Chapter 29: Divulgence

IT WAS already past midnight, yet the tensioned people in the Palace of Fatum were fully awake as if preparing for something. Like a very big war-- not an actual war, but a grievous battle of life and death inside the aesthetic halls of Fatum palace.

A chevalier-- the man of Feline house walked past an open room, but before he could traipsed the way after the door, he stopped. He noticed something, and so he immediately went back to check it. His eyes widened with what he saw, a man in a mask and cape came running after the highest Chevalier of the palace.

The highest Chevalier was too weak and tired to stop the attack of the mysterious man, so he was unable to dodge and fight further. And in a harsh blink of dishevelment, he fell down on the surface lifeless.

The man in the cape suddenly blinked in shock when he realized someone just witnessed his murder. But since he was stronger and faster enough than anyone else, he managed to capture the Feline man who just tried his best to run away.

The Feline Chevalier got caught and was tortured. He was accused in murder and therefore was sentenced to death, but then he was proven not guilty. Whereas he was spared, he lost his job and everything except for his family. He was secretly tortured all his life at the palace.

So he decided to run away, to stay away from the palace. The place where justice is being discussed but not executed properly.

...

THE SUN was setting fine, but the small Feline family couldn't be more hasty of leaving the nearest town from the Palace, Mileage.

They were packing everything, and the innocent girl from behind doesn't have any clue of why they were leaving. All she know is that, her father got fired and so they need to transfer at Heimdall for a new life at peace. They couldn't live at Mileage in sereneness anymore, and the innocent girl seemed not to care.

She's clueless.

"Ang espada, Nonie?"

"Naririto. Anak, mauna ka na sa karwahe."

Sa gitna ng pagiging abala ng kaniyang mga magulang ay maigi namang sumunod ang batang babae. Hindi niya inaasahang haharangin siya ng isa pang batang tulad niya na halos maghapon niyang kalaro.

"Isaiah..." Malungkot niyang bati sa batang lalaki.

"Aalis kayo?" Tanong nito habang sinasamahan siyang makarating sa karwahe.

"Lilipat kami sa Heimdall, Isaiah."

"Iiwan mo ako? Diba sabi mo walang iwanan! G--gagawin ko ang lahat para sa'yo, 'wag mo 'kong iiwan!"

"Magkikita pa naman tayo, Isaiah."

"Iiwan mo ako." Malungkot nitong saad at pinigilan ang mga kamay niya, "Wag! Maglalaro pa tayo."

Umiling-iling ang batang babae, "Kailangan daw naming umalis, Isaiah."

Walang nagawa ang batang lalaki kundi ang hayaan ang batang babaeng pumasok sa karwahe. Hanggang sa tuluyan na silang umalis nang makumpleto na sila sa karwahe.

It was actually just a normal port forth leaves, aside from watching both of the children cry in sadness because they'll be separated. There would be no problem.

But the little girl was curious. She don't understand why his father got fired. She had been to the palace once, and that was the first and last time she had been there. She even forgot what she did their, like she was totally clueless. All she know was she had been there, no memories of the scenes, and whatever circumstance happened there. How could it be? She thought everything was going fine, until the day of leaving Mileage came. They needed to leave to have a new life at Heimdall.

"Bakit po tayo aalis?" Hindi napigilang tanong ng bata.

Lumingon ang kaniyang Ina, "Minsan kailangan nating lumayo para makamit ang payapa at tahimik na buhay. Mauunawaan mo rin, anak."

"Ang espada, Nonie? Nandyan?"

"Nandito, Louie."

Nagbuntong hininga ang Ama, "Kalimutan na natin ang palasyo, maging ang lugar na 'to. Sa Heimdall, normal na mamamayan tayo."

---

I COULDN'T be more heavy-headed. The man in cape just slit a portion near my throat without saying anything making me weaker than ever. He just hit a spot, but careful enough not to kill me that instant.

"AA--ACK!" I started coughing, and my own blood began dripping down.

Hindi ako makakilos, ang tanging naigagalaw ko na lang ay ang aking mga daliri at mga mata. Maigi lamang akong nakatitig sa matandang biglang sumulpot sa kung saan upang atakihin ako nang hindi ko alam ang dahilan.

Hindi pa nakuntento ang matanda. Mabilis niyang itinutok ang kaniyang espada sa aking hita at walang awa itong itinusok doon dahilan upang mapaigtad ako sa sakit at mapaluha. Tuluyan nang nagsilabasan ang mga dugo mula sa aking ilong at bibig, dumagdag pa ang dugong lumabas mula sa aking nahiwang hita.

