《I Wish You Well》 Fear Me Not Thunder cracking and the wind howling like a mad man, however, the incessant beating of her heart somehow drowns the noise of the heavy outpour of rain. A storm has come in her hometown. No sane person can be seen outside of the buildings nor would they be willing to be caught outside as the wind battered anything that stands in its way. She fears not the weather though but rather the men running after her. There were about four of them, each holding a dark gleam in their eyes. She felt cold but she knows she has to run fast or else they would catch up to her and who knows what might happen next. As she hides behind an alley panting heavily, watching her pursuers, she couldn''t help but wonder why this is happening to her. What wrong could she have done to deserve such an ill fate? Amidst her pondering the men noticed her. She dragged herself away from the darkened alley. Fate however was not on her side for when she turned around the corner she was cut off by a man pointing a gun at her. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Bang!!! The poor girl collapsed on the ground. She couldn''t move a muscle even if she wanted to. There was a searing pain on her left leg. She saw she was bleeding and she started panicking. Never in her life has she felt so scared. She knew they were approaching her but she could no longer contain herself as tears mixed with rain started running down her cheek. That''s when she knew her time''s up. The man who just shot her stood before her. She couldn''t look up to face him. "Please..... don''t kill me," the only words that came out of her mouth as she continued sobbing. No words followed as the man pointed the gun above her head. Everything turned black as the ground was painted red. A Strange Feeling Eyebrows twitching trying to maintain a cool facade as she lightly taps her pen on the armrest, she knows she has to keep calm and not go berserk but damn this horrendous man before her. She would love to shove her pen up the man''s ass being an asshole he is, no pun intended. She''s done nothing wrong but this man keeps spouting words that make it look like she isn''t doing her job properly. She isn''t perfect but there''s no way that she''s gonna let things slide like this. Who is this man you say? His name is Edgar Dimagiba, a sly 54 year old man who is known as an undisputed womanizer. This stocky he-devil is her boss. "Anya!? Are you listening to what I''m saying?,"asked the man with the weird-looking mustache. It''s weird because let''s be honest; Who in their right mind and in this day and age still grows a mustache? "Of course, Sir. I''m well aware of our situation. But, I can''t just do what you ask without the top management''s approval. We all need to agree to this. Everyone must be present," says Anya calmly and politely. If God is up there looking down on the scene, He would be very proud of the way sweet little Anya make such a very professional expression with great effort that is. "How about I talk to the others and see that it will be brought up in the next meeting," Anya continued. Seeing Anya''s resolve, Mr. Dimagiba sighed, stood up from the chair he was sitting in and went out of her office. As soon as he closed the door behind him, Anya turned her seat around. Looking outside the window, she couldn''t help herself from taking in a deep breath. Today was very exhausting, she thought. Not only did she have to finish her reports but she had the misfortune of having to deal with her boss. She couldn''t help feeling the beginning of a slight pounding in her head. Checking the time on her watch she saw it was already 5:00pm. Time to head out and go home. Her workplace is a bit far from the city and so she needs to grab a ride fast if she wants to go home in time for dinner. The sun was already setting down by the time she was at the front gate of her office. She was about to hail a van when suddenly a red Toyota Hilux stopped in front of her. As the driver''s window rolled down, she could see the smiling face of her friend and colleague Cale Edmund Reyes. "Get in," says Cale with a cheeky grin. Cale is a good-looking 29 year old man. Having fair skin and a deep set of almond eyes, he sure is an eyecatcher. He exudes a gentle and easy-going nature that makes people feel comfortable whenever he''s around. Also, his dimples are a bonus feature giving him the appearance of a young and innocent cherub. He is two years older than her. They became friends on Anya''s first day at the office four years ago, when she spilled coffee on his pants. She was running an errand back then trying to do things as fast as she can when the small accident happened. Fortunately this guy has the patience of a saint especially for new employees and so he merely laughed it off. "I thought you were on leave today," says Anya curiously as she climbed in putting on the seatbelt. "I was about to call the office since I was supposed to pick up my mom from the airport earlier but her flight got cancelled and so I decided to come to work," he replied. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. It would be a 45minute drive and so Cale turned on the stereo with Boyce Avenue''s rendition of Adele''s "Easy on Me" blasting through the speakers. Anya started humming together with the song being played as Cale started driving. Then she remembered and suddenly blurted out, "Weren''t you supposed to be celebrating your 2nd anniversary today with Adrian? You were even gonna introduce him to Aunt Agatha in person today, right?" Cale''s expression quickly turned sour. Anya then sensed something was amiss. It was about a year ago, during Cale''s birthday, that Anya met Adrian in person. Cale finally convinced his elusive boyfriend to meet up with her and a few of their close friends for a little dinner party. Adrian was the complete opposite of Cale. Where Cale seems cheerful and adorable, Adrian gives off an unapproachable and distant vibe. He doesn''t talk much and seem a bit brooding. However, Anya noticed that the moment he saw Cale arrive back then, a small smile graced his lips. She knew then that he was very much in love with Cale as much as her friend was in love with him. She knows because when they were still at the beginning of their relationship, Cale couldn''t stop talking about his beloved. It felt like she knew Adrian long before she met the actual person in the flesh. Anya tried to speak but Cale was able to respond first. "We broke up," he replied in a curt tone. His response gave off a silent warning not to press further. Anya wanted to know what happened but she couldn''t speak for fear that she would incur her friend''s wrath. Even a saint''s kindness has limits she thought. Gathering enough courage, she opted to speak carefully out of concern and a little bit of curiousity. "Do you wanna talk about it?" "No," his eyes still focused on the road. Anya couldn''t help but heave a big sigh. She stared out the window thinking this would be a long drive while mentally cursing herself for asking. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Time passed by quickly it seemed as Anya found herself being woken up by Cale tapping lightly on her shoulder telling her they arrived at her house. She didn''t even notice that she fell asleep in the car. She got out quickly happy to know she could finally relax but then turned around to look at Cale who is still inside the car, "Do you wanna come in? I think I still have some spaghetti in the fridge." "Some other time. I promised my sister I''ll join her and her family for dinner," Cale politely declined. "Be careful then. See you tomorrow," Anya replied to which Cale nodded. Anya watched as the car sped away. Seeing her friend no more she was gonna walk toward the front steps of her house when something caught her eye. That something or rather someone was a man who was standing at the corner on the other side of the street two houses away from her own. He''s wearing a green shirt and jeans. He''s been silently staring at the house with a black steel gate. Anya remembered a newlywed couple recently moved in that house two weeks ago. She couldn''t forget those two because the first time they came in her neighborhood the couple visited the houses nearby, including hers, bringing freshly baked cookies to get to know their neighbors. The woman was 25 years old while her husband has the same age as Anya. The couple seemed very warm-hearted. The man on the street looked normal and yet for some unknown reason, Anya felt something was a bit off about him. The other side of the street was dimly lit. She couldn''t clearly see what the man''s face look like. "Strange," she mutters to herself. Time seemed to have stopped for a moment as cold air blew in the chilly December evening. She tried pulling her coat tighter around her. Still, it didn''t appease the uneasiness she felt at the pit of her stomach as it seems to have grown worse. Suddenly, a car passed by honking loudly glaring its headlights on the street. Anya''s trance was broken as she tried blinking her eyes. The moment she looked back at the strange man, no one was there to be seen. Look At Me "Good morning," Anya greets cheerfully as she picked up her phone. "I thought something bad happened to you," Cale says anxiously. His tone clearly shows he''s worried about something. "Why?," Anya asks clutching her phone tightly with her left hand. She was in the middle of fumbling through her bag seeing to it that she has everything she needs inside it before going to work when her phone suddenly rang. "Get out quickly," was Cale''s only response. Confident that everything is in place, Anya quickly puts on her blazer, picks up her bag and walks outside the door. Closing and locking the door behind her, she was instantly greeted by Cale who was frantically pacing back and forth. A sense of relief washed over his face as soon as he saw her. Anya on the other hand, merely raised her eyebrow silently asking what''s up with him. Cale doesn''t speak but rather pointed at the corner on the other side of the street. He seems to be pointing at the house of the newlywed couple she met a few weeks ago. Her neighborhood usually is a quiet place to begin with, but that is not the case this time. She noticed a small group of people standing outside whom she recognized as her neighbors. Eyes slowly focusing on the scene, she saw that there are also two police cars parked outside and a few police officers tying a yellow tape at the gate. "Let''s go over there," says Anya who was still looking at the scene from afar. Cale merely frowned and didn''t say a word. Without looking back, Anya started walking across the street. Hushed whispers echoed through among her neighbors. She can barely pick up the words they were saying. Peering through the crowd she sees a tall, young man with tanned skin. He was wearing a police uniform and talking to someone on the phone. Ending the call, he turned around. Anya recognized him immediately. "Adrian!" she