"Did you really have to do this?" I asked, my voice hesitated for a moment. Napatingin siya sa direksyon ko, at binalik ulit ang tingin niya sa unahan.

"Why shouldn't I?" She replied, her voice without any hints of an emotion. It really is true that the only emotions she contains are hatred and anger. Other than those two, wala na akong makikitang ibang emosyon sa kaniya.

Did all of those events from her past led her to be someone like this? That didn't seem enough for me for her to act so inhumane. May nangyari pa ba na hindi niya sinasabi? Why do I feel like there's something more to every words she tells me?

"Sigurado ka ba sa desisyon mo?" Tanong ni Theone habang nakatingin sa ilang taong nakasuot ng itim na cloak.

I think their numbers exceed at least a hundred. Lahat sila ay nakaluluhod sa lupa habang nakataas parin ang mga cloak nila. They are all looking down and isn't moving an inch. Dahil siguro ito sa magic na pinaligidan ni Caelesti sa kanila, at kaht ano mang gawin nila ay mahihirapan lang sila.

A few days ago, this woman beside me sent hundreds of monsters all around the island to kill each single one of those who breaches in, but surprisingly, a number of them have survived. Pero hindi parin nila magawang maisahan si Caelesti, of course, this woman sees everything.

"Do I have to repeat myself?" Her cold voice rang through this barren land, everyone, including me, suddenly shivered down our spines.

I could tell dahil kahit ako mismo na hindi kadalasang natatakot ay natatakot sa kaniya. I wonder how can she make us feel like this. Yet in my case, there's something about her which interests me most, na parang gusto kong mapalapit sa kaniya, gusto kong malaman ang lahat na iniisip niya, at higit sa lahat ay gusto kong magbago ang madilim na buhay niya.

I think of doing all those things, ang lapit lapit niya sa akin but at the same time ang layo din niya sa akin. I could almost reach her beside me, yet there's that certain line that she always draws to prevent anyone from getting close to her. Every time I see her, I feel like she's so bright but somehow she's also very dark. She could have everything, but she stays here in this isolated island called Mávro Isle.

"You don't have to." Theone said after a nod.
Tapos ay bumalik ang tingin niya sa mga blacks, yes, they are members of Black Clan. Hindi ko mapigilang isipin kung bakit pa ba nila hinahabol si Caelesti when the latter obviously has no interest on them anymore.

"Ako na ang tatapos nito." Wika ni Millard habang pinalabas ang dalawang espada sa magkabilang beywang niya. Papatayin niya ba talaga sila ng basta ganoon ganoon lang sa harapan ni Caelesti? Wala na ba talagang natitirang awa sa babaeng ito? I was already clenching my fists with such thoughts.

"Do you pity these creatures?" My eyes widened as I returned Caelesti's gazes. She was sitting there on a comfortable chair like a queen—no, a Goddess; with her chin atop her hand.

"Kung sasabihin ko bang oo, hahayaan mo ba silang mabuhay?"

"Of course, I won't."

"Then there's no point in asking, is there?" She smiled, and as always, it's fake—is it really?

"I might just change my mind." Bigla na lamang siyang tumayo at lumakad papunta sa mga nakaluhod na blacks. "If anyone's willing to tell me where the rest of you are hiding, then I might just spare one." She's lying, at alam ito ng mga spirits niya.

Wala siyang rason para hindi sila patayin dahil kayang-kaya niya din namang malaman kung nasaan ang iba pang blacks na nagtatago sa loob ng buong islang ito. Siguro nga ay bago pa man umatake ang mga blacks dito ay alam niya na kung saan sila. Wala din naman siya rason para patayin sila dahil wala lang talaga siyang pakealam. But there's someone she's been expecting ever since nalaman niyang papunta dito ang maraming bilang ng Black Clan.

"How regrettable. The Clan's just the same as I once remember them, loyal bunch and hard to break." Wika niya nung walang nagsalita. "Well it doesn't matter now, does it? I've already sent Ziandra over to greet those who tried to escape from me."

"In the first place, bakit ba sila pumunta dito?" Tanong ko.

