My Love, Darkness

Chapter 69

Natawa kay Titus ang demonyo na ikinataas na lang din ng kilay niya. "So what they also said is true, you have a bad f*****g mouth."

Titus smirked at Mizerus. "Only to those who do not deserve my mercy."

Malakas na ibinagsak ni Mizerus ang kutsara at tinidor niyang hawak kapagkuwan ay nanlalaki ang mga mata nitong nakatingin sa kaniya. "You're unbelievable. Am I inviting you to fight?" Hindi makapaniwalang sabi ni Mizerus."Keep saying those and I will give you the fight you want."

Mahinang napatawa si Titus kapagkuwan ay ipinagpatuloy ang kaniyang pagkain ngunit agad din siyang napatigil nang makitang nanonood sa kaniya ang demonyo. Nakakibit ang balikat nito habang hindi pinapansin ang pagkain nitong hindi pa halos bawas.

"Why don't you..." Itinuro ni Titus ang pagkain ni Mizerus gamit ang kaniyang tinidor. "Continue to eat? Stop ogling like a gay back there, you're ruining my feeding time."

Umiling-iling ang demonyo sa harap niya habang may ngiti sa labi nito. "So this is the grim reaper who needs my help?"

Malamig na tumingin si Titus sa demonyo kapagkuwan ay muling sumubo ng pancake. "The last time I checked, I don't need help from a demon that I despised the most."

Napangisi ang demonyo sa kaniya. Nasa mukha nito na tila hindi nito nagustuhan ang sinabi niya. "You know, when you walked into this world. You are a grim reaper. You are reborn to serve the god of death. To help him bring in those souls who must go see the world of death. But you..." Umiling- iling si Mizerus habang nakangisi kay Titus. "You are different."

Marahang nilapag ni Titus ang kaniyang tinidor kapagkuwan ay seryosong tinitigan ang demonyong nakaupo sa kaniyang harapan.

What does a demon doing around here? Nanatili siyang tahimik kapagkuwan ay tinignan ang buong paligid.

The place was filled with happiness and a light aura, all of them coming from the mortals' who are already happy with a plate full of food served for them. Ang mga mortal na mabilis na mapasaya ng pagkain. Kung sa mga mortal ay napakasimple lang ng mga nakikita nito, sa mga kagaya niya, bilang isang grim reaper. Iba ang nakikita ng kaniyang mga mata.

Even if the place was filled with happiness, the reason behind that happiness was also because of the gluttonous behavior the mortals have. Iyon ang nakikita niya. If his memories serve him right, there's a place for these kinds of mortal in the nine circles of hell.

The Cerberus will be very happy feasting on those mortals. Eating those mortals gluttonously just like how mortals become so voracious and not thinking about the lives of those animals who have been butchered.

Walang alam ang mga mortal sa mga bagay na kanilang makikita pagkatapos humiwalay ng kanilang kaluluwa sa kanilang katawan. The netherworld was never the best place for happiness and pleasure for mortals who were so used to taking what they want easily. It was a place for torture. It will always be.

"So what are you thinking?"

The voice made Titus out of his reverie. Nakataas ang kilay na napatingin si Titus kay Mizerus kapagkuwan ay kinuha ang kaniyang kutsara at tinidor para muling kumain.

I'm losing my appetite but I can't go out without eating plenty of food.

"So what? You're ignoring me now?" natatawang tanong sa kaniya ng demonyo na ngayon ay sinasabayan siyang kumain.

"Why are you even here, Demon?" walang habas niyang sinabi na agad naman ikinalaki ng mata ng lalaking nasa harapan niya.

"Shh! s**t! Shh!" May takot na na nakaguhit sa mukha nito habang kinakabahang tumitingin sa mga mortal na nasa loob ngayon ng Jollibee kapagkuwan ay napabuntong-hininga ito bago siya tinapunan ng tingin.

"Why do you even have to be blunt? Are you always this heartless?" nagtataka nitong tanong sa kaniya. "Do you really want for everyone to find out?" Halata sa mukha nito ang kaba habang sinasabi ang mga salitang iyon kaya naman mahina na lang siyang napatawa.

"You can handle them," aniya at ngumisi. "As if you are really scared, right? You can't be that easily swayed by fear of the mortals knowing you as a demon. You are a demon. You should be ruthless."

