SCIAS OF THE UNDERWORLD

SIXTEEN

Scias never felt so humiliated. He's supposed to be feared. But what that woman did to her was unforgivable. He muttered a silent curse.

"What on earth just happened?" tanong ni Az sa kanya. He only glared at the policeman sitting comfortably. They're behind bars. And it was something that only happened today. Sa tagal niyang namuhay ngayon lang siya nakulong. And it was all because of that damned woman who does not believe him. Napabuga siya ng hangin.

"Hey!" tawag niya sa isang pulis malapit sa kanya. "When are we going out?"

Tiningnan lang siya ng pulis bago ito uminom ng kape. "Bukas na kayo makakalabas diyan."

"Tomorrow?" Napabuga siya ng hangin. For some unknown reasons, hindi niya magamit ang kapangyarihan niya. And it frustrates him even more that he couldn't use it just when he needed it the most. He so badly wants to burst the whole precinct because he's damn mad.

"Sit down, my lord. You're useless, anyway."

Hindi makapaniwalang tiningnan niya si Az. "It's perplexing to hear you say my lord at the beginning and then insult me at the end." He walked to where Az was sitting and sat down there too. Hindi niya pa rin maintindihan kung bakit nawalan siya bigla ng kapangyarihan. Perhaps being a mortal somehow made it like that.

He groaned. "Being a mortal is painfully inconvenient," he said and closed his eyes.

"I agree," saad naman ni Az and they both let out a sigh. Who would have thought that the god of the underworld and the guardian of the seven gates of the underworld would end up in a mortal prison? None. Not even them.

"Maybe that's why mortals don't get an eternity to live. Who would ever have this kind of life? Anytime, you might end up in prison, anytime you can die—"

"Which will happen to you if we don't find your heart quick. I suggest we take your heart and leave the curse as it is. We ended up in prison because we attacked her."

"Did we?" Scias gave Az and incredulous look. "That was something we needed to do to prove that we are the real deal."

"And look where that got us."

"Can you at least try to be positive here, Az?"

"I can't do that, my lord."

Scias groaned in frustration. Agad naman siyang tumayo and the moment he held the bar, nabali ito. The police officers were startled at napatingin sa gawi niya. Napatining din siya sa hawak niyang bakal. Az was quick on his feet and looked at his hand—the same hands that broke the prison cell.

"W...what are you—"

The police officer wasn't able to continue what he was about to say when Scias faced him, his hand gripping tightly on the officer's chin.

"You do not know me and I wasn't here. You needed to change the cells because they're rusty and that is why this it's destroyed," he said and grinned as the police officer slowly nodded, his eyes still in a trance.

Az did the same and when they were both finish hypnotizing the rest of the officers, agad silang lumabas.

Napatingin naman si Az sa kanya. "I thought you lost your power?"

He stared at his hands. Still unable to believe what just happened. "You saw how I couldn't light the fire from earlier, right?" It was strange to feel foreign about the power he possessed from the moment he came into existence. 

Napaisip naman si Az. They were both bothered by it. How his power could turn on and off. Scias lifted his hand and examined it more. As if by doing so could explain their question. "Perhaps in my human form I have a certain time limit as to how long I could use my power?"

Az was silent but only stared at his hands before he said, "I don't think so." Az looked at him. "It's the girl."

His brows furrowed as he looked at him. "That unbeliever?"

Az went on, "The girl makes you vulnerable, my lord."

He stared at Az, waiting for him to say he's just kidding. But for all the years he's known Az, he never kids around. Especially at times like this. So he looked at him and considered the idea.

He looked at Az. "But how?"

"I don't know exactly but perhaps it has something to do with her being the one fated to break your curse. She's strong enough to break it. Perhaps she's also strong enough to turn your power off when she's around. It makes sense to think of it that way."

Scias thought about it and it might be possible. Being the one fated to lift his curse, she might have something in her that can make him powerless in front of her. And when he thinks about it more, the funnier it gets. Hindi niya mapigilang tumawa.

