MOON

I immediately moved towards her and launched a massive ball of energy.

"No! Four!" sigaw ni Adara. Natigilan naman ako at napatingin sa kaniya. She was lying on the floor, while her waist bled. Mabigat naman ang paghinga ko habang tinitingnan siyang umiiling sa'kin. She looked at me with such pleading eyes.

Hinawakan din ni Zero ang kamay ko para pigilan ako sa pang-aatake. "She's kept your brother hostage. One wrong move from us, she might kill him," he whispered.

Napamura naman ako sa loob ng isipan ko. Heartless monster. If I took her son as hostage, magiging walang kwenta dahil wala naman siya ng pakialam. I gritted my teeth in anger.

Her eyes drifted to the orb in my hand, then she smirked. "The orb in exchange of your brother's life," aniya. Natigilan naman ako dahil d'on.

If I give her the orb, then she won't be killed. Walang hiya, napakatalino. Pero mas matalino ako.

"How can I guarantee my brother's safety if I really give the orb?" tanong ko. "I can never trust you. Villains play dirty." Totoo naman ang sinabi ko, but can't heroes play dirty too?

She smiled sweetly, "I will return him to his lover, Adara." Lumingon siya kay Adara kaya't napalingon na rin ako. She crawled weakly towards us. Pinandilatan ko siya ng mata, at umiling. She must not go near us anymore. She's too weak, and one blast of power may knock her up more.

"I still don't trust you," sabi ko. "How about you give me my brother first before I hand you the orb?"

Natawa naman siya lalo, "I don't trust you too, Four."

"E'di walang mangyayari sa'tin kung gan'yan. Ayaw pa mo," singhal ko. "How about we make them go back to Haven? With the others? Mas makakampante ako r'on."

"What are you thinking, Four?" tanong ni Zero sa utak ko. Hindi ko naman siya tiningnan ngunit sumagot ako.

"I'm afraid na mas madadamay sila kapag nanatili sila rito. They're most safe if they have someone that can protect them. We both can't do that."

Callista nodded, "Then you teleport them back after giving me—"

"No, unless the telportation process is a close to complete, tsaka lang ibibigay ni Zero sa'yo ang orb," diretsong wika ko at pinaikot-ikot ang orb sa kamay ko.

Nawala naman ang ngiti sa labi niya. Nanliit pa ang mata niya na tila nagdududa sa sinabi ko. Ako naman ang ngumiti ngayon, "Is it a deal?"

"You don't seem anxious. If you plan anything wrong, your brother's neck will be slit ope—"

"Subukan mo lang," banta ko gamit ang pinakamalamig na boses na kaya ko. Her sword pressed into Nine's neck, and blood dripped from it. Pinigilan ko naman ang sarili ko sa pag-aatake sa kaniya.

Sinipa niya ang katawan ni Kuya sa sahig. Napasinghap naman ako, at tumingala ako para mai-kalma ang sarili ko. Napairap ako sa kawalan, at hinampas kay Zero ang orb.

"Give it to her when I say so," utos ko.

"Are you sure about this, Four?"

"My decisions may seem selfish, but trust me, it's always for the best."

Sa wakas ay tumango siya at lumapit kay Callista. Sinamaan ko siya ng tingin, "A deal is a deal."

Tinapat ko ang kamay ko kay Kuya Nine, at ang isa'y kay Adara. I took my time moving their bodies back to the Haven. I just hope someone finds them immediately. Pinikit ko pa ang mata ko para mas ma-imagine ang Haven.

When I felt their bodies were close to disappearing here, I mouthed 'Go.'

Minulat ko naman ang mata ko nang sa wakas ay nawala na rin si Kuya at Adara. I glanced at Zero's direction and saw the orb break into pieces. I stifled a smirk.

"Now, none can defeat me," she claimed. Akala mo naman talaga.

Shards of colorful mists spun in the air, spraying before me while I carry a pair of glittering magic daggers.

