The lightning cracked through the skies, down the ground, the rain dropped like showers from the darkened clouds, and the leaves finally left their branches.

There was no blood, yet half of my hair was down there, it fell faster than anything else. I feel like everything slowed down like I was seeing another version of my self when it did. I was too shocked to move. Then I heard a cracking sound, then another, and finally the last one...the broken shards of the ring left my finger.

Bigla na lamang akong napaluhod sa lupa, both my weapons disappearing and then reappearing countless times, the barrier...I could feel it growing and growing. The magic circles above are widening, they are growing in numbers. Napahawak ako sa ulo ko, ang sakit nito. What is this pain? Is it mine? Energy. I feel different kinds of energy.

My heart was racing so fast as if it was exploding, my body feels heavy and painful, na para bang hinahati akong buhay. My head feels like breaking down into pieces, memories, energies, and emotions...I see all of them...I feel all of them.

Joy; cheerfulness, then there was amusement, ecstasy, gaiety, euphoria, bliss, elation, delight, happiness, jubilation. Zest; enthusiasm, excitement, exhilaration, thrill, surprise, astonishment, amazement.

Love; affection, longing, trust, fondness, attraction, adoration, sentimentality, caring, lust, arousal, desire, passion, infatuation, obsession.

Sadnes; suffering, agony, sorrow, hurt, anguish, disappointment, shame, guilt, remorse, regret, insecurity, alienation, homesickness, embarrassment, humilation.

Anger; fury, rage, wrath, bitterness, loathing, resentment, hate, frustration, exasperation, annoyance, irritation, agitation, aggravation, grouchiness, disgust, revulsion, contempt, jealousy, torment.

Ah all these emotions, one by one entering my body...hindi ko kaya. Hindi ko alam ang mararamdaman ko. What are my emotions? Is this my confusion? Is this my own pain? Or are these just one of these flowing emotions na hindi nanggaling sa akin? Wala na akong maintindihan.

Muli akong napasigaw nang muli ko na namang maramdaman ang ilan pang milyong emosyon. I closed my eyes, open them, close them...I'm crying, I'm smiling, I'm laughing, I'm screaming in pain, and I'm suffering, lahat lahat ng ito ay ang kung ano ang meron ko ngayon.

If I had let her dagger stab me instead, would I have not felt this tormenting emotions? I'd rather feel pain alone than having this billions of mixed emotions in my body. Nadudurog ang puso ko, hindi na makapag-isip ang utak ko dahil sa bawat emosyon na ito ay may halong mga memorya galing sa kung sino man sila nanggaling.

I probably looked crazy right now. But I'm begging anything there is...I wish for this to stop. Can the world just stop for once? Can people make their emotions disappear for once? Hindi ko kaya. Hindi ko kaya. Ang sakit. Ang gulo gulo ng isipan ko. Kay sino ito? Akin? O sa kanila?

My veins, my organs, everything inside me is screaming! And who's fault is this? Kay sinong kasalanan na naghihirap ako ngayon? Is it mine because I tried avoiding her quick attack which resumted to my hair being cut off instead? Looking beside me where my hair lies, a long black silky hair, just a moment ago it was still connected, I could still feel it. Pero ngayon...nasa lupa na ito at hindi na muling babalik pa.

It's Andrea's fault, right? Siya ang may kasalanan kung bakit ako naghihirap ngayon. I'm so angry that I pity her, I'm so sad that I want her dead, I'm so happy that I get to fight her. Yet after all those emotions, I feel completely everything mized together. Did Andrea do this on purpose? Kailangan niya ba talaga akong pahirapan ng ganito dahil gusto niya lang ng totoong laban?

"Keila what are you—" bago pa man niya ako mahawakan ay natilapon na siya sa malayo nang tumayo ako. Due to the immense energy around me, getting any more closer means death.

Why am I so calm now? Ah there it is, that thirst for blood. Would this suffering stop if there weren't any living things around? I laughed, my laughter echoed through the far ends of the forest. The passing breeze carried my unstopping flow of tears away. And the sight of each different growing magic circles on the dark skies brought me pleasantness.

I didn't even have to raise my hand or do anything, with a single ounce of this pure massive energy, may mga lumabas na dragon gawa sa apoy sa bawat kulay pula, may mga lumabas ding mga goblins sa kulay green, brown was thise wandering giant earth golems, ang tubig naman ay para sa mga magliliparang sea dragons, at hindi lang ito, marami pa ang mga lumabas na halimaw mula sa bawat circles. They each stopped and stared only at me, all the monsters filling up the entire area.

