Dedicated to: Mary Grace (Thank you so much for attending our TOS meet and greet event! )

Chapter 44: Weapon

In my entire life, creatures never ran away from me in fear.

Why would they fear the sweetest princess of Gazellian? I was always welcomed by those warm smiles and adoration. It never crossed my imagination that I'd reach this situation where I could witness how creatures would tremble and run desperately away from me.

It was ironic that the crowd that was initially filled with enthusiasm, excitement and the familiar presence of greed and evil now had that fear.

Nagkakatulakan, nakakasakitan, may mga katawang bumabagsak at naapakan at umuulan ng mura mula sa iba't ibang direksyon habang unti-unting nababawasan ang mga nilalang na akala ko'y hanggang sa dulo'y nais manuod.

Bagaman marami ng nilalang ang nagtatakbuhan, higit pa ring marami ang siyang pilit na nanatili sa kanilang mga posisyon upang panuorin ang katapusan nito. Because after all, even if I had the power to kill these sand hounds in front of me and could stall my death while the game was still ongoing— it was always the outcome of this game no matter how I fought in this little arena. The payment for someone else's defeat had been blessed and bound into hundreds of generations— the power of ancient traditions in this world that couldn't be broken.

I knew that if there was a way, Father would do everything to save every woman who'd be trapped in this sinful tradition.

Higit na dumama ang mga halimaw sa paligid. At first, the women behind me allowed me to fight alone, but when Luna stepped forward, I nodded at her, letting them fully get involved.

"Your Majesty, you don't need to tire yourself with these monsters. Kung anuman ang binabalak mo at susunod mong hakbang matapos ang larong ito, alam kong higit mong kailangan ang kapangyarihan mo roon."

Maging sina Luna, Delilah, Remi at Catalina ay humakbang na rin pauna upang tumapat sa akin. I took a deep sigh, stepped back, and allowed these women to prove themselves.

If Luna and Remi stayed inside the red line— my blood. Delilah and Catalina braved the numbers of the sand hounds until I found both of them riding two monsters, with Delilah's blade and Catalina's transformed hand into a leaf blade. The sand hounds roared in pain as the two expertly slashed the throats of the monsters, while the other flocks of the monsters were filled with explosions, from Luna's magical beads and Remi explosives.

Pansin ko na napapasilip si Elena sa ibaba kung saan nakikita niyang abala na sa pakikipaglaban ang lahat. When our eyes met, I nodded at her.

The announcer— the man who was once an embargo kept on updating the crowd on the chess game, and how Elena has been trying to protect her king by her queen.

"Isn't this game a shame to every king in the empire? Why does the queen have a lot of power than the hopeless king who can take only a few moves?"

My bloodied hands balled.

This man was trying to provoke Kreios. Agad kong hinanap sa kumpulan ng mga nilalang si Kreios at ilang beses akong umiling sa kanya. He couldn't just blow up his cover, if not possible, not now. Our very existence in this place would take Atlas' interests.

Nagpatuloy ang laro ni Elena at ng lalaking nagdala sa akin dito. The announcer and the player could be the mates of those women, Harper and the red-haired mermaid who were still watching me. They were either using me or challenging me to find the Holy Land. Either way, I'd mark down that place and never let anyone have possession of the water. I'd die protecting it from those like Atlas who wanted to trick death— sacrificing someone else's life.

Kumirot ang dibdib ko nang maalala ko na naman si Kalla at ang kapatid kong si Finn.

Yumuko ko at umaabot na sa binti ang taas ng mga buhangin. Maging sina Luna, Catalina, Remi at Delilah ay nahihirapan nang kumilos at makipaglaban.

"Kung sabagay, may kilala ba kayong hari na higit na makapangyarihan na nagagawa nitong makalabas ng kanyang kaharian? The Kings are the biggest cowards in this world! Hiding behind the lives of their abused disciples! Even the great King Thaddeus Gazellian seized his adventures after he took his throne and relied on the commoners. The title of the king is nothing but a name! The commoners are the real heroes! Us who sacrificed everything for the goodness of every empire!"

Mas lalong dumiin ang pagkakakuyom ng kamay ko. I even felt the pain as my nails dug into my skin. How dare he drag my father and the way he ruled our empire? I knew he hated father for breaking his trust, his promise— but despite him falling in love, and leaving them behind, he was a good king.

The announcer continued to insult the monarchy as if he wasn't afraid of the outcome of his words. At iilan lang ang mga nilalang na may kakayahan gawin iyon. It's either they were Atlas' minion or someone who was not afraid to die. Kahit ang mga nilalang sa paligid na nakikinig sa mga insultong lumalabas sa bibig ng lalaki ay hindi na magawang sang-ayunan ng mga lahat.

After all, they were still inside Mudelior and one traitor from the crowd could get them beheaded.

Pilit kong pinakalma ang sarili ko dahil sa sandaling sumabog ako, nasisiguradong hindi na rin mapipigilan pa si Kreios.

I sat in the middle of the sand, allowing the sand to bury half of my body while Luna, Delilah, Remi, and Catalina were fighting for their lives. Ipinikit ko ang aking mga mata, ngunit nanatiling buhay ang aking diwa dahil patuloy kong pinakikinggan ang mga salita ng lalaki.

"The royalties in this generation are nothing but farce! Even the young king—" nagmulat ako ng mga mata at mariin kong pinagmasdan ang lalaki.

Now he was about to insult my brother? My King? The king of this world? The king who saved this world from the manipulative goddesses?

"I'll kill him for you, Harper."

I ignored Kreios. "Luna, tell Elena to end it."

Hindi man lumingon sa akin si Luna ay tumango siya sa akin. I didn't know how her power worked, but a small bead from her bigger bead flew up, and after a few minutes, the announcer declared the winner.

