Tila natuod si Kam sa kinatatayuan nang narinig ang sinabi ni Kray.
Cameron was alive. After all these years, he was alive!
Buhay ang kapatid niyang hindi man lang niya nakilala nang personal. He was just hiding with his wife.
At alam ito ng mga magulang n'ya! Just a few moments ago, they had the chance to tell her the truth, but they still decided to hide it from her.
Everyone lied to her!
"Kam, now is not the time to let this get to you," narinig niya ang boses ni Draven kaya muli siyang napabalik sa sarili.
She tightened her grip on her bow. Muntik na pala niya iyung nabitawan.
Sana naman ay nagawa ng kanyang mga kaibihan ang plano nila.
"Remember the plan," dagdag pa ng lalaki sa kanyang isip. "Take the shot."
Itinaas ni Kam ang kanyang bow at arrow. One shot, and Kray's evils would end.
She made sure that her position was not visible to Kray. She was in a perfect spot.
She took a deep breath. The wooden arrow was going to be in Kray's heart in a matter of seconds.
Three...
She took another deep breath.
Two...
She would finally have her peace.
One...
She lifted one finger.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," isang matulis na bagay ang bigla niyang naramdaman sa kanyang leeg.
A knife.
Someone was behind her.
"Varci..." aniya.
May isa pang lumapit sa kanya at kinuha ang kanyang weapons. Isa itong matandang bababe na may puting buhok na mahigpit na nakapusod, itim ang kanyang makapal na eyeliner at lipstick, scarlet red naman ang kanyang velvet robe at mahahabang kuko. She looked familiar. Right! Ito 'yung witch na dumating n'ong una siyang na-kidnap ni Kray.
Great.
"Draven!" sigaw niya sa kanyang isip.
"Okay. Stay calm. We didn't see this coming," sagot ng boses sa kanyang isip. "We're coming."
Kam hissed at the old witch who took her weapons. Agad naman itong umatras na parang nataranta.
Kam grinned pero agad naman iyung nawala nang mas bumaon sa leeg niya ang kutsilyo ni Varci. She got cut. She could smell her blood.
"Varci, nice to see you," aniya na pilit pinapakalma ang boses.
No, she wasn't worried about her safety. Si Cole ang tanging nasa isip niya lalo na at ginugulpi nanaman ito.
Ano nanaman kasi ang sinabi nito? Hindi na lang kasi manahimik eh.
"Ilang taon akong nagtiis sa pagmamaltrato ng mga magulang mo," nasa boses ni Varci ang galit at mas lalo pang dumiin ang kutsilyo sa leeg niya.
"Bakit ka nagagalit? 'Di ba ikaw ang nagpapainom sa kanila ng potion para ma-control sila ni Kray? Bobo ka ba?" aniya.
"Silence!" sigaw ng babae sa kanyang tenga kaya napangiwi siya. "Alam mo ba, kapag pinatay mo si Kray, mamamatay din ang lahat ng mga mamamayan ng Obis?"
Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Kam. "What? What are you talking about?"
Tumawa si Varci. "Naka-link sa buhay niya ang lahat ng buhay ng mga nakatira sa Obis."
"I cast the spell before you arrived," sabi naman ng matandang witch. "Insurance."
Napatiim-bagang si Kam. Buti na lang pala nahuli s'ya ng mga ito bago n'ya napana si Kray.
She would have killed everyone in Obis City. Including her parents and her friends.
"Why are you doing this?" tanong niya.
"Malaki ang utang na loob namin kay Kray. We are doing this for him," ani Varci.
"Okay, then. So, why is he doing this? Dinamay n'ya pa ang mga inosenteng tao."
"He wants revenge. Ano pa nga ba?"
Napailing si Kam sa sagot ni Varci. Grabeng galit naman nito.
"Let the innocent citizens of Obis go," aniya.
"No. They're going to die," sagot ni Varci at ngumisi ang matandang witch.
"One last chance, Varci," sabi pa niya bago ikinuyom ang mga kamao. "Let the people go."
"No," amused na sagot ng babae.
"Alright, then," sabi ni Kam bago niya ibinaon sa kanyang leeg ang kutsilyo ni Varci. Bago pa man maka-react ang babae ay nasa likuran na siya nito, nakabaon ang mga pangil sa leeg nito.
The witch screamed and ran away.
Great. Ngayon ay nakuha na nila ang atensyon ng ibang mga naroon. Pati sina Kray at Cole.
