-chapter ninety-six-

FINN

He was going straight for me.

Hindi siya tumalon sa mga batong kinaroroonan nina Kairo. He must have been afraid by the dark expression in his face. Hindi nga rin siya lumapit kay Eura na ilang hakbang lang ay makakalmot na siya. But he was heading straight for me. It was obvious.

Kumunot ang noo ni Maki nang marealize na rin ang ginagawa niya. But before he could react, the man had jumped the distance between us. He pulled out a curved dagger and smirked arrogantly before attacking us.

I grabbed Maki's shirt and pushed him back. Yumuko ako nang dumaan sa may gilid ng ulo ang dagger. The man's free hand quickly moved to punch me, but I was faster and I twisted his arm. Pumosisyon ako sa likod niya't ini-elbow ang may shoulder. Even though he was hissing from the pain in his arm, kaagad niyang ini-amba ang dagger sa banda ko.

Nagulat ako sa ginawa niya at bahagyang napaatras. He got free and turned around, but Maki had his arms around his neck already. Pumipiglas siya at naghihingalo na sa matinding hawak ni Maki. I grabbed his front collar, staring straight at his dark eyes laden with rage.

Ano kaya ang ginawa ko para sa galit niyang ganito sa'kin? I don't remember meeting him before. Kaibigan kaya siya ni Amnesia?

"What do you want?" I asked.

Tinitigan niya lang ako. Maki became impatient at his lack of answer. He was about to say something when the man suddenly spit on my face. Nanlaki ang mata ko sa ginawa niya at kahit si Maki ay nabigla.

The man smirked. Kunot-noo ko namang pinunasan ang mukha. Hindi pa rin ako makapaniwalang ginawa niya 'yon. I don't know him but he's done something far from what he deserves. Even June never insulted me like that.

There was a flash of movement beside me and the man suddenly got punched. Nalukot ang mukha niya dahil sa malakas na pagkakasuntok. Blood dripped from his nose and he looked at the attacked with fear. Even I had to stare at Kairo in surprise. Sometimes, he really is deserving of the terrifying image he sets.

"Fuck you." Kairo's voice dripped with so much hostility.

He turned to face me with a dark expression. Ngunit bago niya pa mahawakan ang mukha ko ay nawala na ako sa harap niya. Someone spinned me around and threw me a couple rocks away. I gasped in pain at the endless punches that Marcella delivered in my stomach. She only stopped when we landed on a large rock, my back hitting the sharp edge. Napaubo ako ng dugo dahil sa impact.

If we were on a less windy place, I wouldn't be this injured. Pero dahil ginamit akong shield ni Marcella mula sa pressure ng wind, I took most of the pain. And because I cushioned our fall in a sharp and hard rock, my back is crying out in pain.

No matter how people praise or despise me for being the legend they call Sparrow, in the end, Finn is still nothing but a human. Weak, powerless, and is just trying to survive.

Marcella pulled out her flaming, sword dagger. I tried to move but she punched my head to the side, making my temple bleed. Nagiging blurry na ang paningin ko dahil sa sakit, but I could still see the smile in her face when she pointed the sword at my neck.

"I win, Sparrow." she whispered.

Of course, Marcella. Ikaw lang naman talaga ang mananalo sa laban na ikaw lang ang nakaka-alam.

I smiled softly, relaxing my body. I have played your game and satisfied your thirst for battle, but in that war that you're so fixated on, I am not part of it.

You may have treated me as your enemy, but I have never seen you as my rival. You weren't a person I was afraid of being a competition, because there was no contest in the first place. You gave me troubles and I got angry at you, to punish you for the terrible heartache you brought, but you never measured up to being my rival.

"I was never playing, Marcella." I answered.

Nanlaki ang mata niya sa sinabi ko at nabasa ko ang pagka-insulto doon. Getting insulted upon innocent words, she really has bad anger issues. And her jealousy runs deeply than June.

Marahas siyang huminga at itinaas ang sandata. "Player or not, I'll still be satisfied by your death."

The five-year old Finn would think of that as a nice gift because finally the loneliness would set her free. At makakasama na niya ang parents niya sa heaven.

The seven-year old Finn would accept that fate due to the heavy guilt and burden that was placed on her.

The Finn from a few cities ago would take that destiny in order to escape the death curse that's eating her heart and very being. Kukunin niya dahil gustong-gusto na niyang makaalis sa hellhole na ito.

But Sebastian's death made me realize something. Was it realization or was I finally numb from my emotions? I don't know how Renée died but it must have been sacrificial, considering her kindness. But Sebastian's death was of pure selfishness.

He had a choice. Renée mustn't have one.

