Fear the Reaper

Chapter 19: Taste of Neax

Green

As I was walking down in a ruined city, nakakita ako ng isang cafe kung saan naging paborito namin ni Lucille na puntahan. Bukod kasi sa masarap gumawa ng kape ang mga staff doon ay kilala na rin naman nila ako bilang isang regular na costumer, minus Lucille.

“Good morning Ma’am Green. What do you want to drink this morning?” tanong sa akin ni Marty.

I know him. He’s one of us though his mother is human.

“A cup of creamy latte, please”, nakangiting sagot ko sa kanya.

“One cup of creamy latte coming up, Ma’am”, nakangiting sagot niya sa akin bago humarap sa machine kung saan siya rin ang barista.

This city isn’t ruined like what humans think about. This place is now one of half-bloods like Marty’s home. I basically purchased it and instructed the mayor that this place is my private property and never should be trespassed. I did this because homeless people tend to come here and make this place their home, which is dangerous because some vampires can’t control their thirst for human blood. I instructed them to never dry their victim. They must drink enough to go through. Humans tend to become mindless turned vampires which I despise.

Humans are humans.

Vampires are vampires. Born not turned.

Matapos mai-serve sa akin ni Marty ang isang tasa ng kape na in-order ko ay bigla na lamang may pumasok sa loob. The lady wore tattered jeans and paired with white shirt. She has blue hair. Her eyes are electric blue and her scent tells me that she is a purebred vampire. She’s beautiful at mababakasan mo sa mukha niya na isa siyang simple at mahiyaing babae. I wonder who’s daughter she is. Araw-araw akong pumupunta sa cafe na ito ngunit kahit kailan ay hindi ko pa ito nakita ni minsan.

“Hi”, nakangiting bati niya kay Marty which Marty returned with sweet smile.

“What do you want to drink for today?” tanong nito sa kanya.

“Mocha cappuccino please”, nakangiti paring sabi ng babae.

“Okay. One cup of mocha cappuccino coming up”, sabi ni Marty.

Nakita kong naghanap ng mauupuan ng babae ngunit wala ng bakante so I called her attention to offer her the extra seat in front of me. Ngumiti siya sa akin at nagpasalamat.

"Are you new here?" tanong ko sa kanya. "I never saw you here before," sabi ko pa.

"Yeah. Kakalipat ko lang. I heard this is a safe haven for us," sagot niya sa akin.

"I see. Welcome. What's your name?" tanong ko sa kanya.

Halatang nahihiya ito base na rin sa pamumula ng kanyang mukha.

"Neax, your highness," sagot niya.

Bahagya akong nabigla. I mean I never told anyone that I am Green.

"How did you know?" takang tanong ko ngunit hindi ako nagpahalata.

Ngumiti siya sa akin.

"My parents used to work at the palace, your highness," aniya. "They told me a lot about you," aniya pa.

"Oh.." nakangiting sabi ko.

Dumating ang order niya at si Marty pa mismo ang naghatid.

"Here's your coffee," nakangiting sabi ni Marty na hindi mapuknat-puknat ang mga mata kay Neax.

"Thank you," sagot ni Neax at bahagya pang hinawi ang buhok niya at inipit sa kaliwang tenga niya obviously, her gesture tells me that she also wanted the attention that Marty's giving to her.

Ah . Teenage crush..

Ilang minuto ring nagtagal si Marty sa harapan ni Neax. I don't know if he told her that he likes her or hindi nito masabi ang gusto nitong sabihin. Neax on the other side is blushing habang humihigop ng kape.

Tumikhim ako.

Napansin nila ako dalawa.

"Well, don't you two have something to tell each other? Huwag hanggang ngiti, blushing at titig lang," natatawa kong sabi.

I might play cupid for them mukha kasing hanggang ganoon na lang ang set up nilang dalawa. Halata nang may gusto sila sa isa't-isa ngunit ayaw lang sabihin at aminin.

Pareho silang nag-blush noong sabihin ko iyon na ikinatawa ko na lang. To give them space, ako na lamang ang umalis matapos makainom ng kape.

