Nagtipon sa paanan ng bundok ang kabuuang apatnapung grupo na matagumpay na nakumpleto ang hamon, na nagdala ng sariling flaglet na kanilang nakuha mula sa tuktok.
Pinagmasdan ni Minerva ang iba pang mga nakaligtas na grupo, ang ilan sa kanila ay kasama sa mga pinaglaruan ng grupo niya bago niya inutos na ibigay na sa kanila ang flaglet. Nakakamangha kung gaano halos kalahati ng mga koponan ang naalis pagkatapos niyang pinagawa sa kanila ang simpleng mga larong ideya niya.
Svetlana looked lost, iniisip pa rin kung paano napakadaling napatay ni Ahrio ang mga taong iyon. Isa pa, kilala niya ang dalawang babaeng iyon. Kahit na sinubukan nilang patayin siya, hindi niya naisip na patayin rin sila, o na mamamatay sila dahil sa kanya. Sa gilid ng kanyang mga mata, nakita niya si Ahrio na dahan-dahang papalapit sa kanya na may pag-aalinlangan ang bawat hakbang. She flinches inwardly, hindi magawang lumingon at tumingin kay Ahrio kahit na malinaw na nakatitig ito sa kanya. He took a few steps closer to her but she couldn’t hide her apprehension towards him.
She quickly walked away, pretending she hadn’t notice him. But Ahrio knew how she truly felt. His steps faltered as he watched her avoid him. She must have been disgusted at him. He kills like a criminal, heartless and without mercy. She must have been shocked about what kind of person he is. He knew he isn’t any inch acceptable next to someone like her. He felt frustrated.
Paano niya napili na magkagusto sa isang taong kasing dalisay at inosente gaya ni Svetlana kung kasing cold-blooded naman siya ng isang halimaw. She will never accept him, he realized. At hindi niya deserve na makasama ang isang tulad niya. She deserves better. The realization twisted something inside him and he accepted it, let it settle and be engraved in his core. Ito ay isang katotohanan na alam niya sa simula pa lang. Isang katotohanan na sinubukan niyang ibaon ng malalim ngunit ngayon ay muli itong lumitaw at sinampal siya ng diretso sa mukha, ginising siya sa kanyang ilusyon na baka... baka lang naman ay pwedeng maging silang dalawa.
Naglakad pabalik sa kanyang grupo si Ahrio na may mabigat na puso at kadiliman na unti-unting bumabalot sa kanyang isipan, nilalamon siya ng buo.
Ipinulupot ni Zayden ang isang braso sa balikat ni Ahrio , nakangisi habang nakatingin sa kanya. “You’re a rare gem, Ahrio. Killing for a woman? That’s the most romantic sh*t I’ve seen here.” Sabi nito at nang-aasar sa kanya.
Ahrio removed Zayden’s arm and twisted it behind his back. “Don’t touch me.” He warned before letting his arm go.
Hinawakan ni Zayden ang braso niya saka iniunat, tinitingnan kung na-dislocate ba ang buto niya. Pagkatapos ay binalik niya ang tingin kay Ahrio na nanatiling stoic at madilim ang ekspresyon. “Chill, dude! Ano bang nangyari sayo?”
“Maybe his sweet, naïve little girl, didn’t like the gesture?” Sumingit si Blaize.
"Shut the f*ck up, Blaize or I'll push my fist down your stupid mouth!" Putol ni Ahrio , tinitigan si Blaize na may malinaw na pagbabanta sa kanyang mga mata.
“Stop being so insensitive and mind your own business. Better yet, get yourselves a girl.” Natahimik ang dalawa pagkatapos noon, napansin ang hindi magandang mood ni Ahrio.
Later that night, when everyone was sound asleep, Ahrio keeps tossing in bed, his head turning from either side repeatedly. He saw flashes of his memory, the blood in his hands, the pool of blood on the ground, the lifeless bodies of everyone he had killed, his father in front of that dead, sewed up body on the table as he smirks at him.
“You’re no better than me, son. You and I are alike.” He heard his father say. Narinig niyang sabi ng kanyang ama. Ang batang Ahrio mula sa kanyang memorya ay ngumiti pabalik sa kanyang ama, pagkatapos ay pareho silang tumawa ng masama.
Lumipat ang mga imahe, pagkatapos ay nakita niya si Svetlana, umiiyak at nakatingin sa kanya nang may pang-aalipusta at pagkasuklam sa kanyang mga mata. “Nakakadiri ka, kriminal! Isang mamamatay tao! Isang walang pusong mamamatay-tao! Huwag na huwag ka nang maglakas-loob na lumapit pa sa akin.”
Ahrio jolted awake, sweating profusely. His hands were both fisted tightly and he’s burning with the sudden urge to kill, to release all these pent-up emotions inside him by splattering blood. He flipped the sheets off of him and he got out of bed. He walked out of the room as silently as possible, his steps undetectable in the peacefulness of the night.
Paglabas sa hallway, may nakasalubong siyang lalaking naglalakad sa kabilang direksyon. Nagtama ang tingin nila ng lalaki at umiwas ito ng tingin saka mabilis na lumiko sa ibang direksyon, umiwas sa kanya. Ahrio followed him, traced his retreating frame from behind.
Lumapit siya sa likuran ng lalaki ng palihim. Tila hindi napansin ng lalaki ang kanyang presensya ngunit napatigil ang kanyang mga hakbang nang nireflect ng ilaw ang anino ni Ahrio sa kanyang likuran. He turned to check but he was met with Ahrio’s hand gripping his hair, then his head was bashed into the concrete, hard enough that he loses consciousness. That was the last thing he remembered before everything turned black.
Hinila ni Ahrio ang katawan ng lalaki palabas, patungo sa gubat. He laid the man’s unconscious body in a vertical position, facing him. His head and nose are bleeding but he is still breathing fine. Ahrio’s mind is in an extremely dark place where he can’t return back to light.
He picked up a sizeable rock, raised it on top of his head and aligned it to the unconscious man’s head. Then he lets go of it, allowing the rock to fall and smashed the man’s skull. The sound of something breaking can be heard in the eery silence and Ahrio did it again.
Dinampot niya ang duguang bato at paulit-ulit na binasag ang ulo ng lalaki, hanggang sa hindi na makilala ang kanyang mukha, ang dugo at utak ay tumalsik sa lupa na parang putik. He finally stopped and stared at his handy work, feeling his anger subside and satisfaction washed over his body, releasing all his frustrations that’s inside.
“You’re no different than me. You and I are alike.” Umalingawngaw sa kanyang isipan ang boses ng kanyang ama na sinundan ng kanyang tagumpay na paghalakhak.
“No, you’re wrong. We’re not alike. Because I turned out worse than you.” Ahrio muttered in a low voice.
He steps away from the body and sat down under the tree, leaning and resting his head. His hands covered in dirt and dried blood. The sight becoming more and more familiar to him...