14 FOURTEEN

Serenity

I shivered as the icy wind blew. It's been quite a while since I went out. Rosario's story made me even more confused, and though I've been dying to hear the rest, my pride just won't let me go back and be looked down by His Majesty, King of Pain. That jerk who thought he knew everything about losing someone. I sighed and looked up at the sun, shining faintly.

Why is it that despite my anger, I could not let myself hate Dime completely? I'm mad at him and I hate the things that he said but I don't hate him. Not really.

Maybe it's because of the fact that he lost someone too in many ways more brutal than when I lost Ethan or my parents. Maybe it's because, somehow I understood how he felt. When Ethan died, hate and anger blinded me that I completely forgot how grateful I once was that Babylon took Ethan and me.

Life, death, pain, hate and love. What is it with those things that makes people change? Why are those things so strong that can turn everything upside down? And Leon? The man from Rosario's story. How can power turn a righteous man into something hideous that led the massacre of an innocent family? What is our connection with that family anyway? Are we their reincarnation?

I sighed once again and stood up from where I sat, asking myself won't give me any answers. I took one last glance at the sky and almost died of heart attack when one of the Risen charged at me. But just like last night, it backed away as if fire had burned it.

That's odd, they weren't supposed to feel anything. Geez, curiosity kills. As much as I wanted to run back to the underground house and pounce Rosario for more information, the horde of Risen slowed me down. I guessed I stayed long enough for them to gather around me. If Ethan knew about this back then, we wouldn't have tried so hard evading these creatures. A sad smile curled my lips at the thought and I stopped midway, still surrounded by the risen.

Among the cold and rotting force, a sweet warm energy crept up from my toes and I knew instantly who I'll see. Dime stood a few feet away from me, towering above the crowd of walking dead. A fresh bandage covered his head and a dirty white shirt clung over his body. He seemed perplexed, looking at the horde of Risen surrounding and sneering at him. Dime froze and as if feeling my presence he met my gaze. For a moment his amber eyes softened, but it was gone as though it had never been there before.

I held my breath but scolded myself at the familiar feeling that crept over me once again. "I want answers and they won't tell me anything until I get you back underground." I rolled my eyes at his arrogance.

"Right away, Your Majety." My eyes darted to the crowd surrounding us and felt almost nothing. Almost nothing, but I realized it's not right to completely shut down myself just because of what I've been through. That's not what Ethan would have wanted for me, he'd want me to keep on living—I mean really live. For you Ethan, I'd live. To make your sacrifices worth it.

Just as I took a step forward I heard someone's thoughts, asking for help. "What's wrong?" Dime asked, noticing that I've gone still but his question was left unanswered because my throat went dry. A chill ran down my spine when I felt an intensely dark force started to loom over the place. It was almost similar to Marco's power.

"Mi—Serenity, speak to me! What's wrong?" Dime's voice hardened and he stormed forward shoving the worm infested corpses that blocked his way.

"Can't you feel it, Dime?"

He looked up at the sky as if searching it would give him the answer. An expression of wonder crossed over his face when his eyes finally met mine. "I can..." Confusion plastered over Dime's face but as soon as he got over it, his vice grip found my hand and dragged me back to the path that led to our underground hideout. When I realized what he was doing I pulled away. Anger and impatience radiated over Dime.

"Someone's asking for help, Dime. We need to help her, we can't just let her die out here!"

"Are you insane? You can feel it right? This force that's taking over the forest! Whatever this is, it's not good. We have to go back." He said, running his long fingers through his blood-red hair.

"You can go back first if you want but I'm not going to cower away like a rat!" Dime's jaw clenched but before he could say another word I ran from him and headed to where the girl's thoughts sounded louder. I had no idea why I suddenly had the urge to become someone's hero but somehow, it gave me purpose—a tiny reason to keep going.

"Dammit!" For the second time, Dime caught me and I yelped when he effortlessly grabbed my waist and threw me over his shoulder. Dime's rigid arm around my waist was no longer a surprise but his tight grip hurt me.

"Let me go! You're hurting me! Someone's asking for help. A girl is asking for help and you're running away? You are such a coward, you know that?" I said or rather yelled, banging my fist on his back and kicking my feet in the air—well, not actually in the air for I felt my feet hitting few heads and shoulders.

"Yeah, just keep on kicking. Save me the work of clearing the way!" He said unaffected by my outrage.

"Damn you. How can you even turn your back on someone just like that? How can you just walk away like it's no big deal? Is this the effect of living with the Brotherhood? Have you lost your humanity watching women, young or old being raped and butchered to death?!" I yelped once again when his arm around my waist hardened even more.

