UNDERSTANDING POWER

Eira Ysabelle's POV

I woke up in a beautiful flower garden. Napakaliwanag ng paligid at tila lahat ng mga nakikita ko sa lugar na ito ay umiilaw. Where am I exactly? Patay na ba ako?

Nakarinig ako ng mahina at malumanay na pagtawa sa isipan ko. 'You're in my garden, and no, you are not dead,' sagot ng diyosa.

'What am I doing here, goddess?'

"You'll be training here. I'll be training you."

Lumingon ako sa likuran ko at nakita ang maganda at maaliwalas niyang mukha. Nakasuot ito ng isang kulay puting dress na kumikinang dahil sa mga gintong buhangin na lumalabas mula rito.

"Haven't I trained enough?" pagod na tanong ko rito.

"Dear, there's still a lot for you to learn. You need to learn how to control both of your powers simultaneously," paliwanag nito.

"Hindi mo pa rin naiintindihan ang bagong abilidad mo kaya't hindin mo nagagamit ang kapangyarihang dala nito," dagdag pa ng diyosa.

Tumango na lamang ako dahil tila nahi-hypnotize ako sa ganda ng tinig niya.

"Sabihin niyo nga po sa akin. Ano po ang ibig sabihin ng mga nangyayari rito? Akala ko po ba ay kailangan ko lamang tapusin ang misyon ko?"

"Child, hear me. You are the one I chose to hold the power of kindness and purity...because unlike any other person here in Kosmos, you proved to me that you are worthy of such power," sagot nito na lalong nagpagulo sa isipan ko. Hindi naman ako taga-Kosmos, paanong ako ang—Huh?

"Listen. I'll explain it to you one-by-one. There are two supreme beings here in Kosmos. That includes me, the goddess of the kind heart who possesses the supreme power of purity and white light, and Sicameion, the god of evil deeds and the holder of the supreme power—black light..." Are these in the history books?

"And each, we must find one in every generation who must hold the power of the white light and the black light. These two powers are accompanied by some abilities. Five years ago, Sicameion gave the black light to one of his men. It was given to the first prince of Coler, Damon." Khione's ex-boyfriend is the prince of Coler? It totally makes sense. The letter D I saw on that letter from Khione's room stands for Damon.

"Yes. Damon, at a young age, gained that huge power. Because of all people, his heart is the most full of hatred and agony. I don't know what caused him to be like that. And I must tell, he is quite spectacular with that power. Unfortunately, he died three years ago..." That's the same time Khione lost consciousness.

"But who holds that power now that he's gone?"

"No one but Sicameion knows. But dear, his soul is not in the heavens nor in the underworld." So it is possible that his soul is lurking around Kosmos.

"So who's the holder of the white light?" Napapikit ako nang pitikin ng diyosa ang noo ko.

"I'm very disappointed in you. Haven't I mentioned a while ago that you are the chosen one?" nakairap na sagot nito.

"Oh, right."

"But I'm proud, you have unveiled the ability living inside you earlier than I've expected. That spell you've read, valerto encanio, is a spell used to unveil something by removing the mist surrounding it. And it removed the mist surrounding the ability inside your body."

Kumunot ulit ang noo ko dahil hindi ko pa rin maintindihan. "But I'm not from here, goddess. Hindi ba't nararapat lamang na ibahagi mo ito sa isang mamamayan ng Kosmos? Another thing is, I'm just a normal human being in Earth. Having such power is not normal there."

"I knew very well, but this gift is from me. This gift is from me to Earth. Use it to help those in need. Soon enough, you will not be the only human being on Earth with power."

Kumunot muli ang noo ko dahil sa tinuran niya. "What do you mean?"

"Dear, destiny prepared such an unexplainable future for Earth and Kosmos." Kaunti nalang, sasabog na ang utak ko dahil sa mga naririnig ko.

"The power that you hold is huge and no one can teach you how to use it properly, except for me. That's why, I personally want to train you. I even faked strucking this pretty dagger of mine to your chest and sending my butterflies instead of my chariots to add some drama," sabi nito at tsaka hinawakan ang magkabilang balikat ko.

Huh? Those were all just for show? And—Oh my goddess!

Para bang umakyat lahat ng dugo sa mga pisngi ko dahil sa hiya nang maalala ang mga sinabi ko. "Goddess Nisseiah what have you done?"

"You even confessed to Cyrus, how sweet," natatawang sabi nito. At talagang masaya pa siya na nagdurusa ako sa mga sandaling ito?

"You call this pagdurusa? Dear, no one suffers in my territory. Now, let me first teach you how to fix yourself. You look stressed." Lumitaw ang isang salamin sa harapan ko kaya't nahiya ako sa itsura ko. Magulo ang pagkakaayos ng buhok ko, maitim ang ilalim ng mga mata ko, at maputla ang mga labi ko. If the real Khione will see this, she will freak out for sure.

