“Hello, World! And hello, Divine Continent!” Alyssa shouted. After days of getting lost in the Dim Forest, we finally got out of it. Sobrang napakaaliwalas ng paligid ngayon. The sun’s rays radiate with an embracing light along with fresh spring air that welcomed us with its calm and vibrant wind.

“Shut up, Alyssa,” I jeered.

She looked at me from head to toe until she sticks her tongue out, “I’m not gonna listen to a malandi like you,”

“Hindi ako malandi,”

She suddenly pointed her finger and look at me disgustedly, “Yes, you are! Kung hindi kami dumating do’n baka nagplokplok na kayo,” she said while switching glances towards Alexis and me.

I languidly looked at her. Alyssa’s choice of words is really unpleasant.

“Freya, don’t sama to her ha,” Glifford reminded Freya, making Savannah raised her brow.

“Hindi mo ako sasabihan?” Savannah asked.

“Bakit pa? Kung magmura nga kayo ni Garet para kayong hindi galing sa noble family,” Glifford said. Savannah acted like she was hurt or something. It’s good that she’s more lively than to our first meeting pero hindi naman ata tama na agawin n’ya ang best friend ko.

“I—I’m hurt,” Savannah said. Freya softly laughs while watching the other two.

It was Freya who achieved her dream first. And now that she gained it, the world she was longing to explore will be her greatest weakness. She’s a fragile heiress from the fairy clan. The queen and the other fairies treated her like an exquisite piece of jewel, and one wrong move can shatter her into pieces. At isa iyon sa dahilan kaya pakiramdam ko ay hindi siya handa sa mundong ito. Any harm might cause her dream to crash. She might think that her dream is lousy, just like when we first met. And that is a bad thing.

My eyes drifted to the noisiest member of this group. Even though Alyssa is from a different race, she was able to strengthen herself to survive in this world. She got the wits and strong will—Pero ang ayoko lang sa ugali niya ay ang pagiging maingay niya. Nasanay ako na sa aming dalawa ni Glifford ay ako ang maingay, ayoko pa naman ng nauungusan ako.

Habang naglalakad kami ay naramdaman ko malamig na simoy ng hangin kasunod nito ang malamlam na pagsilay ng mga mata ni Artemis sa amin.

“The Cerulean Kingdom is near,” Artemis stated.

A playful glimmer in her eyes appeared as she stole a meaningful glance towards Savannah. Kung bobo siguro ako katulad ni Jackson ay hindi ko maiintindihan ang pinahihiwatig ni Artemis.

The most beautiful woman will soon meet her demise.

Tumikhim si Savannah dahilan upang mas lalong maengganyo si Artemis sa nakikita n’ya. Savannah frustratingly bit her lower lip as she drifted her attention towards the other girls.

On the other hand, may nabubuong kakaibigang pagkakaibigan sa pagitan nina Dark at Jackson. They were talking about the Sea of Winterwyn. It was the infamous peculiar sea located at the top of the Cerulean Kingdom.

Emerald and Alexis were sauntering at the back. At ayoko naman na tumingin sa likod upang makita kung anong ginagawa nila lalo na’t napapaligiran ako ng mga ma-issue na kasama.

But to be honest, I’ve never imagined that I will be conquering the world with them. Ang unang plano lang naman ay ang tumakas sa kasal ko. Hindi ko inaasahan na may makikilala ako at isama pa rito na makikita ko rin ang gusto kong abutin.

“Oh, it’s Rhealia again,” Dark joked.

Artemis glared at him. May inabot na maskara si Artemis sa amin ni Savannah, “Wear that,” she commanded.

At habang sinusuot ko ang maskara ay hindi ko maiwasan ang mapabaling kay Alexis, “When we first met, kilala mo na ako ‘di ba? How?” I asked.

Her eyes languidly drifted to me, “Your father loves you,” she stated.

“Hindi naman ‘yan ang sagot—”

“— that he made sure that everyone will know who you are,” She added. I wryly smiled when she pointed to a wall near us; it was my face printed on a piece of paper along with the word ‘Missing.’

Nang hilahin ni Emerald si Alexis ay mas lalo akong napangiwi dahil maging ang litrato ni Savannah ay naroroon. Hindi ko inaasahan na gagawin ‘to ni Hephaestus, he is a busy god, why would he spend his time looking for a single child?

