"Her body is burning."

"Jaycee, do something! Come on!"

"I'm trying my best here! Manahimik muna kayo!"

Nanatili akong nakapikit habang dinadama ang mainit na pakiramdam na tila tumutupok sa katawang kinalalagyan. This is the power of the Phoenix. The blue and red flames are now burning my body. Mukhang hindi rin ito makayanan ng katawan ni Captain Mary. It's too powerful for me to handle.

"She released a massive amount of magic power. Hindi na ito nakayanan ng katawan niya." It was Atlas voice. "I never thought that the power of the Phoenix will harm her like this." Dagdag pa nito.

Tahimik akong nagpasalamat dahil ligtas ito. Hindi nasayang ang ginawa ko ngayon. The next Grand Master of Pheonix is safe. The future of the world is safe now.

"Captain's body can endure anything! Imposibleng hindi nito nakayanan ang kapangyarihang inilabas nito kanina!" Zahra exclaimed. "Come on, Captain! Alam kong naririnig mo kami! You can't just leave like this. Not again."

"Zahra, stop it. Napag-usapan na natin ang bagay na ito, hindi ba?" Narining ko ang malamig na turan ni Alessia dito. "And Rhianna Dione wanted us to let her go, hindi ba? Sa kanya mismo nanggaling ang mga salitang iyon."

"Tama si Alessia, Zahra," I heard Owen's voice. "Stop using your magic power, Jaycee. Let her go."

"No... Huwag kang titigil, Jaycee!" Mariing utos ni Zahra dito.

"Zahra, stop!" Pigil muli ni Alessia dito.

"I can't, okay? I can't just let her go like this!" Ani Zahra na siyang ikinatahimik ng mga taong nasa paligid ko. "This is unfair! Hindi dapat sa ganitong paraan siya aalis sa mundo natin! She did everything to help us. Captain Mary..."

"Stop it already, Zahra! Simula pa lang, alam na nating mangyayari ito! Nakatadhanang mangyari ang araw na ito, alam mo iyan. Bakit pa natin pahihirapan si Rhianna Dione? Zahra, sa lahat ng taong nakakaalam sa kakayahan ni Captain Mary, tayo dapat ang uunang makakaintindi nito." Sambit muli ni Alessia at mayamaya lang ay naramdaman ko ang paghawak nito sa kamay ko. "This is not her world, Zahra. We need to let her go."

"No... we can't just let her go like this. She's our captain! She's part of our family!"

"Enough, Zahra!" Suway ni Amell dito. "That's enough!"

"Tyrants," it was Grand Master Walter's voice. "Lalong mapapahamak ito kung mananatili siya sa katawan ni Captain Mary. It's time... she needs to leave the body now."

"Captain... No..."

"She's one of the best Captain Mary we ever have. Kahit bumalik na ito sa mundong pinanggalingan niya, mananatili sa buong Azinbar, sa Northend, ang lahat ng ginawa nito," rinig kong sambit muli ni Amell na siyang ikinadurog ng puso. My heart is aching for them. "She will always remain in our hearts and memories. Always."

Hindi ko na muling narinig pa ang pag-angal ni Zahra. Seconds passed, I felt their hands on me. Their hands that warms my heart. I'm happy. I'm happy that King Louis IV and Captain Mary brought me here, in this world. I'm glad that they saved me that day. I'm glad to be part of Tyrants, their team, their family.

So, this is it? My end? My goodbye to this world?

I will never regret fighting with them. I'll leave this world with contentment.

"Rhianna Dione."

Mabilis akong natigilan at napamulat ng mga mata. Napakunot ang noo ko at dahan-dahang naupo mula sa pagkakahiga. Tahimik kong inilibot ang paningin at natigilan na lamang noong mapagtanto kung nasaan ako ngayon.

Afterworld.

"You okay?"

Napabaling ako sa tabi ko at namataan si Treyton Duke Sulivan. Nakaupo rin ito kagaya ko at nakatingin din sa magandang tanawin dito sa Afterworld.

"Ilang araw kong sinubukang makabalik dito ngunit palagi akong hinaharangan ni Captain Mary. But today's different. Wala ng barrier between our worlds. Looks like you already accomplished your mission here."

"Yeah," mahinang sambit ko dito at tumingala sa himpapawid. "My mission in this world is done."

"Glad to hear that, Rhianna Dione."

Katahimikan. Hindi kami kumibo ni Trey at pinagmasdan lamang ang tanawin dito sa Afterworld. Mayamaya lang ay nabulabog kami sa malakas na ingay na natitiyak kong galing ito kay Meredith, iyong dragong kasama ni Captain Mary dito sa Afterworld. Mabilis akong tumayo mula sa pagkakaupo at nagsimulang maglakad patungo sa malawak at luntiang lupain.

Minuto lang ang lumipas noong maramdaman ko ang malakas na hampas ng hangin. Napatingala akong muli at namataan doon si Meredith at si Captain Mary. Dahan-dahang lumipad papalapit sa akin si Meredith at noong nasa harapan ko na sila ay mabilis na bumaba mula sa pagkakasakay dito si Captain Mary.

"Thank you, Rhianna Dione. Thank you for saving Azinbar," aniya at mabilis na nilapitan ako. "Thank you for saving my brother, too."

"You died because of saving him," maingat na sambit ko na siyang ikinailing ni Captain Mary.

"I died because I was not strong enough to protect them," aniya at malungkot na ngumiti sa akin. "Rondale was a good and brave Knight, just like his sister. He just wanted to be strong like me. Nabulag lang ito sa kung anong totoong kahulugan nang pagiging isang malakas. To be strong is to be able to protect the people who are precious to you. And in his case, he failed on that part."