Kam let go of Varci's body. She made a thudding sound when she hit the ground. Lifeless.
Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Kray nang makita ang walang-buhay na katawan ng adopted daughter nito.
Kam smiled as she wiped her lips with the back of her hand. All of this while staring straight at Kray's eyes.
"Human blood. Delicious," sabi ng dalaga na mas lumawak pa ang ngisi. How she hated him.
"Kamdyn!" halos mag-transform si Kray dahil sa sobrang galit. "Hulihin 'yan!"
Agad na kumilos ang mga tauhan nito at tinakbo ang direksyon n'ya. May mga bampira, witches at mortals. Lahat ay armado.
Binunot ni Kam ang kutsilyong nakatarak sa kanyang leeg at ibinato iyun sa isang witch. Sapol sa noo.
Kam looked at Cole. Nakita niyang tumango ito sa direksyon n'ya nang bigla na lamang natanggal ang gapos nito.
"Draven?" ani Kam sa kanyang isip.
"Cole will be fine. Gregory just freed him," sagot ng boses sa kanyang isip.
Good.
Kam looked around for a weapon, but she couldn't find any. Tiningnan niya ang mga papalapit na kalaban. As expected, mga bampira ang nangunguna.
One was holding a double-headed axe. It might be reckless, but it was all Kam could do. She was surrounded and she needed a weapon.
Sinalubong niya ang Turned na may axe. Nagulat pa ito pero agad na nakabawi.
Kam slid down and kicked the man's legs just right at the knees, breaking them backwards.
Sumigaw ito.
Hindi nag-aksaya ng panahon si Kam. She picked up the axe and got up. She swung it to the nearest enemies, beheading four in one swing.
She didn't let anyone get close enough to stab her. No, hindi siya magpapatalo this time.
Yumuko siya upang maiwasan ang isang lumilipad na arrow at tumama iyun sa puso ng isang Pureblood. Yeah, wooden arrows were fatal to vampires too. Para na rin iyung wooden stake.
Mas lumiliit ang distansya ng mga kalaban sa palibot niya. Kapag walang makatulong sa kanya, well, in a matter of minutes ay tuluyan na siyang mao-overwhelm dahil masyado siyang outnumbered.
But she kept on fighting. Hindi siya pahuhuling buhay. No, not again.
Nasulyapan niya si Cole na nakikipaglaban kay Kray. She didn't expect the latter to be able to fight like that. He was good!
Napaigik si Kam nang bigla na lamang siyang tinamaan ng arrow sa kanyang dibdib.
"Shoot," aniya. She could feel how close it was to her heart. She pulled it out and groaned.
She was still swinging her axe furiously while looking for the archer.
It was the old witch who took her weapons a while ago. At nakaumang nanaman sa direksyon niya ang panibagong arrow.
Ibinato ni Kam ang nahugot na arrow sa direksyon ng matandang witch at napasigaw ito nang bumaon iyun sa kanang dibdib nito.
"Stupid witch," bulong niya.
But she was having a hard time fighting back now. Palapit nang palapit ang mga kalaban. Napapalibutan na siya.
She grab someone and slammed her on the ground. It was easy because it was a mortal.
But their number was just overwhelming.
Hanggang sa tuluyan na siyang napalibutan.
"Argh!" Kam screamed when she was stabbed in the back.
Another stab in her left side.
She screamed as more weapons got buried in her body. She crouched and protected her neck. Mahirap na. Baka may maligaw na espada at maputulan pa siya ng ulo.
Suddenly, everyone around her stopped attacking her. She lifted her eyes and saw them killing each other.
Kam looked around and saw Cole's right palm was facing her direction. He was controlling this.
Even after Kray stab him with a stake!
"No!!!" Kam screamed when Cole fell on his knees.
But he didn't stop controlling the enemies until all of them killed each other.
"Cole!" tawag niya sabay takbo palapit dito. She ignored Kray who was staring at her the whole time she was running. "Cole! Cole," aniya na sumalampak sa tabi ng binata. "Please," naiiyak na niyang sabi lalo na nang makitang hindi sumasagot si Cole. Nakatitig lang ito sa kanya.
Tumawa si Kray kaya napalingon si Kam dito. He looked like a psycho. Tumalsik pa ang laway nito.
"Kamdyn, my sweet Kamdyn," anitong napapailing. "How touching."
"Not once did I think you're capable of doing these evil things, Kray. Bakit? Dahil hindi ilaw ang pinili ng isang babae six hundred years ago?" aniya. Naramdaman niya ang paghawak ni Cole sa kanyang kamay.