"They wanted to know whether they could kill me or not." She admitted, unconcerned.

"But that's impossible!"

"Exactly. But they also want to bring me back."

"Because they're trying to save you." Theone said immediately.

"Save me?" She frowned, makikita ko ang galit sa mga mata niya. Hindi ko alam na napaatras na pala ako dahil dito. Nang napansin niya ang takot ko ay bigla na lamang siyang kumalma at ngumite sa akin, it reassured me. Was she trying to make me feel better?

"I don't need it. They could have saved me all they want back in those days, because I might have needed it then." She's saying it's too late for them to do anything now.

"You were preventing them from the start—"

"Theone." Tawag ni Caelesti sa spirit niya matapos nitong putulin ang salita ng isa. Nagagalit siya sa kaniya. "Why don't you join Ziandra greeting them? I'd prefer it that way." The latter could only sigh.

"Understood." Ilang segundo ang nakalipas ay nawala na si Theone sa paningin namin.

"Millard, I'll leave them to you."

Tumalikod na si Caelesti at lumabas ng malaking building na ito, at dahil sa sira sira ang lugar ay mahirap malaman kung saan dadaan, but this woman seems to have familiarized every corners. Who would have known there was such a building left in this barren island.

Habang sinusundan ko siya ay hindi ko maiwasang marinig ang mga sigaw sa loob ng kwarto kung nasaan kami nanggaling kanina lang. I do know they are being killed, pero ano ngaba ang nangyayari sa loob? If I had convinced her to let them live, will she let them?

Ah hindi, sa una palang, sino ba naman ako para pagsabihan siya ng kung ano? Nandito ako ngayon dahil hindi niya ako pinatay, at hinayaan niya lamang akong mabuhay dahil...dahil....bakit ngaba? She doesn't have any reason to kill me, but she's also too emotionless to let me live after breaching in despite her spirit's ancient barrier.

Sa totoo lang ay hindi ko din talaga alam kung paano ako nakapasok sa barrier, before I even realised it, I was already standing before this woman, before someone they accuse a Traitor, Caelesti. I admit that she's cruel, that she doesn't care about anyone anymore, but that's only because she no longer have other emotions, because she refuses to have so.

"It would spare me some trouble if you stop worrying about me." Bigla niyang wika sa unahan ko. "I may not have those emotions but still, I can feel them."

"Kailangan mo ba silang patayin?"

"If I won't, the cycle of hate and revenge will not stop there."

"Ano ang ibig mong sabihin?" She stopped walking, but she didn't look at me.

"Do you have any friends? Family? Bonds with others?" Bakit niya ba tinatanong sa akin ang mga bagay na ito?

"I don't remember. But if I did, I doubt we would have met." Dahil kung may mga ganoon man ako sa buhay ko, tiyak na pipigilan nila akong pumunta sa lugar na ito, hahanapin nila ako, even if they would have to break my bones. But I'm here, alone together with this woman. Baka mayroon din naman, pero hindi siguro ganoon kalakas ang relasyon namin.

"Well the blacks do. They have friends which they consider as family, they have bonds that will never be broken easily. If I had let them live, they will only return once again with hatred and revenge in their hearts."

"Why? How would you even know that?"

"Because I killed all the blacks who stepped into my territory before. They are here for revenge, they hated me, they want me dead. Yet they want still want to save me. Don't you think what they do is useless? It would have been better if they continued hating me, not worrying about me."

"Hindi mo ba naisip na baka mawawala din ang galit sa mga puso nila kung hinayaan mo lamang silang mabuhay?"

"Do you really think I contain such an emotion?" I was taken aback by what she said. She doesn't. "If I see someone who hates me, I kill them. If I see someone who doesn't deserve to live, I kill them."

"Then why was I alive?" She continued walking once again, nearing at the door and I still followed her.

"Because you're neither." Nasurpresa na naman ako sa sinabi niya. Was she saying I don't hate her despite telling me her story? What is there to even hate? Was she saying I still need to live? That I deserve this life? Somehow...that made me smile.

