"I am Metamorph, the new secretary for this season's Elite Killing Tournament."

Evil was in a bad mood.

Bukod sa napagtanto na niyang naging biktima sila ng misinformation, mukhang sinadya rin ito ng EKT admins para i-ambush silang magkakapatid---but he wouldn't be surprised if part of it was all just to introduce their new secretary too. Either way, Evil doesn't appreciate their cheap and awful attempt to waste his time. Mula sa kanyang earpiece, naririnig na niya ang kaguluhang nangyayari sa gym.

Napabuntong-hininga na lang si Evil nang marinig ang nababaliw na pagtawa ni Joker kasunod ang ilang pagsabog. Maya-maya pa, binasag naman ng tunog ng pagkaguho ng pader ang kung anumang sinasabi ni Everick sa Toymaker. The sound his knives clashing on steel rang in the background.

Screams. Curses. Explosives. Laughter. Knives...

'I take my eyes off them for one damn second and it's chaos.'

But before anything else, he needs to get rid of this thing in front of him.

"Hulaan ko, mataas ang sahod kaya kumapit ka sa patalim?"

"You might be mistaken. Hindi ako nagpunta rito para pag-usapan ang salary ko."

"Pity. Well, if your Boss sent you here as a form of mockery, please congratulate him on my behalf. You look like a joke, anyway." Evil nonchalantly said before he started to walk out of the room.

Pero bago pa man niya malagpasan ang bulto ng bagong sekretarya, agad siya nitong hinarangan. The bulky man was easily a head taller than him, but Evil remained unfazed. Kung inaakala nito na masisindak siya sa abilidad niyang maghulma ng mukha o sa laki ng katawan niya, he's already dead wrong (but preferably dead). No, not when Evil has literally taken down a handful of huge opponents in the past. Naikwento na ba niyang nakipag-wrestling na siya sa mga frost giants mula sa Norse mythology ng mga mortal? Well, let's save that story for another day.

"I have orders to keep you in this room, Neverwood."

Evil smirked, giving him a menacing glance.

"Unlike you, I don't follow orders... I make them. I COMMAND YOU TO KILL YOURSELF!"

Napaurong si Metamorph sa narinig. But before the poor secretary can break eye contact, his body was already moving on its own. Nanginginig nitong kinuha ang baril sa bulsa ng kanyang suit at itinutok ito sa kanyang sentido.

Just one pull at the trigger.

Tahimik na pinanood ni Evil ang pangyayaring ito. Witnessing someone unalive themself in front of him is as normal as breathing to him. Walang bakas ng awa o anumang hesitasyon sa mukha ng bunsong Neverwood habang hinihintay ang putok ng baril. Mukhang kailangang maghanap ng replacement ulit ang EKT. At least that would buy them enough time to devise a new plan...

BANG!

Blood splattered on the opposite wall like an abstract painting.

Sa dismaya ni Evil, tumalsik pa sa mukha niya ang dugo ng sekretarya. His poker face didn't even change when he kicked the body at his feet.

"That was boring. They hired an incompenent secreta---!"

"I wouldn't talk too soon, Neverwood."

Evil momentarily lost his composure when the man grabbed his leg and threw him towards the monitors. The impact broke the screen, several wires and bolts of electricity erupted. Napangiwi sa sakit ng kanyang likod si Evil, he was pretty sure he just broke a rib.

'Shit! He should've been dead!'

Tumalim ang kanyang mga mata sa sekretaryang kaswal na tumayo at pinagpag ang kanyang damit. Metamorph was bathed in his own blood, but still managed to pick up his clipboard and glance at the schedule as if nothing happened.

"Right on time."

"How the fuck did you break my command?"

Nagkibit-balikat ang sekretarya. "Inaakala mo ba ipapadala ako rito ni Boss para lang maging sunod-sunuran mo? He made sure to grant us immunity to your powers... as well as those of your brothers'."

At sa buong siglo ng pagiging imortal at makapangyarihan ni Evillois Neverwood, ngayon lang siya nakaramdam ng kaba. An immunity? That's fucking impossible! Wala pa siyang na-encounter na mortal na kayang kumawala sa hypnosis niya.

Wala pa.

"Lying to save face, huh? Pathetic."

