A Shade of Midnight

TWO

The damage was bigger than I expected. Nilibot namin ang buong syudad and the sight of the damaged buildings and establishments pierced something in me that I tried not to wince. I couldn't see any emotion in Raven's eyes but I could tell enough from his clenched fists.

Naglalakad kami dating magrang daan na kinamamanghaan ko pa noon. Ngunit imbes na magandang bulaklak mula sa mga puno at ang kulay ng niyebe ay iba ang nakita namin. 

It was all a wreck. Iyon lang ang masasabi ko. 

Mel reported the incident just a few hours ago. Liberia is quite far from here which means whoever attacked this city is still in the city. And Raven Lancel is determined to find them. 

No enemy gets out of this territory alive. 

Varsis has been considered the scariest place in all of Sandovia. People have thought about it as a place where all kinds of terrors existed. Whatever the enemy was thinking, they clearly haven't given much thought about it before attacking this whole city. 

I sat down in front of a store where I could see a violin. Putol ang mga strings nito and I couldn't find the bow. I looked around ngunit wala akong makita. I remembered that time I saw a musician in the market, playing that peaceful song I heard that night I was all alone and suffering in a dungeon. And when I heard it on the streets that night, I knew right away it was Raven. He made me hear that music because he couldn't do anything to ease my pain. At least, for a brief moment, I was able to imagine a paradise because of that music. At least, even though it was just an imagination, I was able to have that kind of feeling for a brief moment of time. 

And I was thankful for it. I was thankful to him even until now. I let out a small smile as I touched the damaged violin. I looked at the distance where Raven was standing, looking at the restaurant where we used to eat some nights when Al was too lazy to cook. The owner of the restaurant couldn't be found anywhere. Perhaps she evacuated already. 

In fact, wala nang tao ang natira doon. Mel was able to warn them and relocate them before the attack happened. 

Raven was talking to someone n an earpiece. It was Bryen. 

"No casualties. Just minor injuries. Aside from that, nothing else," I heard Bryen reported dahil may earpiece rin ako. 

At nakahinga ako nang maluwag nang marinig iyon. At least no one got seriously hurt. And then I looked at Raven who was also looking at me and I knew right away what he was thinking.

"Are you sure you want to see this?" he asked one more time at mas lalo akong naging desidong sumama. No more hiding, no more pretending. 

"I've seen you as a High Lord. I don't care if you're going to act as a High Lord again today. I want to see it. I want to see the people who dared hurt your city. I want to see, Raven," I said and met his eyes. I could have sworn something passed his eyes. He then walked closer towards me. 

Bago pa man ako makapagsalita, naramdaman ko ang dalawang kamay niya sa mga balikat ko and he stared into my eyes. And I know what he wanted to say. So I nodded. 

And as if on cue, something exploded somewhere and we already know what it was. We didn't think twice and went to where the explosion was. 

Masakit tingnan ang mga damage na nadaanan namin but I don't have time to dwell and be sad about it. It already happened at sisiguraduhin kong magababayad ang sino mang may gawa nito. 

Raven's pace was calm. As if he was just strolling in the park. Alam niyang wala nang matatakasan ang kung sino mang mapangangahas na nagsimula ng lahat ng ito. Bryen and Azrael are already in the ports and other soldiers were already stationed n some strategic locations. Should anyone dares to escape, they will be spotted. So the probability of them hiding in one of the buildings is high. 

Napatingin ako kay Raven. Kahit na tahimik siya'y ramdam ko ang galit niya. It reminded me of that time when he came inside Maxim's manor while we were having our meal. And he left there unscathed. The sentries couldn't even do anything. Because they know the consequences of going against the strongest High Lord of Sandovia. 

Nang makarating kami sa harap ng gusali, umuusok pa ito. And it was close to collapsing. But not yet. 

"It would be a shame to let these fuckers die inside a collapsing building, wouldn't it?" Raven said more to himself than to me. 

He glanced at me over his shoulders as he said, "It would get really messy. I hope you're ready for this." 

Tanging tango lang ang isinagot ko. I came here to see. I came here because I, too, am a member of his Court. And he must have seen the determination in my eyes as he didn't say another word and the next thing I know, he handed me a gun. 

"A warrior doesn't go to a battle without a weapon," he said. At nang tanggapin ko iyon ay saka niya ikinasa ang kanyang baril. From a distance, kita ko sina Bry at Az na naglalakad papunta sa direksyon namin. And when they reached us, Bry whistled at the sight of me with a  gun. 

"Looking badass as ever, Delta," he said and grinned. I did the same and c****d the gun too like how Bryen taught me before. 

Meanwhile, Az went straight to Raven to report the status of the soldiers stationed in the ports and other possible escape routes. 

"They won't be able to get away. Let's capture them and I will be in charge of getting information out of their mouths," Azrael said. His voice was calm and yet vicious. And I know he won't be taking information from the enemies' mouths that easily. I know because Azrael is Raven's spymaster and he specializes in torture. I keep reminding myself not to cross his bad side. 

Then Bryen went to stand next to me and Azrael next to Raven as we watched the building. Konti nalang at magcocollapse na ito. 

"Big chance they're out of ammo but we can't be too sure," Bryen said and took out a grenade. He tossed it over his palms before he pulled the pin and tossed it into the building.

No mercy. They show no mercy to whoever who crosses them. No wonder amny feared them. 

And I watched the building explode and slowly collapse. It was then that we saw several men trying to get out of the building, coughing from the smoke, some are already injured. Lumabas silang lahat sa pinagtataguan nila without realizing the people waiting for them outside. 

No mercy. It was then that I saw how merciless they can be as we watched the men, the same men who destroyed Raven's city, crawl out of the building. 

Bryen and Az's weapons were already pointed towards the men. There were about ten or more of them and I can't help but feel the rage to think that it only took ten men to destroy the city that was built for years. It only took them several hours to destroy the city? 

"My soldiers were out, my comrades were absent and my presence wasn't here too," Raven started. Most of the soldiers were stationed in the mountains as they were preparing for the looming threat. 

"And you dared enter my city?" Raven walked closer towards them who were looking at Raven with genuine fear in their eyes. 

"It wouldn't take only ten of you to destroy almost half of this place." Raven looked at Az and the latter nodded. 

"I found another ten dead bodies just near the house. It seemed like they planned to infiltrate it too." 

Raven slowly looked at the man. They're scared. I know the look in their eyes. I know because I once had that look before. 

"Raven," I called and he looked at me. His face was cold. Very High lord-like. A mask he wears in front of the enemy. But I know it pains him. I know it did. So I nodded and he did too. Because we both know these people were just puppets of the King of Liberia.

"Take them to the chambers," Raven said before he walked away, dropping his gun on the ground. 

And all I could do was stare at his back.

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