-chapter one-hundred-eighteen-

FINN

Fighting them is actually impossible. Hindi iyon kaya ng utak at puso ko.

Kaya naman para malabanan sila, I imagined their faces as potatoes.

Si Caspian ang patatas na blanko ang mukha. Si Depore ang may nakakalokong ngisi at si Theo naman ay tulog. I didn't imagine myself as one though. I stared at myself, at the monster that was created by this game that I know resides within me, and fought it.

Habang naglalakad kami ni Maki papunta sa labas ay naalala ko ang point ng game. Hindi ko alam kung nakatulog ba ang developer nito in the middle o nawalan na ng braincells kaya hindi ko na maintindihan ang cities na pinuntahan namin. But then... I realized that we might just be going into a full circle. The city of nightmares and dreams were quests that challenges a player's insight and thrill for stories, which is necessary in opening the last quest.

The final boss.

Pero siyempre ang final boss ay makikita sa last city at ito ang gate papunta doon. Kaya siguro may school gate. And the hunters are the boss generals that will injure a player until they only have 15% chance to defeat the boss. The clones are just there to challenge us.

A fight within ourselves, but this time externally and internally. Thankfully, my clone, that monster, is someone I really want to defeat.

I doubt that they would help me. These people are important to them and they haven't conditioned themselves to fight them yet.

But to my surprise, I found them helping me. How do I say this? Nang pumwesto sa bawat gilid ko si Marcella at Maki, parang nawala ang bigat sa na dinadala ko. All of a sudden, I felt relieved and my knees were about to give up from exhaustion and pain.

Tapos dumating 'yong hunters.

Nakakainis. Hindi ata sila nabigyan ng memo na huwag munang dumating dahil hindi pa kami ready. Our prior plan to go by pair was already ruined because they came to help me, at ngayon pa naisipan ng mga hunters na 'to na magpakita. Why didn't they show themselves earlier? Noong ako pa lang at hindi na kaming lahat. Madaya naman.

Nagsiliparan ang mga bato sa paligid nang magbukas ang lupa na kinakatayuan namin. The rocks formed into a solid ground underneath Gavin's feet and he pulled me to him. Sa gilid ng mata ko'y, namataan ko ang pag-utos ni Marcella na bumalik sa school. Because for some reason, while the earth around the school broke apart, the building stayed.

And Eura isn't very happy. Hindi ko alam 'to dahil kilala ko siya, pero dahil sinisigaw niya ang reklamo.

"Putangina! Bakit hindi 'yan nagiba? Gusto kong magiba ang putanginang school na 'yan!"

Her curses filled the air as we tried to run along the flying rocks. It's like the Rock Island all over again, but this time there are those monstrous hunters behind us, like reapers about to receive our soul. Nang malapit na kami sa pintuan ay biglang nagpakita ang isang elf.

In a snap, everything changed.

Nahulog ako sa isang hallway na walang katao-tao. Maayos na ang labas ng school, at parang wala lang nangyaring labanan sa itsura nito. I would have thought that it was all a dream if I didn't feel the deathly presence behind me.

I flipped forwards, barely avoiding the ghastly hands that went through my previous spot. The hunter that was with me was a bit transparent, like a ghost. I narrowed my eyes at the shape of the scythe that rested in its back, but I wasn't able to stare at it for too long when the ghost suddenly attacked.

I made a small jump back, too late to pull a dagger out but the snake was faster to bite my finger and turned into a silver dagger. Kaagad ko itong itinaas para mapigilan ang scythe niya, gritting my teeth at the impossible strength he has.

Just when I was able to power through his attack, the whole hallway dimmed.

Akala ko noong una ay kasama ko na si Kairo dito, but when he went to attack me, I knew he was another clone. Like the true player, this clone was ruthless and fast. He thrusted two blades towards my face, to which I made a step back, raising my feet to kick it off. The ghost reappeared from behind me, and I used my shadows to form a wall between us.

Kairo's fist came up from my left and I ducked my head, letting myself be swallowed by the shadows. It teleported me behind Kairo so he charged towards the ghost. The attack caused the hunter to be flung on the other side of the hallway.

Imagining Kairo's head as a potato, I moved forward and stabbed him on the back. He groaned in pain, trying to turn around and fight back, when seven throwdaggers appeared in front of him, threatening before it impaled his body. Isang singhap ang narinig ko sa likuran kaya napalingon ako.

"Finn... 'di ka man lang nagdalawang-isip?" parang naiiyak na tanong ng totoong Kairo sa likod ko.

