Chapter 82: Brainwashed

I can't seem to move. What the hell is happening right now? What is Madame's twin doing here? When she said she had a sister, she meant she had a twin!

Unti-unting lumapit sa'min ang kambal ni Madame. She gave me a swift glance before walking directly in front of her sister.

"Rosalina," Pagbanggit ni Madame, takot na takot. It's the first time I saw her like this.

So Rosalina is her name. I can smell her scent from where I'm standing and she doesn't just look wealthy, but she also smells like it.

"Hello, Selina. When was the last time I set foot in this place?" She looked very intimidating. I can say that she's much more intimidating than Madame.

"W-What are you doing here?"

"I was the one who sent you here, remember? Of course kailangan kong bumalik."

What does she mean? Anong pinagsasabi niya na siya ang nagpadala kay Madame dito? What the fuck is happening right now?

Everyone has a lot of questions in their mind right now. We are all shocked.

Rosalina stared at Selton. Napatagal ang titig niya rito. She caressed his face. "You really resemble your father. And I hate it."

Agad namang inalis ni Madame ang pagkakahawak nito sa pisngi ng anak. "Don't you dare touch him,"

Rosalina sarcastically laughed. She then diverted her attention to me. "Of course I wouldn't forget about you, dear. You're the one who has the rarest power."

Namutla ako. Tila naubusan ako ng dugo. "H-How did you know about that?"

She smirked even more. "I've been watching over my dear sister for the past two years while she's here. And the past few days have been a blast, I must say."

"What do you mean you watched over her?" Dark's the one who asked now.

Rosalina turned to him this time with her creepy smile. "And you are the president my sister chose... Well, as you know, the golden gate is binded by a spell. And that spell is linked to my sister and therefore, I can see through her."

"What? That doesn't make sense!" Ani Selton.

"Of course it wouldn't make sense to you because you don't know a thing about magic." Sagot naman ni Rosalina. She then looked at Dark and I again. "So as I was saying, the spell is linked to my sister and I can see through her so whoever she's talking to, I can see them and I can hear every bit of conversation she has with them."

I'm yet again, mindblown. Ang gulo na. Akala ko ba si Madame ang may pakana ng lahat ng kasamaang ito? Pero ano naman ang pinagsasabi ng babaeng 'to? Everything is a mess!

"I know, I know, you're all confused. I'll tell you everything later. But first, what can you say about my grand entrance? Did I nail it?" She said and smiled widely. And it's really creepy. May oras pa talaga siya para magbiro. She's really a bitch.

"This isn't fun. What do you want exactly?" Anas ko.

Napawi ang ngiti niya. Everyone was then shocked when she produced fire with her bare hands. Agad niya itong idinirekta sa kung saan may mga estudyanteng nagsi-kumpulan.

Nagulantang ako sa bilis ng mga pangyayari. I can hear and see the students shouting in agony. They're burning!

"O-Oh m-my G-God," Naiiyak kong sabi.

Dark immediately hugged me. He made me face his chest so I wouldn't be able to see it anymore. I started to cry.

Nagulantang din sina Madame sa mga nasaksihan. Who wouldn't be shocked with all of this? She has a power for Pete's sake! How did she get that? Bakit niya ginagawa lahat ng ito? Ang dami kong tanong sa aking isipan na tanging siya lang ang makakapagbigay ng sagot!

I can see how Dark clenched his fist. I know he's on the brink of fighting the woman. But before he could do something, I held his clenched fist. He immediately looked at me.

Umiling ako sa kanya, habang lumuluha pa rin. "No..."

"She's going to kill everyone, Zaya. I can't just stand here and do nothing." He whispered to me.

"We can't underestimate her, Dark. As you've heard, she can see through Madame and that means she knows I have the power and she's hunting for it. Madame told me everything... And no one else should know you have it too." I tried my best to lower my voice.

Dark sighed. "You're facing this alone again, aren't you?"

I looked away. Tinignan ko ang mga estudyanteng sumisigaw at naiiyak dahil sa sakit na nararamdaman, dahil sa pagkakasunog.

