Warning: This chapter contains violence, blood, gore and death. This may be uncomfortable for some readers so please, be advised. Prioritize one's state of mind all the time. Thank you.
"WHAT mess is this?!" hiyaw ng babaeng kakarating lang. It was Anica. Suot-suot nito ang kumikinang na roba at mukhang patulog na.
When Anica laid her eyes on him, he stepped at Azaliah's head. "I was about to go to you, human, but luckily, you made the first move. Now I don't need to tire myself."
"What kind of costume are you wearing? And--" She looked down. Her eyes circled in shock when she realized it was her daughter he was stepping on. "Oh my god! Azaliah!"
She ran toward them. Kaagad na sumunod ang dalawa nitong guwardiya.
"Get your dirty feet off my daughter!" Anica freaked out. Nanginig ang mga kamay nito nang makita ang bumabahang dugo. Tinulak nito ang kaniyang paa pero 'di nito nakayang alisin ang mabigat niyang puwersa.
"You get off that dirty hands of me." Turning around, he kicked her face. Tumilapon ito ngunit nasalo naman ng dalawang guwardiya.
"Madam!" Kaagad na naglabas ng baril ang isa sa kanila at tinutok sa kaniya. "Don't move."
"You should've pulled the trigger the moment you put that gun out, human." He smirked. "Now, you lost your chance."
Napayuko ang dalawang guwardiya nang may gumapang sa mga paa nila. Pinaputukan nito ang kaniyang mga sinulid subalit kinain lang nito ang bawat bala na tumatama.
"Lancea Magnus," he cast under his breath. The strands of his black threads moved in circle and took the shape of a spear. Big and thick, the sharp tip of the spears was aimed at the head of the guards.
He stopped the threads from moving and took the time to watch their emotion turn horrific green.
"What are you?!"
Napunta ang tingin niya kay Anica na sumugod sa kaniya. Hahampasin na siya ng palad nito pero pinigilan niya lang ito gamit ng isang kamay. He grabbed her neck tight.
"Don't get in the picture yet and watch your guards die." He let go of her neck. Ang buhok nito ang kaniyang hinawakan at pinaharap ang babae sa dalawang guwardiya.
He made a sound between his fingers, signaling the thread to bury a hole on their prey. And they did. A loud splattering sound made by his threads mixed with Anica's deafening scream. Nanginginig ang mga kamay nitong tinakpan ang mukha dahil hindi nito kayang tingnan ang dalawang guwardiyang may butas na ang mukha. Hindi na makita ang mga mata, ilong at bunganga dahil sa sinulid na sibat na bumaon.
"Do you want that kind of death, human?" Nilapit niya ang bibig sa gilid ng tainga nito. "I'll give you an option. You die like that or I'll give you a special one, unique only to you."
"W-who are you? Bakit mo 'to ginagawa?" Tuluyang tumulo ang luha nito sa mga mata. Hindi ito makalingon sa kaniya dahil sa takot kaya siya na mismo ang naglakad papunta sa harapan nito.
"I am Adamas."
Napakurap ito. "W-what?"
"Adamas, human. Do you not miss that name?" Hinawakan niya ang kaniyang veil. Dahan-dahan niya itong binaba habang hindi nawawala sa labi ang mapang-asar na ngiti.
Napaawang ang labi ng babae nang makita ang kaniyang mukha. Napalitan ang takot nitong emosyon ng pagkagulat.
"H-how?"
"Don't be mistaken." He let go of his veil. "I am Adamas Vondrov Riscarte. A fictional character written by my Noa."
"Noa?" Kumunot ang noo nito. "T-that damn wreck woman who gets paid by her delusions?"
"Yes. She got paid by just writing her delusions. And I am one of those she made." He chuckled. "I was written by a woman and I'm not really complaining."
"What are you even saying? Isa ka bang baliw?!" Dinuro siya nito. "Anong pinagsasabi mong fictional character ka? W-why do you have my son's face?!"
"Figure it out." He grabbed her neck and slammed her body on the ground. Napaubo ito sa sakit.
"Stop--"
"How dare you make my Noa miserable!" Hindi niya ito pinatapos at malakas na sinampal ang mukha. Pumutok ang labi nito. "My Noa wants nothing but to live and to be happy with her husband, but you ruined them!"
Muli niya itong sinampal. Humulma ang malaki niyang kamay. Nagkasugat din ang pisngi ng babae dahil sa matulis niyang kuko.
"You made her suffer. You abused and traumatized her. Because of you, she blamed herself for her husband's death!" He screamed. With his hand shaking with anger, he grabbed her face tight. Napasigaw ito sa sakit pero hindi siya tumigil hangga't sa bumaon ang kaniyang mga kuko sa sentido.
Umagos ang dugo nito habang pilit na nagpupumiglas. "S-stop! Ah! Stop, please!"
