Kabanata 62

Rage

Celestia Rogue

RIGHT IN FRONT of me is Draco, but I can feel that he's very different from the Draco that I know. Yet I am still hoping, no, I am determined to take him back.

"Draco.."

I again called his name and was about to go into his direction and hug him when suddenly a strong dark force protecting him stopping me from even taking closer step.

"That's not my name, woman."

Malamig niyang saad habang walang emosyong nakatitig saakin na para bang hindi ako nito nakikilala saka ako hinagis gamit ang itim na kapangyarihan.

I successfully landed on my feet and teleported infront of him.

 My heart is tearing apart slowly, breaking piece by piece by the sight.

"Tumabi ka kung ayaw mong madamay."

Malamig nitong saad saka patuloy na naglakad patungo sa kaniyang tahanan.

Ngunit agad akong nagteleport sakaniyang harapan.

"No Draco.."

Seryoso kong saad na nagpakunot sakaniyang noo.

"Aziel, that's my name, I don't know who Draco is, now step aside."

Sambit niya at saka hinawakan ang balikat ko para patabihijn ngunit hindi niya ako magawang itulak na nagpatigil sakaniya.

"Who are you woman? it's strange that my power doesn't affect you."

Tanong niya habang madilim ang matang nakatitig saakin.

It honestly hurts like hell being exposed to his darkness. It feels like I'm being ripped apart slowly and it's painfully cold, it almost feels like burning.

Is this what he feels when he is with me?

"Hindi mo ba ako naaalala?"

Mariin kong tanong saka naikuyom nalamang ang aking kamao.

Draco glared at me and then swiftly wrapped his hands around my neck looking at me blankly.

It hurts more than what his power does to me.

"Who are you?!"

Galit niyang saad.

"I don't recall ever meeting you, but just being near you is painful, what power is this?"

Humihigpit ang hawak niya saaking leeg at napakasakit ng dulot nito saakin.

"Draco...please..."

A tear fell from my eyes, he just looked at it with his pair of emotionless silver eyes.

"I am here to get that woman inside that mansion, Lucian asked me to.. but I think I should kill the hindrance first."

He said with a menacing aura as he summoned a sword made out of ice and darkness in his hands.

He was about to stab me with it, but then someone suddenly attacked him that he immediately dodged.

"Celestia!"

It's Kiara who shouted from a distance, where Clemente is in. Malayo siya rito ngunit kitang kita ko ang pag aalala sakaniyang muka.

"Another insect huh?"

Draco's said blankly as he tried to break the barrier. I managed to stop him again by deflecting his attack with the arrow I shot after summoning my bow made of my mana.

Mukang si Kiara ang pinapakuha ni Lucian kay Draco.

That damn god, I'll make sure to kill him..

"I'll kill you..."

Galit niyang saad saka ako naman ang inatake na agad ko ding naiwasan.

The sky darkened and the wind blew harder. Draco positioned himself in a stance as his sword absorbed mana from the sky that dried all the living things around him.

Probably to get rid of me instantly.

I was dumbfounded as tears continued falling from my eyes.

I stared at his attack for and before it hit me, I created ball of light energy protecting me.

Giving back the life of the plants and trees around us.

"I'm gonna knock some sense on you fucker."

Mariin kong saad saka siya naman ang inatake na agad niyang naiwasan.

"I'll kill you first."

Malamig niyang saad.

Nagpapalitan lamang kami ng atake. Bagamat mabigat ang pakiramdam ay hindi ako pupwedeng magpatalo.

I still need to free him.

I have to capture Draco no matter what.

"Snap out of it Draco!"

I shouted as I deflected his darkness from behind and ripped those holding my foort, preventing me from moving earlier.

"I am not Draco."

He said coldly.

My chest tightened the whole fight.

I hate it, I hate this.

Our fight lasted for hours, the gods couldn't meddle because of the deadly barrier around us he set to stop anyone from bothering our fight.

"I will kill you..."

He threatened with a menacing tone after I left more bruises into him the same like he did to me.

Unlike others, we don't heal faster from each others attacks.

And it stings a lot.

"I will kill her! shut up!"

He shouted while covering his ears as he tried to attack me, but seems like someone is talking in his mind.

"Shut up! shut up! I will kill her and you won't be able to do anything about it!!!"

He shouted loudly, seems like in great pain. Napahagulgol ako doong tumakbo sakaniyang direksyon at mahigpit siyang niyakap.

