The hammering silence vanquishes when the cry of a grieving soul echoes in the empty room. Aicelyn slowly opens her eyes with her tears starting to pour down as she looks at the dark ceiling. And now, everything makes sense to her.

The reason why Celine is so hard on her, the reason why Serena is careful with her, and the reason why she has forgotten who Sabrina is.

She now remembers everything, every little bit of her memory, along with the demise that awaits the tragedy of the four maidens from the past.

And especially, the loneliness of the only Empyrean Soul.

“Ba—bakit nila ginawa ‘yon?” Kusang tumulo ang mga luha ni Aicelyn habang ang mga mata’y nanatiling nakatingin sa kisame.

Sa ‘di kalayuan, pinanonood siya ni Belphegor na may hindi mapaliwanag na emosyon sa mga mata nito.

Dahil sa pagkabuklat ng memorya ng nakaraan, ang lahat ng katanungan nga’y nasagot maging ang dahilan sa pagkawala ng mga d’yos at d’yosa. At ngayon, sila ang nakikipagtagisan kay kamatayan.

Bumaba ang tingin sa kanya ni Belphegor, pinanood lamang niyang tumangis ang prinsesa. Because… just like her, he couldn’t answer his whys.

“That question is not meant for you, Aicelyn.”

Aicelyn knows it. She was not the one who answered him; she was not the one who got tempted to the offer—between the wagering of life and death.

“If it wouldn’t for him, you wouldn’t suffer, and he wouldn’t still suffer.”

Aicelyn’s eyes becomes curious out of nowhere, wala siyang maintindihan sa sinasambit ni Belpher at lalong wala siyang ideya kung sino ang tinutukoy nito bukod sa kanya.

“That day, you lost to us. But, Phoenix Gregory Stanfield also lost a battle that cause the life of his beloved…”

•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•

“Paxton Greyson Stanfield!”

“Phoenix Gregory Stanfield!”

“Call my name too, Mom!”

The Queen laughs, looking at her beautiful, youngest child. “Philomena Greisy Stanfield,” she softly says as she kisses her forehead.

The soft, loving eyes of the Queen immediately disappear when two princes arrive, looking nervous and guilty at the same time. The princes bow their heads with a grimace face plaster in their faces as the Queen looks at them grimly.

“Kasalanan mo ‘to,” bulong ni Paxon kay Phoenix.

Pinanliitan ni Phoenix ng mga mata ang nakatatandang kapatid at bumulong pabalik. “Sinabi ko bang sumunod ka? Display ba ‘yang utak mo? Pakigamit, please.”

“Are you done pointing fingers with each other?” The Queen asks calmly. Nagulat si Paxon nang tinulak siya ni Phoenix papalapit sa kanilang ina, saglit niyang pinanlisikan ng tingin kay Phoenix bago muling humarap sa ina na may kabadong tawa.

“Y—Your Highness!”

“How many times do I have to tell you that you aren’t supposed to sneak out and ditch your training?”

“Nabilang mo ba?” Tanong ni Phoenix kay Paxon.

Tumango si Paxon dahilan upang lalo silang panlisikan ng tingin ng reyna, “Pang-278 times na. May record ako sa journal… palagi kasi tayong tinatanong.”

“Nice, brother!” Nakabungisngis na tinapik ni Phoenix ang balikat ng kapatid saka bumaling sa kanilang ina, “278—”

“And where have you been this time?”

The Queen’s eyes soften while staring at her second child, beaming with positivity with his eyes glimmering with excitement. Phoenix grins and immediately steps in front of Paxon while looking at his mother as if he is eager to share about their adventure.

“We went to the Sacred Walls! It is so beautiful and serene! And you know what, Mom… the people are free. There are no dictators…” Phoenix says, smiling. “And—and you know what… Kuya Paxon and I… uhm… lied to the academy.”

“Lied to Demigods Academy?” The Queen asks.

“Yeah… I took their entrance examination and aced it easily. I got an almost perfect score, and I lied to them by introducing myself as a civilian.”

“This dumbass…” The Queen says inside her head. “Sino bang may sabing hindi siya kilala ng mga head ng academy na ‘yon?”

Bago pa man makapagsalita ang reyna, isang pabirong tapik sa ulo ang natanggap ni Phoenix kay Paxon, at pilit nitong yumuko sa harap nito.

.
“It was my fault, Your Highness. I followed him, yet I failed to stop him from doing stupid things,” Paxon utters, glaring at his brother. “At isa pa, I just proved him that stupid Lockser is not in that place.”

“You call him stupid… pero idol na idol mo naman. Tanga,” turan ni Phoenix.

“He is stupid for putting mom’s life, but it doesn’t mean that I can’t look up to him.”

Tumikhim ang reyna’t matalim na tumingin sa gilid ng palasyo at agad naman iyong napansin ng magkakapatid, tanging ngiwi ang rumehistro sa mukha nina Paxon at Phoenix samantalang sinalubong namna ni Philomena ng may ngiti ang bagong dating.

“You are the one who should be scolding them, Apollo,” the Queen says.

Apollo grimaces as he carefully holds his youngest child, kissing her forehead before walking in the direction of the Queen. “I don’t have much time… and you want me to spend my pressure moments scolding those dimwits? That is quite unfair, Marina.”

“O, bakit ka pa pumunta rito? Wala ka naman pa lang k’wenta.”

