✔Snow White and the Seven Deadly Sins [Books 1&2]

QOS: VIGINTI SEPTEM

'Why do I always have a hard time falling asleep?'

Magmula nang dumating na naman ang panibagong mga problema sa mansyon (at oo, kasama na rin sa maituturing na "problema" ang bagong maid), madalas nang hindi nakakatulog si Snow White. Often times, she'd know why. Pero ngayon, hindi niya alam ang sanhi ng kanyang insomnia. Dahil ba ito sa nangyari kay Wrath? Sa banta ni Llyria sa kanya? Sa pinapagawa ni Morticia?

O baka naman dahil ito kay Sloth?

When Snow White's heart ached at the thought of the sin, agad niyang nalaman ang sagot. 'Bakit ba siya sinumpa ni Death?' Hanggang ngayon ay nahihirapan siyang isipin kung anong ginawa ni Sloth para bigyan siya ng sumpa ng isang horseman.

"Damn it. Mukhang hindi na talaga ako makakatulog nito."

So, just like the other nights, Snow White changed her clothes and crept out of her room. Pero 'di tulad ng nakaraang mga gabi, alam na niya kung saan siya pupunta. She made her way downstairs just as the first rays of sunlight seeped into the horizon---making the sky look like a magnificent canvas of pink and violet.

Nang marating na niya ang training room ng mansyon, agad niyang binuksan ang mga pinto nito (thank Tartarus it was open) and waltz inside. Kinuha niya ang ilang mga sandatang nakatabi sa isang gilid at pinindot ang button ng bagong enemy stimulation system na ipinalagay ni Wrath dito noon.

"That's more like it."

Soon, the room was plunged into darkness. Ilang sandali pa, umulan na ng mga punyal sa direksyon ng dalaga. She jumped over the blades and started deflecting them one by one. Hinihingal na sinaksak ni Snow White ang mga target dummies na sumulpot mula sa mga sahig. She poured all her frustrations and worries in training.

'Kailangan naming manalo sa digmaan.. we need to defeat the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse and Lucifer himself.'

That gave her motivation.

"I took the road not taken, and there's no turning back now."

*

Matapos niyang lamugin ang kanyang katawan sa training, hinihingal na lumabas ng silid si Snow at tinahak ang daan patungong kusina. Kailangan na nga pala niyang lutuan ng almusal si Gluttony. 'Unless Llyria woke up early and already did it.' She sighed and started walking down the hallway when she noticed Sloth's Music Chamber's door at the far end of the hall.

Nakabukas ang pinto.

Sa hindi malamang dahilan, pinili ni Snow lagpasan ang kusina at dining hall. Her feet took her towards the Music Chamber.

"Sloth?"

She was expecting him to be here; expecting him to play his music...but it was empty. The grand piano rested at the center. Huminga nang malalim si Snow at inalala ang unang pagkakataong narinig niya ang musika ni Sloth. 'Für Elise..' it was a piano piece he played, dedicated to his first love, Monique. The song enchanted her the moment she first stepped foot in this mansion. Sinundan noon ni Snow ang tunog at natagpuan ang binatang masuyong ibinubuhos ang kanyang kaluluwa sa pagtugtog.

The musician and the piano became one.

When Sloth's eyes landed at her, Snow White thought she was dead.

Napangiti si Snow sa alaalang 'yon. Hindi na niya namalayang naglalakad na pala siya papalapit sa piano. Snow White sat down and stared at the lovely piano keys. She read in a book once that life is like playing the piano---we should never forget that even the black keys are used to make music.

'The negative things also define us.'

And that's balance.

The balance of life is the balance between black and white. Mahalaga silang pareho. Kaya nga't lahat ng bagay sa mundo ng mga mortal na nage-exist ay may kapares. Girl and boy. Up and down. Yes and no. Positive and negative. Left and right.. everything needs something to balance it. Just like the concept of Yin and Yang. Dahil kapag nawala ang isa, tuluyang gugulo ang balanse ng natural na mundo---mapa-Underworld man o Eastwood.