The Scope of Trust Cannot Go Further Beyond Unknown

I wonder when did the sight of blood became this much common for me. I had asked the same question before, not once—but a lot of times. And as each question grew more deeper, the more I couldn't bring myself to remember the exact moment somebody else's blood became so familiar to me.

Just the thought of murdering someone used to disgust me, saying that however evil a person may be, nobody deserves death. I told Thane those same words when I was just starting at the Academy, and I probably hurt his pride by saying so. I couldn't understand why humans resort to death if they cannot put a solution to something. But I now realize that was naive of me—stupid even.

Every living things deserve to die, whether they're evil or not, young or old. Because that is just how this world works, nothing can be done against such a law; not even those Gods out there. Humans resort to murder because any more would drive them insane, killing means that they are backed in a dark corner where they could never escape unless they end that problem. And that is death.

While there are those kinds who'd kill just for fun, convenient, thrill, or even just for no reason at all. Exactly because of different people's personalities, experiences, circumstances, and emotions, that this world is entertaining despite being so naturally cruel.

I used to be young, naive, sheltered, and thought everything would go as I think it should, that everything revolves around my decisions and actions. I didn't realize then how weak that made me, how pathetic I must have looked like trying to act cool, a hero.

I'm not saying being weak is some form of a weakness, however, staying one is.  And I didn't want that. But I didn't have that desire to become all that powerful as well, I was contented at what I was and didn't ask for more.

There must have been times I wished I'd become stronger, but as I have mentioned before, strength and power are two different things. One having the courage to step right up, to move on while still being the same, and the other having the desire to dominate everything, to abandon what you are to become something else that fits your character.

Many may say they're still the same in the end, but that's just because they haven't been to that point where they could distinguish the difference. I wonder when I'll reach that point myself, or perhaps I've already did. Though, who knows?

"Isn't this sight somehow comforting, Felix the Light Bearer?" I asked, looking down at his body underneath me; now covered in existing wounds, bathed in blood, and even smell like a living corpse.

My gaze wandered back to the scenery before me. It made me reminisce that time where my surroundings suddenly changed, how I saw myself as Caelesti. When my vision was filled with nothing but blood littering almost everywhere, dead soldiers being ravished by packs of hungry ravens, and weapons being scattered for they were no longer of any use.

Right at this moment though, that scenery isn't all that different compared to what I'm currently seeing. Any people would probabaly—no, would surely despise me for standing all alone in this desert surrounded by my fellow human beings that have already long forgotten how to breathe, unbothered.

"It's comforting because I was able to let myself loose." I continued, inhaling the air scented with rust. "I'm not usually this carefree. I somehow always find a way to secure my own emotions, not letting them run in rampant."

I pulled out his dagger which was struck deep into the sand. "But you can't really blame me, can you? Even after I warned you about my energy fluctuations, you still made fun of me. So I think you know you deserved this, am I right? Furthermore, you're a candidate, this much should already be expected, or do you still believe you're special just because you were chosen as one?"

My eyes widened. "Ah, that's right." I grinned, before finally putting the dagger back to his owner; and now it lay there stabbing on his chest. "I forgot you can't talk even if you wanted to."

I let out a small chuckle, echoing along with the ravens' penetrating shrieks. "I cut off your tongue earlier, after all." I frowned. "I hope you didn't mind though, you were being too noisy so..."

His pitiful state could only let out gagged noises and small moans of pain, but I wonder why such a sight somehow gave me a strange pleasure, that feeling like I could do anything I want, and it's amazing. His eyes were darting me deep glares, sending me his hatred, but at the same time, there's fear.

"You seem to be saying something, Felix." I stepped unto his hand. "You have to speak louder so I can hear you." He screamed as I crushed his hand. "Does it hurt that much? I didn't even react that way when you did that to me."

"Argh...ja...ke...ei—" he was trying so hard to speak up with his cut tongue, tears built from the corners of his yellow-brown eyes.

"Did you revert back to being a baby now?" I mocked him. "Do you remember what you had said to me? That I was weak? Chosen as a mistake? I know there were still more of those arrogant words you had thrown at me, but I couldn't remember them quite clearly anymore."

I started circling his body, eyeing every of his small attempts to grab unto something but couldn't really move. His other arm was torn, his legs were broken, every bones were disfigured, and his whole body punctured with holes. I genuinely smiled at him, trying to reassure him that his pain wouldn't end that easily.

"You should really close up your wounds, otherwise you'll die." I suggested.

Though I know he no longer have the energy to even use his light magic. He reminded me of Silverrium, but then again, that demon is even far stronger than this supposed 'chosen candidate'. And I wonder why I don't feel bad about this, I should even feel guilty, but I don't feel even the tiniest sympathy for him.

