『SKYLER』

A shiver ran down my spine as I entered the door Aizelle pointed. After making my through it, dimness immediately welcomed me, along with the cold and soft noises echoing around. Out of nowhere, the lamps around lit beautiful crystal hues, making my eyes set on the woman inside the room with me.

Ice looked at me seductively with her alluring crystal blue eyes. Oh, boy… She was wearing a thin blouse, revealing her porcelain skin at the bottom. I was dumbfounded when she suddenly crawled in my direction, and as soon as our skin made contact, my mind immediately went wild.

“Ice…”

“Sky…” Mariin kong pinikit ang mga mata ko dahil sa mainit na hininga sa aking balat.

Isang tupa. Dalawang tupa. Tatlong tupa…

“Sky… look at me.” Tila may gayuma ang mga salita niya dahil pagkasabi niya no’n ay mabilis ko iyong sinunod.

Kagat-labi siyang tumingin sa akin dahilan upang umiwas ako ng tingin sa mga mata niya. Mas lalo akong nalulunod sa kanya. Ang malamig niyang kamay ay humaplos sa aking pisnge’t malambing na pinaling ang paningin ko sa kanya.

Ah… Tangina.

Ice claimed my lips. It was a rough and ferocious kiss, like a hungry beast swallowing its prey. I felt dizzy, but I wanted more. I carried Ice and laid her down on the bed with my mind, not thinking straight.

“Ha…” Parehas kaming kapos sa hininga, ngunit imbes na tumigil ay dahan-dahan niyang inalis ang butones sa suot niya.

Her neck… I suddenly felt an urge of thirst and hunger to her neck. And as I softly kissed her neck, her endless soft moans echoed.

“Ah… S—Sky! I want to feel—”

And her words suddenly slapped me with reality. Damn it! Anong ginagawa ko? Aizelle told me not to fall into the temptation, and here I am indulging myself with it.

Buntong-hininga kong pinikit ang aking mga mata saka kinulong si Ice sa isang mahigpit na yakap. She’s under a curse and can’t control her urges, hindi ko dapat pagsamantalahan ang kahinaan niya.

“I’m sorry, Ice.” I slowly gathered a sphere of water and imprisoned Ice until she lost her consciousness.

“Damn… I want our first kiss to be memorable kaso…”

I heaved a sigh and removed my coat. I covered Ice’s shivering body and carried her outside. But my eyes were immediately stolen by a peculiar golden light. But my amazement seized after hearing moans and groans until a golden light, shielded Ice and me away from them.

“Tangina mo, Sky!” Ilang beses akong napakurap dahil sa malutong na mura na kinabit sa pangalan ko.

The sight was out of this world. Hindi normal na makakita ng isang seraphim lalong-lalo na sa Dark Continent. Isang inis at galit na tingin ang binigay sa ‘kin ng seraphim dahilan upang mapangiwi ako dahil sa ideyang nasa utak ko ngayon.

“Putangina mo talaga, Sky!”

“Mala-anghel ang itsura mo ngayon pero nagmumura ka—”

“Edi Amen!” I wryly smiled after hearing her words. Hindi talaga bagay sa kanya.

I have hunches that she might be one, especially that she is Phoenix’s servitour and all servitour were winged beings.

“You fucking give Asmodeus what she wanted! Nag-miracle ba kayo sa loob?!” Aizelle screamed, making my face tainted with red.

“No!”

Aizelle was about to utter a word again when Asmodeus suddenly attacked her. She flew away with petals raining down from her wings wherever she went. Aizelle fell when Asmodeus’ ship strike on her.

Saglit na napangiwi si Aizelle sa kanyang pagbagsak at dahil do’n ay nawala ang gintong ilaw na nagpoprotekta sa amin ni Ice. Uy, gago!

“Sky, dito!”

Para akong kabayo sa bilis nang pagtakbo na ginawa ko makapunta lamang sa puwesto nina Phoenix. Hindi katulad ng mga humahabol sa ‘kin, hindi ako apektado ng gintong shield na mula sa blessing ni Aizelle.

“Ba’t ganyan ang itsura ni Ice? May ginawa ka ba sa kanya?” Makahulugan na tanong ni Sue.

“Wala, gago!”

“Dinig namin ang sinabi ni Aizelle,” sambut ni Celine dahilan upang mapaiwas ako ng tingin. Edi, congrats!

I looked at Phoenix and squinted my eyes, “Do you have any idea what she’ll do next?” I asked.

“Bring birth to spring.” Phoenix smirked.

The confidence in his voice made me wonder of how much they’ve earned for years, na sa tingin ko’y iba ang magiging impression ng iba. Some might think that their bond is much more than friends. I looked at Aizelle, who’s countering every attack made by Asmodeus.