But he gave up, not only on himself and the hope Renée had of him, but on us. He killed himself without even thinking that he still had two more pillars, two more people who's either in need of his guidance or could help him hold on. He was a weak man who didn't challenge the face of grief.

At ayoko 'yon.

Ayokong humiga lang dito at tanggapin ang galit ni Marcella kahit kaya ko pa.

If I can still move one finger, I can still fight. If I can't clearly see, then I have my ears. If the winds are confusing them, I have my perception. If I just look closely at my current availabilities and disregard all the liability, I can still stand up and fight.

I can still hold on and live.

Dahil ayokong iwan ang mga taong nasa likod ngayon ni Marcella. They were the people who didn't gave up on me. Who did have their share of mistakes, but made up for them.

The bright flame that was about to burn my skin was stopped by the abyss of shadows that escaped my dagger. Naglaban ang dalawang blade - my throwdagger and her sword one. Marcella's weapon looked magestic against a small blade like mine, but the shadows overpowered her intense flame.

And hands formed along the shadows, dividing until it reached ten copies. At sumabog ito.

Marcella was flown aback by the surge of power and the hand-shaped shadow that pushed her away. The remaining hands grabbed my friends and placed them ahead of us, sa mga bato na malapit na sa exit. Gumawa ako ng isang shadow barrier sa pagitan namin para hindi na niya ako mabalikan.

"Ever the hero." Marcella loudly stated. "I thought you weren't playing, Finn. Bakit ka nakikipaglaban sa'kin ngayon?"

"Not playing your game doesn't mean dying. I want to live." I declared.

"Well, I hope you can live long enough." nakangisi niyang tugon.

I narrowed my eyes and stepped to the side when I perceived a quick presence in the air. Isang napakalaking axe ang nahulog sa tabi ko at muli akong inatake ng lalaki kanina. While I was moving the other players with the four hand-shaped shadows, I used my remaining energy to help me fight against three foes - the guy with the axe, ang lalaking nagtutulak ng iba, at si Marcella.

They attacked me either simultaneously or consecutively. Halos hindi na ako makahinga sa kakasunod at basa ng mga movements nila. There was a certain pattern to their actions, where the axe guy focused on my left while the other endlessly attacked my right. Marcella would also strike me in the front.

Their movements are too suspicious that I called it to be a plan, where they'll be making the real attack on my back.

At tama nga ako. Nang sumugod si Marcella at nagpalitan kami ng atake, ay may naramdaman akong dalawang presensiya sa likod. After kicking Marcella away, I spinned around and merged three of my hand-shaped shadows to grow its size. A giant shadowed hand then slapped and encovered their body. Hinampas-hampas ko sila sa dalawang bato na nasa gilid.

"You're going berserk." Marcella noted.

Another surge of power went inside me and my shadows increased. Nang masigurong wala ng players na naiwan, I faced the stone-cold Marcella. Hindi lang para makita ang expresiyon niya pero dahil parang tinotosta na ako sa init. She was also in the brink of losing it. Her sword is ablaze in a bright red flame and lava appeared on the rock she's steppping on.

"Fuck." narinig kong bulong ng mga lalaking nasira na ang mukha. "Kailangan na nating makaalis dito. This is going to be insane."

"Tara na. Wala tayong maikukumpara sa mga halimaw na 'yan."

Marcella glanced at them in irritation. Bigla niyang hinampas ang sword dagger sa direksiyon ng mga bato at nahati ang mga ito. The two men stopped. Hindi lang sila nawalan ng bato na matatapakan pero may shadow barrier ding pumipigil sa kanilang makatakas.

"No one's leaving." Marcella said.

Hindi ko rin sure kung bakit binuksan ko ang shadow barrier at ginawa iyong bridge para sa dalawa. Siguro para makita ang inis at galit sa mukha ni Marcella na nagpapakabayani naman ako. I believe I have every right to make her pissed right now.

Nagkatinginan kami.

In a blink, we were on each other's throats.

We were quick in each of our attacks, at hindi kami nagtatagal sa kung saan. She would break or make the rocks lava and I would wrap them in a shadow cocoon para lang may matapakan. Ilang sandali lang ay nasa ibang bato naman kami nagpapalitan ng mga atake. I alternated between the kunais that I throw or strike against her, and the silver dagger that I use to defend her sword. Umiikot din ako't sinisipa siya na sinasagot niya naman ng suntok o di kaya'y sipa din.

Fortunately, there was no one after us because no one could walk any further in that rock bridge. Ang mga bato ay nagiging lava na o di kaya'y wala na talaga.

Marcella made two flame, horizontal slices. Inihati nito ang mga kasunod na bato sa tatlong piraso. I luckily got away and stepped on a strong rock, nang maramdaman ang paparating na atake. Napaatras ako pero kitang-kita ng mata ko ang pagdaan ng chakram. There was only one person in this game who can use that weapon with such an accuracy.

