Fear the Reaper

Chapter 14: Neax the Nosferatu

Nine (real one)

Malayo pa lang ako ay naririnig ko na ang mga kalansing ng kadena sa loob ng kwebang pupuntahan ko.

This prison is the prison called Curse that is located just above the moon. In this prison, guards aren't needed. Everything here is alive. At dito ko ikinulong o mas tamang sabihing itinago ang isa sa mga mabagsik na Celestial abomination na bunga ng isang pagkakamali ni Elohim. She is the Nosferatu, more deadly than a normal vampire. She was the product of a one night stand with a Demon that is forbidden of course. And if I'm wrong, that is the first act of union between a celestial and a demon that was followed by the rest. That produced a notorious creature.

This creature inside isn't exception. In fact, she is the worst and bows to no one until I found her all wounded and bloodied one day as I walked around.

"Did you come here to finish what my father's bullshit did to me?" her sharp tongue awed me.

"Hey, I was just walking around. Can't I have some leisure time?" tanong ko sa kanya habang pinapanood ko siyang hirap na hirap na.

"Oh. I didn't know that Death has a day off," sagot niya.

"So are you just going to lay there and let some vampire eat you?" tanong ko sa kanya.

I saw her grunted face. Halatang tinitiid niya ang sakit.

"F*ck I don't even have enough strength to move. Damn that stupid father of mine for not accepting me," aniya.

Biglang nagkaroon ang ideya ang aking utak.

"Well, you still have one hour in your life if that wound won't heal," sabi ko sa kanya. "Your father is cruel. Leaving a daughter to die alone," sabi ko pa.

Nakita kong tumigas ang kanyang mukha.

"He should just slain me rather than leave me here. He didn't just hurt my feelings he stomped my pride and it crumbled," aniya.

"Hmmm."

"I know you feel pity for me, but don't. I don't need it," sabi niya sa akin.

"I'm not pitying you. I just want to give you another chance to live," sagot ko sa kanya. "And that depends on you."

Tumingin siya sa akin. Her closed set and cold glasz eyes looked at me. I can see right through her a girl who just wants to be loved by her own father. I heard a rumour about her doing an odd job for Elohim. And yet here she is, almost killed by him.

Cold realisation must have struck at her when she finally realised that Elohim never looked at her as his daughter.

"I..I want to live," pabulong na sabi niya. "B-but father told me that he'll kill me over and over again if he saw me going to him again," aniya. "But I couldn't stop myself from going to him. He's my father. I want to be recognized by him as his daughter," dagdag pa niya, and then I saw those beautiful glasz eyes and tears for the first time.

The feared Neax cried for the first time in front of me.

"But he doesn't want to do anything for you. He doesn't see you the way he does to his daughters. Neax, maybe you have to change for good and forget that you have a good for nothing father," sabi ko sa kanya.

I don't really know how to soothe someone's pain. So that's what I said.

"If only I could restrain myself from doing that," aniya.

"Well, I have a perfect place for you if you chose to live of course," sagot ko sa kanya.

Kusang nagbukas ang bakal na pintuan sa sandaling lumapit ako rito. Pumasok ako sa loob. Kusa ring umapoy ang mga sulo na naroon patungo sa hagdan pababa kung saan naroon ang silid na kinaroroonan ni Neax.

"Greetings, mistress," bati sa akin ng pintuan kung saan ang nasa loob niya ay si Neax.

"Hello, Curse," sagot ko sa kanya. "How is she doing inside?" tanong ko sa kanya.

"She's been sleeping since the day you put her here," aniya. "And that was a very long time, mistress. In the first few aeons, she was stashing and wanted to be free for her to go back to her father. Until she grew tired and never again moved nor spoke about her father."

"Very well, I hope she sensed my presence. I need to free her as I promised to her," sagot ko sa kanya.

Curse remove her chains from my way and exposed the sleeping form of Neax.

The sleeping form of Neax wrapped by countless live chains cringed a little bit. It's like thousands of snakes wrapped around her although I'm a snake.

"Have you finally decided to kill me rather than making me wait for a billion aeons for your return, Jormungandr?" tanong niya bago ibinuka ang mga mata niya.

"No," sagot ko sa kanya. "And also my name is not Jormungandr anymore. Call me Nine," sabi ko sa kanya setting her free from the live chains.

Tumalon siya mula sa ere at ng makalapag sa sahig ay nag-unat unat ito ng kamay.

"Oh it's good to be free!" masayang sabi niya habang lumagutok ang kanyang mga buto. Humaba na rin ng husto ang kanyang itim na buhok.

Bumaling ito sa akin pagkatapos.

"Where have you been all through these freaking long aeons?" tanong niya. "I've been waiting for you."

"Well, it's a shame to tell but I was imprisoned inside my own chamber in a dimension that defies Time," sabi ko sa kanya.

Bumulanghit ito ng tawa.

"Really? The feared death? Are you kidding me?"

"Unfortunately, yes. They even destroyed my domain and the other branches except Abyss. Dahlieka was ruined and all my reapers there. Fortunately, a dying Archon with the ability of entering dimension found me and set me free. In exchange for what she did, I promised her to give back her life," sagot ko.

"Oh, what a generous you are," sabi niya. "You're twisted so I'm not expecting you to be true to what you said," aniya.

"Oh I honour promises, stupid," sagot ko sa kanya. "You'll be meeting her, very soon," makahulugang sagot ko sa kanya. "And oh, you mentioned to me about wanting to be my own warrior, aren't you?"