"It's dinner time." And with those words, all the monsters headed into their seperate ways hunting for anything in their path.

Guilt overflowed my emotions then, pero nangingibabaw parin ang sakit. Hindi ko kasalanan 'to, wala akong magawa, I need to constantly let out these energy otherwise my body would explode dahil sa sobrang enerhiya ngayon sa katawan ko.

Without even looking, I grabbed Andrea's foot when she was about to kick me from the side. Ang bilis bilis niya, anyone shouldn't be able to keep up eith her speed and strength now, pero mali ang kinakalaban niya ngayon. What could a mere Cursed Mark do to someone like me? Sa tingin niya ba talaga papalagpasin ko ang ginawa niya? I may have forgiven her before a lot of times for her selfishness, but she went too far this time.

Tinapon ko siya sa unahan ko as she landed on the ground with quite a crater because of the impact. Yet she still managed to stand up as if that was nothing at muli na namang tumakbo papunta sa akin. Nagpalabas siya ng ilang-daang daggers sa buong area, at lahat ng ito ay nakatutok sa akin. But with a single flick of my finger, umiba ang direksyon ng mga daggers niya at tumama sa kung saan-saan. Lahat ng natatamaan nito ay biglang nawawasak, dahil siguro ito sa ability niya.

Pero kahit ano kabilis man ng mga atake at daggers niya ay nakikita ko parin ang mga ito. She won't be even able to make a scratch out of me. Dahil sa oras na ito, magagawa ko ang lahat ng gusto ko. Including the fact that I just blocked her punch which sent the trees flying away behind me. Her fist was on my hand, pero ramdam ko kung ano kalakas ang suntok niya.

These bothering emotions...how long will I be able to last until my body dies out? More. I need to let out more spiritual energy if I want to survive. But survive huh? Ano naman ang gagawin ko kung mabuhay pa ako pagtapos nito? Ano naman ngayon kung mapigilan ko nga si Andrea? Ano naman ngayon kung hindi?

Nakalimutan ko na ang mga rason kung bakit ko ito ginagawa. Nawalan na ako ng dahilan kung bakit ko kailangan maghirap. Ang mga nagdadatingan lang na mga emosyong ito ang nagpapabuhay sa akin. It's like my body is trying to fight unconsciously when my heart has already given up.

"You have the nerve to think of something else when your opponent is right here?!" Andrea's voice snapped me out of my thoughts as I was already unknowingly blocking her weapon with mine.

When did I move my arm there? She repeated the same attack pattern using her other free hand pero hindi ko alam kung bakit gumagalaw ang katawan ko kahit hindi ko naman ito pinapagalaw. It's like it was programmed to live and survive on its own.

"Why...?" Napatingin ako sa itim niyang mata dahil sa tanong niya, our weapons still clashing against eavh other repeatedly without a rest. "Why do your eyes look so dead Keila?" It was a question filled with confusion and concern.

It only annoyed me dahil nadagdagan na naman ang enerhiya ko. Why would she even worry about her opponent? Andrea doesn't worry about her opponents in a battle unlike the way Iyana does, it's because she's too self-centered. Plus, my muscles are aching, na parang matutumba na ako, pero hindi magawang sumuko ng katawan ko.

"Is it because I'm too weak? Am I that boring to fight with?" Dagdag niya nang hindi ako sumagot.

That wasn't the case at all. Her Cursed Mark is no joke. Malakas siya, at siguradong pati ang mga Elites ay mahihirapan sa kaniya kapag nagkalaban sila. I remembered the first time her Cursed Mark was activated, only Headmistress was able to stop her. Her dark spirtual energy is on another level at tumataas ito sa bawat negative emotions na nararamdaman niya, because that's her curse. If she wants power that much, then she doesn't deserve happiness. Perhaps not even an ounce of it.

But unfortunately, she's currently fighting someone with the spiritual energy that could probably rival even a God. I'm not exaggerating, malalakas ang mga emosyong nararamdaman ko especially from her dark and negative emotions, and the more deep the emotions are, the more energy will I have. Pero kung gugustuhin ko lang, mas pipiliin ko pang mawalan nakang ng mga emosyon kesa maghirap ng ganito.

I felt her speed and accuracy became even sharper nang mabilis niya akong tinusok sa tiyan ng dagger niya. I avoided it by moving backwards pero may nabuo paring sugat, and it was obvious because even the cloak was ripped at ang maliit na parte ng sweater ko. The pain was real, imagine having a part of the skin cut opened by something sharp, and moreover it was wide. Bumalik ang tingin ko kay Andrea na nagagalit na. Why is she always so angry?

