-chapter fifty-two-

FINN

"Get away."

I have already managed to stop the others from potentially harming players. I only made them unconscious for a few minutes, upang hindi rin sila maubusan ng oras.

But time seemed to stop when I saw Dylan with a dagger just a few inches away from Gavin. Kahit na si Dylan ang mukhang may pasa sa mukha ay hindi ko pa rin siya mapagkakatiwalaan.

Not when he's the most uncontrolled out of them.

"Natatakot ka ba sa maaring mangyari sa kaniya, Finn?" nakangising-asong tanong ni Dylan.

Sasagot na sana ako nang umiling si Gavin. "Huwag kang mag-alala, Finn. Actually may gamot ka ba diyan? Nasuntok ko kasi siya tapos masakit ata-"

"Hindi!" singhal ni Dylan pabalik. "Hindi ko nga naramdaman suntok mo!"

"Ay, talaga, sorry. Kasi sobrang namumula 'yong mukha mo tas no'ng masapak kita, namimilipit ka na sa sakit. Don't worry, pare, I won't judge-!"

Dylan quickly grabbed Gavin by the neck, pointing his dagger at the other's pulse. Pinanlakihan niya ako ng mata nang sinubukan kong lumapit.

Damn it. I gritted my teeth, gripping the kunai in my hands tighter. Gavin looked a little calm, pero may kaba nang namumuo sa mata niya. I expected that reaction from someone who's being threatened by a dagger.

"Don't." pigil ko kay Dylan.

Gavin let out a breath, trying to calm himself. "P're, baka pwede nating mapag-usapan 'to."

"Huwag mo 'kong mapare-pare diyan, tangna mo!" Dylan shouted and stepped back, dragging Gavin with him.

Quietly, pinalabas ko ang mga anino mula sa mga paa. Maybe I could at least chain Dylan to the ground and take Gavin away. Kahit na blanko ang itsura ko ay 'di ko mapigilan ang namumuong kaba sa dibdib.

Dylan wouldn't stop at anything to get what he wants. And if he's capable of harming Renée, who June protects, then he wouldn't think twice about killing Gavin.

Sa tingin ko nga ay sinubukan niya na ito kanina pero nasuntok. Gavin is useless when it comes to his weapon, but he can fight with his body.

The shadows crawled across the ground, a dark color looming over the green grass. Papunta ito sa paanan ni Dylan as I have commanded, but it immediately stopped. Isang paa ang lumabas at tinapakan ito, making the shadows flail under, trying to escape.

June stepped between Dylan and I, a sinister smile in her lips. Bumaba ang tingin niya sa mga aninong tinatapakan at lumaki ang ngiti niya nang diinan niya pa ang pagtapak dito.

"Be more aware of your surroundings, Dylan. Lalo na kung kaharap mo ang isang taong magaling magmanipulate ng anino." June advised.

Dylan gulped, his eyes fixed on my shadows. Bumuntong-hininga ako at kinuha ito balik.

"Gavin." simpleng sambit ko.

June raised a brow at me and glanced behind. Nang makita niyang nakatutok ang kutsilyo ni Dylan kay Gavin ay inutusan niya itong bitawan. Dylan looked confused and unwilling at first, but he could do nothing at his boss.

"Bakit ba? Akala ko ba papatayin natin mga kaibigan niya?" pasinghal na tanong ni Dylan.

"Nasa pangalan ba ng listang ibinigay ko si Gavin?" June responded and rolled her eyes. "Bitawan mo na siya."

"Pero, bakit nga?! Sigurado namang sila ang mas makakasakit sa kaniya! They were her childhood friends, right?! If she loses them, then it'll be even more painful!"

Totoo 'yan. Ngunit hindi iyon kakayanin ni June. If I lose them, the one who lives my life would also lose them.

"Basta, ang sabi ko 'wag mo siyang galawin, kaya iyon ang gawin mo! If you want to fight someone so bad, Finn is right here!"

