CHAPTER 72 #9
"If I eat you now, your pain will finally end. You won't have to be afraid anymore. Isn't that what you wanted?"
Marahan itong tumawa.
"Don't look at me like that. I am not your enemy. I am the one who will free you. I am your savior. I am giving you the only kind of peace that this world can never give you."
Bahagya nitong inilapit ang mukha sa babae.
"So stop asking that child for help. He cannot save you. But I can. I will take away your fear, your suffering, and everything that makes you weak."
Muling lumawak ang ngiti nito.
"All you have to do is accept that I am the one who came to save you."
"Huwag! aagh!" lumakas ang sigaw ng babae nang unti-unti na siyang inilalapit ng demonyo sa kaniyang naglalaway na bibig at matutulis na ngipin.
?Gumalaw si Russel upang umatake ngunit tila hindi siya makagalaw. Mabilis siyang napatingin sa kaniyang mga paa. The thick black blood of the demon was holding them down, making it impossible for them to move even an inch.
Nanlamig lalo si Russel nang makita niyang nakikipaglaban na ang kaniyang animal spirit sa malayo. Fenris was already surrounded by several demons, moving from one side to another as he tried to keep them away from his master.
Muli siyang tumingin sa demonyo.
Nanginginig ang kaniyang labi nang makitang tuluyan nang kinakain ng demonyo ang babae.
Kalahati na lamang ng katawan nito ang nakikita sa labas ng naglalaway nitong bibig.
Rinig na rinig ang malagutok na pagbali ng mga buto na umaalingawngaw sa buong paligid.
Kumalat ang dugo sa bibig ng demonyo habang umaagos ito sa kaniyang baba at leeg.
?"Huwag! bitawan mo siya!" galit na sigaw ni Russel habang buong lakas na nagpupumiglas.
?Mas lalo pang lumaki ang bibig nito at mabilis na nilamon nang buo ang natitirang kalahati ng katawan ng babae.
After the demon finished eating, the creature slowly smiled before finally turning its attention toward Russel.
Mas lalong bumilis ang tibok ng puso ni Russel nang maramdaman niyang nakatitig na sa kaniya ang demonyo. He could feel the weight of its presence pressing against him, making every instinct in his body tell him to stay alert.
Huminga siya nang dahan-dahan, trying to calm himself and keep his fear from showing. His grip tightened around his sword as he forced himself to remain composed, carefully watching the demon's every movement.
"You amaze me, child. Isa ka lamang hamak na bata, yet you stand before me without running away... Most humans would already be trembling in fear, but you... you are different. I can see it in your eyes. You are afraid, yet you refuse to let that fear control you. How fascinating.
It has been a long time since someone has managed to hold my attention for this long..."
Russel remained quiet, carefully thinking about how he could defeat the demon in front of him.
"Since you have amazed me... I shall grant you the privilege of knowing my name. Remember it well, child, for not everyone is worthy of hearing it."
Bahagya siyang huminto bago mas lalong ngumiti.
"Valroth."
Tinaas ni Russel ang kaniyang espada, and a massive amount of air suddenly gathered around him. Umikot ang hangin sa kaniyang katawan, lifting him from the ground and carrying him upward. Ginamit niya ang puwersa ng hangin upang mabilis na makalipat sa kabilang bahagi ng cathedral.
"Woah, woah... magaling! magaling!" tila tunay na natuwa ang demonyo sa kaniyang nasaksihan.
"What's the point of knowing your fuckass ugly name?" mariing sambit ni Russel habang mahigpit na nakahawak sa kaniyang espada, his eyes never leaving Valroth.
"Sabihin mo sa akin... gaano na kayong katagal naririto? Gaano karaming tao na ang dinala ninyo sa lugar na ito? Ilan na ang mga nilalang na katulad mo ang nagtatago sa ilalim ng cathedral na ito? At higit sa lahat..."
bahagya niyang itinaas ang kaniyang espada, the blade pointing directly toward the demon.
"Sino... sino ang iyong pinuno? sino ang nilalang na sinusunod ninyo?"
Tila biglang natigilan si Valroth nang marinig ang huling tanong.
His expression slowly changed. Ang mga ngipin nito ay nagsimulang gumalaw nang mabilis, almost as though he were desperately trying to suppress something.
Bahagyang kumibot ang kaniyang panga habang nakatitig kay Russel, and for the first time since their confrontation began, there was something resembling fear in his eyes.
Then a memory suddenly flashed through his mind.
"Huwag na huwag mo akong babanggitin."
"You know what happens when you disobey me, Valroth."
"If you ever disobey me, the curse I placed upon you will activate. Do not mistake my silence for mercy, Valroth. I am always watching you, always listening, and I will know the moment you even think of betraying my command."
Kitang-kita ni Russel ang biglang pagbabago sa kilos ni Valroth. Saglit itong natigilan, ngunit hindi iyon ang higit na ikinabahala niya. It was the way the demon suddenly became more cautious, as though the question about his master had touched something he desperately wanted to keep hidden.
