PLANADO ang lahat.

At least it's clear now. My very own sister, Karen, betrayed me for a good reason. And that reason is to prevent the occurrence of events in the future, fifteen years from now, hindi ko alam kung paano pero mapapasakamay nila Atticus at Beau ang Chintamani. Fifteen years from now, Timoteus said that he visited me in the future para kumbinsihin na patayin ko ang kambal. And I will—according to my sister who saw this visions. In the end, she will kill me for killing her children.

Fate is cruel.

Is it?

In the first place paano ba ulit bumalik sa kapatid ko ang kapangyarihan niya? Culomus, her eyes, are destroyed.

I don't know.

Maybe because... She's a Rosencruz too?

And what is a Rosencruz anyway?

Who am I? Where do I come from?

"Here." Nagbalik ako sa kasalukuyan nang makita ko siya na inaabot ang isang mug, "Alam mo ba kung magkano ang binayad sa lodge house na 'to para rentahan?" kinuha ko 'yung mug sa kanya, mainit 'yon, amoy tsokolate, "Hindi ka maniniwala sa laki ng ginastos ng dad mo para lang dito, pati sa helicopter na pinang-sundo sa'yo sa Himalayas." Umupo si Morris sa tabi ko.

"You're hurt." Sabi ko, "I-I'm sorry."

"Malayo sa bituka." Wika naman niya na parang wala lang, "So... What's up?"

What's up? Saan kaya siya humuhugot ngayon ng lakas para balewalain lang ang lahat ng nangyayari at manatiling kalmado lang? Gusto ko sanang itanong sa kanya kung paano siya ulit napunta rito pero naalala ko ulit ang mga nakita ko sa mata niya kanina, that explains it all, three years ago binisita siya ni Ate Karen sa mental institution para hingin ang tulong niya.

Ang hindi ko lang alam ay kung bakit. Why he's willing to go that far and earlier I almost killed him too.

"Magaling ka na ba?" tanong ko, tungkol sa sakit niya, split personality.

"Haha, oo naman." Parang wala lang na sagot niya.

"So... wala na si Sio?"

"Sio's still here." Tapos bigla siyang sumeryoso pero muling ngumiti, "He's just a part of me and all those years I tried to accept it."

Seryoso ba siya?

"Three years, Jill, nagawa kong kilalaning mabuti ang sarili ko. Sabi nga nila, know thyself and everything will fall into its place."

"Saan mo naman narinig 'yan?" parang wala naman akong alam na quote nag anon.

"An old woman helped me to master myself—my power."

"Ah." Parehas kaming nanahimik, "Morris."

"Yeah?"

Bakit ka nandito?

"Ano ng plano mo?" pero iba ang itinanong ko.

"Plano?" Napasandal siya sa sofa, komportableng komportable, how I wish ganon din ako ka-chill, "Hindi ba dapat alam mo muna kung bakit ako nandito bago mo itanong kung ano ng plano ko?"

Nag-iwas ako ng tingin dahil parang nahuli niya ako on the spot.

"Kung ganon, bakit ka ba nandito?"

"Siguro hindi mo lubusang naintindihan sa visions na nakita mo sa mga mata ko kanina." Medyo umusog siya ng kaunti palapit sa'kin at umusog naman ako palayo kaunti, "I agreed to help Miss Karen because I care for you."

"Tapos?"

"At ang plano ko ngayon ay tulungan ka sa abot ng makakaya ko."

Tumingin ako sa kanya, kita ko pa rin ang kampante niyang postura at bigla kong naaninag sa kanya ang aura ni Sio—pero 'yung hindi na masama. The Morris I knew way back then was a timid and shy boy, and the Sio I met is very aggressive and confident. Katulad ng sinabi niya kanina na parte niya si Sio, mukhang nagbago na siya ng tuluyan, he really changed a lot at least in a good way.

"Wala ka bang ibang bagay na mas dapat asikasuhin?" tanong ko sa kanya, still confused on his motivations why he cared and why he's willing to risk his life to help me, it's like a blind love.

