News
June 17, 2196
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LUCIFUGE
Lucifuge Rofocale Gwydion

Snow covered the earth and blanketed the trees white, while mist swirled and eddied through the frosted evergreens. I held out a hand as I recline against the banister and reach the pieces of snow.

"Ito ang unang beses na naging mabigat ang mga niyebe, hindi ba?" bulong ko sa hangin bagaman walang kausap.

Bumulong naman ang mga hangin sa'kin at dinala ang paningin ko sa direksyon kung s'an naroon ang Academy- ang madalang kong puntahan. Dumadalaw lang ako r'on kung mayr'ong mga battles, ngunit kung hindi na ako nagtatagal. Hindi ko gusto na makisalamuha sa dami ng tao. Hindi ko nais na madagdagan ng isipin.

I look at my bracelet which had a pendant of an hourglass. The sands of time move down as splits of seconds pass by. It repeats day by day, and I like to wear this more than watches. The hourglass reminds me of the importance of time and each second.

"Lord Lucifuge, shall you attend Summerland Academy tomorrow?" tanong ng isang butler. I had not realize that he was here, so I glanced at him over my shoulder.

"Tomorrow is her 18th birthday, right? She will arrive tomorrow."

He nodded as response to my question. I pursued my lips and took my time to think. My hands waved as sign of his dismissal, at iniwan n'ya na ulit ako.

Heidi Laquisha of House Calafiore, my bethroted. Hindi ko nasisiguro kung pa'no siya napili bilang mapapangasawa ngunit wala naman akong magagawa. Everyone was looking forward to this day. What would be her reaction once she sees me again? I wonder.

Napatawa naman ako, at napailing. "I must not miss the fun."

I only stopped thinking when I saw a beacon from afar. My red eyes squinted and the vision zoomed to the scene. There, I saw the hunters and assassins I've hired personally.

Tumayo ako sa banister bago tumalon mula sa wing ng kastilyo ng mga Gwydions. I whistled and my Wechuge, one of the demons in Summer that I've taken control, ran.

His form varied, and now he appeared as a wolf- just as I've imagined. Nang makalapit siya'y tumalon ako sa likod niya at tinapik lang ang kaniyang likod para ituro kung saan pupunta. His eyes glimmered with the same color as mine and it was his way of responding. The trees passed in a motion blur as we approach their place, and the moment we arrived, he turned back to a swift wind.

Maingat na lumapat ang aking paa sa lupa at tumungo ako nang makita agad ang mga hunters na nakaluhod sa harap ko. The flame was put away since it was only meant to catch my attention.

Napalipat naman ang tingin ko sa isang babae. I scoffed and she immediately looked at me. "Wala na ba talaga akong matatago sa'yo, Imogen?"

Imogen Rivallon became my guardian or royal knight ever since I was a kid. Halos kasing-edad ko lamang s'ya, ngunit ang kaniyang isipan ay mas mature. Nakilala ko siya dahil sa buhok niya- black but golden streaks were very evident.

Napalunok naman siya at nag-iwas tingin sa'kin. "Paano mo nalaman, Mahal na Prinsipe?"

It wasn't easy to tell because her powers allow the eyes to be deceived with illusions. It took me quite a while to notice the golden streaks on her hair- which she sometimes fail to hide.

I commanded them to stand and they did. Hindi na sumagot si Imogen, at hinayaan ko nalang siya. Alam ko namang mapapagkatiwalaan siya, ayaw ko nalang sana siyang madamay pa sa iba kong ginagawa- but then, she ends up guarding everything. Pasalamat ko nalang dahil hindi siya nakikialam.

"What are your news?" ani ko gayunpamang nilalamig sa panahon.

Nag-unahan ang dalawang bagong hunter sa pagsagot kaya't napapikit ako panandali. Looking at the hunter and the other who set his mouth with determination while ignoring the bite of the cold, I almost walked out. Bigla ko tuloy naisip ang land of Fall, it was said to forever live with ice and ashes. How are they able to live like that?

The taller hunter shrugged and almost throw a fit. "Hindi ba't sinabi kong ako ang magsasabi," he said while piercing the other with his blue eyes. At talagang patuloy pa silang nagbabangayan sa harap ko.