called. The police officer quickly looked around to see who called his name. His eyes widened as he saw Anya. Anya immediately jogged toward him. "I knew it was you, Addy" Anya says with a smiling face. "Hello Anya," Adrian replies. "Don''t call me that," he added with an annoyed tone. He clearly isn''t fond of the shortened form of his name that Anya unceremoniously bestowed upon him ever since their first meeting. Either that or he doesn''t like her at all, Anya contemplated for a moment. Snapping back into reality, Anya''s smile widens. She likes teasing people after all. She was about to make a small retort when Cale suddenly interrupted saying, "Anya let''s go. We''re gonna be late". Damn, she thought. It feels like the world has become a frozen wasteland. Anya felt the uneasiness of the situation. Cale stepped in looking her in the eyes silently pleading for her to just leave with him immediately. Meanwhile, Adrian is playing it cool. She would have been fooled by him if she hadn''t noticed the way he''s trying to avoid looking at Cale. She looked back and forth between them. They were both clearly avoiding each others eyes. As much as she wants to help these two resolve whatever it is that''s caused this rift between them, her curiousity regarding the police''s presence overshadowed it all. "Just a moment," Anya finally spoke. Facing Adrian she continued, "What''s going on?" "Someone was murdered last night," came the reply. The one who answered though wasn''t Adrian. Two middle-aged ladies stepped in. Anya knew them as her neighbors Manang Marie and Aling Tessa. Manang Marie lives next door to hers. She is a short plump woman who likes to wear long dresses with floral designs. True to her nature she is what they call a certified "plantita" with all the kinds of plants that can be seen outside her house. Aling Tessa was an inch taller than Manang Marie. She lives three houses away from hers. She wears round glasses and is a cat person. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. "Good morning," they both said in unison. "Good morning as well Manang Marie and Aling Tessa," Anya replied. Both Adrian and Cale gave the two ladies a polite nod and smile. "Who was killed?" Anya asked. "It was the wife. If I remember correctly, I think her name was Elise. Poor girl, so young and yet her life was suddenly taken away," Aling Tessa gave a sad reply. "What happened to her was awful. The body was already taken away earlier but I heard the husband telling the cops that there was blood everywhere and that her body was covered in cuts and bruises when he found her," Manang Marie added. Aling Tessa gasps, "Really!? I remember chatting with his wife a few days ago. She mentioned that her husband was on a three-day seminar in Manila. I guess he just arrived earlier and found his wife murdered. To think it''s gonna be new year tomorrow, it sounds even more tragic. I wonder who did it." "Who knows? It could have been anyone. Maybe it was the husband," Manang Marie replied. "That''s a bit presumptuous. Why would he kill his own wife? They seemed like a very loving couple," Aling Tessa gave a slightly quizzical look. They then turned their eyes toward Adrian. "What do you think, officer?" Anya couldn''t help but wonder whether she should be annoyed or be proud of her nosy or rather investigative neighbors. It must be their talent. She couldn''t help rolling her eyes. Suddenly, a man wearing a blue cap came over. He stared at Anya. Noticing his gaze, Anya smiled. Startled by Anya''s action, he quickly turned toward Adrian and whispered something in his ear. Adrian coughed, "I''m sorry Ma''am but we are still investigating. This is classified as well. Please excuse me if I have to take my leave." He was clearly irritated by the two ladies'' speculations but he was still giving them a courteous smile. Not only that, but she could also see some sort of relief in his eyes. Perhaps it could be the relief of not staying here for too long in front of his ex, Anya wonders. Giving a nod to both Anya and Cale, Adrian quickly took off. Anya tried to follow him but Cale grabbed her arm. "He''s working Anya. Let''s leave now." Realizing that his friend was right and that they would only be a hindrance to Adrian''s work, Anya finally relented. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ It was during lunch that Anya and Cale found time to talk with each other. They were both busy with work in their respective sections that it felt like a miracle that they could take a break and have lunch. They were both eating silently when Cale suddenly started the conversation. "I still can''t believe how you didn''t notice the police''s presence a few houses from yours." "I don''t wake up that early Cale. Besides, when I do I usually do all my business and don''t give a care with what''s happening outside," Anya replies. "I don''t think it is safe for you to continue living there," Cale continues as he stabs the meat with his fork. "Don''t be silly Cale. I''ll be fine," Anya shrugs him off. Dropping his fork Cale argued, "Fine you say? Someone got killed in your neighborhood Anya. That could have been you." "You worry too much. Why would anyone wanna murder me?" Anya asks while sipping from a can of pineapple juice. "I don''t know. Maybe they kill without reason." There was silence between the two for a moment until Cale went back into eating his lunch. He then suggested, "How about you live with me for the time being until you can find another place to stay?" Seeing