"Aaminin ko, may parte sa kalooban ko na gusto ng proper closure between sa ating dalawa, at umaasa na baka maayos pa natin ang dating meron tayo." Nagulat ako sa sinabi niya.

"Morris, Cloud and I are—"

"Lucille already sealed our fate, we can't be together, alam ko. Pero nagsisisi ako noon sa ginawa ko three years ago na lumayo sa'yo—dahil kailangan." Nakatingin siya sa kawalan, "Nandito ako ngayon para magbayad sa lahat ng naging pagkukulang ko noon,"

Pagkukulang? Hindi ko naman siya inobliga na protektahan ako pero bakit?

"Mahal kita, Morie." Mas nagulat ako sa pag-tawag niya ng apelido ko. It reminds all of our memories on White Knights Academy, yung mga panahong simple lang lahat. "Sorry kung sinaktan kita noon, sorry kung dinamay kita sa paghihiganti ko." He's claiming all the sins of 'Sio', "I'm here to compensate those."

Muling namayani ang katahimikan sa'ming dalawa.

"Alam mo hindi na muna mahalaga ngayon kung ano ba ang dahilan kung bakit ako nandito. Ako dapat ang magtanong sa'yo, ano ng plano mo?" balik tanong niya sa'kin.

"Kung ikaw ba ang nasa sitwasyon ko anong gagawin mo?"

Saglit siyang nag-isip, humalukipkip at hinimas ang baba, "What I'll do is to know who I am."

"Huh?"

"I told you, para ma-master mong mabuti ang sarili mo kailangang kilala mong mabuti kung sino at ano ka. Ang tanong, Jill, do you really even know who you are?"

"Bakit naman iyan ang naisip mong gagawin ko dapat?"

"Base sa nangyari kanina, it seems you lost your sense of identity of who you are."

I can't believe na napansin niya talaga ang bagay na 'yon. Well... Dahil siya lang naman ang nagpa-alala sa akin kanina ng mga nakaraan.

Kung sarili ko ang tatanungin ko kung anong dapat kong gawin... Kailangan kong iligtas sila Cloud na naiwan sa Himalayas, malaki ang posibilidad na muli silang nakuha ng mga Kahvals at sila Eliza at iba pang players na hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin nakakabalik sa physical reality. They need me. I am the only one who can get them out there.

"But the Jill Morie I knew will probably save her friends now." Napatingin ako sa kanya at takang taka kung bakit parang mas kilala niya pa ako. "Sorry, sinabi ni Dean kanina ang ginawa niya, hindi mo alam kung gaano siya na-guilty na iwanan ang mga kaibigan niya, but it was Karen's order, kailangang ikaw lang ang kuhanin dahil magkakaroon ng gulo kapag—"

"That doesn't make sense, he abandoned his friends, hindi 'yon magbabago, kahit ano pang dahilan, he's wrong."

"Jill, hindi mo alam kung gaano pinagplanuhang maigi ni Miss Karen at Eliza ang lahat."

"Yeah, they manipulated everything." Sarcastic kong sagot sa kanya.

"Try to understand. At kung binabalak mo ngayon na iligtas silang lahat, that's going to be a big risk."

"Then what do you want me to do?" galit kong sabi sa kanya, "Know myself? Mag-reflect?" Pero hindi siya nagpapakita ng kahit na anong pagkatakot sa'kin.

"Alam mo kung anong mangyayari sa'yo kapag ginamit mo ng sobra ang kapangyarihan mo." At sa pagkakataong 'to ako naman ang tila natauhan sa sinabi niya. "Jill."

Tumayo ako.

"Alam ko, Morris."

"Saan ka pupunta?"

Huminga muna ako ng malalim bago sumagot.

"To find out who I am, katulad ng sinuhestiyon mo."

"How?"

Itinaas ko ang kamay ko.

"Don't tell me you'll use—"

"Wala akong choice." Bago pa siya nakaangal ay mabilis akong hiling sa Chintamani. Gusto kong bigyan niya 'ko ng impormasyon tungkol kay Sigrid Ibarra, the woman I met in the Astral world, and I believe that she's my mother.