"Beg more. Beg and suffer more." He gritted his teeth while removing his hand from her temple. Summoning his Lancea Magnus again, he stabbed her right arm until it fell off.
Hindi pa siya nakuntento at pati ang kaliwa ay pinutol niya rin.
"Ah! Stop! Stop!" Umalingaw-ngaw ang sigaw nito. "H-help! Help me! Anyone!"
"You are trash! You don't deserve to live. You should not have this kind of life or even become a mother." Tinakpan niya ang bibig nito. "How dare you manipulate the life of your son and then proceed to blame everything on him when you don't get what you want? What do you think are they, huh? Are they some kind of your tool?!"
The image of Adamas Laurien crying played on his mind. "They have a life, you dumb woman! They have their mind, own hearts, own choice and own dreams! The best you can do as a parent is to support and guide them. Do not push them to things they don't want!"
"S-stop, please . . . p-please. Forgive me, Adamas." Anica could barely talk because of his hand covering her mouth. Her face was filled with horrific sweat. One of her eyes turned red as blood flowed inside her eyeballs. Pitiful yet annoying.
"Forgiveness is not what you deserve." Hinawakan niya ang buhok nito at kinaladkad papunta sa railing. Sinandal niya ang katawan nito. "It is death. Cutting your head off is what must be done for you."
Kaagad itong umiling. "Please, h-huwag. Please . . . y-you're not like this, Adamas."
Kumunot ang kaniyang noo. Ilang saglit pa ay napahalakhak siya. "Fool. I am created this way. My Noa created me to protect what's mine and to seek pain in whoever causes my people to suffer. I am not a crybaby nor a sucker for your validation."
He gestured his hand to change the shape of his Lancea Magnus. As he turned his finger, the spear slowly flattened, turning into a huge axe.
"I am the rebel side of your son, human. The ideal person he envisioned for himself." He grinned. "Except for being too cruel."
Namilog ang mga mata nito nang makita ang malaking palakol. Nakatapat ito sa leeg, naghihintay lang ng kaniyang senyas upang putulin ang leeg ng babae.
"S-stop, please. I'm begging you . . . stop! Parang awa mo na . . ."
"I don't pity you at all. Now, scream." With his grim face looking evilly at the woman, he commanded the thread to do its job.
He watched her final scream until her head was cut off. Nahulog ito pababa sa building.
I hope cars will crash your dumb ass brain.
Tumalikod na siya. Pinalibutan niya ng kaniyang cocoon ang mga naiwang katawan sa rooftop. Hinintay niyang matapos ang mga sinulid niyang kainin ang mga katawan. When he finished, he jumped to the back side of the building where the parking lot was.
Napunta lahat ng mga tao sa harapan ng hotel kaya tahimik ang likuran.
Isusuot na niya sana ang kaniyang veil nang may babaeng biglang lumabas sa kotse at dali-daling tumakbo. Hindi siya nito napansin dahilan para magkabangga sila.
"Sorry, I'm a bit in a hurry--" Natigilan ang babae nang makita siya.
He, too, was stunned. But seconds later, he sighed. Adamas knew he would never avoid her forever, and there would come a time they'd meet. He would like to meet her too.
"A-Adamas?" Napaatras ito. Nakalimutan na nitong kumurap.
"I am."
Kaagad nitong binuksan ang bag at kinuha ang phone. Binuksan nito ang flashlight at tinapat sa kaniyang mukha kaya napapikit siya.
"What the hell are you doing, human?"
"You're Adamas! Oh my!" Napatakip ito ng bibig. "H-how? B-bakit? Anong n-nangyayari? Sino ka?"
"Just like you said, I am Adamas." Winaksi niya ang nakatapat nitong phone. "Don't flash that light on my face, human. It's hurting my eyes."
"Are you really Adamas?" Biglang tumulo ang luha sa mga mata nito kaya natigilan siya.
"Why would you cry? Stop." He was about to wipe his tears but stopped when he realized his hands were covered with blood. "Do not cry, Anais."
Dahil sa kaniyang sinabi, mas lalo lang itong umiyak. Bigla itong tumakbo papalapit sa kaniya at niyakap siya.
For the third time, he froze.
His mind became blank. Confused about what he should do, he questioned himself about what was the best course to do when dealing with a crying woman. Should he push her? Threaten her? Or just let her have her way.
If he chose the former, his author would not be happy.
He hissed. "Let go of me, human. You don't have the right to hug me without my permission."
Hindi ito sumagot.
"Hey," tinawag niya ito ulit pero hindi pa rin sumagot. Pansin niya ring lumuluwag ang yakap nito habang ang katawan ay unti-unting bumibigat.
"Hey, human!" Umalis siya sa pagkakayap upang makita kung tama ba ang hinila niya. When the woman almost fell, he immediately caught her with his arms.
"Damn."
She fainted.