Against the God: End of the Gifteds (HIATUS)

53

[Keon]

Nakatayo ako sa tapat ng isang itim na dome. It's just a small dome outside, but if you're inside, its size is infinite. Walang buhay ang mga mata kong nakatingin dito.

Kahit walang liwanag na sumisilip mula dito sa loob ng dome, parang nakikita ko pa rin ang nangyayari sa loob. It's starting.

"Phew." Rinig ko ang pagsipol ng lalaking nasa likuran ko, ilang talampakan ang layo. Napatingin ako kay Gin na nakatingin na sa 'kin.

"You ended that fast, you didn't even showed them mercy or just let them show some of their potential," he said, trying to sound like he's teasing me. "Sometimes, you really shows the side of you that is similar to your God."

Hindi ko siya pinansin at muling binalik ang tuon ko sa dome na ginawa ko. Sabi no'ng lalaking nagbagsak ng meteor sa loob nito ng walang pagdadalawang isip.

It's not like I don't show mercy. I just know when and to whom I should show it. And those two, are not them. Ito ang kaibahan ko sa iba. Hindi ko pinatatagal ang laban, hindi ako naghihintay pa ng mga satsat nila.

They faced us, ready to kill us, they should be ready getting killed too.

I heaved a sigh. "We're done here." Akma akong lilingon sa pwesto ni Gin. "Let's go back-"

I can't describe what I felt at that very moment—at that very second. As soon as my eyes went at Gin's direction, I was lost for words.

There's... someone standing next to him.

Hindi ko alam kung dahil lang ba madilim kaya hindi makapag-adjust ang tingin ko. O baka sadyang nanlabo lang talaga ang paningin ko. Hindi bumilis ang pagtibok ng puso ko, bagkus ay para itong tumigil sa pagtibok.

At that short moment, questions filled my mind.

Who is he?

When did he get here?

And what the fuck does he want?

I didn't felt his damn presence. I didn't felt anything. I didn't hear any sound, any noise coming from the grass or the ground.

He just appeared... out of nowhere.

As if... he's the same as that guy.

His aura and pressure is too strong that rather than noticing it fast, it became the opposite. It couldn't get notice.

Yeah, it's the same as that guy. It's the same as the judge.

But the thing is...

I'm a hundred and one percent sure—that this guy in front of me, is not the judge.

Kapwa kong natigilan si Gin. Halos isang talampakan na lang ang pagitan nila ng lalaki, pero kahit siya mismo ay hind rin ito napansin.

"Gin-" I immediately felt my eyes changed. Hindi tumagal ng dalawang segundo ang pagkatulala ko at pag-iisip ko, kusang gumalaw ang katawan ko.

Sa parehong pagkakataon, agarang umalis sa pwesto niya si Gin, tumalon siya paatras. Saktong nagsilabasan ang mga itim na usok at sumugod ito sa direksyon kung nasaan siya ilang segundo lang ang lumipas.

I didn't took my eyes of that guy, making sure that my attack will hit him.

But for fuck's sake... hindi pa 'ko kumukurap nang mawala siya sa paningin ko.

"KEON!"

Again, I didn't felt anything. Not even when he's already behind me.

"WHO-"

I tried looking back as I try to avoid him. But I didn't saw anything... aside from his hoodie. Mabilis akong umalis sa pwesto ko, hindi siya hinahayaan na makapwesto sa likuran ko.

At the corner of my eye, I can see the rocks slowly crushing as a strong force pull it to the ground. Gin is using his gift.

So how come...

This guy is still standing?

Hindi ako makapaniwalang napatingin sa kaniya. He's still standing still, as if there's no force pulling him down. For fuck's sake, Gin can literally pull a meteor with his gravity!

Just how... how strong is this guy?!

It's a rare occurrence that I... loses hope in a fight.

I know... I fucking know... that even with Gin's help, we can't beat this fucking monster, in front of us.

"HEY!"

Hindi ko napansin na matagal na 'kong nakatulala. Napagtanto ko na lang 'yon nang makaramdam ako ng paghawak sa kwelyo ko at sinama ako sa pagtakbo.

"G-Gin-"

"We need to go!" Puno ng pwersa niya 'kong hinila at mabilis na tumakbo.

"That guy—that thing! It's not a human!"

For Gin to step back on a fight, it only means that it's serious. It only means that he can't win—we can't win.

Napakagat ako nang madiin sa ngipin. "F-Fuck, we can't let that guy run loose."

Gin answered me without looking back. "We really fucking can't. He needs to be-"

I know that it was too good to be true. Pero umasa ako nang kaunti, na baka wala pa siyang intensyon na patayin kami ngayon. Dahil hindi pa siya umaatake at tanging pagtayo lang ang ginagawa niya.

Ngunit nang masilayan ko ulit ang pigura niya sa harapan namin, sa harapan ni Gin, alam kong... hindi na kami aabutan pa ng araw.

My eyes are full of terror as I look in front of me.

It was really a rare occurrence. Nasanay akong ako ang laging nauuna, nasanay akong ako ang humaharap sa mga kalaban. Pero ngayon, nanghihina ako, nanlulumo ako.

When it comes to our circle of friends, I was known as the normal one, I act as the oldest— the most mature. They treated me like one too.

But right now, it's the opposite.

I've known Gin for as long as I can remember. I've known his story, his childhood.

Right now, his instincts is kicking in. His instincts as the older brother, as someone who took care of all the orphans that he treated as siblings. This always happen when he's facing something that he can't beat. He always have the urge... the urge to protect anyone who's with him.

Sa kabila ng pag-aya niyang tumakbo, sa kabila ng pagkakaroon niya ng isip bata na pagkilos. Nasa harapan ko ngayon si Gin, hinaharangan ako mula sa kaharap namin.

Like an older brother.

"Keon..." May tono ang pagbanggit niya ng pangalan ko. Hindi niya 'ko nilingon, napako ang tingin niya sa lalaking kaharap namin.

"You have to live... you need to run."

CHAPTER 53
Like an older brother