Khaos
I'm sure that it has only been a few hours since I've been thrown inside the door, but it feels like it's already been weeks. The whole place is messing with my sense of time.
Nasulyapan ko na naman ang katiting na liwananag at nakitang nakaupo ang batang walang mukha.
“Answer me, who are you?” sabi uli nito habang nakangiti.
“What do you want from me?!”
“Who are you?”
I clenched my fist hard, that my nails dug into my own skin. “Again, I don't care who the fuck I am!”
The silhouette's lips arched again as the light disappeared once more, which was soon followed by a noise. It was a creaking sound. Just then, I caught a glimpse of a bright opening shaped like a door from a distance. A human figure walked in before it swiftly shut close.
The person's physique slowly got outlined by a dim line of light in the darkness. It was Cyan. Pansin ko ang pangangapa niya sa dilim.
Nalipat ang atensyon ko sa pintuang bumukas na naman pero ngayon ay nasa ibang lokasyon na. It was meters away from where it first appeared. This time, I hurriedly ran towards it, wasting no time.
I have to get back to Adria, she needs me.
As I got closer, I felt an urge to look behind. I just had to make sure that Cyan is going for the same light. Pero hindi gano'n ang nakita ko. Naglalakad pa rin siya papunta sa kadiliman na para bang hindi niya nakikita ang liwanag galing sa bukas na pintuan.
I stopped.
“The way out is within your grasp,” the voice said. The same annoying voice I've been hearing since getting trapped. “Leave him behind. Your problems will be solved.” The white silhouette showed itself again, standing amidst the darkness. “Pretend to be him. The girl will be yours,” it proposed.
I sneered at the idea. Walang pagdadalawang-isip akong naglakad palayo sa nakabukas na daan palabas. There's no way I'll pretend to be someone I'm not just to get what I want. I'll never try to fool Adria.
Sinimulan kong maglakad papunta kay Cyan. Pero nang parang hindi man lang naglalapit ang distansya namin, nilakihan ko na ang mga hakbang. I ran after him, but as I go faster the distance between us got wider. The more I move forward, the more he's getting farther.
“Why save him? He's your enemy.” The voice within the void whispered again.
Mahahablot ko na sana ang braso ng hinahabol pero kisapmata lang, nasa malayo na naman 'to. As I continue, my breathing became heavy. Napilitan akong huminto. I can feel sweat dripping all over my face as I try to catch my breath, which I couldn't really do. Nahihirapan akong huminga. Parang nauubos ang hangin sa paligid.
“Does it not matter to you who you're saving? Does it not matter that he shall take what you care for the most?”
“I'm n-not doing this for myself, I'm d-doing this for Adria.” Napaluhod na lang ako sa sahig. My hands against the floor is the only thing that's keeping me from lying face flat.
The silhouette appeared right beside me. His mouth curved wider than before. “Strange. Strange.” He circled around me.
Losing air feels like being choked. No one's gripping my neck, yet it hurts just the same. Nag-angat ako ng ulo at nilingon si Cyan na patuloy pa ring naglalakad palalim sa kawalan.
“Y-you can k-keep me here,” I said acting as if there's something I can bargain with when I'm already close to dying. “B-but let him ou-t. Some-one need-s him,” I added barely holding on to my consciousness.
I can die here for all I care, but Cyan needs to get out and protect Adria.
The kid suddenly bursted into laughter. It was so loud, it echoed. “Amusing.” He kept laughing for a reason I don't have the leisure of time to figure out. “A soul without memories, yet as selfless as it were before death, for the same girl.” Just a snap of his fingers and Cyan ended appearing right in front of us, standing motionless and staring straight at nothing.
Without really knowing what the child is aiming to do, I lifted an arm and reached for Cyan. Upon touching him, same as how air came flowing back into my lungs, fluctuations of glimmering orbs began to engulf me. I felt my body being fused with another. Things that I never realized missing from my being started coming back all at the same time.
“We shall meet again, Forbidden magic,” I addressed the child without a face.
The silhouette grinned, slowly vanishing until only the line of his curved mouth remained in darkness that then too disappeared followed by my eyes closing on their own.
Adria
Even though my hands were already beaten and blistered from forcing the knob to unlock, I didn't have the slightest intention to stop. Kailangang mailabas ko si Khaos mula sa loob.
“Hindi ka pa ba napapagod, Adria? You've been at it for hours.”
Saglit akong napalingon kay Klaude na kasalukuyang nakaupo sa kama ni Khaos at nagsasalin ng alak sa isang baso.
“Nakakasuka ka," dagdag ni Chartreuse na prente namang nakahiga malapit kay Klaude. “Looking at your determined face, knowing what you're doing is pointless, makes me wanna puke.” Bahagya niya pang ini-angat ang ulo para sulyapan ako.
Kanina pa walang ginagawa ang dalawa kundi ang panoorin ako. They're mocking me.
