Chapter 12: Dark Harpies

The Mortal Realm

Freewood City, Zana's House

"They are here! We need to get out of here. Mizuri!" Farran’s frantic voice stirred out my peaceful sleep.

She kept talking too loud from the living room. Nang marinig ulit at pagtawag niya sa kanyang familiar ay napamulat na ako ng mga mata.

We are in the Mortal Realm and a gigantic eagle must not be seen by any mortals! I jumped off my bed and was about to run outside when I noticed the change of colors in the house. Everything's slowly turned black and gray. I could also sense the time has stopped.

Ihinahanda ko ang aking sarili habang tinatahak ang hagdan. Napatingin ako sa hindi gumagalaw na orasan, ala sais na ng umaga. Nang buksan ko ang pinto palabas ay napaawang ang aking labi nang masaksihan ang pagkawala ng kulay sa paligid.

As if we are in another dimension. But what caught my guard is when I saw the two guys outside the gate. 

"What the? What are you two doing here?!" I practically ran towards them.

"Magpapaalam sana ako kay Farran. Kaso hindi ko inaasahan 'to," sagot ni Patch nang makabawi siya ng tingin mula sa pagkakatingala. 

"How about him?" I looked over at Jared who was still dazed at the sky.

"Nabanggit kong may demigod akong nakilala. Na-curious kaya sumama. Bakit parang may kakaiba rito?"

Napakuyom ang aking kamao bago tumingala sa kulay abong kalangitan. My eyes widen in shock as I saw dark harpies roaming in the air.

Sinundan ko ng tingin ang paglipad ng familiar ni Farran sa hindi kalayuan. Isa itong malaking agila na may napakalapad na pakpak, na kayang takpan ang isang buong bahay. Hindi ko maintindihan ang nangyayari lalo na ang pagbabago ng kulay ng buong kapaligiran. 

"Farran!" pinagsisihan ko ang pagsigaw dahil napalingon sa akin ang mga harpies. 

"Another reignian blood!" sigaw ng isa habang nakaturo sa akin ang mahaba at matilos nitong kuko.

There are nine harpies a few meters above us. The wings and tails of the harpies were pitch black and instead of fingers and feet, they have claws and talons.

Clearly, they are not the harpies of Zeus, nor the harpies of the Furies. Someone else was taking care of them as they have a red symbol around their necks.

"What the f**k is going on?"

Napaigtad ako sa biglang pagtaas ng boses ni Jared. Hindi ko inakala na makakabawi siya sa pagkabigla sa kanyang mga nakikita. 

"Ano ang mga 'yon?" dagdag ni Patch mula sa aking likuran.

"I don't have the time to explain," I said as I fixed my stance. "Quick, hide yourselves inside the house."

Napaatras ako nang mapansing may ilang harpies ang nagtungo sa aming direksyon. Ang tatlo sa kanila ay binugahan kami ng hangin gamit ang kanilang mga pakpak. Hindi ko iyon napaghandaan, huli na bago ko naagapan—tumilapon kaming tatlo nina Jared.

Tumama ang aking likod sa bakal ng gate. Ramdam ko ang kaunting sugat sa aking katawan. Matalim at nakakakahiwa ang hangin mula sa mga harpies. 

"s**t!" I heard them cursed.

I looked at my left and saw the two of them laying flat on the ground. "I told you to g—"

I couldn't finish my sentence as I felt a pull upwards! Dinagit ako ng isang harpy. Nagpupumiglas ako ngunit nagpaikot-ikot ito na nagpasakit sa ang aking ulo. Gumawa ito ng matinis na ingay bago ako inihagis paitaas. Sa maikling sandaling iyon ay tumigil ang t***k ng aking puso. 

Escape!

I felt the gush of wind on my face as I fell rapidly to the ground. I kept calling my familiar but I couldn't find him. My parents did a great job keeping my familiar away from me.

"Zana!" Farran shouted.

I opened my eyes and saw her as she rode at the back of her familiar. She flew towards me but my sight became blurry. But I managed to see how the harpies made her way towards me, difficult. Her familiar twirled to avoid the harpies' wind attacks and luckily, they made it to me.

Bago ako bumagsak sa lupa ay nakasakay na ako sa likod ng malaking agila ni Farran. Nakahawak ako sa balikat ni Magnus dahil siya ang aking nasa harapan habang nasa pinakaunahan niya si Farran.