I was about to look back when Marcella said something, "Don't bother. I'm the one you're fighting."

The six minutes mark glowed behind her.

"Tinutulungan mo siya?"

She flicked her sword and tilted her head. "Siya ang tumutulong sa'kin. Sa'min, noon."

June and Marcella had obvious reason in challenging my life, but what does she have against me? I have only met her in this game and she's not that ambitious or greedy to get angry over outranking her. Kaya bakit?

"Marcella. Need to tell you this-"

She scoffed. "If that's about-"

"'m not competing against you. You can take the crown or the rank." itinuro ko ang sarili. "I don't care about the numbers. I don't care about the titles. I'm not the queen of anything. I'm just Finn, a girl who likes games so she helps others as Sparrow. Kahit na hindi pa ako kilala kung alam kong may natutulungan ako, okay lang."

Akala ko ay makikita niya ang punto ko pero mas lalo ko ata siyang nagalit. "Are you slapping my face with your kindness and selflessness? I don't need your pity. I don't need those titles coming from you. I can take them by myself."

"Kaya nga!" I argued. "I never had those titles in the first place-"

"Oh so dahil ayaw mo e ibibigay mo na lang sa'kin? Dahil sunod lang ako sa'yo? Because it's actually rightfully yours but you're just too kind and selfless and good that you're handing it off to me! I don't need your spare goods!"

"I just don't care about them-"

"So I do? Sobrang hayok na hayok ko sa mga ganiyan kaya isasampal mo sa mukha ko ang ayaw mo na? Like a dog who waits for the master's extras or dislikes?"

"Don't you?!" napasigaw na ako. "Don't you care about them, Marcella? Why would you pursue me like this and harass me when I don't even give a shit? Ayoko sa benefit na 'yon, pinuwersa mo, tapos ako pa may kasalanan! I worked so hard to go lowkey even if circumstances won't let me and you got angry! I rank higher than you and you cry like a baby! You're so obsessed with winning and leading that you won't listen with reason!"

The timer had already reached the three minute mark. Nagsisimula nang magiba ang mga bato at isla na nasa dulo.

"They were rightfully mine!"

"Nothing in this world is rightfully yours! Nang hinayaan mo sila na ibigay sa'kin ang benefit, you already transferred that rights to me. Maybe you were just trying to protect your guild from the cursed benefit you got. But tell me, was it really just them or was your pride and greed a part of it?" I scoffed. "Dahil nga 'di ba, kung naranasan mo na ang kalsada, hindi mo na bibitawan ang mga condominiums. You would do everything just to keep that."

"Yes!" Marcella screamed. "I wouldn't let anyone take that top spot dahil natatakot akong baka isang mali lang at babalik ako do'n. But you wouldn't know that would you? Because you were born in a soft bed and nice room. You had a roof over your head so you don't know the feeling of enduring a heavy storm."

I let out a deep and shaky exhale. "I had my share of storms too." umiling ako. "Kaya nga. I wouldn't steal your top spot. I don't have plans of stealing it. So please, just stop this. Stop treating me as your enemy, because I was never your rival in the first place. I was only a player who got lucky."

The two minutes countdown began.

Malapit na sa'min ang mga nasisirang bato. Rinig na rinig ko pa sa kinaroroonan namin ang sigaw nilang umalis na ako. Suddenly, there was a pressure against my back and I felt a sharp dagger in my neck. My breathing hitched when I recognize the earlier man behind me.

"Ang tagal niyong mag-usap. Kung ayaw mong tapusin, Marcella, ako na." he hissed.

I struggled against his hold, kicking his knee and attempting to slice his arm with my blade. Pero sadyang napakahigpit ng kapit niya. Ang naging pag-asa ko lang ay ang malakas na hangin na biglang dumaan sa amin. It tipped his balance but also dragged me with him...

To fall.

Ngunit may biglang humawak sa shirt ko. I was pulled up into an intense and blinding heat. I felt us move. Fire erupted against the shadow barried I made, destroying it completely.

The timer continued to move, each second in the minute left ticking with ironic speed. Ang bawat pagtakbo namin ay siya ring bilis ng paghabol ng pagkagiba ng mga bato. And I felt myself being thrown away when we almost reached the end.

Marcella's falling face entered my vision when I landed on the cold, hard ground.

Bago ako makapag-isip ay gumalaw na ang katawan ko. I jumped to the edge of the island and reached my hand out. I had my eyes closed but I felt the shadows stretching from my hand and eventually... grabbing into something hot.

-chapter end-

Chapter na pinakamaraming sinabi si Finn. Huwag niyo kasing pinapasabog 😭