"Bakit ko naman kailangang bitawan ang isang 'to kung mas madali siyang patayin?!"

"Kung sinabi kong bitawan mo, bitawan mo!"

Oh, akala ko ba ako kaaway nila. Bakit sila na nag-aaway ngayon?

I met Gavin eyes. Binigyan niya ako ng nagtatanong tingin sabay taas ng kilay niya. I shrugged, understanding the silent question in his gestures. Hindi ko din alam kung bakit bigla silang nagsigawan.

Dylan looked so furious that I could already see his nose flaring. Sinamaan niya ng tingin si June. His fist clenched over the dagger he was holding, and he quickly raised it to stab Gavin. Dylan was too far and he was moving too fast for June to really stop him or Gavin to defend himself.

Why did June have to pick an uncontrolled beast? Ito ngayon ang resulta.

Una kong itinapon ang hawak na kunai bago sinummon ang mga shadows. They covered me, appearing from the ground and slowly crawling to swallow my whole body, allowing me to take over their own form. The shadows went past June to arrive in front of Gavin, dark magic bursting out as I jumped out of the cocoon and stole the dagger from Dylan's hold.

"Anong..." tanging nasambit ni Dylan at napaatras.

I know that even June didn't notice me passing. It was the shadows' speed that made me come here quicker, and the kunai that was flying allowed our travel time to sped up. Kung titingnan mabuti ay parang napag-isa kaming tatlo; me, the kunai, and the shadows. We moved to the speed of both elements, arriving in the face of danger within the nick of time.

"Finn..." Gavin called my name, almost breathless.

Lumingon ako at nakitang nakaawang ang labi niya. He looked so stunned that a mosquito could already enter his mouth.

Ngumingiti siyang umiling. "Ang galing-galing mo talaga. I was supposed to be the one protecting you, but now look at how the turns tabled."

"Tables have turned." I corrected.

Sumimangot siya. "Alam ko. Hindi mo ba nakita ang meme?"

Umiling ako ngunit nasa isip ko pa rin ang sinabi niya. Dito lang naman nangyayari ang pagpo-protekta ko sa kaniya. He's my guardian and protector outside of the game. He's the one who always serves as my wall and canon, ready to fight anyone who attacks me.

Gavin's my sword and shield. He's also my safe anchor.

"Fucking hell." usal ni Dylan kaya binalingan ko siya. He was looking at the both of us with deep hatred. "Why do people like them always have it easy? I'm sure he's the same as those jocks. Popular, strong and fucking jolly. Mga tanginang pagwapo sa eskwelahan."

May galit ba siya sa mga basketbolista?

I glanced at June but she's only watching us, like we were an interesting movie she unconsciously found in the theaters. I took a deep breath, trying to ignore her existence.

"Dylan. Why..." I paused, not knowing what to ask from the thousand of questions in my head. "...do you do this?"

Marami pa akong tanong. Why would you kill players? Why are you so ruthlessly angry? Why do you look like the world has turned its back on you? Why would you regard people with this much hatred?

Hindi ako naniniwalang ginagawa niya lang ito dahil gusto niyang mamatay. I can't see Dylan as a psychopath, and he also doesn't care so much about being a top player to care about fame and power. Dahil kung gano'n lang naman, hindi ko naman siya kilala na streamer.

"Why." ulit niya at mapaklang tumawa. "Hindi ba't sinabi ko na sa'yo? Binabalik ko lang kung anong kinuha niyo sa'kin. I'm only doing this because you did it first."

I did it first? Hindi ko naman maalalang nakita ko siya noon. Ang unang pagkakilala ko sa kaniya ay noong sa ninth city kung saan pinatay niya si Eris. Pagkatapos noon, wala naman akong maalalang ginawang kasalanan sa kaniya?

"Didn't do anything to you."

