"Kumusta ang pakiramdam mo, Captain?"

Tahimik kong binalingan si Alessia noong matanong ito sa tabi ko. Pinakiramdaman ko ang sarili at tahimik na bumuntong-hininga na lamang. Mayamaya lang ay binalingan ko naman ang iba pang miyembro ng Tyrants na ngayon ay nasa loob na rin ng silid.

"Nanghihina ka pa rin ba?" Si Jaycee naman ang nagtanong. "I can give you more healing spell, Captain."

"I'm fine now, Jaycee," turan ko at hinawakan ang ulo ko. "May kaunting kirot sa ulo ko but I can managed this pain." I sighed. "I'm sorry at pinag-alala ko pa kayo."

"What happened, Captain?" Amell asked me again. "Noong pinutol mo ang telephaty kanina, akala namin ay papunta ka na sa silid kung nasaan ang hari. We waited for an hour and when we rushed towards this room, we found you lying on the floor, unconscious. What is it, Captain? May mangyari ba sa katawan mo? Any injuries? Tell us so we can help you."

"Nothing's wrong with this body, Amell. This is Captain Mary's body, don't forget about that. Masisira na lang ang lahat sa mundong ito ngunit matitira at mananatili pa ring buhay ang katawang ito. Relax, okay?" Mahabang lintaya ko at humugot nang isang malalim na hininga. "Hindi ko alam na nawalan pala ako nang malay habang kausap ko ang tunay na Captain Mary."

"Nakausap mo siya?" It was Zahra. Tumango ako dito at bahagyang hinilot ang sintido.

"She brought me to Afterworld." I said without even thinking. Ramdam ko pa rin ang kirot sa ulo ko kaya naman ay hindi ko na napansin pa ang mga sinasabi ko.

"Afterworld?" Halos sabay-sabay na tanong ng Tyrants sa akin. Natigilan ako sa paghilot ng sintido ko at napangiwi na lamang sa harapan nila.

"You went to Afterworld?" It was Zahra again. "Captain, that's dangerous! Buti at nakabalik ka."

"Is that bad thing? Afterworld is a nice place. Beautiful," sambit ko na ikinailing ng Tyrants sa akin.

"No one can enter Afterworld without dying first, Rhianna Dione," ani Alessia na siyang ikinatigil ko. "And in your case, I guess Captain Mary took you out from her body and brought you to the place where she exist now."

"Well, yes, she do exist inside Afterworld and have a dragon name Meredith."

"Dragon?" Gulat na tanong ni Jaycee sa akin.

"Yes, a dragon." Turan ko.

"Really? A real dragon?" Gulat pa ring tanong ni Jaycee na siyang ikinatango ko na lamang. I can't blame him, ganyan din ang naging reaksiyon ko noong makita ko ito sa Afterworld.

"Wait... stop it, Jaycee," sambit ni Owen na siyang ikinatigil namin. "For the meantime, let's forget about what you saw inside the Afterworld, Captain. Now tell us, why the real Captain Mary brought you to that place? We all knew that it was a dangerous move so why take risk?"

Natigilan ako at napakunot ang noo sa naging tanong nito sa akin.

For some reason, my memories are hazy. May ilan akong hindi maalala ngunit ang iba naman ay tumatak sa isipan ko. Just like how beautiful the Afterworld is and the dragon Meredith, of course.

"Dark soul," sambit ko na siyang ikina-seryoso ng Tyrants. "Captain Mary told me about this dark soul." Dagdag ko at pilit na inaalala ang mga salitang binitawan ni Captain Mary sa akin sa Afterworld.

"What about that?" Alessia asked.

"Uhmmm... dark..." I trailed off, trying to remember things. Lalong kumirot ang ulo ko kaya naman ay napapikit at napailing ako.

"Breathe, Captain," napakurap ako noong marinig muli ang boses ni Jaycee. "Relax and try to concentrate. Ito marahil ang naging epekto sa'yo sa pagpunta sa Underworld. Clear your mind and remember everything."

Tumango ako dito at ipinikit ang mga mata ko.

Captain Mary. Afterworld. Rupert. Dark soul. Vessel...

Vessel! Right! She talked about Rupert being a vessel of that dark soul! 

"We need to find that dark soul before it enters to a new vessel," mabilis na sambit ko na siyang ikinatigil nila. Itinaas ko ang kamay ko at itinapat ito kay Alessia at Amell. "Captain Mary told me about the previous Captain Mary's mission. She was following a dark soul and met Rupert." Pagsasalaysay ko habang ini-enhance ang abilities nilang dalawa. "That dark soul was lurking around Azinbar looking for its vessel and now that Rupert is gone, it will probably looking for a new one."

"A dark soul," anito Amell at marahang itinaas ang kamay nito. Namataan ko ang pagkagulat at pagkamagha sa mukha nito. "You can enchant and enhance someone's abilities now, Captain Mary?" Tanong pa nito at binalingan ako.

"Thanks to Great Guardian Phoenix's power. She gave me everything we need for this battle," sagot ko dito at ibinaba na ang kamay. Palihim akong humugot nang isang malalim na hininga at bahagyang ipinilig ang ulo pa kanan. I suddenly felt weak! Am I using too much magic power here? Damn it!

"She already enhanced ours earlier," ani Owen at umayos nang pagkakatayo. "You better take a rest first, Captain. You're pale."