I dropped the body of his clone. Nilapitan ko siya. "Are you okay?"

"'Yong katawan ko, oo. Pero 'yong puso ko, hindi." aniya sabay hawak sa dibdib.

Oh, right. May sakit nga pala sa puso si Kairo.

I roamed my eyes around his body, unsure of what to do. I know the hunter will be standing up any second. Mukang wala pa naman sa tamang kondisyon si Kairo para lumaban.

"What do you want me to do?" I asked, prepared to help him in case something bad happens.

His lips curled up in a cunning smirk, as he tapped on the corner of his mouth. "Kiss mo dito. Okay na ako."

Hindi ako nakasagot dahil biglang napaloob ang ulo ni Kairo sa isang water bubble. It was trying to drown him in. I saw Wes cooly walking towards us. Nakapamulsa siya at hindi ko alam kung clone ba siya o hindi. I mean, he did attack Kairo and he mustn't have attacked me dahil natatago ako ng lalaki.

I wasn't able to react on any of that because something ripped the back of my shirt. Then I felt myself being dragged on the floor. The blade cut through my skin, making me hiss in pain, vision blurring. Gagamitin ko na sana ang shadows ko para makawala pero konting-konti na lang ang enerhiya na mayro'n ako.

Biglang dumilim ang hallway at naramdaman ko ang pagsagasa ng tubig. When the lights flickered back on, I saw Wes and Kairo fighting the ghost with perfect collaboration. Wes served as the main fighter, using his water slicer to deflect the ghost's scythe, while Kairo attacked from all sides like the assassin he is. Wes became the distraction for Kairo to perform a solid attack on the ghost's forehead, where its heart rested.

A slithering siren suddenly came, its scales creating tiny spikes wherever it lands. It produced a slight hiss, before charging towards the two boys.

Her sharp claws fought against Kairo's dagger. Wes summoned four explosive water bubbles around the siren. Nang sumabog ito ay lumabas ang mga dagger na nakatago at sumaksak sa katawan ng halimaw. An almost solid and sharp spike of water pierced through her lithe body, and the siren stopped when bubbles of water formed in her mouth. She was being drowned in land, on the water which is her home.

A piercing cry left her mouth and the tune of death was about to be played, when Wes suddenly took Kairo's arm and threw him towards the siren's tail. Darkness surrounded the whole hallway but I could see the formation of water slicer, its blue particles glowing in the vast void. Nang muling bumalik ang liwanag ay nahati na sa maliliit na piraso ang katawan ng siren.

My lips parted at their teamwork. Excellent fighters they were alone, but together, they're monsters.

"Sparrow, your back is bleeding." tugon ni Wes na agad nakalapit sa'kin. He pulled me into his lap, studying the wound on my back. "Why do I always see you in this state?"

"Because everyone's out to get her, that's why." Kairo dryly responded, playing with his dagger. Lumapit siya sa bintana at tumingin sa ilalim. "I don't know if we're in some sort of illusion, pero tumaas ba ang building na 'to?"

Walang sumagot sa kaniya. Dahil first, hindi ko naman alam kasi busy ako sa pakikipaglaban. At second, abala si Wes sa paggamot sa likod ko.

"This is the last of my healing potion, and I recently traded this at the City of Dreams too." his deep voice sounded even rougher this close and when he's on my back. "Do be careful, Sparrow. Wala na akong panggamot sa'yo."

"Mga... mga sampu na ata ang floors na nandito. What the fuck?" kausap pa rin ni Kairo ang sarili niya. "Nasaan na ba sina Eura? Walanghiya talaga ang babaeng 'yon. Naglandi lang, nakalimutan nang may leader pa siya."

Bahagya kong nilingon si Wes na seryosong-seryoso sa paggamot. Whenever I look too long at his face, I wonder why he doesn't smile so often. Those rare times that he lets happiness cloud his face are the most handsome that I find him. Pero kung hindi niya ako tinititigan na mawawala ako sa harap niya o binibigyan ako ng amused look, he stares at me like he's in a big problem in himself.

He raised his eyes to meet mine and I offered a small smile. Nanatili ang tingin niya sa ngiti ko hanggang sa magsalita ako.

"You always call me sparrow." sambit ko. "Rarely my name."

"He calls you kitten all the time and you're not complaining," aniya sabay tango sa direksiyon ni Kairo, who was busy screaming at someone a floor below.

"'m not complaining to you." I corrected with a slight frown. "I'm asking."

"I can call you by another name, but I doubt you'd like it." he smirked. "I'm not used with calling you Finley so, let me be fine with Sparrow."