I'd probably, in the end, feel that guilt once my energy becomes stable, once my emotions are back in control, and my judgements aren't easily affected by personal conflicts. But right at this moment, I don't feel like doing so.

"I don't hate you, Felix the Light Bearer from a small Western country." I said, stepping near him. "I don't dislike you either. But in the first place, you're the kind of person who's easily influenced by people around him. Blinded by fame, fortune...those who desire such trivial matters can only go down in the end."

I looked up, the skies are red, the sun is about to set. "It's not that I'm questioning your reason, everybody has a thing or two they can even die for just for it to be fulfilled. I'm not criticizing you for being that pathetic excuse of a human being, I'm not preaching you either. So don't take eveything too literally."

I sighed. "It's just how the world works. You didn't do any mistake, you're only fulfilling your role as human being, as a candidate. You simply just chose a wrong decision." I let out a bitter smile. "And that is choosing to fight somebody who is far out of your league."

"Keila," hindi ko na kailangan lumingon para malaman kung sino ang tumatawag. "He's already long dead."

"I know." I wrapped my cloak more tightly around me feeling the breeze blowing more colder as evening comes. "It's a pity, isn't it? He died too easily."

"You've been torturing him for hours. It's not so surprising he finally gave up abandoning his pride."

"You don't blame me, do you?" I asked, crouching down as I closed his wide-opened eyes. But I never heard Iyana's answer. "How many did we end up killing?"

"Around a thousand."

I finally turned around, seeing Iyana standing there with her arms crossed. Blood was seen on her brown cloak, I also see some minor scratches. I didn't expect the two of them to jump right into the battle. Just the three of us against an army, it amazes me how we were left out without even an injury.

"Do I appear more of a monster now, Iyana?" I asked with sincerity. Lumapit ito sa akin at tumigil sa unahan ko.

"Annihilating people with delight on your face might make you seem like one." She admitted. "But I don't blame you. Calling yourself a monster because you've killed...what does that makes us then?"

I heard her let out a tired sigh as I leaned my head above her shoulder, she's shorter than me but it's comfortable doing so. Hindi ko alam mung bakit nila ako tinutulungan. Dahil interisado sila? O dahil sa katotohanang ito lang ang matutulong nila dahil matapos ang lahat ng ito, makukuha na nila ang gusto nila sa akin?

"Why are you even helping me?"

"Because you needed us to survive." Sagot nito. "Plus, you can't die yet."

I smiled with a hint of sadness I didn't want to admit. "I don't think it's just for my survival. Because in the end, out of anyone else in this world, you two are the only one who can stand alongside me."

"You shouldn't trust us that much, Keila." She replied. "You'll never know when we'll draw out our fangs."

I lifted my head up, my eyes scanning her light, golden-brown eyes. "It's fine."

"You're saying it's fine that we betray you?"

"People always do so. Perhaps if it's the two of you, I'll get used to anything worse in the future."

"You give us too much credit."

I walked passed by her, as she followed closely behind. "Who knows?"

"Someday, Keila." She muttered. "Someday you'll find companions who'll follow you with trust and would even die for your sake. Those people might not be us, but if they indeed show up, trust them. Trust them even if you have to put everything for it. Trust them more than you do towards me and Andrea." Tinaas niya ang kamay niya sa gilid at may lumabas na isang space. "Maybe when that time comes, we wouldn't feel so guilty about the fact that we're going to betray that trust you hold us for."

"You know there's nobody else in this world I trust more than the two of you. I have my spirits and the rest who I can do my bidding with, but they can't give me the sense of humanity I feel from you."

"You're making us feel even more guiltier." She smiled, but that smile was too pretentious I couldn't bear watch it.

"That's what I'm doing." I honestly said as the space in front of us grew wider. "You wanted to claim my own death, rather, you and Andrea make it a personal competition on who could do so. I don't hate it though."

"Mas gugustuhin ko pang magalit ka kaysa sa tanggapin lang ng ganoon kasimple ang lahat."

"I'm making you feel guilty. So much that you wouldn't be able to sleep and live peacefully even after you killed me. I don't have the desire to kill the two of you, so that emotion called guilt will slowly eat you up to the point where you'll regret it every single time you breathe and will remember me in everything single thing you do." I smirked. "I'm fine with that kind of revenge."

"That sounds scary." She smiled, this time, it wasn't pretentious, it wasn't bitter, it wasn't of pity, just a genuine one. "You really are twisted. But I'm fine with that as well."

I stepped inside the space after she did, the flow as well as the scent of air gradually changing as we went passed through it. But unlike any other portal, Iyana's spaces don't give me nauseousness, she simply cuts off the space and replace that part with another.