When we arrived at the entrance of the palace, the crystallized glass door welcomed us, and the single blow of the wind was giving us a definite chill.

As the crystal door slowly opens, another cold being welcomed us with his languid expression.

His eyes landed to mine, and simply walked away. Naiwan ang kasama niya may kakaibang ngisi sa labi.

“Hi, Savannah,” she greeted.

Savannah plastered a fake smile along with princess-like posture, “Oh, I didn’t know that you’d be here, Sophia,”

Anong problema nila?

“What are you doing here, Lockser?”

Napalingon ako sa paligid nang marinig ko ang boses ni Alendis sa aking isip. I examined the entire palace until I saw a pair of crystal blue eyes looking intently at me. Muli kong binalik ang atensyon ko sa mga kasama at pareparehas silang nakatuon sa dalawang babaeng nag-tatalo sa kanilang maasim na tinginan. Walang pasabi akong umalis at tumungo sa kinaroroonan ni Alendis.

And when I was about to reach him, he began walking again until we arrived to his room. Naglakad siya patungo sa kaniyang lamesa at sumilay sa kalangitan sa pamamagitan ng malalaking bintana sa likod nito habang nakatalikod siya sa akin.

“Do you have something to tell me?”

“Sophia is pregnant,” he stated.

Halos umawang ang bibig ko dahil sa sinabi n’ya. Wala man lamang siyang kang preno at tila hindi siya nag-aalala namalan ko ito.

“Di—did you do it?” I asked.

Nang lumingon sa akin si Alendis ay tila puno siya ng pagtatakha dahil sa itsura ko. Nakataas ang kaniyang isang kilay at tila iniisip kung ano ang ibig kong sabihin.

“I’m not the father, moron,” He said as he sat down on the corner of his table. His crystal blue eyes roamed around the entire room, “And you will help me,”

“Maghahanap tayong tatay?”

“Bobo,” He jeered.

I pouted and sat on the couch, “You’ll never be able to get married if you’re going to be a cold-ass jerk,” I said.

“How can I get married when you already stole what’s mine?”

Bigla na lamang nag iba ang emosyon sa mga mata niya habang diretsong nakatingin sa akin ngunit mabilis din iyon naglaho nang kumurap siya.

“You need to help us, Garet,” Alendis said.

“Kanina mo pa nga sinasabi,”

Isang masamang tingin ang binigay niya sa akin bago tumikhim, “Beneath the Sea of Winter—”

“Saglit lang. Sinabi ko bang tutulong ako? Tsk. Hindi man lang nagtatanong,”

“Will you help me?” He asked. And I nodded. Muli niya kong tiningnan ng masama. Gustuhin ko man matawa sa reaksyon niya ay hindi ko magawa dahil baka mamaya ay maging yelo ako.

“Anong meron sa Sea of Winterwyn?” I asked.

“Sophia’s lover,”

“Oh, tingnan mo ‘to! Sabi mo hindi tayo maghahanap ng tatay—”

He glared at me, making me shut up, “Beneath the Sea of Winterwyn was an underwater cave. And guess who’s hiding—”

“Kailan pa naging guessing game ‘to?”

Alendis massaged his temple and used his blessing to cover my mouth with ice, which I melted with my flames.

“Erebus, he is hiding there.”

“Ano naman ang gagawin ng isang d’yos do’n?” I quizzically asked.

“He was talking about the Obsidian child. And how he wanted to kill it. Wala kaming clue kung sino ang Obsidian child, especially that Sophia is bearing the Miracle child,” he explained.

“Miracle child?” I critically repeated.

“The servitour of Apollo’s other king vessel,” Alendis answered, and before I could ask another question, he speaks again, “Yes, my brother,”

“I don’t get this servitour thingy,” I honestly said.

“But you have your servitour with you,” He said. Alam kong si Freya ang tinutukoy niya especially that her mother already told me about it, “And you already saw my servitour,”

“Sophia?”

“Exactly. Your servitour was the fairy princess while mine was one of the pinnacles of the Seraphim,”

The queen fairy told me that the servitours love would kill their king vessel. Sophia is pregnant and has a lover, but how can Alendis still be alive if what the queen said was true?

“Who is Sophia’s lover?” I asked.

“Savannah’s brother— the prince of Amore Kingdom,”

#