Sinulyapan niya ang binata at nakita niya ang pasekreto nitong pagkindat sa kanya.
Kam didn't know what that meant, but she was glad he seemed fine.
"Ako sana ang pipiliin ni Misna kung hindi siya dinukot ni Cameron!" sigaw ng lalaki. "Ilang beses ko bang sasabihin 'yan? Ako! Ako ang mahal ni Misna!"
"Why did you have to lie then? Bakit iba ang sinabi mo dati?"
"I like games, sweetheart. You know that."
Sweetheart. She used to like it when Kray called her that. She felt the love of a brother.
Pero ngayon, kinikilabutan siya.
"Natutuwa ako every time I see your and your parents' faces turn pained or confused. Ang sarap paglaruan ng emotions ninyo. And I love how your relationship with them was so bad that you always fight."
Games. She was just part of his games.
"I loved you, you know," aniya. She felt Cole's grip tightened.
"And I didn't love you," anito saka tumawa. "But you gave me really good entertainment. Every time you failed on something, it was so fun. I loved how you doubted yourself."
It hurt! Her heart was absolutely broken in pieces. It was shattered.
He was a brother to her for more than ten years.
And now...
Bago pa man makasagot si Kam ay biglang nawala sa mga braso niya si Cole. Nakatayo na ito sa likuran ni Kray. Ang stake na nakabaon sa dibdib nito ay hawak na nito ngayon at nakaumang sa puso ni Kray.
Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Kam! "Cole! No!"
Gulat na natigilan si Cole at agad na nakabawi si Kray. Tinabig nito ang binata at tumilapon ito. Buti na lang mabilis ang reflexes ni Cole at agad itong nakabangon.
"Kam, what the hell! He could have been dead already."
Napangisi si Kray nang tingnan si Kam.
"You can't kill him. His life is linked to all citizens of Obis City. Kapag pinatay mo s'ya, mamamatay ang lahat ng nandito sa bayan."
Hindi nakasagot si Cole at masama ang tinging ipinukol kay Kray.
"I've been manipulating the lives of so many people, Sentry Bloodworth. I'm a master planner. I anticipate and you are just very predictable. You can't kill me."
Cole quietly walked towards Kam who immediately got up.
"Ang saya ng larong ito. I can't wait to torture you in front of your parents. Ohhh... they are going to be devastated," palatak ni Kray na napapalakpak pa sa sobrang excitement.
"They're not here anymore. Nakatakas na sila," ani Kam at natigilan naman si Kray.
Mas napanatag si Kam nang tuluyang nakalapit sa kanya si Cole.
"Are you sure about that?" kapagkuwan ay tanong ni Kray saka ngumisi.
Nalilitong napasulyap si Kam kay Cole at mukhang wala rin itong maisagot sa kanya.
Kray clapped his hands and an army got out from behind a building. There were hundreds of them. At sa unahan ay ang magkapatid na Chenny at Jack. At hawak ng dalawa ang mga magulang ni Kam na nakagapos ang mga kamay sa likuran.
Kam whimpered. Muntik pa siyang matumba buti na lang nahawakan s'ya agad ni Cole.
"Kamdyn," halos magkasabay na sambit ng kanyang mga magulang. They looked like they were tortured.
"Kray, please, stop," baling niya sa lalaki.
"Okay. I will let all of you go," kibit-balikat na sagot ng lalaki kaya gulat na napatitig dito ang lahat. "In one condition."
"What is it?" ani Cole na nakaalalay pa rin kay Kam.
Bumaling si Kray kina Kenia at Darrick. "Tell me where Cameron at Misna are hiding. Then, you're free."
Kam was aware how her parents looked at each other. But she was also aware how Kray's men surrounded them.
They were trapped. She and Cole couldn't fight everyone while ensuring the safety of her parents.
"We don't know where they are. We haven't talked to them in six hundred years," sagot ni Darrick.
"I don't believe you. I just don't," bumunot ng dagger si Kray mula sa belt nito.
"'Yan ang naging usapan namin ni Cameron. Ang ipalabas na patay na s'ya and never talk about them. They will not see us to make sure you can't find them. They know how crazy you are," dagdag naman ni Kenia.
"Crazy in love, yes. I'm just trying to take back what's mine. Misna is mine. She belongs to me."
"No, she doesn't belong to you. She doesn't belong to anyone. But she chose who she wanna be with," mahinahong sabi ni Darrick.
