HINDI ako makapaniwala noong una nang magsimulang mag-play ang video na nakuha namin nina Archilliah, "Anak..." Mabilis na tumulo ang aking luha nang muli kong marinig ang boses ng aking ina.

"Mamma," mahina kong usal habang napapatakip ng bibig.

I saw my Mom smiled at first but tears are dripping rapidly on her eyes while looking at the video. "I know for sure that once you're watching this video... I'm already gone."

Biglang nanikip ang dibdib ko and my tears are flowing the same with Mom. I immediately felt Archilliah and Claude are hugging me from behind. I can hear their sneezes as they felt my sorrow and grief.

Mom was wearing the last clothes that I saw before she left me. Her hair was tied upward and her classic feature is still visibly showing even though she's already on her forty's. I can clearly see her gray almond eyes are being drowned by tears and it grips my heart in pain upon seeing her crying.

"You never know how... sorry I am for doing this to you. For pushing you to be the main vessel of Apollo. For doing the things that would crack up your decision of saying no. I'm a horrible mother, I know. I'm a bad mother. And I'm really, really sorry. I'll miss you every day, mia figlia. I truly am."

"Ma, stop saying sorry." I mumbled while crying. She doesn't have too. Even I got mad at her, deep inside my head I know that I still love her, that I can still understand her decision or the way she acted in front of me before.

"I don't want to reason out anything for being stubborn, instead, I need you to prepare for the worst."

Her words got me. I clearly saw how she pushed herself not to cry and hide the pain on a stoic face the same as I am.

"You're now on the Secondo Pezzo di Cilindro. The Second Wave that would occur..."

Napatingin ako sa mga kasama kong nanunuod sa video-ng lumabas sa tinutukoy ni Mamma na cylinder piece.

This is what we found. The List that we are looking for is not the list that I'm expecting. I'm expecting a literal list of people that I need to avenge from what they did to my Mamma.

Archilliah found this Cylindrical tube that has seven based puzzle pieces connected together. It was divided into seven to form a cylinder and every puzzle pieces have its own symbol.

However, upon getting this cylinder, Archilliah only saw that it was incomplete. Kulang ng isa. Sa bawat cylinder kasi ay may simbolo na may kanya kanyang bilang ng guhit pahaba.

We had a hard time at first kung paano mapapanuod ang video na inilabas ng isang piraso. Kung hindi pa nasugatan si Archilliah at nadampian ng dugo ang isang piraso ay hindi pa ito gagana.

Base sa hugis ng mga simbolo mukhang alam ko na kung nasaan ang nawawalang piraso. I remembered the symbol Supremo had shown me. Sabi niya sa akin ay kailangan mapalabas ko iyon kay Alastair for the process of getting powerful will be completed. So the single-lined symbol is the missing piece. The second cylinder piece has a symbol of two horizontal parallel lines. In which...

"Once the Second Wave occured, the Clairvoyant of Apollo would be awakened."

Parehas kami nina Austin at Claude na napatingin kay Archilliah.

"The life of Clairvoyant is very important for the Apollo. You need to make sure that she will be safe, mio caro."

Napakunot ako ng noo. Hindi ko maintindihan si Mamma. Ano ang ibig sabihin niya na mahalaga si Clairvoyant sa Apollo. There's a hidden story behind her passage.

"You need to make sure that he or she won't be on the side of the enemy as he or she might be used since that person can foresee of what will happen in the future." Patuloy pa ni Mamma.

"I'm getting goosebumps." Rinig kong komento ni Austin sa aking tabi.

"Once the Clairvoyant has been awakened, her first vision would be the most important above of all her upcoming glimpse of the future."

Napalunok ako sa narinig nito at mahigpit kong hinawakan ang kamay ni Archilliah. Nagkatinginan kaming dalawa at tila nakuha ko na kaagad ang sagot sa unang tanong na pumasok sa akin nang marinig ko ang ibinalita ni Mamma. The way Archilliah crumpled her forehead that means, the vision of what my Mamma was talking about haven't happening yet or it did but she couldn't remember.

"Tell us what's your first vision, Kiddo." Utos ni Austin kay Archilliah na kapwa ko ring sabik malaman kung ano iyon.

Archilliah nervously shook her head a couple of times to answer our question.

"I-I d-don't remember..." Archilliah said. As expected. I'm pretty sure that the one she told me before was not her first vision.

"Imposible na hindi mo matatandaan ang unang vision mo." Ramdam ko sa tono ni Austin ang kaunting gigil nito sa sinagot ng dalaga.

"Austin," saway ko sa binata. It's not the right time for us to talk about that. I gave him a warning glare.

