✔The Knight's Madness

EPILOGUS

I stopped walking in the middle of the hallway. 

The music of a violin caught my attention. It was coming from her room. Halos madurog ang puso ko nang mapagtanto kong ito rin ang musikang tinugtog ni Marquessa noong dumalo kami sa event nila.

Debussy's "Clair de Lune".

The melancholic composition brought a fresh wave of pain in my chest.

Huminga ako nang malalim at pinigilan pigilang maluha. Goddamn it. 'Hindi ito ang oras para maging mahina ka, Everick,' I mentally scolded myself and forced my legs to walk. Hindi na ako nag-abalang ayusin ang trench coat o ang buhok ko. Ano pang saysay nito kung hindi niya rin naman ako makikita?

Ilang sandali pa, nakatayo na ako sa bukana ng pinto.

Sa kwartong pinanggagalingan ng malungkot na musika.

Kleo's bedroom.

When Marquessa noticed me, she immediately stopped playing and forced a smile. Tumayo siya mula sa kanyang pwesto sa paanan ng kama ni Kleo at sandaling sumulyap sa kanyang matalik na kaibigan.

"I-I didn't want to play this...but she had a weird request back then. Baka magalit sa'kin si Kleo kapag hindi ko siya pinagbigyan..."

I walked closer to the bed and stared at Kleo's dead body. "She was always the weird one... But it only made me love her even more." Umupo ako sa gilid ng kama at hinawakan ang malamig na kamay ni Sadako. I kissed the back of her hand and struggled to hold the damn tears back...

I was too late when I found her.

One fucking second too late.

'Sinadya mo 'yon, hindi ba? Kaya mo sinira ang suot kong relo...at kaya mo piniling magtago sa gubat kung saan alam mong mahihirapan akong hanapin ka...sinigurado mong mahuhuli ako.'

I did everything I could to save her. I drained my energy into her body, in hopes of seeing those lovely eyes again. Sa kasamaang-palad, hanggang dito lang nakayanan ng abilidad ko. Somehow, I managed to extract the poison, heal her wounds, and to keep her body from decomposing, pero matagal nang walang pintig ang puso niya. Matagal nang naging malamig ang kanyang balat. Matagal na siyang tumigil sa paghinga.

At natatakot akong hindi magtatagal, tuluyan na siyang mawawala sa'kin.

It's been a month already. Since her death, I've spent every day and every night trying to revive her...almost begging the gods to bring her back to me.

Hindi ako titigil.

'Kahit ikamatay ko pa, Kleo.'

A warm feminine hand rested on my shoulder. Kesa knew there's nothing she can say to actually comfort me. Kahit ang ibang killers sumuko na rin sa'kin. Maging si Joker, hindi rin nagtagumpay para pabalikin ang sigla ko. Evil, on the other hand, never even bothered. Alam ko namang wala akong maasahan sa isang 'yon.

'I've been a broken Knight, ever since my mad maiden left me.'

Sa huli, tuluyan nang lumabas ng silid si Kesa at isinara ang pinto para iwan kami ni Kleo.

The moment the door closed, all the pain and regrets and guilt suffocated me. Tuwing nakikita ko ang kalagayan niya, pakiramdam ko paulit-ulit akong tinatarak ng mga punyal sa dibdib.

Ang bigat.

Ang sakit.

Tears formed in my eyes.

"When you open your eyes, I promise you'll never feel lonely again. Bumalik ka na sa'kin, Sadako..."

No response.

I finally let the tears fall.

'There will never be anyone else but you, my mad maiden.'

*

Outside Kleo's room, Marquessa weakly leaned against the adjacent wall. Naroon na rin si Raff na kanina pa naghihintay sa kanyang lumabas. The former referee stared at the door. His voice broke when he admitted, "I miss her already."

"Me too."

Huminga nang malalim si Kesa at pilit pinakalma ang kanyang sarili. Nang magpaalam siya kay Raff na kailangan na niyang umuwi, nakasalubong ng dalaga ang pamilyar na lalaki sa hadgan.

The Joker gave her a hesitant smile.

"Ihatid na kita."

Wala nang lakas para tumanggi si Marquessa. And that's the funny thing about this situation... Kesa already regained her past memories, because of whatever Kleo did to her. 'Kleo knew how much I wanted to remember, whatever the price is... And she somehow found a way,' Kesa thought sadly. Naalala na niya ang lahat, at naaalala na niya si Joker---pero hindi niya kayang maging masaya. Wala sa kanilang kayang maging masaya sa nangyayari. Hanggang ngayon, natatakot pa rin siyang isiping tuluyan nang nawala sa kanila si Kleo.

Natatakot siyang mawalan ulit ng matalik na kaibigan.

The trauma of their past only added to the existing pain.

A moment later, the Joker pulled her into a hug. Bakas rin ang lungkot sa mga mata ni Evarius Neverwood at pag-aalala para sa kapatid niyang halos araw-araw nagpapakamatay para buhayin ang kanyang minamahal.

Joker knew exactly how devastating it feels.

Without second thoughts, Marquessa hugged him back and sobbed.

'I never even got the chance to thank you, Kleo.'

*

Meanwhile, a crow was perched on a tree branch, just a few yards away from the house. It gave him a good view of the streets and Kleo's bedroom window.

He silently watched the scenes before him.

He watched his foolish brothers suffer the price of surrendering their hearts to mortals.

'Matagal ko na kayong binalaan. Tsk!'

Lumipad papalayo ang uwak, hanggang sa tuluyan na itong naglaho sa madilim na kalangitan. Maya-maya pa, lumapag sa veranda ng kanyang hotel room si Evillois Neverwood at parang haring pinagmasdan ang lungsod sa ibaba. Now that the devil escaped again, he'll make sure there's no room for mistakes the next time they crossed paths.

'It will only be a matter of time before I find you.'

Footsteps.

Evil's eyes narrowed at the sound. He quickly spun around and glared at whoever broke in.

Napasimangot siya nang makilala ito.

"Ikaw 'yong babaeng kasama kong hinuli noon, hindi ba?"

The blonde girl nodded, but she doesn't seem to be intimidated by him at all.

But her next words made him pause...

"We have a common enemy. Kaya nandito ako para makipagtulungan sa inyong pabagsakin ang Elite Killing Tournament."

THE END.