"Nonsense! She let me kiss her!" sigaw ni Kray na namula na ang mga mata.
"Once! To escape from you!" ganting sigaw ni Kenia na umiiyak na. "Ugh!"
"Mom!" ani Kam nang marahas na hinila ni Chenny ang buhok ng kanyang ina.
"I'm fine. I'm fine," mahinang sagot ni Kenia.
"Napakasinungaling n'yo talaga," tila hibang na natawa si Kray. Umiling-iling pa ito na para bang hindi makapaniwala sa sinabi ng mag-asawang Caedis.
"Kray..." mahinang tawag ni Kam sa lalaki, "kung ikaw talaga ang mahal ni Misna, she would have been here with you in the last six hundred years. Not hiding from you."
Hindi sumagot si Kray. Sa halip ay nag-vampire speed ito sa harapan ni Kam at akmang sasampalin ang babae ngunit agad na napigilan ni Cole ang kamay ng lalaki.
"Hurt her, and you will lose a whole head," tiim-bagang na sabi ni Cole saka mas hinigpitan ang pagkakahawak sa palapulsuhan ng lalaki.
Kray groaned. "Bitiwan mo ako kung ayaw mong mawalan ng mga magulang ang girlfriend mo."
Hindi sumagot si Cole at mas hinigpitan ang hawak sa lalaki at narinig ni Kam ang pag-crack ng buto ni Kray. Napangiwi ang huli habang patuloy nag nagsusukatan ng tingin ang dalawang lalaki.
"Cole," kinakabahang tawag ni Kam kay Cole habang sumusulyap sa mga magulang. Hindi mukhang takot ang mga ito kahit na nagtaas ng stake ang magkapatid na Chenny at Jack. "Cole!"
Pabalyang binitawan ni Cole si Kray at napaatras ang huli dahil sa lakas n'on.
"Pagsisisihan mo ito, Bloodworth," asik ni Kray.
"Nagsisisi ako na nakita ko ang pangit mong mukha. Kawawa naman ang mga mata ko," walang kwentang sagot ni Cole kaya sinamaan ito ng tingin ni Kam.
Now was not the time to taunt Kray. He was crazy! Crazy meant he was capable of doing anything evil. Anything! And he wouldn't care what the consequences would be.
"Wala kang kwentang kausap."
"Walang kwenta ang pangit mong mukha. Ew!"
Napaikot ang mga mata ni Kam. Kakaiba rin itong si Cole.
"Draven!" sigaw ng isip niya. Nasaan na ba ang tatlong matatandang bampira? Bakit bigla na lang nawala? Kinabahan tuloy siya.
Baka nahuli rin ang backup nila!
"Alam n'yo ba'ng naka-link sa akin ang lahat ng mga mamamayan ng Obis? And I mean, all legal residents," ani Kray saka ngumisi na parang baliw. Saka ito may hinugot na dagger sa belt.
Napansin ni Kam na nagkatinginan ang mga tauhan ni Kray na nasa paligid. They looked confused.
Wait a minute...
"Your people don't know what you did," biglang sambit ni Cole.
"Of course not! They're my servants! They follow whatever I say!"
Hindi lang nagtitinginan ang mga tauhan ni Kray. May naririnig nang bulungan.
"Watch this," itinaas ni Kray ang dagger at bigla na lamang nitong isinaksak iyun sa tiyan nito!
"What the-," sabay na sambit nina Kam at Cole pero hindi na nila natapos ang sasabihin nang bigla na lang napahawak ang lahat sa tiyan at napuno ng sigaw ang buong syudad ng Obis.
Nakakarindi dahil sa lakas n'on.
It was a unison of pained screams. Halos mayanig ang buong bayan.
"C-Cole..."
"Kam!" bumaha ang panic sa mukha ng binata nang makita ang dalaga. Agad siya nitong nasalo nang nabuwal siya.
Nagkatinginan sina Kam at Cole. Legal residents. Ibig sabihin... pati ang dalaga.
Why didn't she think of it before?
Napatingin si Kam sa kanyang tiyan at nanginig siya nang makitang duguan iyun.
Kray just stabbed himself and all of them suffered the same fate.
***
Hello, everyone.
I'm back. Finally!
I have been so busy kasi nag-alsa balutan kami ng buong family. Lumipat na kami sa Pinas.
Living in the Philippines again after so many years. Yay!
Ayan! Still busy pero nakahanap din ng time na magsulat.
Have a great weekend.
@immrsbryant