After what she did, everyone started to panic. Tumakbo na ang iba pang mga estudyante, pati na rin ang mga guro.

I thought everything was going to be alright after Madame turned back to her old self. Akala ko matatapos na ang lahat ng ito.

And I was wrong.

I was happy because I thought we could finally get out of this place. I thought I would get to see my family again. I've already planned what I'm going to say and do. I'm going to hug each one of them, and I would apologize for every wrong thing I've done.

But everything is once again, shattered. And I wasn't expecting this. No one did.

"R-Rosalina, tama na!Nagmamakaawa ako! May galit ka sa'kin, ako ang parusahan mo. Huwag mo nang idamay ang ibang mga tao rito! Wala silang kasalanan sayo, ako lang ang meron!" Madame begged.

Her twin looked her way. "Nothing seems to be enough, Selina. You deserve more pain. You ruined my life. You ruined everything for me and you have a price to pay!"

"Hindi pa ba sapat lahat ng ginawa mo sa'kin, ha?! Ikaw ang sumira sa buhay ko! H-How could you... h-how could you let our parents kill him? Bakit nasikmura mo lahat ng 'yon?" Fresh tears started falling from Madame's eyes.

"Nothing's enough, sister. At mas gugustuhin ko pa siyang mamatay, kesa mapunta sa piling mo!"

Selton butted in. "You are such a horrible person! You helped in killing your sister's husband! That makes you less of a human!"

"Oh trust me, sweetie, I've been called worse than that." Rosalina smirked.

"Why are you doing this?! Tama na 'to, maawa ka!" I said as if she's going to hear me out.

"Awa? That's not in my vocabulary." Aniya at bago pa ako magmakaawa muli, nag-alab na naman ang kanyang mga kamay at idinerekta niya ito sa kung saan sina Madame at Selton.

"No!!!" I shouted as loud as I could.

The ground suddenly shaked. Natumba sina Madame pero 'di man lang natinag si Rosalina.

I thought she was going to kill her sister and her nephew but she trapped them in a ring of fire.

"You know what, I hate you for doing this to her. She was supposed to be evil and selfish. She was supposed to be a monster 'till the day she died." She looked at me this time.

Naguguluhan ako sa mga pinagsasabi niya but before I could even react, I felt myself inside a ring of fire.

"Dark? Dark!" I looked around, only to see Dark pushed to the ground. He was unconscious! "Fuck, fuck, no! Dark, wake up!"

That's it. That's the last straw. I can't let her do this anymore.

I used every strength I have. I'm so mad right now. I'm so angry and my emotions are taking over me.

I could feel the strong wind. Nalukat ang mga puno. I immediately directed them to her but she was able to avoid every single one of them.

What the heck... bakit 'di siya natatamblan? Bakit nakaka-ilag siya? I'm supposed to be powerful than her since I have the rarest power but what's happening right now?!

Before I could even react, I felt a big tree hit me. Binato niya pabalik sa'kin.

I felt blood on my nose. I also felt blood on my jaw and on my elbows. Nadaganan ako ng malaking puno and I can really feel the pain. I winced because my arms are stuck.

Lumapit si Rosalina sa'kin. She produced fire again and she made the ring of fire bigger. She's in it with me now.

"You have a lot of questions, I know," She said with a smirk, while playing with the fire on her hands.

"H-How... h-how can you do that? B-Bakit may kapangyarihan ka?" I asked while I'm trying to catch my breath.

"First of all, if you think you can beat me since you have the rarest power, then you're wrong. I'm stronger than you right now."

"W-Why? W-What power do you have?" I tried my best to talk although I feel so weak.

"I've got the power of a witch, a powerful one to be exact." She clasped her hands. "I've got every inch of power she had. And of course, she's dead now."

"B-Bakit mo ginagawa l-lahat ng 'to?"

"As I have said, my sister ruined everything for me. And she has a price to pay... Oh wait, nahihirapan ka bang huminga?"

"Kill me now. End this."

She sarcastically laughed at me. Tinanggal niya ang malaking punong nakadagan sa'kin.

I immediately coughed. I tried to stand up but I feel so weak, and I'm losing a lot of blood.

