In the midst of the unwavering chaos, silence screamed in a graceful way. The enticing, miraculous scene slaved the heaven and earth as they vowed and watched the return of the Fairy Queen as a loyal servitour, along with her mighty King Vessel. Their eyes reflected confidence and valor while looking down at the King of Kins, whose body had been almost melted because of the might and power wielded by the King Vessel of the Sun Kingdom and his servitour, the Pillar of Miracle.

A speckle of golden dust showered and poured on the horizon, leaving a glint on the darkest clouds. With a lot of eyes glued above, curiosity and confusion mingled through the minds of those who witnessed her heroic death.

Yet, a simple, genuine smile was the only thing that curved Freya’s face. “Missed me?”

“Multo… m—multo! May fairy na multo! Help!”

“Tangina! Kahit isang araw lang ba hindi mo kaya maging matalino, Phoenix?!” Inis na singhal ni Aizelle kay Phoenix.

Nahihiyang tumikhim si Phoenix at inayos ang sarili. Nakalutang sila sa ere habang pinalilibutan sila ng mga fairy dust na mula kay Freya, samantalang si Garet ay nakasakay sa likod ni Simone, ang pegasus ni Sky.

“Tita Freya… how?” Tanong ni Phoenix.

Freya smiled and stole a glance at Garet, “I’ll tell you later, okay?”

Wala sa sariling tumango sina Phoenix at Aizelle saka pilit na inalis sa isip nila ang tungkol sa kuryosidad nila sa nangyari kay Freya. Tumingin silang tatlo sa direksyon kung saan nakapukol ang mga mata ni Garet.

“Is it time?” Freya asked Garet without looking at him.

“It is… it is time to end him,” said Garet. He looked to Phoenix as if a king was seeking another king’s strength and might. “Let’s end him, Phoenix. For your sake, and for Marina’s sake.”

Phoenix was caught in surprise, yet he still smiled. Apollo, his father, the God of Sun, had been careful around him, especially about uttering the name of the late queen’s name of the Sun Kingdom.

And now, the nightmare that hunted him for years will meet its end.

“For Mom’s sake…” Phoenix mumbled.

Makahulugan na tumingin si Phoenix kay Aizelle. Wala silang pinalipas na oras upang sayangin, at gamit ang lakas na nilaan sa kanila ni Freya ay agad silang nag-merge.

“It’s beautiful…” Nakangiting bulong ni Freya habang pinagmamasdan ang dalawa. “She’s no doubt… Sophia’s beloved daughter.”

Ang atensyon ni Freya ay agad na nawala kayna Phoenix nang maramdaman niya ang pagyanig ng kalupaan, at ang bawat biak sa lupa ay sabay-sabay na nagliwanag kasabay nito ang sunod-sunod na pag-agos ng mga anino mula ro’n. Nag-unahan ang mga anino patungo kay Satan, tila ba’y binibigyan siya nito nang walang katapusan na lakas.

Ngumiwi si Freya at nagsalita, “He’s really something… what if we lose?”

“When did I ever lose, Freya?” Garet asked mockingly.

“You lost to Alexis, moron…” Freya thought. Yet, instead of answering an egocentric question. She plastered a fake smile at him. “My dearest King Vessel, shall we?”

Garet nodded. Phoenix looked in their direction with curiosity tickling in his mind and watched them.

Garet and Freya calmed their minds. All of a sudden, a majestic light conquered the horizon, a light brighter than the sun and clearer than the moon. The clouds scattered as if they were scared and terrified of the humongous magic circle devouring the Divine Continent, the people of the Divine Continent around, witnessing the enticing light, knew the owner of the miraculous blessing.

For all of them knew the blessing bestowed to the greatest king vessel ever born—the flames of Hephaestus, the God of Fire.

Phoenix and Aizelle were awed. In front of them, a being known to be ugly became a beautiful and elegant sight. A spriggan. The mighty spriggan of the Alchemy Kingdom. On top of Garet’s head was a crown carved with the symbol of the Alchemy Kingdom. His eyes were leering in blazing blue hues, and his ears were pointed with a silvering earing attached to one of them. His wings were almost transparent, yet they still held the shades of silver and gold.

