CHAPTER 21

GREEN LEMON

The spell that I chanted just disappeared in thin air because I lacked the strength and power to do what I wanted—to stop the time even for a moment, so that I could get stuck here in the Genesis Forest.

Ramdam ko na kasi ang panghihina at patuloy na panginginig ng aking katawan, marahil ay dahil ito sa lason sa palaso na tumama sa tagiliran ko.

"Poor, Green. Why did you come back? You are too ambitious. Kailanman ay hindi mo kami kayang pantayan. Isa ka lamang hamak na Legacy, isang mababang uri ng nilalang dito sa Utopia. I don't even know what you have and why you are with us. You are not that special. Okay . . . let's say you have a strong power, but it's still not enough for you to be part of Clandestine!" Celeste said stupendously. I could feel the anger on her voice, and I don't know where it came from dahil wala naman akong ginawa na ikagagalit niya.

"C-Celeste, I never dream to become part of this class. At mas lalong hindi ko hinangad na maging kapantay niyo. Kailanman ay hindi ko rin naisip na makipagkumpetensiya o makipagpalalakasan ng kapangyarihan sa inyo dahil kailanman ay hindi ko hiniling na magkaroon ng kapangyarihan at mapunta rito sa mundo niyo!" Even though I had a hard time speaking, I was still able to say exactly what I wanted to say in anger.

I clenched my fist as I thought of a way to get out of this forest.

I heard Celeste giggled as she approached me.

I looked at her badly. I didn't know she could do this to me. I thought we were friends, and would protect each other in this kind of situation. But here she is . . .

Tama nga siguro ang sinabi ni Hearlet sa akin no'ng nasa Mythical World kami—that my real opponent is just sticking with me and waiting for the right opportunity to make his/her plans. At ang sakit tanggapin o isipin na si Celete ang tinutukoy niya dahil sa nangyayari ngayon sa amin.

Nagtama ang mga mata naming dalawa. The expression of her eyes is a mix of anger and confusion. Kitang-kita sa mga mata niya na naguguluhan lamang siya sa kaniyang nararamdaman dahilan upang magawa niya ang lahat ng ito sa akin.

Until a girl appeared on her right side. As far as I can remember, she's also part of the Clandestine but I don't know her name and what power she has. She's fierce as Jasmine, having a lengthy and straight black hair that reaches to her waist. She has this pair of brown eyes with mesmerizing specks of black.

Meanwhile, Jasmine walked closer to them. Pinagitnaan nina Jasmine at ang kasama nilang babae si Celeste, na hindi na halos makatingin sa akin nang diretso. Kaya maraming espekula ang agad na dumaloy sa isip ko—na maaaring ginagamit lang nila siya laban sa akin.

"Celeste . . . common!" I tried to get into her mind to talk to her, but there's a strong force that's blocking me from doing it.

I clenched my hands in annoyance as I turned my gaze to my left side when I suddenly felt a strong force from there move carefully.

Napangisi ako bigla. Ngayon ay isa na lang na nilalang ang pilit nagtatago sa paligid, at kahit hindi siya magpakita o magpakilala ay alam ko na kung sino ito, si Leaves.

"Leaves, why don't you show up? I know you're just around . . . " I muttered, followed by a dragging sigh.

Ilang sandali lang ay lumitaw na rin si Leaves sa wakas. Nagkatinginan muna kaming dalawa nang masama before she walked with confidence closer to where Celeste was with her two disciples, in her bitch aura.

She mediated between Celeste and Jasmine. There was a snide smirk on her lips while looking at me seriously like I was the most precious gem they got on their journey or trade.

Nagmukha siyang leader sa kanilang apat, pero ang hindi ko lang maintindihan ay kung bakit gustong-gusto ng dalawang babae na ito na maging sunod-sunuran sa kaniya. Well, what else can I expect? Leaves' Family is the most powerful Clan in the entire Therra Universe, even if Infinity wasn't here with them. But for sure, when her twin was still alive, she would be even more courageous to do whatever she wanted—to enslave us all. Kaya ayaw ko man na sabihin ito, pero mas mabuti na ring namatay si Infinity no'n.

I stared at Leaves quite seriously. She seemed . . . really dangerous. Hindi siya nasisindak gamit ang tingin lamang. There's something really unique or strange about her that you can't find in other women.

"Green . . ." she mouthed. Her face has no emotion already, but I could still feel the strong force inside her. It was as if they were looking for a hole to get out.

I bit my lower lip, nervous about what would happen next because I couldn't fight anymore. I could no longer use my power or even chant a spell because my body could no longer cooperate. Maybe, this is really my end.

"At your back!" I heard a whisper from the wind so I immediately rolled to my right side even though I was having a hard time moving my body.