"I can't kill you. Not yet. You are the other person who has the rarest power so you're important to me."

Of course. She wants the damned power. She's a hunter.

Nagulat ako nang mas nag-alab ang apoy na nakapalibot sa'min. She looked at me like she's enjoying everything right now. "My plan worked. I hit two birds in one stone."

"What do you mean about that?" I said, clenching my fists.

"Sabi ko nga kanina, I hate you for doing what you did to my sister. You brought her back and that wasn't supposed to happen. But the other good thing here is that she found you. You're the person who has the rarest power and I've been searching for you my entire life."

What the hell is happening? Is she saying... she used Madame? She planned everything and she used Madame as a cover up for all of her dirty work?

"You used your sister? You used her like a puppet to do all of the evil things you planned?!"

She acted as if I got it right. "Bingo! You're a fast learner than I thought."

Nagimbal ako sa nalaman. Pinroseso ko sa aking isipan ang sinabi niya. Little by little, it sinked in. Hindi ako makapaniwala. She planned everything really good.

Nang hindi ako nakapagsalita, she continued. "I know it's a lot to take in but here we are. I wasn't planning to show myself this early but I needed to. What am I waiting for, right? I shouldn't be hiding in the shadows anymore now that I found you."

"How did she ruin your life exactly? All I can see is you're the one who ruined her life!"

Hindi na maipinta ang mukha niya. "You don't know a thing. You don't know how I suffered!"

She's so angry. The fire illuminated her eyes. Labis ang galit na nararamdaman niya ngayon.

"Selina was always the favorite child. Our parents gave her so much attention that they can't even give me a little bit of it. We're sisters, we're twins. Pareho lang naman kami, ah? I'm also their child! But it was always Selina. Not just to our parents but for everyone!" Nag-uumapaw ang emosyon niya habang nagsasalita. "She pleased everyone. A lot of people cared for her. She can please people without doing much effort. While me? I did everything to please others but they can't even be pleased by me!"

She's... jealous. She's jealous of her sister and I get it. She just wants to be loved. She just wants attention. She craved it while her sister kept getting it.

"Alam mo ba kung ano pa 'yung mas masakit? I met Dalton first." Dalton? He must be Selton's father, Madame's husband. "He gave me hope. He was the only friend I had and he always comforted me. He had always told me that I'm worthy of attention and love."

Selton's name is really close to his Dad's. I remembered when Selton and I talked about him. The way he talks about his father, I could really see how he adored him and how he loved him. And I know it hurt him like hell that his father was taken away from him. And what hurts the most is the fact that he was killed by Madame's family.

"But he destroyed me. He hurt me more than other people did. He was in love with my sister. I've always questioned, what does my sister have that I don't? I loved him so much. I was about to tell him what I feel but he told me what he felt for me instead. Naunahan niya na ako." I can see sparkle of tears in her eyes. "He told me that he treats me as a friend and nothing more, nothing less. At ang dahilan kung bakit ako nasasaktan ulit, yung kapatid ko na naman. Yung kapatid ko lagi ang dahilan kung bakit ako nasasaktan!"

A tear fell from my eye. It must've been so hard for her. She and Madame weren't given equal attention. Madame was always above her.

I thought, what if I'm in the same situation as her? Fuck, 'di ko rin kakayanin yung ganon. I tried to put myself on her shoes and just by the thought of it is enough to break me. It must've been really hard for her.

"It must've been so hard. You've been hurt so much." 'Di ko napigilang sabi.

She was obviously surprised by what I said but she just looked at me as if she'd rip my throat out. "Huwag mo 'kong kaawaan. Don't give me that look."

"No, it's just... it really must've been hard to live like that. I'm sure you were always compared to Madame Selina."

"Yes, people have always compared us. They say I should be like Selina since she's kind and all. But what they said to me just built my anger for her more. I despise her."

"So you helped your parents kill the man she loves that you also love,"

"Our parents care so much for her. They wanted her to be a hunter of the rarest power just like them. And it was the first time that Selina disobeyed them. She said she wanted a normal life." She scoffed. "She said she doesn't want the life our parents want for her so she ran away. I can't believe she'll run away with Dalton. She chose him over her family."

