SCIAS OF THE UNDERWORLD

NINETEEN

She went home that night feeling out of herself. Sino ba namang hindi magugulat sa mga nasaksihan niya ngayong gabi? A man whom she thought was drunk just attacked her and attempted to kill her. And Scias—the so-called god of the underworld lifted the man effortlessly as if he was just a stick. And he controlled his mind to do what he needs him to do. Whatever that was, it wasn't normal. Scias is not normal. She already knows about that but it's still shocking to see it first-hand. 

A curse. Scias was cursed. And she's the only one who could break it. Hindi niya mapigilang sisihin ang mga ninuno niya. Juno said it all started with them.

"Mga desisyon niyo sa buhay iba ang nagdurusa," pabulong niyang sabi habang naglalakad pauwi. Nang makarating siya sa address na itinext ni Juno sa kanya, agad siyang nagpunta sa magarang gusali na naroon. Hindi niya mapigilang mamangha. Gaano ba kayaman itong pinsan niya?

The moment she entered the building, agad niyang hinanap ang room number. Juno opened the door for her at malaki ang ngisi nitong bumungad sa kanya. Ngunit nang makita ito ang mukha niya ay nawala ang ngiti nito. Then his eyes went to her neck kung saan nag-iwan ng marka ang kamay ng lalake kanina.

"What happened?' tanong ng pinsan.

She sighed and entered the room. "Got almost killed—once again—by a complete stranger. Scias came and saved me because he heard me screaming. And he lifted the man as if he was nothing and told him to forget everything and to just go home." She slumped on the sofa and closed her eyes. Then she gestured her hand around. "This apartment is very nice, by the way. You have a nice taste." Gusto na niyang matulog at magpahinga. What happened today has been very mentally draining. 

Naramdaman niyang umupo si Juno sa tabi niya. "Scias did that?"

She nodded. "He did. And what I can't accept is the fact that I am starting to believe him. I shouldn't be believing him but after what I saw today, I can't turn a blind eye anymore. I guess I'll have to accept this curse thing and my contribution to it."

She heard Juno sigh. "Masakit ba?" tanong nito sa kanya.

Napahawak siya sa leeg niya pagkatapos ay sinamaan ng tingin si Juno. "Subukan nga kitang sakalin tapos sabihin mo sa 'kin anong mararamdaman mo."

Napakamot naman si Juno sa batok niya. "Nagtatanong lang eh." Tumayo ito at itinuro and silid sa kanan. "Your room is over there. Baka kailangan mo nang iayos iyon. I already placed all your things inside."

Tumayo siya and tapped her cousin's shoulder before she sauntered towards her bedroom. Napabuntong-hininga siya habang nakatingin sa lahat ng gamit niya na naroon. If she's going to organize them all, aabutin siya ng umaga. If she leaves it there, hindi naman siya nakakatulog kung hahayaan niya lang ang kalat doon. So she chose the former. And besides, it was a good way to take her mind off things for a moment. She's had enough. She needs a break. Maybe if she could just take a moment and think about it, perhaps it will clear her mind.

Ngunit sumapit ang alas kwatro ng umaga ay hindi pa rin maalis sa isip niya ang nangyari sa kanya sa restaurant. Her fear was still there, waiting to be entertained.

She sat on her bed and sighed. Tapos na siya sa ginagawa niya. Her mind wandered somewhere at hindi niya namalayang nakatuog na pala siya.

And the moment she was sleeping deep enough to dream, she's again seeing the very same dream she's had for the past few days. She was in the woods, finding her way. The trees don't seem to give her the way. They were closing in, refusing to let her out.

She looked around finding the source of the eerie whispers. She swallowed hard when all she could see was darkness. She could hear the rustling of the leaves as the wind blew harsher. As much as she wanted to run, she knows she couldn't. And no matter how far she'll go, she knows the whispers are going to follow her anyway. The way is not to run but to face it head-on. Whatever it is that's waiting to hunt her in the dark, she will face it.

"I am not scared of you," she said at nagpalinga-linga sa paligid. Somehow, hearing her voice gave her comfort. "Whatever it is that you are doing to me, I am not backing down." She continued to roam her eyes around hanggang sa may lumabas na isang babae mula sa kadiliman.

She squinted her eyes to see who it was ngunit hindi niya ito makilala. The moment the girl stepped into the light, saka niya nakita ang kabuuan nito. Punit ang suot na damit. Marami rin itong galos at sugat sa balat. Her hair was disheveled and her face was familiar. She swore she had seen this girl somewhere. And when she racked her brain, she remembered she was the same girl she saw on her first dream. It was the one kneeling in front of something. Hindi niya maalala iyon.

"Sino ka?" tanong niya sa babae ngunit nanatili lang itong nakatingin sa kanya.

