"Stay here." sabi ni Paxton at lumapit sa mga light specials.
"Ano pang ginagawa niyo dito? Di ‘ba pinaalis ko na kayong lahat? Kami nang bahala dito." bungad ng headmaster kay Paxton.
I still can't believe this. M-my bestfriend.
She's alive. And I don't know how did that happen. Nanginginig parin ang katawan ko and I think I'm already going insane.
Parang may sariling utak ang mga paa ko at tumakbo ako papalapit sa kanya. All I know is I miss her so much. Hell knows how much I miss her and how much I loathe myself for killing her accidentally.
"B-Bliss..." I muttered habang unti-unti akong lumalapit sa kanya.
I don't care if I'll blow my cover. I just want to hug her right now. Naramdaman kong tumulo ang luha ko when she faced me. Totoo nga, she's alive.
Only a few steps left before I can hug her but in just a blink of an eye, nasa kabilang dulo na ako. Broken pieces of glass-like objects were scattered on the floor. Someone is hugging me. And his smell is very enchanting. From his back, I saw Bliss' sharp claws.
She just broke the barrier Paxton created. And someone grabbed me away from her.
"Ang bagal ng familiar mo."
His cold voice made me look at him. His stares met mine and my heart began to race. Parang nagising ako bigla.
Kiyan is hugging me. He saved me.
"She don't know you. She was revived by the demon clan but she is dead." dugtong niya.
Biglang may humila sa 'kin papalayo sa kanya, "Don't touch her." Paxton said in a warning voice.
"You're a failure, fox. You are suppose to be on her side always." Kiyan said.
Tinignan ako ni Paxton na parang humihingi ng patawad. I look at Bliss. She's staring at us with pure evil. Parang hindi siya ang kilala kong Bliss noon. Para na siyang ibang tao. A wide grin was plastered on her face. This is not her. No, this is not the Bliss I used to know.
"Ohh, what a scene. A love triangle." she said at lumapit sa amin. Pumunta si Paxton sa harapan ko protecting me.
"Touch her and I'll send you back to hell." matalim siyang tinignan ni Paxton.
"Then make me." mapanghamong sabi niya as she summoned her weapon accessories. Yes, accessories. She can summon multiple swords at once.
Nalilito na ako. Di ko na alam kung anong gagawin ko. My bestfriend who died 10 years ago is here in front of me. Alive and ready to fight.
"Tama na 'yan. Wala tayo dito para makipag-away."
The guy with a hooded cloak na kasama nila ang biglang lumapit kay Bliss. A part of me says that I know him before. Pero di ko matandaan kung kelan at paano.
"Gusto ko lang subukan yung kapangyirahan ko." she grinned while looking at her claws.
"We have no time for that. We need to find the Mistress."
His voice is very familiar that it gives me headache. But now's not the time for that. My bestfriend is in front of me. I should not waste this opportunity.
"B-Bliss!" I directly ran towards her and gave her a hug.
A hug that's saying a thousand words. It gives me warmth habang sunod-sunod na pumatak ang mga luha ko. Finally, finally. Ghad I miss her so much.
"Y-you're alive. I'm sorry! Bliss I am so sorry." hindi ko alam kung bakit 'yan agad ang unang lumabas sa bibig ko. Parang lumabas lahat ng sakit na kinikimkim ko sa loob ng sampung taon.
"Yeah, I miss you too." she whispered at mas lalo ko pang hinigpitan ang yakap ko sa kanya.
"SHEA! GET AWAY FROM HER!" I heard Paxton's voice.
Why should I? This is a very rare situation. We were reunited again. And I really really miss her so—
"Damn it!" Paxton muttered.
Bigla akong nakaramdam ng kirot sa may dibdib ko. Nilayo ni Bliss ang sarili niya sa 'kin. I spitted blood. Napatingin ako sa masakit only to find out that my chest was stabbed. Blood flows like a waterfall at ramdam kong nanghihina ang tuhod ko. From black, my gown turns red.
May naramdaman akong bumuhat sa 'kin at nilayo ako kay Bliss.
Teka, anong nangyari? Sinaksak ba niya ako? Bumalik ba siya para maghiganti? If so, then I'll be happy. If my death will satisfy her, then I'll be happy to die for her.