"But the Apollo would protect the first vision..." pare-parehas muli kaming napatingin sa video nang tila nasagot ang tanong naming lahat. "... Apollo has this defense mechanism to what's important especially with its Clairvoyant. That's why I need you to protect her and know what's the first vision that had occurred."

I sighed vehemently.

I never thought that the list that I'm expecting would be the list of people that I need to protect. Now, I'm afraid how to deal with this. This is such a huge task and responsibility that I need to carry along.

The video stopped right there. The holographic video has ended and it left us stunned from what we just watched.

"It's already gone." Austin stated when he tried to maneuver the cylinder piece. "It seems like, it was only created for you to be watched and it will be disappeared once done."

I nodded agreeing.

"I never thought that this is happening to my life." Rinig kong wika ni Archilliah habang nakatingin siya sa kanyang magkabilang palad. "I will never have a normal life then."

I automatically hugged her. I know what she's feeling right now. The glee that she had when she saw on her vision that there's a cure on her abnormality has gone already and only left by sorrow and agony.

"May gamot ba talaga para maging normal uli ako?" Archilliah asked but most likely I know that she's asking herself because neither do I know if there is a medication for us to be normal again.

"What's important right now is that we need you to be safe." I commented while I'm caressing her hair. "I know that you already missed your parents but if you being here will the better choice for you then you should stick with that and live."

Archilliah cried on my chest while she's hugging me. I looked at Austin and Claude and even them, I know that they feel hopeless. They're empathizing of what we feel. Austin nodded at me, encouraging me to go on and I need to be strong for her.

"Besides, we're here. Let's try to be normal as much as possible don't you agree?" I smiled at her without her looking at me.

I heard her laugh a bit and it eased me as well.

"Yeah, and I hope I'm wrong when I heard a glimpse of sarcasm on that." We all laughed from her comment. Archilliah released herself from hugging me and she wiped out her tears while smiling.

"Thank you, Asia. Thank you that you're going to protect me. I just hope that I could do something for you aside from being the Clairvoyant." She commented.

"C'mon, girl! Of course mayroon!" napatingin kaming dalawa kay Claude when we heard her joyful but demonic voice. I want to roll my eyes now, I know what she's thinking. And Claude is equivalent of the color green that even her mind was not able to escape from her grip.

"Don't help her with something nasty, Claude. I know you." I interjected.

Claude rolled her eyes on me. "Silly, of course not! Pero siguro slight lang." Then she giggled.

"Anakng, I'm outta here!" Austin reacted exasperatedly because he knows Claude as well.

"Hay nako, napaka-OA niyong dalawa." Claude reacted and she pulled Archilliah on her shoulder and grinned at her mischievously.

"We need you to be more alluring from now on." Claude voiced out her plan and my eyes went wide. My brows automatically rose upward.

"Claudette Dizon!" I spitted her name.

Claude sighed vehemently. "Asia, huwag kang OA. Aayusan ko lang ang ateng mo dahil napaka-plain looking niya. And it irritates my eyes totally. I can't help but to cringe at you girl sometimes."

Archilliah innocently touched her hair and moved her eyeglasses a bit then she pouted her lips. "Students bully me and treated as their target because they think I'm ugly and weak."

I looked at her with disbelief. Masasampal ko ito makita niyo lang.

"My god! You think of yourself as ugly? You have a good and healthy mermaid hair plus you have very fair skin that once I slap it, it will turn to pink right away." Claude reacted and commented the same.

Archilliah is beautiful. Her Asian and American blood mixed exaggeratedly. She has a height of a normal woman and has a hazel almond eyes which hides behind her big glasses.

I never thought na uso pa pala ang ganitong kausotan sa kabataan. Napag-iwanan yata ng panahon ang batang ito.

"I just need you to removed this shit, girl." Then Claude removed her glasses. "... then voila! A hot girl in the making."

MY right eyebrow immediately went upward when I saw someone very familiar while I'm walking almost on our Villa. Alastair is still beside me and it's a relief that I saw this person in front of me because the level of awkwardness from Alastair's stares are killing me.

Hinahatid ako ng lolo niyo galing sa Investigativo Club room dahil sabi niya ay kailangan ko nang magpahinga. If I recall it right, he said that I shouldn't be stressing myself out sa mga killers na hanggang ngayon ay umaaligid sa buong campus.

Sa hinaba ng nilakad namin pabalik ay walang tigil ito sa paglingon at pagtingin sa akin. Na-c-conscious ako jushko po!

"Sabi mo gusto mong makita ang taong katulad natin hindi ba?" I said then I looked at Alastair's face.

Jusko, isang kasalanan talaga ang pagmumukha nito.