I reached my hand to Morris, "Sasama ka ba?" kinuha niya 'yung kamay ko at sabay kaming hinigop ng singsing upang dalhin sa lugar kung saan makakahanap ako ng sagot.

******

"WHERE exactly are we?" ang unang tanong ni Morris nang mapadpad kami sa isang dalampasigan.

Where are we?

El Salvador.

At automatic akong nakakuha ng sagot na parang ibinulong sa isip ko.

"We're at El Salvador."

"El Salvador?" napakunot na sagot ni Morris, "That's a thousands of leagues from Xinjiang!" hindi niya makapaniwalang sabi na ganon lang kami kadaling nag-teleport.

Where? Where I can find an answer?

Go to the North and you will find an old cathedral.

Naglakad ako at sumunod lang si Morris. Tirik na tirik ang araw kung kaya't parehas naming tinanggal ni Morris ang suot naming makapal na jacket. Naglakad kami hanggang sa matanaw ko ang isang lumang gothic cathedral na namumukod tanging nakatayo rito.

Nang nasa tapat na kami ng malaki at kinakalawang na pinto ay kumatok ako. Napansin ko ang mga naka-engraved na symbol na araw sa columns. Medyo napaatras kami ni Morris nang bumukas ang pinto.

"Que deseas?" nagkatinginan muna kami ni Morris. We saw an old guy, may mahaba itong buhok na halos namumuti na. "What do you want?"

"I'm here because of Sigrid Ibarra." The moment he heard that name he quickly opened the door for us and he was so stunned, "Dios mio. Y-you know her."

"I believe she's my mother." Mas lalo siyang nagulat sa sinabi ko.

"Then...you...you are Atria?" ako naman ang nagulat ngayon dahil alam niya.

He introduced himself as Paladio, pinapasok niya muna kami sa loob ng simbahan at dinala sa isang meeting room, bukod sa gothic features at tila inabandonang lugar ay napansin ko na naman ang banners na may symbols ng itim na araw.

"For all of the time, why did you come here?" tanong ni Paladio sa akin. "I am an old good friend of Ravi." Ravi? "I'm sorry, I mean... Sigrid."

"I came here because I want to know more about where I came from and to know more about my real mother, Sigrid Ibarra." Nahalata namin ni Morris na nag-aalinlangan ito, "I just want to know the truth."

"This place..." biglang sumingit si Morris, "...is used to be a headquarters, right?" tumango si Paladio na medyo nagtataka kung pano 'yon nahulaan ni Morris, "And you're a group of people who have special abilities who protects the people of El Salvador during the war and Sigrid, the woman who leads the victory."

Napabuntong hininga muna si Paladio, "Fine. I'll tell you everything."

We listened well. Nagsimula siya sa kung sino si Sigrid Ibarra, na isang napakagandang babae na may tinataglay na kakaibang talino, isang araw na lamang ay nagising ito na may kakaibang kapangyarihan, she's a powerful telepath and that's why a man named Melchor Morales recruited him to join his secret org. Later on, the secret group evolved into a huge organization—Memoire. So iyon 'yung dahilan kung bakit nasabi dati ni Rama Melchiore na isa siya sa founding fathers nito?

For some reasons, Memo tried to kill Sigrid because of his fear of her, he thought he killed her but she was in fact exiled into this place—El Salvador. Sigrid gathered the people with those powers to stop the war in this place and they succeed. Years later, Sigrid returned to Mnemosyne Institute, a place Memo made in her memory, to end the fight with him.

"She volunteered to join Memoire again to keep her friends safe, but Memo was eager to kill her." Huminto siya saglit sa pagkukwento at halatang nag-alangang magsalita. "In order to guarantee her protection, she ensured that Memoire will guard her so that no one can harm her..."

Medyo napakunot-noo ako sa huli niyang sinabi. "She became pregnant by in vitro fertilization."

"In vitro?"

It means...

"She used the frozen embryo of Isagani Miguel Morales and Patrizia Rosencruz. Months later, she gave birth to a baby girl named Atria."

...she's not my real mother. 