We're atop a cliff, surrounded by endless sands and a thousand of dead bodies waiting to decomposed underneath the ground. Naabutan namin na nakatayo ang dalawa sa dulo kung saan mula doon ay makikita nila ang resukta ng naging laban kanina. Mukhang may pinag-uusapan sina Celeztie at Andrea pero agad din namang tumigil nang makita kami.

"Nagbago na ang nakasulat sa mapa." Panimula ni Celeztie. "It still shows your position as the holder of the relic, pero may nagbago."

Nilahad niya ang scroll sa mabatong lupa, then she swiped her hand from the left to the other end of the scroll. Matapos niyang gawin ito ay may lumabas na pulang liwanag mula dito mismo at tama nga siya, hindi lang ang posisyon ko ngayon ang nakalagay.

May isang rectangular box sa kabilang dako ng scroll kung maraming pangalan ang nakasulat, at sa bawat segundo na dumadaan ay may itim an linya na bumubura sa mga pangalang ito. Sa ilalim, nakasulat din ang pangalang Felix the Light Bearer tapos agad din namang nalagyan ng itim na guhit.

"So it also shows eliminated candidates." I stated, as Celeztie nodded.

Kinapa-kapa ko ang loob ng cloak ko at nang maramdaman ko ito, ay kinuha ko ang scroll na nakuha ko kanina kay Felix nang nakikipaglaban ako sa kaniya. Binuksan ito ni Celeztie at ang bumungad sa amin ay mga kulay pulang letra.

"Frambjóðandi felldur út." Pagbabasa ni Celeztie. "It's Icelandic, in English it means Candidate Eliminated. Siguro dahil sa patay na ang may-ari ng scroll ay nawawala narin ang mga nakasulat. It's just a guess, but I think every Candidates have different quests or specific tasks. Completion leads to being one of the top."

Hinawakan niya ang isang parte ng scroll at may lumabas din ditong isang rectangular box. Sa loob naman ng box na ito ay mga pangalan na may nakalagay na numero sa gilid. Ito siguro ng nagpapakita ng ranko, at sa kasalukuyan ay may dalawang pangalan ang nakalagay dito.

Top Twelve Candidates
1. Salem the Demon of the Void
2. Amariz the Ruler of Avalon

"The World's Battle has been choosing candidates for years ever since the last battle began hundreds of years ago." Celeztie continued. "The fact that since those times, only two candidates have managed to get into the top twelve means..." she trailed off.

"Means that the other candidates haven't completed their own quests yet. Ibig sabihin narin nito ay hindi normal ang mga quests na binibigay." Dagdag ni Iyana.

"Or is it that some already did." Napatingin kami kay Andrea na seryosong nag-iisip. "I mean, think about it. You said the World's Battle has been choosing candidates for ages now, at dalawa pa lamang ang nakakakompleto nito?"

"The point is?" Iyana asked.

"My point is, people don't live forever." she shrugged. "May mga candidates din sigurong nakakompleto na ng mga sarili nilang quests pero hindi pa buo ang top twelve kaya hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa ito nagsisimula. It's either other candidates have already died waiting or it's the new set of candidates."

"So in other words, the candidates who reached the top twelve could change if the top twelve spots itself isn't completed yet." I finally said. "At alam ko mismo na hindi normal ang mga quests na binibigay. My quest states that I have to find Cretian Plains, but it doesn't exist."

"What?" Gulat na tanong ni Celeztie. "It does exist, Ke'ala. I've been there."

"It should be. Otherwise, I wouldn't get this kind of quest."

But that's strange, an ancient being itself told me it doesn't exist. And I only have the reamining two months to find such a place. I'm not desperate, but I have a feeling things could get bad if I don't make it.

"Pero kung may sariling mga quests ang mga candidates, then why do some chase after the same relic?" Andrea asked.

"The map updates daily about the whereabout of these relics, I knew for I noticed the map changing its lauout a lot. The relics should be a way to help candidates, not to mention getting one has a lot of benefits. But getting one also could mean absolute death. So it's safe to say that other candidates won't go after the relic since it has a huge risk of dying." Celeztie stood up, rolling the scroll.

"Yet the Council have the other two." Wika ni Iyana.

"No, walang nakakasigurado kung nasaan ang dalawang relics na iyon." Sabi ko naman. Back at that time, I didn't know the importance of those ancient artifacts and it seemed pretty easy to get mg hands on one. "Do you know the conspiracy between the Council and the Black Clan?"

Tumango si Iyana sa tanong ko. "I have my own investigations too. The Head of the Council, Howard Callyan, is actually a member of the Black Clan, he's one of those with high authority wihin the group."

"No wonder the relics were easily handed down to the Clan, and every of my plans getting almost ruined because of a leaking information. Very cunning." I clicked my tongue in annoyance.

