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"Del... Del."
Coughing up blood, Del Tightened his grip around his father, whome was shot and was severely injured by the war...
"T-Tay... Malapit na po tayo, Sandali nalang."
[ F-Father... We're almost there, Just a little more. ]
Del Pilar's voice hitched, Trembled as he felt his father's weight become more heavy with each passing moment. Katipunan's consciousness was going dark with each step he knew his son was taking him, By his shoulder, He knew that Del was trying all his might and energy to get him somewhere safe and can be healed, but...
It was too late...
He was already loosing a lot of blood from the wound by his side, and medical help is so unreachable to get him there on time."
"Del... Tama na..."
[ Del... Stop... ]
"Hindi. Ayoko mawala pati ikaw, Itay. Nauna na si Inay, Ayaw ko na maranasan ulit yung sakit na iyon. "
[ No. I don't want to lose even you, Father. Mother went on first, and I dont want to experience that again. ]
Katipunan once again coughed up blood, His weakened state was already sign of his ticking clock, coming to an end.
"Del..."
Del Pilar kept going, despite the injury on his leg from the battle, they had fought earlier, The young Filipino general kept grasping even to the tiniest of hope.
"Del, Bitawan mo na ako."
[ Del, Let me go. ]
"Hindi. Ayoko. Malapit na tayo sa pagamutan, Itay. Maililigtas pa kita..."
[ No, I won't. We're near the clinic/hospital, Father. I can still save you. ]
Tears weld up Del's eyes as he could lie to some extent, Yet, Not like this... He didn't want to lose anyone else...
His siblings were no where of sight, expected of them to not be, Especially Philip. Yet, He wanted help from them... Even from his Older Brother, Martial. He would know what to do in this situation, yet, where was he? when their own beloved father is dying beside him?
"Del, Huwag ka nang magpilit pa... Huli na ito para sa akin."
[ Del, Don't force it any longer... This is the end for me. ]
Katipunan lets go of Del, falling to the ground as his eyes went colourless.
"Tay!"
Del looked at his Father's state, It had worsen. Katipunan was barely breathing and Del could hear footsteps nearby, He didn't know what to do anymore.... He was scared, Terrified of what their enemies would do to them in this weak state.
"Tay! Tay. Please... D-Don't!"
The young General shed tears for his beloved father, Panicking as his trembling hands took leaves to put in his father's wounded area, as well as ripping some of his clothes to add to the pressure...
Del, was barely even at the age of adolescence, and he's facing death at every inch of his life. Even infront of him was death... of his own father.
"Del... Alagaan mo sarili mo, Ha?"
[ Del... Take care of yourself, Hm? ]
"Tay... Hindi... Hindi ito Pwede..."
[ Father, No... This cannot be... ]
Katipunan could no longer see as the light in his eyes went away, His breathing slowed too much as he used his final strength to hold his son's hand and smile... One Last time...
"Martial... Philia, Philip... Patawarin niyo ko."
[ Martial... Philia, Philip... Forgive me. ]
"Tay...? Tay?!"
Del shouted, Shaking the body of his father, whose strength dropped intensely to the ground. The Young General checked his fathers wrist for any pulse... None.
"No... No, No, No! No! Tay!!"
Shaking uncontrollably, Del lowered his head to the ground, tears would come out of his eyes unceasingly. His chest was so heavy as his feelings get mixed up all over the place...
"Ahh!!"
He screamed in frustration. Pain was in his tone.
✧༝┉┉┉┉┉˚*❋ ❋ ❋*˚┉┉┉┉┉༝✧
Del stared down on his hand, A rusted necklace of a cross laid on his palm... Turning it around, A carved phrase on it;
"Natus est unus, unus abit. Vivat Mortalis Qui in morte vivit... "
A Latin phrase behind the cross, Del Knew that during the spanish period that they were forced to learn Latin phrases for religious purposes. Yet, even to that point, some latin cannot really be understood by their understandment by it.
"Sir...?"
Looking to his side, Manila stood by the door, holding his usual clip board and glasses.
"Manila, What are you doing here?"
"His Excellency had asked for you."
Upon realising this, Del clenched his teeth, knowing that it wasnt Philip that was calling him... But, His Damned older brother of a traitor... At least that is what he sees him.
"What does that Tyrant want?"
His tone changed from polite to disgusted as he looked out the window, seeing his own reflection. The cross necklace being clenched on his fist.
"He wishes to discuss something with you. I would suggest to answer his call."
"Manila, You saw everything back then right?"
Del reminded...
"I cannot deny that."
"Then, Why are you seemingly taking his side in this?"
Manila looked at him, dead in the eyes...
"I am not taking sides, Sir. I am merely doing my job as the capital city."
