Nakatulala si Chanel sa kawalan habang naka-upo sa kama. She was still thinking about what happened earlier. An old man went to her, talked to her, and said a lot of vague messages. She couldn't understand the real message behind those words. Anong gustong sabihin sa kanya ng matanda? Sino ang naghihintay? Sino ang matanda? At bakit siya ang hinihintay ng mga ito? Huminga siya ng malalim saka siya humiga sa kama. Tumingin siya sa kisame habang iniisip kung may kinalaman ba ito sa totoong pagkatao niya. At kung mayroon man, ngayon ay nagda-dalawang isip na siya kung siya'y isang ordinaryong tao nga lang ba.

Pero kung ikaw ang pinakiramdaman ng isang nilalang sa impyerno, kinidnap ng isang kulto, at itinapon sa lugar na 'to, bakit pa nga ba niya iniisip na siya'y isang ordinaryong tao?

Who was she?

Was she brave enough to learn about her real identity?

Siya'y bumuntong-hininga na lamang. Bumangon siya sa pagkakahiga at naglakad palabas ng kanyang kuwarto. Dumiretso siya sa sala upang hanapin si Chersh ngunit hindi niya ito makita. Sumunod siyang nagtungo sa kusina. Ang mga katulong lamang ng bahay ang nakita niya. Nang tinanong niya kung nakita ba nila si Chersh ay umiling ang mga ito. Bumalik na lamang si Chanel sa pangalawang palapag at nagsimulang libutin ito.

Patungo na sana siya sa silid-aklatan nang mapansin niya ang isang pintuan sa pinakadulo ng pasilyo. Normal lang naman na pintuan na nakikita niya pero gusto niyang pumasok sa loob sa hindi malaman na dahilan. Lumapit siya sa pinto. Kumatok siya ng tatlong beses at naghintay na mayroong sumagot ngunit wala siyang nakuha. Hinawakan niya ang doorknob at nagda-dalawang isip pa rin kung siya'y papasok ba sa loob o hindi. Wala namang nasabi si Night sa kanya na mga kuwartong hindi niya dapat na pasukan. Ngunit para namang sobrang pakialamera niya kung papasok siya rito ng walang paalam.

But she was so curious. It was just a normal door but why did it feels like there was something inside that she needed to see? She made up her mind and finally went inside. The room was dark and it had a very weird smell. She couldn't distinguish what the smell was but it was something like metal. It smelled like a rusty iron.

Kinapa niya ang pader at chineck kung nandoon ang bukasan ng ilaw. Nang mahanap niya ito ay madali niyang in-on ang switch nito. At nang inilibot niya ang kanyang paningin ay nagulat siya sa kanyang mga nakita.

There was a long table in the middle of the room. There were different tubes and laboratory equipment laid on it. Lumapit siya roon at tiningnan kung ano ang mga nakalagay sa loob ng tubes. At nang makita niya ang mga dugo roon ay doon na napagtanto ni Chanel na ito ang pinanggagalingan ng amoy sa loob ng kuwarto. The room actually smelled blood.

She couldn't understand why Night had those blood tubes and blood samples in the room. Hindi ito normal. Lalo na para sa isang nillang na nakatira sa mundong 'to. And this sight gave her chills. She doubted Night ever since she saw him. She knew that the guy wanted something more from her. When he said that he needed her help to get the symbols, she thought she could trust the guy. But now that she was seeing bloody stuffs in the room, how could she really trust the guy?

Why would you even trust a demon?

She shouldn't have trusted him.

Madaling lumabas ng kuwarto si Chanel. Agad-agad siyang tumakbo sa hallway. Dumiretso s'ya palabas ng bahay at agad na tumakbo palayo roon. She was already running away from the house when she realized something. Huminto s'ya sa pagtakbo at muling tumingin pabalik sa bahay.

Nanlaki ang mata niya sa gulat nang makitang wala na'ng nakatayong bahay sa kanyang pinangggalingan. There were just trees.

"What the hell?" Muli siyang lumapit doon at chineck ulit ang kinatatayuan ng bahay kanina. Wala siyang nakita at wala siyang nahawakan.

And why the hell she came back?

Because no one in this world could protect her. It was only him who could keep her safe here. But how could she stay after seeing those tubes filled with blood? Huminga ng malalim si Chanel.

Hindi na niya alam ang gagawin. Wala pa namang ginagawang masama sa kanya si Night sa tinagal niya sa pamamahay nito. How could the guy explain the bloody tubes? And how could she also explain na pumasok siya sa kuwartong 'yon?

