Infernus : The Devil Has Risen

Chapter 7

OMISHA BARGED into my room without any notice and there's a huge smile plastered on her face. Right at that moment, I knew that she will bring me some good news that might made my day complete.

"I had to tell you something very important," she said. She was catching her breath while tucking her hair in her ear. I was just staring at Omisha's round face, waiting for her to spill the information that she got.

"Nahanap ko na ang kaluluwa ni Thadeus. Pansamantala ko siyang kinulong sa loob ng espesyal na kahon, siya ngayon ay nagpapahinga."

Hindi ko napigilan ang sarili ko na mapangiti matapos marinig ang kanyang sinabi. I grabbed my black coat hanging on the door including my purse and some important stuff. I steal a glance at Omisha and told her to follow my lead. We both teleported to her place, specifically in her room where the box is hidden.

The box is glowing and slightly moving while I am looking at it. I can already feel Thadeus' aura.

"Seal the room before letting him out," utos ko kay Omisha. She snapped her fingers and in a blink of an eye, a strong barrier appeared around us. The barrier is from Omisha's power, the power of darkness.

Lumapit si Omisha sa kahon at lumuhod sa sahig upang mabuksan niya ito. She removed the magical chains before carefully opening the box. Lumabas ang puting usok hanggang sa nahulma ang mukha ni Thadeus.

Pinagsalikop ko ang aking kamay at pinagaralan ang kanyang kabuuan. It feel strange looking at his soul.

"I will find a new body that you can use," I said before taking a step forward to him.

"But I got a favor to ask in return."

He didn't say anything but I knew that he understands what I am trying to say.

I clasped my hands and slowly shut my eyes closed to summon the body he's going to use, so he can interact with annoying creatures called humans. Few moments later, the body appeared in front of us.

Minulat ko ang aking mga mata at binalingan ng tingin si Omisha na nakatitig sa katawan.

"Where did you get this body?" nagtataka niyang tanong. Nakakunot ang kanyang noo habang sinusuri ang katawan ng binata na aking nakuha. The owner of the body is a nursing student who accidentally taken an expired medicine. Well, obviously he died... not really, I've taken his soul to the Underworld so that I could get his body.

"Don't ask, Omisha. Gawin mo na ang dapat mong gawin nang sa gayon ay magamit na ni Thadeus ang katawan na iyan."

Hinawakan ko ang dulo ng aking suot na bestida saka bahagyang tinaas bago maglaho. Nagtungo ako sa tahanan ng aking kapatid. Tuwang-tuwa ako ng hindi ko siya naabutan, buti na lang. Dahil magagawa ko na ang aking pakay.

Pumanhik ako patungo sa ikalawang palapag ng bahay ni Devon at nagtungo sa silid na inilaan niya para sa kanyang anak na nawawala. I walked towards the pitch black cabinet and opened it using my power. Tanging ang maliit na kahon lang ang laman ng kabinet at ang laman ay isang gintong singsing na nagmula pa sa aming ama.

Kinuha ko sa loob ng aking bulsa ang maliit na pakete na naglalaman ng pulang buhangin. The red sand came from the cursed island named La Flora. It was cursed by the deity who was taken for granted. Ang buhangin ay isang uri ng proteksyon na kayang pangalagaan ang kahit na sinong nilalang. Binuhos ko ang buhangin sa loob ng kahon at agad na sinara bago muling naglaho at bumalik sa aking trabaho.

Nakatitiyak ako na makikita ni Devon ang kanyang asawa't anak, sana ay sa lalong madaling panahon upang hindi na siya malungkot at mamuhay ng mag-isa.

I only want the best for my brother.

I LOSE track of time, but I think it has been a couple of months since I was trapped here in Ahyme. I barely manage to survive. However, I'm still breathing. Hindi ako maaaring mamatay hangga't hindi ko natitiyak na ligtas si Morana.

Binagsak ko ang aking sarili pahiga sa mainit na buhangin at huminga ng malalim. I am silently hoping for rain, so I can take a bath and drink plenty of water. I already stink and I couldn't even tolerate my own smell.

My lips curved into a smile when the heaven heard me. Dumilim ang langit, lumakas ang simoy ng hangin, at naririnig ko mula sa aking kinahihigaan ang tunog ng papalapit na ulan. Unti-unting tumulo ang malamig na tubig sa aking pisngi kaya lalong lumapad ang ngiti sa labi ko. Lumakas ang ulan at tumataas ang lebel ng tubig, sa sobrang tuwa ko ay hindi na ako nagtangkang gumalaw pa sa aking pwesto, hinayaan ko na lang na tangayin ako ng tubig sa kung saan.

"Cozbi! Help!"

Napatayo ako ng wala sa oras nang marinig ang boses ni Morana sa aking utak. I look around to check if she was here but I am just hallucinating.

"Cozbi!"

Muli kong narinig ang tinig niya. Tila hirap na hirap siya kaya kinabahan ako at hindi mapakali.

"Help me, please. Cozbi!"

Isang hingang malalim ang aking pinawalan bago tumingala sa madilim na kalangitan.

MORANA was catching her breath and gripping her chest tightly, she had difficulty breathing because of the food that she ate earlier. May nilagay sila sa pagkain kaya naman ngayon ay nahihirapan si Morana.

"Stop pretending, Morana. Get up, you need to finish your food."