Malakas na sigawan ang siyang narinig ko. They were happy to witness that another woman would get buried alive.

As if the sand hounds had their master behind the holes, all of them started running away until they all vanished in front of us.

Hindi ako umalis sa pagkakaupo ko habang ang mga kababaihan sa paligid ko na kanina ay abala sa pakikipaglaban ay kapwa na nakatitig sa akin. Unaware of what would happen next. May ilang malalaking kalalakihan ang nagtalunan at sinimulan na silang hilahin papalayo sa akin. There were also who positioned themselves at the edge of that long aisle as they drew bows and arrows aimed at me.

Luna, Catalina, and Remi tried to struggle but I just nodded at them. They might have been aware that it was my plan to let Elena lose, but they never had any idea of the extent of it.

"What a wonderful night to get buried in the sand, isn't it?" I asked the crowd.

Muli akong tumayo, inangat ang mga binti ko sa lupa, ngunit patuloy iyon lumulubog dahil sa pag-agos ng buhangin sa butas. Hanggang sa mag-isa na lang ako roon at lahat sila'y nakadungaw sa akin.

Panay ang alingawngaw ng tambol sa bawat bahay ng aliw, habang may mga kalalakihan na matuloy na dumadami sa dami ng mahabang daan na nakalubog na may mga armas na nakatutok sa akin upang masigurado na matatapos ang tradisyon.

I tried to walk around even though my legs kept being buried in the sand. I knew that I looked completely like a mess—a mad woman with her whole body drenched in blood.

Wala na si Kreios sa posisyon niya maging si Livius na nakakadena sa tabi niya. Sa halip na matakot ay higit akong nasiyahan sa nangyayari.

Kreios positioned himself in a place where no one would notice his ability. While Luna, Elena, Delilah, Remi, and Catalina were now tied down, their hands behind their back as the creatures who were holding them were forcibly letting them watch how I'd get buried alive.

They were all aware that I wanted this— and as perfect accomplices of the cunning queen of Mudelior, Luna, Remi, Catalina, Elena, and even Delilah orchestrated a scene where they would look hopeless— a group trying to stop their member's death. But they couldn't do anything but struggle without an escape.

Nagwawala silang lima at kunwari'y pilit na nagpupumiglas upang tulungan akong hindi mailibing nang buhay. The five women looked like a complete mess— like the mad woman in the middle of the sand dunes, hair was all over their faces, and their body movements as if they were possessed and poisoned, yet beneath those curtains of hair were smiles of triumph for the queen.

A woman that these creatures thought would face her death, little did they know a queen that was tossed on her web— her place— her kingdom.

Nagpatuloy ako sa paglalakad at nagtungo ako sa gitna. Bagaman nahihirapan na ako sa patuloy na pagdami ng buhangin na pilit akong hinihila pababa, hindi ako tumigil hanggang sa makarating ako sa posisyon na makikita ako ng lahat.

All eyes were on me. Arrows were aimed at me. The shouting grew louder, and the sounds of the gongs were harsher.

I smiled in front of everyone as I slumped myself on the ground, slowly scooping my hands on the grains of sand, and letting it slip through my fingers as I raised both of my hands in front of everyone— I started humming— allowing my voice to linger around them despite the noise.

As my humming turned into lyrics, the noise around the entertainment district from different creatures, the drums and gongs, and even the faintest murmur seized as they witnessed how I savored the sand around my body as it slowly buried me alive.

Kung kanina'y nakaupo lamang ako habang sumasalok ng mga buhangin at umaawit, unti-unti akong humiga sa harapan nilang lahat habang patuloy akong umaawit.

My voice continued to linger around the Entertainment District that started from a whisper to a nightmare masked into a lullaby...

"What is she doing?!"

"A witch!"

"A cursed woman!"

"Stop her!"

"Someone stop her!"

I continued scooping grains of sand with my hands, pushing my sharp nails against my palms, the blood with the sand was thicker, trickling down from my wrist to my arms until it left my skin, touching the sand around my body. 

"Stop her!" one of the owners of the Entertainment District shouted.

Inagaw na niya mula sa isang lalaki ang pana at palaso nito, at walang habas niya itong itinutok sa akin at walang pasabi niya iyong binitawan.

The arrow hit my lifted hand.

My hand was now pinned on the sand with the arrow buried in my wrist, but I continued singing as I casually tilted my head to see the arrow, causing more blood to spill on the sand.

More arrows flew in my direction, hitting my other wrist, my legs, thighs, chest, and even my right eye, pinning my body— letting my blood spill more.

Sa halip na ingay ng tagumpay ang higit na narinig ko sa mga nilalang na naroon, mas nakabibinging katahimikan ang siyang bumalot sa lugar na iyon habang pinakikinggan nila ang boses ko na patuloy na umaawit sa kabila ng mga pana sa katawan ko at sa dugong dumadanak sa buhangin.

As the sand continued to bury me, and the metallic scent of my blood overwhelmed the whole Entertainment District with my voice haunting them— I knew that Kreios had started to move— with a symbol that anyone could recognize.

With the sand slowly swallowing my body— now only exposing my left eye with an arrow stuck on it, the symbol around my body— the symbol on the sand as my blood traced on it made everyone realize that I wasn't just someone else.

I am the daughter of a goddess—the first goddess who had the power and courage to murder— behead another goddess, Queen Talisha.

Kreios created a huge butterfly wings symbol with my blood tracing its lines.

No vampires could have wings unless they had other blood.

But if a vampire could have one— it should be made from what they're known for— blood.

As my whole body was fully swallowed by the sand, the lines from the blooded wings crawled above the walls— like vines and vicious rope, pulling everyone's body to the sand.

Because only a queen could make her wound a lethal weapon.