He knows better. Demons are all powerful just like Larid, or maybe even more. Larid is only half-angel, half-human. His Nephilim friend could be more powerful even if he's going to be torn between being half-angel and half-demon too but he's not. Larid is only born half-blood while Mizerus was really born from the dark side. It's not that he wants Larid to fight off the demon who's pestering him on his breakfast but he's thinking of how their power works.

There are so many more that he doesn't know. Things that have been kept hidden by those whom he doesn't trust anymore. And his doubts just started when he completely did the last two forbidden power that Larid taught him to.

Noong una ay hindi talaga siya naniwala. All grim reapers have the same path that they take just like him before he became one of ace grim reapers for the first time. They were taught that all the power that they have is only the teleportation, possession, and sharp sensing for finding the souls. But then, he was so confused when Larid told him that they have more powers than what they know.

He can still remember what Larid said regarding the forbidden powers that were kept from them.

'It's like a power even a God can be killed."

He thought it's also impossible that their power and abilities can be matched to the Gods but after seeing what the other last two hidden abilities that Larid taught him, he somehow felt, kind of empowered. Pakiramdam niya ay kaya na niyang kumalaban ng demonyo.

Ngunit matapos rin ang pangyayaring ikinasawi ng maraming mortal, naiintindihan na niya na kahit ano pang gawin niyang paghuhusay ng nakatago niyang kapangyarihan, hindi niya iyon magagamit para isalba ang babaeng mortal na kaniyan iniingat-ingatan. Pangalawang beses nang muntikan mawala ni Phoebe sa mundong ng mga mortal kung kaya't napatunayan niyang walang kahit sino ang makakatakas sa kamatayan.

Alam niya ang totoo. Alam niya ang kalakaran sa pagitan ng mga patay at nabubuhay. Isa siyang grim reaper. Collector ng mga mortal at taga-balanse ng dalawang mundo ngunit umaasa siya. Umaasa siyang kahit papaano ay magagawa niyang maiiwas si Phoebe mula sa kapahamakan. Umaasa siyang kaya niyang mapigilan ang kahit ano man na panganib ang lalapit sa dalagang mortal bago pa man mangyari muli ang ikinakatakot niya.

"Hey, hey! Are you listening?!" medyo may pagkairitang tanong ni Mizerus pero hindi niya sinagot ang demonyo at napansandal na lang sa kinauupuan.

Mizerus sighs as if he became tired while talking. "Are you always this dumbfounded whenever you're being told?"

Napataas ng kilay si Titus. "Told of what?"

Napanguso naman ang demonyo habang nakataas ang kilay nito sa kaniya. "Hell, this is frustrating. Remind me, please. Why do I even need to help you?"

Mabilis na umiling si Titus bilang sagot. "I don't actually really need your help. I'm fine with what I have," Titus said politely but Mizerus also shook his head, disapproving what he said.

"Don't take me for a player. Even if I am a demon, I follow rules. The player that I am before was long gone. I am not as ruthless as you thought I am."

"But still, you are a demon. I detest your kind. Your kind has been messing with my work for countless times I can not even count. You are a demon. That makes you no worthy of my approval. You have a bad reputation and I also have mine, one that is far better than yours."

Gumuhit ang sakit sa mukha ni Mizerus. Tila nabigla din ito sa sinabi ng grim reaper kaya naman maging si Titus ay napaiwas kay Mizerus.

"So this is what it is, huh? You are badly influenced by what you have learned. By what you are used to hearing without even knowing who you are talking to?" malamig na ngayong tanong ng demonyong kaharap niya.

Napatikhim siya nang makitang kumislap na kulay dilaw ang mata ni Mizerus. "Do I have to? I-I mean, I have never talked to a demon, just like we did right now. Back then, whenever I am on a mission or hunting, I just fight off demons that are getting in my way." Napakibit-balikat si Titus. "You know because demons tend to corrupt the souls that I am collecting."

"I am too, far from the likes of the demons you have encountered, Mr. Dimitriadis. But since you talked too much..."

Tumayo si Mizerus na ikinataas ng kaniyang kilay. Seryoso pa rin ito habang nakatingin sa kaniya.

"This is the last time we will see each other. This is the last time I will seek you. For you are far from the guy that person told me. So..." Yumuko ang demonyo sa harapan niya bago muling nag-angat ng tingin.

"Sayonara, dickhead. I wish you regret the path you have chosen."