Infernus : The Devil Has Risen

Chapter 10

MORANA was just staring at the darkness, wondering how can she escaped in the prison. Loneliness is slowly killing her, she's alone and she felt like no one was there to help her out. The woman is now regularly giving her food but it contain some poison that was making her feel terrible and sick. She feel nauseous all the time.

"Hey, stop daydreaming. Eat your food now before it gets cold," said by the woman who was wearing a red dress and a scarf to cover her face.

Morana heard what the woman had said but she had chosen to ignore her. She already lose her hope and just wanted to rest, eternally.

"If you don't want to eat, then die."

Umalis ang babae dahil sa inis at muling naiwan si Morana na nag-iisa. Isang buntonghininga ang kanyang pinawalan bago hawakan ang kanyang pisngi at pinagmasdan ang kanyang balat. Her skin are full of bruises and scratches, tiny cuts and rashes. Kung sakali man na makita siya muli ni Cozbi at Cessair, natitiyak niya na magagalit ang dalawa dahil sa kanyang kinahinatnan.

"I just wanted to be free," she said in between her breath. She gently caressed her cheeks and her tears began to fell on her rosy cheeks.

"Hanggang kailan ba ako mananatili sa lugar na ito?"

She sadly wiped away her tears but she began to sobbed after closing her eyes and saw the images of the people she treat as a family. It was Cozbi and Cessair. Dahil sa sobrang pag-iyak, gutom, at pagod ay nakatulog si Morana.

In her dreams, she saw herself running in a wheat field and Cessair was following her. Cozbi was waiting for her at the other side. The sun was shining so bright and it's windy, it feels so real that she expected it to become true. However, the sun was covered in a dark clouds.

Morana found herself on the top of the tall building and someone was standing behind ber. It was woman, a stranger that was wearing a golden mask that was covering half of her face. Her hair is as red as a blood and her skin is pale, just like a paper.

"You are going to die, Morana."

Iyon ang kanyang sinabi bago niya ako itulak sa gusali. I was surprised when I realized that I wasn't falling and when I looked back, I saw Cozbi holding my hand, and Cessair was carrying me with his large pair of wings. He's also a demon.

Napabalikwas ako ng bangon dahil sa aking nakita. Napahawak ako sa aking dibdib dahil sa malakas na pagtibok ng aking puso na tila nais kumawala sa aking dibdib. Ilang beses akong humugot ng malalim ba hininga upang kalmahin ang aking sarili subali't paulit-ulit na bumabalik sa aking isipan ang mukha ni Cessair sa aking panaginip.

Nakita ko ang malaki niyang pakpak, subali't mayroon din siyang sungay at pangil. Ang mga mata niya ay nanlilisik at ang kanyang katawan ay nababalot ng mahaba at itim ba balahibo na katulad ng mga lobo. Did he just transform into a powerful demon?

CESSAIR KEEPS on looking at his back like he was waiting for someone to come out of nowhere. We're both walking around the town to find some clues that could lead to where Morana is, but nobody seems to remember her.

Muli siyang lumingon kaya hindi ko na mapigilan ang sarili ko na tanungin siya kung ano ang kanyang problema.

"What's the matter, Cessair? May inaasahan ka ba na darating?" mahinahon kong tanong. His forehead creased as he stares at my face but he didn't respond. He was just like someone I knew.

"Okey? Thank you for answering."

I heard him cackled. So again, I shake my head and continued to walk beside him until we both heard a loud shrieking sound coming from the deepest part of the forest. Kahit si Maui ay bigla na lamang nagising dahil sa sigaw.

"Hindi maganda ang aking kutob," bulong ni Cessair sa kanyang sarili. Binaling niya ang tingin sa akin bago tumakbo ng mabilis patungo sa direksyon kung saan namin narinig ang sigaw. I followed him immediately and went to that place to check if someone needed some help.

Subali't nang marating namin ang lugar ay gano'n na lang ang aming pagkagulat sa pangyayari na aming nasaksihan.

May isang babae na nalulunod sa ilog ngunit hindi siya ang nakakuha ng aking pansin kundi ang masamang espirito na nakaupo sa kanyang balikat. The evil spirit is the reason why she was drowning.

"Ahhh! Tulong!"

Nagmamadaling tumakbo si Cessair sa direksyon ng babae at walang pag-aalinlangan na tumalon kahit may suot pa siyang sapatos at relo. Napailing na lang ako saka tinitigan ng masama ang espirito na kusa rin umalis. I think the evil spirit recognized Cessair. Well creatures like us can easily recognize if a person is a demon or an angel. But sometimes it is hard to tell the difference between the two.

Cessair was now walking back while carrying the woman in a bridal style, she laid her on the ground and started giving her a mouth to mouth resuscitation. Paglipas nang ilang minuto ay nagising ang babae habang hawak ang dibdib at umuubo.

