Myth Series 1: Twin Flames Of The Phoenix

Chapter 4

Third P.O.V

The sisters went their separate ways. Val never stopped running away from those who were chasing her. While Devi continues to put up with the humiliation of her by the family members of their deceased adopted father.

"Hindi na nga nagbibigay ang kapatid mo sa pang-gastos sayo wala ka pang silbi" sigaw ng tiyahin ni Devi. Hindi na niya mabilang kung ilang beses na siyang nasigawan ngayong araw... nagtitimppi lamang siya pagkat wala na siyang ibang mapupuntahan.

"Ate Val, nasaan ka na? Get me out of this hell" Devi thought.

"Sorry, Auntie. Papalitan ko na lang po ang mga nabasak ko kapag bumalik na si Ate" ani Dev.

"Bakit hindi ka na lang umalis? Bakit bumalik pa kayo sa mga buhay namin ha? mga malas kayo, pinatay niyo na nga ang kapatid ko, ang kapal pa ng mukha ninyo na magpakita pa sa amin!!!" sigaw sa kaniya ng kapatid ng tatay-tatayan nila.

"Auntie? Please don't do this to me?! Okay naman tayo noon? bakit kailangan mo ako ganitohin ngayon? We work so hard to gain your trust, kahit na wala na si Papa?! Nagpakatulong ang ate ko para sa inyo, ng sagayon makabayad kami kahit papaano! Wala kaming sinabi kapag sinasktan niyo kami! kapag kinukulong niyo kami ng walang dahilan! Alam niyo kung bakit? dahil ibinilin ni Papa bago siya mawala na huwag ka namin iwan mag-isa! so why are you so cruel to us? wala naman kaming kasalanan!, we didn't want him to die!... dahil noong oras na wala na kaming pag-asa na mabuhay ni Ate, Papa let out his hand for us!!."

"Ang kapal ng mukha mong sumagot-sagot! hindi kita pinapakain dito para bastusin ako!! GET OUT!! Iwan mo na kami!! bumalik ka na sa kapatid mo! hindi ko kaya na makita ang pagmumukha mo araw-araw! kaya pakiusap, umalis na kayo sa buhay naming lahat! bago pa kami mahawahan sa kamalasan ninyong dala!." may pait na sambit ng Auntie ni Devi.

Devi can't blame her for being mad at them! Napakasakit na mawalan ng pamilya... ng kapatid. Alam na alam niya iyon pagkat ganoon ang nangyare sa buo niyang pamilya.

Sabay sabay na nawala sa kaniya ang lahat. Tinuldukan ang karapatan niyang maging masaya bilang isang batang musmos.

Maaga siyang namulat dahil sa kalupitan ng mundo sa kaniya at sa kaniyang kapatid. Kaya hanggat maaari, hindi niya nais na sukuan ang nakakatanda niyang kapatid pagkat ang isa't-isa na lamang ang natitira sa kanilang dalawa.

Gaano man kahirap para sa kaniya, patuloy niyang hinahawakan ng mahigpit ang kaniyang Ate upang hindi ito tuluyang mawala sa tamang landas na tinatahak.

"Auntie!! please, wag mo akong paalisin! Kailangan na kailangan ko ng matutuluyan ngayon! h-hindi pa kami pwedeng magsama ni Ate Val! pakiusap, nagmamakaawa ako" biglang lumuhod si Devi sa harap ng kaniyang auntie at tuluyang nagpakumbaba. Hindi siya maaaring mapa-alis... hindi ngayon.

Ang galit na nararamdaman ni Matilda ay hindi maiibsan dahil lang sa pagmamakaawa ni Devi. Ang sakit na nararamdaman niya at sa pangungulila niya sa kaniyang kapatid ay hindi ganoon kadaling mawala. Katulad ng magkapatid na sina Val at Devi, ang kapatid ang nagsilbing magulang niya, kaya hindi ganoon kadali kay matilda na tanggapin si Devi at ang kapatid nitong pinaghihinalaan niya na may kasalanan kung bakit namatay ang kaniyang kapatid.