the genuine worry on her friends eyes she puts down her drink and gave him a reassuring smile. "I appreciate your concern Cale but I don''t think that''s necessary." "You''re too stubborn Anya," Cale frowned. "Thank you for the compliment," Anya smirked. Cale feeling defeated just sighed. "By the way, what happened between you and Adrian? And don''t you dare lie to me or make up some shit. I gave you space yesterday but seeing your interaction with him earlier, as if you can even call that an interaction at all, was just plain painful to see," Anya continued. "Anya, I really don''t wanna talk about it." "And here I thought we were friends. I guess I was wrong," Anya says with a disappointed look. "Stop guilt-tripping me." Cale replied with a resolute face clearly showing he is serious in keeping his mouth shut. Anya then gave him somewhat akin to those sad puppy dog eyes you see in anime. Cale sighed, "To tell you the truth I broke up with him. I just don''t feel the same way I did before." "Since when have you learned how to lie to me Cale?" Anya says with a disbelieving tone. "I''m not lying." Anya continues giving him the ''you can''t fool me'' look. They both stare at each other for a long time, neither one backing down. That''s when the bell rang signalling that lunch is over and it''s time to go back to work. Looking back at Cale, Anya says, "Literally saved by the bell, eh". Cale did not say a word but offered her a dry smile. New Year Bliss Baylan is a small developing city that can be found in the Southwestern region of Mindanao. Its Northern reaches are surrounded by high mountain ranges. It faces a sheltered bay in the South and is rich in good fishing grounds. The city has been prosperous for years now with new businesses popping up in every corner. It is also considered a peaceful place since the crime rates are lower compared to other cities. Anya was born in Baylan. She lived and breathed in this place. Though not as well known as other major cities in her country, still one can see that it''s well underway into becoming a rapidly highly urbanized area. Anya has a lot of fond and sad memories in this place. She was 24 years old when both of her parents died. It was unexpected as most deaths by accident are. She remembers it all clearly like it happened yesterday. It was a family reunion. Her parents and her father''s siblings planned their little trip to a waterfall located in the Northern part of Baylan. The said place was a bit remote and only local tourists were allowed during its opening at that time. The sun was shining brightly back then when they arrived at their destination. The place seemed beautiful and enchanting. It looked like one of those mysterious and untouched for centuries kind of a place a person sees on television shows that bewitches anyone who visits there. Even though big boulders can be found scattered around, many people still enjoy the shaded place and its cool waters. A few hours passed as they were soaking in the pristine waters, they noticed a light rainshower falling from the sky. Moments later, they heard a low rumbling sound from afar. It seemed to be getting closer. They didn''t mind it at first though since they didn''t know any better. It was their first time bathing in a waterfall. The area was not opened until that day since the locals have considered the falls and its surrounding forest sacred. For hundreds of years no one was allowed to even go near the place for fear of old superstitious beliefs; one of which involves ''dwendes'' and ''aswangs'' who play tricks and kidnap people never to be seen again to name a few. Looking back Anya thought maybe the local people made those rumors to serve as warning for others that we all need to be wary of nature. Filled with laughter whilst making conversation with other family members, they soon noticed the water turned brown. However, it was already too late. In a blink of an eye, there was a sudden rush of muddy water from up above the waterfall. Being nearer to the water''s edge, Anya miraculously was able to move to safety. Her parents, one of her aunt and two of her cousins among several other people swimming in the water at that time were not so lucky though. They were quickly swept away by the strong waters from upstream. It was a heart-wrenching day for them. Anya was an only child and in a brief moment she''s the only one left. They were a trio. She had always been close to her parents. Other people may see her as childish when interacting with them but she had such a strong bond with her father and mother. It took her a long time to understand what happened back then. She was rooted to the spot, lost in emptiness. She could never forget the wails of those that were left behind on the sidelines though, powerless and unable to do anything but watch as their loved ones were devoured by the flashflood - just like her. Death has this way of leaving such an ugly mark in a person''s mind. Pulling herself from the folds of her memories, Anya started walking toward one of the largest supermarket that is located in the center of Baylan. 2022 is coming a few hours from now. New year means new beginnings for her. There''s nothing wrong with remembering the past but she must be careful not to be drowned by it, she thought. Dragging herself faster, she takes a shopping cart from the entrance and pushes it to the pasta section. Like everyone around her, she is doing some last minute shopping in preparation for the celebration of New Year. She needs to finish buying the things she needs in order to make a sumptuous and gratifying meal. Just because she lives alone doesn''t mean she''s gonna sit in a corner and not enjoy the festivity in her home. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. It''s already 7:00 in the evening. She got off late from work due to the reports she had to finish. Good thing Cale stayed with her for a while otherwise it would be hard for her to grab a ride. She asked him to drop her off in the city center. She remembered Cale inviting her earlier to spend New Year at his father''s house together with his family but she declined. Call her an introvert or whatever but she really does not want to intrude in his family''s gathering. She was also avoiding the possibility that he might say something about her living conditions in front of his family. That guy was still concerned about her especially with what happened earlier. She finds his act very endearing. It feels like she has a family again. Not that she''s trying to replace her parents but she''s thankful that even if they''re gone now, there is still a person who stayed by her side. He is someone who constantly reminds her that she''s not alone in this world. Sure, she has relatives nearby but they weren''t really that close with each other to begin with. It became worse because of what happened a long time ago. Some wounds take a very long time to heal. She thinks maybe it''s hard for them to see her as much as it''s hard for her to see them. It brings back painful memories. It''s funny though - how fate lets us meet people who make us feel like family even if we''re not related by blood. And she''s very grateful for that. She''s in the middle of deciding which brand of pasta to choose from when the lights began to flicker. She didn''t mind it af first. Baylan may be prosperous but it still suffers from power interruption from time to time. It got worse since two weeks ago a powerful storm ravaged the country. Baylan encountered a few fallen electrical posts in the aftermath of said storm. She''s looking at the price of the pasta in her hand when she noticed that it suddenly became eerily quiet. Looking around, she found that no one was in the aisle with her. "That''s weird. I''m pretty sure there were a few people around here earlier," she says to herself. "You''re right. However I made them leave," a deep and chilly voice came from behind her. Anya quickly turned around. "A pleasure to meet you, disciple of Aguaye." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A man wearing a uniform trudged along a small path holding a flashlight. He was doing his usual rounds checking that no one has stayed inside the park now that it has closed for the day. Silence has crept in the area. It was still 6:00 in the evening but the park has already been covered in darkness. Not a single soul nor a single noise can be seen and heard apart from the guard''s footsteps and breathing. He has worked here for 10 years now and has gotten used to roaming around the park alone. But, this time something felt different. For some unexplainable reason goosebumps start showing up on his skin. Fighting off the chills he felt, he continued walking a bit further until he reached the children''s playground. Slumped on the ground near the monkey bars was a man. "Hey mister. We''re already closed. You should come with me and I''ll accompany you to the exit," he said. The guard waited but no reply came from the unknown person. At first he thought the man was drunk and was just passed out. He moved closer to the man and tried to wake him up. Then, he was dumbfounded. The light illuminated droplets of blood on the ground. He dropped low to check if the man still has a pulse. He was taken aback though. The slumped figure completely slid to the ground. Upon closer look his face was contorted. Panic etched on it. It was like he died of fear - of seeing something he shouldn''t have. However, that was not what made the guard step back. What he saw was worse for he saw that the dead man''s eyes were hollow. Blood gushed out from the sockets. His eyeballs were gone. There was also a hole in his chest in which more blood poured out. The guard couldn''t take it anymore. He ran away immediately screaming for help. The guard did not notice that in the distance hidden among the trees, a pair of blood red eyes gave an ominous glint in the darkness. A low growl can be heard as the night air changes. Speak To Me There is definitely something odd going on, Cale thought. It was over two weeks ago when he started noticing small changes about her. The woman in question was none other than his bestfriend Anya Marcelline Acosta. Cale has always been the outgoing type. Befriending people is his specialty. However, his friendship with Anya started not by his own doing but literally because of coffee. Still, Cale was glad that he had become friends with her even at the expense of his ''precious'' pants. They have the same taste in music, in sweet foods, and even in movies and shows. Most of all, they feel comfortable talking with each other. He feels like Anya is a long lost sister of his from another parent. Now, why would Cale believe something''s changed? Well, for a start, she knows how to reign in her temper now and become tactful. Hurray! (Insert a big thumbs up) The Anya he knows likes to speak her mind especially when she disagrees with something. He admires her for that but her assertive manner of speaking isn''t for everyone. Her friend