Fear the Reaper

Chapter 18: Azraela

Nine

"Hey, have you seen Magenta? She's been missing before the party officially start," narinig kong sabi ng mga nakaumpok na mga babae ilang dipa lang ang layo mula sa amin nina Ein.

I secretly smirk. That woman would spread the word about me if I didn't silence her. Of course I know she's the archon of foreseeing. And she saw me back when I killed those two pathetic and worthless Archons.

"Are you alright, Six? You can wear my Jacket if you feel cold. Archives tend to get colder when night falls.

Ngumiti ako sa kanya.

“No. I’m fine. But I have to go soon,” sagot ko sa kanya trying to maintain my sweetness with him.

“So soon? Ni hindi pa kita nakasama ng matagal,” aniya.

Again, I smiled at him.

“Babalik naman ako as soon as everything about my job is done,” sagot ko sa kanya.

“Then shall we go?” aniya.

“No you should stay here. Hindi pa tapos ang meeting ninyo hindi ba? I can go by. Don’t worry about me,” sabi ko sa kanya.

“Okay at least let me accompany you outside,” sagot niya sa akin.

At tulad ng inaasahan, inihatid niya ako sa labasan. Iyong tipong kaming dalawa sa labas. Madilim na ngunit ang liwanag ng buwan na siyang naging tanglaw namin at liwanag na nagmumula sa kanyang mga mata ay para bang tigre na nakatingin sa akin. I’m short in height compared to his towering one. Ein wrapped his arms around me.

“Can I kiss you?” tanong niya as his gaze locked at me habang nakatingala ako sa kanya.

Hindi ako sumagot but instead, I tiptoed and I kiss him. Hindi ako sure kung tama ba ang aking ginagawa. Napansin ko na lang na humigpit ang yakap ni Ein sa aking bewang. And make our kiss similar to the one we did earlier. I don’t think this is the right thing I should do. I was the one who broke the kiss first.

“I’m leaving,” sabi ko sa kanya at humarap muna ako sa kanya bago papasok sa loob ng bilog na usok na nilikha ng aking mga kamay.

“Take care habibi and be back soon. I’ll miss you”, aniya.

I blew him a flying kiss before I turned my back from him, hiding my angry face. Nakagat ko ang aking pang-ibabang labi sa inis ng aking nararamdaman. This is all freaking garbage for me but the fact that I’m affected by that archon and this thing in my chest doesn’t help at all, is hindering my plan.

Damn it! The order has been set in motion. I don't need this feeling to grow stronger. It's easy to kill it while it's still young. I don't want to be intimate nor associated with someone that I will kill soon.

"What's with the angry face, mistress? Did something happen in your journey? And that silly dress" tanong sa akin ni Neax habang nakaupo sa kanyang lap si Seven.

"It's nothing," sagot ko sa kanila changing my dress with mh usual all black attire. "Went to an Archon party. And ended up killing someone," sagot ko.

"Of course, you're death afterall. You reap the soul when it needs to be reap," sagot niya.

"You two. I need you to do something for me," sabi ko sa kanila.

"Ohhh work what is it, Mistress?" tanong nila sa akin.

"Bring Eula to me. Bring her corpse to me and I shall wake her up," sagot ko sa kanila.

Nagkatinginan sila.

"Are you sure, Mistress? You know she cannot be tamed," nag-aalinlangang tanong ni Seven.

"She will. This time, she will bow to me," sagot ko sa kanila. "Now go. I'll go somewhere else. I will assemble our troops before the war starts," sabi ko pa.

Tumayo mula sa pagkakaupo si Seven sa kandungan ni Neax.

"As you wish, mistress," sabay nilang sabi bago sila naglaho.

Agad akong pumasok sa aking silid and then unleashed my snake form that almost scared the s**t out of Oceanus who leisurely napping on my bed.

"What the heck, mistress!" sigaw niya. "You scared me," pasigaw na sabi niya since he's just a dot size in my eyes.

"Sorry. I was just stressed out. I need air to breath," sagot ko sa kanya.

"You mean you need a huge amount of air since you are a damn huge mistress. Please go back to your celestial form. I'm not used to your snake form," sabi niya sa akin.

"I'll be back in an hour. I just need to rest a bit," sagot ko sa kanya before coiling myself and closing my eyes.

"I sensed your distress, child. What's troubling you?" tanong sa akin ng butterfly na palipadlipad sa aking harapan.

"My lord," sagot ko sa kanya. "It's nothing," sabi ko pa.

"Are you troubled because something in your chest started to beat once again?"

Bumuntong-hininga ako.

"I took it off. Why do I feel like something is growing inside of it, my lord. I don't want it. It hinders my Job," sagot ko sa kanya.

I heard the butterfly chuckling.

Huh? Do butterfly chuckles?

"That's your fate, my child," sagot niya sa akin. "And, you cannot fight fate but you can alternate it," sagot niya.

"Huh? Fate? May I meet this fate, my lord?" tanong ko sa kanya.

"No you cannot. As fate is associated with time like death is, you can't meet nor see it. But always remember, whatever you do, that reflects your fate. It's always the outcome of what you did. Fate and death are my children, one day child, one day, you'll be able to meet Fate. For now, it's up to you what path you want to walk on. And whatever the outcome you chose, fate will always be at the end of your road," aniya bago ito nawala.

Nagising ako noong naglaho na ang paru-paro.

Pangitain. I never question my lord but if I can choose the path that I want to walk on, this thing in my chest wouldn't interfere, it will not, right?

I shifted into my female celestial form.

"Hu! I thought I feel like I wa suffocating," sabi ni Oceanus na nasa isang sulok ng aking silid.