Wes gently helped me up, before standing himself and rolling his sleeves up to his elbow. I quietly wondered what he meant by another name. Iyong my queen, my queen niya ba na sobrang weird? Wala naman siyang ibang katawagan sa'kin, ah.

"Kitten."

Binalingan ko si Kairo nang tawagin niya ko. I was a bit surprised when I found him swiftly pulling his shirt off from the back, exposing the dark tattoos in his chest and shoulder. I wondered why he went topless at first, pero nakita ko ang sugat sa may tiyan niya at dibdib. I didn't have to look up to know that he was burning me with his stare, as he slowly wiped the blood off his wound.

"Eura and the others are a floor down. Pupuntahan natin sila." dagdag niya sa namamaos na boses.

Tumango ako at itinuro ang hagdan. "Let's go."

With a single nod from them, I was the first to climb down. Kinakabahan nga ako dahil kahit saan pa naman lumalabas itong mga hunters na 'to kaya baka kung anong mangyari. However, it wasn't the hunters that were supposed to prepare for. It was Caspian down the stairs with his blank eyes on me, thousand of needles instantly surrounding us. His clothes were ripped, like he just survived a very dangerous fight, and I briefly wondered what's with these boys and skinshowing.

"Shit." Kairo cursed under his breath, unmoving.

Sumang-ayon ako sa sinabi niya. Shit nga. Hindi patatas si Caspian sa harap ko ngayon at naaalala ko kung paano ko siya huling nakita. Shards of mirror around his body, hair messy with blood, and clothes ripped.

Pinikit ko ang mata nang mabuhay ang apoy sa bawat needle. Finn, remember. This is not Caspian. He's dead and he's not coming back.

He's a clone. An impostor.

I opened my eyes and charged forward, letting Caspian's face haunt me as I stopped imagining him as a potato. The array of needles suddenly flew towards me but a wall of water washed the fire and needles away. Caspian got a hold of my hand, twisting it and letting fire crawl through his skin to mine. I gasped at the burn, forcing my own shadows to cover the flame.

But Kairo has already pulled me back, kicking Caspian in the stomach. The clone staggered backward, and Kairo looked like he just had the most tastiest prey in front of him.

"This is the perfect place to kill the roaches around her." matalim ang boses niya. "I've been itching to punch every single one of you."

Hinanap ko si Wes at nakitang nasisiyahan din siya sa pakikipaglaban kay Theo. The fusion of water and ice made the stairs inaccessible.

"Finn! Halika na!" Eura pulled my wrist. "Hayaan mo na 'yang dalawa at nagpapawala ng inis."

"Natatakot ako sa mangyayari kapag nakita nila ang clone ko."

I glanced at Gavin and frowned. Namumutla siya habang pinapanood ang walang-awang paglaban nina Wes at Kairo.

"Not going to wait for them?" I asked Eura as we ran in the hallway.

"No. Susunod lang 'yan sila. We need to get out of here as soon as possible. We found out that the clones can regenerate themselves kaya mamamatay na lang tayo sa pagod at sugat dito." sagot niya.

"What if they're killed?"

"Another one shows up like a damn zombie. Ano ba kasi ang city na 'to? Parang ayoko na talaga sa skip na 'yon. Hindi ko na naiintindihan ang flow ng game chuchu nila."

"The monsters of the last boss." paliwanag ko. "Last city is final boss. Killing it means we win."

"When we win, we get out of this damn hole, then?" tumango ako sa tanong niya. "Damn, I've never been that excited to get out of a game than this before. Kailangan na nating magmadali kung gano'n. Nami-miss ko na si Max."

Gavin slowed down, narrowing his eyes at Eura. "Max?"

"Oo. Ang aso ko, si Max. Wala ka bang pet na namiss mo?"

"I have my princess here. Basta nandito siya sa tabi ko, kompleto ang buhay ko."

Eura shot him a disgusted glare but did not say anything anymore. Kumindat lang si Gavin sa'kin at sabay kaming bumaba sa staircase na nasa dulo ng hallway. We were about to go another floor down, when someone called my name.

And my heart dropped when I turned around.

Sapphire's smile ghosted my mind as my eyes settled on Renée. Naramdaman ko rin ang paghinto at pagtigil ng hininga ni Gavin nang lumabas si Sebastian sa isang silid.

Here we are reunited. Never mind being enemies and friends, but right now, we were real and fake.

The four friends who promised forever and comfort are divided by the line of life.

-chapter end-