The Capital city was unaffacted, despite the menacing aura Del gave away, The City was unaffected. Despite just being a City, Manila had been the head servant and caretaker of the Malacanang palace since it was built, after Cebu, Intramuros, Malolos and a list of others failed to keep the title of Capital City intact to themselves.
"Fine..."
Del was unimpressed as he made Manila lead the way for him, as always... He was led to the same room, to which, he would meet Philip on certain occasions, but now it wasn't his younger brother behind these doors...
But His, presumebly, Dead older brother, whom he calls a tyrant or dictator, to which, he was.
"Your Excellency, Sir Del Pilar has arrived."
He heard Manila calmly state, as a voice answered;
"Let Him In."
Before the doors could open, Del clicked his tongue, appearing to be annoyed and arrogant to the presence of the current highest person in the country. The Filipino General entered as the doors shut behind him quickly with the servants outside as well as aids and assisstants, leaving the two brothers inside.
Del Pilar saw Martial behind the desk of the country representative, which angered him;
' What right does he have, to sit in that chair? '
He thought, Until Martial's voice came in;
"I'm surprised that you accepted my call."
His older brother didn't even bother to look as him and continued to review and write something on papers and stamp them with the presidential seal.
"What do you want? I don't have this much free time, You Know."
"I know. I won't be taking that much time from you."
Looking closely to Martial, Del noticed that the older was wearing a silver type glasses as he assess every document that passes by in his hand like magic and gets done of review.
"Since when do you wear glasses?"
Del's thoughts were blurted out. Both of them stopped for a minute and looked at each other, He covered his mouth immediately as Martial let out a chuckle, close to laughing, as he did rarely get any comments like that due to his reputation.
"Just a few years back, after... Anyways."
' He didn't tell... Is it a secret that deep, that you refuse to say? '
"I recieved a report that you manage the Palace while Philip is not around?"
Martial rested his chin on both his hands, looking at his brother. An innocent smile on his face as he drop his documents to the desk...
"Yes, Why do you ask? I managed it better than you ever did―"
"I know, I know, No need to rub it all to my face, Unsightly."
"So?"
"I just have one question before you can go on your way, Del."
Martial's tone seemed sweetly poisonous in Del's persepective, as it gave off a sweet yet deadly tone...
"Go on w-with it."
Del Stuttered, though he saved it by keeping it hidden.
"So, Philip goes out in the middle of work, withour any prior meetings nor appointments by the officials and he just goes out without any assigned escorts..."
Somehow, The young general seemed threatend and uneasy. The current air suffocated his air ways of his lungs, His ears listened attentively as well as his gaze towards his older brother... He hadn't felt this way since The War of Independence.
"So, Where does Philip go in these times?"
Though, Martial seemed calm, In Del's perspective, He was menacingly terrifying. With the Former Dictator's face all blackened with only his eyes glowing gold, Staring with a sinister aura into his eyes like it was waiting to prey to his soul...
"I suppose you know?"
He couldn't speak... It was too terrifying in his case to even muster any words to say. It was like... another being was infront of him, pretending to be his older brother.
"I-I...."
"I...? What? Do tell me."
"I don't... "
He felt like vomitting whatever he ate. Everything. He wants to let it all out with all the fear going inside his body... Like darkness was coming to him and taunting his whole being.
"You Don't... Hmm, How disappointing."
Del felt stiff, He was trembling in fear as he clench his fist more, Slightly tearing his flesh as blood dripped from it. Even the expected words that came out of Martial's mouth came to him like an order from a higher superior...
It frightened him to his soul.
The Pressure was intense. He felt eyes on him, multiple of them, even if they were just the only ones in the room. His brother's golden eyes were not to be underestimated. It was the most feared eyes back in the 1800's, during the spanish colonization period up to the end of the Marcos Era, even until now, some still fear it.
It was like Death was preying for your soul's light.
"I-I'm So―"
"Brother! Your Country Spirit is Killing half our servants!"
Philia barged in, seemingly like in pain as her hand was near her neck, being suffocated. She looked at Martial with pain, yet, when her eyes landed at Del, it turned to anger.
"Kuya! Si Kuya Del naapektuhan ng masyado!"
[ Brother! Del is being affected too much! ]
Grabbing her older brother, Del, She hugged him by letting him lean on her shoulder and glare at her eldest brother, Martial. The Female couldn't just let Del go after seeing his pale white face from fear, despite their conflicts and misunderstandings.
Finally, Martial snapped out of being out of control, He looked at his two siblings infront of hi and immediately helped Philia depite her shouting at him.
"Del? Del! Del, Wake Up!"
Was all Del Pilar could hear before he passed out from the sudden change of atmosphere.
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Walking in a lonely, dim lit hall, Del Pilar found himself looking at an old painting on the wall. Spider webs on the sides, scratches on its frame, yet, the painting itself was a mystery...