is the kind of person who does not like nonsensical talks. She likes to listen to the truth to find solutions rather than listen to a lot of bullshit others say just to cover up the real problem. Unfortunately, most people do not like the truth. These days, she speaks in a gentle and calm way even when she''s arguing which creeps him out a lot. One can still see her irritation rise up from time to time when she twitches her left eyebrow. She''s probably trying really hard to control herself, he thought. Sounds minor enough? Another thing is that she''s very pushy and stubborn. When she wants to know something she''ll pester that person endlessly until the secrets out or she looses interest in it. It would usually take days. However, this time she seems to just let things go easily. She only questioned him once about his break-up and that''s it. She let him off the hook and never asked again. The woman she knows would rip anyone''s ears off if her inquisitiveness isn''t satisfied. Finally, Cale noticed she looks paler than usual. He asked her the other day if she''s sick but she said no. Anya always had a bright porcelain skin that makes her stand out in the crowd even with her 5''4 stature. She has thick jet black hair which she had trimmed in a long bob. For the years that he''d known her, she always liked to don heavy eye make-up emphasizing even more her cat-shaped eyes. However, a few weeks ago she stopped that habit of hers and merely put light and muted colors. He did ask her about it and she just told him that its too tiring to put it on. Cale thinks he''s becoming a mother hen when it comes to his bestfriend. No one can blame him though. He had seen Anya become depressed once. That was at the time of her parent''s death. She completely cut herself off from the outside world for an entire week after her parent''s funeral. He understood her and only called to check up on her once in a while. When she came back to work, he got even more worried. It was clear enough that she''s been repressing her emotions. Her smile was different back then, like it never reached her heart. It took almost an entire year for Anya to find her light again. Nowadays, she seems to always be in deep thought. It got worse after New Year. When they eat lunch or go home together she just sits quietly or stares in space. At first he thought she must be tired from work but it doesn''t seem to be the case. Afterall, she would just start blabbing nonstop if she feels swamped by work. He was still thinking of ways to coax Anya in sharing her thoughts when he glanced outside the window of his office which was located on the second floor. Two towering gentlemen were standing near the small lawn laid out with yellow morning glories in front of his office building. He does not recognize them as fellow employees. He couldn''t quite put a finger on it but it seems like these two look a bit odd. He couldn''t see their faces clearly. Strange enough he saw a familiar black-haired woman walking toward them. It was Anya. They spoke for a bit after which Anya bid them goodbye and went back inside. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. He was still staring outside the window when his phone rang. He picked up his phone and smiled as he saw who it was. "Hello," Cale answered. "Good morning Cale," a sweet voice came from the phone. "Same to you too. It''s been a while since we''ve spoken." "Yeah, about that.... I need a favor." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In Baylan City''s police station, three men and a woman can be seen focused on reading investigation reports. They were seated around a conference table each with a file in hand and coffee on their side. They all looked tired like they haven''t slept properly for days. They were clearly swamped with work. For weeks now, they have been investigating the deaths of an old couple and the college professor and students that visited them a few days before Christmas. Then, there was also the death of a young housewife in her home. The latest of these unfortunate events is the death of an unidentified man whose body was found in the city''s park just before New Year''s Eve. These series of mysterious events have garnered the attention not just of the local media but also that of the entire country. "This year doesn''t look good for us. I''ve never seen things like these before," a man who looks like in his mid-forties says as he takes a sip from his cup of freshly brewed coffee. He is Lt. Col. Joaquin Davino who is the acting-chief of the Baylan City''s police station. He has been reviewing the files submitted to him to see if they have missed anything. The smell of coffee wafts through the air making the young gentleman seating across Lt. Col. Davino stand up and grab another cup from the coffee machine placed near the door. He is Police Chief Master Sergeant Raphael Elon Abad. Suddenly, the door bursts open revealing a young man wearing a blue cap with the Baylan City police station logo on the front. He''s carrying a bag full of burgers and fries. "I''m sorry it took me a while guys." He takes a seat and passes the food to his colleagues. "How''s it going, Addy?" The man with the wide and mischievous grin is Police Lieutenant Jonathan Constantino. The man whom he called Addy is Police Lieutenant Adrian Trent Velasco. Adrian, who was busy writing notes on his notebook immediately looked up and glared at the other man. "When will you stop calling me that, Nate?" Nate gave a small chuckle. "I''m