"Where is she, Zero?" tanong ko. "Back."
Callista landed behind me in a crouch, skidding a short distance on the mists billowing through the opening towards me. I jumped backward and escape the icy mists that were swirling around my body.

Then I sprang forward, dashing directly towards her. Multiple daggers hit her body, and I pass by her and jump towards an elevated platform. Zero looked at me and I wink at him.

"The orb that was broken can be formed again. I just need a little time to form another kind of orb that absorbs her power. I need particles of your blood in the air too, Zero," I instructed.

My daggers hit—and passed right through Callista, as if she wasn’t there.
Zero glided, slicing at the scene. His water and ice power combined. Turning every graceful magical attacks to deadly and sharp ones.

I crashed near them. Zero gripped and grabbed Callista at the shoulders. They tumbled down the back steps, bumping into a hard metal wall.

Callista grunted, then kicked, tossing Zero into the air and ripping his grip free of her shoulders. Zero flipped and maintained his balance as he landed near me.

Nagliwanag naman ang mata ko nang makita ang blood particles ni Zero sa ere. Now, all I have to do is mix everything and create the orb once again.

"Die! Go to the afterlife!" sigaw niya habang bumubuo nang napakaliwanag na bola ng mahika niya. It started freezing around, and snow fell from above this enclosed building.

"This is it, Zero," masayang isip ko. This is her magic power that I need to absorb with the orb. I held Zero's hand and we were afloat in the air, my other hand formed the then broken orb and put all my creation magic along with the magic I'm absrobing from Zero's hand.

We couldn't see Callista anymore, huge magic power wrapped her that I cannot even recognize her. I smirked more. The more she uses her power, the more power I absorb, and the more she gets drained.

All of her power will be mine— the greatest weapon that can defeat her.

Zero pulled me close to him, when Callista finally let out a loud shout. He hugged me, covering me from Callista's release of magic power. That didn't stop me from raising my hand and creating the orb.

Strong force pushed us backwards, but Zero kept me still in his hands. My hair flew back, and my cloth almost got stripped off because if it weren't for Zero. "Do it, mi amore," he said.

Napatingin naman ako sa kaniya, at napangisi. "Help me create the orb," utos ko sa kaniya. Humiwalay naman siya pagkakayakap, ngunit mahigpit pa rin ang hawak niya sa'kin. The force of her power didn't bother us now.

Zero raised his hand too and I can feel the orb skyrocket it's magic power. The color changed to golden again.

"Let me kill her for you," sabi niya. Umiling naman ako.

"She's still your mother, Zero. I will finish this," sabi ko at humiwalay sa hawak niya.

I changed the form of the orb to a spear, I dashed towards Callista, ignoring all mists and icy snow. Even if she throws me an avalanche, I won't be fazed.

Not again.

I screamed when I finally saw her. Her eyes widened in shock and she didn't move for a moment. I launched the spear towards her chest, and when it hit, lightning struck along. Petrify.

I closed my eyes when it became blinded by the light and my ears, deaf with her continuous agony.

Zero dashed towards us and asked me immediately, "Bakit buhay pa siya?"

I smiled, and looked at the petrified body of Callista. "The curse of the spear I made. Once it strucks you, you will be petrified unless your heart atones for your sins and accepts defeat by heart. It's a curse bound to make the bad good."

It is true that the wage of sins is death, but then it is death by spirit. To truly atone for them, her spirit must be alive and she must live with a purpose.

"She needs to forget her realm, and accept this world as her own. Seraphin will gladly accept her," dagdag ko pa.

Napangiti rin naman si Zero at napabuntung-hininga. Seraphin would not love her, and have Zero with her, if he knew there was no glimpse of light at Callista at all. And he trusted me this action because he knew I can figure this out.

People can be a little selfish and greedy sometimes, but like the moon, no matter how scarred we are, the sun is always there to light us up. And I just hope this will light her up.

"It's over now. The only battle now is her own battles. She's now her own rival, and we're out of it."

May you shine amidst darkness.

The Orphic Secret
By lostmortals
Plagiarism is a crime.

Thank you for reading!