Somehow, I can see a similarity between Madame and I. Her parents decided for her just like mine. I ran away because I didn't get to decide for myself and so did Madame.

"My parents were deeply hurt about it and even though they didn't care about me, they're still my parents, and I want them to realize that I will stay with them. Their favorite child chose to run away from them and chose to be with a man... I wan't them to realize that I'm better than Selina." She balled her fists. "But I can't fucking believe it. Pagkatapos ng ginawa niya, mahal pa rin siya ng mga magulang namin. Hindi siya tinakwil dahil sa nagawa niyang desisyon."

I tried to look at the other ring of fire to see if Madame and Selton are alright pero ang hirap nilang hagilapin dahil ang tindi ng alab ng apoy. Sinubukan ko ring hagilapin si Dark pero wala akong magawa.

He's okay, right? Nawalan lang siya ng malay diba? Fuck it, I'm about to lose my mind!

Napansin naman ata ni Rosalina na parang mababaliw na ako. "Your boyfriend is fine. Nawalan lang siya ny malay. I know he means a lot to you and I know I can use him as leverage."

I felt relieved for a second. "How about Madame and Selton? Anong ginawa mo sa kanila?"

She rolled her eyes at me. "Well, I don't know if my sister and her sin of a son are still alive. Baka nilamon na sila ng apoy, I don't know."

Nanlamig ako. No, no, way... She can't do this. And sin? She's saying that Selton's a sin? "Selton isn't a sin! He was made out of love! I know you're hurt but this is too much. You've done enough damage."

She looked at me with intense anger. I suddenly felt suffocated. She's using magic on me. I can't breathe. Her emotions are taking over her. Bawal niya akong patayin at alam niya sa sarili niya 'yon. She still needs me.

Parang 'di na talaga ako makahinga. Gusto ko nang ipikit ang aking mga mata pero bago pa mangyari 'yon, pinakawalan niya ako. I no longer feel suffocated. Agad akong lumanghap ng hangin.

I thought I was going to die! But then again, no, she can't kill me right now.

I've been trying to stand up but I can't. I'm losing too much blood and this won't be good for her. 'Pag namatay ako, wala ng kwenta ang dugo ko. There will be no power in my system anymore.

"Oh my God, you're bleeding. I almost forgot. No, no, you can't die. Not before I get the power out of you!" Napansin niya na. She was carried away by her emotions earlier to not notice I'm bleeding.

She closed her eyes, as if she's concentrating. I heard her whisper words I couldn't understand. Binanggit niya ang mga salitang iyon ng napakabilis. I can't keep up.

Before I knew it, I wasn't bleeding anymore. What in the hell... I know she has the power of a powerful witch right now, making herself one, but I just can't help but to be surprised by what she did.

I tried to stand up and I did! I still feel weak pero hindi kagaya ng kanina. Kanina, I was so damn weak I can't even lift a finger.

She opened her eyes. "Now shall I continue my story?"

Hindi ako umimik.

She smirked at me again and she played with the fire in her hands. "As I have said, our parents still loved her after what she did. They planned on killing Dalton and it wasn't easy for me. But it was as if I'm hitting two birds with one stone... First, my parents would notice me and be proud of me for helping them. And second, Selina wouldn't be with her beloved anymore. Mas gugustuhin ko pang mamatay si Dalton kesa sa magkasama sila habang buhay!"

"You're so fucking desperate, huh? You're such a monster!" Asik ko.

"Yes, I'm desperate. You weren't in my situation. If you were, trust me, you would do the same."

Umiling ako. "No, if I were you, I wouldn't compare myself to my own sister. I'll choose to be myself. I don't need to please other people. Yes, I would be jealous but I wouldn't turn myself into a monster!"

She immediately gave me a hard slap. I've been slapped a lot these passed few days and this one's much more painful. And I don't care at all. Gawin niya na ang lahat ng gusto niyang gawin sa'kin basta huwag niya lang idamay ang mga taong importante sa'kin.