"Also," napatingin ako ulit kay Iyana. "The West Mages Association is on the Clan's side, I don't know what happened which led to their conspiracy, but all I know is that they agreed something regarding the relics. My men couldn't get any more info than that. They've all been killed when they tried to dig deeper."

I wasn't surprise when she said that. Of course I already knew of this. Kana Grail, one of the West Mages Association, an organization that seek and protect the relics, told me herself about them being one with the Black Clan. I haven't hard anything from that group for a while.

Thinking back, Kana has been telling me something about being a candidate which means she knew about this World's Battle even before I got my own scroll. Kung paano niya nalaman o kung kay sino niya nalaman, hindi ko alam. I also know what they're trying to do. They're planning to merge the other remaining relics inside me.

They want to protect the relic, and at the same time, gain control over me, a canidate for the World's Battle. Malamang ay wala akong planong gawin ang gusto nila. Having Sigillum inside me stopped my heartbeat a lot of times before and it happened around the time we were on a war againsy Black Clan.

Then there's the other relic, Gïzë which almost killed me for a fact. Having two more relics inside me might actually kill me for sure, and God knows what'll happen to this world if I die knowing the relics are inside me. Ayaw ko ng ganoon kalamimg responsibilidad. It's already hard for me as it is.

"What about the Saints?" I asked Iyana. Andrea flinched at my question, but said nothing. "The Saints and the Council had a dispute about their authorities."

"I never had any news regarding about the island after I left myself, but the last news I heard was theat the Council's reputation is barely hanging on the line."

"What do you mean?" Tanong ni Andrea.

"You know what's going on in Magnus. The Council has the highest authority in the country, followed by the four Saints of the East, West, South, and the North." She even started drawing on the ground with her hand. "You also know that the Council doesn't always move when the citizens need them to and thus, they always count on the Saints for help. Last year, when I was in Siegber Nations, I heard people talking about riots in Magnus."

"They even had a riot?" Hindi makapaniwalang sabi ni Andrea.

"The last riot was such a large scale that people started fighting back with the Knights. Knights are always loyal to the Council, and you know that. Even if the Saints order them to when the Council doesn't want it, they don't do it."

"What exactly happened?" Ako na ang nagtanong.

"An informatiok about Howard Callyan being one of the Black Clan has been leaked to the public. Alam niyo kung gaano ka ayaw ng mga tao doon sa Black Clan, pero mas nagalit sila nang may lumabas pang isang impormasyon na ang Council mismo ang rason kung bakit nakapasok din ang Exodus."

"What? Exodus has always been on Magnus. 'Yung mga panahong nasa Main Event tayo ay ang unang beses na nagpakita sila sa public. I know since they told me after I joined them." Paliwanag ni Andrea.

"So someone is obviously slandering the Council, making their image look totally evil whxih led to people rioting."

"Exactly." Pagsa-sangayon ni Iyana. "And the only people who have motives to do that are the Saints, they also have the power and people's support to overthrow the Council." Pinagpagan niya ang kamay niya tsaka tumayo ulit. "As of now, hindi ko alam kung ano na ang nangyayari sa Magnus. Wala nang nakakapasok o nakakalabas ng bansa, mas tumindi narin ang pagbabantay."

After I left Zyrendel, my plan was to head straight at Magnus and battled Thomas along the way. If I had known this issue back then, I could have forced more information out of him.

"Aren't you one of that woman's loyal dogs?" Tanong ni Andrea kay Iyana, obviously referring to her mother. Binigyan naman siya ng masamang tingin ng isa. "What? I'm just asking."

"I told you, I left that place around the time the two of you did to prepare for the New World Order. So I don't know what's happening in Magnus and neither do I have any contacts with the Headmistress." She answered. "Isa pa, oo at nirerespeto ko ang Headmistress, pero hindi sa lahat ng bagay ay handa ako maging sunod-sunuran sa ina mo."

Thane, Freya, and George, are all in Zyrendel though, as well as Claudious, the President. Freya and George are Cursed Bloods, knowing irregulars are being hunted down, they must have escaped with the two guys towards Zyrendel. But it's strange because it was never in Freya's personality to run away and leave her group.

Then there's Thane who is too loyal to the Headmistress and Claudious as the President of the Academy, wouldn't just leave Magnus behind. Something must be happening that they haven't told me about. And it gets me worried knowing there are things I don't know.

But thinking about all of this in general, it's all messed up. The two versions of the New World Order, the World's Battle, the upcoming war against the Leomer, and not to mention I still have the activation of Etherion in line to those responsibilities.