"Draco! Draco wake up! it's me Celestia!"

I cried, he didn't attack me but didn't hug me back, seeming confused.

"Get away from me!"

He shouted in pain as he tried to stab me in the chest if Leonard didn't grab me away from him while Dylan shielded me with a shield made of water.

"Ikaw ang gumising babae! hindi na si Draco iyan!"

Galit na sigaw ni Leonard.

But then Draco furiously forced them to fly away.

Tumalsik kaming tatlo roon. Habang si Draco na malamig ang titig saakin ay sinira ang barrier at nagteleport papasok.

"Kiara!!"

Seth and I both shouted as we teleported where she is and protected her.

I was about to grab on Clemente too but, Draco snatched her away from me forcefully.

"Aziel anak?"

Naiiyak nitong saad habang walag emosyong nakatitig lamang saakin si Draco.

"The next time I meet you, I will really end your life."

Seryosong pagbabanta nito saka bigla nalamang naglaho kasama si Clemente.

"Mother!!"

Kiara shouted in agony.

Tila ba tumigil ang mundo ko. I can feel the gods walking towards me, But I can't seem to hear anything.

I felt blood covering my eyes as I weakly kneeled and cried in pain.

"I will take him back, I will take you back..."

Paulit ulit kong saad.

"Then kill what you feel, endure it, that's how you could defeat the darkness in him."

I heard Allen said.

"We'll end Lucian and take Draco back, we'll free him, wag ka ng umatungal diyan dahil lalo kang pumapanget."

Napabuntong hiningang saad ni Leonard.

Napahagulgol lamang akong yumakap ng mahigpit sakaniya.

"The way he looks at me earlier... it hurts, it hurts so much.."

I cried and cried in his arms, the other gods didn't say a word and just comforted me silently along with Kiara.

Nanatili lamang akong ganoon hanggang sa tuluyang makatulog dahil sa pagod at mga galos na tinamo mula sa laban namin.

THAT NIGHT WE DECIDED to travel back to Zacharia.

Kailangan ko ng kasagutan. At sana ay sina Aisha at Percival na ang makakasagot nito.

Were going to the forbidden forest. To that sacred tree, the reason I am given life.

"How are you?"

I asked Kiara who is silently looking blanky at the night sky as we walk towards the forbidden forest.

"I'm confused, I'm hurt, I feel numb, I don't know what to feel anymore."

She sighed, I patted her back and was about to say something.

"Tangina kase niyang pamilya mo mga abnoy."

Singit ni Leonard, sinamaan namin siya ng tingin na nagpangiwi lamang sakaniya.

"Bakit hindi ba totoo?"

He frowned then suddenly a cactlo grew into his mouth making him unable to speak more.

"Shut your mouth you damn chicken."

Seth hissed, Leonard glared  at him as he turned into a beast.

Natumaba sila roon ngunit agad na sinalo si Seth ng mga puno saka niya sinipa si Leonard.

Nailing nalamang ako.

"How about you Celestia? how are you feeling?"

Allen asked concerned, napatingin din saakin si Dylan, Kiara at yung dalawang patuloy sa pag babardagulan sa gilid.

"I-I'm..."

I sighed.

"I don't know."

I looked away.

"That weakness of yours will kill you."

Aragon said while looking at me.

"I won't."

I hissed, he just grinned then walked faster.

"Why would Lucian even kidnap Clemente?"

Dylan asked with his forehead creased.

"Kasi baliw siya, tanga at bobo, puta siya."

Iritang saad ni Leonard na nagpangiwi rito.

"Probably because of her face."

Allen sighed.

"Pero bukod sa muka niya ay wala naman na silang ibang koneksyon. And even  you saw someone who looks like your past lover, gods still only love once in their lifetime. Anong binabalak niya?"

Kunot noong sambit ni Dylan.

"So he could threaten Draco incase he gains his senses I think?"

The fire god said while playing fire in his fingertips.

"Fathe---Lucian actually had connection with Clemente."

Kiara stated that caught our attention as we all looked at her.

"What do you mean?"

I asked.

"I looked into her memories, after she told me about her past. As well as Lucian's."

She looked away making us stop.

"Tsismosa kadin ano? eh kung----"

Singit ni Leonard na naputol nang may tumubo nanamang cactus sakaniyang bibig.

"I told you to shut your stinky mouth, kung wala kang magandang sasabihin."

Iritang saad ni Seth na nagpailing lang saamin.

