•••••Third Person’s POV•••••

One night, deep in a mysterious forest that until now is left unknown from the people became the place where Hades and Raven were at.

The Smith family built a safe house deep in that forest. No one would dare try to trespass that forest for it gives the people chills.

However, one night has already passed since their encounter with the headmaster, Sheena, The Black Diamonds, and their friends happened, but Raven still has not regained consciousness.

Hades was just looking at and guarding her. He never let his eyes off of her the entire time. He came closer to Raven and sat at the side of the bed she was lying down on.

“I’m so sorry I had to do that to you, Raven.” He sighed. “I had no other choice. You were out of control. You could have let her out if I never made a move.”

Hades clenched his fists. He kept on talking to Raven all the time even if she was asleep for he knew that she was listening pretty well.

“I already told you this, but I don’t mind saying it to you anew,” he said. “The moment he left that note in my apartment a few weeks ago, I knew they were coming after you. Then, I was right. Very right. I had to distance myself from the team to keep everyone safe.”

What was written on the note that he was referring came flashing into his mind again like it was something he could never forget as long as he lives.

I will be at Blandon High tomorrow.

“I thought it was just a mere piece of junk, but it wasn’t. He was not that kind of man.” Hades read the indicated name on the note in his mind once again. “‘G.K is never that kind of man.”

He took a quick glance on Raven who was sleeping in peace—face as innocent as a young child, and as flawless as an angel.

“And to think he fooled everybody, especially Blade and Maura by disguising his name.” Hades scoffed. “Your cousin, pure-blooded royal blood assassin, Jugg Kuroda must’ve been pretry desperate to see you.”

Since Raven’s bed was just right by the window, Hades averted his gaze from her and looked at the night sky.

“I had my suspicions, too, when I first met you. I thought it was just me and my lunatic imaginations, but it turned out to be true,” he sighed and took a deep breath. He could not remember when was the last time he did it for he felt like he was holding his breath for quite a long time. “that you’re a Kuro—”

He was not able to finish what he was saying when someone suddenly grabbed his shirt’s collar. Nanlaki ang kanyang mga matang nakatingin diretso sa mga matang hindi normal ang kulay, at hindi siya nakapag-react kaagad.

“I’m so done hearing with that shit. How long are you planning to keep talking about that shit in my sleep?”

“R-Raven,” He was about to take Raven’s hand off of his collar nang mas lalo pa niyang hinigpitan ang pagkahawak nito. “y-you’re awake.”

“Of course, I fucking am.” Marahas niyang binitawan ang kuwelyo ni Hades at tinulak ito palayo. However, kaagad na nag-react ang kaniyang kanang braso kaya medyo napasigaw siya sa sakit. “What the... Dammit, I forgot about this.”

Napahawak siya nito dahil kumikirot pa rin ito. Hades did not hesitate to move and poured some water on the glass he prepared earlier.

“Here, drink this first.” He handed the glass of water over to her. Tiningnan muna ito ni Raven. “Raven, trust me.”

She scoffed and accepted it after several minutes. Ininom niya muna ito pagkatapos ay binigay ulit ang baso kay Hades na tinanggap naman kaagad.

“My arm wants to send you its gratitude for taking the liberty of wounding it deep.” She rolled her eyes at him.

Nasanay na si Hades sa ugali ni Raven, kaya mataas na ang pasensya niya para sa kanya.

“I’m sorry, do you want me to explain everything to you again?”

“No thanks, I heard everything,” kalmadong sabi ni Raven sa binata at tumingin sa kanya. “What’re you just standing there for? Do I still need to tell you to grab a seat and sit down?”

“I’m afraid you must.” Kalmado, ngunit seryoso rin ang tono ng pananalita ni Hades.

Raven felt kind of weird, so she cleared her throat and reiterated what she said quite full of authority.

“Hades, grab a chair and sit.”

“As you wish.” Raven’s gaze followed him as he went to get the vacant chair inside the room, placed it beside the bed, and Hades sat down.

That made Raven release a heavy sigh.

“You know, you don’t have to be formal around me. I don’t need it,” sabi niya kay Hades.

Hades stared right into her magenta, purple eyes.

“That’s not easy, ako ang inatasan mo na maging personal bodyguard mo simula pa no’ng mga bata pa tayo.” Raven’s eyes slightly widened upon hearing that.

“Don’t you remember? Wala akong maalala. I can’t even recall where I came from.” Napahawak siya sa kanyang ulo. “I’m not sure who I really am, Hades.”

“Kaya ako nandito. I’m here to protect you.”