"Are this creatures after you?!" tanong ko habang abala pa rin si Farran sa pagpapalipad sa kanyang agila.

"I don't know! When I accepted my mission, creatures of darkness started to chase us! It should be the other way around!" she answered. 

I was confused by what she said. What does she mean by it should be the other way around? 

"Was it because of this guy?!" I pointed at Magnus.

"We don't know!"

"What is your mission all about?!" I asked again.

Ang hirap magsalita habang nasa himpapawid. Halos hindi na mapasukan ng hangin ang aking baga. Hindi na ako makapagmulat ng mata dahil sa tulin ng lipad ni Mizuri. Ngunit naaninag ko pa rin na sinusundan kami ng mga harpies.

"Magnus' father ordered him to haunt down the monsters that escaped from Tartarus! My mission is to help him, to bring back those monsters to their prisons!" she explained as she manuvered her familiar to fly higher. 

I was about to ask for more but I noticed the sudden change of direction of her eagle.

"Duck over!" she commanded and so we did. 

A harpy almost caught us. I bit my lip in frustration as the wind continued to fan on my face. We need to kill those creatures but in my situation, I have no weapon to use. And I can't fight in this position. The Azure Kingdom's people are way better in aerial combat.

"Where's your sword, Zana? We need a hand to fight those pests!"

I gritted my teeth. No one realized that my familiar is not with me. They are not aware that my parents sealed Escape and they didn't let anyone know it since it was a disgrace to the family. 

"Let's fight them on the ground. I can't fight in this situation... this is not my territory!"

Sumunod si Farran sa aking sinabi at pinababa si Mizuri. Inayos ko ang aking tayo nang makababa. Walang sinayang na pagkakataon ang mga kalaban at mabilis kaming pinaulanan ng mabangis na hangin. Nasangga iyon ni Farran dahil gumawa siya ng malaking ipo-ipo.

Umingay ang mga harpies bago nagpaikot-ikot sa aming itaas. At muntik ko pang makalimutan na may dalawa pang nilalang na bago sa mga nangyayari. Mabilis ko silang pinuntahan.

"Get inside the house!" sigaw ko at pinakatitigan si Jared. "Hindi ka puwedeng mapahamak!" 

"Tapos ako, oo?" takang tanong ni Patch.

Hindi ko pinansin ang mga reaksyon nila dahil mas kailangan ako nila Farran. Ngunit hindi ko maaaring pabayaan ang dalawang ito.

"How stubborn can you all get? I said, get inside the house!"

Inilibot ko ang aking paningin sa paligid. Marami na ang natumbang puno at nasirang bubong ng bahay at mga lupa na nahukay. Mula sa bahay ko at sa dalawa pang kasunod na bahay ang tanging nawalan ng makukulay na pinta ng buhay.

Ang nanatiling may mga kulay ay kaming lima at ang siyam na harpies na nasa himpapawid pa rin. Lumingon ako sa labas ng gate nang mapansin na may ibang mga mortal na naglalakad sa labas. Para bang hindi nila kami nakikita at patuloy lang sila sa kanilang mga buhay. 

Napanganga ako ng maunawaan ang malaking bilog na nakapalibot sa amin at sa lugar kung saan nakatayo ang aking bahay.

The Aides shield. 

We are in some kind of barrier that kept us away from the present time. Anything that happens inside the shield will remain inside. Once the shield is removed, anything that has been damaged or destroyed will also return to its original state before the cast of spell.

But the living ones who are inside the shield, if they get wounded or if they die, they will remain that way. Dissolving the shield won't make up their wounds or make them alive again. Ang may ganitong mga kakayahan ay ang mga nasa lahi ni Hades. 

"Tulong..." Napalingon kaming tatlo sa isang babae na nakadantay sa puno hindi kalayuan sa amin.

Nagtaka ako dahil paanong napadpad ang babaeng iyon doon? Bakit hindi niya alintana ang ang mga lumilipad sa itaas namin? Hindi ko alam kung ano ang aking uunahin. Ang tulungan ang babaeng iyon o sina Farran na kinakalaban ang mga dark harpies.

"Patch—sandali!" sigaw ko dahil walang pasabi niyang nilapitan ang babae.

Hindi niya dapat ginawa iyon dahil hindi namin alam kung ilan talaga ang aming kalaban. Maaaring isang patibong ang babaeng iyon.

