Warning: This chapter contains violence, death and gore. This may be uncomfortable for some readers so please, be advised. Prioritize one's state of mind all the time. Thank you.

AZURE sat on the sofa. He was in the other room. Katabi lang din kung nasaan sina Gonietta at Logan. Nakayakap sa kaniya si Stacey.

"Hon, how long are we going to wait?"

"Until that monster comes."

"But I'm tired," reklamo nito at siniksik ang mukha sa kaniyang leeg.

Kaagad naman siyang napadaing at tinulak ang babae. "Fuck! Don't nudge that face on me!" Masakit pa ang leeg niya dahil sa ilang injection na natamo.

Nagulat naman si Stacey sa kaniyang pagsigaw pero hindi niya pinansin ang naluluha nitong mga mata. Instead, he ordered her.

"Give me that book." Turo niya sa libro na nasa table na nasa harapan nila.

Bakas sa mukha nito na ayaw nitong sumunod at napilitang ibigay ang libro. "I thought you don't read fiction."

"I don't." He glanced at the book. It was the Odds of Tribes by Noa Green. It was a stupid thing for him to buy the book of Noa, but what that monster said couldn't get out of his mind. The way he represented himself as Noa's creation had him thinking that he must be someone from a book.

Although it was impossible to believe, that was the only explanation he could think of for the power he saw. That monster didn't come from this world.

Binuksan niya ang libro. Unang sumalubong sa kaniya ang mga character illustration. The drawing may not be as accurate as what he saw from the guy but the outfit was the same. Binasa niya rin ito kahapon at tumugma ang kapangyarihan nito sa nakita niya.

"Black threads . . ." He kept scanning the book.

"Hon."

"What?" Inis niyang nilingon ang babae nang kinalabit siya nito. "If you want to go home, leave."

"I don't want to. I want to stay with you tonight." She pouted. "Can't you make this a little faster?"

He clicked his tongue in annoyance and called one of his men. Kaagad namang may pumasok.

"Yes, sir?"

"Is he still not coming? Wala pa bang halimaw na pumasok diyan?"

"No, sir."

He cursed under his breath. Did he make the wrong decision? Were the hostages not valuable to the man?

But he was living with them. It's impossible if he won't even bother coming here.

"Are you sure you left a message in their apartment?"

"Yes, sir. Kakabalik lang ng iniwan namin kanina at sabi niya pinaskil niya raw ang mensahe sa pinto ng room number ni Logan Ramirez."

The message contained an address kung nasaan sila. He planned on luring the man here and used the two as hostages. Gusto niyang gamitin ang dalawa upang mapasunod ang lalaki. He would give him back the pain he felt in the hospital.

I'm sure he has a weakness. And those are the two hostages.

"Fucking double-check it. Go back to the apartment if needed! I want that guy to come here at any cost."

Tumango naman ang lalaki. "Understood, sir--"

Hindi natapos ng lalaki ang sabihin nang biglang bumalibag ang pinto. Nasira ito at natamaan ang lalaking nakatayo. Napasigaw si Stacey nang may lalaking iniluwa mula roon.

"You don't have to tire your men. I have come."

Napangisi siya nang makita ang halimaw na nanakit sa kaniya. May hawak ito sa kaliwang kamay kaya napunta ang tingin niya ro'n. It was his father who was barely alive.

The monster named Adamas Riscarte walked toward them. "How dare you act like a villain, Azure? And you even use a damn cheap trick."

"Cheap trick?"

"Yeah. Taking a hostage to lure your target is a cowardly, cheap trick." He chuckled. "You should've faced me head-on if you want revenge so bad."

"Ha!" He scoffed and raised his eyebrow. "Coming from someone who brought my father. Aren't you doing the same thing?"

"Silly. I am not bringing your father as a hostage." Lumapit ito sa isa sa mga couch at hinila papunta sa kanilang harapan. Inupo nito ang ama. "I brought him to be an audience."

Napahigpit ang hawak niya sa libro. Si Stacey rin ay napayakap sa isa niyang braso. Dahan-dahan, kinuha niya ang baril na nilagay niya sa kaniyang likuran.

"I don't have much time. I'm going to end you now, Azure." The man ran toward him. He was ready to grab his neck but he exposed what he was hiding.