“Don’t you get it, Hades?! I’m not someone you should be having a problem about! I’m not someone you should be defending!” Hades slightly flinched when Raven suddenly exclaimed at him. “While I was asleep, you told me everything, and I heard all of it. Frankly, hindi kaagad nag-sink in lahat sa utak ko. Though, I think it all makes sense now. Galing ako sa isang pamilyang walang ibang nalalaman kundi ang kapangyarihan, lakas, yaman, at pumatay.”

Raven averted her gaze from Hades and clenched her fists tightly na halos dumugo na ito. Medyo nag-react naman kaagad ang kanyang braso, pero hindi niya ito ininda.

“Now, tell me,” Tumingin siya ulit kay Hades na seryoso lang nakatingin sa kanya. “am I, the one they call the heir of the family of the most merciless and feared demons in the world, still worthy to be defended?”

Hindi kaagad nakasagot si Hades sa sinabi niya. He, too, was discombobulated. Noon pa ay hindi naman talaga siya sanay na magsalita sa ibang tao kahit sa sarili niyang pamilya. Nagbago lang siya nang makilala niya sina Maura, Blade, at Sheena.

Kahit matagal na niyang kilala si Raven noon pa, he was not really close to her for his only duty was to protect her with all his life he once considered worthless.

Hades closed then opened his eyes and released a heavy sigh when he has decided what to say.

“Raven, ever since before I was born in this atrocious world we live in, my fate and duty has already been decided — and that is to protect you for who you are no matter what the circumstances may be.” Hades curved his fists into a tight ball, too, and looked directly into Raven’s eyes with different colors anew. “Yes, you are worthy to be defended. I, Hades Aeacus Smith, swear to defend the princess, Raven Kira Kuroda from any harm that may come upon her with all my life. If I fail to protect her, I shall take my own life and wander into the oblivion where my soul would belong.”

Hades was serious about everything he said for he has sworn the oath to protect Raven with all his life ever since he was a kid.

“Is that so?” Nag-iba ang ekspresyon sa mukha ni Raven, at napatingin siya sa labas ng bintana. “That’s all a piece of nothing else but abject stupidity and bullshit. My perfect family never ordered you to protect me. It’s just something they’d never do.”

Bahagya namang nagulat si Hades sa sinabi ni Raven. Hindi ito nakatingin sa kanya kaya hindi niya makita o mahula ang ekspresyon ng dalaga.

“They don’t give a damn if I die. All they want is what’s inside of me,” Raven said, and Hades noticed how her hands started to shiver. Lalo na ring sumasakit ang balikat ni Raven, pero hindi niya pa rin ito pinapansin. “You didn’t swear to protect me. It’s her you swore to protect.”

“Raven, I—”

“I need you to get out. Leave me alone.” With that being said, Hades never argued with her and stood up.

However, before he completely left the room, he got something from his pocket. It was a tiny bottle filled with red liquid. He poured another water into the glass that Raven used earlier and poured a single drop of that red liquid.

“Don’t forget to drink this. This is a medicine that will heal your arm’s wound faster,” he said and walked towards the door.

Lumabas na si Hades sa kwarto, at bago pa man niya sinara ng tuloyan ang pinto ay tiningnan niya muna si Raven ng halos isang minuto bago niya tuloyang sinara ang pinto.

As the door shut, the young man was unaware how tears started to seep at the side of Raven’s face as she was looking into the night sky.

-----

Back at Blandon High, Maura, Blade, and their mentor, Reo-sensei arrived at the battle grounds together — still thinking about everything that happened.

“This place... I never thought everything will be revealed here,” Maura said.

Blade did not react to what she said. He was in no mood to talk. Galit na galit pa rin siya sa mga nangyayari. Hindi kayang mag-sink in lahat sa utak niya.

“The battle will be tomorrow. Dapat tayong maghanda. Hindi isang ordinaryo lang na mga assassins ang makakalaban natin,” sabi naman ni Reo-sensei.

“The battle will be held here.” Napayuko si Maura sa kanyang sinabi. “The headmaster just announced to all of the students that tomorrow will still be a part of the Death’s Party. Hindi ko inakalang mangyayari ito sa’tin.”

They were swallowed up by silence before Maura decided to continue what she was saying.

“All students will be here tomorrow. Sigurado ako na marami na naman ang mamamatay. Tomorrow might be the end for all of us.”

Maura flinched when Blade suddenly punched the hard cement wall, creating quite a huge whole on it. Reo-sensei just looked at him staidly.

“We have no other choice now, do we? Hindi natin matatakasan ito. If we ever have to fight them head-on, then so be it.” Blade eyeballed both Maura and his mentor. Then, he showed his fists to them and clenched it so tight. “If I have to face Ra—no, Rin, I will. If I have to kill her again to make her atone for her sins... then fucking fine.”