"Anong kailangan mo?" tanong niya ulit. The girl opened her mouth ngunit walang lumabas na mga salita sa bibig nito. She raised her hand and tried to reach her but she took a step back. Ngunit sa gulat niya ay biglang nasa harapan na niya ang babae and when it was about to reach for her neck she screamed.

"Ally!" rinig niyang boses ng pinsan niya. Nagising siyang humihingal at pawis na pawis. Juno was sitting on the side of her bed at nag-aalalang nakatingin sa kanya.

"Narinig kitang sumisigaw kaya pumasok ako. You were having a nightmare. Is it one of those again?" mahinahong tanong ni Juno. As if asking her about it would make her tremble in fear. It was scary as hell but not enough for her to back down.

Tumango siya sa pinsan. "Yes, it was that dream again. Only this time someone from that dream is also trying to hurt me," she said. Her voice was trembling more than she thought.

Narinig niyang napabuntong-hininga ang pinsan. "Your boss called your phone. She said you should take a rest for today. May gagawin ka ba ngayon maliban sa trabaho mo? I can accompany you."

She appreciates her cousin's concern. Alam niyang pinoprotektahan lang siya nito sa kung ano mang panganib. She shook her head. "I'm going to buy things. School is coming. And it's fine. You don't need to accompany me—"

"Sasama ako. I have to prepare too, you know. Baka nakalimutan mong nagtransfer ako sa paaralan mo."

Napapikit siya nang mariin. Nakalimutan niya iyon. Hindi niya alam kung magiging payapa ang buhay niya knowing that Juno is around. Habulin ito ng babae. Noon pa man, marami na siyang nakaaway dahil sa rasong malapit siya kay Juno. As much as she wanted to tell them that she wants to get away from him as much as possible, hindi niya na ginawa. She figured it would be a waste of breath. And she has learned to not give a f**k. Bahala sila kung ano man ang isipin nila.

"Fine," she grunted and stood. Alas otso na ng umaga and she doesn't feel like going back to sleep kahit inaantok pa siya. Not after another attempt to kill her in her own dream. So she took a shower setting the water to very cold.

***

"You do realize that they are staring at you so stop smiling like an idiot," suway niya sa pinsan na naglalakad katabi niya. Gustong-gusto na niyang umuwi but the thing is, they just got there. And they haven't bought anything yet. Gusto na niyang umuwi because Juno has been entertaining anyone who gets close to them and flirts with him. It wasn't new to her. What isn't new to her is Juno flirting back. He's usually quiet and would not mind girls flirting with him. But for some reason today, he's in the mood to flirt back. Well, she's been away for years. Everything changed. Including Juno.

She groaned inwardly thinking that it would be a long day.

"What's wrong with a little smile?" depensa naman nito. She rolled her eyes.

"Mabuti pa, maghiwalay muna tayo. Doon ka, dito ako," utos niya rito. Ngumisi lang ang pinsan saka naglakad papunta sa kung book station. The moment Juno was far from her, saka siya nakahinga nang maluwag.

"Your cousin is a darling."

She jumped on her feet nang may biglang magsalita sa likuran niya. Nang lumingon siya sa kung sino ito, hindi na siya nagtaka nang makita si Scias na nakatayo sa likuran niya.

"What on earth are you doing here?" she hissed at him.

But Scias ran his hand to the books in front of him and clicked his tongue before he looked at her. "Believe me, dear, I didn't want to be here either. But because something valuable to me is stolen, I have no choice."

"How many times do I have to tell you na wala sa akin—"

"Oh yes, I believe you," saad nito. "But you're going to help me find it whether you like it or not."

She scoffed at naalala na naman niya ang ginawa nito kagabi sa lalakeng nagtangkang pumatay sa kanya.

"What use are those threats if you can just compel me to do whatever the hell it is that you like? Why don't you compel me?"

Scias looked at her and walked towards her. Nang makalapit na ito nang husto, she stepped back but a shelf was on her back that she can't get away further.

"As much as I want you to do my bidding, for some reason, I can't." Nanliit ang mga mata nitong nakatining sa kanya. "I can't even use my powers when you are around. You make me vulnerable. And that isn't good. But I have no choice but to stick close to you so I can find what I am looking for. And you have no choice either." He leaned back and grinned in her direction.

"So tell me, what are you doing here?" he asked as his mood completely changed.

"School stuff," she answered curtly. Scias just raised his brows and nodded.

She was about to pick a book nang pigilan siya ng lalake. "Were you attacked by anything after what happened last night?" tanong nito.

She shook her head. "No. And what you did last night...thank you."

"I must have hit my head or did I just hear you say thank you?"