"You're hurting me! Put me down! I hit a nerve didn't I? You're saying that I knew nothing about how people die here every fucking day but you—you worthless husk of a man, you just cower behind the Brotherhood's protection. You're even worse—"I froze when a woman's decomposing face came into view. Her face was barely noticeable but the dirty silver locket dangling around her neck told me that it was my mother. I knew that well because I used to play with it when I was a child. I can't go wrong.

I snatched the necklace quickly and true enough, I saw my photo in it. Did she hold on to this when she handed me over to the Brotherhood?

My mother sneered at me, revealing a set of blackened teeth with worms wriggling, stuck in between. I instantly cupped my mouth with both hands to stop the sob that threatened to escape my throat. Memories of my entire family being devoured by the Risen came flooding into my mind. My eyes automatically darted to her stomach where a large gaping wound glared at me. I remembered too well how these bastards feasted over my mother's intestines.

"They got served for what they deserved..."

Ethan's words rang in my mind but no matter how much I kept telling that to myself, it just couldn't lift the pain knotting in my chest. How stupid can I be? They gave me up to the Brotherhood for food yet seeing them this way just couldn't make me feel better. Why can't I just feel happy that they've paid for what they did to me? Or did they suffer too when they surrendered me? Did it hurt her more than it hurt me?

The pain of falling butt-first over the rocky earth took me out of my dramatic trance. I looked up and saw that we've arrived the place where I found Dime. Fury engulfed me when it finally came to me that Dime threw me on the ground like a piece of garbage. "What the hell is your problem?" I said screaming my lungs out.

"Why can't you just keep your mouth shut?"

"I did, didn't I? And I would've kept my mouth shut if you didn't toss me down like a piece of junk!"

I stepped back when raging Dime strode towards me. His jaw set, his amber eyes hard. "And that's what you are to me!"

Whoah. The pain his words brought knocked the breath out of me but I scoffed as soon as I recovered. "Are you saying that to me? Or did you just say that to convince yourself that I am not Micah but someone else who doesn't mean much to you?"

He looked lost for a moment and I guessed I was right. "Pathetic." I muttered and headed to the dark passageway that led toRosario's hideout but even before I could go any further, Dime grabbed my right shoulder and pushed me towards the wall. I winced when my hip hit a huge lump of rock.

"You know nothing so stop acting so smug as if you know everything there is to know!"

"How dare you say that to me? You are the smug one! It's not my fault that my words are getting under your skin. And you know nothing about me as well so please, Your Majesty stop playing the role of King Pain. You want answers right? Let's go on ahead and juice out the information from Rosario so we can peacefully get out of each other's way."

Without words, Dime walked in first. Relief was evident over Kota and Yukino's face when they saw us safe. "Thank goodness you're back!" Yukino exclaimed and threw her arms over me. "Were you hurt?"

"No. Thanks to His Majesty." Dime rolled his eyes at my sarcasm. Yukino just shook her head as she released me and went to help Kota who's already packing things. My eyebrow rose at that. They're packing?

"His Majesty?" Kota chuckled.

"Stop calling me that."

"Why not? Suits you well. The three of them would agree with me, I'm sure."

"So, what's going on? Why are you guys packing?" I asked and sat beside Rosario.

"Well, I'm sure you felt it right? Turned out your energy wielding earlier reached farther than expected, now the Brotherhood is on the move, looking for us. And we need to escape." Kota said.

"Well, I'm sorry I wasn't aware but why is the Brotherhood looking for us? Besides we can take them out, can't we? I mean you've got the energy wielding thing so why run away?" Yukino gaped at me like I've just lost my mind.

"Why run away?" She said throwing down the sack she had just finished filling with supplies. "Nee-san, that force belongs to one of their strongest and the reason why they're hunting women is because the salvation or the total destruction of humankind lies in the hands of a woman. And that's you, Serenity. If they catch you..." everyone turned their gazes at me—well except for Rosario, she can't see me but she held the same grim expression Kota and Yukino held.

"It won't be just your death but the entire world's hope will be crushed."Rosario said finally which took the words out of me.

The salvation or total destruction of humankind lies in my hands? Isn't that ridiculous? A silly young woman like me who wasn't even able to save Ethan from death was prophesied to be humankind's savior? I opened my mouth to speak but all I managed was a mocking laugh. Kota and Yukino just stared at me, Dime had his back on me and Rosario kept the grim expression on her face.

"You think this is funny?" Kota finally spoke, disbelief and annoyance evident in his voice but his sister stopped him.

"Do you expect me to graciously accept the honor of being everyone's heroine?" I spat which earned me a look of disgust from him. Kota stormed towards me but Dime caught his arm even before he got any closer.