"That's why you tired to eliminate your brother's magic power?" I asked her. Noong nakaharap ko si Rondale sa headquarter ng Phoenix, I saw everything. Nakita ko ang lahat nang nangyari bago pa man ito maging isang dark soul. "And you also failed to do that, Captain Mary. Dahil dito, ikaw mismo ang napahamak sa pagnanais na iligtas ito."

"I never regret doing that, Rhianna Dione. Rondale was my only family, my beloved brother. Kahit ikapahamak ko pa ito, gagawin ko pa rin ang lahat para mailigtas ito. He was lost at ako lamang ang mayroon ito."

Napatango ako dito at wala sa sariling napaisip tungkol sa pamilyang naiwan ko sa totoong mundo ko. Kung isa sa mga Ferrer ang mapapahamak, kaya ko bang gawin ang ginawa ni Captain Mary? Ang magsakripisyo para sa kaligtasan nila? Kakayanin ko ba? Kakayanin ko ba kahit wala silang nagawang mabuti noong nandoon pa ako sa mundong ginagalawan nila?

"Family will always remain as family, Rhianna Dione. Always. Kahit anong masamang nakaraan ang lumamat sa relasyon niyo, in the end of the day, pamilya mo pa rin sila," sambit muli ni Captain Mary at mayamaya lang ay natigilan ako noong makita si Rondale sa tabi ng kapatid nito. Ngumiti ito sa akin at nagpasalamat sa pagligtas sa kanya.

"You should forgive them and yourself, Rhianna Dione."

"I can forgive them but I don't think I can forgive myself for doing horrible things before I fell and was brought here," napangiwi ako at naalala ang araw na iyon. I leave the Ferrer mansion and I was about to get kidnapped. I ran and met him, Treyton Duke Sulivan. That's right. He was the one who helped me that night. Noong una, akala ko si King Louis IV iyong lalaking tumulong sa akin makawala sa nais kumuha sa akin noon ngunit mali pala ako. When I saw him, Treyton, here in Azinbar, I slowly remembered him. He was there before my soul finally disappeared and brought here in this world. And with the ability of the King of Northend, he let me entered Captain Mary's body, and the rest was history.

"Your time here in Azinbar, and the time you spent in Northend were more than enough to heal you, Rhianna Dione. Hindi mo pa rin ba maramdaman diyan sa puso mo?" Tanong ni Captain Mary na siyang nagpatigil sa akin. "You found a friend and a family here, right?"

Wala sa sarili akong tumango dito.

"You already know how it feels like to protect them. To do everything for them. To give your best to save them. Now, it's time to give your best shot to the people who are waiting for you." Ani Treyton sa tabi ko. "They never gave up, Rhianna Dione. Your family never gave you up."

Tila dinudurog ang puso ko sa mga naririnig mula sa kanila. Mayamaya lang ay nag-unahan na ang mga luha ko at hindi ko na napigilan pang mapahikbi. Agad namang lumapit sa akin si Captain Mary at niyakap ako.

"You're stronger than me, Rhianna Dione. Always remember that," mahinang sambit nito sa akin na siyang ikinailing ko.

"I'm not," nanghihinang turan ko dito. "In my world, I'm just a nobody, Captain Mary. I'm just me, weak, scared and ungrateful human being."

"You are Captain Mary, Rhianna Dione. Kahit saang mundo ka man mapunta, mananatili kang si Captain Mary. Don't let your past define you now, Rhianna Dione. You are you. Strong, kindhearted and a fierce warrior. The captain of Tyrants, the protector of realm of the North, the savior of Azinbar."

"Am I?" Naiiyak ko pa ring tanong dito. Tumango si Captain Mary sa akin at humiwalay sa pagkakayakap sa akin.

"Always believe in yourself, Rhianna Dione." Dagdag nito at nagsimula nang humakbang palayo sa akin. "Thank you for being here. We owe you this one, Rhianna Dione." Aniya at sumakay ng muli sa dragong si Meredith. "Take care of yourself, Captain."

"I will," mahinang tugon ko dito at napaatras noong ikinumpas ni Meredith ang pakpak nito. "Thank you, Captain Mary!" Sigaw ko at ngumiti dito. "Thank you for giving me a family I never had before! Thank you for letting me live inside your body!"

Ngumiti lang sa akin si Captain Mary at tuluyan nang lumipad palayo si Meredith. Segundo lang ay nawala na ito sa paningin ko at wala sa sariling napabaling kay Rondale na ngayon ay nakatingin sa himpapawid kung saan naroon kanina ang kapatid nito at si Meredith.

"She failed to save me before," aniya at binalingan ako. "She gave up everything for me, including her own life." Rondale sighed. "I don't deserved that. I don't deserved her sacrifice, I don't deserved my sister's life."

"That's why you stayed?" I asked him.

"Yes," sagot nito at tumango sa akin. "But I was glad that I stayed in Azinbar for years. I saw how her descendants fought hard to protect this world, to protect Northend and when I totally lost myself, when the darkness owned me, I'm glad that you finally stopped me."

Ngumiti si Rondale sa akin kaya naman ay natigilan ako. Hindi ko inalis ang paningin dito hanggang sa unti-unti itong nawawala sa harapan ko.

"Thank you, Rhianna Dione. Thank you, Captain Mary," rinig kong mahinang sambit nito hanggang sa tuluyang mawala na ito sa harapan ko.

"You're welcome," I uttured, almost a whisper.

"Let's go?" Napabaling ako kay Treyton noong magsalita ito sa tabi ko. "They're waiting for you."

He slowly reached my hand while looking at me intently.

"I will never let go of your hand again, Rhianna Dione. If you fall or jump on a cliff, then I'll definitely fall and jump with you." He said then smile at me.

Tumango ako at gumanti nang ngiti dito.

I'm going home.