Verse of the Day.
"He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name."
Psalms 23:3

Chapter 44
Immortals
[ Ava Maureen ]

PAULIT-ULIT akong napakurap sa mga nilalang na nasa harapan ko. Isa.. dalawa.. lima silang nandito. Am I already in heaven? Myself can't believe that the entities in front of me can surpassed my beauty in a percentage of one. Who are they?

Nilingon ko ang lalaking makisig na nasa bandang kiliran ko. He's the one who trained me earlier. So, I'm still in my dream after I lost my consciousness in my own dream, too? Pero paano? Ang akala ko ay gising na ako...

Mabye they noticed my confused expression, that's why Lord Arson cleared his throat and smiled at me. "Child, you are still in the dreamland. We, immortals, are the one who sent you here. We have a story to tell," he said in a careful manner.

"I-Immortals?" I stuttered, almost not believing of what I just heard.

He smiled, again. "Yes. They are also the gods and goddesses of each element."

Namamanghang inilibot ko ang aking paningin sa kanilang lahat. Indeed, they are gods and goddesses, literally and metaphorically. The man beside Lord Arson has the same height of him, but more bulkier than him, too. Wala itong pangitaas at tanging isang puting makapal na tela ang nakapagitan sa hubad niyang katawan. Kulay abo ang kaniyang buhok na may halong puti, at abo naman ang kaniyang mga mata. Pantay lamang sila ng kagwapuhan ni Lord Arson; when I say pantay, it means, they are the same, having perfect features.

Nang makitang nakatingin ako sa kaniya, ngumiti siya. Pero ang kaniyang ngiti ay may bahid na pagmamayabang. "Greetings, Milady. I am Zephyr, the god of air that everyone is breathing," pagpapakilala niya na pakiramdam ko'y may halong yabang.

Pilit akong ngumiti sa kaniya at agad na ibinaling ang tingin sa kaniyang katabi. Isa itong babae. With her herbal colored hair, she looks fresh and sophisticated. Masungit tingnan ang kaniyang mukha pero makikita pa rin ang lambot doon. She is wearing an ancient dress that old greek people are wearing. It is colored by a cherubic brown with gold intricates every corner.

"Hebby, goddess of earth," she curtly introduced.

Pakiramdam ko'y lumutang ako bigla sa ere sa lambing ng kaniyang boses. Huminga ako nang malalim at nginitian siya, at nagulat pa ako nang nginitian niya ako pabalik. I averted my gaze at her and face the god at her back. I think he's the most handsome god I've met.

I opened my mouth to talk but he said it first. "God of water and Blue is my name, Milady. Nice meeting you." He smiled. Lumabas ang kaniyang biloy sa kaliwang pisngi na mas lalong nakapagpadagdag sa kaniyang kaguwapuhan.

I blinked several times before I decided to land my eyes on the lady at Lord Arson's side. Mouth hanging open, I gasped. She... she is the lady in my dreams. The one who guided me through the world of magic. This lady is a god?!

"Avareen, the goddess of nature," the voice she has was the same as mine; cold and angelic. Napakurap ako nang paulit-ulit sa nasaksihan, hindi pa rin makapaniwala na isa siyang dyosa ng kalikasan. Avareen is wearing a lime green greek dress that is embroidered with gold carvings. She has this gold jewelry on her gold colored hair.

Sa kulay ng buhok niya, napatingin agad ako sa akin. Ilang beses ulit akong napakurap sa nasaksihan. Namamalikmata lang ba ako o ito ay totoo talaga? Kinusot ko po ang aking mga mata pero iyon pa rin ang nakikita ko. My chocolate brown hair is now mixed with the color of raven black and gold strands. Jut how amazing is this?! Paano naging ganito ang buhok ko? Or maybe this was just a product of this dream...

Nabalik ako sa ulirat nang magsilayuan sila sa'kin, sanhi ng pagkunot ng aking noo. I thought they will fade or leave me but I'm wrong. They float around me and then suddenly, thrones that is connected with their assets appeared. Umupo sila roon at tinitigan ako ng maigi na siyang ikinailang ko.

I'm used to it, someone starring at me, but heck! They are gods! Sino ang hindi maiilang? Goodness gracious.

"Ava Maureen," tawag ng tinig. Lumingon ako at ang babae na nasa panaginip ko ang bumungad sa akin. "What did you notice?"

Nalito ako sa tanong nito. "What do you mean?" my question sounded rude, pero ano ba ang alam ko sa paggalang ng isang dyosa?

"I know you have noticed something is off," she convicted.

Napaiwas ako ng tingin at nagisip. Pinag-isipan ko munang mabuti ang aking dapat na sabihin bago ito inilabas mula sa aking bibig. "Where is the god of darkness?" mahina lamang ang boses na aking ginamit pero alam kong narinig niya iyon.

Base on the books I've read, there are lots of gods and goddesses in the universe of magic, but the gods of the elements, dark and nature are the main ones.