"W--who are you-- ack! Ough!" Hirap na hirap kong saad habang pinipilit na kumilos upang maghanap ng komportableng posisyon para lamang mabawasan ang sakit na aking nararamdaman.

"Finally, after a very long time. I found one of the Felines." He said and devilishly laughed, "I never thought that old Feline would still allow his children to enter the palace knowing everything here is my field."

Nalilito akong tumitig sa kaniya, walang maintindihan sa kaniyang sinasabi.

"ARRRGHHH!" Bwelo akong napasigaw nang tiyan ko naman ang pagdiskitahan niya, "Y--you are a fucking p--psycho!" Sigaw ko sa sakit nang walang awa niyang binuksan ang hiwa ng dati kong sugat sa aking tiyan.

Mabilis na bumuhos ang dugo mula rito, at tumirik na ang mata ko sa sobrang pagkahilo at sakit ng ulo. Hindi ko na kinakaya ang amoy ng dugo, umiinom ako ng sarili kong dugo mula sa aking mukha at sa parehong pagkakataon ay lumalabas lang naman ito sa aking katawan.

Ngumisi na naman iyong lalaki at lumuhod upang lumapit sa akin, "Listen kid, I will kill every single Feline in this Kingdom. Uumpisahan ko sa'yo at ihuhuli ko ang ama mo."

"HA--YOP KA!" Lakas loob kong sigaw at inabot ang kaniyang maskara.

Ganoon na lamang ako napasigaw sa gulat nang matanggal ko ang kaniyang maskara, bumakas rin ang gulat sa kaniyang hitsura dahil tuluyan kong naihayag ang kaniyang mukha.

His scary old face is nothing more like an evil villain who's about to kill everyone in the village. With his devilish smirk and a long scar on his left eye down to his neck, he did really looked like the promoter of evil things happening in the Kingdom.

Minister Shin!

"You are really a pain in the ass!" Sigaw nito at walang awa akong pinaulanan ng sapak sa mukha na ikinaubos ng aking lakas, "Ang dapat sa mga katulad niyo ay inuubos!"

Gamit ang natitira kong lakas sa gitna ng aking panghihina ay buong tapang kong inabot ang kaniyang sugat. At ganoon na lamang ako kinapos ng hininga dahil sa napakadilim na ala-alang pumasok sa aking utak;

"You are not worthy of the position, Shin!" A man who looks like matured Sardonyx spoke yielding his sword.

That sword! Iyon ang espada na dala ko, ang espada na ipinapagamit sa akin ni Papa. Siya ba ang may-ari ng espada na iyon? Paano iyon napunta sa Papa ko?

"And what can you do? What do you have that is more than enough to stop me? Aside from living a life without a surname, what in the fucking world do you have to stop me?" Minister Shin yelled drawing his own sword as well.

"In the name of justice, and for the people of Fatum. I will take you down!"

Minister Shin devilishly laughed, "Enough with your nightmares, Chevalier."

"You are the nightmare, Shin. Stop this incursion thing of yours! Huwag mong pilitin ang mga ayaw na sumama sa sandatahang lakas, marami ang gustong sumama at talagang sasama nang walang pilitan na magaganap!"

"Hangal! Kailangan nating lumikha ng malakas na sandatahan!"

"Para ano?" Dumagundong ang tinig ng Chevalier, "Para magawa mo ang plano mong pagnakaw sa trono upang maghari sa Fatum? Para maging malakas ang Fatum higit sa ibang Kaharian upang maghari ka sa mundo?"

"That would be better, do you not agree, Chevalier?" Hibang na sagot ni Minister Shin.

"Power can really blind people. Look at you, wanting more power just to rule the world!" Ani ng Chevalier at inihanda ang kaniyang armas, "Listen, Shin. That greed of yours will take you down, stop this!"

"Stop what!?"

And in a swift movement, they exchanged attacks. The minister was strong, but the Chevalier was smart enough and his attacks were precise to make such damage. The chevalier performed a somersault, and the moment he landed on the surface he hit the Minister's face-- creating a big unpleasant wound!

"ARGH! I'll definitely kill you!" Minister Shin yelled and ran past the Chevalier, not realizing he was not the target but the child on his back.

Minster Shin threw daggers to the clueless boy.

"Run child, run!"

Sardonyx.

"AARRGHH!" Ganoon na lamang ako kalakas na napasigaw muli nang tumama sa hita ko ang punyal na bitbit ni Minister Shin dahilan upang bumalik ang isip ko sa kasalukuyan.

"Ano'ng ginawa mo?" Galit nitong palakat atsaka muli akong sinapak ng napakalakas.