"Ang tanga tanga mo, Chanel," bulong niya sa kanyang sarili. Sinipa niya ang bato na malapit sa kanya at muling tumingin sa kanyang paligid.

Paano niya rin mahahanap ang bahay na 'yon dito sa kanyang kinatatayuan?

"Tao po!" sigaw niya, nagbabakasakaling mayroong makarinig sa kanya sa maala invisible na bahay ni Night.

"Halimaw? Multo? Ahhh, ewan!" Muling napasipa si Chanel ng bato sa lapag.

Ano na ang gagawin niya? Naglakad siya patungo sa mga puno at umupo sa tabi nito. Isinandal n'ya ang kanyang likuran at tiningnan ang kabuuan ng lugar kung saan nakatayo ang bahay ni Night. Ngayon niya lamang nakita ang paligid nito. Wala siyang ibang makita kung hindi mga puno at isang daan patungosa kung saan. Ang hula niya ay daan ito patungo sa maliit na bayan na nadaanan nila kanina. Ang tanging alam niya rin ay nasa labas sila ng siyudad ng Para dahil mahaba-haba rin ang naging biyahe nila no'ng sila'y pumunta roon kanina.

Tumingin siya sa kalangitan. Tuluyan nang nagpaalam ang araw at pinalibutan ang buong lugar ng kadiliman. She wasn't even sure if it was a sun. There were some celestial bodies she could see from her naked eyes. She wasn't sure too if these were moon, but it almost looked like one. There were circles floating in the sky and giving light to this world when the night starts. There were two moons. Chanel decided just to call it a moon since they looked just like the same. And it amazed her to see not just one but two objects in the sky. You couldn't really see these in the human world.

Hellas was beautiful too at night.

Was it?

Tumayo siya at pinagpagan ang kanyang puwetan. Napagpasiyahan niya na maglakad-lakad na lamang. Baka'y makita niya ulit ang maliit na bayan na nadaanan nila kanina at makahingi roon ng tulong. Pinapanalangin na lamang niya na sana'y mayroong tumulong sa kanya roon. Akmang lalakad na siya nang biglang may pumulupot sa kanyang paa. Napasigaw siya sa gulat at nahulog sa lapag. Bigla na lamang siya nitong hinatak papasok sa kakahuyan. Tanging pagsigaw na lamang ang nagawa ni Chanel sa nangyari. Sinubukan niyang humawak sa mga malalaking ugat ng mga puno na kanyang nadadanan ngunit sobrang higpit ng pagkakapulupot ng baging sa kanyang paa at sobrang bilis ng pagkakahatak ng mga ito sa kanya.

Tumama siya sa bato, malalaking ugat, at kahit sa mga puno. She spent all her time screaming and crying for help while the vines pulled her more deeply in the woods. Binitawan siya nito at binato patungo sa isang malaking puno. Tumama ang kanyang likuran doon at nahulog sa lapag. She couldn't move. Sobrang sakit ng katawan niya dahil sa mga sugat na kanyang natamo at pagtama ng kanyang katawan sa iba't ibang bagay kanina.

Napamura na lamang ng mahina si Chanel habang daing-daing ang pagsakit ng kanyang katawan.

Sinubukang tumayo ni Chanel ngunit muli na naman siyang hinawakan ng baging. At sa pagkakataon na 'to ay ibinitin siya nito patiwarik.

"Holy mother of Chersh—Ahhh!!!" sigaw niya lalo nang bumaba ang kanyang bistida patungo sa kanyang mukha.

"Bitiwan mo ako! Bitiwan mo ako! Ahhh!!!" sigaw ni Chanel at pilit na inaabot ang baging na nakapulupot sa kanyang paa ngunit hindi niya ito maabot-abot. For the whole five minutes, she tried to get the vines on her leg but she couldn't reach it. Hanggang siya na mismo ang sumuko at hinayaan ang sarili na nakalambitin ng patiwarik. She couldn't see anything dahil natatakpan ang kanyang mukha ng palda sa kanyang bestida.

Next time, hindi na ako magsu-suot ng bestida, sa isip-isip niya.

Another five minutes passed, hindi na alam ni Chanel kung anong gagawin n'ya at mangyayari sa kanya kapag siya'y hindi pa nakaalis sa lugar na 'to. She looked at her hands and it was bleeding. Muling napamura sa isip si Chanel. Bakit ba mayroong mga baging na kayang gumalaw sa lugar na 'to? At nasaan na nga ba siya?

She wanted to scream pero alam niyang magsasayang lamang siya ng lakas. Sino bang tutulong sa kanya sa gitna ng kagubatan?

