Vampire's Pathos

Blood 5

Kian Pierce Aerovan

After being called in the classroom, I just followed Kean as he eventually led me to his office. I even waited for him to sit back on his swivel chair before I finally asked.

"What do you want now?" I asked straight to the point and I looked at Kean who plattered his face with the back of his hands, at seryoso niya akong tinignan.

That kind of look never did me any good.

"Kian, watch over Eara."

Nakunot ko yung noo ko sa sinabi ko, at umayos naman kaagad siya ng upo.

Then he explained further.

"It's not like it will do you any bad, kaya gawin mo nalang." Sumama kaagad yung tingin ko kay Kean, and his roguish attitude was back.

What was I expecting? There was no way he can ever get serious over things like this.

"Okay, here's the point of what I was saying. You need to watch over her because all of this happened because they're already after her." Lalong lumalim yung galit ko dahil sa narinig ko sa kanya, and without even questioning it more, I took my sword out of my space at tinutok ko 'yon sa kanya.

"Akala ko ba kayo bahala ni Ada?" I could feel the hostility in my voice, and I closed our distance.

Kean didn't even move an inch from where he was when the tip of my sword was just at his neck. It was like he was really testing my patience.

"We had a plan, pero mukhang naunahan kami." He still had the audacity to smile at me in his situation, at nagsimula akong idiin yung armas ko sa leeg niya.

"The girl investigated the place after the incident, at hindi naman kami pwedeng makita. That girl is actually making things harder for us. Mas mabuti pa sana kung hindi siya nangengealam sa mga problema natin. "

Natahimik nalang ako at napaisip sa mga sinabi niya. The girl was there when I'm investigating something, and I would've killed her if it wasn't for her background.

"You know that it hurts, right?" Naibalik ko kaagad yung atensyon ko kay Kean nung nagsalita siya.

He revealed his jester-like humor and looked at me eye to eye, and I drew my sword out before it actually killed him.

I flicked my sword to my side to remove his blood on it, and Kean held his wounded neck. He even took some of his blood and tasted it.

As always, he's just sick in the head.

"That sword really doesn't let us heal huh?" Nakangiti niyang sinabi habang namamangha sa kamay niyang nababalot ng dugo niya.

I can't believe that he's related to me.

I returned my sword back to my invisible space, and I turned around to leave.

"Fine, I'll take care of it."

I left the room and I returned to the classroom. Bago pa ako makapasok, nakita ko si Ada at yung mga kasama niyang mag imbestiga palabas ng kwartong 'yon.

As soon as Ada met my eyes, she immediately looked away.

Buti naman at alam niyang nagkamali siya.

I continued along the hallway since there was no need to go back to that room when the investigations are done. I was quietly planning what I should do next, but then may nakabangga ako sa harap ng pinto. And I'm not really surprised to see that it was her.

Eara Arella.

"You should start minding your own business." I glared at her, and I saw her cower in fear but she stood her ground.

Huh, she's playing brave now?

"You won't believe what I'll do to you if you get in my way." I continued and she looked at me with such defiance.

This is interesting..

She glanced at her phone before looking back to me once again.

This time, she was the one who glared at me, and left without another word. Like my intimidation didn't affect her at all.

I could feel a smile curving up on my lips for a moment, at umalis nalang din ako bago pa ako mahuli sa gagawin ko.

"Kian." I glanced behind me, and I saw Kei who suddenly showed up with a head on his hands. The head's eyes were closed, and when Kei opened it to show it to me..

Hindi na ako na gulat nung nakita ko yung kulay ng mata ng ulo dala dala niya.

The moonlight easily reflected on its eyes, showing a b****y red color.

There was an infected among the students.

"They are making their move." Kei warned, and I took the head of off his hands. Then I burned the head into ashes. He looked at me as if he was about to say something, but he instantly shuts his mouth.

Because I already knew..

That a Cress was inside of our territory.

I was about to order him to get what I needed, but the both of us looked outside the window when a certain smell was caught by our noses.

I didn't even have to order Kei to come with me, and he just did. We followed the smell, and soon enough, we reached the old abandoned building of the academy.

The former main building.. built at least 60 years ago. It was closed off for demolition, and it's not exactly a bad idea to do your business here.

Unless you really wanted to be found by us that badly.

While flying in midair, sabay kaming napatingin sa baba, and that's where our stray lamb has gone to. I flew down a few meters before her, and she was running away. While holding her bloodied left arm.

It didn't take long for her to bump into me, and she grabbed my clothes like she didn't even realize who I was.