"I have a short temper, Miss Dawnt. But I'm trying my best to restrain myself from killing you."

"Of course. Kailangan mo pa 'ko. You want the rarest power, right? You can't get rid of me before you get a hold of it!"

"Yes, you're right. But before I suck out all the power you have, and before I get rid of you, I would like to finish my story. I know you badly want to know everything, you want to know the truth, and I'll gladly spill it. Tutal, mamamatay ka ngayong araw." She said while her attention was on the fire she produced in her hands. "They were on the run of twelve fucking years and it wasn't so easy to find them. My sister's too smart. But then the plan worked, Dalton died. It wasn't easy for me but I had to do it. He ruined me and I'll ruin him too. Even after how much I loved him, my vengeance is greater... and I couldn't believe that after what I did, helping my parents in killing him, I was wrong. They didn't give me their attention. They... they just used me as a tool to get their daughter back!"

I saw a tear escaping her eye. She envies her sister so much. She's jealous and envious. I get how she feels, but everything she did was wrong. She shouldn't have resulted in being a monster. But she did it anyway.

"You want to know what I did next?" She gave me her creepy smile. "I killed our parents."

"W-What?" 'Di ko makapaniwalang sabi. What the fuck, killing people is so damn easy for her. And most especially, her own family!

She laughed sarcastically. "I poisoned their drinks. Before their last breath, I told them how they've hurt me. I told them that I'm also their daughter but they refused to treat me as one since they're busy with Selina."

"P-Paano mo nagawa sa mga magulang mo 'yon? Bakit ang dali lang ng lahat sayo?!"

"Oh and did I fail to mention that I burned their bodies afterwards?" Aniya at may sumilay na ngiti sa kanyang labi.

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. "You're a psychopath! How can you kill people without feeling any remorse? Most especially, mga kadugo mo? You're insane!"

"I'm too broken to feel any remorse, Miss Dawnt. They've destroyed my life. I've been suffering since the day I was born... After I got rid of my parents, I carried out my plan for my sister. I planned everything for a long, long time. I sacrificed so many people that I couldn't even count how many, in order for my plans to work." She scoffed. "Everything went smoothly. All the effort I've made for my plan to work, didn't go to waste. My sister lost it. She turned evil, selfish, and everything she wasn't. She was far from her old self."

She involved innocent people for her plans to work. Yung mga walang kinalaman sa gulo nila, dinamay niya. She's so fucking evil. And how did Madame agree to all of this? Wait... did Rosalina use Dalton's death to become Madame like this?

"Madame wouldn't have agreed to any of your plans but how did this all happen? Did you use her husband's death against her?" I tried to stay calm.

"Correct, but not just that! Inisa-isa ko lahat ng dinanas ko dahil sa kanya. I told her I suffered all because of her. You see, my sister feels so much remorse. I've always hated her and she doesn't want me to hate her. She said she would do everything so I can forgive her but I didn't entertain that. And right after she knew I helped our parents in killing her beloved husband, it was the first time she got so angry with me... But then, I used his death against her, I used my suffering against her. The perk in that is she has abandoned her son because of the guilt, regret, and grieving."

"You... Y-You brainwashed her?" Hindi ko makapaniwalang tanong.

She creepily smiled at me again as if I hit the spot. "She wouldn't have agreed to everything until I brainwashed her. Labis ang saya ko ng nakitang kinakamuhian siya ng mga tao sa loob ng unibersidad na 'to. She was no longer a favorite, she's someone people hated to death. I love to see it! And when she finally realized everything she has done because of you, she felt so much remorse and she wants to kill herself for doing every evil thing she has done."

"She suffered lot in here already! Kahit ano pang gawin mo, kahit ano pang parusa ang ipataw mo sa kanya, nothing will change. Your parents loved her more. Dalton loved her more. And everyone will still choose her!"

I saw how her expression changed. She has the anger in her eyes that I can't describe. "Yes, maybe you're right, I've done enough. Maybe I should stop torturing her... Maybe it's time for me to finally kill her."

Oh my God... I think I provoked her. This will result to no good!