"Yes. I will take your place if I can. Don't you want to live in peace? Don't you desire to make the world how it was back then? Don't you want to wake up each day without all these—"

"Of course I want that!" Tears spilled from my eyes and my croaking voice made Dime turn to look at me. There he was again, with those soft amber eyes. It felt like he wanted to take me in his arms and comfort me. But of course it's not me that he wanted. It was Micah. "I want that! For Ethan, for my family—but where are they now? Tell me!" No one spoke and my jaws clenched as I pointed a finger to the stone wall. "My mother, who sold me to the Brotherhood was up there, probably looking for lunch while worms are having a feast over her rotting body. And guest what? I actually got myself a souveneir from her," I threw them the silver pendant. "And Ethan? Ethan..."

Tremors shook me as I sobbed at the weight of everything that has happened. Don't I deserve to mourn? Don't I deserve to at least rest a bit? Kota scoffed. "I guess humankind's doomed."

"Kota..." Rosario reprimanded.

"Look at her Sensei! Yuki and I lost our family and friends too but we never—"

"I lost mine twice! You know you're pretty much the same with His Majesty here. And if you haven't noticed, humankind has been doomed all these time! You want me to save your world? Fine, I will." I stood up and saw Dime hesitate as he took a step forward to help me when I wobbled.

"Serenity, where are you going?"Rosario stood up from the carpet and Yukino instantly came to her side to help her.

"I will fulfill that fucking prophecy of yours!" I said and turned to leave but Dime's hard hands restrained me.

"Are you crazy? You're just going to die out there!" A smirk crossed my lips.

"I'm not Micah so it's none of your business." A familiar sensation started to build inside me and the look on everyone's face told me that it reverberated all over the place. "This is what you want right? You want me to defeat them?!"

"Se-Serenity. Please, calm down. This is not the right way to deal with things. Don't go rushing for your death." Yukino said and cautiously walked towards me as if I'd lash out all the force I built inside.

"My my, our sweet lovely Yuki. So concerned for me and my life. Why is that? Oh, right because I am humanity's hope right? Don't worry, I'll take them down with me when I die." I pushed Dime away but all of a sudden my sight was plunged into oblivion. Kota. It's his ability. "Give me back my sight Kota."

"No. You don't know what you're doing."

"I said. Give. Me. Back. My. Sight!" A gushing wind blew and together with a shrilling cry from Kota, my sight came back.

"Nii-san!" Yukino rushed towards her brother and I rushed outside to where the dark force was. But somehow it felt like the force building up inside me was darker than what's outside. It was scary but enticing. It was so strong, so overwhelming. It was frightening but it felt good. So good. Too good.

Whoever owned the dark power was advancing forward. He felt mine and he's coming. I was too engrossed, too drunk from the overwhelming force to notice the Risen falling lifeless one by one. My lips parted and my eyes closed at the delicious sensation of the cool chilly energy surging from my foot to my entire body.

"Serenity!" I didn't have to open my eyes to know it's Dime. "S-stop this please."

"Oh, Your Majesty, I'm not your Micah."

He released a sigh of exasperation. "I know but please. It's not just you who's going to be in danger. You're putting all of them at risk."

"This is what they want."

"No. I don't know what they want either but it's clear to me that what you're doing is not the right thing."

A moan of pleaseure escaped my lips when I felt whoever it was from the Brotherhood getting closer and closer. "He's coming, Dime." My eyes flew open and excitement rushed through me. "I'm going to suck the life out of him and the Brotherhood will be no more. How do you think should I kill him? Micah? They killed her didn't they? You want them dead, don't you? Come with me, let's finish them together."

For a moment I thought he'd take my offer but he hesitated. "You want revenge too right?! I got mine the day I killed Marco. The day you found me. It was wonderful, Dime. Can't you feel it? Mmm... This force. I know it'll get stronger. You'll get your revenge and everything will be okay."

"Will it?" I smiled triumphantly and nodded, assuring him of our success. He stepped forward.

"Don't listen to her Dime!" Rosario's frail voice echoed. She, together with Yukino and Kota emerged from the crack on the ground. "Serenity, get a hold of your senses. Remember what you felt after taking the lives of those Babylonians. This is not you."

"Who are you to tell me who I am? You want me to do this right? This is what you want. You want your peaceful life back but you're stopping me from fulfilling it? Shouldn't you be thanking me now?"

Yukino finally got a good look around and she gasped. "Sensei Rosario! The Risen, they're..."

Rosario shook her head in dismay. "So it was us who drove her into this then. We can't really help it."

"Here you are, finally..." I stirred around and saw men wearing black cloaks with their hoods on.

"I didn't expect to see you here too, Dime." One of them said.

Dime's lips quivered in fury as recognition finally came. "Rancho? It's you?!"

"Of course it's me Brother!" The guy he called Rancho took his hood off and gave him a sinister smile.

