SCIAS OF THE UNDERWORLD

TWELVE

He let his glory shine. Sa isip niya'y nararapat lang iyon. His presence is divine. Siya si Scias. They call him when they want something that his sister or his brother couldn't give. He grants their wishes, their forbidden desires. And he delights in it. He delights in suffering. That's why if a human asks for his help despite knowing the consequences he gives it to them. Who is he to refuse? After all, he doesn't care what's good for humanity and what's not. That's his sister's job. Not his.

He held his head high as he watched the people pass by and they were looking at him.

"Look at them, Az. Look at them worship me from the corners of their eyes. It's a pity that they couldn't worship me openly as my sister would punish them. A pity, indeed."

"No. I think they're wondering who these two weirdos are standing in the middle of the road."

As if on cue, a horn sounded behind them. They didn't flinch but it sure annoyed the hell out of them. The driver got his head out of the vehicle.

"What the f**k are you two doing? Magpapakamatay ba kayo? Anong tinatayo-tayo niyo diyan?" the driver screamed but Scias just watched him. The puny human doesn't have any idea who he's screaming profanities at. He already imagined how he would cut his fingers one by one once they see each other in the underworld.

"We apologize," Az bowed and dragged him out of the road.

"If I find that human wishing for the lottery's winning number, I am going to curse three generations of his family," he said and eyed the car that drove away.

"You are not in the position to curse somebody now. You are also cursed, in case you have forgotten. Your heart is missing and you might die any moment." Az walked ahead. He clicked his tongue.

"You are such a bore, Az." He walked beside his loyal servant and strolled on the pathway that leads to some sort of a park.

"If only you gave me another job other than babysit your cat and your dog, I would have entertained you with so many things, my lord."

"You are using those honorifics and they sound so insincere."

"You're imagining things, my lord. I would never dare make fun of your title."

Before he could even say another word, he heard giggles from behind them. He turned to see but Az kept on walking.

"Kuya, putukan mo ako. Pambirthday ko lang," saad ng isang babae.

"O pwede naman kaming dalawa, kuya," saad naman ng isa.

His eyebrows rose and he could feel Az's raging aura from the distance. Then a smirk formed on his lips as he eyed the girls from head to toe. They're pretty and wild. He has encountered several mortals—women—who are in this kind of job but he never got the chance to be at the receiving end of their flirty comments. In this case, their bold comments. He straightened his coat and walked towards them.

"Well, hello there cherries," he said in an equally flirtatious voice. The girls giggled at pinisil ang kanyang braso. Suminghap ang isa as her hands traveled across his broad chest and down to his stomach.

"Punta tayo motel kuya. May pambayad ka ba?" tanong ng isa.

He internally switched his language before he said, "Ako pa ba?" He then gestured to what he was wearing before he winked at the girls. He wrapped his hands on the two girls' waist and was about to walk when Az stood in front of them. He has his usual bored expression but as he eyed the two girls, nag-iba ang tingin nito. Az is calm. Scary calm. Kaya naman nang tingnan nito ang dalawang babae ay nanigas ang mga ito.

"Don't look at them with such cold eyes, Az," saad niya but Az didn't listen. Instead, he narrowed his eyes towards the two girls and extended his arm na para bang susuntukin ito dahilan para mapabitaw ang mga ito sa braso niya at tumakbo papalayo. Az didn't say anything. He didn't need to. Az is someone who possess the aura of a true guardian of the seven gates of the underworld. Siya ang nagbabantay sa mga demonyo na nasasakupan niya. He is also in charge of keeping them at bay and disciplining them. Kaya naman hindi niya masisisi ang dalawang babae kanina kung labis nalang ang takot ng mga ito sa kanyang alagad.

"I am never going to get a woman if you act like that," reklamo niya ngunit sinamaan lang siya nito ng tingin.

Az opened his palm where there were two diamonds. "I was going to give these to them."

Scias grinned in his direction. "I didn't know you have that generosity in you."

"I just did this so they wouldn't bother you anymore." Tiningnan siya ni Az nang masama. "And besides, you are not here to find a girlfriend, my lord. Or to quench your thirst for physical contact. We are here to find your heart para hindi ka mamamatay. Huwag niyo sanang kalimutan iyon."

"Woah. You can speak the language too?"

"I can do what you can. Except that you're better at it and that I am not cursed like you."

