DEMIGODS: The Empyrean's Sanctity

Chapter 43: The Last Croceus Mission

『AICELYN』

“Death is inevitable.”

Mammon’s voice rang in my ears. I looked at him and grimaced. His forest-like eyes reflected something other than greed—truth. He refreshingly smiled and said, “The only difference for each end is the way it approaches every being—an awful death or a peaceful one.”

“Is this really coming from an immortal like you?”

Mammon smirked, “Who said that I was? Who said the Kins were?”

“Anong ibig mong sabihin?”

“Kins only have seven lives. We have lived for a long time now… do you think that we could keep all of it?”

Saglit akong napatigil, tila ba’y sinasadya ni Mammon na kuhanin ang atensyon ko upang makalimot sa nangyari kanina. Pero hindi ko maikakaila na ang mga sinasabi niya’y hindi walang kuwenta.

“Then… you are really vulnerable.”

“We are.” Mammon chuckled. “Beelzebub and Lucifer—those two were obsessed with killing back in days, but now they are hiding… because they fear death, just like any beings.”

“Do you fear death, too?”

“Of course, especially that just like my brothers—I only have one life now.” Pinagmasdan ko siya’t pinag-aralan. May kakaiba sa sinasabi niya, ramdam ko na nagsasabi siya ng totoo, ngunit parang may kulang. Mammon suddenly lifted my chin and smiled. “But what comes next will be the most ferocious part.”

“What do you—”

“Mammon, what the hell are you doing?”

Mabilis na napangiwi si Mammon nang tumingin siya sa aking likuran. Nang lumingon ako ro’n, nadoon sina Aizen kasama si Belphegor na masamang tingin ang pinupukol kay Mammon.

“Yes, yes! I’ll get lost.” Mammon grimaced. He looked at me and teasingly kissed my forehead, “You have to keep moving forward. Save that servitour because you are the only one who can, or else she’ll die.”

“What—”

Bigla na lamang dumilim ang paligid at naglaho si Mammon. Anong ibig n’yang sabihin? If it is about Aizelle… then he knew the meaning of those marks, that only I and Aizelle can see. Ilang beses akong kumurap at lumingon sa paligid. Tangina. Nasaan ako?

“Ice.” Mabilis nitong hinawakan ang kamay ko’t nang lingunin ko siya, isang nagtatakhang tingin lamang ang binigay ko Aizen. “Alam namin ang tungkol kay Sab. I’m sorry for—”

“Don’t be. Sab needed to rest, and Sapphire must live.”

Aizen smiled and ruffled my hair. Sumimangot din siya’t bigla nalamang marahas na pinunasan ang noo kung saan ako hinalikan ni Mammon. Nakatingin lamang sa amin sina Belphegor, pinapanood na matapos si Aizen sa kung anong katangahan man ang ginagawa niya.

“Baka magalit sa ‘kin sina Sky kung mauunahan siya ng isang Kin sa’yo habang pinapanood ko pa.”

Nginiwian ko siya, “Tanga.”

All of a sudden, our attention was stolen by an odd scenery. In front of us was an island, divided in half; one was covered with a mountain of ice, and the other was filled with sea of magma. I squinted my eyes. Realm of Souls. I am not that stupid not to know we are the only living ones in this place. The beings around us, watching us in silence, were souls, Psyche’s unseen legion.

“Now, this is where your ability shines, Blessed Human,” Belphegor mumbled.

Dahan-dahan tinaas ni Xian ang braso niya’t tumuro kung saan, na siya naming sinundan ng mga mata naming, “Si Night,” sambit niya. Isang nagtatakhang tingin ang binigay sa amin ni Night habang lumapit siya direksyon namin, “Hindi na si Night ‘yong gumagalang multo—tayo na, as in gumagalang tao—ako lang pala.”