Iniisip ko nalang kung may idadagdag pa sa mga problemang ito. Ayaw ko nang mangealam sa kung ano man ang problema sa Magnus, kaya kung ano man ang nangyayari dito, ay labas na ako. Because I feel like I wouldn't be able to keep my sanity if something more were to happen.

"Are your energy fluctuations still in bad shape?" Andrea suddenly asked.

"As long as I don't use my energy, I'll be fine." Sagot naman ni Celeztie. "But Ke'ala's body must be in a worse state. I don't even know how can you still stand—"

"I'm fine." I dismissed.

Though in all honestly, being fine and pretending to be fine are two different things. Releasing energy despite having fluctuations is risky move. What I mean by fluctuations is that the energy in the body isn't circulating well, forcing one's self to release an energy knowing the energy in the body isn't circulating well would usually lead to the body breaking down.

Since our bodies are embedded with spritual energy, doing such a feat would deteriorate the organs slowly, break the bones, stop the blood flow, and would even destroy the heart and the mind.

But things are much worse to members of the Main Family. Even if they won't release their energy, their abilities will go on rampage, destroying everything. Not even blocking magic could stop them. That's why Father would often stop my brother and sister himself if their abilities go uncontrollable.

In my case, I had the ring my grandfather made me, so I just had to be careful not to use my energy back then. My body is still in a mess, like any moment now my energy would all of the sudden explode and not even I could control it.

Pero sa kasalukuyan ay nakokontrol ko pa ito, kailangan ko lang masigurado na hindi ako magpapadala sa mga nararamdaman ng pligid ko. Dahil sa hindi stable ang enerhiya ng katawan ko, hindi maiiwasan na makukuha ko din ang nararamdaman ng iba.

The battle against Felix the Light Bearer and his army didn't go as quite as I had expected. I was prepared to go all out, I was prepared to abandon everything, I was prepared to destroy everything in sight. If Andrea and Iyana didn't step in, I might have just become somebody I fear I'll be.

Three versus a whole army sounded unbelievable, but the other two aren't normal, so it isn't impossible at all. Hindi ko lang inaasahan na magiging ganoon kalakas ang nasasakupan ng masamang enerhiya ni Andrea at hindi ko din inaasahan na ganoon kalaki ang magagawang space ni Iyana. They claim I didn't go all out in our last battle, but neither do they.

"Are you really?" Iyana hesitated.

"I do not lie."

Technically, I didn't lie since at the moment, no matter how much my body deteriorate, I still feel no pain. To simply put, I used the relic, Gïzë's power to steal and store time. In this case, I stored the pain that should be making me feel like dying. Using the relic requires energy which would lead to my systems to crumble even more, but it won't matter since I won't feel pain.

If I think about it, I could even use my own ability to wipe out any sense of pain in this body, but due to my energy fluctuations, using my ability might prove to be even more risky than just simply releasing an energy.

"You don't lie but you bluff." Iyana sighed.

"If she says she's fine, she'll make sure she is." Andrea, taking my side. "Ngayon ay kailangan na lamang nating makarating sa bayan sa ibaba."

"Town?" Celeztie asked.

Tinuro naman ni Andrea ang isang parte sa ibaba ng cliff na ito. "Due to the accumulating dusts, hindi ito makikita. Pero—" she lifted her hand, touching the air and in an instant, the covering dusts scattered, breaking away.

About a kilometer ahead of this cliff is a town—or is it a city? Hindi ito ganoon kalaki mula dito, pero nakikita namin na ang daming tao. The demon back at that pool told me Yillusa is deserted, and indeed, other me and perhaps other candidates, wala nang tao dito sa lupaing ito.

What we were looking for though is the center of Yillusa, nobody knows the name of the place that's why they've been calling it the same—Yillusa. Katulad ito ng bansang Magnus na ang capital ay nakapangalan din bilang Magnus.

It has been said that to be able to reach the center, we need to pass through th Desert of Cariddean. Pero lahat naman ng nakikita namin ay buhangin kaya hindi ako sigurado kung ang bayan nang ito ang tinatawag nilang center. We've met several ruins along the way sa tatlong araw na namin dito at isa pa, how would I know if we had passed through the Desert of Cariddean?

"The sun is already setting. We should get going, we all know how hard it is to travel at night." I said.

Everybody shivered remembering our first night traveling these deserts. I knew deserts are naturally very cold at nighttime, but at that time, we paid no attention to it and decided to move anyway. Thinking back then, I should have known better.

There were never ending sandstorms that despite having energy to cover up our bodies, sharp sand particles would still split our skins open. We couldn't even see clearly that we ended up getting lost the next morning. Kaya nung ikalawang gabi ay napagdesisyunan na lamang namin na magpalipas sa isang kweba.

"Sa tingin ko ba talaga makakaabot pa tayo bago gumabi?" Tanong ni Andrea.

