Chapter 13: At least I did my best

The next night nasa likod kami ng bahay ni Paris sa training ground namin ni Mr Leomoro.

We were facing each other. He is smiling to me. I can feel the confidence in his body.

Sabay kaming lumayo sa isa't-isa.

Mr Leomoro will be our referee. Ititigil kaagad 'yung laban if hindi na kaya ng isa or may sumuko na sa 'min.

I am not allowed to use Mr Leomoro. Sinadya ko since I want to use Curtain Paris. I can't use both of them in the battle at the same time. Draining talaga 'yun sa energy ko. I know the importance of staying longer in the battle.

Ayaw kong maging intro lang, tapus kulelat na sa kalagitnaan.

Curtain Paris was sitting in my shoulder. I can feel his long black cloack brushing in my thin white long sleeve.

"The fight begin." Mr Leomoro shouted.

I deppen my connection to Curtain Paris. Hindi na 'yung spiritual threads 'yung ginamit ko sa kaniya. 'Yung mga threads na sa long hair ko. Mas smooth to compare sa spiritual threads since I have direct control to Curtain Paris. Parang hinahawakan ko na siya.

Na stunned ako. I can't think carefully, feeling ko overflooded ng iba-ibang information ang utak ko. This is Paris doing.

I relax my self. I scattered the soft threads on the surrounding to identify kung nasaan siya since nasa blind spot ko siya.

I feel a vibration at my back.

"Ahhh!"

Mas sumakit 'yung ulo ko.

Mas lumakas 'yung vibration. Sa likod ko.

Curtain Paris block the punch of Paris. Nakawala ako sa stunning ability niya. Lumayo kaagad ako sa kaniya. Wala talaga akong chance manalo sa kaniya if he keep interrupting the processing of my brain.

I hope na may certain range limit 'yung ability niyang 'yun.

Ayan na naman. Para akong masusuka. Umiikot 'yung paningin ko sa paligid. Since I was preoccupied sa nangyayari sa 'kin. I lost the ability to control my threads.

Nakakainis 'tong ability niya. He is inflicting unknown type of damage in my brain. Mas nakakainis pa dahil nagawa niya 'yun ng walang kahirap-hirap.

May biglang pumasok na ideya sa utak ko.

I wrap the curtain like clothes of Curtain Paris in my whole body. With it mahihirapan talaga si Paris na atakehin ako. It also might show my cowardness.

I am just being clever. Hindi pwede na magpatuloy 'yung pag control ni Paris sa thoughts ko matatalo talaga ako. Mas magiging cocky na naman siya because he defeated me easily.

Inside I notice na biglang nawala 'yung influence na ginawa ni Paris sa utak ko. Curtain Paris can also block invisible attacks.

This is what I mean bizzare. Ang hirap I counter ng ability niya. I don't know how to fight him. I feel hopeless. Parang wala akong mean to defeat him with my ability which makes me annoyed.

I wrap my head with Curtain Paris cloak.

I saw Paris he was smiling.

"Wise move Fate. Somehow na lessen mo 'yung mga mental attacks ko. Pero hindi lang 'yan 'yung kaya kong gawin."

Bigla siyang dumami sa paningin ko. I can't see who's real and illusion. If I use the other mode of my eye sight, sasakit talaga ang mata ko kaka identify kung sino sa kanila ang totoo.

Impossible na mahulaan ko kung alin ang true body sa kanila in short period of time.

Papunta silang lahat sa 'kin. I slash many threads around me. If it was touch by an illusion hindi gaanong malakas 'yung vibration. I can find his real position sa pamamagitan ng degree of vibration na mararamdaman ko once my spiritual threads touched him.

I have to closed my eyes to deppen my concentration. I use my passive ability. Granting. Lumabas na naman 'yung spiritual limbs of spider sa likod ko, it helps me to control the threads. Nabawas-bawasan na 'yung problema ko.

I immediately open my eyes once I identify his real body. Umarte ako na nalilito. I'm not sure if gagana 'to.

"I know that you already identify the real body." Nag echo ang boses niya.

There's no point of acting. I face him. I change the quality of threads around him. With the help of my spider limbs mabilis ko siyang natalian ng mga sinulid ko.

I thought that I successfully grasp his legs and arms pero 'yung napalibutan ng threads ko ay illusion. Paanong nangyari 'yun? I'm sure na 'yun ang real body.

"Arg!"