I guess she was losing too much blood.

"Kate. She.. She was the one who did all of this... I-" She couldn't even finish her sentence, and she finally fainted from blood loss.

Good work in surviving this world at first hand, Eara.

Hiniga ko siya kaagad, and I ripped the sleeve of her left arm. Huh, it's quite a miracle that she could move with a wound like this. Her arm was lacerated, the estimation was at least ten inches long and two inches wide.

If it wasn't for adrenaline, she would be dead by now if we didn't find her.

"Do you have your sword with you?" Tanong ko kay Kei, at nakita kong kumunot yung noo niya.

"She's not dead yet, right?" Saka ko naman napagtanto yung sinabi, and how ridiculous that question is to him.

Right, I forgot that his sword can only revive the dead.

Thinking of what else I could do, I grew my nail long enough and I sliced through my wrist.

"You're making her drink your blood?" Kei asked in surprise, and I dripped my blood exactly on her lips.

That should be an enough answer for Kei.

"Wow, I wonder how the future king's blood tastes like?" I gave him a brief look, and he smirked.

"I'm joking." Binawi naman kaagad niya yung sinabi niya, and the wound on my wrist slowly disappeared.

I looked at her wounds, and I saw the bleeding stop. She should be fine now. I slowly got up from kneeling beside her, and I looked in front.

Revealing a woman wearing a bloodied white dress. I stared at her and I observed her eyes.

Blood red.

Another infected.

"Oh, the school president came to her rescue? Alam kong may kumakalat na balitang interesado ka sa kanya, but I do hope that's not true." I saw the woman smile with blood in between her lips, while having a deranged look in her eye.

This woman had already gone far beyond human.

She should be killed.

"Kei, take Eara out of here. I'll deal with this one."

"Deal with me? Napapatawa ka ba?" The woman jeered and I spared her a look.

Did she just underestimate me?

She will pay for doing that.

I shrugged the thoughts off my head, at I turned my back to look at Kei.

Nakita ko nalang siyang dahan dahan na binuhat yung katawan ni Eara, and I glared at him when he looked tempted to eat her.

"Kei." I called his name as a warning, and he smiled.

"Of course, of course." Ang huli niyang sinabi bago siya tumalikod paalis.

"Walang makakaalis dito ng buhay!" I sighed when the woman suddenly made her move. I'm sure Eara told me her name.

Was it.. Kate?

Before her claws even reached Kei, I appeared beside her and I swiftly cut her arm off.

I heard her agonizing scream when her severed arm finally reached the ground, at napatingin nalang siya sa akin.

And her face's expression clearly resembled.. fear.

"You're going to die right here." This situation was no where near dangerous or dire enough to show her what my true self was.

But being humiliated was an exception.

Nakita kong manlaki yung mata niya nung makita niya ako, and she was already stepping back.

"I-Iba yung kulay.." I closed our distance by appearing in front of her, at dahan dahan siyang napaupo sa kinalalagyan niya.

Now where did her confidence go?

She was slowly clutching the soil around her as she tried to get back.

"Sabi nila.. may mga bampirang iba yung kulay ng mata.. and that we should definitely stay away from them.." She grits her teeth after speaking before looking up and glaring at me.

Huh, so someone told her something about pure bloods. Just a bit about us.

"Aerovan! You're a vamp--!" She immediately shut herself when I stabbed my sword on the ground near her, and I kneeled in front of her.

Face to face.

"Now let's see exactly how you became a damned." I know she couldn't move because of my intimidation, and I was about to touch her head when something dark passed by her neck.

Killing her almost immediately, and with her blood bursting right in front of my face.

I closed my eyes in frustration when my plan was hindered, and I wiped the blood off of my eyes. Saka ako napatayo at napatingin sa paligid ko.

A pure blooded vampire, are those vampires belonging to one of the eight vampire clans. When a pure blood bites a human and it continues to live..

That is an infected.

Infected humans gain powers like what we would most likely have. Increased strength, speed, and regenerative abilities, but an infected is not invincible.. Other than having crimson red eyes, there's a catch.

An infected has no restraints when it comes to blood. They have no control over their thirst, that's why most of the infected go on a killing rampage a day after turning. They live and go crazy for blood.

Other than that, every time they use their powers, it drains their very own life.

If their whole life is used up, they turn into nothing but dust.

I'm a pure blood.

The one lying before me was an infected.