And when Aizelle halted, her eyes glowed the hues of the golden dusk. She carefully lifted her bow, along with its blinding crystal clear arrow, while looking fierce at Asmodeus. And as she shot it fire, the arrows multiplied and plummeted below Asmodeus’ direction.

“And that attack is supposed to be scary?” Asmodeus mocked. No, something is not right. I can feel the tremendous power poured down on that shot. Hindi lang iyon basta naging sala. Ibig sabihin may logic ang atakeng ‘yon.

Mahinang humalakhak si Phoenix dahilan upang tapunan namin siya ng tingin.

“This moron… ngayon ka lang angat sa amin. H’wag kami,” asik ni Aizen.

Mahinang tinapik ni Xian ang balikat ni Aizen at tinapik-tapik ito, “Pagbigyan mo na si Phoenix. Minsan lang naman siya bida.”

Serena and Sabrina laughed. Lahat kami ay curious sa kung ano man ang magiging atake ni Aizelle pero ang natatanging kasama namin na may ideya ro’n ay hindi nais na sabihin ang tila surpresang palabas.

“Ah… I get it,” Light mumbled. “The mysterious Pillar of Miracle will grant the grail of the beginning.”

“Mysterious?” Sue asked.

Celine nodded. “The Pillar of Miracle is different from other existing Pillars. Walang kahit anong detalye ang nakasulat tala tungkol sa Pillar of Miracle maliban na lang sa daan o libong taon bago magpakita ito. And now… we are looking to one.”

“On top of that… she’s our friend and Phoenix’s servitour,” I said. Makahulugan akong tumingin kay Light at tipid na ngumiti. “And now all the mysteries are solved— the reasons why Aizelle is often distancing herself to Light. Hmm… because her feelings will kill Phoenix.”

“That’s unfair!” Sue exclaimed. “You mean… Aizelle can’t fall in love because of Phoenix?!”

Sue glared at Phoenix, making Phoenix to panic. “Bakit ganyan ka makatingin sa ‘kin? Wala naman akong ginagawang masama—”

“Because you’re hurting Aizelle while loving me. You’re being unfair to her!”

“I am not—”

The ground suddenly trembled like an angry volcano waiting to erupt. And in just a glimpse, cracks became more visible in the ground, but our eyes set on the beings battling above.

And the arrows that plummeted earlier shone, slowly revealing a humungous garden of roses rising above, targeting Asmodeus. The Kin of Lust tried her best to avoid it, but it continued to follow her wherever she went until it finally reached her.

“I told you… you are an easy enemy.” Aizelle smiled.

Asmodeus angrily hissed and resisted the tangled roses on her feet. She tried and successfully pulled her body towards Aizelle. And when Asmodeus and Aizelle made contact with each other, Aizelle smiled. One of the arrows pierced through Asmodeus’ body, and slowly the garden of roses sprouted on her stomach.

The soldiers of naked men and women immediately lose their consciousness as the golden light protecting us vanishes.

“Aizelle!” Light shouted.

Hindi namin maaninag ang mukha ni Aizelle sa distansya. Ngunit nakalutang lamang siya’t hindi gumagalaw habang nakahilig sa kanyang balikat ang walang malay na si Asmodeus.

“You shall rot together with me!”

Lakimg gulat na lang namin nang biglang umangat ang ulo ni Asmodeus at sinakmal ang leeg ni Aizelle. Dahan-dahan naging abo ang katawan nito samantalang nawala naman ang pakpak ni Aizelle dahilan upang bumagsak siya, naging mabilis ang pagtakbo ni Light sa direksyon nito at sinalo.

“Damn. Are you alright?” Light asked.

Aizelle blinked multiple times and timidly avoided his eyes. Naglakad kami papunta sa direksyon nila’t nakita naming sinusuri ni Light ang leeg ni Aizelle ngunit walang kahit anong sugat do’n.

Agad naman na nawala ang atensyon ko sa kanila nang marinig ko ang boses ni Ice. Dahan-dahan siyang nagmulat kaya’t tinulungan ko siyang makatayo. Hindi siya makapaniwalang tumingin sa suot niyang damit saka sa akin at pabigla niyang hinampas ang sentido niya.

“What the fuck…” Bulong niya. Umiwas siya ng tingin sa akin at pumaling kay Aizelle habang naniningkit ang mga mata.

“Aizelle… what’s wrong with your—”

“C—can you please put me down?” Aizelle asked Light. We squinted our eyes at her because she was acting quite different from the usual.

And before words could come out of any of our mouths, a large portal slowly emerged in front of us, with the image of Divine Continent being projected on it.

“Shall we go home, Ice?”

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