"Your friend is so stupid!" I hissed at Jared who looked conflicted.

Napatitig ako sa kanya dahil sa pagiging magulo ng sitwasyon. Marahas ko siyang hinatak papasok sa loob ng bahay. At bago pa siya matauhan sa aking ginagawa ay pinalibutan ko ang buong bahay ng matibay na yelo.

"What the f**k is this?" galit na sigaw niya habang kinakalampag ang nakaharang sa pintuan.

"I need you to be safe! You will ruin my concentration with you outside!"

Tinalikuran ko siya para harapin ang mga kalaban. Ngunit napahinto ako nang makitang nawala sa konsentrasyon si Patch habang hawak siya ng babaeng humingi ng tulong kanina.

It took me a minute before I realized everything. That woman is one of those dark harpies! She was only in her human form but even in that form, a harpy is still noxious. They can hypnotize and make their prey go to sleep because of their strong pheromones.

"Stupid werewolf!"

Ang aking pagkataranta ay humupa nang maalala na hindi ordinaryo si Patch. Isa siyang supernatural being at hindi siya gaanong matatablan pheromones ng harpies—iyon ay kung may malakas siyang konsentrasyon.

Nang mapagtanto ng babaeng iyon na hindi niya napapasunod si Patch ay lumayo siya rito. Hindi natagal ay nakarinig ako ng tunog ng nababaling mga buto at pagkapunit ng laman. Ang maamong mukha ng babae ay nagbago. Naging mabangis hanggang sa tubuan ito ng itim na pakpak sa likod.

She changed to her demonic form–her harpy form. She hissed before jumping into the air and lunged at the werewolf's direction.

"Patch!" 

"Huh?" he shook his head and was about to run but he was easily outrun by the harpy's speed.

Nang tamaan si Patch sa kanang balikat ng matalim na kuko ng harpy ay sumugod ako sa para magpaulan ng ice spears. Nagtangis ang aking panga ng hindi ko matamaan ang harpy na iyon dahil sa bilis nito.

"Why did the gods gifted them with unbeatable speed?"

I tried to hit the enemy several times but nothing happened. I'm annoyed since there is one opponent but I'm still struggling. 

"Let me help!" sigaw ni Jared ngunit hindi ko pinansin.

It is safer if he excluded himself in this situation.

"Patch! Run back to the house!" luckily the werewolf did what I said even though he looked elated as he stumbled while running.

I ran the distance between the harpy while I kept throwing ice blasts at her. When we were only a meter apart, I couldn't deny I was nervous.

"What do you want?"

She flapped her wings. "Torture those reignian blooded who are written in the book of prophecy."

Prophecy.

"Why do you want to torture us and not kill us instead?"

She arched her brow. "Are you dumb? Harpies doesn't kill, we only torture. When we are done torturing your bodies we will bring you to the Oblivion," she chuckled, "You're all a hindrance to our master's plan."

I pursed my lips. I want to know more about our enemy and the Oblivion. "Who is your—"

She hissed. "Enough with the talking!"

And with that she thrust her way towards me. I dodged her first move but failed on the second attack because of her unbeatable speed. Her sharp claws pierced my left leg and I fell on the ground. I summoned my strength to make an ice spear to protect myself.

Umamba ulit siya para atakihin ako ngunit isinangga ko ang aking ice spear. Gumawa ng tunog ang pagsasalpukan ng kanyang kuko at ng aking sandata. Inaamin ko kahit nawawala na ang sakit sa aking mga natamong sugat ay wala pa rin akong maisip na paraan para mapatay ang kalaban.

"Zana! Merge with your familiar!" I turned to Farran when she shouted that.

It turned out that she and Mizuri became one. Farran Nivlock is now in her full power. She transformed into a sexy lady with the looks of an eagle. She has a pair of large chocolate colored wings and sharp claws.

I can't.

Hindi ko pinansin ang sinabi ni Farran at itinuon muli ang atensyon sa aking sitwasyon. Kinabahan ako ng hindi makita ang aking kalaban. Lumingon ako sa paligid at ilang sandali pa ay nakarinig ako ng matinis na ingay mula sa itaas.

It was too late to realize that my opponent was just above me. I fell on my knees as the pain in my ear doubled. I felt the gush of wind from above and seconds later, there is a pang of pain on my back. 

"Ah!" I screamed. The harpy gave me another blow of destructive wind.