Hindi pa ako nakakagawa ng next move ko may tumama ng malakas na suntok sa mukha ko.

"You are pre occupied kaya ang dami mong na miss na important detail."

Paris don't show mercy at me. He kicks my stomach very hard parang punishment sa kapabayaan ko.

Muntik na akong matumba. I balance my self immediately.

He is enjoying this.

I change the quality of my threads, it become very thin and sharp. I try to wrap his whole body with it but again illusion na naman 'yung nahuli ko.

Para siyang nag teleport.

Bigla ko na lang naramdaman ang malakas na sipa sa balakang ko. Nawalan ako ng balanse at 'di napigilang matumba.

I know that I loss parang ang hirap tanggapin. Ngayon ko lang na realize na ang hina ko pa pala. I want to cry but I stop it. Nakakahiya.

Paris reveal his real body infront of me. He cancelled his illusions.

"You can't be weak Fate. You're not allowed to cry na. The only thing you can do is to continue improving yourself.

Pero not bad." He is cheering me up.

Inabot niya ang kamay niya sa 'kin. I hold it he helps me to get up.

"Ang weird ng puppet mo. The moment I touch if I feel a little shake in my spirit."

I scan his thread. He was infected with a slightly bad luck na mawawala rin naman siguro mga 10 hours.

Since bitter ako, wala akong ginawa to remove the curse in his threads.

I thought that I can give Paris a good fight. But he defeated me easily. I'm a little sad because of it. Akala ko I'm more stronger because two heads is better than one. But It's quality over quantity.

Still I smiled and remove the dust in my long sleeve.

"Ang lakas mo," I genuinely praise him.

"I'm still far from being stronger.

Kung si Mr Leomoro kaya ang ginamit mo instead of Curtain Paris ano kayang magiging flow ng laban."

"I don't know. Maybe I have a little chance to defeat you."

"Can't you use the both of them at the same time?"

"Pwede naman pero hindi tatagal 'yung energy ko sa laban. Kay Mr Leomoro pa lang mabigat na sa energy ko plus kay Curtain Paris pa, baka hindi na ako makagalaw pagkatapos ng laban.

Oh I almost forgot 'yung pinacommision ko na coffin kay Curtain Paris I have to get it tonight. Gusto mong sumama?"

"Coffin? For what?"

"It's for sealing Curtain Paris curse."

"Wait, wait I thino that you forget something important to tell me. Sa'n mo ba napulot si Curtain Paris? Did you make him like this or not?"

"Curtain Paris is a corpse nu'ng nakita namin siya. In order to improve him I conduct a ritual asking blessing from the Angel in our domain.

Maybe I am born to be lucky my wish was granted. Curtain Paris turn to be like this. I don't want him to harm other people with his curse, he can't control it. Curtain Paris share to me how to seal his bad luck curse so I plan to seal it.

It will be unleash if I need Curtain Paris protection."

"Wow ang swerte mo nga. Imagine an angel grants you wish. I envy you because of that."

"Try mo rin baka I grant ng angel of mind domain 'yung wish mo."

"Gumagana lang 'yan sa mga minor wishes. My wish is very vast and hard to obtain. Surely I will be ignored or I might be curse for summuning them with my unreasonable wish."

"Ano bang wish mo?"

"Secret muna. I tell it to you once I obtain it already."

"Ok I wish you luck."

"Ahh!"

Naglakakad kami papunta sa pinto nang biglang natipalok si Paris. May bato siyang nasipa na naging dahilan ng pagkawalan niya ng balanse sa katawan.

"Ang malas mo," I comment.

Dali-dali siyang tumayo to save his dignity.

"Kasalanan 'to ng puppet mo," he said sabay tingin sa taas. Curtain Paris was following us.

Napatawa na lang ako.

"Deserve mo 'yan. Look at my face 'di ba namaga. Quits lang tayo. Tas 'yung paa ko, I try to walk normally nakakahiya naman kung paika-ika ako."

"Hindi mo kasi ginamit si Mr Leomoro."

Nasa likod namin si Mr Leomoro.

"Sinong magiging referee?"

"Wala."

"No that's against the law."

"Tigil-tigilan mo sa 'kin 'yang mga law law mo Fate. Nag abogado ka na lang sana. May sense of justice ka naman."

"Salamat na lang. Enough na 'yung 4 years kong pag-aaral sa university. Tyaka I have a lot of much more important things to do."

"Kumain muna tayo before going to get the coffin of Curtain Paris."

"Surething."