The other in the right smiled. "Wala sa usapan natin 'yon—"

"I must be the one to tell him." The tall one in the left stepped forward, his ice-blue eyes intent.

"Nag-uunahan kayo para sa pera o may tinatago kayo?" I said, my straight face curling into a scowl. "Hindi ko kayo kailangan kung gan'on."

Imogen immediately scolded them after a while. "Denzel, Ceyx."

Ah. Denzel at Ceyx pala ang pangalan nila. Hindi ko alam 'pagkat wala naman akong pakialam. Hindi ko rin alam kung sino sa kanila si Denzel at Ceyx. But based on Imogen's eyes, the tall one with midnight blue hair and blue eyes was Ceyx. The other, the one with brown hair and hazel eyes was Denzel.

Imogen spoke for the both of them. "There was a girl found by the shore of House Calafiore. Napansin namin ang kakaiba niyang awra, at kaagad siyang kinuha ni Lord Lowell. Hindi na namin natingnan ang nangyari sa loob ng bahay."

"What does she look like?"

"Hindi ko rin mawari. Her hair sometimes looked like it was brown, but sometimes, it would become black."

"Nalapitan n'yo ba?"

The three of them shook their head, and looked defeated. "Mabilis lang namin siyang nakita at dumating na rin si Lowell. Hindi naman kami makalapit sa kaniya 'pagkat—" tugon ni Denzel.

Tumango nalang ako at alam na kaagad ang tinutukoy nila. Harden Lowell was a living reaper. His power was so dark and ancient, that anyone who would go near him may vanish. But I was an exception. Mayr'on din akong taglay na kadiliman sa kapangyarihan ko, ngunit nakokontrol ko 'yon. If only Lowell could control his, then everything would be better.

"She came from Fall, right?" tanong ko, naninigurado.

Nagkatinginan naman ang tatlo at tila hindi nila alam kung anong isasagot. "Hindi rin namin sigurado. All we saw was her body drifting with the waves, hindi naaapektuhan ng tubig ang kaniyang katawan. Kung iba 'yon, siguradong nawala na sila. It could be possible that she is one of the Celestines who frequents to the land of Fall or a Soulless that had the ability to come to our land."

"Or she is the Lady of House Calafiore." Napatingin naman ako kay Ceyx nang sabihin niya 'yon. "She looked angelic, like a noble."

"Lady Heidi Laquishia Calafiore is rumored to be a sly fox, not an angel."

My eyes squinted by thinking. Mas lalo akong nagkaroon ng rason para pumunta sa Summerland Academy. Imogen looked at me and asked, "You know what the lady looks like, right, Prince Lucifuge?"

Tumango ako at nanlaki naman ang mata ng dalawa. Of course, it was forbidden to see the face of the Crown Princess that must remain "pure." Hindi ko alam kung anong klaseng pakulo ng Hari 'yon.

"I see her whenever she visits me."

"She does?!" The two said loudly.

"Yes. Annoying, I must say. She lets herself meet me so she wouldn't be titled Crown Princess. 'Yon nga lang, takot siyang sabihin 'yon sa magulang niya kaya't sa'kin siya nangungulit. Gusto niyang ako ang magtigil."

Imogen nodded as I tell them the story. Gulat na gulat pa rin ang dalawa kaya't hindi sila makapagsalita.

I sighed and spoke once again. "Any other news? Do you think the Calafiores are part of the enemy group?"

Walang sumagot. Ibig sabihi'y wala nang nakuhang ibang impormasyon. Malakas na naman akong napabuntung-hininga at sumipol, tinawag ang Wechuge.

Kailangan ko munang umuwi upang mag-isip ng mga posibilidad. I know that the land of Summer is changing. A lot are suddenly vanishing, and I know that some do cross the borderlines.

There is something that I must know in order to act accordingly. Hindi ko hahayaan na mapahamak ang Celestines.

Discovering Summerland
By lostmortals
Plagiarism is a crime.

Characters added:
Imogen Rivallon by Eveisla
Ceyx Eloah Saintford by Ceyxzx
Denzel Drennon Wanester by fieryfaery

Thank you for reading!