"It doesn't matter who did! This whole game ruined my life, so hindi ba maganda na sirain ko din ang sa inyo?! May kinuha kayong importanteng bagay sa'kin kaya 'di ba dapat gawin ko din iyon sa inyo?!" he shouted, almost crazily. "Bakit ba laging ako na lang nahihirapan?! Bakit ba dapat ako na lang lagi ang nawawalan?! Tangina! Siya lang naman-"

Dylan's voice broke and tears streamed from his eyes. His face crumpled into one of loneliness, grief, and heartbreak. Hindi ko alam ang sasabihin at nakatayo lang ako sa harap niya.

"Siya lang naman ang kailangan ko eh! I have never done anything to any of you the whole time I was in this game, kahit na gaano pa ako nainis! Pero 'yong kunin ang pinakamahalagang bagay sa'kin para lang makapagpatuloy?" Dylan scoffed, loud and broken. "At sa tingin niyo ba talaga ay hindi ako nito gaganti?"

"You... lost someone." naibulong ko na lang 'yon.

"I'm not like him." sabay turo niya kay Gavin. "Hindi ako kilala o gwapo. Hindi ako tinitilian o nilalapitan. Pero wala namang kaso 'yon sa'kin. Kahit mag-isa lang ako sa buhay, okay lang. Total ayoko din namang mabuhay. I'm not like you, Finn, who can also persevere. I'm just me, John Dylan, broken and weak."

There was a change in his tone. Ang galit na lungkot kanina ay unti-unting humihina at nawawala. Na para bang pagod na pagod na si Dylan na mabuhay pa sa mundong 'to.

"Pero alam mo, mundo ko na 'yong girlfriend ko nang dumating siya. Siya lang ang umunawa at nagmahal sa'kin. Siya lang ay mayro'n ako!" Dylan loudly lamented, the sorrow and pain so genuine in his voice na kahit ako'y parang nasasaktan na din. "S-Siya lang ang mayro'n ako... kaya- kaya bakit siya pa ang ginawang sakripisyo ng grupong 'yon para lang mabuhay ang tanginang Eris nila?! Bakit kailangan niya pang mawala sa isang babaeng pagpapaganda lang naman siguro ang alam?!"

I was stunned. I've always known there was a deep reason behind Dylan's deep hatred. But I never thought I could greatly relate with it.

Grief comes to people in every life. But for those who have no pillars left, it's very difficult to cope up. Sa panahong walang-wala at ubos na ubos ka na, sino pa ang makakapitan mo? Kung 'yong dating tinatakbuhan ay ang siyang nawala.

"Pero hindi pa rin tama na patayin mo kahit ang mga inosente." Gavin said, his voice low and gentle. "You can take revenge against those who wronged you or your girlfriend, but you don't have any reasons to kill others. Ang ibang walang kinalaman sa nangyari sa inyo."

"Putangina, huwag kang magsalita kasi hindi mo alam!" sigaw ni Dylan. "Hindi mo alam kung paano mawalan ng isang mahalagang tao! Lalo na kung ang taong 'yon ay ang tanging mayro'n ka na lang!"

My eyes widened at what Dylan said. Sinulyapan ko si Gavin at nakita ang pagdaan ng sakit sa mata niya. I cleared my throat, trying to cut in the conversation before Gavin's graves will be dug up.

"She's all I fucking have! And they took her away from me! Sa tingin mo, ano pa bang magagawa ng isang taong wala ng rason na mabubay sa mundong ito?!"

"Live." I said, stepping closer. "Dylan, live. For her-"

"Putangina na lang talaga sa kung sino nagpasimuno ng katagang 'yan. Live? Live for her?!" Dylan laughed, as if I was mocking his pain. "Sige nga, Finn, sabihin mo. How can I live when she's the reason I breathe? I fucking died with her! So I don't care if hell takes me or if you kill me here right now and I don't get to finish this damn game, ang sa'kin lang ay masira ko ang buhay niyo gaya ng pagsira niyo sa'kin!"