"You encountered Lucian?"

Tanong kong nagpatango sakaniya.

"No I didn't, but I can take a peak at someone's memory and read their mind in that certain time they encountered the other person even if they are only at a person's memory, I don't need to encounter them exactly."

She sighed.

"I can also forsee the future but not as far as the god of wisdom can see, which  Draco didn't like using after he regained the memory of his past life because of the trauma he is still carrying with that power."

She added.

"Yeah, that's why Selene is so slippery back then. She used the god of wisdom's power to see the future."

Dylan shook his head.

"So what did you see?"

Allen asked.

"Lucian took a part of Aisha and Percival's shattered core, the one on his hands, more than a decade ago. But he couldn't find it so he had to stay in Zacharia for awhile."

"He wanted to observe the theians as a mortal, so he possessed the most powerful man in that kingdom."

Litanya niyang nagpatigil saakin.

"The emperor."

I mumbled, making her nod her head on me.

"Then he met Clemente when she was lost in that forest. The woman who has Selene's face, someone who looks and sounds exactly like her but is kind, loving, brave, smart and caring like how he first met Selene."

"He was taken a back, and because of her face, he married her while inside the emperor's body to mend his heart while he is still searching for the core part."

Pagpapatuloy niya sa kwento.

"That's fucked up."

Naiiling na komento ni Aragon.

"They had a happy marriage, with Lucian living in a illusion that Clemente is Selene. But he eventually realized that she is not and abandoned her as he went back to the heavens after finding the core part."

Malungkot niyang pagkukwento na lalong nagpatahimik saamin.

We were surprised, but not to the extent, knowing Lucian's nature.

"So technically Lucian is also Draco's father in this life?"

Kunot noong tanong ni Allen na nagpatango kay Kiara.

"He is born with Lucian's power, the demons lurking inside him, the overwhelming darkness, grief and craving for vengeance. You know what happens to a fallen god's seed right?"

Dylan uttered making my clench my fist.

"The sun god's seed became darkness, a fatal dark curse that he passed onto his son."

Allen stated.

"And I'll do everything to free him from that damn curse."

Mariin kong saad.

"The only way we know is to kill the source of it, Celestia."

Dylan sighed.

"Then so be it, I'll fucking kill Lucian."

Kuyom ang kamaong saad ko, nag iwas lamang ng tingin doon si Kiara.

"Bakit Kiara? ayaw mo?"

Ngisi ni Aragon na mariing nagpapikit lamang sakaniya.

"He is still my father, I just remembered what happened to my mother, but that doesn't mean I will tolerate his sins like what he did to the moon goddess."

Kiara sighed.

"If that what it takes to free my brother, to save mytheia, the world that is the reason we are alive, then so be it. The sun god, Lucian needs to die, we need to stop his reign before everything goes beyond our control."

She said with an emotionless tone, yet her eyes is in pain. Hinawakan ko ang kamay nitong tipid lamang na nagpangiti sakaniya, ganoon din ang ginawa ni Seth.

Natigil nalamang kami nang marating na ang sacred tree.

Ang lugar kung saan nakahimlay si Aisha at Percival.

The moment I stepped near it, everything became bright and the gods were not with me anymore.

"My child..."

A soothing familiar voice said, the goddess of life along with the god of destruction.

Then a fruit from the tree landed on my hands.

Takang napatitig ako roon kasabay ng kusang pagtulo ng luha at panginginig ng aking mga kamay na hindi ko alam ang dahilan.

I felt my chest tightened, as I gasped for air.

Para bang may sariling buhay ang kamay kong kinagatan ang prutas dahilan upang higupan ang aking kamalayan ng isang nakasisilaw na liwanag.

When I opened my eyes, I am yet again in a strange scenery.

Reminding me of the memories the core parts shows me.

But I didn't absorb one? the last one is in Lucian's hands.

But this scene, I know this scene.

Is this the continuation of that memory?

The woman who saved the god of wisdom from the beast has a wooden bow and arrow.

She has brown hair, and the moment she looked around, it felt like our eyes met.

Our eyes met and it felt familiar.

She has bright violet eyes, just like mine..

And her face, that woman's face is the same as mine.

My heart thumped as I stepped backwards.

"Patay na ba?"

Ngisi niya saka kinapa ang bulsa nito.

"Mamamatay ka dito tapos wala kang ginto or pilak?"

