CHAPTER 74 #3
"You've been fighting me for so long, and yet you're still trying to stand. It's almost heartbreaking to watch." aniya na tila naaawa kay Russel.
"I really do pity you, little one. If things were different, perhaps I would have let you go. But unfortunately..."
His smile became strangely gentle. "I need to eat you now. The Orythea is coming, and I cannot afford to waste another moment with you. So don't be afraid. I'll make this quick. You've done enough."
Hinawi ni Valroth ang kaniyang matutulis na pamaypay, at sa isang iglap ay mas lumaki ang mga ito. Dark mana gathered around the blades as a black blood began forming beneath Russel. Mabilis itong gumapang sa kaniyang paligid before suddenly pulling him toward Valroth.
Russel tried to fight back, but his body barely responded.
He attempted to move away, yet his strength was already fading after fighting Valroth for so long.
Marami na siyang natamong sugat, and every breath felt heavier than the last.
His vision began to blur, while his legs struggled to keep him standing.
I can't... move properly anymore...
Napahigpit ang hawak niya sa kaniyang espada, desperately trying to remain conscious. He could feel himself getting closer and closer to losing consciousness, but he refused to let go of his weapon.
Napaubo muli nang dugo si Russel nang mas humigpit ang itim na dugo sa kaniyang katawan. He gasped for air as he felt his bones being crushed under the intense pressure, the excruciating pain spreading through his entire body.
Hawak na ngayon ni Valroth si Russel, leaving him with barely enough strength to struggle against the demon's grip.
Pilit na pumipiglas si Russel habang nakatingin kay Valroth.
The demon's mouth was slightly open, saliva slipping from the corner of his lips as his sharp teeth showed through his widening grin.
May bahid ng dugo sa kaniyang mga ngipin, making his expression even more unsettling.
Nanatiling nakatitig si Russel sa kaniya, trying to keep his composure despite how exhausted he had become. Valroth only smiled wider, as if he could already sense that the boy was running out of strength.
Hindi ko inaasahan na ang aking kamatayan ay hahantong sa ganito... I couldn't believe I was going to be eaten alive by a demon...
What a tragic death...
Then, a moment later, Russel heard a familiar voice again.
"Son, do not close your eyes. You are the future Archduke of House Quentin. Stay awake, Russel. Don't you dare give up now. You still have a future waiting for you."
Mabilis na dumilat si Russel nang marinig ang pamilyar na boses na iyon. Ngunit mas lalong nanlaki ang kaniyang mga mata nang maramdaman niyang bumagsak siya sa lupa, only to feel a soft hand gently holding his cheek.
Nangilid ang kaniyang mga luha nang maramdaman niya ang pamilyar na presensiyang iyon. He slowly turned his gaze toward the woman who had saved him from the demon.
Yakap siya nito habang nakaharap sa demonyo, tila handa siyang protektahan mula sa anumang susunod na pag-atake.
"B-Big sister?"
Russel could barely hold back his tears as he stared at the woman before him. She was the sister he had long believed was dead, someone he thought he would never see again.
He couldn't feel her presence. His mana was too unstable, making it difficult for him to sense anything around him clearly.
But even without sensing her mana, even without knowing whether what he was seeing was real, Russel knew that face.
It was his sister.
Mabilis na kumalat ang naglalakihang apoy at pumaikot sa paligid nila, dahilan upang tuluyang mawala sa paningin ni Russel si Valroth. Muli siyang napatingin kay Rassia.
How is she alive?
Perhaps... I'm just seeing things.
Ngunit nararamdaman niya ang init ng apoy. More importantly, he could feel the mana surrounding him. It was powerful, but strangely familiar. Sa halip na matakot, nakaramdam siya ng kakaibang seguridad, na para bang pinoprotektahan siya ng apoy mula sa anumang maaaring lumapit sa kaniya.
But these flames... they're too strong.
I can feel it...
I feel protected...
Unti-unting lumaki ang kaniyang mga mata habang nakatingin kay Rassia.
This is the eternal flame of my sister...
She is indeed my... sister...
My... sister...
Mabilis na unti-unting nawalan ng malay si Russel.
He had managed to hold on to his consciousness for as long as he could, forcing himself to stay awake despite how exhausted he felt.
But the moment he felt the familiar warmth of his sister beside him, his instincts finally took over.
For the first time, he no longer felt the need to keep fighting to remain conscious.
The familiar presence made him feel safe, and his body finally gave up as his eyes slowly closed.
Napakagat labi si Rassia nang makita niya ang mga sugat sa katawan ng kaniyang kapatid. Her gaze softened as she realized just how long Russel had been fighting the upper demon.
"It's alright now, Russel. Andito na si ate..."
I didn't expect to meet you like this, Russel...
After all this time, after everything that happened, I never imagined that our reunion would happen in the middle of a battlefield...
I'm sorry, Russel.
You should never have had to experience any of this...
"Anastacio." Rassia called her sovereign spirit.