Parang naubusan ako ng dugo. Tears started falling from my eyes. "N-No, please, don't do this! She's the only one Selton has! How could you do this to him? He just got his mother back! You're so cruel!"

"That's the good thing here. I've decided I should kill my sister and let her sin of a son live. Gusto kong makita siyang magdurusa dahil wala na ang kanyang pinakaminamahal na mga magulang. He'll surely go nuts." She laughed sarcastically, thinking of her plans.

She still managed to laugh after everything. While me, I've been crying nonstop. Paano niya nasisikmura lahat ng ito? She killed a lot of people throughout the years, she made everyone's life a living hell, and she doesn't feel anything as if this isn't a big deal at all.

"I could really say that you're much more evil than your parents,"

I think that hit a nerve. "They've made me what I am now! I'm full of vengeance and I won't stop until my sister suffers like I suffered!"

Before I could say anything back, I felt her removing the ring of fire. I could now see Madame and Selton. They're still alive and they're coughing.

I immediately ran to where Dark was. There was a little bit of blood on his forehead but I panicked. "H-Hey, wake up! Please, please, wake up!"

I saw Rosalina walk to where Madame and Selton were. She used her magic, causing Madame to rise up in the air, tila 'di makahinga.

"N-No, please. Don't do this to her! Nothing will change! You still wouldn't be loved by people after this! Kakamuhian ka pa ng lahat! Come back to your senses, please, hindi ito ang solusyon!" I said while crying so hard.

"Let her go! Let my mother go, you conniving bitch!" Asik ni Selton.

Selton was about to stop her but he couldn't get to them. As if Rosalina made an invisible barrier so no one would be able to stop her.

I'm slowly regaining my strength. I tried to use my power against her. I tried everything to break the barrier she made but I can't break it!

As Madame has said, the witches were in charge of protecting the rarest power. Then, witches might be stronger than us. But how did the man defeat the witch who loved him? He used the rarest power to kill that witch but how did he defeat her?

I can feel my nose bleeding. I'm also feeling weak again. I'm trying my best to break the barrier, using every power I have but nothing happened. I can't... I can't save Madame. Rosalina is too powerful.

Now is the perfect time to use my power but it's no use. I feel so fucking useless.

"R-Rosalina, I-I know you have resented m-me. B-But I-I love you. If other people wouldn't look a-at you, i-ibahin mo 'ko. I-I'm your sister and I love you. I care for you." I heard Madame say, trying hard to breathe.

Rosalina was caught off guard. I saw a tear fall from my eyes. If she'll only open her heart just like what Madame did, she'll be free from her darkness. There's still hope.

"You're the main reason I feel like shit. Ikaw ang dahilan kung bakit ako nagkakaganito and now you're telling me you love me and that you care for me? If you really did care for me, then you wouldn't have run away with him. You wouldn't have loved him in the first place!"

"I-I'm s-sorry. M-My heart d-decided for me that t-time. I-I'm sorry if I was selfish. But I can't undo what I've done."

"Yes, you can't undo anything you've done in the past and so do I... and I won't let my plans go to waste. Yes, I've done enough, I've tortured you so much already. Now is the time for you to die!"

Sobrang bilis ng mga pangyayari. I witnessed how Rosalina plunged her fist inside Madame's chest, where her heart was. I saw how she removed her heart from her chest.

There was blood everywhere. I feel like I was shattered in millions of pieces. I looked away. I... I couldn't look at it. It was too much.

I saw how Selton broke down after seeing her mother killed.

It was the least I expected to happen. I didn't expect her to be this cruel to the point that she would kill her own sister brutally with her bare hands.

She killed her own flesh and blood cold-heartedly and brutally...

I want to puke because no matter how hard I try to look away, I could still smell Madame's fresh blood. And at the same time, I'm crying so hard that I feel like my eyes would pop out.

I'm crying so hard like there's no hope anymore. Unti-unti na akong nawawalan ng pag-asa at inaamin ko 'yon ngayon.

Earlier, we had hope. We thought we could finally get out of this hell hole and everything's over. We're gonna be free.

But I was so wrong. It's not over yet. It's all twisted and I don't know what to do anymore...

-