And for the first time I heard my parents name...

Pero ang dami ko pa ring tanong, ang dami pa ring magulo sa kwento niya.

"When Sigrid joined again Memoire, why did Memo tried to kill her?" I asked.

Nagpakawala ng buntong hininga si Paladio at halatang nahihirapan pero sinusubukang magpaliwanag.

"There is something deeper history." He left us for a while and he returned immediately with an old book, malaki iyon, makapal at halatang nilipasan na ng maraming siglo, "This is a tale between two gods and their old world. And we are the protectors of the lost history of humanity, Order of the Black Sun."

A lost tale? Order of the Black Sun?

He started to tell us about the ancient world of Atlantis, it was all peaceful not until a prophecy came that Atlantis will fall. Two Aeons are summoned, Rama and Ravi, they are given a task to gather all the Aeons on the preceding timelines that's why every generation they are being reincarnated. But Rama and Ravi opposed the ideals of power, that's why their last incarnations as Melchor Morales and Sigrid Ibarra ended in a heinous way.

Ravi founded the Order of the Black Sun, and the followers of the order made a pact that every generation they will find Ravi. They created an oracle to find the next incarnation of Ravi.

"And Rama, he founded the Lunars, a cult of Aeons who worshipped him like a god." The Lunars? So it means... "But his followers left him after they heard the latest prophecy, a child of a virgin will be born, a child destined for greater power. Decades later, the remaining Lunars gathered again to revive their cult and they called themselves now as the Kahvals. Their aim is to bring Rama back."

At nahanap nila ang Chintamani kaya nila ginawa ang Chintamani competition.

"We never knew if they succeeded, the members of our order remained passive for the past decades." So hindi siya aware sa kung anong suot kong singsing ngayon, hindi niya alam kung anong itsura ng Chintamani na nasa akin, "But there is another prediction from this oracle," nilipat niya ang pahina ng libro hanggang sa makita namin ang isang larawan, sa kanan ay may araw at sa kaliwa ay may buwan, sa gitna ay may isang two-headed dragon sa ibabaw ng bilog na may mata sa loob. Hindi ko alam kung bakit bigla akong kinabahan. Sa katabing pahina nito ay may larawan ng itim na bilog guhit na parang liwanag... hindi ko maintindihan ang mga letrang nakasulat.

"The final oracle said that when the moon occulted the sun..." a solar eclipse, "It was a time for a call for all the Aeons to unite."

"Unite against to?" si Morris naman ang biglang nagtanong.

Paladio stared us for a second, "I don't know. Maybe there is something terrible is bound to happen, a revolution? A war? We don't know. But regardless of the situation, we must answer the call."

Nanahimik kaming lahat at muling tumayo si Paladio, nagpaalam at umalis. Naiwan kami ni Morris at naiwan din ang libro na nakabukas sa may lamesita.

"May mangyayaring hindi maganda kapag nag-solar eclipse." Sabi ni Morris, at itinuro ang larawan. "Anong sa tingin mo?" nakita kong tumingin siya sa'kin pero nakatulala lamang ako sa kawalan. "Jill?"

"Morris," tumingin ako sa kanya at itinuro ko ang larawan sa libro, ang larawan na may two-headed dragon at araw at buwan. "This is not coincident at all, even though hindi ko tunay na ina si Sigrid Ibarra... she stopped me from reviving Melchor Morales." Napakunot si Morris sa sinabi ko dahil hindi naman niya alam ang nangyari.

"What? Paano? They died years ago, Jill," he paused for a minute, "Don't tell me, you met them?" hindi niya makapaniwalang sabi.

"Yes, pero mahabang paliwanag, hindi sa mundong 'to ko sila nakita, basta pinigilan ako ni Sigrid Ibarra, she told me that Melchor Morales is a tyrant and he will bring nothing but darkness to humanity." I told him kahit na medyo hindi niya naiintindihan.

That's right, hindi 'to coincidence lahat. The two-headed dragon symbolized the Chintamani and I got this hunch feeling that this stone...this stone is a catalyst...to unite the sun and moon. And when it happens... when the moon occulted the sun—a solar eclipse—Melchor Morales or Rama Melchiore, will dominate.