"I'm fine, Owen." Turan ko at muling humugot ng isang malalim na hininga.

"You don't look fine," dagdag nito at binalingan si Jaycee. "Let her rest and use a sleeping spell. She already enhanced our abilities. We can see and identify a dark soul now."

"Owen, I told you, I'm fine. Tutulong ako sa paghahanap sa dark soul na iyan. That's my mission to begin with."

"That was the previous Captain Mary's mission, not yours, so better rest." Pinal na sambit nito at tinalikuran na ako. Tahimik itong lumabas ng silid na sinundan naman ni Amell. Tumango lang si Zahra sa akin at lumabas na rin ng silid. Tahimik namang nakamasid lang si Alessia habang ginagamitan ako ng spell ni Jaycee sa tabi ko.

"Rest, Rhianna Dione. We'll take care of this." Ani Alessia at nagpaalam na rin sa akin. Minuto lang ay natapos na rin si Jaycee at tuluyang iniwan na ako sa silid na kinaroroonan ko.

Napaawang na lamang ang labi ko sa inasal ng Tyrants at dahan-dahang nailing. Mayamaya lang ay bumigat ang pakiramdam ng mga mata ko at hindi ko na namalayan pang nakatulog na pala ako.

"Rhianna, what do you think you're doing?"

Natigilan ako sa ginagawa at mabilis na umayos nang pagkakaupo.

"I told you to study our business and not play some music!" My dad voice roared as he took my music sheets. "And now you're writing songs! Stop wasting your time. You're a Ferrer and you should not waste your time playing music!"

"Dad, it's just a hobby. Look, I ace all my exams. I'll definitely graduate with high honors, so please, let me play my music. This is my only escape from all the stress I'm having right now."

"You can't escape from all of this, Rhianna Dione! This is your responsibility as a Ferrer!"

"I already know that, Dad," sambit ko na siyang ikinatigil ng ama ko. "Simula noong bata pa ako, iyan palagi ang bukang-bibig mo. How can I forget all my responsibilities if that's the only thing you wanted to talk about? I get it, okay? Ginagawa ko naman ang lahat, dad. Don't worry, I won't disappoint you and the Ferrer Clan!"

"You better not, Rhianna Dione, or else, mawawala ang lahat ng mayroon ka ngayon." Mariing sambit nito at iniwan na ako sa sala ng mansiyon ng mga Ferrer.

Napailing na lamang ako at isinandal ang likod sa backrest ng upuan. Ipinikit ko ang mga mata ko at pilit na ikinalma ang sarili.

Ano kaya ang mangyayari sa akin kung gawin ko ang lahat na ipinagbabawal ng aking ama? Itatakwil niya ba ako bilang isang anak? Ikakahiya ba ako nang tuluyan ng pamilyang ito?

Who knows, right? Ganyan naman sila, eh. All they care about is their wealth and power. Their image is their top priority and me, being the only daughter of Theodore Ferrer, I need to be extra careful not to ruin their reputation.

"Whatever," mahinang sambit ko at hinayaan ang sariling makatulog.

"What is this, huh, Rhianna Dione?" Napangiwi ako noong marinig na naman ang sigaw ni daddy. Bahagya kong inayos ang buhok ko at walang  emosyong tiningnan ito.

"Ano naman ba ito, daddy?" Tanong ko at nagulat na lamang noong may hinagis ito sa mukha ko.

"I thought you're just busy with your studies, Young Lady. Tapos ito pa ang ipapakita ng private investigator sa akin?"

Natigilan ako at tiningnan ang mga litrato sa paanan ko. Napairap ako sa kawalan at tiningnang muli ang aking ama.

"Pinasundan mo ako?" I asked him coldly. "Ganoon na lamang ba ang kawalang-tiwala mo sa akin, dad?"

"Yes, Young Lady," his voice echoed as he took a step forward towards me. "And you disappointed me with your action, again, Rhianna Dione."

"Dad, kahit anong gawin ko, disappointed ka naman talaga sa akin. I did great with my studies, still, not enough for you. I did great with my internship in our company, still kulang pa rin sa'yo lahat ng oras at effort na nilaan ko dito. Just once, dad. Isang beses lang akong lumabas kasama ang mga kaibigan ko and that was my birthday! This is my freaking birthday celebration, dad!" Turo ko sa mga litrato ko kung saan nagsasaya ako kasama ng mga kaibigan ko. "Pati ba naman ang bagay na ito ay ipagbabawal mo sa akin?"

"We have rules in this house, Rhianna Dione."

"Your rules, dad, not mine," I coldly said again to him. "And this is my life. Ako dapat ang masusunod sa kung anong dapat kong gawin dito."

"I'm warning you, Rhianna, stop messing around and just do your whatever I'm going to tell you." Mariing sambit nito.

"I'm not your puppet, dad! Anak mo po ako!" I shouted at him. Damn it! I wanted to stop but my emotion already took over me. "Stop making my life more miserable, dad!"

"Rhianna!"

Humugot ako ng isang malalim na hininga at ikinuyom ang mga kamao. Calm down, Rhianna. Just fvcking calm down!

"I'm tired, dad. Bukas mo na ulit ako pagalitan." Malamig na turan kong muli dito at umalis na sa harapan nito.

I'm so tired of all of this. So tired that I even wanted to leave this family and just gone, gone for good and never come back.