She rolled her eyes. "If you have nothing else to say, leave me alone please."

Akmang aalis na siya doon nang harangin siya ng lalake. "You see, that might be hard."

She gave him a hard look.

"Those monsters will haunt you for as long as you live," he said and the mere mention of monsters gave her goosebumps. "They will stop when you are dead and we both know it," he grabbed her hand that made her stop walking, "you don't want to end up dead. Certainly not in the hands of those monsters. And for that, you will need my help." He tapped her shoulder dahilan para mapatingin siya doon. Ngumisi sa gawi niya ang lalake and she couldn't help but wonder what's true—her grandma's stories or the real thing in front of her.

Her grandma told her numerous stories about Scias and she said that he's monstrous, something that one couldn't even bear to look at. Ngunit sa nakikita niya ngayon, malayong-malayo ito sa sinasabi ng lola niya noon. Ang lalakeng nasa harap niya ngayon na nagpakilala bilang si Scias ay kasalungat ng mga sinabi ng lola niya. Mischief is in his eyes. And his grin—there's no other perfect description aside from being devilish. She figured it fits his image. He was, after all, associated with every evil. At hindi niya mapigilang mangamba kung tama ba ang desisyon niyang hayaan ang lalakeng protektahan siya. He could plot her death for all she knows but then he needs her. That's the only assurance she has that Scias won't kill her.

"And in exchange you want my help to lift your curse?" tanong niya. Tumango naman ito nang paulit-ulit sa kanya. And his grin got wider na para bang he was planning this all along and she walked right into his trap.

"I can see the doubt in your eyes, Alaska," saad nito at naglakad palapit. Hindi siya nakagalaw nang hawiin nito ang buhok niya. She swallowed hard met his eyes.

"You see, you're facing two evils as of the moment. Wouldn't it be wise for you to have one of them on your side? I am the actual lord of the underworld, darling. I can annihilate your enemies. You need my help. Let me protect you. And in exchange, you will help me."

"Is this what they call a deal with the devil?"

Ngunit imbes na sagutin siya nito ay nagkibit-balikat lang ang lalake saka ngumisi sa kanyang gawi. "If that's what you call it, then let's go with that." He winked at her and she just rolled her eyes and continued walking. Since she can't seem to make him shut up, she figured he will shut up when she agrees with the deal. Ngunit doon siya nagkakamali. Dahil habang naglalakad siya ay sumusunod pa rin ito sa kanya.

Hinarap niya ito. "I thought we're done here?"

"As I said, monsters will attack any moment, everywhere. So it's only wise that I follow you around. I can't have you dying. You still have a duty to uphold." Tinapik nito ang balikat saka naunang maglakad.

"A duty to uphold--?" Hindi makapaniwalang nakatingin siya sa lalake na naglalakad sa unahan niya. She would never understand the audacity he has knowing that he needs her more than she does. Napailing nalang siya and tried walking in a different direction hoping to lose him ngunit doo siya nagkakamali. Dahil hanggang sa matapos sila ni Juno sa pamimili ng mga gamit ay nakasunod pa rin ito sa kanya.

"I mean, I guess it's an honor. Imagine, the god of the underworld himself is acting as our bodyguard," Juno whispered. Ngunit bago pa man siya makapagsalita ay nasa likuran na nila agad si Scias.

"Of course it is an honor. I have never done this in my life as an immortal. You should be honored." He tapped her shoulder again and stormed off to a safe distance. Hindi makapaniwalang nakatingin ang siya dito while she heard her cousin laughing as if having fun with her dilemma.

Even as they were already walking home, nakabuntot pa rin ito sa kanilang dalawa. Hindi na niya natiis at hinarap niya ito. "Don't you have anything better to do? I mean, surely the monsters would take a break, right? After all, they fear you. And besides, Juno is here to protect me, kung iyon ang ikinababahala mo."

Scias walked closer to them. "As much as I wanted to leave, I can't. Monsters don't take a break, I'm sorry to break it to you. Although I am sure your dear cousin is fairly capable I would rather have your safety on my hands."

"Just to remind you, sir or lord, or whatever should you like to be addressed, you clearly told me you are vulnerable when I am around. How are you going to protect me with that?"

She heard Juno whistled and mumbled something she couldn't comprehend.

"Not completely vulnerable. I think you've already seen last night what I am capable of."

Natahimik siya. Gusto niyang sumagot sa lalake ngunit napagtanto niyang nasa harapan na sila ng apartment nila. She turned to see her cousin walking ahead towards the building.

And when she turned to see where Scias was standing, wala na ito doon. She figures she should start getting used to it. After all, the man—or the devil himself— announced that he would be sticking around her until the curse is lifted.

And she dreaded the fact that he might linger around longer than she expected.

* * *