Before she could even think about another thing, she was already kissing the ground.

And this time, she cursed out loud.

"Tangina!" Agad siyang lumuhod at akmang tatayo na nang makakita siya ng isang pares ng sapatos sa kanyang harapan. Umakyat ang kanyang tingin sa taong 'yon at laking gulat niya nang makita si Night. He looked pissed but he was still smiling. Napalunok na lamang si Chanel nang magtama ang kanilang mga mata.

"Tinanggal ko lang ang paningin ko saglit sa 'yo at nandito ka na agad sa gitna ng kagubatan na 'to. Why did you step out the house?"

"I—I was—Uhm—" Chanel couldn't find the right words to explain everything that she saw in that room.

"I'm sorry." Bumuntong-hininga siya at yumuko.

"Sorry for what? Escaping?"

Tumango siya.

"Why did you try to escape?" tanong ni Night.

"I didn't try to escape—" Tumingin siya ulit sa binata at muling binawi ang kanyang sinabi. "Okay, I tried to escape but I went back and I couldn't find the house."

Lumuhod si Night at tiningnan ang kamay at braso niya.

"And why you are here?"

"The vines!" sagot niya agad. "Nagpapahinga lang ako sa puno nang bigla na lang akong hatakin ng mga mukhang ahas na halaman na 'yan."

"Why did you try to escape?" pag-uulit ng tanong ni Night. Muli siyang tiningnan ni Night sa kanyang mata kaya't hindi na makaiwas pa ng tingin si Chanel sa kanya. Napalunok muli ang dalaga.

"I—I saw your room," pag-aamin niya. She didn't know why she was doing this. She should've just run away from him but she couldn't. Alam niya na si Night lamang ang tanging masosoklolohan niya sa mundong 'to. Chanel knew she wouldn't survive in this world without him. She had to stay even she doubted him, even she couldn't trust him.

"So you saw it and it terrified you. Are you now scared of me?" tanong ni Night sa kanya.

"I was just puzzled by what I saw and I couldn't imagine what you were doing with those bloods," sagot ni Chanel sa binata.

Hinawakan ni Night ang kanyang kamay na siyang ikinagulat n'ya. She was still afraid of his touch. He was warm yet he was cold too. There was something about Night that scares her. And yes, she was in fact afraid of him from the very beginning.

"We both know what I do with those bloods," sagot ni Night saka ito muling tumingin sa kanya.

"I study it," dugtong pa ng binata.

"For what?" Nagtatakang tanong ni Chanel. Why did he need those bloods? Why did he need to study it? Para saan?

"Do you really want to know?"

Chanel knew that look very well. Don't ask any questions anymore for your own sake. Yumuko siya at umiling.

"Maybe next time," kaniyang bulong.

"Next time then," sagot ni Night.

Inalalayan siya nitong tumayo. Pinagpagan niya ang kanyang sarili. Tiningnan niya muli ang mga sugat na kanyang natamo sa braso at paa. Nagkatinginan silang muli ni Night.

"Come here," wika nito.

Lumapit siya sa rito. Tiningnan nito ang kanyang mga sugat at muli siyang tiningnan nito.

"Close your eyes."

"Why do I have to close my eyes?"

Night smirked. "Won't you be afraid?"

"I've seen everything."

"Mmm, not everything, not yet."

Black smoke came out from the tip of his fingers and crawled to her hands. It went inside her wounds and fixed it. It healed and didn't even leave a scar. Naka-ilang kurap siya nang makita kung paano nagsara at naghilom ng kusa ang mga sugat niya.

"Well, that was amazing..." bulong ni Chanel.

"I'm amazing, I know," sagot naman nito kaya't si Chanel na ang natawa.

She couldn't really understand herself. She was afraid of him, yet she could also feel comfortable when he was around. That totally contradicts everything she felt for the guy. Maybe she was scared because she still didn't know anything about Night and she felt safe because Night never harmed her. So what she should do about this? She decide not to think about it for now.

"Where are we?" tanong ni Chanel.

"The Devil's Woods," sagot nito.

"Devil's Wood?"

Tumango si Night.

"Why named it like that?"

"This forest divides the City of the Dead and the Realm of Monsters. Ancient entities and other creatures live here as well. That makes the whole woods dangerous," sagot ni Night. Naglakad ito at sumunod naman sa kanya si Chanel.

"The Realm of Monsters? What's that?"

"It's a place in Hellas where the other creatures lives," sagot muli ni Night.

"Creatures? What creatures? Like those people and other creatures living in Paradise?"

"No, it's different. They are different. Those creatures living in the Realm of Monsters are the creatures of the night."