"Ang tigas talaga ng ulo mo." nakatingin ako ngayon sa walang emosyong mukha ni Paxton habang binubuhat ako.
"Wag kang mag drama dyan. Immortal ka, di ka mamamatay." he said.
Am I about to laugh because of his sarcasm?
Doon ako napatingin sa sinaksak niya sa 'kin. The sword she used to stab me has poison pero parang niluluwa lang siya ng katawan ko. I shouted in pain as I remove the sword in my chest.
"Masakit? Gusto mo ulitin natin?" he said sarcastically habang nilalapag ako sa isa sa mga bench malayo sa kinaroroonan ni Kiyan.
"You're not helping." sabi ko. Hindi ko alam pero bigla ulit bumuhos ang luha ko. Now I'm crying again like a kid.
Bigla niya akong hinila papalapit sa kanya at niyakap, "Di ka kasi nakikinig sa 'kin. Alam mong kapakanan mo lang naman ang iniisip ko." he said in a soft voice.
"I just can't think straight. What will you do if you see your bestfriend who you thought died 10 years ago? Do you expect me to act normal?"
"Ano bang tinuro ni Seraphina sayo? Waren't you trained?"
I stopped. Ito ba ang ibig-sabihin niya na kailangan kong maghanda sa festival? That's why she emotionally tortured me during my training?
"Ilang beses mo na bang sinira ang dimension na ginawa niya? Ilang beses mo na bang muntik siyang patayin because of your emotions? Don't waste her sacrifices because someone from your past just returned." diretso niyang sabi. Tumigil na ako sa pag-iyak.
He's right. I've been carried away by my emotions.
"You are a Queen not just because you're the disciple. You are a Queen because you can manage yourself without others. You have the capacity to lead a nation into it's betterment which others cannot. Now if they see you in this situation, what do you think will happen?" he said.
"Stand up and fight. You're not made to be weak. Ang ganda mo pa naman tapos umiiyak ka."
Bigla akong namula. But nonetheless, ang laki ng naitulong niya. Kaya pala siya ang pinaka magaling na familiar of all familiars. He's not just strong physically, magaling rin siya mag advice.
I smiled at him which made him froze, "Thanks Paxton."
I stood up and headed towards them. Hindi parin maganda ang aura na nakapaligid sa kanila. Kiyan is on the bench sitting. As usual, he’s still calm despite of the situation we're in. The headmaster is still negotiating with them.
"Oh. Still alive?" bungad sa 'kin ni Bliss.
Kahit nalilito pa ako, I managed to control it.
"What do you think? Am I alive or dead?" I asked her.
"Well, maybe both." she said.
"What's your name?" tanong ko.
She smirked, "I'm Bliss Angel. Co-leader of the Demon clan."
Gulat man ako ay nagawa ko paring pakalmahin ang sarili ko. How did she become a co-leader? Baka sa simula palang dark special na siya?
"Where's your leader?"
"Wag mo siyang hanapin. Kami ang nandito." Seryoso niyang saad. Kapansin-pansin rin ang pulang marka sa kanyang mukha.
"You're searching for the Mistress?"
"Yeah." biglang sagot ng lalaking naka-hood. Lumapit siya kay Bliss.
The big guy is on Helio's side dahil wala parin siyang malay dulot sa malakas na pag suntok ni Paxton sa kanya.
Sino ba siya? Why is he very familiar? And even he hides in a hood, kakaiba parin ang presensya niya. Mukhang napansin niyang nakatingin ako sa kanya.
He grinned and removed his hood.
"I'm Flynn. Co-leader of the Demon clan." he said nang makita ko na ang mukha niya. Napansin ko pang napatigil ang tingin niya sa ‘kin pero bigla rin namang umiwas.
His skin is pale like a vampire, his eyes are red, his hair is dark as night. He resembles someone. Ilang beses ko pang kinusot ang mata ko kung totoo ba 'tong nakikita ko.
"I'm Drew by the way. From Wadeford Academy."
"Mukhang wala ka yatang balak makipag-usap sa 'kin. Hehe."