Nilabas niya ang baril na may nakakonektang maliit na button. "Try to touch me. And the room where your two loving humans will blow off."

Natigilan naman sa pagtakbo si Adamas at napalayo sa kaniya. Hindi niya man makita ang mukha dahil sa veil nito pero hula niya'y unti-unti na itong kinakabahan. Dahan-dahan siyang ngumiti habang hinihintay ang lalaking mataranta at magmakaawa sa kaniya.

I was right. They are his weakness. Him coming here was already the proof. Now, I could do anything I want.

"If you don't want to see them dead, be obedient to me and I'll--"

"Pfft."

Naputol ang kaniyang pagsasalita nang bigla itong tumawa. Nasundan pa ito hanggang sa naging isang halakhak. Umalingawngaw ang peke nitong tawa sa buong kuwarto.

"Hon, I think he's crazy," bulong ni Stacey sa kaniya.

What the fuck?

"Silly little human. Iyan lang ang hinanda mo? You are indeed an idiot." Napahawak ito sa veil sabay umiling. "Do you think that can stop me? Do you think my Noa wrote me just to be stopped by a damn threat? Think again, human!"

Muli siya nitong sinugod. Ngunit sa pagkakataong ito diret-diretso ito at walang planong tumigil. Bigla nitong tinanggal ang black veil habang papalapit pa rin sa kaniya dahilan para matigilan siya.

Nanuyo ang lalamunan niya.

That face . . .

The damn face he hated. The face he once envied. And the face he already killed was now smiling evilly at him. How could this be possible? How could an innocent man like him be looking like a devil?

"Oh my god! It's him!" Napasinghap si Stacey sa kaniyang tabi. "He's the guy who slapped me!"

Because he was flustered, he failed to realize that the man was already in front of him, holding his wrist tight. Nilapit nito ang mukha sa kaniya kaya mas lalo siyang nagitla.

"What's wrong, Azure? Having flashbacks?" Hinigpitan nito ang pagkakahawak sa kaniyang pulso. "Why don't you press the button now? I'll give you a chance."

Napaigting ang panga niya sa sinabi nito. It pissed him how he was so cocky. What he hated the most was the people looking down on him.

"You'll regret this!" Kaagad niyang pinindot ang button na nasa dulo ng grip.

Sumunod kaagad ang tunog ng pagsabog. Ramdam niya pa ang vibration sa kaniyang kinauupuan. Pero hindi nagbago ang ekspresyon ng lalaki. Wala man lang bakas ng pag-aalala ang mukha nito. Nakangisi pa rin ito sa kaniya na para bang ito'y nanalo na.

"Azure, you are dumb for thinking I have a weakness." He twisted his wrist, making him scream. Nabitawan niya ang baril. Lalo pa siyang napasigaw nang hilahin nito patuwid ang fractured niyang braso. "My wordy Noa loves me so much that she wrote me as a character who never makes everyone important to him as a weakness. I don't go villain-making and endanger my people. Before I act, I make sure they are in the safest place possible."

Black threads immediately crawled from the monster's fingers and encircled his body. Stacey attempted to rescue him but the woman was also caught up with the threads.

"Don't touch me--hmp!" Tinakpan nito ang bibig gamit ang sinulid.

"Shut up, woman. You annoy me." Binalik ng lalaki ang tingin sa kaniya. "Now, let's start killing you."

Tinaas nito ang isang kamay. Namilog ang mga mata niya nang may gumapang doon na makakapal at itim na sinulid. Unti-unting nagbabago ang anyo hanggang sa naging hugis ng isang malaking martilyo.

Nilingon nito ang kaniyang ama. "Watch carefully, Asensio. Watch how I will bring your son to death before you."

Bago pa siya makapagpumiglas, gumalaw na ang martilyo at kaagad na hinampas ang kaniyang braso. Napasigaw siya sa sakit. Parang metal itong tumama. Rinig niya ang tunog ng kaniyang buto na nagkayupi-yupi.

"Fuck!" Hindi na niya maramdaman pa ang isang bahagi ng kaniyang braso.

He wasn't still recovered when the hammer suddenly changed its shape, turning into ang sharp blade. Bago pa siya makapalag ay tumagos na ang matulis na dulo nito sa kaniyang dibdib.

His father screamed as he coughed blood.