But Kate never turned into a dust, nandito siya sa harap ko at nakahiga sa sarili niyang dugo. Someone killed her before she could become a liability to their plans. I couldn't even feel their presence, if I did, this woman wouldn't have died without telling me anything.

Masyado na silang maingat.. It's either that, or I've already turned dull.

I looked at the weapon that killed her, and I saw a blade covered in darkness.

Darkness?

My hand was already reaching out to get the murder weapon, but it soon turned into dust.

As frustrated as I was, nung may nagsimulang gumalaw mula sa mga puno sa gilid ko, I didn't hesitate to throw my sword to where I felt it was.

At nakita ko si Kei na nakaiwas ang ulo, and my sword just landing on the tree near his neck.

"Papatayin mo na ba ako?" Kei asked with his puppy eyes and begging tone, and I heaved another sigh.

Dahan dahan siyang lumapit sa akin, at unti unting nabalot ng pagtataka yung mukha niya.

"Bakit mukha kang nireglahan sa mukha?" Sumama na naman yung tingin ko kay Kei, and I called for my sword.

At agad kong tinutok 'yon sa leeg niya.

"Alam mo namang nagjojoke lang ako di ba?" He said with a dry smile, at binaba ko na yung sandata ko mula sa leeg niya.

And he immediately turned to the dead body before me.

"So you killed her?"

"No."

Nagtaka na naman siya, at tinignan niya ng maigi yung bangkay. And I already know what he was thinking.

It definitely looked like I killed her with Spade.

Not letting her wounds heal, killing her instantly.

Pero hindi.

The moon's light illuminated on the body, like masterpiece. A perfect crime.

The night was cold, deprived of any meaning to her death.

Even with Kei's sword, the Hearts, wouldn't be able to revive her. Since infected humans like them doesn't have a soul. So when they die.. There is no way to revive them. They will remain dead and will never reincarnate.

That is the curse that comes with being an infected.

And with a flick of my fingers, blue fires engulfed the body. Getting rid of everything and even the blood around her.

She's nothing more than a mere puppet to their plans.

"Then.." Pareho kaming napatingin sa naglahong bangkay na nasa harapan namin, and only one question was in our minds.

What are they planning next?

"It's a good thing you're already here." That was the first thing I heard from Risa as soon as I got back to the mansion, at sumama na naman yung tingin ko.

"What now?" I asked with annoyance clearly heard from my voice, at hindi na nagtaka si Risa.

"It seems like you're in a bad mood." I looked at her at she sighed, and I gave my coat to the servant near me.

"Give me a new change of clothes." I continued to remove my b****y top and gave it to maid who got my coat, at napahawak nalang si Risa sa ulo niya.

"You have full sets of clothes in your closet!" She reminded, at pinaalis na kaagad niya yung babaeng kumuha nung damit ko, and I left her.

Saka ako diretsong naglakad pataas, but not without her following behind me.

"How was the investigation going about the infected?" She asked, but I never answered.

Nung makarating ako sa kwarto ko, I broke the door the down and I laid my body at the bed inside.

"Every single time!" I heard her yell, at pumasok na rin siya sa kwarto ko.

"Can't you just open your door like a normal person?" She continued to complain, kaya napaupo naman ako kaagad sa sinabi niya, and I looked her in the eye before asking.

"Do I look normal to you?" I said in spite and she sighed once more, at humilata ako ulit sa kama ko.

"There are numerous incidents in your school, nabalita sa akin ni Arisa."

Arisa Aerovan. Her twin sister who's a seer.

Their family have always been a close aide to us, the main family. Risa is the one I give orders to regarding what happens inside this mansion, and relays messages to my men on what to do.

While Arisa just stays in to help her twin, or predict the future.

I just to continued to listen to her blabber, until something caught my ear.

"Kean has something planned for that orphan child." I moved my head to look at her, and she noticed that. Kaya naman pinagpatuloy niya yung sasabihin niya.

"He wants her to move here." My body immediately shot up at her statement, at nagtaka ako kung bakit inutos 'yon ni Kean.

May nangyari bang hindi ko alam?

"Did he tell you why?" I asked, at napailing nalang si Risa.

He's moving on his own again.

"Pero ang sabi niya mas makakabuti daw 'yon sa imbestigasyon na ginagawa niyo." I gazed at her once more, at napatayo na ako sa kama. I went to my closet at kumuha ako ng damit na masusuot.

Out of all the white shirts in my closet, agad kong nakita yung nag iisang damit na naiiba yung kulay.

"Who put this here?" I asked in annoyance habang kinukuha ko yung damit mula sa closet, and Risa awkwardly chuckled when she looked at the clothes.