"Kakalipat lang kasi ng pamilya namin dito kaya wala pa akong kaibigan. Nakita kita at naramdaman kong mabait ka kaya naisip kong pwede kita maging kaibigan."
For once, my memory serves me right making me to remember this guy. He's Drew from what I remembered. Siya ang unang lumapit sa 'kin noon when I was bullied in the human world. Napagkamalan pa nga siya ni mama noon na boyfriend ko dahil hinatid niya ako.
Hindi ganito kalakas ang appeal niya noon, is it because he also disguised his self back then? Pero bakit di ko naramdaman ang presensya niya noon?
And one more thing that shocks me, he really resembles someone. Ang pinagkaiba lang ay ang buhok at bibig nila. The rest is like carbon-copied.
He looks like Paxton.
"Flynn?"
Napunta ang tingin niya sa nagsalita sa likod ko kung nasaan si Paxton. A wide grin formed in his lips.
"So long, brother." Flynn said or what I knew is Drew.
Nanlaki ang mata kong tinignan silang dalawa. Wait, they're brothers? Well it's obvious kaya pala magkahawig sila. Pero nakakagulat parin 'to.
"Ang tagal kitang hinanap. Sa basurahan ka lang pala napunta."
Napakunot ang noo ko sa binitawang salita ni Paxton. Well, obviously they have issues.
"Sa basurahan kung saan ka lumaki?" sagot naman ng huli.
Bago sa kung saan pa mapunta ang usapang 'to, sumingit na ako.
"We can deal with those issues later. For now, let me deal with you." sabi ko sa kanila.
Bahagya namang kumunot ang noo ni Bliss while Flynn is on his poker face.
"Anong pwede naming gawin para umalis na kayo dito without causing any damage?" I asked.
"Give us the Mistress." diretsang sagot ni Bliss.
"Hold there, young lady." biglang singit ng headmaster at humarap sa ‘kin.
"Let us deal with them. I order you to leave this place now and join the rest of the students." his voice is full of authority but I ignored him.
"Walang aalis." sabi ni Bliss.
"Do you want to be killed right now bitch? Because I've already murdered you several times in my mind." sabi ni Alzena while glaring at her. The rest of the Alpha is sitting peacefully waiting for a "Go" signal or something.
"Hmm... how about we settle this on a fight? The place is quite spacious." Bliss said while roaming her eyes around.
"Sounds interesting." biglang sabi ni Fire.
"I disagree. Leave now before we do something that you’ll surely regret." Mr. Millet said in a warning tone.
"Do you think you're scaring us? Hindi porke't liwanag kayo ay kaya niyo na kaming talunin. We have something that will definetly wipe out the kingdom of light. And that will be our weapon against all of you."
Bliss is intimidating. But her presence doesn't work on me.
"So you're challenging us into a duel?" I asked.
"Yeah. And I challenge you, weakling." she pointed at me.
"Me vs.you and Flynn vs. that hot guy." he pointed at Paxton.
My brows narrowed into slits as I look at her. Bliss is not like this. But still I can't believe that Paxton's appeal captivates her.
"What's the consequences?" tanong ko muli.
"If we win, isasama ko 'yang kasama mo pati siya." turo niya kay Paxton at Kiyan na parehong bored ang expression.
"And you'll also give us the Mistress."
"And if we win?"
She grinned, "That's not gonna happen."
She's completely mad.
Mapanghamon ko rin siyang nginitian, "We'll see."
She faced the rest of the specials that were here, "No one will intervene the match or we will burn this academy down together with our hostage."
An image suddenly flashed revealing a girl sleeping soundly in a cell. Pero halos mapuno ng galit ang katawan ko when I saw who they held captive.
Si Cein.
"Why are you doing this?" I asked her.
"Para masiguradong walang makikialam. One wrong move and she's finished."
I know she's my bestfriend pero ang layo ng ugali niya sa Bliss na kilala ko. Damn you demons, what have you done to her?!
"Bring it. I'm gonna let you experience real hell." Even though you're my bestfriend.
I can see their surprised faces when they saw me surrounded by a dark glow. My gown slowly changed into a full comfortable armor suitable for battle.
This will be my first battle as a Mistress. At di ko inaakalang sa bestfriend ko pa.
👑👑 👑