"Umalis ka na da lugar na ito. It's dangerous for a woman like you," sabi ni Cessair makalipas ang ilang sandaling katahimikan. Nanatili akong nakatayo at pinagmamasdan lang sila. Mukhang nakaramdam ang babae kaya nahihiyang binalingan niya ako ng tingin saka ngumiti. She was smiling awkwardly but after seeing Maui — who was napping on my head — she giggled.

I couldn't help myself but to scoff because of her cuteness. Para siyang isang bata na nabigyan ng laruan.

"Do you like my cat?" I asked the woman. She didn't hesitate to nod her head energetically.

Napailing na lamang si Cessair at tinapunan ako ng makahulugang tingin.

"Ihahatid ka na namin sa iyong bahay."

Napatingin ako kay Cessair dahil sa kanyang sinabi at bahagyang natawa. The woman nod her head once again and show us the way to her home.

Habang naglalakad kami patungo sa kanilang bahay ay buhat niya si Maui at hinahaplos ang mahaba niyang balahibo. Kitang-kita ang tuwa sa mga mata niya at iyon ang nakakaakit tingnan.

"May I ask what your name is?"

"Ayla... that's my name. Nandito na pala ako, iyon ang aking bahay!" Tinuro niya ang malaking puno ng balete kaya nagkatinginan kami ni Cessair. Nakangiting inabot niya sa akin si Maui saka pinasalamatan kami ni Cessair sa ginawa naming pagliligtas sa kanya.

"Mag-ingat kayong dalawa pauwi. Salamat sa inyong katapangan. May gantimpala kayong matatanggap. Paalam at hanggang sa muli nating pagkikita."

Pagkatapos sabihin ni Ayla ang katagang iyon ay bigla siyang naging ahas at mabilis na gumapang patungo sa puno ng Balete.

"She is a deity," ani ni Cessair at natatawang umiling.

"Kaya pala iba ang naramdaman ko nang maglapat ang aming mga labi."

WHILE WE are walking in the steep hill, Sythe started poking my arm. I ignored him at first but he continued to poke me, so I look at him with a bored expression on my face.

"What?" I asked in a cold voice.

Natawa si Sythe kaya alam kong pinaglalaruan niya lang ako. Napapailing na binilisan ko ang paglalakad hanggang sa malayo ako sa kanya. Ngunit nagulat ako nang lumitaw sa harapan ko si Maui. She purred softly while looking straight into my eyes. I bend over to picked her up and placed her over my shoulder.

Bigla na lang din lumitaw si Sythe sa harapan ko. Nakasimangot siya at magkasalubong ang mga kilay.

"Ayusin mo nga 'yang mukha mo. Naaalibadbaran ako," I sarcastically said before walking in a totally opposite direction.

"Can you please wait for me? I have something to tell you."

Narinig ko ang mabibigat niyang yapak kaya sinupil ko ang aking ngiti sapagkat hindi ko nais na makita niyang natutuwa ako.

"Ayla already gave me our reward for saving her. Look at this."

Napahinto ako sa paglalakad at agad na pumihit paharap sa kanya upang makita ang sinasabi niyang gantimpala. I saw him carrying a huge box made of wood. Mukhang hirap na hirap siya kaya agad na kinuha ko ang kahon na bitbit niya saka nilapag sa lupa. Maui landed on the ground as soon as sat on the rock.

Sabay naming binuksan ang kahon. Sythe received a gold bars and a pink diamond that as big as a fist. Samantalang ang nakuha ko ay isang lumang mapa na halos hindi na makita ang mga nakasulat.

"What am I going to do with this thing?"

Sythe shrugged his right shoulder and totally ignored me because he is mesmerized with his present. Tinuon ko ang aking pansin sa hawak kong mapa saka sinuri ito ng maigi hanggang sa mahagip ng aking mata ang nag-iisang bahay na nasa tuktok ng bukid.

MY LIPS curved into a smile after seeing that they already opened the presents, but I was a little bit sad after seeing the disappoinment in Cessair's eye. Maybe he was expecting for something grand, or something fascinating like gold and diamond.

Cessair doesn't know that he is now holding a key to get the biggest treasure that everyone is wishing for. Kung alam niya lang ay hindi magiging ganyan ang kanyang reaksyon.

"He already received it?"

I swiftly turned around after hearing her voice. I placed both of my hands on my stomach and slightly bowed my head to show her some respect.

She touched my head so I took a step back then straightened my back.

"Natanggap na niya ang regalo. Look at him," malumanay kong sabi bago ituro sa kanya ang wangis ni Cessair. I saw her eyes become teary. She missed him so much and it makes me sad knowing that she had to endure those years without him, without the man that he adore.

"Sana ay magamit niya ang mapa sa tamang paraan. I don't want him to end up like us. Thank you, Ayla." She gently caressed my cheeks before tapping it lightly and vanished like a bubble.

Muli kong binalik ang atensyon sa pagtingin sa wangis ni Cessair at hindi ko inaasahang makikita ko ang kanyang tadhana.