Doon lang yata bumalik sa reyalidad ang binata at tila nagising sa panghuhubad ng tingin nito sa akin at napatingin sa harapan.

Archilliah is half running and walking towards my point. I can't help but to smile because Claude did her magic once more. I never thought na may igaganda pa ang batang ito.

"A-Asia, good evening. Girls are looking at us. Uhm, turn off your eyes?" I nearly giggled from her words. Maybe she's having a hard time to look for a better term to tell me that I should turn off my Lenses.

I turned it off while grinning at her. "You look lovely, Archilliah." I sincerely commented. Kahit gabi na ay tila para siyang mag-m-model sa isang kiddy party dahil sa suot nitong Pajamas with a ponies design.

"You look better, Bella Cieco." My face heats up from the side comment of Alastair. Huwag kang ganiyan pleash!

"H-Hello, Signore." The girl acknowledged the presence of Alastair who momentarily gripped my left arm when I closed my Lenses.

Alastair just looked at her once then she moved my arms so I could face him. I hid my lips because of his move.

Huwag naman sa harap ng bata mo ako rape-in, jusko. Sha unit ko nalang I guessh? Hihi!

"What?" I really tried my best not to stutter and I somehow succeeded.

"Rest well, Bella. I'll fetch you up tomorrow, seven in the morning." He responded but my eyebrows met at the center.

"For what? It's too early. I'm still sleeping--" he interjected.

"We'll eat breakfast in my unit. I'll cook something that can regain your strength, Bella"

Promise when I told you I heard Archilliah gasped and giggled at the same time because of what she heard, because I felt the same when he said that. I felt that my face reddened because I somehow logically thought two meaning from his reason.

Jusko, Archilliah. Nanghina ako sa ibang bagay huh. Hindi sha iniiship mo. Pero malapit na shiguro.

My god hormones! Stop, please... just once. Then get wild again after that. Hihihi!

I mentally shook my head. Claude clearly demonized my mind completely. Kung anu-ano na itong naiisip ko. I should stay sane and logical. Hindi iyong simpleng galaw lang ng adam's apple lang nito ay nakakapanglaway na. Hindi iyan maganda. Behave lang... jusko, SOS!

"Shi-sige." I responded. Muntik pang lumabas ang inner animal spirit ko. Hindi na maganda ito. I need to divert him. "Pero, I thought you want to see and talk the one who has the same situation like us?"

"I'll talk to her some other time." Then I felt he looked at Archilliah, then his head moved towards at my point again. "All I want now is for you to rest and I need the same."

I just simply nodded at him like I am lovesick-fool who had been given an order from the General.

Akala ko iyon lang iyon at aalis na ito but I was surprised and stunned at the same time when Alastair kissed my forehead then hugged me. My heart beats terribly and I am scared that he might feel it.

"My offer stands still, Asia. I hoped that you haven't forgotten my suggestion." He whispered that made me confuse from what he has been talking about.

"Huh?" I reacted when he removed himself from the hug.

Aww, gushto ko pa! Iyong mas dikit at mas tusok pleash!

"The relationship." He simply said. At kung OA man ang pagsinghap ni Archilliah kanina ay tila mas may inilakas pa iyon habang sapo nito ang buong bibig dahil sa pagkagulat.

I scoffed to show him my reaction. I can't believe him.

He still remembers the day at the sea? Where he offered me to be in relationship so that I can't leave him. Mukhang nakakalimutan yata nito ang sinabi ko no'n.

"My belief stands still, Alastair. Kaya mo na bang I-offer iyang puso mo sa akin?" Tinanong ko na using tagalog. Baka hindi niya naintindihan nung in-enlish ko before.

"Yes." He simply answered without any comments.

Napailing iling ako sa kanya. "Keep that to yourself, then." Ayan na naman siya sa mga sagot na akala mo na yung desisyon niya ay parang kanin na medaling isubo, iyong walang kaabog abog at parang hindi man lang pinag-isipan.

I started walking towards Archilliah, I felt the girl reached for my arm to assist since I couldn't see anything.

"Can I offer you the like that I'm feeling right now for you?" Natigilan kaming dalawa ni Archilliah sa tangkang paglakad when I heard Alastair saying those words. My heart beats out loud again.

Tama ba iyong narinig ko?

"I like you, Bella Cieco. Would that be an enough reason for the relationship that I want from you?" He spilled and asked me and boy, I'm completely stunned. "I c-can't offer you the... l-love that you want but maybe we can work that out?"

Alastair stuttered. The fucking King Alastair of Privus Trata stuttered for the first time and its a great scope of the century!

I heard Archilliah giggled at my side and exaggeratedly uttered Oh my god! a couple of times.

