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1539 Words
"Me, I don't even have a family. They are both dead." Ara said bitterly.
Zandro felt the sadness and grief in Ara's voice, so he couldn't help but ask "What is the reason for your sad voice and eyes?"
"Are you taking this opportunity to find out the background of my life?" Ara said, then parted from the embrace of the first Archon.
"Is it too obvious?" Zandro replied.
"They were killed in front of me," Ara said suddenly, which caused Zandro to be silent. "Nakita ko ang pagdalak ng dugo mula sa katawan ng mga magulang ko. And worst of all, I saw how my parents were slowly dying in my arms... I saw how my parents suffered before they died. And too sick to be left behind and a lone survivor of that tragedy. So tell me, do I have the right to be happy despite what has happened?"
"Do you think that your parents will find peace in the afterlife if they see you in that condition?" Balik na tanong ni Zandro kay, Ara.
"This is the only purpose why I want to live—"
"For their justice, right?" Zandro uttered.
Ara shook her head and tears came to her eyes again. "I only seek revenge and not justice— I don't believe in the power of law, I can only be complacent if they pay for their sin based on the compensation I want..."
Zandro's gaze could not be removed from Ara's eyes, he could still see the chaos of her life and the bitterness of grief. Now he knew the reason why his Sandra's eyes were sad and miserable. "Your story— It's enough to make me trust you even more, but please, always remember that I am at your side."
Ara couldn't speak and was still crying. She did not want to listen to what the first Archon was saying because it might ruin the course of her heart and mind. She does not want to be deceived by someone's kindness...
Zandro pulled himself closer to Ara, then wiped away her tears with his hands. " It's okay not to be okay. That is part of life... You can't avoid that."
Zandro stared into Ara's eyes. He could not understand why his heart was beating so fast. While his palm was still on Ara's cheek, he seemed to suddenly move closer to her face until their lips met...
Ara was stunned when the first Archon suddenly kissed her... She seemed to lose herself when she put her hand on his shoulder, she reciprocated his kiss, and as she closed her eyes tears dripped from her eyes.
While kissing, Zandro was still wiping the tears from Ara's cheek. His every caress was careful as he felt the warmth of Ara's kiss. It was only now that he was so struck, that he could hardly control himself from drowning in emotion.
Ara slowly lay down while the first Archon was on top of her and continued kissing her lips. She almost drowned in his kisses, as his tongue entered her mouth and sucked hers. Ara bites Zandro's lips while the hand of the first Archon crawled into the inside of her blouse.
When Zandro touched her nape she suddenly regained her senses. She stopped and so did the first Archon. She saw Zandro's warm stare as well as he gulped. "I c-can't do this—" she murmured.
Zandro immediately averted his eyes and then left on top of her. "I'm s-sorry, I didn't mean to— did I make you uncomfortable?."
Ara shook her head, then slowly fixed her blouse. "N-no, It's just— I haven't been able to lead to that... I can't— you are my master, My Lord."
Zandro nodded slowly, he understood Ara. "It w-would be better if I left you to rest."
Ara nodded awkwardly and slowly lay down. The Archon arranged her blanket then finally left her room.
While Zandro was leaning against the door, he still couldn't forget the warmth of the kiss he felt earlier. So did Ara.
"What have I done—" Ara exclaimed while holding her chest throbbing so fast. "Am I drunk on drugs?!" Ara bit her lip and was restless. What just happened to them should not be followed by another. Her mission would surely be ruined.
TWO WEEKS AFTER, Zandro felt the coldness of Ara's dealings after the kiss. He didn't mean it, he just couldn't control himself, even though he was perplexed by his actions.
While Arbywas wearing a vest in her bedroom, she secretly called her Papa Regan. To inform him of their mission to be carried out. First, Archon's team plans to destroy the Triad's transaction for illegal firearms to be imported. She knew that her Papa Regan would take the lead, so she would notify him. But unfortunately, the Tyrant does not answer her calls.
"Papa Regan, please answer the phone—" she murmured. She will not be relieved, not until the Tyrant answers the phone. The team was already calling her, so she left a message then immediately deleted the sent message.
When she came out of the mansion, she was stunned by twenty cars parked in front of the mansion. "Too many staff, I would have a hard time rescuing Papa Regan. I just hope he has read my message", she thought.
Even before she boarded the van, the first Archon blocked her path. "This is what you should use". Zandro handed the high-caliber gun to her. "This mission is very dangerous. We must go home alive. Do you understand?!"
Ara took the gun then nodded, then immediately got into the van and sat next to Salem holding a sniper gun.
Zandro was left stunned by her coldness. He just sighed and then got onto the front seat. "Are you ready for another chaos?!" Zandro asked his team.
"We are born ready" Zyl replied, then raised his one eyebrow to the first Archon.
"You're so boastful, tamaan ka sana ng bala" mapang-asar na tugon ng unang Archon. He looked at his entire team. "I only ask one thing: stay alive!!."
"Yes My Lord", his team replied. He also hears in the earpiece the response of his other Akritai (The Elite Force Army of Agercia) who embark on the mission.
While Ara, on the other hand, is restless and agitated. She worries if her Papa Regan is there, how can she save him without Agercia knowing?
They went to a dark forest where they found an abandoned dungeon. Her eyes widened as she recognized the place. That was the place where her Papa Regan rescued her from death. "This p-place is owned by the triad ?!" she murmured.
"Yes, It has long been abandoned since a high-ranking member of the triad was found here. I wonder why this is the given place by the Bienca (the founder of the organization.)" Zandro replied that he had already been by her side.
"Ino," she thought, she felt that it was Ino, the man who had beaten her back then, who was also a member of the triad—.
"We are in place", the response of Salem and the other snipers on the other line.
"What's the news up there?" Zandro said.
"A battalion. There are so many. What's the plan?" Salem asked.
"Zyl, detect the bombs if any, and prevent them from exploding. Salem and the other snipers, watch out for the fighters below. And Akritai's, stay alive."
"Is there no better plan than to stay alive?!" Zyl's sarcastic response.
"Don't die—" ani Zandro.
Ara was just shaken and started to enter the dungeon. "Stay by my side, my Sandra", Zandro reminded her.
"Y-yeah."
Before they could even get inside, a loud explosion took place. "Zyl?? What happened?!" Zandro exclaimed.
" Missiles!!, too many missiles. I think it's a trap", Zyl shouted.
"Damn it!!!.... all of you, retreat!!!" He ordered the guns to be fired and the whole team was unable to retreat. Even before they entered the dungeon, the triads had already dispersed.
"My lord !!, I saw Lord X and he was on the left side and planning to run away with the Tyrant," Salem reported.
"s**t!" she cursed, then followed the first Archon, tracing the place where her Papa Regan was.
In her haste, she stepped on a bomb. "Missile", she murmured.
The Archon heard his Sandra say from the earpiece, so he turned his back. He saw Ara bent over and not moving. "Zyl?!"
"Wait, I'm already working my way up—" Zyl replied.
"Ara, calm down. Do not hold your breath. Zyl will work his way up—" Zandro said.
"My Lord!!, Triads!" Ara shouted. Ara fired a gun before the triads could even come closer. Their place was too dangerous because she was stuck in place and could not move. She knew no one would hurt her, but she couldn't help but worry about the first Archon. She knew it was wrong because he was her enemy, but she wasn't sure if the first Archon was the killer of her parents. So, as much as possible, she would not touch him first, not now.
- Writer