I saw how Jasmine slashed her flaming sword at where I was before. But when she noticed that she didn't hit anything there, she immediately roamed his sight to find me. Her eyes are deadly serious, probably because I was able to avoid her secret attack again.

She gritted her teeth. "You, Bitch!" she exclaimed, anger evident in her voice.

Sinubukan kong tumayo pero hindi ko pa rin magawa. I could hardly feel the lower part of my body, which is the reason why I could also no longer feel the pain caused by the wound on my side.

I immediately looked at Celeste, asking for help through my eyes. I have no one else to ask for help here except Celeste, though I'm not that sure if she will help me. We've become friends for a short period of time, at masasabi kung tunay ang pagkakaibigan naming dalawa that time. And I hope she still remembers those.

Pero para akong pinagsakluban ng langit at lupa nang iniwas niya ang tingin sa akin, at napayuko siya na parang wala lang sa kaniya ang nangyayari sa akin ngayon.

There were immediately tears flowing down my cheeks which I also immediately wiped away. I couldn't stop myself from being emotional dahil hindi ko inaasahan na gano'n na lang kung paano niya itapon na parang basura ang lahat ng mga pinagsamahan naming dalawa. And the more I couldn't accept that this is my destiny in this cruel world—to just die, unable to give justice to the death of my parents or just even know who are the creatures behind their death.

I rested deeply as I closed my eyes firmly, nibbing courage. And when I opened my eyes, nagulat na lang ako nang makita kong malapit nang dumapo sa leeg ko ang espada ni Jasmine.

Pakiramdam ko ay bumagal ang takbo ng oras, kaya hindi na rin ako nakagalaw pa upang umilag. Kaya hinintay ko na lang na lang na tumama sa akin ang espada niya, pero ilang sandali lang ay nakita kong bumagsak ang espada niya sa harap ko, at tumilapon siya palayo sa akin.

Hindi agad ako nakagalaw. I felt like I suddenly froze because of what happened. I thought her sword was going to hit me—my neck, pero . . . hindi.

I noticed the immediate action of Leaves, Celeste and another of their companions, trying to know what just happened. They were confused like me, obviously shocked by what happened.

"Gemini, you know what you're going to do already!" Leaves said to the girl named Gemini, who immediately ran away, and I don't know what she is going to do. "And you, Celeste, kill Green, now!" she commanded Celeste, which made me shocked, even Celeste because she didn't expect it either.

Nagtama ang mga mata namin ni Celeste, she is really confused because she didn't know where to turn her gaze to us, and so am I.

"N-No . . ." I whispered, painfully and emotionally.

Leaves looked at Celeste seriously, probably because she didn't move immediately to do what Leaves told her.

"I said, kill that woman now or do you want me to do that for you?" Leaves walked towards me as a black magic circle appeared on the ground, and a large dangerous smoke on her palm.

I saw how Celeste ran and blocked Leaves' path to stop her from doing anything to me.

"W-We didn't talk about killing—" Celeste couldn't continue what she was about to say when she suddenly flew away and fell to the ground far away from us due to the strong force coming from Leaves.

Napahiga rin ako sa lakas nito, at dinig na dinig ang pagngitngit ng mga puno sa paligid.

"Ahh!" I groaned in pain, and didn't realize that Leaves was in front of me already, smiling and ready to throw the smoke to me in her palm.

"L-Leaves," I tried to say her name but no sound came out of my mouth.

She smirked. "Green . . . say goodbye to Utopia or Therra Universe, and say hello to Helia," she said, smiling like it's just normal for her to do what she wants—to kill, and I'll be her victim now.

But instead of panicking or being afraid of her, and what she would do to me, I just smirked at her. Ilang beses ko nang natakasan ang kamatayan, kaya sa tingin ba niya ay natatakot pa ako.

It would also be a big loss for them if she killed me, so it's not unfair already. Sila rin lang naman ang magsa-suffer sa huli.

But just minutes had past, biglang kumulog at kumidlat na para bang galit na galit. Kasabay nito ay ang paghangin nang malakas na parang may bagyong tatama sa kinaroroonan namin.

Until a figure of a man immediately appeared behind Leaves, enveloped in yellow light coming from lightning. And a man came to my mind when I saw the lightning . . .

"Yazenth," I mentally said, smiling.

Muli ay nabuhayan ako ng pag-asa dahil sa pagdating niya kahit na hindi ko sigurado kung ako ba ang pinuntahan niya rito upang tulungan o patayin din dahil sa nangyari sa Royal Palace. But this is not the first time this has happened. Kaya para akong natanggalan ng tinik sa lalamunan ko.

~ginisamyxx