Iritang saad ng babae saka akmang tatayo na nang hawakan ni Aziel ang kaniyang kamay na nagpamulagat sakaniyang mga mat.

"W-Who...."

Saad niya saka muling nawalan ng malay. Saglit na natulala roon ang babae bago marahas na napabuntong hiningang tumayo at pinagpagan ang kaniyang damit.

"Ay ewan bahala ka diyan at baka hinahanap na ako ni ina at ama!"

Iritang saad nito saka iniwan na siya doon.

The way she dress is different, she looks like she is from a tribe years ago.

She then left, and went home not caring about the man she found in the forest.

"Ina! Ama! tignan niyo ang nahuli ko!"

Masayang masayang saad niya saka yumakap sa ina at ama.

Her mother and father both has black hair and black eyes. They seem delighted seeing the child while the father carried the boar their daughter took home.

"Pasensya na anak at ikaw ang gumawa nito, kinailangan pa kasing bumaba ng bundok kanina para tulungan ang iyong tiyo."

Ngiti nito.

The woman doesn't look like anything like her parents.

And their home is the only home in that mountain.

It seems like the family is living alone in that forest.

The night came and the woman seems bothered. Paikot ikot lamang siya sa higaan at hindi mapakali hanggang sa napagpasyahan niyang maupo at tumayo.

"Titignan ko lamang kung naroroon pa ang lalaki, bahala na."

Napakamot ulong saad niya saka lumabas ng kanilang tahanan upang muling puntahan si Aziel.

At the same spot, she found him still lying unconscious on the ground.

"Papatayin ako ni ama kapag nag uwi ako ng lalaki sa bahay."

Napakamot ulong saad nito saka pilit na ginigising si Aziel ngunit wala parin itong malay.

She checked his pulse and realized he is still alive, it somewhat made her feel delighted.

I can see it on her face.

"Inaapoy ka ng lagnat!"

Tarantang saad niya saka agad itong binuhat ito papunta sa ibang direksyon.

"Dahil hindi ka pupwedeng makita nila ama ay dito ka munto sa sekretong lugar ko."

Napabuntong hininga nitong saad saka nagtungo sa malalim na parte ng gubat.

Doon ay may isang malaking punong may makipot na butas.

May itinaas siya doon, kung saad naroroon ang mga nakatutusok na halaman.

At doon ko lamang napagtantong isa iyong pintuan, patungo sa isang silid sa ilalim ng lupa.

"Ako ang gumawa nito, hindi siya mahahanap dito, at oras talaga na may gawin ang lalaking ito ay ako mismo ang papatay sakaniya!"

Mariing saad niya saka inihiga ang lalaki sa kamang gawa sa kahoy.

***

He was unconscious for days while the woman took care of him.

"Hindi ka naman mukang taga rito. Bakit ganiyan ang kulay ng buhok mo gayong hindi ka naman mukang matanda?"

Napakamot ulo siya ngunit agad na napatayo nang makitang gumalaw ang kamay nito kasabay ng pagbukas ng mga mata ay bumungad sakaniya ang kulay pilak nitong mga mata.

Napakaganda nito, iyon ang unang pumasok sa isip ng babae habang tila ba naestatwang napatitig dito.

"Astig, engkanto ka noh?"

Saad niya.

"Imposible namang aswang dahil walang gwapong aswang, matangkad ka din pero hindi ka naman mukang kapre, ano ka ba?"

Ngisi nito, ngunit hindi siya sinagot ni Aziel na napatitig lamang sakaniya saka dahan dahang inabot ang kaniyang muka at hinaplos iyon.

Nanlaki ang kaniyang mga matang hindi makagalaw roon.

"I-it's you..."

Lumuluha niyang saad na nagpatigil lamang sa babae.

Who?

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry..."

He cried, the woman just looked at him confused.

"Teka nga at nanunugo ang ilong ko saiyo, ano bang lengwahe iyang gamit mo at paano ka napunta rito sa lugar na ito gayong ang mga taong katulad mo ayon kay ama ay sa dagat nagmumula sakay ng malalaking bangka."

Gulong gulo niyang tanong sa lalaking lumuluha parin.

"I'm sorry..I'm sorry."

He kept apologizing to her until he again lost his consciousness.

***

"Saan ka nanggaling?"

Kunot noong tanong muli ng babae sakaniya nang maibalik na ang kaniyang lakas.

"Sa malayo."

Sagot nitong nagpangiwi sakaniya.

"Saan nga? bobo lang?"