sorry Adrian. I can''t help it. You looked like you were gonna strangle that pretty lady who called you that." Adrian glared at Nate even more. "Who''s this pretty lady you guys talking about?" asked Raphael who returned to his seat with wide eyes. "I think I heard Adrian call her Anya." Looking back at Adrian he continued, "You guys must be pretty close for her to give you such a ''cute'' nickname." They all looked toward Adrian with questioning eyes. Even Lt. Col. Davino was eyeing him discreetly. "I thought you are in a relationship with Cale," asked the only woman in the group. She is Police Captain Zohura Sehar Akeel. She seemed as curious as the other guys. The room suddenly became cold. After hearing his former lover''s name, Adrian stood up and excused himself to get more files from the station''s archive. "I think I said something wrong." Zohura said as soon as the door closed behind Adrian. "Don''t stress yourself too much. Adrian knows you didn''t mean it. Just give the guy some time. He''ll open up when he wants to. Otherwise, it''s none of our business," Lt. Col. Davino assured her. Looking back at his files he continued, "So, back to that massacre. We only recovered 26 bodies eh?" "Yes, Chief. There are supposed to be 24 students, their professor and the old couple who owned the place. One girl is still missing. Her name''s Felicity Sanchez," Raphael replied. "It''s been more than two weeks now. Do you think she''ll survive in that mountain?," Nate said while unwrapping his burger. Raphael quickly retorted, "It''s either she''s dead or hiding. She can either be a witness or a suspect." "We need to find her. She could be the key to solving all of this," Lt. Col Davino spoke. "But how? We have practically searched the entire area for days now," Nate asked. "Wait a minute. I think I know someone who could help us or rather I know someone who knows someone who could help us," Zohura suddenly exclaimed. "Who?" "Well...." Death Magistrates Wish Anya finds herself in trouble. She''s been running for a while now. Hiding among the trees and watching out for any danger that might lurk in the surrounding area. Everything around her has gone completely insane. She did not expect things to turn out this way. Well, she really expected this but not so soon. She only has herself to blame. As much as she wants to ignore the things that''s been happening around her, it''s just not in her nature. Curiousity can kill the cat but who cares. She''s not a cat in the first place. One would wonder what is making her feel like she''s having a rough day. It started a few hours before New Year''s Eve. Flashback to the time when she was choosing pasta. "A pleasure to meet you, disciple of Aguaye." A man stood behind her. He was tall like maybe over seven feet high. He took off his hood and Anya saw that the unknown man looked handsome having a chiseled jawline. He had a bronze skin tone that made him look like one of those ancient gods in tv shows. His eyes were different. They were of bright amber making it look like it glows golden when hit by light at the right angle. He was staring at her intently like she was being observed. "Do not scare her so much Denali," another man came out from behind one of the shelves at the left corner. This man was not as tall as the first one but Anya guessed he''d be over 6 feet tall. He also took off his hood as he stood in front of her. She saw that he has beautiful olive skin that made his downturned emerald eyes glow enigmatically. She noticed he wears a black snake designed ear cuff on his left ear. Anya saw both men were clad in flowing hooded dark red cloaks. They both had a pin stuck to their left chest area. It had an intricate pattern of two white masks. On the left side is a smiling face while the right bore a sad one. Encompassing the two faces are the wings of what seemed to be a crow with its head on top of both masks. The crow had small, bright and sharp ruby-like stones that serve as its eyes. Without hesitation Anya said, "Let me guess. You''re not humans, are you?" She gripped the handle of her shopping cart tightly. These two do not seem hostile but there''s nothing wrong in being vigilant. The one with the snake ear cuffs gave her a warm smile. "Be at ease my lady. I am Baladan and my companion here is Denali." Baladan pointed to the man with the amber eyes and continued, "We are death magistrates of the 5th and 8th division of the Immamuh Death Court. We mean no harm but rather we seek your assistance, disciple of Aguaye." Anya looked at them warily. Sensing no harm from the two she relaxed. "My name''s Anya." "You do not seem surprised about us being death magistrates," Denali said as he watched her expression. "And it seems you already know me as a disciple of Aguaye. You don''t hear me complaining about you finding out my identity," Anya countered meeting his gaze with her own. Denali stared at her while Baladan merely grinned. "This is the first time I''ve seen death magistrates. I was expecting you guys would look like skeletons wearing black robes and carrying huge scythes," Anya continued. "Funny you mention that. Death reapers are the ones who wear black robes. Death magistrates like us wear bloody red ones on top of our uniforms. I do carry a huge death scythe which I like to hide with my magic, lady Anya. But, it isn''t a standard issued weapon if that is what you''re thinking," Baladan commented enthusiastically. "Okay. First of all, kindly drop the ''lady'' you just added to my name. We do not live in the Victorian era. I know you''re being courteous but it sounds too old-fashioned." Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. Baladan''s eyes was filled with amusement. "As you wish,.... Anya." "As much as I''m curious about the clear distinction you said between death reapers and death magistrates regarding clothes, I''d rather ask the most important question first. What exactly do you need me for?" "I''m guessing you have already heard about the massacre that happened in this city a few weeks ago," Baladan replied. "You mean that which involves the mutilated corpses of young college students, their professor and an old couple. Yes, it''s still a huge news around here. What does that have to do with me?" Baladan and Denali looked at her with a grim expression on their faces. "We believe something evil has come to your city." "And?..." Anya''s left eyebrow raised with utmost curiousity. "....and as a disciple of the great lady Aguaye, it is your duty to help us rid of this evil." Denali was the one who answered her with a firm look on his face. "Let''s make one thing clear here guys. I may be her disciple but I am in no way bound to help you or the Death Court in any manner." "And who said such a thing? You have been given a great privilege to be her disciple thus, it is your duty to serve for the greater good." Anya laughed so hard. This man called Denali obviously has a strong sense of dedication to his duty flowing in his veins. This is going to be interesting, she thought. "I hope this isn''t some sort of noblesse oblige you are spouting on me. And btw, the one who explicitly told me to not get myself involved with you people is the great lady Aguaye herself." "Lies... Lady Aguaye is of many things but she is compassionate and she has a sense of duty and justice," Denali argued. "I do not lie." Anya crossed her arms in front of her. Clearly she''s getting annoyed the more she speaks with this man. Baladan noticing the tension rising, moved in between the two raising both his hands in front of them to stop them from bickering further. "Alright you two. That''s enough." He continued, "Forgive us if we have caused you inconvenience Anya." "Baladan..." "We can not impose anything on her. She''s not obliged to do anything at all." Looking back at Anya, Baladan continued, "Have a good evening Anya." Denali was obviously not happy with Baladan not taking his side of the argument. However, seeing Baladan has already decided, he did not speak any further but rather muttered under his breath about her being an ''unruly brat with no sense of duty''. Seriously this guy, Anya thought. Baladan and Denali turned their backs and were about to leave when Anya called. "Wait!" Both men turned around each with a puzzled look on their faces. "Give me four days. I still have a lot of things to finish and think about." To say that the two death magistrates were surprised is an understatement. With a questioning look Baladan asked. "You''ll help us? You said..." "I know what I said earlier. But I also know you''re right. Something is happening. I can feel so much resentment these last few days. If left unchecked it might cause a lot of trouble." That was the reason she is in this kind of predicament right now. Damn this big mouth of hers. She really needs to keep her mouth shut and most importantly not to meddle in anyone''s business. Afterall, this wasn''t her fight to begin with. She was just an ordinary human with an ordinary life a few weeks ago. And now she''s doing something that turns out to be dangerous. Anya is no hero nor does she want to be one. She is as selfish as any other human being living on the surface of the entire planet. She is no champion of justice. Even so, setting aside her own curiousity, she also knows that the wheels of her fate have started turning the moment she agreed to all these shenanigans. She had been warned. Whether she likes it or not, sooner or later, she''ll have no choice but to confront this side of reality. So why not face it head on now? Why wait? Feeling the cold night air, it reminded Anya of what her master said. The serene voice of the lady Aguaye still rings in her ears. "I know you only want to live. But the price of living will cost you. The moment you become my disciple you will be pulled into a world full of betrayal and chaos. Let me tell you child, one of the truths of this world. Resentment brings malice. There will always be poor souls trapped in darkness. Tell me... would you wish them well? Would you do something to save them? Or would you let them sink into madness for all eternity? The choice is for you to make..." Looking up Anya noticed the stars have already shown brightly in the sky. "The price of living, eh..." Anya knows. After all, the more you take, the more you have to give. That was what her grandmother taught her. That was what have been passed down by her ancestors for generations until now. She is no stranger to such concept. Life is precious but it is never free. Anya looks around. She does not see any movement behind the trees. This is good, she thought. She continued moving forward until she heard the rustling of leaves nearby. Facing the direction of the noise she waited for what she thinks might be an ambush. Light came from the trees. It rested on the ground upon which it moved and focused on Anya. She blinked back and partially covered her eyes with her right hand. "Anya?!..." came the startled voice from the trees. "Oh sh*t," was all Anya could say.