Dylan was completely different now. A complete opposite of his confident and smirking facade, now he looked defeated and lost. Ang mata niyang walang buhay kung saan patuloy na umaagos ang luha, ngunit kahit na gano'n ay namumuo pa rin ang walang-katumbas na galit. Sorrow, mourning, and heartbreak appeared in his face, affecting his whole posture, and telling the whole world just what he truly is.

For Dylan is nothing but a broken man whose life was stolen. When a weak man falls into rock-bottom, they will really be consumed by their demons.

But the true pain is that no matter what he does, she won't ever come back.

"May babalikan pa kayo paglabas niyo dito." mahina niyang dagdag. "Pero ako, wala na. I can't see her anymore. You know, it's really funny-" he sobbed on his laugh. "Kasi parang binigyan niyo lang ako ng tubig sa desyerto at kinuha iyon ng 'di pa ubos. Kasi parang sinabi niyo lang sa'kin na may pag-asa, tapos joke lang pala lahat."

Dylan's dagger bounced twice when it fell on the ground. Inangat niya ang tingin para tumitig sa'kin.

"Siya lang naman ang rason ko sa lahat, Finn. Siya lang naman ang gusto't kailangan ko." Dylan sighed. "I really want rage to fill me and kill everyone, but now that I let this all out, parang handa na ako. Siguro ginagawa ko lang 'to para may dumating na kagaya mo, para tapusin ang kasamaang ginawa ko. I'm so, so angry at all of you that I really want to kill you- but whenever her face comes into view, napapahinto talaga ako."

"Dylan, bro." Gavin stepped forwards too. "Give yourself a chance. Hindi mo naman kailangan na mawala-"

"Shut up. Hindi ko kailangan ng mga mabubuting asal niyo. Kayo na ang mabait at ako na ang masama, hindi ba pwedeng 'yon na lang?!"

His soul is already tainted with pain and rage, and Dylan's already blinded by the two emotions. Insanity comes when we've hit at lows and irrationality now arose in Dylan. His healing needs time and space, not the same group of people and setting.

Are there really people we can't save no matter what we do?

Napatingin ako sa mga kamay kong walang ginawa. Grief is a sensitive topic for me, for death also follows me like I am renting in his land. Talaga nga bang wala nang tiyansang matulungan si Dylan o hindi ko lang ginawa ang lahat na makakaya?

But then, he's also not doing anything to harm himself. So maybe there's a-

"So are you not going to kill them?"

Malapit na akong napatalon nang marinig ang matigas na boses ni June. Nakalimutan kong nandito pa pala siya.

"Do your fucking plans yourself." ani Dylan. "Tangina, 'di ka naman nakikinig 'pag tinutulungan. Talaga ngang ikaw ang putanginang rich kid na spoiled at hindi sumusu- ugh!"

"Dylan!"

Gavin and I both gasped his name in shock when blood suddenly spurted from his mouth. Nanlaki ang naluluhang mata niya. Dylan's body sagged and fell forwards, an ice-pick like dagger impaled in his back.

I looked at June, horrified. Did she just kill the person who has been contributing to her killing plans? At bakit napakalamig ng mukha niya para sa isang taong may pinatay lang.

"This is for attempting to rape my Renée, you fucking bastard." June lifted her eyes to stare at me. "Alam mo, hindi siya ang may gawa ng mga rape na 'yon. Bobo 'yon at masyadong loyal sa nobya kaya ang mga kasama niya pinapa-rape ko. Siya lang umaakto na parang siya may gawa. Tanga nga lang talaga. Tch."

"Julianne." Gavin, for the first time, acknowledged her presence. "What the fuck did you just do?"

Isang matamis na ngiti ang sumilay sa mukha ni June. She fluttered her eyelashes at Gavin.

"Well, Gavin dear. I didn't know killing someone like him is the only way to get your attention. I should have done this sooner."

Sa taas, isang pangalan ang nacross out sa kill-count board.

John Dylan was announced dead and Julianne Evonne now replaced my name at the top.

-chapter end-