Habang naglalakad ako palibot sa ruined city, bigla akong nakaramdam ng kakaiba. Pakiramdam ko ay may nagmamasid sa akin ngunit hindi ko makita kung saan.

"Marai," narinig kong may nagsalita at kasabay niyonnay ang pagbabago ng aking paligid. Ang lahat ng mga nakakasalubong ko ay bigla na lang hindi gumalaw. Maging ang paru-paru na dumaan sa harapan ko ay bigla na lamang ito nanigas at nanatiling nasa ere. Parang ang lahat ay huminto at natahimik bigla ang maingay na busina ng mga sasakyan at mga ingay na likha ng mga tao.

What the heck is happening? Parang nahinto ang oras. Paanong nangyari ito? As soon as I heard that voice, nahinto na ang lahat.

"So you are Eve, eh? The Queen of the new vampire breed?" narinig kong may nagsalita. Lumingon ako at nakita ko roon ang isang babaeng kulay berde ang buhok. Nakasuot ito ng isang mala-gladiator ang damit habang ngumunguya ng bubblegum. Her striking reddish blue eyes scream that this girl is not an ordinary girl. Nalaupo ito sa hood ng isang sasakyan ilang dipa ang layo mula sa akin.

Napalunok ako.

At a time like this bigla kong naisip si Nine (Seven). She might know who is this girl na bigla na lamang sumulpot.

"Who are you?" tanong ko sa kanya.

"You don't need to know who I am," sagot niya na tumayo. "The question is," aniya na bigla na lamang sumulpot sa aking harapan. She suddenly lick me on my left cheek kasabay ng paghawak ng aking mga kamay.

No.

She tightened her grip on my hands and it hurt like hell. Pakiramdam ko ay parang mababali ang aking mga buto.

"Delicious. You taste sweet, Eve," aniya na humalakhak ng humalakhak. "It makes me wanna eat you up," aniya pa.

Damn it!

Iniiwas ko ang aking mukha sa kanya at sa kakaiwas ko ay nakita ko ang mga matutulis niyang ngipin .

What the hell is she?! She smells like a vampire but stronger and more like rotting meat.

Nakita kong ngumanga ng malaki ang babae. That wide mouth reminded me of someone. And that someone was the monster that lives inside of me.

"Where the hell did you think Cherubim/ Apollyon copied the thing inside of you?"

Naalala kong sabi ni Nine (Seven).

And before she could even land her pointed teeth into my shoulder, I summoned Resonance at agad na tumusok ito sa kanyang tiyan. Bahagya siyang napa-atras at nabitawan niya ako. Nakita kong bumalik sa normal ang kanyang bibig at may bahagya pang umagos na dugo sa kanyang bibig. Pabagsak na napayuko ang kanyang ulo. Ilang segundo itong nanatiling ganoon.

Maya-maya ay narinig kong tumawa ito. Noong una ay mahina lang hanggang sa ang tawa niya ay naging halakhak. Tumingala ito sa langit at humalakhak ng malakas. Nanatili paring nakabaon at tagos sa kanyang katawan ang aking espada.

"So this is the famous Resonance?" tanong niya ngunit hindi nito direktang sa akin sinabi.

She's asking someone but nobody's here. Kaming dalawa lang.

Nakita kong bilang itong gumalaw palapit sa akin na hindi alintana ang espadang nakabaon sa kanyang katawan. Umatras ako kasabay ng paghugot kay Resonance.

"Fast. You're one hella fast," aniya while healing herself.

Nanlaki ang aking mata noong makita kong napakabikis lang naghilom ng kanyang mga sugat.

"I was just trying you but I see you're better than any vampire that I already met and ended up here," sabi niya sabay turo ng kanyang tiyan. "They ended up being eaten by me, dear Queen," aniya pa before laughing maniacally. "And that sword," aniya pa. "Don't you know who owned that?"

"I'm the one who wields it so I am the owner," sagot ko sa kanya.

Tumawa ito ng malakas.