“Tangina. Ang angas,” bulong ni Phoenix. “No wonder Kuya Paxon idolized him so much.”

Tumingin sakanya si Garet at ngumisi. Binaling ni Garet ang tingin niya kay Satan na ngayo’y hindi na makikitaan ng kahit anong galos sa kanyang katawan. Patuloy pa rin na hinihigop ng katawan niya ang mga anino, hinihilom ang sugat sa kanyang katawan.

Isang nakakatakot na ngiti ang lumitaw sa mga labi ni Satan dahilan upang panliitan siya ni Garet ng tingin. Bigla na lamang naglaho sa paningin nila ni Phoenix si Satan, sa isang iglap lumitaw ito sa harapan ni Serena.

“Another trouble, I guess…” Satan mumbled. Suddenly, he avoided Serena as if she was sick or something and drifted in Sky’s direction. “Found it—a kryptonite-like.”

“Not my son!” Garet screamed. Agaran siyang lumipad patungo sa direksyon nina Sky, ngunit mabilis na humulma sa kamay ni Satan ang isang shadow ball dahilan upang manlaki ang mga mata ni Garet, “Sky, run!”

Satan released the shadow ball, yet the remnant of Aizelle’s arcane magic saved Sky from his attack. Satan became anxious. He once again held his sword with might and rushed towards Sky’s direction. But a pair of silver wings stopped him from harming Sky.

Sky’s eyes widened, looking at his loyal pegasus, who received the wrath of King of Kins.

“S—Simone!” Sinubukan ni Sky na gamitin ang blessing niya upang atakihin si Satan, ngunit lahat atake niya ay lumalagpas lamang dito. “Let go of him!”

Puno nang kasamaan na ngumiti si Satan sa kanya, sa isang iglap ang espada na hawak ni Satan ay naglabas ng pulang mga anino na dahan-dahan na lumamon sa katawan ni Simone. Unti-unti itong naagnas hanggang sa tuluyan na naging abo na lamang ito, mabilis na hinigit ni Garet palayo si Sky saka niya sinipa nang malakas si Satan.

“How dare you… How dare you kill my precious friend?!” Garet angrily exclaimed. His eyes leered to Satan as if he was unwilling to let him breathe anymore. “An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, and a life for a life.”

“I will erase you from this world, Lockser!”

Garet smirked. “Erase me? You cannot even defeat, not years ago and not today… Phoenix!”

Nang marinig ni Phoenix ang pagtawag ni Garet sa kanyang pangalan. He immediately casted multiple layers of magic circle, lighting the horizon and the field with an enchanting golden light.

“Extreme Magic: The Grenadier Phoenix!”

Garet’s movements were fast and swift. He lunged toward Satan and detached his wings as if it was nothing, making Satan receive Phoenix and Aizelle’s extreme magic once again.

Yet, just like what happened earlier, the young pair of king vessel and servitour’s attack was not enough to exterminate the Kin of Wrath.

“H’wag ka munang magsaya, Satan. Hindi lamang si Phoenix ang king vessel na nandito ngayon.”

Binalot nang napakaling asulo na magic circle ang buong kapatagan, umaapoy ito at tila nawalan nang kakayahan na gumalaw si Satan dahil do’n. Ilang sandali pa’y hinigop ng espada ni Garet ang magic circle, ngunit nanatiling nakaestatwa si Satan sa kanyang puwesto.

“Extreme Magic: The Fiery Retribution!”

Satan screamed pain as Garet’s sword sliced through, and in every strike of its blade, his body burned with the flames bestowed by Pyre to Garet. And as Garet’s blade reached the thousandth, his sword pierced through Satan’s heart, burning it until Satan was left nothing but a cloud of dust.

All of a sudden, the sound of trumpets echoed on the four continents, making all of them grow curious. Mammon unexpectedly appeared in front of Garet, along with a serious look on his face.

“You’ve killed Satan now. That was his last life. Stay away from the Kins, if you wish peace among the four continents.” Mammon disappeared into thin air, making Garet’s attention focus on his beloved son and Phoenix as well as Aizelle and Freya.

“The Silver String will now vanquish.”

•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•

“Have you found peace?” Garet asked Phoenix. Instead of answering, Phoenix only smiled at his master. “Do you remember our conversation back in the Cerulean Palace?”