"Keila." I suddenly stopped my feet yet again, it's because I was hearing that name. Pero patuloy lamang ang paglalakad ni Caelesti, as if she refuses to hear that name. "Keila, I'm calling you." May lumabas na isang lalaki na nakasuot ng parang isang armour, but his designs were roughly complicated as if he travelled somehwere far.

Sino siya? Bakit niya alam ang isa sa mga pangalan ni Caelesti? Is he one of those who stayed with her until the end? And why do I feel like he knows her more than anyone else? It's just the way he called her name so familiarly. He has a slighly long wavy jet-black hair, with a usual sword clutched behind his hips.

"I believe I was calling you." Wika niya ulit habang ngayon ay hinarangan na ang daanan ni Caelesti by sending his arm at the other side of the wall, that made the latter stop.

"And I believe I told you I hate being called by that name."

"I can't get used to it."

"It's been years, get used to it." Binaba ni Caelesti ang kamay ng lalaki, pero binalik parin ito nga isa. Is he purposely making her angry?

"I told you, I can't." Seryoso niyang salita.

"It's only because you wouldn't."

"So what if I won't?"

"Stop wasting my time, Kion." The guy named 'Kion' could only sigh in return, he failed. Kion? I heard her mention that name before.

"Our mission was finally completed. It's been two months since we were gone. I heard the blacks attacked again." He said, leaning against the ruined wall.

"You don't have to care about that. I want results, Kion. Wouldn't you agree so?" The man smiled dahil sa sinabi niya.

"Definitely. There's no point worrying about something you could handle with a single flick of your finger, isn't that right?"

"Unquestionably. However for your part, taking exactly two months for such a minor task to be completed, aren't you too complacent about this?"

"Complacent? Oh no, no Caelesti." May isang boses pa ang lumabas mula sa may likuran ng pader kung saan kanina lang sumasandal si Kion.

It was a girl with a blonde hair, with a full set pirate outfit from head to toe. A gun and another long sword with a curved-edged steel blade, attached to her fromt hips. She's playing with a few gold coins in her hand as she eyed Caelesti with warmth. Just who are they?

"The seas were rough because a storm has blown our way. May kaonting sira si Minerva, at aasahan kong aayusin mo siya mamaya. That ship is my life you know! Ah nakita ko din ang kinahantungan ng mga blacks kanina, aren't their poor states just terrific?!" She exclaimed, pero bigla nalang siyang tumawa pagtapos ng sinabi niya. Ano ba ang nakakatawa? Something tells me it's just one of her personalities.

"I don't care about Minerva, but I'll have Millard fix your ship later. Now tell me what exactly happened, Athena." Utos niya sa babae.

"Oh come on Cae, humour me for a bit." She sighed. "It should only be a minor task, but it wasn't like that at all."

"So you're telling me you were having a hard time? My, isn't that a first?"

"Certainly, for there was a certain someone who got in our way."  It was another voice coming from another woman this time.

I turned my head around to see a girl with a light-brown hair walking towards us with a sword in hand, her armour was glistening with the rising sun on the horizon beside her. She's beaitiful. Caelesti turned around with a hint of anger in her eyes dahil siguro sa narinig niya.

"A certain someone?"

"Forgive us for taking such an amount of your time, Caelesti." She stopped and glanced at me. "However, would it really be fine talking about this in front of a young lady?"

"Don't underestimate her, Ellise. She's someone who breached through my barrier easily without being detected." Wika ni Millard na ngayon ay nasa likuran lang nung babae. How could he act as if he did nothing in that room just now?

"Hmm, how suspicious." Agad niyang binalik ang tingin niya kay Caelesti. "Hindi ko alam kung ano ang binabalak nila ngayon, pero may pakiramdam kaming alam nila ang pinaplano mo. Are you sure you'd rather take such risks than wait for another time?"

"Wait for another time?" She frowned.

Bigla na naman akong napaatras, bumilis ang tibok ng puso ko, my hands are trembling, but I couldn't stop looking at her. Fear. Lahat kami ngayong nandito ay nakakaramdam ng takot dahil lang sa seryosong salita niyang iyon. She managed to instill this much fear inside all of us just by being serious, how more could she make us feel if she actually gets angry?