Umiling siya saka gumulong pakanan habang pilit na inaabot ang tubig na nasa tabi ng tray. Ilang dangkal ang layo ng tray at dahil nanghihina si Morana ay hindi niya agad maabot ang baso.

"W-water..." mahinang bulong ni Morana. The woman remained standing while her arms are crossed, she was just staring at Morana at shaking her head in disbelief everytime Morana opens her mouth to speak.

"Just finish your food. My master is already looking for me." Nagiging iritable na ang babae kaya naman kinuha niya ang baso at sinadyang ibuhos ang lamang tubig sa ulo ni Morana. The latter couldn't believe what just happened, at first she thought that the woman was nice but she was simply treating her bad.

Morana weakly rested her head on the wet floor and tried to calm herself down. She managed to do it for a few minutes, but because of exhaustion she passed out.

In her dreams, she tried to call Cozbi and Cessair's name, she was asking for him and attempting to give them her location but she failed.

Flashback when Morrigan taken the student's body.

"Julius! Aba naman, umaga na hindi ka pa rin bumabangon sa higaan mo. Hindi ka anak mayaman! Tumayo ka na at maligo dahil may pasok ka pa!"

Hanggang sa kabilang kanto ang galit ng ina ni Julius. Hindi mapigilan ni Morrigan na mapangiwi dahil sa naririnig. Matagal na niyang binabantayan ang galaw ng binata at naghihintay ng tamang pagkakataon na gawin ang kanyang plano.

The young lad is very lazy and he was keeping a dark secret. Sekreto na siyang dahilan kaya nakabantay si Morrigan sa kanya. Nagpasyang si Morrigan na maupo sa malaking tipak ng bato na nasa gilid ng kalsada at pinanuod ang bawat galaw ni Julius.

She's watching his every move and watching what he is going to do next. Hindi kasama sa trabaho ni Morrigan ang magbulag-bulagan sa katotohanan. Sinundan niya ang binata hanggang sa makarating sila sa universidad kung saan siya nag-aaral.

Panay ang lingon ni Julius sa kanyang likuran dahil nararamdaman niyang may nakatitig sa kanya. He felt the discomfort and he was starting to think negatively. Biglang pumasok sa kanyang isipan ang kasalanan na kanyang ginawa. The unforgotten tragedy still haunts him. Iyon ang dahilan kaya hindi siya lumalabas sa kanyang silid at nakikipagsalamuha sa ibang tao. He's afraid that they might discover what he did.

Lunch break...

Mag-isang naglalakad si Julius sa kahabaan ng hallway. He's humming his favorite song while reading his favorite novel. Bitbit niya ang kanyang bag kung saan nakapaloob ang kanyang baon. He is heading to the canteen but then he unconsciously walked to the abandoned library. Ang library na siyang sinasabi ng mga guro na haunted dahil sa mga hindi maipaliwanag na pangyayari.

Tila hindi niya napansin ang nangyayari dahil abala ang kanyang isipan. But Morrigan was enjoying by the fact that he's going to die in a few minutes.

Tuluyan nang nakapasok si Julius sa library. Ganoon na lang ang gulat niya dahil sa malakas na pagbagsak ng pinto. He finally realized that he was inside the dark library alone. Nabitawan niya ang hawak na libro nang lumitaw sa kanyang harapan ang kaluluwa ng kanyang girlfriend na pumanaw anim na buwan na ang nakakalipas.

He trembled in fear and began to murmur something.

Nakaupo lang si Morrigan sa tuktok ng maalikabok na shelf at nakahalukipkip. She was the reason why his girlfriend's soul showed up. Iyon ang dahilan kaya niya binabantayan ang lalaki, dahil may pinaslang siya.

He sent someone to the other world who's not ready to cross yet. Kaya gano'n na lang ang galit ni Morrigan dahil nadagdagan ang kanyang trabaho.

"Patawarin mo ako, Lia! Hindi ko sinasadya! Lasing ako nang mangyari iyon! Patawarin mo ako! Tulong! Tulungan niyo ako!"

Julius' face is full of tears and he is panicking. Ni hindi na nga niya maitaas ang kamay dahil sa sobrang panghihina. He is begging for Lia's forgiveness. Subali't kaluluwa na lang ang kanyang kaharap. They only held grudge and they don't know how forgiveness works.

Kinuha ko ang maliit na kahon sa aking bulsa saka tinapon sa harap ni Julius. The small box contain some pill. Kinuha niya iyon saka binuksan gamit ang nanginginig niyang kamay at walang pagdadalawang-isip na binuhos sa kanyang bibig ang gamot.

He swallowed it without drinking any water. He was desperate to forget everything that happened this day.

Ilang sandali lamang ay natumba siya sa sahig habang nangingisay at bumubula ang bibig. Morrigan jumped from the top of the shelf and went closer to the soul. She showed her sweet smile to Lia.

"He's dead. Matatahimik na ang kaluluwa mo, Lia. I'll make sure that he suffers in the Underworld. You can cross the bridge peacefully now, without any grudge on your heart." Tinuro ko ang kanyang dibdib. Biglang lumitaw ang liwanag sa likod ni Lia kaya napangiti si Morrigan.

Lia also smiled at her after waving her hands goodbye. Tuluyan na siyang tumawid sa kabilang buhay.

"L-lia... sorry," nahihirapang sabi ni Julius.

Morrigan's forehead knotted in confusion. Akala niya ay namatay ang binata ngunit buhay pa rin ito. So she taken the soul from his body and brought him to the Underworld where he was welcomed by the evil spirits.