My Love, Darkness

Chapter 67

TITUS is still feeling full after having a feast with Leila, Larid, and Kellan. Busog na busog siya to the point na pakiramdam niya ay hindi na niya kailangan pang kumain ng buong araw. It was already dawn is he also still feeling awake.

Not because of Leila's unbelievable cooking skills that made them entertained the whole night. Because of Leila's live cooking show in front of them, he was so curious. His whole life, he just keeps buying food and goes to a different restaurant just to eat and regain the energy he has used for the whole day because of his job.

He never thought of cooking for himself for he never has the knowledge and the will to do so. Though what he has bonded with his friends made him feel something. The feeling of being happy and contented just because of a happy feast his friends created seems to make him feel more like a human. A mortal.

Although it doesn't make sense for him. Feeling like a mortal when in fact, everyone can have someone. When everyone can have people beside them. To stay and be happy with them. There's no difference in having a friend even if you are a mortal or a grim reaper or even if you are an angel. Everything is just the same as long as you are with the right persons you can trust with everything.

Feeling troubled, he sighed before making a move to face the left side of his bed.

"Why am I even thinking about this?"

It's not like he has a problem with his friends even if he once doubted Larid and Kellan. Noong oras na muntikan na niyang patayin ang sarili niya para kay Phoebe. Noong oras na tumalon siya sa dagat na hindi iniisip ang sarili niya para sa isang mortal na hindi niya dapat nililigtas.

It was Larid and Kellan that he first saw when he opened his eyes. They are in front of him, waiting for him to wake up and see the world once again. But instead of feeling grateful after being saved, after seeing his friend's face, it's the anxiety he has felt.

He doesn't know why would he felt anxious towards his friend. He doesn't have any reasons to feel cautious too. Just also thinking about being cautious whenever his friends are around, it makes him feel guilty. Guilty because of being untrustful toward them for a minute. Wala tama at konkretong rason para lang pagdudahan ang mga kaibigan niya.

Maybe it was also the accident that made him feel anxious towards his friends, because after that tragic night. He saw mortals did their worst just to get out alive off of the cruise ship. Lahat gustong mabuhay noong mga oras na iyon.

Lahat gustong makasakay sa mga bangka para makaligtas mula sa kamatayan. Lahat ay takot at sumisigaw ng saklolo para lang hindi makuha ng dagat ang kanilang buhay. Ngunit matapos ang nangyaring trahedya, lahat ay nalugmok sa kalungkutan at patuloy na naghihinagpis para sa mga buhay na kinuha ng karagatan.

Humigit walong daan at limampu ang nasawi matapos lamunin ng karagatan ang cruise ship samantalang apat na pu't lima ang patuloy na nawawala. Tanging isang daan at animnapu't apat pasahero lang ang buhay at ligtas na nakaalis sa cruise ship bago pa man ito lumubog.

Hindi niya nasaksihan ang paglubog ng barko dahil matapos niyang tumalon sa dagat para iligtas si Phoebe, hindi na niya naisip pang lumingon. Tanging si Phoebe lamang ang iniisip niya sa mga oras na iyon. Ang mailigtas ito at mabigyan ng panibagong buhay kung saan wala kahit sino ang makakasakit sa dalaga.

He promised his self he is going to be more protective and will always watch Phoebe. Hindi niya kailangan magpakita pa sa dalaga kagaya ng ginawa niya noong bata pa lamang si Phoebe. He can keep protecting her from a distance and he will always pay attention to those people she's with.

Lalo na ngayon may namatay sa mismong lugar kung saan dapat ligtas ang dalaga, Phoebe is not safe. Not even inside of a mansion that is already heavily guarded. She's totally not safe physically, emotionally, and mentally. Phoebe could also get suicidal thoughts or if not, she could overthink everything that happens and reacts irrationally.

Alam niyang kahit papaano ay iniisip ni Phoebe na may kasalanan ito dahil sa pagpupursige sa kaibigan na mag-report sa kinauukulan para makulong ang mga may sala sa pagkaka-buntis nito. Hindi lang dahil sa pagkakabuntis nito kung hindi dahil na rin sa pang-aabusong seksuwal na natanggap nito mula sa hindi mabilang na miyembro ng kultong sinasabi nito.