Evil lunge at him. Walang mintis niyang nahawakan ang leeg ni Metamorph at ibinalibag ang katawan nito sa sahig. The force shook the control room, the secretary's body formed a small crater on the concrete. Pero bago pa man ito makabawi sa pag-atake ni Evil, the immortal was already shoving a shoe down on his windpipe. Hard.

Evil never liked the dirty work, but sometimes it needs to be done.

With a venomous expression and a voice harnessing the power of dead kings, Evil commanded once more...

"I command you to show me the location of your Boss."

Hindi makahinga at nanghihinang itinuro ni Metamorph ang kanyang clipboard. Kumunot ang noo ni Evil sa mga pangyayari. Ilang sandali pa, mabilis na kinuha ni Metamorph ang clipboard, may binasa at may pinindot sa kanyang relo.

Huli na noong napansin ni Evil ang timer sa screen nito.

00:03

00:02

00:01

.
.
.

A horrendous explosion blew up the entire gym.

*

'That bastard!'

Inis na sinipa ni Evil ang isang poste. Dahil dito, nayupi ang bakal nito at tuluyan nang napundi ang ilaw. Naupo siya sa gilid ng kalsada, wala nang pakialam kung paparating na ang mga bumbero sa lugar. He could just command them to mind their own business, anyway. Sa kanyang tabi, naririnig niyang dumadaldal pa rin si Joker tungkol sa mga nang-ambush sa kanya kanina sa labas ng gusali.

"They were wearing spandex! It's ugly! Uglier than the ugly duckling! Kala mo super twins! Not frabjous. AT ALL!"

Probably new killers.

"Well, you should've seen the Toymaker earlier. Mukhang upgraded na rin ang mga laruan niya. That nuthead even has animatronics, tsk." Everick grunted while still healing Evil's broken rib.

Earlier, he argued that he didn't need the healing. Hindi niya alam kung bakit nagsasayang pa ng oras ang kanyang kapatid when in fact, throughout their years, Evil had endured more than just a broken rib in silence.

Nonetheless, the foreboding expression on the Knight's face was enough to alert him.

After all, Everick was always one to wear his expressions on his sleeves.

A weakness Evil learned how to exploit several times in the past.

"Hindi ko pa rin maisip kung paano nagkaroon ng immunity ang sekretarya sa command mo," panimula ni Everick. "Nakakasuka mang aminin, but your power is the most absolute among us three. Your manipulation never failed, not once. Joked and I can testify that..."

The pause was enough to address the gravity of this situation. Maging si Joker ay hindi na nakuhang makapagbiro.

"Hey, do you think the bastard really granted them the power to finally defeat us? 'Di naman sa kill joy dahil trabaho ni baby Evil ang maging kill joy--"

A glare that would put even death to shame.

"---HAHAHAHA! Kidding aside, I think this is the part where we need some extra help."

Natahimik ang magkakapatid.

Maya-maya pa, tumayo na si Everick. Evil's rib fully healed. Napabuntong-hininga na lang ang Knight at namulsa, "I have no doubt the past killers are willing to help us in this war, lalo't naging mga biktima rin sila ng EKT. Kakausapin ko na lang sila mamaya kapag bumisita ako kay Kleo. I wanted to get her insights on this, too."

Nagkatinginan ulit sina Evil at Joker.

'But Kleo is dead,' Evil wanted to point out the obvious. But knowing Everick, he'll surely break all his other ribs if he so much as reminds him of Kleo's death.

Sumipol na lang si Joker at pasimpleng naglakad papalayo, making the excuse to call Kesa or something.

With this, Evil sighed. Pondering on everything so far... the ambush, the new secretary, their immunity, and Knight's Achilles' heal. Evillois Neverwood was always too prideful to admit he can't do something alone... but he was a logical man. Sa mga sandaling ito, nauubos na ang panahon nilang makipaglaro ng patintero sa demonyong nagpasimula ng lahat ng ito. They've been in Eastwood for longer than they should have, but the progress is jus too slow. Hindi niya alam kung ano (o sino) pa ang kailangan niyang manipulahin o kung ilang resources pa ba ang kailangan niyang ubusin para rito. Evil hated (HATED) to admit this but it might just be the key to help them break free from this curse...

"We do need help."

A certain blonde female's cheeky smile flashed in his mind, making him scowl.

"...and I know just the person who can help us." He glanced at the Knight. "And who can also help your maiden."

---

"I got scammed when they said
living isn't too difficult...
I demand a refund."

---Evillois Neverwood (who is not in the mood to be poetic tonight)