"Namemersonal ka na, Azul."

"I am only capable of saying the truth, my lord."

"Galit ka pa dahil iniwan kita kanina?"

"I would never feel any remorse with such petty acts, my lord."

"Galit ka nga." He sighed and looked around.

"I have no time for that useless feeling, my lord. Kailangan na nating hanapin ang hinahanap mo at makauwi na tayo. What lead do you have?"

"A woman's scent. A woman's scent was in the chamber. If I find the woman, then I will recognize her scent."

Narinig niya ang buntong-hininga ni Az. "And how are we supposed to find one woman in this whole city?"

Scias just smirked and ran his hand through his hair. "Baka nakakalimutan mong nararamdaman ko ang bagay na pagmamay-ari ko kahit gaano pa ito kalayo? Kaya tayo napadpad sa lugar na ito dahil dito ko malakas naramdaman ang bahagi ng aking katawan. Aren't I amazing?"

Hindi sumagot si Azul at nagpalinga-linga lang sa paligid bago ito tumingin ulit sa kanya. "Why not we go over that lady over there." Turo nito sa isang babeng nakaupo sa isang bench habang may bitbit itong stroller.

Scias grimaced. "You know I don't like kids."

"We're not going to talk to the baby. Ang babae ang kakausapin natin."

"Ugh. Fine."

They stood in front of the woman while the latter looked at them questioningly. It was then that the curiosity was replaced with fear kaya agad itong napatayo. Ngunit bago pa man ito makapaglakad at nahawakan ito ni Az sa kamay at pinaupo.

"Si...Sino kayo?" tanong ng babae before she pulled the stroller close to her.

"Answer our questions and we will spare you and your baby's life," Az warned dahilan para mas matakot ang babae hanggang sa mapahikbi ito. And the baby, hearing the mother's cry, cried too.

"Oh for the love of hell," Scias grunted and looked between the baby and the mother before he removed Az's hand from gripping the lady.

"Az, let go of her, and don't forget we're in the mortal realm," he said bago nginitian ang babae ng pagkatamis tamis.

"You might want to stop crying now and shush your baby kasi masakit sa tenga. We are not going to hurt you. We just have a question," he said and glared at Az.

The woman looked at Az then back to him before she swallowed hard. "Sino ba kayo? Pwede ko kayong ireport sa police. This is harassment."

"Focus, Matilda!" Scias yelled dahilan para umiyak ulit ang bata. "Oh bloody hell. Can you please make your tiny human shut up?" Agad namang kinuha ng babae ang bata saka iyon pinatahan.

The woman looked at him. "Paano mo nalaman ang pangalan ko?"

"Doesn't matter. Now tell me this: Do you know this scent?" He blew on the woman's face and the woman closed her eyes as if analyzing the scent he just made her smell.

"Perfume," she said. "It's...this scent is quite familiar. It's...right! My niece uses this cologne."

Nagkatinginan si Scias at si Az. "Your niece? How old is your niece?"

"She's thirteen. But then this cologne is pretty common. A lot of girls use this. A lot of this cologne is being put on sale in the mall. The shop's name is Moore's Fragrance—"

The woman opened his eyes and looked around. Hindi niya alam ang nangyari but she was closing her eyes. Hindi niya lang maalala kung bakit. Then she looked at the baby in her arms who's also looking at her. Hindi niya maalalang kinakausap siya ng dalawang lalake kanina.

"And what will you do once we arrive at this certain shop? Ask the clerk all the customers who bought that cologne?"

"Who says we're going to that shop?" Ngumisi si Scias and with just a flick of his hand, they winnowed and arrived at a particular city. Umber City, as they could see on the signages of the stores.

"And what are we doing here?"

"I smeled the cologne but I also scented a natural scent beneath that," he said at mas tinalasan ang pang-amoy.

"Wow. I didn't know you are pervert, my lord."

Napabuntong-hininga nalang siya. "I wouldn't be here if my heart didn't get stolen in the first place." The city was crowded and unlike the place they were at earlier, this one was so much livelier and brighter.

"You could smell her scent here?" tanong ni Az which he answered with a nod.

Naglakad-lakad sila sa paligid, hanggang sa nakaramdam sila ng gutom. Alas siyete na ng gabi nang magdesisyon silang pumasok sa isang restaurant para kumain. The feeling of hunger was foreign to both of them. They never get hungry and they eat just for the pleasure of it.

