Sorciere Academy: Bewitched

Sorciere 5: Death

"A greater purpose is waiting for you..."

ERIS

When I turned to my mother, I noticed her weak state. Her beautiful face was now void with blood and thin. Certainly, she was not feeling well anymore. Nahihirapang umubo siya at sumenyas na lumapit ako. Nag-aalalang dinaluhan ko siya at umupo sa gilid ng kama. Nanginginig ang mga kamay na hinawakan niya ang mga kamay ko at marahang pinisil ang mga iyon.

"Eris. Hindi na ako magtatagal. Kailangan ko nang umalis. Ingatan mo ang sarili mo anak. Hindi na kita mababantayan," nanginginig ang tinig na saad ng aking ina. Namamasa na rin ang kanyang mga mata hanggang sa hindi na mapigilan ang pagpatak ng mga luha.

Maging ako ay nagkaroon ng bikig sa lalamunan. "No. You'll still live longer than this. Hindi pa kayo maaaring umalis. Magpagaling kayo, Ma. Hindi pa kayo kukunin sa 'kin. Hindi ako papayag," mariing wika ko.

"She's already long overdue. She must leave now," singit ng lalaking nakatayo sa gilid ng kama.

Masamang tingin ang ipinukol ko sa kanya. "Sino ka ba? How do you know that her life is already overdue? Are you a god?" galit na tanong ko. Hindi ko na naiwasan ang pagtaas ng boses. Hindi ako papayag na mawala sa 'kin ang aking ina. Siya na lang ang natitira kong pamilya.

But the guy only chuckled heartily. "Your attitude is just like your Mom's. What a stubborn kid."

"Eris, huwag kang magsalita nang ganyan sa ama mo," nahihirapang saad ng aking ina.

Napaawang ang mga labi ko. "Ano pong sinabi n'yo? Ama? Tama po ba ang narinig ko? Ama ko siya?" hindi makapaniwalang tanong ko. I turned to the guy who looked like he was just in his mid-thirties.

Imposibleng ama ko siya. Ang bata pa niya! Is this a prank?

Nang matiim ko siyang pagmasdan. He only smiled at me as if he was confident that he was really my father. I just noticed his ethereal form with eyes full of wisdom and matureness. I could tell that he was not human. Kinabahan ako. Was it really possible that he was my father?

"I'm a god, Eris. An immortal god," sagot ng lalaki upang sagutin ang tanong na nabuo sa isip ko.

Natutop ko ang aking mga labi dahil sa gulat at namilog ang mga mata. "Impossible...I thought gods don't meddle with human affairs. I thought...no," I fiercely said. Bumaling ang naguguluhang tingin ko sa aking ina.

"He's a god," my mother confirmed.

"Which god?" wala sa sariling tanong ko. Hindi ako sigurado kung dapat ba akong matuwa o matakot sa nalaman.

"The god of death, Hel," he answered.

"P-paano?" naguguluhang tanong ko. How did they meet? Wasn't this forbidden? For a god to have an affair with a human? I looked at the god of death—accusing.

Alanganing nagpakawala ng matipid na ngiti si Hel. I couldn't still call him Dad. And how should I address a god? Could I even call him my father?

"It's a long story, Eris," alanganing tugon ng aking ina.

Bumuntonghininga si Hel. "It's complicated," he answered. "I came here to collect her soul when she was still twenty-nine. She was a normal human being but for some reason, she knew how to avoid my death reapers. So I checked her out because she piqued my interest. She could no longer evade me because I'm a god but she pleaded for her life. She said she couldn't leave her family yet. She came from a noble family but her family was accused wrongly and she was destined to die that time. So I pardoned her because I was moved by her bravery and stubbornness. She said I could take her soul when she already redeemed her family's dignity. But she failed. She was put in exile here in this small town.