Nagliliwanag ang mga mata niya sa bughaw, lahat kami ay hindi alam kung ano ang gagawin. Bakit siya biglang nagseryoso? Ano ba ang pinaplano niya? Just what in the world really happened? It's like there's an energy pressuring us from moving, and we could only anticipate what will happen next.

"I've been stuck here for years Ellise. I can't wait for another. Everything is already set in motion, anyone who gets in my way will meet their demise. And risk? I've been risking everything for a long time now, and I wouldn't mind continuing what I started."

"Even if it means breaking the world?" Tanong ni Kion despite his eyes averting.

"It's the world which broke me first, I'm just returning the favour."

"Even if it means killing the Head of the Council and the Saint then? They're the ones who got in our way." Caelesti stopped and looked down.

My eyes widened. She's actually hesitating? I thought she didn't care about anyone else anymore. But there's that look in her eyes speaking of regret, nostalgia...or is there something more? Then she finally looked up, with a smirk plastered on her face. It wasn't fake, she's feeling emotions different from what she currently have. What is it?

"Even if it means killing them." And there was it, the look in her eyes have returned, anger—no, it was rage. She wasn't hesitating. She was containing herself. "Gather our forces immediately, let's send them a little hello."

"As you wish." Ellise said with a nod then in one blink, lahat nalang sila ay nawala. Bumalik ang lahat sa kanina lamang na kaming dalawa lang ni Caelesti ang nandito.

"Why do I have a bad feeling about this?" Tanong ko sa kaniya.

Tumingin siya sa akin at sumandal sa pader sa likuran niya. Habang ako ay napaupo sa may kabilang malaking bato. Since this building is a ruin, it doesn't surprise me that there are boulders of rocks all around, the walls aren't even complete.

"I've stopped listening to my intuitions a long time ago." Wika niya habang nakatutok ang paningin sa kalayuan kung saan tumataas palang ang araw.

The sunlight was reflecting on her figure, she sees the sun on that distance yet I feel like she wasn't really looking at it. Hindi ko talaga alam ang laman ng isipan niya. There were times her face says nothing but blankness, and there were times she shows expressions, like anger. Not even the light could clense her soul, not even darkness could engulf it, it makes me wonder kung ano ba talaga ang ginawa ng mundo sa kaniya para magalit siya ng ganito.

"Because you don't trust even your institutions anymore."

"Do I look broken to you?"

"No...because you look shattered to me."

"All my pieces disappeared. I didn't know myself then, even now."

"Then how are you able to make decisions? There's at least another emotions left inside you—"

"You think?" My eyes grew wide as she looked deep into my eyes.

A smile was resulted from her lips. Her eyes were dim, despite its blue colours. I feel like it's an abyss drowning me in. It was a smile of bitterness, it was a smile...as if telling me she wants to be freed, as if she was asking...'haven't I had enough pain?' That she's showing me sadness. An accumulation of all those memories she had. What exactly are those memories which is making her feel...this much sorrow?

I can't help but pity myself for even saying I'll change her fate. She must have had at the very least, tried changing it, she must have tried...but I said something so selfish without even knowing what she really thinks. If she herself couldn't change her destiny, then who am I to do that?

Her smile must have been beautiful. Not fake, not meant to deceive others, not for the purpose of pretending to have emotions, and not because she's hurting inside. A smile, a real smile. When will I be able to see it? Do I even have the rights to be able to do so?

"Magnus Academy. All first started there. You are a Cursed Blood. It all revolves around that fact. Would it end there as well?"

"I wonder. Everything hasn't even started yet." She answred with her eyes closing.

"Will you tell me more?"

The world may refuse to listen, everyone may refuse to hear her, people may despise her, for them she is a Traitor, for them...she's evil. But I'm here, and right now she looks very beautiful to me. Someone very near yet can't be reached. She's a being that exceeds humanity. She's someone who exceeds this world. What more of that beauty can she give?  What more of those memories can she tell?

I'm about to know.