung makita ang reaksyon ko.

"I just know that she's not entirely human, not an Elvesmith either. She is something else."

"H-how did you know these things?"

"This library is from him." Tinuro niya ang isang lalaki sa litrato. Bata pa ito, mga sa 19 ang edad. Nakangiti ito nang sobrang lapad katabi ni Agent Scythe.

"He's my ancestor and this library is Scythe's sanctuary. We are the keepers of her words."

.

Cuts after cuts but still not enough. Killing a Warlow is much harder than a Crocitieus, much worse is having a pack of them attacking us all at once.

Warlow is wolf beast, smaller compared to a Crocitieus but much wiser, faster, and deadlier. Their golden eyes can illuminate the entire forest and their roars are heard all throughout the city.

The Warlows can be killed after wounding them until they reach their own fatality. It would be easy if they don't travel and attack as a whole pack.

24 squads are fighting against the Warlows. There are also Rank 1 Elvesmiths fighting alongside them.

Namamutla ako nung makita ang isang Cadet sa kabilang squad na nahihirapang gumapang. Hindi kalayuan ay may dalawang Warlows na tumatakbo patungo sa kanyang direksyon, mukha itong mga gutom at bahagya pang naglalaway.

Mabilis kong hinagis ang mga armas ko patungo sa mga Warlows habang tumatakbo patungo sa gumagapang na Cadet.

Bago ko pa siya tuluyang mahawakan ay may humila na lang bigla sa braso ko at sa pagkurap ko ay nahanap ko ang sarili kong nakaupo sa isang military truck kasama ang squad ko na laglag ang mga panga sa gulat.