"I love your expression. Your pale and struggling face is what I want to see." Adamas laughed. Hinawakan nito ang magkabila niyang pisngi. "How does it feel, Azure? How does it feel to be defeated by this face again?"

He gritted his teeth. Muli niyang naalala ang mga pangyayari dati kung saan kahit ilang beses hindi man lang siya nanalo sa mahina niyang kapatid. Back when they were kids, he used to play games with him in an attempt to humiliate him. But to his surprise, he ended up being the loser. Mapa-chess or mapa-cards, he couldn't defeat Adamas. Lalo lang lumala ang pagkainis niya nang makuha nito ang babaeng gusto niya. He was supposed to be a weakling so he couldn't understand why he couldn't defeat him.

He was better at many things, but when it comes to Adamas, he became nothing. Even with all the riches he achieved, he still thinks Adamas was way better than him.

"Fuck you!" He screamed. Tumulo ang dugo sa kaniyang labi. "Fuck you! Fuck you! Fuck you!"

"Fuck your dumb self!" Adamas laughed and held the blade which was now changing again. It turned back to being a hammer. "Fuck yourself in hell, Azure. As I sent you there, I want you to damn suffer!"

Nanlisik ang mga mata nito. Doon na siya tuluyang natulala nang inamba nito ang martilyo sa kaniyang ulo.

Isang tunog nang malakas na hampas ang nagpanting sa kaniyang ulo bago nawala ang kaniyang bisyon. Ngunit hindi siya tuluyang nawala. Naririnig niya pa ang mga hampas nito sa kaniyang bungo. Pati na ang nakakamatay na sakit ay nararamdaman niya pa rin.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

"Die, Azure. Die! You're wrong for acting like the villain. I am the villain here. The villain written by my wordy Noa!"

Another loud bang and his mind were finally shut off. In the end, he still couldn't beat his brother.

ADAMAS couldn't count the times he slammed the hammer on Azure's head. His laugh echoed around the area as his emotion invoke a greater satisfaction. Bawat dugong tumatalsik, bawat laman na napipiga niya ay nagagawa nitong pawiin ang nauuhaw niyang galit.

[Warning: Character Disintegration is triggered. Maintain your emotion.]

Hindi siya nakinig sa system. Tinuloy niya pa ang pagpukpok nito. Ilang sigaw na rin ang narinig niya mula kay Asensio na mas lalo lang nakakapagpagana sa kaniya.

[Warning: Character Disintegration is starting to build up. A small part of your brain is getting altered. Please, maintain your emotion.]

"Argh. You're so annoying."

Doon lang siya tumigil nang kumirot na nang sobrang ang kaniyang ulo. Sinulyapan niya si Asensio.

"How's the experience? Did you like it?" Tinaas niya ang kamay at ang lalaki. "Now, it's your turn."

He summoned Azlan's thread and devoured the suffering man. He had already made him suffer enough. Now, he needed to die. The same goes for the woman whose eyes were filled with tears.

"You still didn't change and just got worse. Therefore, you will die as well." Hindi na ito pinatagal ni Adamas at kinain ang babae gamit ang kaniyang mga sinulid.

Ganoon din ang ginawa niya kay Azure. Wasak ang ulo nito at hindi na makikilala pa. Naupo siya sa sofa at hinintay na matapos sipsipin ng mga cocoon ang mga katawan nila.

[Character Disintegration has subsided.]

"Because I wasn't planning to disintegrate in the first place." He rolled his eyes. "Show me the progress bar."

[Character Restoration progress: 97%]

Napangiti siya.

Natapos niya na rin. Lahat ng taong nagtulak kay Noa ay nagawa na niyang parusahan. Pati ang sumira kay Adamas Laurien ay nagawa niya na ring maipaghigante.

"My wordy Noa, I made it. Now I can finally go home." He rested his head on the couch and closed his eyes.

When the cocoons were finished, he walked out of the room and went to the car waiting for him outside.

It was Anais.

Pinuntahan niya ito kanina bago siya nagtungo rito. Kailangan niya ng masasakyan dahil masiyado itong malayo para takbuhin niya. Inuna niya ring patumbahin ang mga tauhan ni Azure at kunin sina Gonietta at Logan bago pumunta sa kuwarto kung saan naroroon ang kaniyang biktima.