"Yes. Have you decided to take me in?" tanong niya.

"Show me you left arm," sagot ko sa kanya.

Mabilis pa sa ala una nitong ipinakita sa akin ang kanyang braso.

"Here, chop it. Bite it. Do whatever you want. For helping me and giving me a chance to live. My loyalty is with you," sabi niya.

"Well then, accept this," sabi ko before touching her arms.

Mula sa aking braso ay gumapang ang isang maliit na ahas na tattoo patungo sa kanyang braso.

"This will maximise your power and extend it more than you can before. This is my brand. It means you are part of my domain."

Ngumiti sa akin si Neax.

"Finally," aniya.

"Yeah, finally," sagot ko.

"And oh. I thank you for giving me a chance to be part of your team," sabi niya. "But I'm starving. Any nice meal will do," aniya pa

"Actually. I have something for you to do. And I guarantee you that it will be a pleasant meal for you," nakangiting sabi ko.

"Well then, lead the way, Nine," sagot niyang nakangisi.

"Brace yourself, we're going to the moon. Your food is waiting there," sagot ko sa kanya and in a blink of an eye, we are now standing just outside the house of the famous Selene, the goddess of moon and the deity that is worshipped by those mutts.

"Who's in here?" tanong ko sa kanya.

"Your food," sagot ko.

"Who's there?" narinig naming may nagsalita."Bennet? Is that you?" tanong pa nito.

Bumukas ang pintuan. Tumambad sa amin ang isang babaeng nakasuot ng isang puting silk na long dress. Sa ulo niya ay may nakapatong na tiara at may symbol na kalahating buwan.

"Who are you? How did you come here?" sunod-sunod na tanong niya.

"She's the one?" tanong ni Neax sa akin.

"Yes," nakangiting sagot ko sa kanya.

"Well then, leave it to me," sagot niya while her teeth started to elongate. "Itadakimasu." aniya pa bago nito hinarap ang babae.

In the blink of an eye, sunod-sunod ang sigaw na ginawa ni Selene habang nilalapa ni Neax. I thought a deity like her is blessed with a power but it turns out that they are vurenable stupid ladies who only knows how to spread their legs to Cherubim. It turns out by her smell, the bastard actually mates her to be able to bring the werewolves on Earth.

What a pathetic stupid Celestial. Is this how he wanted to defeat me? To replace me?

He'll have to come to me and kill me, if he can.

"Leave the right arm, Neax," sabi ko kay Neax na akma na sana nitong lalapain ang kanang kamay ni Selene.

"What for?" tanong niya habang tumutulo pa ang dugo sa kanyang mga labi.

"I will gift that to the werewolves on Earth," sagot ko sa kanya.

"Werewolves?" takang tanong nito.

"Yes. Cherubims' pathetic creatures," sagot ko sa kanya.

"Oh, that good for nothing bastard," aniya bago inihagis sa akin ang kamay.

As soon as I got hold of the hands, I saw the vision of the past.

I saw some male mating with Selene. It wasn't Cherubim but an ordinary male which he probably copied to seduce the deity. More as a human male. But although Cherubim disguises himself, he can't hide the fact that his foul odour has been mixed with the woman's.

What a pathetic bastard.

"Are you done, Neax?" tanong ko sa kanya habang hawak ang kamay.

"Yes," sagot niya before burping. "Sounds of being full," aniya pa.

"Let's go. We got nothing to do here," sabi ko sa kanya as I throw the arm to the direction where a lone wolf resides.

"Okay. I feel sleepy," aniya.

After making sure Neax had given everything she needed, I made my way to the castle in the woods. I disappeared from Axis mundi and teleported myself to the branch of the largest tree facing the said castle. Mula roon ay kitang kita ko ang pagdating nina Green at Hera, kasama Causian, a pregnant male lesser demon together with the traitor Grell. And of course, Keenan followed by my Doppelganger, Seven a.k.a the other Nine.

They must be summoned by Raven after she sees the severe hand of their beloved deity.

"This is alarming," narinig kong sabi ni Raven. "This is Selene's hand. I recognized it," dagdag pa niya. "Our enemy started to move. The snake chose to kill Selene before us. Something like killing a deity is beyond our power to defeat," aniya pa.

"I told you, aren't I?" singit ni Seven. "That no such defeating death is possible," aniya pa.

"Will you stop saying that?" paangil na sabi ni Keenan.

Seven raises her two hands as a sign of giving up.

"Okay, okay," aniya. "Don't come asking me if things don't come like what you guys are expecting. I'm warning you. Death is dangerous."

I decided to shake them a little bit off. So I broke all the windows to support Seven's words about me.

Naalarma ang mga naroon habang si Seven ay gustong matawa ngunit pigil na pigil niya ang tumawa.

"Damn! Is the snake here?" natatarantang tanong ng lalaking buntis.

Everyone in there is alert. Paroon at parito ang mga mutt warriors at hinahanap kung sino ang may gawa noon.

"Grell, bring Causian home. He's not safe here," utos ni Raven kau Grell na agad naman nitong sinunod.

"Show yourself coward!" sigaw ni Hera.

I want to laugh hard. I can kill them all right now if I wanted to but no. Where's the fun of that if I do that right away? I want Cherubim to come out and I need them all. And the upcoming war will be a great help for me.

That cowards thinks he can stay hidden forever but he is wrong..