A man dressed in a somewhat ancient european robes that barely covered their chest, golden accessories simply laid in their body like everyday linen of clothes. A white veil covering their face showing only their lips, A long straight golden hair that surpassed even their hips... All in all, It wasn't an ordinary painting...
He kept quiet, Staring endlessly into the painting... One part caught his eye.
The transparent veil, slightly showed the man's eyes...
Gold...
Like Martial's, Philip's and Philia's eyes...
Why?... Why wasn't he given at least one eye with golden colour. Why was he given black and red instead? Why not Gold like his siblings? Was he even part of the family?
Wasn't gold their family trait?
Was he... even a child in this family?
Then, who is he really, if not?
Yet, Upon these thoughts, Light shone by another painting beside this.
A woman.
Curious, He walked to its front and was bewildered by the woman's beauty.
Silver flowing silk hair, Like spider webs, shining within the painting. Sharp features on her nose, eyes and lips, a slender body, with matching pre-colonial clothing with the golden necklaces and bracelets... Yet what Del Pilar was shocked the most was;
"Dark... Eyes. My eyes... "
He whispered.
The woman had exactly his black eyes. But who was she? She doesn't even appear to have a flag, yet, she looked like a country, A kingdom perhaps. Her clothes resemble the clothing of their country before the spaniards came, yet, No records were held of another kingdom than those recorded by the Laguna copperplate inscriptures.
Beyond those records, Del felt familiar and close to this woman... Like He had seen her before, touched and even spoken to her before... Yet, He had never met her in his whole entire life.
"Who... Who is she?"
Shaking, He held out his hand and touched the painting, He felt his heart beat loudly, that it rang inside his ears voluntarily. He heard a whisper;
' The Last Scion of My Blood. '
Jolting awake, Del gasped for air as he looked above the room from his laying position...
"What... Where―"
"Del Pilar! Thank God you're awake!"
Looking to his side, He saw Philia taking a wet cloth from a silver bowl and sqeezing it dry.
"Philia? What are you doing here?"
"Am I not welcome to care for my brother, who collapsed and never woke for the past 3 hours?"
3 Hours? What was she talking about? Del was exactly unconscious for the maximum of 3 hours, due to the sudden change in the air, his body couldn't take the sudden removal of the pressure put onto his body by Martial's country spirit, that was reported to have taken control of Martial for a few minutes and went berserk with Del inside the room.
"3... Wha-"
Suddenly, He remembered what he just saw. Del looked up to see a woman's figure standing upon the reflection in the glass frame of one of the pictures on top of the cabinet. It stared at him for a second and completely disappeared when he turned to look at what was reflecting it... Nothing.
"Kuya Mar called for all of us for Dinner later. He said no exceptions but you, until you wake up."
"Me? Why the hell would he even say that, I doubt that call is even sincere."
"Its up to you to respond or not, But I know Kuya Mar. When he calls, We answer."
Philia emphasized greatly, arranging some of the flowers on the vase, near the couches inside the chamber, before heading over to the door...
"I don't expect you to have at least a bit of gratitude towards this gesture, But, at least give some respect to the one who basically raised us all since Itay's death."
The Filipina headed out quickly, closing the doors of Del's room.
"Respect? Respect my ass... Where was he even during those times? Itay died beside―"
"...Patawarin niyo ko."
[ ...Forgive me. ]
"―me..."
Sighing deeply, He still hadn't moved on from that one memory. Now that his older brother is here... again... He doesn't even plan on forgiving him on what he did when Katipunan was in his death bed.
"Nasaan ka ba noon kaylangan tayo ni Itay? Wala! Wala ka noong namatay si Itay, kaya't hindi mo malalaman ang pakiramdam ng anak nang nakita mamatay ang kaniyang Tatay!!"
[ Where were you when father neede us the most? Nowhere! You weren't there when Father dies, That's why you will never know the feeling of a child that saw their own father died!! ]
He could still remember the day he said those words to Martial, His reaction and response was what came off his grudge towards the older.
"Ganoon ba..."
[ Is that so... ]
"Ganoon ba? Ganoon ba?! Kuya, Namatay si Itay at Iyon lang ang reaksyon mo? Kuya, si Itay ang namatay―"
[ Is that so? Is that so?! Brother, Father died and that is your only reaction? Brother, Father is the one that died ―]
"Ano gagawin ko? Umiyak? Del, Nasa Giyera tayong lahat, wala akong oras para umiyak."
[ What am I supposed to do? Cry? Del, We all are at war, I don't have time to cry. ]
Del clenched his fist his anger, looking angrily upon his brother, taht had left the room with other commanding revolutionary officers of the war. This is where Del's change of heart had began towards his older brother.
Little did they all know, that all of them had other perspectives.
[ To Be Continued... ]