"You're not. This room is too big. Even two Jomungandr will fit here. You're just being dramatic," natatawang sabi ko sa kanya habang naglalakad ako patungo sa isang sulok kung nasaan ang aking paboritong sandala.

"I'm just afraid that if you lose your mind, your snake form will eat me. But I'm afraid I can't reach your throat by then. I'll get stuck into one of your fangs," aniya.

Natawa ako sa sinabi niya.

"Stop saying that. I don't eat my comrades, stupid," natatawang sagot ko sa kanya.

Murasame, my scythe glows when I come near it.

"Oh the cursed weapon. The mother of all weapons ever existed," sabi ni Oceanus.

Binatukan ko siya.

"Murasame is one of a kind. There is nothing in the world that can rival that," sagot ko sa kanya.

"Even me? I can't rival the murasame?" tanong niya.

Binatukan ko siya uli.

"You're a ride not a weapon," sagot ko sa kanya. "But of course you're with me since the beginning so no one can rival you when it comes to speed and strength whether on land or on water," sagot ko sa kanya.

Oceanus purred. Of course, he loves being praised by me.

"And because of that. We will going to Anakites," sabi ko sa kanya.

"As you wish my dearest mistress," sagot niya sa akin.

The war that is coming is the Judgement. All celestials, cythonias, lesser demons, deities, archons and even the unwanted habits of earth will be purged by me. They already grow in numbers that are ten times the number of humans on earth and the Khestrans in Khestramore. There is only one GOD that is supposed to be worshipped. And I will eliminate who ever opposed it.

And there are monsters that need to be free. Monsters that were created for the sole purpose of the Judgement.

Oceanus shifted into his horse form and I rode him since teleporting is forbidden there.

Pagtading namin sa b****a ng Anakites ay hindi napigilan ni Oceanus na hindi matakot.

"Damn, mistress this place give chills," sagot niya sa akin.

"I know. Cairo's lingering madness is still here even though he has been deduced to a sword," sagot ko sa kanya.

"Then what are we doing here kung wala na ang sadya natin, Mistress?" tanong niya.

"Follow me. We have someone down here that is very much waiting for us," sagot ko sa kanya as I lead the way to another door just beside the huge one.

Oceanus shifted into his cat form and followed me.

"And who is there?" aniya.

"Someone who's bloodthirsty," sagot ko as the door opened itself.

Isang malamig na hangin ang sumalubong sa amin ni Oceanus. Hindi lang ito basta malamig na hangin kung hindi naroon na rin ang poot at galit ng kung sino man ang nakakulong doon.

"M-mistress, who exactly is in here?" natatakot na tanong nito na pumatong na ito mismo sa aking balikat.

"Azraela," sagot ko sa kanya.

"N-no way!" mahinang sigaw niya. "What could a terrible creature do here?"

Habang palayo na kami ng palayo mula sa labasan, hindi mapigil ang mga salita na nagmumula kay Oceanus.

"Mistress, what if she attacks us? We will be her first meal for billions of years," aniya. "Let's forget her and let's go back to Axis Mundi."

"Hush, Oceanus. If you keep on talking nonsense she might eat you in one go," sagot ko sa kanya.

Hindi na umimik si Oceanus bagkus ay nagsumiksik ito sa aking leeg.

"Come closer, Jomungandr. I've been waiting for you," pareho naming narinig na may nagsalita sa hindi kalayuan.

The light from torches flickers, making us see the other prisoners that are lying down on the cold floor. They look like they are dead but they are sleeping and waiting for time for them to wake up. They weren't the usual giant Nephilims, they are like Celestials and hybrids. Nagpatuloy lang kami sa paglalakad hanggang sa huminto kami sa isang malaki at madilim na kulungan.

Pinitik ko ang aking mga daliri at umapoy lahat ang mga sulo na naroon.

Nakita namin ni Oceanus ang nakaupong babaeng natatakpan ng kanyang pulang buhok ang mukha. Nakakadena ang magkabila niyang kamay at paa. This girl in front of me is the legendary Azraela. The girl that Cairo loathed with all his heart. She is his younger daughter from the archangel Rafaela who dumped their baby at and that was her. Azraela loathed everyone including nephilims and archangels, the highest Celestial. She vowed to kill them if she had the chance. And she successfully wounded her mother in a cold fight. And she ended up here. She was destined to die but I refuse to reap someone who was treated unfairly. So I secretly put her in here. Guts told me that one day, I will be needing her help.

They say that she is a dangerous flesh eating monster but I see her as a girl and daughter that needed love and attention. More like Neax.

Back then when everything was normal before humans were created, being a half-blood was labelled as abnormal, abomination and having no place in any domain. They couldn't fit. So I, yours truly saved them.

"Hello there, Azraela. It's been a while," nakangiting sagot ko sa kanya.

"Are you ready to free me, now?" tanong niya.

Her onyx eyes looked at me dangerously.

"Yes. Neax has been freed and so you will be today," sagot ko sa kanya.

"The Lord permitted you to do it?" tanong niya.

"He gave me full authorization. The Judgement is coming and I need you in my troops," sagot ko sa kanya while unlocking her chains.

"Good. Good. I like war. Smell's flesh and blood. But why did the Lord decide to let the Judgement start?" tanong niya eyeing Oceanus.

"Why do you look like you wanted to eat my horse?" tanong ko sa kanya.

Ngumisi siya.

"It's just that it looks tasty," sagot niya sa akin.

"You'll eat whatever you want in Axis. Stand up and let's go," sagot ko sa kanya dahil naramdaman ko ang panginginig ni Oceanus.

Ngumisi ito showing me her pointed teeth.

"Lead the way, mistress."