I heard Alastair cursed silently and if I'm not The-Anastasia-Ganda-Graham I would laugh at him because it's obvious that he's too shy and ashamed of himself. How adorable, damn it!

"I like you, because whenever I'm with y-you. I can shamelessly be myself, that I don't need to show how grumpy I am because of the Crusade of my worthless life. When I'm with you, I can talk more. I can talk again without killing someone. When I'm with you... my fucking heart beats too fast and I don't even know why. Answer me with a yes so I can stop this now... nahihiya ako."

My heart is at awe because of his boldness and honesty. I never thought that I would see-- no scratch that, that I would hear him saying those words and he's completely different from the man who doesn't even know how to talk and respond.

I want to cry. Fuck, I can't believe that I'm thinking this but I've never been so happy aside from the moments that I shared with my Mamma. Ngayon lang uli akong sumaya ng ganito.

Hindi naman sigurong maging masaya sa gitna ng napipintong panganib hindi ba? Lalo na kapag parehas kayo nang nararamdaman ng taong gusto mo.

"Can I answer you tomorrow when I get there to your unit?" I answered him smoothly as if my heart and mind are not going wild because of what I've heard tonight.

"Can't you tell me right now?" he asked impatiently.

Archilliah scoffed and whispered at me, "He's still the Alastair that we used to know... too impatient."

I stopped myself from smiling and I still remained my serious façade. "Can't we make it thrilling since it's Christmas Eve tomorrow?"

Magpa-bebe tayo ngayong gabi, Anastasia. Ta's bumigay ka na bukas at sunggaban ang masharap na palay.

SEEING him sleeping while dreaming something bad is somehow makes my visit to have it's purpose. I am just standing on his room's balcony while I'm soaking wet due to heavy rain that continuously flowing like a river. Thunder roars loudly from the sky and lightning is the only way for someone to see me in this corner.

His white curtains are soaring like a flag due to heavy wind that surrounds this building and I'm definitely sure that whoever is looking at me right now, he or she would scream like hell because I really look like a creepy person standing here like a ghost.

The man awakened together with his loud gasped. I'm pretty curious what was his dream all about.

I grinned mischievously when the man finally laid his eyes at my direction. I definitely saw how he gripped the satin of his bed and eyed me curiously.

"Sino ka?" he asked pretending he didn't know who am I.

I didn't respond. I'm just looking at him with my cold gaze and my brow arched up when I saw his hand covered with bandage as he's trying to reach something on his bed table.

When I saw him yesterday having wound on that particular hand, I've already made up that him and I should have a serious talk.

Oliver stood up from his bed and now he's holding his Katana agitatedly. He's walking slowly facing my direction while he's still scrutinizing if he's seeing me clearly.

The dark helped me to hide my presence. As I've mentioned, only the lightning is the only light that can make myself reveal.

I re-opened my Diaperno Matia and the curse tattoo immediately arises from my chest.

It's time for me to get this thing done.

"Who the hell are you?" I asked him audaciously.

I can see him breathing deeply and his facial expression turned from curious to being impervious.

"Asia," he muttered under his breath and I grinned at him gloating.

"Sei uno di loro?" I asked. Are you one of them?

Hindi siya sumagot. He instead positioned himself with his swordsman stance.

"You should be aware that you are no match with me." I warned him.

"Ano ang ginawa mo kay Dasha?!" Anang nito sa akin na nagpataas ng dalawa kong kilay. Hindi inaasahan ang sinabi ng binata.

Dasha? Ah, the dethroned Japanese princess? Iyong isa sa mga Elite na mahilig sa mga lamang loob? What seems to be the catch between the two of them?

"Remove your spell on her!" he ordered me and took a few advances.

"Stop right there." I reprimanded. His stop moving literally and he's glaring at me furiously.

"You have the same curse like Alas." He commented while struggling to move.

I want to roll my eyes in front of him because he's asking me to remove something as if I'm a supernatural witch.

"I still need her, Oliver. At wala kang karapatang utusan ako." I hissed word by word.

"Huwag mo siyang idamay sa magulo mong buhay, Anastasia. Leave her alone! Use me instead!"

As expected.

"You do know something, Oliver." I commented while I'm the one's taking the advances. "What do you know about me?" I asked him when we are now few inches away from each other.

Oliver looked away. Avoiding my gaze.

"Sa'yo na rin nanggaling kung parehas kami ni Alastair ng kayang gawin." Wika ko habang hinahawakan ko ang baba nito. Then, I moved it to face me.

I let him succumb to my curse.

Diaperno Matia entered his eyes and travelled inside of him. Both of us gasped from what happened and I was more surprised from what I saw.