Pumasok na siya sa loob. Naupo siya katabi sa driver's seat. Pagkapasok niya, kaagad na pinaharurot ni Anais ang kotse.

Nilingon niya ang kalagayan ng dalawa na nasa back seat. Nakasandal ang duguan na si Logan sa balikat ni Gonietta. Napunta ang tingin niya sa babae nang nakatunganga lang ito.

Usually, Gonietta would strike up a conversation with him, but now . . . she was silent.

"Adamas."

He glanced at Anais. "What is it?"

"D-did you really kill them? Azure and father?"

"Yes. Are you bothered?"

Umiling ito. "No."

"Then why did you ask?"

"I was just trying to feel things. But even if you told me you killed them, I can't feel any sympathy towards them." Anais let out a sigh.

"They are unworthy of your sympathy."

Naging tahimik ang buong biyahe nila hanggang sa makarating sa hospital. Tinulungan niya si Gonietta na alalayan si Logan papasok sa loob.

Nagpaiwan siya sa labas ng emergency room at hinayaan ang tatlo sa loob. Nagpasya siyang lumabas sa hospital. Sumandal siya sa sasakyan ni Anais habang tinatanaw ang madilim na kalangitan.

This would be the last time he would look up at the same sky as his Noa. Uuwi na siya. Napaghigante na niya ang kaniyang manunulat. Nagawa na niyang tuparin ang sulat nito.

But for some reason, there was a part of him that was down.

Muli niyang binalik ang tingin sa hospital.

Maybe this is because of the two humans.

Paniguradong ma-mi-miss niya ang dalawa. He enjoyed his stay in this dimension because of them.

He closed his eyes as he remembered the times he spent with them. Biglang bumagsak ang balikat niya nang maalala ang mga mukha ng dalawa no'ng nagtungo sila sa club. What made him more stunned at that moment was their emotion.

There was extreme fear.

Hindi iyon ang unang beses dahil sa tuwing pinapakita niya ang nakakasuklam niyang personalidad, hindi maiwasan ng dalawa na matakot sa kaniya.

It seems I really did scare them.

And he wanted to get rid of that fear.

He opened his eyes. "System, what will happen when I will finally return to Fictosa?"

[Response System: Your existence in the real dimension will be altered. Fictional characters and humans should not co-exist, and therefore, should be kept separate.]

For a moment, he froze. Subalit ilang saglit ay napangiti na lang siya. Isang ngiting pagsuko.

"I see." He should've expected this to happen. His life was in between pages and in between pages he should only be remembered.

Naisip din niya na mas maganda iyon dahil hindi na maalala pa ni Logan at Gonietta ang mga nakakasuklam niyang ginawa. They wouldn't need to live while bearing the guilt of his murders. Tuluyan siya nilang makakalimutan at mananatili na lang isang fictional character na nasa libro lang.

"How will you going to alter it?"

[Response system: Every interaction, event and traces will be masked with a new one. It will depend on the closest possibility and believable replacement.]

"Believable replacement, huh?" he murmured. He glanced at the exist of the hospital when Anais went out.

Isang ideya ang lumabas sa kaniyang isip kaya sinenyasahan niya ang babae na lumapit sa kaniya.

Pumasok sila sa loob ng sasakyan.

"Do you have something to say?" taka nitong tanong.

"I want you to do something for me."

"Ano 'yon?"

"Film me." Nilingon niya ito. "Before I leave, I want to stir up something."

Napuno ng kuryosidad ang mukha nito kaya ngumiti siya. He removed his veil. "I am going to use your brother's name. Will it be okay with you?"

After she agreed and took a video of him, he went out of the car. Umalis na rin ang babae dahil may aasikasuhin pa ito.

Pumasok siya ulit sa hospital para tingnan ang kalagayan ng dalawa. Prente lang siyang naglalakad papunta sa emergency nang bigla siyang sinalubong ni Logan na may nababahalang mukha.

"Mr. Adamas!" Lumapit ito sa kaniya.

"What's wrong?"

"Si Gon." Naluluha ang mga nito. "She's missing!"

---
winty's note: Sowy sa late update ngayon lang bumalik ang kuryente. Thank you for waiting! I'll double the update tomorrow para sa Tuesday last chapter na lang. See 'ya!