Huminto sa paglalakad si Chanel at tumingin kay Night.

"Creatures of the night. It's almost sound like it's your creatures."

Ngumiti ito sa kanya. "Not as in my name, but the time."

"And what kind of creatures are they?"

Magsasalita pa sana si Night nang bigla itong huminto. Muli itong ngumiti si Night sa kanya.

"We've got company. You shouldn't have left the house."

Nakita niyang bumuntong-hininga ito at lumingon sa likuran nila. The land shook as if there was a big earthquake happening in the forest. The trees rattled and the rocks and dried leaves were tossing all over the floor.

"What is happening?"

"I told you, we've got some company."

Then she heard the loudest roar in her entire life. It almost ripped her ears. Lumingon na rin siya sa tinitingnan ni Night. At nang makita niya ito nang tuluyan ay napanganga na lamang siya. There, in front of her, was a large dog with three heads. Their eyes were red like fire. They had sharp claws and teeth. There were fires burning on their head and tail. And there was something like a magma glowing inside their body. They were growling and looking at them viciously.

"Hindi ba dapat tumakbo na tayo?" tanong ni Chanel sa binata.

"How are you going to run away from that thing?"

Napalunok na lamang si Chanel.

"Well, well, well..." Nanlaki ang mata ni Chanel sa gulat nang marinig niyang magsalita ang isa sa mga ulo nito.

"Look who's here!" The other head smiled, showing its razor-sharp teeth, excitingly looked at the both of them.

"It's Night and a... Oooh... a human!" wika naman ng isa.

Kumakabog na ang dibdib ni Chanel sa kaba pero bakit relax na relax lamang si Night sa tabi niya? Tiningnan niya ito at hindi siya makapaniwala sa kalmadong ekspresyon at tindig nito. Tumingin siya muli sa malaking aso. Nang sabay-sabay na tumingin ang tatlong ulo sa kanya ay agad siyang umatras at nagtago sa likuran ni Night.

"Kung makakain din lang naman tayo ng asong 'yan, mauna ka na."

"Relax, angel."

Paano siya magre-relax kung mayroong isang higanteng aso sa harapan niya at mayroong hindi lamang isa kung hindi tatlong ulo pa!

"As if I would let it harm you," bulong ni Night ngunit dinig na dinig pa rin niya iyon. Nasa likuran lamang siya ng lalaki.

"Besides, my job is to protect you, isn't it?" wika pa nito.

Now would that make her calm? Hell no! Her heart beat faster than it was before. Sa kaba? Sa takot? Sa mga sinabi ni Night? Napapikit na lamang ng mariin si Chanel.

"What are you going to do?"

"Kill it, of course. Ano pa bang ibang gagawin ko?"

"How will you do that?"

Ngumiti lamang si Night sa kanya.

"I have my ways and one more thing." Muling tumingin si Night sa maala halimaw na aso sa kanilang harapan.

"Are you forgetting something, Cairus? There's a debt to pay," wika ni Night na siyang hindi naman naintindihan ni Chanel.

Mas lalong naging agresibo ang halimaw kaya't mas lalong kinabahan si Chanel sa susunod na mangyayari. Tuluyan na ba silang magiging pagkain ng asong 'to?

"Debt! Debt! Debt!" sigaw ng isang ulo.

"What should we do, Night? There's a price on your head! Hahahaha!" wika naman ng isa.

"We're sorry, Master Night," sarkastikong pagsagot ng ulong si Cairus.

"We're here under his command. He wants your head and we're going to take it to him," wika pa nito.

The three heads were all smiling.

"This is why I don't want to save someone's life. Look what happened to these ungrateful bastards. They turned their back against me." Natawa ito at muling tumingin kay Chanel.

"Don't be like them. When I demand my payment later, you'll have to pay it."

Napalunok na lamang si Chanel. Nakita niya ang pagliwanag ng mata ng binata kasabay nang pagngiti nito sa kanya. Night left her there standing and walked towards the three-headed dog. She looked at him and saw black smokes circling around his hands.

"Stay hidden, Chanel," Night said without looking at her.

"I'll come back to you after this."

Wala siyang matutulong sa binata at magiging pabigat lamang siya rito. Mas mabuti nang sumunod sa sinabi ni Night kaysa magpaiwan dito habang pinapanood kung paano sila magpatayan ng higanteng aso. Chanel gritted her teeth and nodded to him.

"Stay alive," she answered and ran as fast as she can.

And if the Gods were even true and it was a sin to pray for this, she prayed that Night won't die. Not tonight.