“Baka magpapaulan ng tit—” Apollo automatically glares to Phoenix before he could even finish what he was about to say, making Philomena look at the second prince with curiosity.

“Why did Kuya Phoenix stop from speaking, daddy?” Philomena asks Apollo.

“Because he didn’t stop… he might pay a visit to Hades.”

“Tch.” Blankong tinapik ni Phoenix ang balikat ni Paxon at bumulong rito, “What is that hoe doing here?”

Paxon shrugs his shoulder while glaring along with Phoenix to Apollo. “Maybe he wanted another Stanfield. Yikes, we need to cover our ears later… especially that, it will be full of moans tonight.”

“You mean… tonight is full moan!”

“Idiots!” All of a sudden, a choleric God of the Sun stands in front of them. His broad shoulder, along with his long golden hair glistens as his amber eyes reflect his anger. “Are you forgetting who am I? I am the God—”

“—of Bullshit!”

Apollo sighs, defeatedly. And instead of scolding Phoenix; he pats the princes’ heads and kneels in front of them. “I know that… I am not a good father—”

“Nice, aminado,” bulong ni Phoenix dahilan upang tingnan siya ni Marina nang masama.

“And I want you—”

“Nako, nako. Sinasabi ko na nga ba, pupunta ka lang dito kasi may kailangan ka,” ani ni Paxon.

Apollo glares at them, clearing his throat and when his seriousness overwhelms the princes, the two of them stop running their mouths. “Paxon, you should stop acting like a kid. Stop neglecting your responsibilities in this kingdom because you and I both know… once your birthday comes. You’ll be leading the Sun Kingdom.”

“Yay…” Phoenix mumbles.

“Zeus told me that now is the time.” Apollo smiles, looking at the Phoenix proudly. He brushes Phoenix’s hair, making Phoenix uncomfortable. “Phoenix… you are bound to be king—a king that is powerful enough to stand on his own feet, leading the others and wholeheartedly speaks for those who can’t.”

“No…” Phoenix disagrees, shaking his head. “No!”

“Calm down, Phoenix…” Marina whispers, stealing Phoenix from Apollo’s grasp. “Pakinggan mo muna ang sasabihin ng ama mo.”

“But…”

“Phoenix, you are a King Vessel.” Seryosong tumingin sa kanya si Paxon at dinikit ang noo niya kay Phoenix. “The moment you are born… you are already special. As your older brother—I am proud enough to say that you are more than just a king.

Nagtatakha silang pinapanood ni Philemona na walang alam sa nangyayari. Nang lumayo si Paxon, ngumiti ito kay Phoenix at niyakap niya ito nang sobrang higpit.

Aside from Garet Christopher Lockser, Paxon idolizes his younger brother, Phoenix, not because he already knew his fate as a king vessel, but because he already witnessed all of his miracles and kindness. Phoenix has the kindest heart. He would sneak out of the palace, wearing cheap clothes. He spends his money to buy food and materials to build houses in order to shelter the poor, and especially, he would spend his time reading and telling stories to the children of the slums.

Phoenix is a genuine, and a selfless prince, who would think of others’ sake more than his.

“Do you remember what you’ve told me back then?” Paxon asks, whispering.

“Why are you helping them, Phoenix?”

“That question sounds so dumb, Paxon.”

“So?”

“I love seeing them with smiles on their faces. I wanted to be friends with them, without them thinking of who I am, or who I am in this society. Hierarchies are hindrances for humanity; we breathe the same air, we set foot with the same soil, and we all have a single life. And if I don’t help them… who would, then?”

Mabilis na nagbago ang mukha ni Phoenix, umatras siya’t kinalas ang pagkakayakap ng kapatid niya sa kanya, “It’s unfair… it’s unfair for you, Paxon.”

“It’s not unfair to be special, Phoenix.” Paxon smiles. “Especially, if you deserve it.”

“I am not like Garet Lockser! I am fitted to be a King Vessel!”

Ngumiti si Apollo’t muling sinuklay ang buhok ni Phoenix na hindi tinatanggap ang lahat ng kanilang sinasabi. “Anak… kahit kailanman hindi ko hihilingin na maging katulad ka ni Garet. Ikaw ay ikaw at ikaw ay si Phoenix.”

“Ayoko…”

“Do you think I don’t even know why you are sneaking in and out of the palace?”

Apollo’s words catch Phoenix in surprise. Matagal na nilang tinatago ni Paxon sa reyna ang dahilan kung bakit sila palaging tumatakas, ngunit ang mga gawa-gawang dahilan nila ay hindi gagana kay Apollo.

“See? Even the hoe knows it,” sambit ni Paxon dahilan upang bahagyang matawa si Phoenix.

The Queen, Marina steps in, kissing the princes’ forehead and staring at them lovingly. “You are both my kings. You are both special. And you are both mine, always remember that.”

“Philomena… sali…” Even though Philomena does not have a single clue of what is happening, she pulls herself in to hug his brothers. “I love my kuya Paxon and my kuya Phoenix—so so much!”

Apollo grins and while his children are all looking down, he kisses Marina’s lips, smiling. “Thank you for having this family with me,” he mumbles and locks all of them with a tight hug.

A tear slides from Phoenix’s face as a genuine, gentle smile slowly curve in his lips.

“I promise… I will be the best King Vessel.”

#