#7: Isa Kang Banta

He begins to walk towards Azer whilst he remains kneeling on the ground.

The man halts one step from Azer and he moves his eyes down to the young man. "At ang akala ko ay totoo ang sinabi nila na ikaw ay may maibubugang kakaibang kapangyarihan, ngunit isa lamang pala 'yong kasinungalingan."

Azer moves his eyes around him, and in his mind, the voice of his grandmother speaks to him. "Apo ko, huwag mong susukuan ang mga malalaking hamon na darating sa iyong buhay.

"Oo napakahirap sa una ngunit darating ang mga susunod na oras at minuto na kakayanin mo iyan, tandaan mo ito at itatak sa iyong puso at sintido."

Azer moves his eyes toward his hands. Blue lightning begins to spark around his fingers and his whole body.

"Gabayan mo ako lola," Azer is closing his eyes, "hindi ko alam kung paano ko ito magagamit subalit aking susubukan na kontrollin ito."

Four men emerge from the filthy water on the small narrow hole on both sides of the ground. 

The man in front of them raises his hand and points his index finger at Azer whose eyes are closed as blue lightning is appearing and disappearing around him.

The four men are sprinting toward Azer. His eyes unseal themselves as a blue dim light forming patterns can be seen from his forehead down to his chest.

Azer arises and travels toward the four men, and he is now standing in front of the man who ordered the four men.

"Such speed," the man or shall we call him leader said.

The four men halt, their thighs shaking not until their heads begin to inflate; their heads burst to pieces as dark green filthy water can be seen on the ground.

Azer remains standing in front of the leader his eyes narrowing at the leader.

"Pagbibigyan kitang umalis," Azer told him.

The leader thrust his hand towards Azer but his hand was grabbed by a hand surrounded by blue lightning particles.

Azer says, "Mukhang hindi ka talaga–!"

He begins to move his eyes downward and witnesses a rusty blade pierced inward his belly.

Azer disappears in a flash whilst the leader begins to chuckle as a hand from his abdomen vanishes.

"Ang nakamamatay na sakit ay nasa kanyang katawan na, wala na siyang kawala." he began to walk in a certain direction.

Azer appears beside a woman who's walking, and then his body strikes her body causing both of them to fall to the ground.

"P-Pasensya na!" Azer stood up from the ground.

Azer begins to sprint while his hand is pressing his abdomen red fluid is flowing from it.

"Ang lalakeng iyon." The woman whom Azer collided with remains staring in the direction wherein Azer is sprinting at.

"Bakit, Rose?" Anna, the woman standing beside her asked.

Rose shifts her red eyes toward Anna, and she calmly shakes her head. "Wala.. may lalake kasi na nakabunggo sa akin."

"Anong itsura?" Anna asked Rose.

"Hayaan na natin, at baka may hinahabol lang at dahil doon ay nabunggo niya ako," Rose told Anna.

"Sa bagay." Anna nodded.

Meanwhile, in an alleyway, red fluid can be seen on the ground. A young man remains to sprint while tightly pressing his abdomen.

He speaks while gritting his teeth. "Mukhang hindi ko na kaya ito, pero ang puso at isip ko ay patuloy pa rin akong ginigising mula sa aking pagkahimbing."

Hence, his thighs down to his feet are shaking vigorously. His knees begin to fold and so he falls to his knees.

A hand comes out from the ground underneath Azer's feet, and the hand holds Azer's foot and pulls him inward to the ground.

Azer crashes into the dark green water. He arises bit by bit as his whole body is trembling.

He moves his eyes around him and the sight of walls with thick dark layers, and the aroma of filth enters his nose.

A hand holds his hand and a woman pulls him as she runs at great speed.

Azer moves his eyes toward the woman whose hand is clasped on his hands. 

He speaks,  "D-Dillian?!"

The woman nods her head and says, "Huwag ka nang dumaldal pa. Bilisan mo ang kilos."

An object from above strikes part of the filthy water and an explosion occurs; the force of the explosion pushes Azer and Dillian.

While falling, Azer points his hand at the bursts of water. From his fingertips: a spark of blue lightning occurs; it multiplies until it forms a blue lightning sphere.

The blue lightning sphere departs from his fingertips and strikes the bursts of water. A man standing on the explosion of water was hit by the blue lightning sphere, the man whom we shall call leader flies away as blue lightning pierces his abdomen.

Azer falls to his knees whilst the leader is walking calmly towards Azer while his upper body is beginning to melt into the form of filthy water.

"I-Ikaw ay isang banta, babalikan pa kita upang ika'y tapusin, Azer." the leader melted and his remains flow along the filthy water.

Dillian arises and jogs toward Azer while he is falling into the filthy water. A pair of hands catch his whole body and Azer looks at the one who caught him.

Azer coughs and strains of blood flow from the corner of his lip as his eyes continue to gaze at the narrowing eyes of Dillian.

"S-Salamat dahil ako'y sinalo mo," Azer told her.

Dillian sees Azer's eyes which are beginning to close. 

She arises as she carries him in her hands, and therefore, she begins to scramble while carrying Azer.