Scias groaned. "Being in this mortal body only graces us discomfort and inconvenience."

Azul nodded in agreement.

"But on the bright side, I get to experience to want something because I need it. Not just because for the pleasure of it. It's refreshing."

"It's odd to hear that from you, my lord."

Hindi nalang siya sumagot. When their food arrived, they both dug in and the taste of food exploded in his mouth.

"This tastes better when you're hungry," he commented but Az was silent habang nilalantakan ang nakahaing pagkain.

When they finished their food, Scias was very satisfied. It was rare to have him satisfied like that especially when it comes to food. During the meal, Az couldn't help but gape at how the lord of the underworld dug into the food as if he has been starved for millennia.

Scias is a picky eater. It's rare to satisfy his taste buds. And not just with that, he's also very picky when it comes to his clothes. He is the lord of the underworld. He should be wearing suits that are out of this world. And he couldn't believe himself for finishing a bowl of food served on a shabby plate. That was fine as the food was delicious. What he couldn't stand was the people inside.

"My lord, what if we won't find the woman?" asked Az as they were walking down the road.

"There's no such thing, Azul. We are going to find the owner of that scent and take my heart from her."

"But what if you'll die before you could even find it?"

He stopped walking and gave Azul and incredulous look. Hindi niya mawari kung nang-aasar ba ito o ano dahil napakaseryoso ng mukha nito habang nakatingin sa kanya.

"I didn't give it much thought before but you seem to be so eager to have me dead. Do you actually want me dead, Azul?"

His servant shrugged and said, "I was just stating possibilities."

"I told you there is no such thing—"

Bigla na lamang sumakit ang kanyang dibdib dahilan para huminto siya sa paglalakad at hawakan ang dibdib niya. Hindi niya alam ang ibig sabihin noon. He has never felt pain for several years and he has forgotten how it felt. But what he was feeling at the moment was so blinding that her felt his knees buckled. Before he could even kneel into the ground, Az helped him on his feet.

"My lord!"

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before he felt the pain slowly subsiding. And when the pain was gone, he felt another. This time, it wasn't just him. Azul felt it too.

In an instant, Azul became alert as they watched the surroundings. It was quiet and they couldn't see a single person. Walang katao-tao sa parte na iyon ng syudad but they could feel a very strong presence of something else. Something not human.

As quick as lightning, agad nilang sinundan kung saan galing ang kakaibang pwersang nararamdaman nila. And they were faster than the wind as they winnowed from one palace to another as they tried finding the source of the unknown presence.

At nang maramdaman nila ito ay mabilis pa sa kidlat silang nagtungo kung saan ito eksatong matatagpuan. It was just a wisp of the creature's presence but they felt it immediately—like a carress on their arms. 

They winnowed into a dark alleyway. Napalingon sila sa pinagmulan ng ingay only to find out three Glenrils standing around a woman. The Glenril's smelled like rotten seaweed but despite that, hindi nakatakas sa pang-amoy ni Scias ang amoy ng babae. Katulad na katulad ito sa amoy na naiwang sa kwarto niya. Iyon ang babaeng hinahanap niya!

Without so much as saying a word to Azul, he winnowed next to the woman and eyed the creatures.  Tumingin ang mga ito sa kanya and when he let out an ounce of his power to be felt by them, nakita niyang napaatras ang mga ito. Ngunit may kakaiba siyang naramdaman the moment he was beside her.

"Ah. Finally found you," saad niya at hinawakan ang babae para tulungan itong tumayo. The moment he got closer to her, doon niya naamoy ang babae and confirmed that it was indeed her. It was her scent that lingered in his chamber. It's the woman who stole his heart.

The woman looked at him with scared eyes but then as their eyes met, he could clearly read what was going on in her mind.

What a beautiful man. He could hear her say inside her mind. And as much as he wanted to gloat about it he has more pressing matters to deal with and that is to fight these Glenrils off.

He let out a small smile before he said, "Thank you. That's probably the nicest thing I've heard ever since I arrived. But let's get you out of here first. Close your eyes."

And the woman obliged. But before he and Az could even lift a finger, the Glenrils killed themselves and melted into the ground so they could go back to the ocean to be revived.

* * *