✔The Knight's Madness

TRIGINTA TRES

Marquessa Legapzi watched the fight from the far end of the living room.

Natulala siya sa dugong tumalsik sa pader nang hiniwa ni Everick ang braso ni Diablo. The devil-human hybrid laughed and slammed the immortal's body on a nearby shelf, shattering the glass and chinaware. Agad na nakailag si Everick sa sumunod na atake at sinaksak ng paa nito.

The blade dug into the concrete, pinning Diablo's now bloody shoe on the floor.

'A-Ano bang ginagawa ng isang EKT participant dito?'

Flashes of strange images momentarily blinded her.

Her own laughter rang inside her head. Napahawak sa kanyang ulo si Kesa, pilit hinahalungkat ang kanyang mga alaala. But just like before, she ran into a wall, blocking her from remembering the past events. The Knight's words clung to her mind...

"Bad memories are memories, too."

Nang sumulyap siya sa apat pa nilang kasama, napansin niyang nakalutang lang sa kanilang ulo ang mga ilaw na makapagpapabalik sa mga alaala nila. Before she could even register the blank look on their faces, something caught her attention...

She realized that "something" was actually a "someone" when her bestfriend's black hair came in view.

"Kleo? Hindi ligtas dito.. Baka mapahamak ka---"

Another explosion triggered her headache.

Kamuntikan nang tumilapon si Kesa kung hindi lang siya nakakapit agad sa sopa. Her vision blurred as Everick and Diablo fought, a ring of flames and knives surrounded them. At sa kabila ng lahat ng ito, nahagip ng mga mata niyang hinawakan ni Kleo ang staff.

"Kleo, don't---!"

"AAAAAAAAHH!"

A scream tore out of Miss Pavene Numagos' mouth, her skin slowly turning the faintest tint of green. Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Marquessa nang makitang tumagos ang liwanag sa noo ng apat na serial killers, all of them were crying out in pain as their bodies convulsed with the premature memories.

'Shit!'

Kabadong tiningnan ni Kesa si Everick na abala pa rin sa pakikipaglaban. Mukhang hindi pa nito napansin ang nangyaring aksidente.

In fact, he didn't notice anything until the four serial killers they revived went on a rampage.

*

Diablo.

His name suits him, since it goes beyond his looks. 'Not to be a narcissist, but at least I'm good looking,' I thought and dodged another attack. Hinila ko ang linoleum sa paanan niya na naging dahilan para mawalan siya ng balanse. Just when he was about take a hit at my throat, I sliced the hands off his wrists.

The sound of my cleaver knives slicing through bone brought me a dose of dangerous satisfaction.

"Y-YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE!"

I glanced at the hands on the floor.

"Just be thankful. Mapili pa man din ako sa mga kino-kolekta kong kamay."

Hingal siyang gumapang papalayo, hindi pa rin nawawala ang nakakalokong ngiti sa kanyang labi. Is he insane? Tsk. I wiped the blood off my knives and asked in a bored tone, "Uulitin ko ang tanong ko dahil baka ulyanin ka na rin... Anong ginagawa mo rito?"

Ibinuka ni Diablo ang bibig niya para sumagot, pero bago pa man siya makapagsalita, blood gurgled out of his mouth.

Bumagsak siya sa paanan ko.

Gulat kong tiningnan kung sinong gumawa nito. To my horror, the Muffin Man was standing there. Eyes filled with uncontrollable hunger.

Fuck.

"What the hell?! Pero hindi ko pa binabalik ang mga alaala niyo..."

Too late.

The Muffin Man pushed me aside and ran out of the house. Sa gitna ng naglalagablab na apoy, gulat kong pinanood ang pagsunod sa kanya nina Black Sheep, Poison Ivy, at Puppet Master. Ilang sandali pa, nakarinig na ako ng mga sigawan sa labas. Bumagsak ang ilang poste ng kuryente, nagkabanggaan ang mga sasakyan, at nagkakagulo na ang mga tao sa subdivision.

I breathed heavily, staring at the door that was left ajar.

"No, no, no, no... How the hell did they even get their memories back?!"

Premature memories, from the looks of it.

Raw memories born from fear and hatred.

The worst kind.

Having the new EKT killers terrorize Eastwood is one problem...pero hindi ko na gustong isipin kung anong mga posibleng mangyari ngayong dumagdag pa sila.

And we need them on our side, not against us.

I scanned the room and saw Marquessa Legazpi lying unconscious on the floor.  Dumako ang mga mata ko kay Kleo na nakaupo sa isang gilid, para bang nato-trauma sa mga nangyayari. Joker's staff laid motionless on the floor a few feet away from her.

'What did you do now, Kleo?'

Naikuyom ko na lang ang mga kamao ko. Panic rose in my chest as I thought of a plan to stop them. Anything. After a moment of internal debate, I sent a quick text message to my brothers and dashed out of the house. Hindi ko hahayaang masayang lang ang pinaghirapan namin.

No, this isn't just about saving humanity and this godforsaken town, anymore.

This is about the curse that led us here in the first place.

No matter what happens, we need to bring down the Elite Killing Tournament.

'And you'll try all means to do that, huh? Even by madness?'

Bahala na.

---

Never waste your words
to a mortal with a narrow mind;
Don't talk and let him suffer;
Killing with silence is an easier crime.

---Everick Neverwood