I bounced off the ground before I hit a tree. My clothes were almost torn to shreds and my body was covered in blood by the injuries I had sustained. My breathing was sluggish and I could barely breathe. I tried to look for my enemy and I saw her flying towards me.

"Damn it! Tumayo ka!" narinig kong sigaw ni Jared. 

Napalingon ako sa direksyon ng bahay at nakita ang nasirang pintuan na binalutan ko ng aking kapangyarihan.

"How the styx did he get out of my ice prison?"

Oh, he is a demigod, of course he will find a way. But seriously, why is he running towards me?

"Iieeck!" the harpy's raspy and irritating voice shot me back to reality. 

Sumakit ulit ang aking tenga dahil napakatinis ng tunog na iyon. Binugahan niya ako ng hangin ngunit bago ito tumama sa akin ay nasa harapan ko na si Jared at sinangga ang pag atakeng iyon! Tumilapon siya ng ilang milya. Hindi siya gumawa ng kahit anong kilos kaya ako ay nabahala.

"Jared!" sigaw ko at pinilit makatayo para makatakbo sa kanya.

Terror washed over me as I saw a group of harpies aiming in his direction. I pushed myself to run fast. Luckily, before the harpies get a hold of him I managed to lift up his body. I ran away from those birds' range. Fortunately, Farran's grabbed their attention so they couldn't follow us.

"Jared, wake up," I called and tapped his face but there is no response.

I leaned my head against his chest. He is still alive but his breathing and heartbeats are faint. I looked up and saw Farran fighting six harpies and below her was Magnus who was fighting the other three with his shadows.

Kapag wala sa akin ang aking familiar ay napakahina ko. Para akong isang mortal dahil wala akong magawa sa sitwasyong ito. Walang malay si Jared na may malaking sugat sa kanyang magkabilang braso at tiyan. Nag uunahan sa paglabas ang kanyang dugo mula roon. 

"You are so stupid. Why did you even do that?"

My brother used to protect and pamper me with love and safety. And when he died, I trained myself to only take care of myself as no one will ever do that for me. Ngunit ngayon ay nabigo akong protektahan ang aking sarili at may isang lalaking gumawa no'n para sa akin.

Prinotektahan niya ako kahit hindi malalim ang aming pagkakakilala sa isa't isa. I only met him weeks ago but he put his life in danger to save me. I touched his forehead and sighed.

"Thank you for saving me. In return I must help you in any way I can," I put my hands on his left chest.

As annoying as he is, I still prefer seeing his blue eyes than him being unconscious.

I stared at his face with bruises. "After what you did, you pushed me to become stronger–not just because of pressure. And not just to protect myself… but to others too."

Despite their race. I realized that when he took the blow that was aimed at me. I need to make myself stronger for others.

"Zana! Watch out!" sigaw ni Farran.

Nanlaki ang aking mga mata nang makitang lumilipad sa aking direksyon ang siyam na harpies! Nawala ako sa konsentrasyon dahil sa pag aalala kay Jared. Lumakas ang t***k ng aking puso kasabay ng paglakas ng hangin sa aking direksyon.

Wala sa akin ang aking familiar, hindi ko masisigurado ang kaligtasan namin ni Jared. I gritted my teeth as I enveloped Jared's body with my arms. I hugged him tight. I won't die from the harpies' attacks but their attacks will hurt like how Zeus felt when Athena came out of his head.

But their blows would be fatal to this demigod and he might die if I fail to protect him. Handa akong tanggapin lahat ng mga atake ng kalaban. Mas importate ang buhay ni Jared kaysa sa akin dahil siya ang susunod na hari ng aming kaharian.

"Zana!" Farran called again but I ignored her as I felt the destructive winds cut through my skin.

I can't help but silently cry because of the pain and how pathetic I am. If I am not weak, I can save them but I am not really that strong.

"Iieeck!" I heard the harpies as they got near.

I tightened my hold to the demigod. Physical pain is nothing compared to the emotional pain I felt five years ago.

"Zana!"

I wish I was stronger!

Suddenly, my body turned to its coldest state. I have a strange feeling but I couldn't name it. All I could think about was to protect Jared. After a while, something came out of my body, to protect me.

Thick ice spears like a fang of a wolf. I gasped as I realized that he is here. Tears welled up in my eyes because of joy and pain.

"Es!" I screamed at the top of my lungs.

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