"Kung alam ko lang!! pinigilan ko na ang kapatid ko na ampunin kayong dalawa!!" sigaw ni Matilda at hindi mapigilan ang pagkawala ng luha mula sa kaniyang mga mata.

Devi couldn't answer anymore, she knew that her aunt was having a hard time, and it was their fault, if they didn't come into their lives, maybe their father would still be alive.

Devi was shocked when suddenly someone grabbed her hair. And she was pulled so rudely that she cry out in pain. "Tito?! Bitawan mo ako!!."

"Huwag ang asawa ko!!" Sigaw nito.

Her uncle was the most cruel one, she really couldn't stand him in that house. One time he almost raped her, but she couldn't tell to anyone because who would believe her inside that house?! In the end, she'll be the only one who comes off as bad.

"Tito!!" Devi shouted but he didn't listen to her. He continued to pull her hair until he locked her in the cabinet. "Tito?! Auntie!! Get me out of here!!"Devi begged but no one listened to her plea. Devi was almost catching her breath, "U-uncle!" she whispered.

Suddenly Devi's vision became blurred, and some kind of imagination appeared in her mind. She didn't know if she was just delusional, but it was happening too often. She was seeing images, memories that seemed to be hers, but they couldn't possibly be hers. Because those memories seem to have happened a long time ago... about a thousand years ago.

Val's P.O.V

I have nowhere else to go, I almost wander around even though I know the road is more dangerous. But I had no other choice. I have to be tough, and almost numb to the danger I could face at any moment.

I need to be strong to get home safely to Devi because I promised her that I would come back and get her out of that hellish house.

"Val? Anong ginagawa mo dito?."

"Let me in, again" sambit ko ng walang pag-aalinlangan. Alam kong delikadong trabaho ang papasukin ko, ngunit wala akong ibang pupuntahan.

"You can get in trouble, you know that, do you still want this job?" ani Jae.

Jae was with us at the orphanage when Devi and I were orphaned. Due to the hardships of life, he was forced to leave the orphanage and take his own path that he wanted to take. Until he got this job, a dangerous job, which could cost his life and safety.

When I first came here, I immediately left fearing that I might not be able to return home to Devi alive.

Our job is to hunt criminal people. The rich people pay us a lot of money, as long as we can bring them the people they want.

Hindi sila mapili, regardless of age or gender. As long as you are committed to work, you will work quietly, and without asking any questions. Tatanggapin ka nila ng walang pag-aalinlangan.

I don't feel bad about this job, I know that we are hunting bad people. The only difficult thing is how can we deal with that evil.

But I don't know what to call myself? Am I like them? Because I kill for my life?... Even though they are human monsters, they are still born human. Sa batas ng tao, mali pa din ang ginawa ko.

"Val? Kakayanin mo ba ulit? Hindi ka ba tatakbo ulit palayo?" Tanong ni Jae.

"I won't, I need a job. Kailangan ko ng pera. At isa pa, may hinahanap akong tao, I know you could help me— I must find him as soon as possible— If not, I'll be dead."

"Wag mong sabihin na siya pa din? You don't even know what exactly you're looking for?! How can we find him?" ani Jae.

"Hindi ko alam!" Hindi ko sinasadyang magtaas ng boses, dahil maski ako hindi ko na alam ang gagawin ko. Hindi ko alam ang pangalan niya, hindi ko alam kung anong itsura niya o kung ano eksakto ang pagkatao niya!! Hindi ko nga alam kung tao siya o hindi! Basta ang naaalala ko, Ava said I must find the Phoenix so I can live safely.

Wala akong alam na kahit na ano tungkol sa kaniya, ngunit alam ko— na mararamdaman ko kapag nahanap ko na siya.

"Alright, sumama ka sa akin ngayon gabi. May bagong misyon na binigay, malaking pera ang makukuha natin dito kaya hindi tayo pwedeng pumalpak" ani Jae kaya naman agad akong sumunod sa kaniya sa HQ para mag prepare ng mga kakailanganin namin.

Kailangan namin ng armas para sa trabahong ito.

It was past midnight when Jae arrived at our meeting place. We both wore black clothes so that we could move freely in the dark.