It was so obnoxiously designed, at sobrang sakit sa mata nung kulay kapag pinagsama sama.

There was no way I was wearing that.

"It was probably Arisa. Akin na, ibabalik ko nalang sa kanya." Kinuha niya naman kaagad yung damit sa kamay ko, and I took a shirt off my closet at sinuot ko 'yon.

"Saan ka pupunta?" Risa asked, at nagtungo na ako sa pinto.

"To Kean." It looked like she wanted to stop me, but there was no use in doing so. So she let me be. I was continuing down the hallway, nung nakasalubong ko si Kei.

"Oh, good, I was just about to see you." Now what?

Tinignan ko lang si Kei, at nakita kong siyang napakamot sa ulo niya na parang iniisip kung sasabihin niya o hindi.

But in the end, his lips moved.

"Alam mo na yung plano ng kuya mo?" I crossed my arms at his statement, at saka sumagot.

"Risa told me." His eyes immediately showed confusion after what I said, as if he was expecting a specific reaction from me.

"Hindi ka galit?" Tanong niya, and this time I was confused.

Ako? Galit?

"I mean, Jillian is about to transfer here--"

"Ano?"

Hindi na natapos ni Kei yung sinasabi niya nung sumabat ako, and he pursued his lips into a thin line like he was already regretting this.

"So hindi pa nasasabi sa'yo?"

How come Kean easily agrees to accept her? I already rejected the offer. It should be over. It should already be clear to him.

"Did you see him?" Umiling naman si Kei and I grit my teeth.

That damned brother of mine, there's only one place he would go at times like this.

"Tch. Samahan mo ako doon."

At pumunta na ako sa dapat kong puntahan, this is our garden.

Although it's not an ordinary garden.

It's a garden that makes you remember all the things you want to forget.

Reminisce Garden.

I don't know why a place like this was even here, or what its purpose even was, pero sa tuwing hindi ko mahanap si Kean. This is the only place where I could find him.

But when that day came.. he was never here.

"Kean!" I yelled his name when I just got inside, and my eyes landed on a figure before me.

"What's the matter little brother?" I glared at him, and he smiled as if he knew nothing.

As always. He was always good at pretending, lying, and deceiving everyone around him.

Paano niya nasisikmuraang magsinungaling sa akin when he's the only one I have!?

"Why did you-" Hindi ko natapos yung sasabihin ko, and I clenched my fist to restrain my anger. 

"Oh, it's about Jillian.." I stood there silently as I waited for his answer.

"Yes, she's moving to our territory." He said that as if it was nothing.

Hindi ko na napigilan yung galit sa loob ko, and I snapped at him.

"I already refused the engagement! What more do they want?!" Sigaw ko sa kanya, at napatingin nalang siya sa akin before sighing in frustration.

So siya pa ang may ganang magsawa sa ganito? Siya na nga yung nagpapahirap sa sitwasyon ko, and he still dares to look at me like that?

"We are never going to hear the end of it from the next clan meeting if we refuse this. The engagement might be cancelled, but they are still one of the eight clans." After hearing him say that. I couldn't deny myself the urge to throw him my sword, and I did.

But he easily deflected the Spade with his own sword, the Clover.

And my sword returned and I caught it with my hand.

"Saka mo ako kausapin kapag lumamig na ulo mo."

He left without another word, and I unleashed a bit of my power to vent my anger. Burning a part of the garden.

He always wants the last word. Always. Wala na siyang iba pang kailangan basta masusunod yung nasa plano niya.

Then.. Kayn's death.. was it in his plans? 

"Brother." 

My head immediately shot up from that familiar voice, at napatingin ako sa paligid ko. I couldn't be mistaken. 

"Brother!" 

When I finally recognized the voice, there was no doubt about it.

"Kayn!" I yelled for him, at bumalik ako sa realidad nung may humawak sa balikat ko.

"Kian." I slowly turned to Kei who called my name, at naipikit ko nalang yung mga mata ko.

That was right.. he was long dead.

"You saw him again?" Tanong niya sa akin and I answered.

"More like heard." Nakita kong manlaki yung mata niya nung sumagot ako, at saka siya nagsalita.

"Wow, you're humoring me now. Wag mong sabihing mamatay ka na?" He joked at hindi ko na naman napigilang yung sarili ko na samaan siya ng tingin.

"Now that's the Kian I know." Napailing nalang ako at tinalikuran ko siya.

I don't want to stay here any longer.

Baka kung ano pa makita ko.