Most people may like being powerful, that included me, but not like this. Noon ay gusto ko maging malakas, dahil ayaw kong mahuli ako sa iba, at higit sa lahat dahil ayaw kong maging mahina. Ganoon naman talaga ang mga tao diba? First they want power then when it becomes too much for them to handle they'd regret it.

"Andrea, let's stop this." Napatigil siya dahil sa sinabi ko at umatras ng kaonti. The wound at the side of my stomach was already healed kahit na umalis lang dito ang tingin ko ng ilang segundo.

"Ano ba ang kailangan kong gawin para maging mas malakas sayo Keila? I even have a Curse just like you do, I have suffered more than you did! So why do I feel like I'm still inferior than you?!" Sigaw niya, her dark eye was glowing more and more. Alam niya ng ang tungkol sa pagiging Cursed Blood ko, did Exodus tell her? Why are they always meddling eith everything?

"So you cut my hair on purpose because you wanted to test how your Curse was effective against mine." I closed my eyes, processing my thoughts.

"Cut you hair? What does it have to do with—" nang binuksan ko ang mga mata ko bigla na lamang siyang nakaramdam ng takot at napaatras ulit. She could actually feel fear now?

Ah I can see my own eyes being relfected from hers, pure blue glowing eyes. I see them as my own yet somehow at the same time I feel like they aren't mine. They really do look so dead, as if I was seeing a part of myself who have lost everything in this world. Lost everything huh? What is it that I've lost in exchange for this power? I get it. I lost my own emotions, because they were replaced by billions from others. I no longer have mine, did they fade away? That explains why I no longer have the same conviction as I have back then.

Ginusto ko ba talagang mabalik si Andrea? Ginusto ko ba talagang maging kaibigan siya? Ginusto ko ba talagang tulungan ang Black Clan? Ang Council? Ginusto ko ba talagang sundin ang mga sinabi ni Headmistress? Ano kaya ang nararamdaman ko nung mga oras na iyon?

Those emotions are the reason why I did all that. I shouldn't have gone involved with these people, because they will only destroy me, and now, Andrea ruined me. She ruined everything for me. Dahil ang nagpapabuhay lang sa isang tao ay ang kanilang mga emosyon, ang dahilan lang kung bakit nila ginagawa ang nga bagay, ang rason, ay dahil sa mga emosyon na nararamdaman nila.

I have emotions. Plently of them. But these aren't mine. Kaya ang gulo gulo ng mga iniisip ko ngayon. Kailangan ko pa ba talagang gawin 'to? I could just let Andrea go without a problem, but what is it that makes me want to stop her? I forgot the reason. I forgot what emotion should I use.

Gumawa ako ng barrier sa palibot ni Andrea and due to her sharp senses, surely she noticed it building around her. Pero bago pa man siya makagawa ng kung ano ay may lumabas ng mga kuryente sa loob ng barrier, reflecting back and forth everywhere inside, continously hitting her.

Of course she felt pain. She couldn't touch the barrier dahil sa patuloy ng tira sa kaniya ng kuryente. Even if she reached for the tiniest corner of it, my electricity would automatically crush her hand. I sighed. I'm feeling the thrill in my body yet deep inside I just want this to stop.

"You suffered more than I did?" I chuckled, at first it was slow, then my laughter became louder and louder echoing as I lifted both of my swords and connected them to each other, the chains binding around them tighter and tighter. "How can it be that you suffered more than I did when I'm feeling billions of sufferings from different people right now?" I can see her eyes widening from that unexpected revalation.

"I'll kill you—no, you're my friend so I shouldn't—friend? Ah hindi, mali, kaaway kita...wait malulungkot ako kung mamamatay ka, o sasaya ba ako? I pity you, at nagagalit ako, pero wala din naman akong nararamdaman..." ah this is so vexing. Ano ba talaga ang nararamdaman ko? I'm such a mess, and because of these different emotions hindi ko na alam ang gagawin ko.

"I just want this to stop Andrea..." I said barely whispering.

The weapons I hold in each of my hand connected to each other started glowing, sa sobrang liwanag nito ay napapapikit narin oati si Andrea na ngayon ay naguguluhan sa mga pangyayari. When she opened her eyes, nagulat siya na naging pulang scythe ang weapon ko. I just imagined my swords to be different, was I imagining a scythe? Or was my weapons acting on their own?

I deactivated the barrier around her at nakita siyang nakaluhod sa lupa, mas nadagdagan pa ang mga sugat niya but still being healed automatically by her dark energy. Lumakad ako papunta sa kaniya habang napatingin siya sa direksyon ko, panting roughly as if tired.