"Pathetic fool," sagot niya. "That sword belongs to the snake, the highness Jomurgandr. That is one of her best swords whom she created by defeating a king. That blade was made with the idiot king's horn and his spirit was trapped inside. Don't you hear the voice inside of it?" tanong niya. "That's the wicked King's voice," aniya pa.

Humakbang ito palapit sa akin ngunit iniamba ko na ang aking espada. I already killed, cut and sliced my enemies using and I won't mind if I have to kill again.

Sa isang iglap ay biglang nawala ito at sumulpot sa aking harapan na nakaamba ang mga matutulis na kuko. I was caught off guard. I couldn't use my sword due to the distance that we are in. She's freaking close. Close enough to prevent me from using my sword.

She was about to s***h me open but suddenly a hand pulled me and I was back to normal surroundings. Gumagalaw na ang mga naroon at patuloy pa rin sila tawanan at kwentuhan. The usual honks of the car pierced my ears and hurt a little bit. Ang paru-paro na kanina lang ay naka-freeze sa harapan ko ay lumipad palayo mula sa aking mukha.

"I'm glad I wasn't late," narinig kong may nagsalita sa aking harapan.

Nakita ko si Nine. Nag-aalalang nakatingin ito sa akin.

"N-Nine?" hindi makapaniwalang tanong ko sa kanya.

"Yes, it's me. What the hell are you doing here alone?" tanong nito sa akin.

"I went out for a coffee and then suddenly I was pulled into some place that I don't know," sagot ko sa kanya na nalilito pa rin.

"Let's go back to your castle," sagot niya sa akin.

We teleported back to study where Keenan is sleeping. He has the habit of sleeping anywhere in the castle that has my scent.

"Marai," sabi niya. "That place is actually a domain," sagot niya sa akin.

"Domain? What the hell is a domain?"

"Domain is an area of territory that is owned or ruled by someone who moulded it into something they wanted. The Marai is Neax's domain where time stops. It freezes everything so that she can move accordingly. It was made for speed. And since it is her domain, you cannot do anything about it. Everything you think you are good with will be useless in that domain. But I'm glad I pulled you out before she could kill you," sabi niya.

"Who is Neax? Where the hell she came from?" naguguluhang tanong ko sa kanya.

Napabuntong-hininga si Nine (Seven).

"Remember the thing I told you about Cherubim copying someone? The one you defeated?" tanong niya.

"Yes. I remember that especially when I saw that thing's mouth. For a moment, it scared the s**t out of me," sagot ko sa kanya n

"Neax is the one that Cherubim copied. The one you faced was the prototype and the real deal was the one you faced a few minutes ago. And when I say the real deal, she's way too far from the one you defeated. Far more stronger and bloodthirsty. And she's the nosferatu. One of Jomurgandr's warriors," aniya. "And a vampire eater. I suggest you stop strolling alone. You don't know when she will strike again," dagdag pa niya. "If I hadn't arrived, she probably made you her food," sabi pa niya.

"Yeah. Thanks to Resonance, he saved me," sagot ko sa kanya. "She did mention to me that Resonance was once a king. What is she talking about? All I know is that my sword was created by Cherubim."

"And that," aniya. "Excalibur Resonance is the sword that was created by the Death, Jomurgandr. She created it after she defeated the king of Nephylims. The black and blue diamonds are actually the horn of that king. He was foolish enough to challenge death and when he got defeated, she decided to break his horns and honed it into a sword and trapped his soul inside," sagot niya. "That sword was stolen by Cherubim when he attacked the Axis Mundi," dagdag pa niya. "The one who talks to you is that wicked king. He probably learned his mistakes that Death is a deal that should left untouched."

Napaamang ako sa kanya.

"Just how strong Death is?" tanong ko sa kanya.

"Enough to make Cherubim, your creator, attack her domain while she sleeps. Do you get it?" patanong na sagot niya sa akin.

Napalunok ako.

If one of her warriors can create such a domain? Paano pa kaya si Jormungandr? Anong domain ang meron siya? Bakit kahit hindi ko pa siya nakikilala ay kinakabahan na ako? Is there anyway to prevent this inevitable fate of us?