Mabilis na lumitaw si Anastacio sa kaniyang harapan at agad na napatingin kay Russel. Sa isang tingin pa lamang ay naintindihan na niya ang nais ng kaniyang master. Hindi na siya nagtanong pa at agad na lumapit kay Russel.
Anastacio finally regained his composure. The anger that had been visible in his golden-orange eyes slowly faded, and his expression became calm once again.
"I will bring him to Emberman, and I'll come back here again as soon as possible, Master."
Tumango si Rassia. Agad na inalalayan ni Anastacio si Russel at maingat na binuhat ito sa kaniyang mga bisig.
Muling nagliwanag ang madilim na kalangitan nang isang napakalaking pulang liwanag ang unti-unting bumaba mula sa himpapawid, patungo sa kinaroroonan nina Anastacio at Russel.
Habang papalapit ito, lalong lumakas ang ningning nito hanggang sa tuluyang binalot ng pulang liwanag ang kanilang buong katawan.
Ilang sandali lamang ay tuluyan nang naglaho si Anastacio at Russel, kasabay ng pulang liwanag na unti-unting nawala sa madilim na kalangitan.
Natigilan si Valroth sa angking bilis ni Rassia. Ang brasong kanina lamang ay mahigpit na nakahawak kay Russel ay putol na sa kaniyang katawan, dahilan upang mapatingin siya rito nang ilang segundo na tila hindi makapaniwala sa nangyari.
Unti-unting nawala ang ngiti sa kaniyang mukha.
"Paanong..?"
Sa unang pagkakataon, bakas ang tunay na pagkagulat sa kaniyang mga mata na patuloy pa ring naglalabas na itim na dugo.
Napatingin ang demonyo sa di kalayuan, kung saan naglalagablab ang malalaking apoy sa lugar na pinagbagsakan ng pulang liwanag mula sa kalangitan. Ilang sandali lamang ay mabilis ding naglaho ang pulang liwanag, ngunit naiwan ang malalaking apoy na patuloy na nagliliyab sa paligid.
Bahagyang napangiti si Valroth habang pinagmamasdan ang apoy.
"Kamangha-mangha..."
For a demon like him, the sight of such powerful flames was enough to catch his attention. Hindi niya maiwasang humanga sa lakas ng apoy na iyon, lalo na sa kakaibang presensiyang nararamdaman niya mula rito.
"So that is the power of the Orythea..."
Ang kaniyang angking bilis ay tunay na kamangha-mangha... mas mabilis pa siya kaysa sa kaniyang paslit na kapatid.
Ang kanilang dugo... they are the fastest bloodline I've ever encountered...
Makalipas ang ilang sandali, isang pigura ang dahan-dahang lumabas mula sa apoy. Rassia was already wearing her black armor and red cape, while tightly holding her black scythe. Tahimik lamang siyang naglakad palabas ng naglalakihang apoy, habang nakatuon ang kaniyang mga mata kay Valroth.
Valroth could see the same empty, blank eyes in Rassia that he had seen in Russel.
Pinagmasdan ni Rassia ang kabuuan ng demonyo. Her hair danced gently in the wind as she carefully observed Valroth from head to toe.
This demon... hindi ko makita ang kaniyang ranggo dahil patuloy na umiiyak ng itim na dugo ang kaniyang mga mata.
Hmm... nevertheless, I will defeat this stinky demon as soon as possible.
Alam ni Rassia na nasa bandang 7:35 pa lamang ng gabi. The sky was still dark, and the demons were still active around Sartores. She understood that the darkness gave them an advantage, which meant she could not afford to waste too much time fighting Valroth.
I need to finish this quickly. The longer this night continues, the more dangerous it becomes for everyone.
Matagal pa ang oras bago sumikat ang araw...
I still have several hours before morning. Hindi ko puwedeng hayaang tumagal nang ganoon katagal ang laban na ito. Habang mas mahaba ang gabi, mas maraming oras ang mayroon ang mga demonyo para magkalat at umatake sa mga tao.
Someone opened a portal for the demons around here. Ibig sabihin... may isang taksil dito na nagbabalat-kayo.
Hindi basta-basta makakapagbukas ng ganoong lagusan ang sinuman. Whoever did this must have planned everything carefully. At kung nagawa niyang itago ang kaniyang tunay na pagkatao hanggang ngayon, ibig sabihin... nasa paligid lamang siya...
Mas lalong dumilim ang ekspresyon ni Rassia nang may bigla siyang mapagtanto.
Russel is able to make a portal because of the wind. Siya lamang ang kilala kong nakakagawa noon gamit lamang ang kaniyang sariling kapangyarihan. He doesn't even have a sovereign spirit, and yet he is already capable of creating a portal.
I'm proud of him.
But... he might get accused.
Kapag nalaman nilang may kakayahan siyang gumawa ng lagusan, maaaring isipin nilang siya ang dahilan kung bakit nakapasok ang mga demonyo sa Sartores. They might blame him for everything that happened tonight, especially now that everyone is afraid and looking for someone to blame.
Hindi ko hahayaang mangyari iyon.
Whoever is behind this... already knows that Russel might be accused.