"I can't believe this is happening. I'd have no choice but to stick to that woman and make her believe I am Scias so she'll break my curse but staying with her means I'll be weak. Isn't that wonderful?" sarkastiko niyang tugon.

"Kung binantayan mo lang sana nang maigi ang pinto ng kwartong iyon, you should still have your heart by now. You used to visit it every day before. Kung binisita mo iyon araw-araw, nalaman sana natin agad na nawala na pala."

His brows furrowed as he looked at Az. "You guarded the seven gates and you have the nerve to reprimand me when it was your job in the first place?"

But Az just shrugged. "I was busy, my lord. I couldn't be disturbed. And besides, the gate was built to make it impenetrable from mortals and others who do not belong inside the realm. Your beloved brother and sister are out of the equation since they loathe you so much they couldn't even bear to visit you where you live."

"Are you trying to piss me off, Az?"

Az shrugged. "I was just stating facts, my lord."

"But you're right. The gates are impenetrable by mortals so how did that woman's grandma get in and get it? We have to find it and we have to stick to that woman."

"The last time we did that we ended up in prison."

But Scias just gave Az a grin before he said, "Not this time." He shoved his hands into the pockets of his pants. "We will make sure of that."

"If anything happens, am I allowed to say I don't know you so you'll go to jail alone?"

He rolled his eyes and waved his hand. And the moment he did that, a door appeared in front of them.

"Why are we going back now?"tanong ni Az.

Scias reached for the door handle and looked at his servant. "We have to make some preparations at home first." He opened the door and a dark void was what greeted them.

"Because we might be staying here longer than we planned to."

***

The underworld is certainly not something one would call an ideal place to spend eternity. Not when there are waters that could possibly melt you, surprise attacks from demons being freed for a moment to hunt, and the torturer Azul who takes pleasure in torturing those who deserve it. It was indeed hell. And nobody wants hell. Not even him. But he was placed there for reasons he stopped questioning centuries ago. It was pointless anyway. 

Scias stood in front of a gigantic screen. One swipe of his hand would call his siblings. But for some reason, he couldn't do it. Hindi niya maalis ang sinabi ni Az kanina. His brother and his sister is out of the equation dahil unang-una, they blame him for the death of their mother. Pangalawa, galit ito sa kanya. At pangatlo, they loathe the underworld. That's why when they get to choose which world to rule, they didn't give him much choice and he was the only one left to take the underworld. His father didn't disagree. Kaya sa isip niya'y baka ito nga ang paraan ng ama niya para parusahan siya. And his siblings couldn't possibly come here. He should have been informed. Ngunit wala siyang natanggap. His heart just disappeared into thin air with that girl's scent lingering in his room. 

At ang isa pang ikinababahala niya ay ang mga pag-atake ng mga Glenrils sa babae. Glenrils are Dreylar's minions. And those attacks only mean one thing: Dreylar is also after his heart. Kung among balak gawin ng kapatid niya ay hindi niya alam. But one thing Scias is very certain about is the fact that his brother hates him enough to wish him his death. Kaya hindi na syia nagtaka nang atakihin ng mga Glenril si Alaska. Ngunit alam din niyang wala sa kapatid ang hinahanap niya. Dahil kung nasa kapatid nga niya iyon, he should have died already. But death never came.  

He sighed and turned his back from the screen. The moment he was out, Az was right outside the door, waiting for him.

"Did you make the call, my lord?" tanong nito sa kanya.

"I did not see the need. They don't have it. They would never enter this realm. And have you forgotten that the monitor can sense lies? It was made from my blood. It can sense lies even among the gods. After all, I despise lies."

Tahimik lang si Az na sumusunod sa kanya.

"Did you keep the demons in check?"

"Yes, as you ordered. They will never get out of their cages. And the tormented shall continue to be tormented. They will never leave the seven gates of the underworld."

Scias grinned as he stopped in front of the door. He looked at Az and said, "Now that we have done our preparations, let's go back to the mortal world, shall we?"

And he opened the door before they stepped into the void.

* * *