“Yes…”

“Do you still regret being a king vessel?”

Phoenix immediately shook his head and looked at the horizon with his arms resting on the stone railings of the balcony. “No, not anymore.”

“Phoenix, look!” Parehas napatingin sina Garet at Phoenix sa loob nang tawagin ito ni Aizen. Makahulugan na tumingin si Phoenix kay Garet bago ito tumango sa kanya at tuluyan na iwan sa balkonahe si Garet.

Ang pares ng mga mata ni Garet ay gumala sa mga batang demigod hanggang sa tumigil ito kay Aicelyn na ang mga mata ay nakapukol lamang kay Aizelle. At kasabay nito ang pagkaramdam ni Garet sa isa matalik na kaibigan ni Garet.

“Pyre…”

“Yes, your majesty?”

Garet’s eyes remained looking at Aicelyn until he drifted his eyes to Aizelle; seeing the black marking all over Aizelle’s neck, doubts and chaotic thoughts began to rush in his head.

“Do you think she’s ready?”

“I do not think that is the right question, Your Majesty.” Garet grimaced; even if years passed by, he knew the fate tangled with the children of his beloved friends.

After all, Garet Christopher Lockser was the reason why Artemis imprisoned Aicelyn for years.

“Will she be able to kill the person she now calls a friend?”

“Master Garet! Totoo po ba ‘yon?” Nagtatakhang tiningnan ni Garet si Xian na kumikislap ang mga mata na nakatingin sa kanya. Walang pasabi nitong hinigit si Garet patungo sa napakahabang lamesa sa palasyo ng Sun Kingdom. “Sabi ni King—este Kuya Paxon dati raw naging tambayan niyo ‘tong Sun Kingdom.”

Garet squinted his eyes to Paxon, who immediately brooded at him, “What? That’s true,” Paxon argued.

“Stop feeding their minds with—”

Paxon suddenly cleared his throat, “How can I look at you?” He said, mimicking Garet’s voice.

Savannah, Freya, Jackson, Glifford, and Alexis, who were present at the table, suppressed their laughter while looking at the pissed Garet. And instead of shutting his mouth, Paxon mocked Garet more.

“The chase—” bigla na lamang pinaltok ni Garet ng isang gintong baso si Paxon dahilan upang tumigil ito. “Sabi ko nga shut up na.”

“I thought, Kuya Paxon was a king. Bakit pinapaltok lang siya ni Master Garet? Hindi ba treason ‘yon?” Takhang tanong ni Aizen.

Aicelyn languidly looked at him, “Master Garet is also a king. He is still the King of Alchemy Kingdom, moron.”

“Hmm… I am more curious about what happened to Tita Freya,” said Sue.

All of them looked at Freya, who was suddenly put in a tight spot. She awkwardly smiled and cursed underneath her breath.

“Are you immortal?” Philomena asked, the only princess of the Sun Kingdom and Phoenix’s youngest sibling.

“Make kuwento na Tita Freya. My utak is almost sumasabog na because I want to know what is nangyari to you. You are like tigok—”

“You are going to be tigok din if you won’t tigil your bibig,” pambabara ni Celine kay Serena.

“Do you remember the seed that Riley left during the war?” Tanong ni Freya, halos lahat nang parte ng Primus Section ay tumango sa kanya. “And because it was planted… my second life was guaranteed. After all, it was the other half of the tree in Mt. Seraphyl.”

“So… as long we plant the seed, you are immortal?” Philomena asked.

Freya shook her head, “No. It was a one-time thing—a gift from my mother, you could say.”

“Do you know… mom always tells us stories about a certain group?”

“Hmm?” Alexis whispered.

Philomena chuckled. “She said that group was weird… weird in a good way. She’ll tell us stories about their adventure, their happiness, their triumphs, and… even their heartbreaks.”

“Really?” Savannah smiled.

“Yes! She also said that even papa couldn’t handle them!”

“So, how Marina always starts the story?” Glifford asked.

“She always begins by describing a prince who was looking for something…”

Garet rested his face in his palm and looked at Philomena, “What was the name of their group, Little Marina?”

“The Rule-Breakers.”

#

END OF BOOK TWO OF DEMIGODS SERIES