"You call me your Brother?!" Disgust filled his voice. "You're from the council and you never once told me! You're one of those who—"

"Yes Dime, I killed your love." Dime strode towards him and the guy he called Rancho let out his stored force to inflict him pain. Surprisingly, Dime didn't flinch. I was intrigued as to what would happen next but blood thirst got the best of me. Each and every cloaked man fell on their knees wailing in pain. Three men stood their ground, including Rancho. Dime froze and cast me a horrified look.

"This. Is. Revenge Dime." A giggle escaped my lips but the three men's combined force directed at me was infuriating. Only then did I realize that there were three more energies directed towards me. Rosario's, Kota's and Yukino's.

It angered me. "Why are you stopping me?"

"Serenity, you're heading the wrong direction!" Rosario said but I am in no mood to listen to her preach.

"No one's going to tell me what's right and wrong!" In a snap those men on their knees wilted lifeless on the ground. A strong wind stirred and even Dime stepped away. Slowly as if with heavy feet, Rancho came forward. We stared eye to eye. A sob escaped my lips when I saw Ethan vomiting blood. He's using my memories. "N-no. Ethan..." A sharp pain jolted me and I realized he stabbed me on my shoulder.

"You son of a bitch!" Dime came and tore Rancho away from me. I looked around and saw three of my companions on their knees, writhing in pain. They were too weak to face the Brotherhood. The two still figures caught my attention and I knew instantly that it's their doing. My chest heaved in anger and I straightened my back drawing strength from everything that has life. Their energies were seeping from the ground and I turned my concentration at the silvery white light surrounding them.

Slowly I knelt, placing my palm on the ground. Just like how I sucked life out of the Babylon Guardians, their energies, their lives, their souls were transferred to me. Dime stood up confused when Rancho suddenly lay dead in his arms when all he did was beat him. "Serenity!" I didn't know what he saw but he sounded horrified. "Serenity stop! They're all dead." Dead? But I can still feel them.

I looked around and saw everyone the Risen and the Brotherhood lay motionless, dead. The Risen, dead? My eyes found my hand on the grassy earth. Whose energy is this then? The grasses together with the trees dried up, the ground shook, the wind stirred forming a tornado, and the heavens darkened. At first it was divine but sucking up too much energy without any form of release was too much for my body to take.

"Rosario! What are we going to do? If this keeps up what happened fifty years ago would just repeat itself!" Kota said in a weak but frantic voice. Repeat itself? I wanted to ask but the matter at hand just made me let it pass at the moment.

Dime's contorted but godly face came into view. He knelt in front of me, his hands on mine. "Let it go, Serenity." Our eyes met and as encouraging as he looked, my hands seemed to have been stuck on the ground.

"I-I can't." Together with my sob came a hysterical plea. "I can't take my hands off. He-help me! Dime, please." A look of despair and anguish came all over his face but even before I got the chance to regret the misery I had brought upon him, my head was whacked with an unbearable pain.

"Oh, shit!" Rough hands came to my face. Dime wiped something—which I guessed was blood—from my nose. "Rosario, help her please. This thing, this thing is killing her. You know what to do right? Please..."

A piercing cry escaped my lips. "Please, please make it stop! It hurts, it hurts. Please!" Dime's rough hands were replaced with frail thin ones and I saw Rosario kneeling in front of me. "Please, make it stop."

A sad smile crossed over her lips as she nodded. "Release it."

"I-I don't know how..."

Unseeing, Rosario caressed my cheek and swept my hair off my face. "Yes you do. Just like how you did with Marco."

"It would-would kill you."

"I'm old and would be a hindrance to your mission. Just remember this day and know that you hold the choices not just for yours but for everyone else." I felt Dime wrap his arms around from behind me. He held my hands tight. "Do it, Serenity."

For a moment I hesitated but the pain was becoming too unbearable. "I got you, Serenity. Just let it go, it'll be fine. Trust me..." Dime whispered, kissing my hair and circling his thumbs over the back of my palm. My body convulsed and I threw my head back as blood came from my mouth. "Dammit! Rosario, she's not letting go. Her body can't take anymore energy from the earth, it's destroying her from inside out."

"Just hold her and make her let go."

Dime tightened his arms around me as if scared. As if he was afraid of losing me. "If you hold on to this, everything will be destroyed Serenity, including you. Is this what Ethan would want for you? Do you think seeing you like this would make him happy? He wants you to keep on living. Think about him. Think about how proud he'll be if you get over this. I got you. I'll be here. Do you trust me?"

I nodded unable to speak. "Good. At the count of three, sweetheart. One. Two. Three." With a piercing cry I let all the force out towards Rosario. I didn't know for how long it took before I got it all out but when it was finally over, my body collapsed in Dime's arms. I couldn't move a muscle, it was as if I too have been drained, and Dime's audible whispers of assurance sent warm and comforting blanket that finally made me doze to sleep.

"Everything will be okay, Serenity. It's going to be. I won't leave you..."