Sa isang iglap, naging mabigat ang atmospera ng paligid. Mabigat at nakakasakal. I shifted on my place and tried to use my element of air to breath properly that I successfully did. Tumingala ako sa kanila at tinignan paisa-isa ang kanilang mga reaksyon. Hindi ko alam kung anong nakain ko at nawala bigla ang takot na aking nadarama kani-kanina lang.

Lord Arson's and Lord Blue's joyful face darkened, while Lord Zephyr's playful expression becomes dark also. They are mysteriously scary but I know to myself that I'm not really scared for I don't know the reason why. I moved my gaze at the two goddesses. Like them, the delightful faces of them while welcoming me changed into an eerie one.

Marahil napansin nila na hindi na ako komportable sa tensyon na kanilang inilalabas kaya ay sabay silang tumingin sa'kin at ngumiti. But their smiles sends chills to my body.

"He's not here... for he is in the Magic Realm." Nagulat ako sa sinabi ng dyos ng tubig. Ano naman ang ginagawa ng dyos ng kadiliman doon? As if he read my mind, he answered, "Zaphragelo was the one who is spreading the darkness in that realm. He is the Dark King, as what mortals called."

"W-What? How..."

He smiled. "Gusto mong malaman ang kaniyang kuwento, hindi ba?" tanong niya.

Tumango lamang ako bilang tugon.

"Zaphragelo was once a god with a good heart," Lady Hebby started. "We admired his bravery. No matter what the other gods said about how the god of darkness should act, he didn't fazed in every words they spat. Sa katunayan, siya ang pinakamabait at mapagkumbaba sa lahat ng diyos at dyosa."

"The god of all realm, Cosmo, thought of having a heir that will lead the Magic Realm. And the one whom he choose to be the parents of that said heir is Zaphragelo and Avareen," sabat ni Lord Zephyr.

Lumingon siya saglit kay Lady Avareen na sinulyapan ko rin. Goddess Avareen has this angry face with a hint of sadness. Sa kalungkutan niya ay parang nahawa na rin ako kaya agad akong napaiwas ng tingin bago pa man niya mapansin na nakatingin ako sa kaniya.

Ipinagpatuloy naman ni Lord Zephyr ang kuwento. "Lord Cosmo didn't agree to have a god to god sexual intercourse for the two of them, so Avareen suggested a plan. The child will be born on the seed using all the magic and powers we all have. Nang umabot ng isandaang libong taon ang binhi, saka pa lamang ito tumubo at doon na lumabas ang bata."

I was in awe while listening to them, almost didn't believe the story they're telling.

"It is a girl, with an extreme beauty. Namana niya ang lahat ng kapangyarihan ng mga diyos at dyosa. Bagong silang pa lamang ito ngunit naipamalas na agad ng bata kung ano ang kapangyarihang mayroon siya." Sa hindi malamang dahilan, siya ay lumingon sa akin.

Napakunot ang noo ko pero agad ko iyong ipinagsawalang-bahala. "And then what happened to the father's child? Lord Zaphragelo?" tanong ko sa labis na kuryosidad.

"Zaphragelo's hidden greedy self was slowly showing at that time..." ngayon ay si Lady Avareen naman ang nagsalita. "Gusto niyang kunin ang aming anak at gamitin sa kaniyang masamang balak. He wants to lead the world, the universe rather, using the child we have."

I curled my fist upon thinking of that. How can that father be so bad? Gagamitin ang anak para sa masamang balak? Tsk.

"Because of his greediness, Lord Cosmo punished him. Our Lord reclaimed Zaphragelo's immortality. Zaphragelo was in raged after knowing his punishment. And because of the anger that is building on his system, he gathered lots of creatures, even people, and ascend a war towards the Magic Realm. Sa digmaang iyon, nadamay ang mga dyos at diyosa; the war was called War of Immortals."

After days of asking about the war that James was talking about, I finally had the chance to know the exact story behind it. Mayroon naman akong mga nabasa sa mga libro pero pakiramdam ko ay kulang o mayroong nadagdag na hindi naman angkop sa totoong kwento.

Lord Arson cleared his throat, causing me to look at him. "My niece was forced to sent in the Mortal Realm by her mother, Avareen. After two months, the war was finally stopped but many lives of people lost..." malungkot ang boses nito.

I force to let the informations sink in my mind. Pagkatapos ay nagtanong ako, "Paano mo naging pamangkin ang bata? I thought gods and goddesses are..."

"We are all siblings and Cosmo is our almighty father."

"Wow..." nasabi ko na lamang sa mangha. Totoo ba talagang nakausap ko sila? Kung oo, ako na ata ang pinakasuwerteng magandang babae sa buong balat ng lupa. I mean, they are gods, the origin of all the creatures in the universe. Who wouldn't feel honored with that?

Magsasalita pa sana ako nang maunahan ako ni Lady Avareen. "And that's our problem now... Zaphragelo is already moving. You need to —," mayroon pa siyang sinasabi pero unti-unti na akong hinihila ng kung ano mang bagay.

Ang magandang paligid, at ang mga dyos at dyosa ay unti-unti nang nawawala sa aking paningin. Mayroong humihilang pwersa sa akin. Grasping myself from being pulled of, I shouted to the top of my lungs.

"AAAAAAAHHH!"

@eggarru