Nauna na akong naglakad sa kanila pababa ng cliff. "We will if you all start moving."

Tumalon ako pababa ng isang bato at tumingin sa itaas kung saan nakasunod narin sa wakas ang tatlo. Habang naglalakad ay pansin ko ang mga titig na binibigay sa akin ni Celeztie habang ang dalawa ay mukhang nag-aaway na naman sa unahan. Hindi ko alam kung ano na naman ang pinag-aawayan nila, pero mukhang nagu-unahan sila sa paglalakad. Napailing na lamang ako.

"Ano ang iniisip mo?" Tanong ko.

"I only brought you here para makuha mo ang relic. I can't help but think what could have happened if other candidates were to get their hands on it first."

"I didn't want it. Even now." Sure the relic is convenient, but at the same time it only feels like a burden to me.

"Hindi mo kasi naiintindihan, Ke'ala. Hindi ka makakarating sa top twelve kung hindi mo makukuha ang mga relics."

"In other words, you don't trust me."

"Sigillum is a powerful relic, but you can only do so little using it. Now you have Gïzë—"

"Celeztie." I cut off, slowing my pace to match hers. "I'm fine with people underestimating me, but they haven't seen my capabilities yet, and neither have you."

"I may haven't seen your capabilities as you are now, but I have seen Caelesti's. She's an entity that could even surpass a God."

"So you want me to be her?"

"...yes." She slowly answerer.

"You told me once that I should hold on to my name as Ke'ala Feyree." Her eyes widened remembering our conversation when we were visiting the Dwarf King, Admin Quil.

"It's Ke'ala." I came into a halt once again and tuned my head around, seeing her determined expression. "Your name will be Ke'ala Feyree, nothing else."

I'd like to ask why. Is being Caelesti a bad thing? I'd like to see the reason why, but it's not like I could jump right into the future anyway. But her next words came to me like the passing breeze.

"I intend to keep it that way. So don't ever let go of that name."

"You told me to hold on to that name, yet you're trying to make me into somebody that's so unfamiliar to me." I sighed. "Tama ka nga, hindi kita maintindihan, Celeztie. Pero hindi mo rin ako naiintindihan."

"What's so hard to understand, Ke'ala?" Naiinis niyang tanong. "I'm trying to get you on top. I'm trying to make you powerful enough that you could go against your fate." She whispererd angrily.

"I'm making sure you survive to be able to live a life you've always wished you were living, a peaceful and satisfying one. I'm trying to create a world you can call your own." She grabbed my cloak from beside, gripping it tightly. "Is that so hard to understand?"

"You once told me that I could trust you but here you are, exactly the person who couldn't trust me the same way as you wanted me to you." I stopped walking, and so did she. "You're doing everything for my sake, but have you ever asked me if I wanted you to? Have you ever asked me if I wnated those? Perhaps I do, but it's all my decisions to make and actions to take, not yours."

"It's because you give up easily when it comes to yourself. You don't trust yourself enough to make decisions that would benefit you and don't have the courage enough to take the actions that might change your fate. It's because you're too scared to change it not knowing what might happen."

"It's always better to know a fate that I could be prepared of than a fate that I wouldn't know where would lead." I took her hand away, walking ahead of her. Somehow, I want to end this conversation already.

"Mamamatay ka, Ke'ala."

"That's why expected fate is better. See? Even you are aware of it."

"Coward."

"I never said I wasn't."

"Weak."

"I don't deny that fact."

"Selfless."

"I call it selfishness."

"Stubborn."

"I call it being logical."

"I hate you."

"Everybody does." I smiled, turning my head around to meet her frowning face. "But I won't hate you for it."

"Whatever." Inis na sabi nito at akmang lalampasan na ako pero agad komg pinatong ang kamay ko sa ibabaw ng ulo nito.

"Stop being so desperate, Celeztie." She flinched. As if I won't notice. "Nobody would go this far just for my sake, that's why I'm not used to it." I barely whispered. "But I don't need you to do anything for me. I'm certain Caelesti in the future didn't want you to as well. Because if I'm really her, she would have told you to stop and just live your own life."

"The future where I'm from..." she trailed off. "Lahat ng tao 'dun, kahit mga kakampi mo pa, mas gugustuhing mamatay ka. Dahil ayaw ka nilang mamuhay sa mundo na puno ng paghihirap, kaya mas gugustuhin pa nilang matapos na ang mga paghihirap na ito." She chuckled bitterly. "Don't you think that's selfish of them? To think they just rather want your life to end easily..."

"I actually think they're being considerate." Seems I really got myself some nice companions in the future.

"Why do you refuse life so much?"

"I told you time and time again," I crossed my arms. "I'm tired of it."