"Did you really think you could defeat me Andrea?" I asked her with honesty. "I'm not even trying." Why am I saying this in the first place? Am I provoking her? Or am I doing this to satisfy myself?

"I did." She seriously said. "And I still do." I frowned. How ambitious.

"No matter how much effort you give, you could never defeat those with real power, Andrea." Bulong ko sa kaniya, naramdaman ko tuloy ang sobrang galit niya. It made me smirk. So I'm doing both huh?

"We'll see about that." Agad akong napatingin sa likuran ko at pinaikot ang scythe ko para maprotektahan ang sarili ko sa walang tigil na pagatake ng mga daggers niya. Again with this attack?

With a single stomp on the ground, natilapon ang mga daggers sa iba't ibang direksyon dahil sa impact ng paa ko sa lupa. Sabay nito ay ang pagharap ko kay Andrea para mailagan ang suntok niya sa likuran ko, but as a result, natamaan niya ako sa sikmura gamit ang isang kamao niya. I had to strike my weapon to the soil para mapatigil ang pag-atras ko. That sudden punch was too strong that I think she broke my ribs. But it doesn't matter, it'll heal. My problem is how she powered up once again.

"Marami pa ang kaya kong magawa Keila, don't underestimate me."

"Then show me."

And with that, we ran towards each other, the wind pressure around us were destroying everything in sight due to our invicible speed. Both our eyes were focused to each other without a sinble blink. Our weapons clashed once more, and as she turned around, biglang naging itim na scythe ang mga hawak niyang daggers just like what I'm holding, except that mine is red.

I could feel our speed increasing continously in every attacks we contact with each other, na kahit ilang ulit man naming tamaan ang isa't isa ay tiyak na mapipigilan namin ito. May it be a kick, a punch—everything, it just doesn't work. Bakit ang hirap niyang talunin? I'm supposed to be the stronger one here! Naggalit ako, naiinis ako, I—is this my emotions? It's not coming from everyone else, nanggagaling ito sa sarili ko.

Tumalon ako mula sa lupa at tinaas ang weapon ko, and from above, I was trying to hit her with my full force. Smashing my scythe to her direction, she blocked it with her own, and now we're entering a battle of strength. I shifted my body around para matamaan siya ulit pero ang bilis din niyang umilag. Just how persistent is she?

May lumabas na liwanag sa kamay kaliwa kong kamay, and while I'm generating large amounts of energy, napatigil siya at ganoon din ang ginagawa niya, except that what's forming in her right hand is a massive amount of dark energy, a contradiction to mine. She could do anything with that dark energy of hers, pero mas marami ang enehiya na nakukuha ko ngayon. Surely she won't be able to protect herself by attacking me with the same attack as I will.

Sa sobrang laki ng enerhiya ay kailangan kong gamitin ang dalawang kamay ko, at ganoon din siya. This spiritual energy is as strong as a thousands of people's energy mixed together. And this will end this battle once and for all.

"You do know either of us could die, don't you Keila?" I seriously don't care whether I survive or live, because at this point, my only concern is whether I could defeat this girl in front me or not.

"I'm sure neither of us mind that." She smiled, that usual smile she shows me.

"I've never really thought we'd met such an ending, Andrea." I honestly confessed.

Back then I was naive, I always depend on her and Iyana, and I was full of life before. When did things go wrong? When did my naive and cliche thinking changed? Somehow deep inside I was hoping the three of us wouldn't change. We fight often, we argue a lot, Andrea always pushes us to our limits, we always follow her, she's selfish but we always had so much fun, but when did all of those go into a wrong durection?

I've always known happiness is such a fleeting emotion, something that won't last long and will always be replaced by sadness and regrets. But before I even knew it, I was already hoping our laughters won't fade away even if the world does. I was already hoping this friendship would last, even though I'm aware it won't. Is that naivety? Is it wrong for me to hope? Or am I simply just saying this because of these emotions that I'm not even sure if I'm they are mine or not. I wonder...if I'd regret ever feeling this way in th future.

"I will win!" Sabay naming sigaw, and finally, both our feets went ahead of their position.

The air was shrill, there nothing but empty spaces of craters all around us, the soil was hard yet it was moist. Weird but our emotions are the same, our thoughts, and the desire to win. The darkened clouds finally cleared up, the moonlight spread around the two of us, and underneath was our footsteps gradually coming into a halt.

And when they did, my left hand was directed to her at ganoon din ang kanan niyang kamay. Finally, our energy collided.