I'm fully aware that the door will only open for the being who summoned the personification of forbidden magic. The one who requested the test, and soon-to-be master of the abomination that'll come out from the door. But, I can't just do nothing even if it's futile to try.
"Hope that stupid test ends already," anas ni Gerardine na nakatayo na't sinisipat ang sarili sa halos basag nang full-length mirror dulot ng ginawa niyang mga pag-atake sa 'kin kanina. "I'm getting bored." Iyon lang at bigla na lang nagbago ang anyo niya. “And tired looking like a pathetic vassal,” she said, now facing my direction.
It was the first time I saw Chartreuse for what she really is. A succubus with long claws, sharp fangs and a body designed for sin. Destructive yet beautiful. She reeks of malevolence, a distinguished trait from beings of darkness.
Napalingon ako kay Klaude na nasa harap na rin pala ng bitak-bitak na salamin. “Haven't seen this face in ages, right Adria?” baling nito sa 'kin.
Same as Chartreuse, he decided to ditch his facade and show his true appearance which didn't change from when I last saw him. It was the same face that I once thought I could trust.
A sound of a door opening halted the conversation. Kusang bumukas ang pintong kanina ko pa pinipilit buksan.
“Waiting's over. Scoot away.” Chartreuse suddenly lashed her shadow whips that made me jump away from the door.
From the darkness we heard footsteps.
“I hope you're ready enough to see what has become of Cyan, Adria,” Klaude remarked as he and Chartreuse stood in front of the open door.
One person emerged. He's wearing Elixir's uniform. Same as Cyan's old body.
Nakaramdam ako ng pangamba. “C-Cyan?... Khaos?” I called with hesitation.
Should I even call him by his name if he's now entirely a different being?
“Who are you calling?”
I froze in place as my mind went blank.
He's really gone.
“Good job!” Klaude praised the fake Cyan.
“First time hearing you compliment me and it sounds disgusting.”
Hindi lang ako ang natigilan sa narinig, kahit si Klaude nagulat.
Iglap lang, nabalot nang malamig na usok ang buong kuwarto. Namalayan ko na lang na hatak na ang kamay ko ng kung sino. Hinila ako nito papunta sa balkonahe. I stayed absolutely still as the person lifted and carried me as he jumped off the balustrade and landed into the backyard.
“My room looked like a mess.” It was Cyan. “My father's gonna kill me for this,” he murmured, carefully putting me down.
Nasilip ko pang sumungaw mula sa taas sina Klaude at Chartreuse bago ako muling hinila ng katabi patago sa kung saang sulok. Cold white mist coming from Cyan began crawling on the grassy lawn, covering the yard and concealing us from the two.
“Aren't we too old for hide and seek?!” I heard Klaude's voice after a loud thud on the ground. Mukhang tumalon din 'to mula sa balkonahe.
“Who are you?” Kusang lumabas ang tanong sa 'king bibig habang nakatitig lang sa lalaking kasama ko.
Nagsalubong ang mga kilay niya. An expression I'm very familiar with. “Who else?!”
“I-I have no idea,” I answered dumbfoundedly as If my brain isn't functioning well at the moment.
“Is the truth too hard to believe that you're refusing to understand it?” Napailing siya bago tuluyang sumagot. “I'm Cyan. I'm Khaos. Call me whoever.”
“C-Cyan?”
“Yeah?”
“K-Khaos?”
“What?”
Muli na naman akong natulala at napatitig lang sa kanya.
“I regained my memories, and all you're going to do is call my names?”
From within the mist, sharp spikes hurled towards us. Maagap niyang naiyuko ang ulo ko para hindi mahagip. Nasundan 'yon ng tunog ng nababasag na salamin sa paligid. Looks like Klaude doesn't know where we are and just firing aimlessly hoping that he'll get a hit.
“Don't wreck the fucking house, Klaude! You can't afford to pay!” Cyan shouted.
“Keep talking, so I know where exactly to shoot!”
“I-if you regained your memory? W-what about Khaos?” I asked oblivious to what's happening.
Nasapo ni Cyan ang sariling noo. “Aren't you listening to everything I've just said?” He irritatedly answered while shielding me from the incoming attacks using an ice spear that he materialized within seconds from his hand.
“I'm s-sorry. I just couldn't comprehend who you really are.”
“Let's put it this way. I am Cyan, all my memories have returned, but I am also Khaos. All the memories I've acquired from after I lived as Khaos are also here within me. In other words, tama ka Adria, ii—”
He couldn't finish his sarcastic comment for I've already embraced him tight. It took him seconds to hug me in return.
“You're so slow,” he whispered.
“Oh please, just blind me!” Chartreuse' reaction, who's flying over and spotted us from above.
“Thank you for keeping your promise all this time, Adria.” Cyan slowly let go of me, not minding Chartreuse. “Let's end what we couldn't finish decades ago,” he added with a reassuring smile.