"But isn't that the beauty of life? Being in a mess, sufferings..."

I laughed which caused even the other two to glanced back behind us. I used to think so before too, that life could only turn out amazing because of how different everybody's situations are. But in general, I don't think it's about that.

"The real beauty of life is to either run away from death, or chase death itself. Within those two options, we are able to create many emotions and memories. We are only able to create those because of how limited time is, because nobody knows when death will come knocking."

"Life revolves around death." She continued. "Is that why you're saying death is the true beauty of life?"

"You could say that." Sabay libot ng mga paningin ko sa paligid. "But that's just my own prejudice, who knows what it truly means in other people's perspectives?"

"I don't care about other people nor what they think." She said with a determined tone.

"Is that really so?" Napatingin siya kaagad sa akin sa tanong ko. "Because in every 'I don't' there's always a part of you which will say 'I do'."

"You and your words." Napailing pa ito.

"And you never took after it."

She grinned. "You know a lot of words because you've been played by them more than enough. Sa kaso ko," tinuro nito ang sarili niya. "I'll just look pretentious."

"A certain Elite once told me there's nothing wrong in being one."

Silence followed the next of our conversation which I was grateful of. Words—as others may say, may be my strong suite but it's not like I wanted to be that vague when talking. Sometimes, I just don't know how to say things in a way most people will understand. And it isn't me to change myself just for the sake of others.

As we got closer to our destination, the moon was already threatening to rise. There were people along the way, some were riding on camels, while some on carriages. The sound of the wheels against the solid ground were making it tremor slightly. Lanters started appearing along the way, hung unto the corners of the paved road.

We were met by a huge enclosed walls made of sandstones, hardened enough that whenever a portion of light hits, some stones were reflected. It extended long behind in a circular shape, and the only way in was the large ironed gate pulled above for entrance. There were two men wearing long, white robes along with clutched sabers on their hips—guards.

Yet they don't really stop people before entering, more like they were just standing there without the need of inspection. Bago pa man kami makalampas sa gate ay tumigil ang dalawa sa unahan ko kaya ganoon din ang ginawa namin. Nagkatinginan ang dalawa bago ibinalin sa akin ang tingin nila.

"Parang may mali." Sabi ni Andrea sabay punta sa gilid ng pader, sinundan naman namin siya. My eyebrow lifted in question as she started knocking on the wall.

"May malakas na spiritual energy na nakabalot sa buong paligid." Pagsasagot ni Iyana sa tanong ko sa isip.

I couldn't sense it because of my energy fluctuations at the moment, since it's blocking my own, it also prevents me from sensing. But an energy enough to wrap this whole place? There must be some kind of medium for it.

"I can't find it, and it's getting darker." Sabi ni Andrea. She's probably thinking she could break it.

"But we don't know anything about this energy, it might be a trap kung papasok tayo sa loob." Celeztie sited.

"Well, we can't just stay here, can we?" Tinignan ko ang entrance kung saan marami parin ang pumapasok. "And I'm not willing to stay outside and probably die out of cold."

"That's just being reckless."

"It's not being reckless, Celeztie." I replied abruptly. "It's called taking precautions."

"How are you taking precautions if you're diving right into danger?"

"How can we know it's danger if won't? That's why it's taking precautions." Hindi ko na siya pinansin at lumakad papasok sa loob. Natawa na lamang si Andrea pero sumunod din naman sila.

A wave of energy passed by me when I stepped right inside. It engulfed my whole senses making me flinch. It was short, but the feeling was similar to as though something was pinching my heart. I gritted my teeth noticing the blood oozing from my nose as I immediately wiped it.

I frowned. Something is definitely wrong here, not that I wasn't aware of it firsthand. If only I could detect the source of this said energy, but then again, whatever it may be, I don't see the reason why I should involve myself with it.

Marami ang tao sa paligid, may mga bukas pang shops at stalls sa gilid ng kalye. It looks like a festival at first look, or perhaps this liveliness is a natural occurence. Due to my fluctuations, I can't even sense emotions unless they're a meter from me, like I'm back at th basics of my ability. I might have rejoiced if this had happened before knowing how I hated having this ability, pero hindi ako mapanatag ngayon.

"How is this taking precautions." Celeztie mumbled behind me.

"You worry too much." Wika ni Andrea sabay akbay sa bata. "Keila won't take risks she can't handle."

"How will she be able to handle things without even knowing what the problem is?"

"That's why the word 'trust' exists in dictionary."

I noticed Celeztie taking Andrea's arm off her. "It's strange having to talk about trust with you." Then she walked ahead of the three of us in utter dismay. I could tell she was upset.

"I'm starting to think your daughter is a brat." Naiinis na sabi ni Andrea.

I chuckled. "Don't lose her."

