『AICELYN』

Predators do not hunt; instead, they wait for their prey to stop running... yet, why is he standing right in front of us?

Just like the myths says, beyond the gorgeous-looking face of the King of Kins, the most wicked being resides, that even the purest seraphim ever born cannot withstand. His mere presence scream death, no wonder that this darkness never sought life.

Days ago, Belphegor warned us about Satan, to never seek nor look for this man. But why is he here, standing with confidence as if he was sure to end us with his own hands.

"My, my, I must say... Alendis did a great job raising both of you," Satan amusingly stated.

"You know my father?" I asked.

Isang nasisihayang tawa ang pinakawalan niya't matalim akong tiningnan, "That man is a king vessel, a man who rivals Garet's strength and it if weren't for their blooming friendship... they could have killed each other, but he chose Garet to be the King of Kings and became his shadow."

Saglit kong ninakawan ng tingin si Night, isang atake pa mula kay Satan ay hindi niya na kakayanin pa. I need time. I fuckingly need time right now. Kung hindi kaya ng ibang Kins na mahawakan si Night, ngayon ang sitwasyon ay nabaligtad, siya naman ang hindi makahawak kay Satan.

Dahan-dahan na binaba ni Satan ang kanyang mga mata kay Night kasabay nito ang pag angat niya sa kanyang kamay. Ang kapaligiran na nababalot ng dilim ay sinakop ng isang malakas na bugso ng hangin na pumapaikot sa kanya, ang lupa't kalangitan ay nagbigay buhay itim na usok na nagkukumpol sa kanya palad, nagbibigay buhay sa isang nakatatakot na kapangyarihan.

Isang tingin pa lamang do'n, alam kong hindi namin kakayanin ni Night ang harapin ang atakeng iyon.

"I-ice..." It's either I die, or he'll go back to Aizen.

I have no choice but to fight. I tightly gripped the Crystalline Sword, patiently waiting for Satan's attack. Satan amusingly looked down on me as I hid Night behind my back. I cannot touch, but it doesn't mean that I felt his attacks.

The shadows gathering in his palm suddenly vanished, making Satan laugh psychotically. And in just a glimpse, a humungous black hole rapidly attacked our direction. I ran towards it, using force to somehow match its power, and when the blade met his attack, my body wouldn't stop from trembling. I am deflecting it, but it was messing with my body.

He is not the King of Kins for nothing. My veins were nearly popping out as I was coughing a huge amount of blood, but his attack still continued to torture me. But I cannot let go of it, or else, Night will be gone.

If I could just use my blessing.

"Magnifico!" Dinig kong sabi ni Satan at kasabay nito ang paghalik ko sa lupa.

Nanlalabo ang paningin ko't naubos na rin ang lakas ko upang hawakan ang espada ko. Impit akong napasigaw nang sipain ni Satan ang sikmura ko't tumalsik palayo kay Night.

Tangina!

Pilit kong minulat ang mga mata ko nang marinig ko ang pagsigaw ni Night. Tinatapak-tapakan siya ni Satan sa kanyang ulo, paulit-ulit niyang sinisigaw ang kanyang sakit at tila ba'y isang musika iyon sa tainga ni Satan.

"AHHHH!"

I frustratingly bit my lower lip and crawled to my sword, and even though it hurts, I still stood and lunged my sword to Satan, praying that somehow he would receive damage, yet instead, he smiled wickedly at me and snatched my hair, pulling it as if he would tear me alive, making let go of my sword.

"I'll kill you!" I screamed.

Humalakhak siya't patuloy niyang tinapakan ang ulo ni Night habang inaangat ako.

"Even though you are a daughter of a king vessel... you are not one. So, how are you supposed to kill me if you can't touch me, demigod?" He sardonically chuckled. Satan assessed me and laughed once again. "I see. You are gifted. But can you ignite that fire within you?"

Right... only the chosen kings, the king vessels, can deliver his evilness to death.

Naging tahimik ang paligid, nawala ang boses ni Night at maging ang tuwa ni Satan ay naglaho. Muli akong umubo ng dugo habang tila ba'y binabalot ako ng mga anino, kinukulong ako hanggang sa ninanakaw nila ang kakayahan kong makahinga.

"Playtime is over, demigod," Satan said.

Dahan-dahan na lumutang ang Crystalline Sword at napunta iyon sa palad ni Satan. Mas lalo naman niya akong inangat hanggang sa magtama ang mga mata namin. At katulad ng dilim sa aming paligid, iyon lamang ang makikita sa kanyang mga mata. Purong itim.

Binaon niya sa aking sikmura ang Crystalline Sword, tagusan ito't itinapon ako na para bang isang basura sa kung saan dahilan upang mapadausdos ako sa tuyot na kalupaan.

At nang akala ko'y tapos na siya sa akin, muli ko siyang naramdaman sa aking harapan. Tiningnan niya ako na para bang handa niya sa akin iparamdam ang galit niya.

Tinapakan niya ang espada dahilan upang umalingawngaw ang aking paghihirap. Unti-unti na akong napapagod, tuyot na ang lalamunan ko't ubos na rin ang mga luha ko, at ang paningin ko'y patuloy na dumidilim.

"My, my... how amusing," he mumbled.

And in the coldest continent, a soothing warmth suddenly embraced me, eradicating the fierce, suffocating presence in front of me. I felt the world upside down like someone lifted me, but the pain and sword were still pierced in my body.

"If it isn't my favorite demigod..." Satan said with a hint of delight.

"Three years ago, Sol told me something..." A familiar laugh brought me to tears as I tried to open my eyes and took a glimpse at his amber eyes, "I will shine for the moon."