Nakatingin lang si Reo-sensei sa kanya na para bang may pinapahiwatig. Ilang sandali ay kumawala siya ng isang malalim na hininga.

“Blade Alastor Miyahara, if you let rage control over you, regret will always be laughing in the end. I know that you know that.” Lumapit siya kay Blade at tinapik ang balikat nito. “You’re a good person, Blade, and I know you care so much about Raven. If you search your feelings, you know what’s right and what’s not.”

Blade did not respond, but deep inside him, he felt something. His emotions were still mixed up that it was beyond his comprehension.

“I knew we’d find you here.” Napatingin silang tatlo sa kanilang likuran nang biglang may nagsalita.

“E-Eli?” Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Maura na nakatingin sa isang babaeng nakatingin lang rin sa kanya. She then turned her gaze to the people she was with standing behind her. “D-Daisy? Chloe? Y-Yamato-sensei? Anong ginagawa niyo dito?”

Elizabeth snapped her finger in front of her sister’s baffled face.

“Duh, isn’t it obvious? We’re here to lend you guys a hand. Ano, kailangan ko pa ba i-elucidate para ma-gets mo?” She rolled her eyes at Maura and crossed her arms. “Alam na namin ang nangyari. Didn’t I tell you, Half-sister, that something’s pretty different about Raven? Since that horrifying day when she attacked me in the locker room and the color of her eyes’ changed, I knew something was different.”

Yamato-sensei took a step forward and took the liberty to speak.

“I know you need all the help you can get, Reo,” sabi niya at bigla na lang niyang kinuyom ang kanyang mga kamao. “and not to mention na pinatay ng hayop na ‘yon ang previous headmaster. He was a very good person, Reo. He was our friend.”

“Indeed, he was,” Biglang naalala ni Reo-sensei ang kanyang masasayang alala kasama iyong kaibigan niya. All this time, everyone, especially him was fooled that the person behind that mask was different anymore. He grew up together with the previous headmaster and trained under the same mentor. Sobrang masakit sa kanya ang nangyari. “but there’s no use in dwelling about what happened now. You’re right, Yamato. We need all the help we can get, so thank you.”

Tumango lang si Yamato kaya naisipan ni Elizabeth na magsalita ulit.

“What a shame, surely everywhere you go in Blandon High in the next twenty-four hours will be filled with nothing else but blood and lifeless bodies.”

“Eli, you can still back out if y—”

“Shut the hell up, Maura! Sa pagkakaalam ko, hindi ko tinanong ang opinyon mo.” She made Maura flinch. Elizabeth raised a brow at her sister and placed her hands on her hips. “Look, we’re in this together, okay? Porke’t hindi ako part ng petty squad niyo noon doesn’t mean I’d never side with you guys.”

Elizabeth took a deep breath and sighed.

“We know damn well how perilous they are. Oo, hindi ko kayo gano’n ka-close, we barely even talk,” Elizabeth curved her fists into a tight ball as she eyeballed the three of them. “but I won’t let this world get into the wrong hands. If they take control over that creature, patay tayong lahat.”

Reo-sensei agreed with her.

“Elizabeth’s right. This is a fight we can’t afford to lose,” he uttered. “It’s now or never, everyone.”

-----

In an enormous, dark mansion deep into the woods, a man with a smirk on his face and an apple in his hand was sitting with confidence in the throne.

A girl walked with no emotion in her eyes towards the man and fell to one knee with gentle and bowed down her head.

“Your majesty.”

“Rise, my dear.” The girl raised her head and did what she was told.

“Sire, everything is now ready at Blandon High. The students are looking forward to it, too, thinking tomorrow will still be part of the Death’s Party,” she said. “Naghihintay na lang ho kami ngayon para sa susunod niyong utos.”

The grin on the man’s face grew even wider. It seemed everything went according to his plan.

“Excellent. You never let me down, Sheena.” Pinaikot niya ang apple sa kaniyang mga daliri. “Now, let’s just wait for Raven to come.”

Sheena suddenly felt uneasy, at hindi niya maintindihan ang naramdaman niya.

“Your majesty, mawalang galang lang ho, but is it really necessary to extract her from Raven’s body?” Biglang napatigil ang lalaki sa pag-iikot ng apple sa kaniyang mga daliri, kaya medyo nakaramdam ng kaba si Sheena. “I-I mean... Y-You have everything that you wanted. Nasayo na ho ang lahat, at apparent naman na hindi interesado si Raven sa trono. Also, I think Kazen feels the same way da—”

“Never mention that imbecile’s name in my territory, Sheena!” Sheena’s eyes widened in surprise when she could not feel the ground beneath her feet anymore. In the blink of an eye, the man who was sitting on the throne was only a few inches away from her and was already choking her. “Hindi ko natandaan na tinanong kita sa walang kwentang opinyon mo. Didn’t I tell you about that already na hinding-hindi ko na gustong marinig pa ang pangalan ng taong 'yon?!”