Mas lalo namang nag-ingat si Russel. Bahagya niyang ibinaba ang kaniyang espada, ngunit hindi niya inalis ang tingin kay Valroth.
Every muscle in his body remained tense, ready to react the moment the demon moved.
He could not afford to underestimate him, especially after seeing how quickly Valroth's demeanor had changed.
Mukhang... takot ang demonyong ito sa kaniyang pinuno.
Valroth's presence is already heavy... kung ganito kalakas ang isang demonyong nasa ilalim lamang ng kaniyang pinuno, then how powerful must the one above him be?
Russel tightened his grip on his sword.
And how am I supposed to defeat him...? I clearly don't have a chance...
Napataas ang tingin ni Valroth nang biglang bumukas ang itim na lagusan sa sa kisame ng cathedral. Mula roon ay unti-unting lumitaw ang isang pigura, isang babae na tila kagagaling lamang sa isang matinding pakikipaglaban.
Arzol is weak... how could a mere girl defeat a demon?
"Captain!" sigaw ni Keisha.
"Keisha!" napalingon agad si Russel, and for the first time, relief flashed across his expression.
"I managed to defeat the demon who captured me!" hingal na sambit ni Keisha. "M-marami akong nakalaban sa loob, pero mukhang m-mababang uri lamang sila..."
Agad na napatingin si Russel sa kaniyang katawan.
May ilang sugat sa kaniyang mga braso at balikat, and she was clutching her right shoulder tightly, trying to cover the blood that had stained her clothing. Ngunit hindi iyon nakaligtas sa paningin ni Russel.
"Are you alright?"
Tumango si Keisha kahit halatang nahihirapan.
"I'm fine, Captain. I can still move."
Hindi na nagtanong si Russel. Agad siyang lumapit at inalalayan si Keisha, allowing her to lean against his back so she could keep her balance.
"Hold on."
Maingat siyang kumilos habang muling ibinabalik ang kaniyang tingin kay Valroth.
Ngunit hindi na nakatingin ang demonyo kay Russel.
Valroth's eyes were fixed on Keisha.
At may kakaibang ngiti sa kaniyang mukha.
"My, my, child..." mahinang sambit ni Valroth. "Hindi ko nais ang mga kababaihan."
Bahagya niyang ikiniling ang kaniyang ulo.
"I am not the one responsible for the women who have been disappearing."
Saglit siyang tumawa, ngunit walang anumang saya sa kaniyang tinig.
"Don't misunderstand me, child. Hindi ako maarte sa dugo..."
Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Russel.
So he is not the one...
Agad na lumingon si Russel kay Keisha.
"Keisha... get out of here. Now."
Agad namang umiling si Keisha at mahigpit na kumapit sa balikat ni Russel.
"Hindi kita iiwan, Captain! You can't defeat that demon on your own! ramdam mo naman kung gaano siya kalakas. Kahit ako, nahirapan akong makalabas sa lagusan na iyon! and I only managed to escape because the demon that captured me was a lower-class one.
Hindi natin alam kung ano talaga ang kakayahan ni Valroth, at hindi ko hahayaang harapin mo siya nang mag-isa!"
"Listen to me, Keisha."
Bahagyang lumalim ang tinig ni Russel.
"We need to inform the others about what's happening here. Kailangan nilang malaman na may mas malaking presensyang nagtatago rito at kailangan nilang maging handa kung sakaling may iba pang demonyong lumitaw. You need to go back, find Ethan, and call the others. Tell them everything we discovered.
Tell them that the demons inside this cathedral are not acting alone."
Bahagyang napailing si Keisha.
"But what about you?"
"I can manage."
"Captain..."
"Keisha, I'm not asking you to leave because I think you're weak."
Tumingin si Russel ng diretso kay Keisha.
"I'm telling you to leave because you're the only one who can get back to the others quickly and tell them what we just learned. If we both stay here, then there will be no one left to warn them. I need you to trust me."
Saglit na natahimik si Keisha. Pumikit siya at malalim na bumuntong-hininga, her hands still trembling slightly from everything that had happened inside the cathedral.
She wanted to stay, but she knew Russel had a point.
If she remained beside him, there would be no one left to warn the others about what they had discovered.
"Captain! I swear to you, I will call for backup! Hintayin mo ako, please! Huwag kang gagawa ng kahit anong bagay na hindi mo kayang panindigan nang mag-isa. I know you're trying to protect us, but don't forget that you still have people waiting for you outside.
So make sure you survive until we get back. Promise me that you won't let this demon take you down before I return with the others!"
Mabilis na lumayo si Keisha at nagsimulang tumakbo patungo sa labasan ng cathedral. Despite her wounds, hindi siya nag-atubili. Isa-isa niyang hinarap ang mga mababang demonyo na humarang sa kaniyang daan, using the strength she had left to force her way through them.
Samantala, napatawa muli si Valroth.
"Do you really think that girl will come out of this place? no..." his eyes following the direction where Keisha had disappeared.
"She won't."