"Abril Fernandez, 35, murderer of the mayor's daughter. Siya ang target natin ngayong gabi— The mayor doesn't care if we bring him alive or dead, let's go! we must bring him his head" ani Jae kaya wala akong angal na sumunod sa kaniya— kahit na pangamba ang bumabalot sa aking katawan ngayon.

Abril Fernandez was first on the wanted list!— he is just not a simple murderer but a serial killer. Iisa lamang ang maaaring kalabasan ng gabing ito— kung madadala namin ang ulo niya sa mayor o masasama kami sa listahan ng mga nabiktima niya.

"Okay ka lang? Kakayanin mo ba?" Biglang tanong ni Jae, napansin niya siguro ng hindi mapinta kong mukha.

"Kailangan!" Madiin kong sagot saka kinasa ang hawak kong baril.

"Be alert, baka nasa paligid na natin siya ng hindi natin namamalayan" paalala sa akin ni Jae.

Malalim akong bumuntong hininga bago ko isinuot ang mask ko. Mabigat ang mga ulap sa langit, kaya ngayong gabi kami kumilos, pagkat nambibiktima lamang ito sa tuwing basa ang paligid— tunay na napakawirdo nito kung iisipin ngunit walang sino man ang makapagsabi kung bakit sa tuwing umuulan— siguradong may mamamatay.

"Val, if you need me, tawagin mo lang ako. Nasa kabilang linya lang ako" paalala ni Jae at agad na sinuod sa akin ang wireless earphone.

"Got it!" sagot ko. Kailangan namin maghiwalay upang agad naming mahanap ang target.

Nang tuluyan kaming maghiwalay ng direksyon ni Jae at biglang bumuhos ang napakalakas na ulan.

I wandered around for almost 30 minutes, entering every alleyway I could pass. When I suddenly heard the rustling of steel as if it was being dragged, what surprised me was that I didn't hear any footsteps.

The person whose footsteps are silent, they are the most dangerous people.

Napahinto ako sa paglalakad ng biglang manginig ang kamay ko "H-hindi m-maaari!! Our opponent cannot be a human monster?!" I thought.

Mahigpit kong hinawakan ang hawak kong baril kahit pa mas lalong nanginginig ang aking mga kamay, tanda na malapit lamang ito sa akin. "Lumabas ka kung sino ka man!!" sigaw ko.

"Val!!! Are you okay!!" Rinig ko sa kabilang linya ngunit hindi ko na magawang sumagot ng biglang lumabas si Abril mula sa dilim.

May hawak hawak itong baseball bat na puno ng dugo. Tila yata nahuli kami ng dating pagkat may nabiktima na ito.

Bigla itong pumikit na animoy may nilalanghap "The smell of your soul!" Malalim na boses niyang sambit "It feels so strange! The moment I sensed you, my body wants to break every single bone you have!!."

"That's not gonna happen!" May tapang kong sambit.

He laughed so evilly "I wanted to kill you!! I don't know why! But I want you dead!."

Biglang pumasok sa utak ko ang nabasa kong mythical creature na may kinalaman sa tubig. "Vodyanoy?!" I uttered.

"How did you know me?!" Balik niyang tanong.

Tama nga ang hinala ko, he is Vodyanoy, the water spirit.

Vodyanoy is said to be relatively calm, but dangerous. Despite his wrinkled skin appearance and peaceful demeanor... Vodyanoy can be quite destructive.

In Slavic lore, if anyone angered the sea creatures, the Vodyanoy would destroy every man-made structure near the body of water it resided in... or worst drown humans and drag his victims down to his underwater home where they would be enslaved for eternity.

"Who wouldn't know, someone like you who was a plague at your age" may tabang kong sagot.

"I became human despite my evil obsession!" Biglang siyang humalakhak na may halong pang-iinsulto. "Kaya sa buhay na ito, lulubusin ko na. Pumapatay ako tuwing umuulan dahil mas malakas ang amoy ng dugo ng aking nagiging biktima. So now, I want to smell your blood so badly!!."

Napaatras ako ng bahagya ng sabihin niya iyon!— Ang dugo ko ang kahinaan ko. Just a small scratch can summon a demon or monster wherever my blood scent reaches.