Clandestine (Erityian Tribes Novella, #6)

12: Of Tears and Promises

Blood started gushing out of my arm and I hastily tore the hem of my shirt, tying it to restrict the flow. I breathed deeply, trying to keep myself calm despite the wretched situation I was in.

It had been about a day since they started attacking me. Gusto kong tumakas. Gusto kong bumalik kung nasaan ang mga kasamahan ko pero hindi ko alam kung paano. They were continuously using the Black Dimension to sneak behind me and the only way to prevent them from tracking me was to completely conceal my presence. That requires a lot of concentration, but that was the hardest thing to do right now as I couldn't help thinking about Mayu, Akira and Hideo.

Calm down, I reminded myself. My friends are strong. They will survive. They have to.

"Family is such a weakness, isn't it?"

Rin's words echoed in my mind and my body started trembling. I had to choke back the tears that were threatening to come out. She said she had to use strength and number against me because I didn't have an emotional weakness. Because I didn't have a family.

What if . . . no . . . no, I shouldn't think like that.

Napatigil naman ako nang may maramdaman ako sa paligid. One of the weaknesses of the Black Dimension was that it could only be opened at ground level, unless someone could fly inside and dropped out of the sky while coming out. But there were instances where some Shinigamis appeared on top of trees, though, I could only recall some Elites doing that. Ngayong nasa itaas ako ng puno ay pwede kong makita kung saan banda sila magbubukas, pero may blind spots din sa posisyon ko.

I carefully drew my dagger and waited for them to come out, but something hit the bough where I was sitting, and I fell before I could even react. I groaned as orbs danced in front of my eyes, my wounded leg receiving the weight of my body. Despite the excruciating pain, I hastily got up and readied my weapons as five Reapers and two Elites surrounded me.

"Just give up and let us kill you painlessly," one of the Reapers said while reloading her Glock. "Just like what is happening to one of you."

What he just uttered made me drew a shaky breath. Hideo said I shouldn't lose my cool during a fight, but I just did. The emotions I was suppressing for the whole day burst out and they had taken over my reasoning.

I charged at the Reaper and the next thing I knew, I was already holding a portion of his tongue, his blood splattered all over my shirt and face. He cried in pain, squirming away from me, as the other Shinigamis lunged at our direction.

"Don't you dare talk about them," I seethed, anger and pain swelling in my chest. "They won't die . . . they can't."

I summoned a broadsword and swung it in a clean horizontal arc, preventing them from reaching me, and quickly mustered my chain whip. My rage drove me into a reckless battle, attacking everyone despite the injuries I received.

My body was moving on its own while my mind was somewhere else. Memories kept flooding my head: the moment I received my mission; Akira and Mayu telling me theirs; Vivien clinging onto Akira's neck after hearing she'd be gone for a while; and me, thinking that we would still each other after that short moment.

The rage I felt was gradually dissipating, filling my chest with bout of regrets and grief. I wanted to get out of here and return home. I wanted to make sure that they . . . that they would be there, waiting for me. That these people were lying.

My focus crumbled and I didn't notice that I was being surrounded again. I felt a sharp pang of pain on my back before I could even recover my senses.

I collapsed on my knees as I cried in pain, my body trembling from the deep cuts I received. My vision was turning hazy, and my breath, ragged.

Stand up, I willed myself as the Shinigamis surrounding me went inside the Black Dimension. You can't die here.