"P-Phoenix..."

Ngumiti s'ya sa akin, may gaan at higpit niya akong hinawakan, ngunit kapansin-pansin na sa likod ng mga ngiting iyon, kinukubli niya ang kanyang galit. Hindi para sa 'kin. Para sa presensyang nasa harapan namin.

"Ngayon... ngayon ko lang naintindihan ang mga salita ni Sol. At ngayong nandito na ako, hindi ka na niya ulit masasaktan."

Was three years that long... or Phoenix just seems so mature right now?

Dahan-dahan na tumulo ang mga luha sa mata ko. Now that it's too dark for the moon, the sun came to offer a new light.

"Ice... crying is not just so you," he mumbled, slowly pressing his bracelet, and all of a sudden, a blazing light came out of it in the form of a child with foxy ears.

Kaki.

"Kaki... please take care of her," Phoenix ordered, handing me to Kaki with care.

"I will, master," Kaki replied.

Saglit muna akong nilingon ni Phoenix, marahan na hinawakan ang pisnge ko't ngumiti, "Babatiin ko lamang siya."

At bago pa man ako makapagsalita pang-muli, tumalikod na siya sa amin kasabay no'n ang pagpapakawala ng kulay kahel na usok sa katawan ni Kaki. Para bang hinahaplos ako nito imbes na ako'y makaramdam ng sakit sa pagkakatanggal niya sa espada sa aking sikmura.

Ang usok din na iyon ay pinipigilan ang pagdurugo ng sugat ko. Nawala ang atensyon ko kay Kaki nang marinig ko ang naliligayahan na tawa ni Satan. At habang pinagmamasdan ko sila, ang mga mata ni Phoenix ay tila ba nagliliyab sa bigat ng emosyon niyang dinadala.

History.

Satan once again chuckled, "My, my... my favorite demigod didn't inform about his arrival."

"Why should I?"

"Still hot-headed, huh?"

They knew each other.

Kaki's smoke lifted Night's body, carrying him by our direction with Kaki leaving my side. But my attention immediately drifted to Phoenix when I felt something peculiar within him. Looking at him right now made me realize the three years I've lost without them.

He seems so mature. He seems so different.

Phoenix slowly unsheathed his sword, blinding us with its magnificent blaze. He tightly gripped it without losing sight of Satan.

"Phoenix... don't," I softly whispered. "Your attack will never reach him!"

And instead of listening to my plea, Phoenix smirked, thrusting his sword to his current nemesis. Satan became cautious and summoned his pitch-black sword filled with jagged spikes and eyes in it. With Phoenix's every thrust, Satan becomes warier.

"You forgot who my master is, huh?" Kaki mumbled.

Tama siya. Simula pa lang noong nakilala ko si Phoenix, inaalis niya ang spotlight sa tunay niyang identity sa pamamagitan ng mga katangahan niya, na tipong hindi aakalain ng iba na siyang royal.

Phoenix Gregory Stanfield, Son of Apollo, the Second Prince of the Sun Kingdom- a candidate to become the king among the kings, the unexpected king vessel.

And the Heir of the Glorious Light.

Phoenix charged his sword directly to Satan's face, making Satan's face be burned by his sword. Yet, just like the Gods and Goddesses, the Kins are immortals. Unless they are killed by king vessels, his wound immediately healed. Phoenix's eyes reflected his bloodlust; he was angry that he was eager to end his opponent standing right in front of him.

"Still haven't moved on, huh?"

"You-"

"Because I am, too." Satan's eyes darkened while looking at Phoenix, "If Marina just-"

"Don't you fucking dare utter my mother's name!"

Galit na sumugod si Phoenix kay Satan, muling nagpaligsahan ang kanilang mga espada ngunit sa gitna ng kanilang pagtutunggali ay dahan-dahan na nagkumpulan ang mga anino sa palad ni Satan. Nang susubukan ko sanang sabihan si Phoenix, maging sa palad niya ay naroon ang kanyang kakaibang liwanag-ang araw.

Blessing... he can use his blessing.

At bago pa mapakawalan ni Satan ang kanyang atake, naglaho ito kasabay ang pag-atras niya. Doon ko naramdaman ang mga anino sa aking likod, hindi ito mula sa kapangyarihan ni Satan dahil iba ang pakiramdam ko rito. Mabilis na tumulo ang mga luha ko, hindi pa man ako lumilingon ngunit alam ko na ang dapat makita ko.

"You're late... especially you, Aizelle," Phoenix exclaimed.

Satan looked down on me as if my grim luck was finally over. He drifted his glance at my back and then fiercely looked at Phoenix and said, "I see. You came here with a Lockser. Damn, that surname is a piece of bad news."

"Don't you dare escape-"

Nang pinakawalan ni Phoenix ang kanyang atake kasabay anv pagsugod niya kay Satan, ang katawan nito ay naging itim na usok at dahan-dahan iyon naglaho.

"You seems to be in luck, my dear Aicelyn..."

After hearing Satan's last words, Phoenix clenched his fist and stared into nothingness for a moment. And when he faced me, his goofy face suddenly welcomed me, along with a smile. Tumitingin pa siya sa likuran ko na para bang sinesenyasan niya akong lumingon do'n.

Pero ayoko. At imbes na harapin sila, yumuko ako. Halo-halong emosyon ang nasa dibdib ko ngayon, hindi ko alam ang gagawin ko.

"I..."

I suddenly felt someone kneeling in front of me, and before I could even finish what I was about to say. A gentle hand slowly reached my face, carefully lifting it until my eyes locked to his cerulean eyes.

"Shall we go home, Ice?"

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