What will happen to me? To the keeper of the catalyst?

"Jill?" namalayan ko na lang na muli akong tinatawag ni Morris, "What's wrong?"

"If the evil ascends, I might lose control, katulad nang sinabi ni John Zedong, this power will consume me and when the prophecy happens...the solar eclipse...I..I will bring a catastrophe."

  So it all makes sense...  

"Ha?"

"In other words... I must be killed." I really need to die.

"Jill, ano bang sinasabi mo?"

Tumayo ako at tumayo rin siya, hinawakan ako sa braso.

"Jill, huwag ka munang gumawa ng conclusions na—"

"Morris, nalaman ko na ang dapat kong kaialangang malaman dito. I need to go, I'm sorry pero kailangan kitang iwan, I need to do this alone."

"Jill—"

May kailangan pa kong malaman—ang tungkol sa Rosencruz.

[Karen Italia's POV]

Together with Dean and Albert, we travelled miles away from China and we're back in Sentral city, pero nababagabag pa rin ako dahil kay Jill, not really because she nearly killed me, but because the power she has right now and the consequence of her having it. Sinalubong kami ni Tito Richard at tumuloy sa Morie manor.

"Mama!" my children exclaimed when they saw me, patakbo nila akong sinalubong at kaagad ko silang niyakap. Oh, how I missed them, my Atticus and Beau.

"Karen," nakita ko si Tito Richard na bakas na bakas ang pag-aalala sa mukha, "As much as I want to know what happened to Jill, alam kong mahaba ang byahe niyo, magpahinga ka muna." Sabi niya sa akin at kinarga si Atticus.

"I'll tell you everything tomorrow morning, Tito Richard." Sabi ko naman sa kanya. Tumango lang siya at tinawag niya si Beau.

"Your mom needs to rest, kids." Pero nag-insist ako na gusto ko munang makasama ang kambal.

Hours later, nang tulog na ang kambal ay iniwanan ko na sila sa kanilang silid.

"Karen." Muntik na kong magulat nang makita ko si Dean pagharap ko. "Magpahinga ka na."

Ngumiti lang ako sa kanya, "Thanks, Dean."

"Nag-aalala ka ba? Kay... Jill?"

"Of course, she's my sister." Iiwanan ko na siya pero pinigilan niya 'ko sa braso, "B-bakit?" he's going to kiss me pero kaagad ko siyang pinigilan, "Dean."

"Sorry." Para naman siyang natauhan at kaagad akong iniwanan.

I know his feelings for me, since na nandoon pa kami sa Isla Ingarata, he's trying to prove his worth to me, hanggang ngayon, he did everything—for me. But I can't just return his feelings.

I don't know why. I just can't love him back.

"Karen." I froze when I heard again that voice.

"T-timoteus." The time stopped at nandito na naman siya. From the dark he appeared, he's alone, "What are you doing here?"

"We both nearly escaped death, you know." He coldly said, "You did it, nagawa ngang makuha ni Jill Morie ang Chintamani, nagbago na ang hinaharap, and now we can't get the stone as expected."

"Then... why are you still bothering me?"

"You know what is bound to happen to your sister, she must die." Naglakad siya papalapit, "But not is not the real issue here."

"A-anong ibig mong sabihin?"

"I showed up to correct my mistake."

"Mistake?"

"I should kill have killed your mother before because no Rosencruz must be left alive—

Nakuha ko na ang intensyon niya sa simulat' sapul. Kung nakuha niya lang kay Jill ang Chintamani at sinira, he will still do it... He will still kill us all.

Namalayan ko na lang na nakatutok sa akin ang baril na hawak niya. 

"All Rosencruz must die."

A/N:

Hi! Thanks again for reading!

Kung gusto mo malaman kung anong nagyari kay Morris, you can go to TPT and find the special chapter: Where is Morris

At kung interested ka namang malaman ang buong kwento ni Sigrid at Memo, you can read Mnemosyne's Tale 

Maraming salamat! :)