Mabubuhay pa kaya ako pagkatapos nito? Isang tusok nalang ng kaniyang espada ay tuluyan na akong mawawalan ng malay, pati siguro'y buhay. Ngunit isang galit na sigaw ang nagpahinto sa kaniya para gawin iyon.

"Get the hell off her!"

Sabay kami ni Minister Shin na napalingon sa gulat nang sumigaw si Terrel na kanina pa siguro litong nanunuod sa amin. Gumawa ito ng mabilis na pag-atake na agad ring sinundan ni Evren.

"You fucking ugly old man!" Sigaw pa ni Evren habang bumubulusok sa ministro.

Ngumisi lamang ang matanda, at sa isang hampas lamang ay tumilapon ang dalawang lalaki palayo sa amin na nanghihina. The Minister is really strong, he can't be taken down by simple citizens like us.

"Stay away from her!" Sigaw ulit ni Terrel at muling umamba ng atake.

Napaluha ako. Kanina lamang ay magkakaaway kami, ngunit tila nawala ang lahat ng iyon nang makita nilang naaagrabyado ako at nangangailangan ng tulong.

"What the hell--"

Bigla namang dumating si Aurelius at gulat na napalingon sa amin. Ngunit walang pag-aatubili siyang sumugod kay Minister Shin kasama ang grupo niya na halata mong nagulat rin.

"What did he do to you?!" Galit na sigaw ni Aurelius sa akin at umatake sa matandang ministro.

Talagang mabilis at malakas si Minister Shin, ilang atake ang ginawa ng team Canidae ngunit ni pawis ay hindi man lamang namuo sa kaniyang noo.

Ngunit hindi sumuko sina Aurelius, sadya ring malalakas ang Canidae. Higit na malakas kaysa akin, kaya naman sa ikalawang sama-sama nilang pagsugod ay tinamaan nila si Minister Shin. Pero hindi sapat ang mga atake nila upang tuluyang mapatumba ang matanda.

Sa isang malakas na hampas ni Minister Shin sa kanilang lahat ay bumagsak ang grupo ni Aurelius sa lupa. Wala sa mga ito ang agad na nakabangon, kaya naman dumagundong na ng higit sa normal na bilis ang puso ko dahil nasa akin na ang atensyon ni Minister Shin.

Kahit na nanghihina ay pinilit kong magsalita, "Y--you are the pest in this beautiful garden."

"Oh, so you wanna be the pesticide?" He said and draw his word on my neck.

I just closed my eyes and pray for instant salvation. I can't do anything now, I can't even move a bit to defend myself. And just before he could strike his sword, a familiar scent came barging in the wilds to stop the minister from killing me.

But he was still far away. Nararamdaman ko ang layo niya, at sa tingin ko'y hindi na niya ako aabutan ng buhay kung hindi s'ya makakarating ngayon din sa aking tabi.

"I can't summon you, so summon me."

Ganoon na lamang kalakas na kumalabog ang puso ko nang maalala ang mga kataga niyang iyon. Oras na kaya upang tawagin ko s'yang muli? Tama ba ang desisyon ko kung tatawagin ko s'ya?

Will it do common good if I summon him now? Ang lahat ng lakas ng loob ko'y naipon nang dumagundong ang sigaw ng Ministro na handa na akong paslangin.

Shit!

So, I did what Captain told me before, thinking I would not make the scene worst. With all my strength, his name came out from my mouth the instant our eyes met.

"S-Sardonyx...!"

Tinawag ko s'ya na sana'y hindi ko na lang ginawa. Dahil sa isang iglap ay nasa tabi ko na s'ya, galit na galit at handa nang pumatay. And I was scared that time thinking he will be the one who'll break his own rule.

"I don't want murderers in my team."

Ganoon na lamang kabilis na namilog ang mga mata ni Minister Shin nang sa isang iglap ay lumitaw si Captain Onyx sa aking tabi. Dahil sa paglitaw ni Kap ay mas lalong binilisan ni Minister ang pagkilos niya upang huwag mabulilyaso ang plano niyang pagkitil sa akin.

The peak of his two edge sharp sword finally encroached few distance from me. Kaunting-kaunti na lamang ay aabutin na ako, ngunit isang kaganapan ang nangyari na kung maibabalik ko man ang nakaraan ay pipiliin kong pigilan.

Onyx just forced himself to stood before me, accepting the two edge sword to hit his stomach freely. Blood and sweats freely fell from his body at the same time, and it happened just right after Minister Shin dug his sword deeper at Captain's stomach.

Captain Onyx received the sword instead of me. He was hit instead of me. And my tears escaped the moment I saw the edge of the sword coming out from his back.