"Saan ka pupunta?" Tanong ni Iyana.

"Who knows?" Both sighed from my answer.

"Kaya na ni Celeztie ang sarili niya. Sasama kami sa'yo." Pagpupumilit ni Andrea.

"It's not whether she can handle herself or not." I glanced at them both, my eyes hinting seriousness. "I just don't trust her. After all, my trust doesn't go further beyond someone I deem as unknown and unfamiliar."

Who knows what she'll do if nobody's around. Last time I just let her lead me on the relic without even knowing my own circumstances, ayaw ko nang maulit 'yun. I didn't wait for further replied from them as I blended myself within the crowd.

"Now, where is that magic source?" I muttered to myself, looking around.

It's strange for this place to constantly emit energy, it obviously has a medium, I could tell firsthand by experience. At ang medium na ito ay may pinagmumulang source. Pinikit ko ang mga mata ko at pinilit ang sarili kong magpakawala ng enerhiya. Sa isang iglap ay biglang natahimik ang paligid.

Nang buksan ko ang mga mata ko ay nawala ang mga tao, parang umiba ang atmosphere na nakabalot sa lugar. Ang kaninang maingay at puno ng kung ano-anong bagay ay ngayon ay napalitan ng katahimikan.

The lanters are diminishing, at one point they're glowing, and again—they aren't. Only the sound of the rustling wind entered my hearing, grazing along the pebbles on the road. Then there were footsteps

"What is your business here in Yillusa, candidate?" A woman with an alluring voice asked though it was with hostility. The curve of her scythe placed around my neck, their sharp edges barely hitting my skin.

Throwing both of my hands up, I said, "this candidate is looking for something that is said to be non-existent."

The map led us to the relic with Celeztie lying that we were heading for the center of Yillusa. Kaya hindi ko din alam kung bakit kami nandito. Perhaps I'm hoping something in here would help me find Cretian Plains—or not. Because it seems I just got myself into another problem, and problem means trouble which I was hoping that it wouldn't be the case.

"Tamakanat taqatuk min aikhtiraq alwahm, lakanha ln takun kafiat." She replied in a different language.

"Jūs zināt, ka es nesaprotu." I said in Latvian.

"What?"

I rolled my eyes. "I'm saying I don't understand."

"Your energy managed to break this place's illusion, but it won't be enough." She finally said.

She took a step back, taking the scythe around my neck. As I glanced behind, I saw a figure bathe under the moonlight. The place was no longer a town, but an infinite land filled with flying ravens and rotten skulls, mixing with the familar scent of rustic weapons.

She wore a thin red fabrics wrapped around her hips down to her legs, fluttering as well as the hood atop her head, extending down to ger back. Transparent white cloth were covering her body, but they aren't enough to actually hide anything underneath it. Her hand held an hourglass, swinging as she balance herself on the same weapon she threatened me with.

"Hmmm...." she hummed, her eyes remaining close. "What a captivating sight...don't you agree so?" A smile crept her lips, swirling her body around her weapon, and strange how every moves of her dance look so much intoxicating.

"Is it?" I played.

I motioned my gazes below my feet, noticing the hand growing out of these empty skulls, touching my skin, as if pulling me down. I smiled, returning my gaze to a pair of red eyes which were giving me the look of seduction. The hourglass chained to her fingers then statted emitting dark smokes.

"This place shows who you are. Lifeless...and death." She gracefully stepped down from her scythe, moving closely towards me. "And it's beautiful." Her hand crawled up around my neck, her face an inch away from me.

"It's also very ugly." I whispered.

"Strange." She placed her hand above my chest. "Those who fall prey to my beauty always have their hearts racing...and they call it love at first sight. But yours weren't even beating. Indeed, how very curious."

"Love is nothing but a foreign emotion."

"It only means your heart was already set for somebody—though you appear to have no recollection of him, how very, very curious."

"Nonsense."

"Well, I think it's better this way. After all," She smirked, her finger caressing my neck. "You will die once you fall for me. Men and women, young and old, always do so."

I closed my eyes. "This is relaxing and all," I summoned my own red scythe, lifting it up against her neck. "But I have no time for this."

She stepped back with a grin, her hands playing with her own weapon. "Too bad, I even contemplated on letting you go if you plead."

Cutting off the hands chained around my legs, I smiled. "Too bad, I'm not a fan of begging."

Her laughters then echoed along with the forming black gasses, the skulls underneath and the ravens above—serving a witness while our scythes met with each other: putting a silence as the sound we were creating began to dominate the surroundings.

And somehow, I found myself having fun.

AN: The chapters are getting longer. I just feel bad for updating a short one knowing readers are waiting for this every week. So I hope you'll bear with it. Anyway, happy reading!