The Grimoire

Chapter 54: The First Placer

VERMILLION

I wan't sure what happened the whole time but the next thing I knew, I was already rolling in the ground with bruises all over me. It looked like I just woke up from a dream. Kung tama lang ang mga naaalala ko, my body moved and talked on its own as if someone inside me was controlling me. I can also vividly remember I called my brother as Heka. 

Are we too late?

Is his seal broken at sumanib na siya sa kapatid ko?

Is that the reason why our virtues collided, leaving both of us a lonely and broken relationship as siblings?

I took a deep breath at pilit akong tumayo. Before I could even move, my eyes widened when I saw Night, using a sword to stand up against me. He was catching his breath at napakadaming dugong patuloy na tumutulo mula sa mga sugat niya. What happened?! My body can't even move dahil na rin sa pagod at sakit na nararamdaman ko. Napatingin ako sa likoran ko and I saw how big the scorpion tail was and I can even move it with my own will.

"Soul Combination,"

Napatingin ako sa paligid nang may narinig akong boses na pamilyar rin sa akin. No one is here aside from us kaya medyo kinabahan ako.

"Success," 

I heard once again at bigla nalang umilaw ang buong katawan ko.  The pain inflicted in me started to fade, along with my wounds and bruises. Isa-isa kong tiningnan ang mga kamay at paa ko and indeed I was healing my own wounds. I gazed back at Night at halos mapaatras ako nang kusang bumalik ang lahat ng dugong tumutulo papunta sa mga sugat niya. Just like me, his wounds started to heal a lot faster, and he gave me a death stare.

I smiled nervously at umatras ako ng kaunti at hinigpitan ang hawak kong sandata. 

"Now, this isn't good at all," I whispered at napalunok ako.

As I stood there confidently, sumagi sa aking isipan ang mga possibleng mangyari at isa na doon ang pagkatalo ko. I left a note for them that I'm coming back so I'm going to make sure that when the dawn breaks, I'll be back-- alive for sure. I can't die here. Not now.

"So," bigla niyang sabi. "Should we really get serious now?" he asked, and he gave me a deathly grin that sent out chills all over me. "I'm getting bored," he added. I laughed nervously at napalunok ulit ako.

"Sure," sagot ko. "May the best Babylonian win," I added, and he started laughing.

"I think you're referring to me," he replied.

Without warning, Night lunged forward.  My reflexes kicked in, and our blades met with a resounding clash. The dead city seemed to shrink as the we engaged in a flurry of strikes, each movement calculated and precise. Sparks erupted from the collision of our swords, casting an ethereal glow on the dim surroundings. My heart pounded in my chest as I sought an opening in his defenses. He purposely moved with an to evade my slash, anticipating every maneuver with uncanny accuracy.

My mind raced as I analyzed Night's patterns, searching for a vulnerability to exploit. The stakes were high, and the fate of the world hung in the balance. I cannot die here. I cannot lose here. I should win this fight. It's now or never.

As the battle intensified, we moved closer to the edge of the dead city, where the barrier has been planted. We both evaded and attacked with all of our guts and techniques along with our precise footworks that has been honed for years now. I could feel the cold stone beneath my shoes as I parried another strike. Night, a silent force, pressed on, the attacks escalating to a crescendo of steel and skill.