He was still choking her, so she kept on struggling. Natapos pa ang ilang minuto bago niya tinapon si Sheena palayo kaya malakas na tumama ang likuran niya sa isang malaking pillar na naging dahilan upang mapasigaw siya sa sakit.

Napaubo naman si Sheena dahil sa higpit ng pagkasakal ng lalaki sa kanya. The man, however, walked towards her and looked down at her as if she was not human — but an animal without value.

“I resuscitated and made you, Sheena. Know your place dahil kung hindi dahil sa akin, hindi mo na ulit makikita pa ang walang kwenta at bastarda kong pamangkin na si Rin!” Hawak na hawak pa rin ng lalaki ang apple sa kaniyang kamay. “I need her so that I’ll be completed... I need to absorb Hashira to become the most powerful being in the world for the rest of eternity”

Even with Sheena’s vision became so blurry due to what happened, she could clearly see how the apple melted in the hands of the man whose eyes filled with nothing else but greed and anger.

“Walang makakapigil sa’kin when that happens, at kahit gaano pa kalakas si Kazen, hinding-hindi na niya ako mapipigilan. Everyone and everything will bow down to the one and only King Cellion Kuroda!” The throne room was immediately engulfed with his diabolical laughter.

Sheena tried her best not to he infuriated and tried to stand up. Chikao stopped when he realized Sheena was back on her feet.

“Naintindihan mo naman, ’di ba, Sheena? Soon, I’ll be unstoppable. I’ll be stronger than how you see me now,” he said and turned his back against her. However, he still said one final thing. “Now, do your job and penetrate Rin’s mind. When her memories come back, I’m sure she’ll give in.”

Matapos niyang sabihin iyon ay bumalik na siya sa kanyang puwesto. Wala namang nagawa si Sheena kundi tumalikod at umalis na lang rin.

Cellion is not someone who should be lightly dealt with. Sheena knew that. With just a simple throw in the air, she got pretty banged up. However, while she was on her way, she stopped on her tracks when someone blocked her way.

“My, my, for someone who’s not from a royal bloodline but uses special art thanks to how special her blood is and the experiment, you look pretty banged up.” A smirk plastered on the guy’s face which doubled Sheena’s irritation. “Did my father threw you in the air anew?”

“None of your business.”

“Woah, hey. Know your place, Sheena. Kami ang bumuhay sa’yo and besides, I’m your superior here. I deserve all the respect. I’m a prince, the son of the king in case you forgot, so address me as one. You got that?”

“You make me laugh, Prince Grim.” Tumawa ng mahina si Sheena, so the tables have somehow turned. Si Grim na ang nakasuot ng isang naiiritang ekspresyon sa mukha. “You’re nothing compared to Prince Kazen. Compared to him, isa ka lang ipis, lalong-lalo na kay Rin na mas kinakatakutan ng lahat.”

“Y-You reta—” Susugurin niya sana si Sheena nang makita niya ang mga threads na nakabantay sa buong katawan ng dalaga.

The threads were very thin that it can never be seen in normal and untrained eyes.

“What’s the matter? Can’t take me on? Puro ka kasi salita, wala namang ginagawa.” Ngumisi si Sheena.

Grim released a ‘tsk’ as he took a step back.

“Seriously, Sheena,” This time, si Grim naman ang ngumisi. “you’re just confident because you have powers now. I mean, really? Hindi ka ba nahihiya na hiniram mo lang ‘yan galing sa’min? Poor bitch, walang originality.”

Napakuyom si Sheena sa kanyang mga kamao. Grim could see her fires of hatred along with the threads surrounding her body.

“Hindi ako ang kawawa dito, Grim, ikaw. You’re expecting that your father will appreciate you once you’ll deliver Rin right in front of him. You expect na bibigyan ka niya ng kapangyarihan kapag nakuha na niya si Hashira,” Sheena walked towards him and stopped when she leveled with him and was about to get pass through him. “but he won’t. King Cellion is a greedy and unfair man, Grim. Kahit anak niya, hindi niya kayang piliin kapag kapangyarihan na ang pinag-uusapan.”

Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Grim sa sinabi, at hindi siya naka-react kaagad.

Sheena plastered a smirk on her face as she continued walking pass through him.

“Power’s everything to your father, and when he absorbs Hashira, you’ll be worthless to him anymore,” she said and stopped again. She took one glance on Grim who was dumbfounded over her shoulder and said, “It’s not Prince Kazen that he and you should be afraid of, but the one you consider an illegitimate child of your family. After all, she’s the devil’s heir.”