But whatever happens, as long as it's not Phoebe again that is in danger, he will be calm. He must not panic just like what happens after he saw falling off the cruise ship. He has abilities that are supposed to be helping him whenever he has to save Phoebe but he realized.

Even if he has abilities, powers that could help him. All of it is not good for saving. It's a complete package of abilities used for killing. For taking someone's life.

Teleportation that is good for making his preys caught off guard. Resurrection as one of his favorites for it saved Phoebe from death caused by Lamia. Invisibility for sneaking and a good ability he uses for stalking Phoebe unnoticed. Also possession. The ability he used so that he can be beside Phoebe back then by borrowing a young boy's body.

His heighten senses that is so useful for tracking the souls he is going to harvest. He must say, telekinesis is also a cool power. Manipulating objects that is making him so cool and one of his favorite. And lastly, the two forbidden abilities Larid helped him to harness. The chronokinesis and necrokinesis.

All of his power and abilities are not good for saving a life. Pakiramdam niya ay napakawalang kuwenta ng mga kapangyarihan na mayro'n siya kung dalawang beses na niyang napabayaan na mamatay si Phoebe.

If it's not because of Larid, he can't use the resurrection method on Phoebe. If it's not because of Larid, they are maybe deep underwater, lifeless and cold right now. Kung hindi dahil sa pagiging nephilim ni Larid, pareho silang hindi maliligtas sa bagsik ng dagat noong mga oras na iyon.

Aanhin niya pa ang kapangyarihan at abilidad na mayro'n siya kung iisang mortal ay hindi niya magawang iligtas. Walang silbi ang kapangyarihan na mayro'n siya kung muli ay mapabayaan niyang mamatay si Phoebe dahil sa pagiging mabagal niya.

He's an ace grim reaper of his division. He is the so-called scythe swinger of the grim reapers in the twenty-sixth division. Everyone is amazed and looking at him as if he is a hero of their division but he's not.

Kung dati ay nabubuhay lang siya para mangolekta nang mangolekta ng mga kaluluwa upang matulungan si Charon na madala ang mga kaluluwa na nararapat na mapunta sa impyerno.

Ngayon naman ay nabubuhay siya para lang pangalagaan ang buhay ng isang mortal na nakikila niya bilang pinakamabuting tao na kaniyang nakilala.

Phoebe is the only exception from all the mortals he have encountered. Kahit na nagbago ito pagkatapos ng ilang taong pagkakahiwalay niya sa rito, nakikita niyang nando'n pa rin ang inosente at mabait na katangian ni Phoebe para sa mga taong pinapahalagahan nito.

Kahit na nakisama ito sa mga mortal na hindi maganda ang impluwensiya sa kaniya, nakikita niya pa rin ang pag-aasam nitong makasundo ang Ama.

Nakita niya sa mukha ni Phoebe ang inosente at napakabuti pa rin nitong pagkatao habang ang mga nakapaligid sa dalaga ay ang mga klase ng tao na hindi dapat pinagkakatiwalaan.

Ngunit sa mga nakita niya, patuloy pa rin nitong tinuring na kaibigan ang mga taong kahit kailan ay hindi naman siya itinuring na kaibigan.

Phoebe tends to be so trustful around people she shouldn't be trusting but there's nothing he can do about it. Kagaya ng sinabi ni Kellan, hindi niya dapat pinapakialaman ang buhay ni Phoebe.

As a mortal, she needs to learn how to survive. Even if the pain was untolerable, he must let Phoebe go on her own decision as a mortal.

Hindi niya dapat hinaharangan na matuto si Phoebe sa mga dapat nitong matutunan dahil ang sakit at ang mga desisyon nito sa buhay ang bubuo sa pagkatao nito balang araw.

Now that Phoebe is already eighteen, Phoebe has a fair share of teenage problems. Naranasan nitong ma-bully sa murang edad kapagkuwan ay natutong maging rebelde dahil sa mga babaeng nakasama nito na mahilig pumunta sa nightclub.

Naniniwala si Titus na matututo rin ang dalagang mortal. Ang kailangan niya lang gawin ay panatilihin itong ligtas sa kahit ano mang klase ng panganib.

Even if he has to drain his energy just to make Phoebe safe, he will do whatever it takes. He will risk everything he has.

Just to save Phoebe again.