Iritang saad nito.

"Wala akong maalala at wala na akong mapupuntahan, aalis din ako sa oras na makahanap ng tutuluyan, maraming salamat at pasensya na sa abala."

Diretsahang saad niya na nagpatango tango sa babae.

"Mabuti, wala din akong maipapakain saiyo noh."

Iling iling nitong saad saka tumayo na.

"Uuwi na ako, sangayon ay dito ka muna tumuloy hanggang gumaling ka, magtatanong tanong din ako sa baba mamaya, bukas pa ako makababalik."

Sambit nito saka nginitian si Aziel na nagpatigil dito.

***

Sa gabing iyon ay bumaba siya ng bundok upang magtanong tanong, hindi niya alam kung bakit pero para bang magaan ang loob niya sa lalaki.

Ngunit sa kaniyang pag uwi ay kinailangan niya pang makipag laban sa mga bandido na nag iwan ng galos sakaniya bago siya makatakas sa mga ito.

She feels weak, as she climbed back into the mountain.

When suddenly a hungry beast started walking towards her.

Alam niyang wala siya sa kondisyong lumaban kaya nagdesisyon siyang tumakbo. Ngunit bigla nalamang siyang natapilok sa batuhan.

She couldn't move her feet as she still took her bow out and point it to the hungry beasts with a grin.

She felt weak yet determined to live.

Nang bigla nalamang may dumamba sa mabangis na hayop.

The gray haired man fought the beast with his bare hands to save her.

Sa huli ay nagawa niyang patayin ito saka binuhat ang babaeng nawalan na ng malay patungo sakaniyang tinutuluyan.

***

After that they got a lot closer, They hunted together and talked a lot.

He learned a lot from her and as time passed by, their feelings also grew.

And the second year since they met, they married each other.

I saw how they became a happy couple with her parents approval.

The two also had children.

A twin, one is boy and another is girl.

But something is strange with their daughter.

She has the power to see the future through her dreams.

They had another daughter who could see and talk to the dead and see the deceased memories.

It was definitely strange, that is when Aziel confessed everything to her.

It was hard to believe but witnessing her children even both of them has no abilities or power, she believed him and everything he told her.

She also told him that she is adopted. She couldn't remember anything when she was a child. 

She was found in the forest by the old couple, Claude and Marissa.

The same name as my parents.

But that still didn't change their relationship and their love for each other.

But that happiness didn't last as the demons attacked. Someone controlling them found out that the child, that angel is alive and wanted to kill her now that she is a mortal.

My chest tightened as I witnessed her last memories with them as the demons attacks them.

"Divina run!"

Aziel shouted as he tried stopping the demons while she ran with her children.

Iyak ng iyak ang mga ito nang dalhin niya sa isang malaking barko kung saan naroroon ang pinagkakatiwalaang kaibigang pabalik sa banyagang bansa kung saan siya nakatira kasama ng kaniyang asawa.

"Alagaan mo silang maigi, susunod kami."

Humahagulgol na saad ng babae saka mahigpit na niyakap ang anak.

"Mahal na mahal ko kayo mga anak. Susunod kami, pangako iyan."

Nangingiyak niyang saad saka tumakbo upang balikan si Aziel.

There I saw someone grining wickedly as he killed Aziel along with that woman.

I just hate that I couldn't see that person's face at all.

The couple died in it's hands as it laughed in victory and left the two in the middle of the cold forest.

Bagamat nanghihina ay marahang hinaplos ni Divina ang muka ng asawa.

"If there is a second life, you will still be the only man I will ever love"

She whispered weakly as she kissed him good bye. Aziel cried at the sight while staring at her intently.

"Wait for me then, Cause I will find you no matter what."

Ngiting saad nito.

"I-I will.. I love you."

That's the last thing she said on her last breath. A lonly tear fell from his eyes as he kissed his wife lovingly.

"I love you so much... please, please wait for me..."

He whispered as he also met his end while holding his wife's cold hand.

***

The next thing I saw is my father, Claude. How he fought desperately into the forbidden forest and took a fruit from the sacred tree.

"Take that child again... she is our light, our hope.."

I heard Aisha's voice that my father didn't seem to her as he left to save me and my mother.

Patuloy lamang ang pagluha ko nang imulat ko ang aking mga mata kasabay ng paninikip ng aking dibdib habang paulit ulit na bumabalik saakin ang mga nakikita.

"Aziel..."