Inalalayan niya ako hanggang sa marating namin ang isang batis.

"Go and wash yourself," utos niya. "The water there will give your skin a smooth texture and a pure glow."

Kaagad kong tinanggal ang mga suot ko at tsaka lumusong sa tubig. It feels cold but soothing. The water shone when I drenched myself upon it. I definitely need the help of this water.

Matapos kong maligo ay sinuotan ako ng isang robe ng diyosa. Nakakahiya naman na isa pang diyosa ang nag-aasikaso sa akin.

"Dear, you are like my daughter now," natatawang sambit nito. Marahil ay narinig niya ang sinabi ko sa aking isipan.

Ngayon ko lang napansin ang isang tila mansiyon na hindi kalayuan ang pwesto mula rito sa batis. Kulay puti ito at katulad ng iba pang mga bagay rito ay lumiliwanag ito. Hinawakan ako ng diyosa at sa isang iglap lamang ay nasa harap na ako ng isang salamin, inaayusan ng apat na fairies.

Isiningkit ko ang mga mata ko nang maaninagan ang isa. "Esquivel?"

Tumawa ito nang mahina at tsaka tumango. "Yes, Princess—I mean, Eira." Ngayon ko lamang napansin na nakasuot na ako ng isang kulay asul na dress.

"For the final touch," lumapit sa akin si Vel at ipinatong ang isang flower crown.

"Beautiful like always," puna niya. My brown hair is flowing like ocean waves. My eyelashes are curled up, my lips are tinted pink, and a light makeup was applied on my face.

Totoo nga ang sinabi ni Goddess Nisseiah...my skin is now glowing and it looks smooth.

Nang kumisap ang aking mga mata ay nawala na ako sa kwarto. Nakabalik ako sa flower garden na pinanggalingan ko kanina.

"See? You look just like me. Maybe I am really your mother," proud na sabi ng diyosa.

"You're way too beautiful, mother," pagsakay ko sa joke niya.

"Are you ready for your training?"

"Pinaayusan mo ako para lamang mag-training?" hindi makapaniwalang tanong ko.

"Why? You must train but you must maintain your beauty. There's no way I will train you with a pair of jeans and a shirt," nakairap na sabi nito.

"They're comfortable," pagmamaktol ko.

"Masasanay ka rin, Eira. Come, sit," natatawang sabi nito. Umupo kami sa damuhan na ipinagtaka ko. Akala ko ba mag-eensayo na kami?

"Of course, you must first familiarize yourself with some terms and such."

"Kaluluwa ba ang mga kulay puti, abo, at itim na nakikita ko?" tanong ko rito dahil hindi ko talaga alam ang itatawag sa mga 'yon.

"Yes. Those are the souls of the people around you. A black soul represents dark motives and sinfulness. A gray one, shows a mixture of good and bad in a soul inside a body. Most of the people having this kind of soul are neutral. They can be bad and also good at the same time. White souls are those pure souls which you are seeing most of the time because of your friends," sagot nito.

"However, there are rare cases where two souls share the same body," dugtong niya na ipinagtaka ko.

"What? How?"

"When a bad person dies, his black soul will lurk around and find a body with a weak heart. With the stolen body, they will seek revenge."

Napaisip ako. So it is possible then. Damon must be hiding inside a living body.

"You must be careful and not trust anyone but yourself and your love."

"Love who?"

Tumikhim siya. "You tell me, Eira."

"No," mariing pagtanggi ko.

"I know your heart well. Can't you notice it beating fast whenever your guardian is around?"

"No."

"Well, I do. Lalo na noong umamin siya sa'yo kahapon," napanganga ako at napatigil dahil tumili ito.

Unti-unti ko na naman naramdaman ang pag-angat ng dugo papunta sa mga pisngi ko. Oh my God! Is this goddess even acting properly?

"Look at you, blushing like a 12 year-old girl," natatawang pang-aasar nito.

"I thought we're here to train?"

"Yes, we are. But remember what I've said. Trust only yourself and your guardian. Let's start."

"Do you remember your fight when you encountered black energy balls?" Tumango lamang ako nang maalala ang pakikipaglaban ko sa panaginip ko.

"Oh my freaking goddess!" I screamed when I realized something. Tiningnan niya ako nang masama.

"Words, please."

"Sorry, my bad. That girl I'm fighting in my dreams must have Damon's soul inside her body," pagpapatuloy ko.

"Right...and you can do the opposite," dagdag pa niya.

"I can produce white energy balls?" nagtatakang tanong ko.

"Absolutely. Whenever white souls and good forces are around you, you can create something like that. You can also make it with the good force inside you," sagot niya.

"How?"

"Stand up," utos ng diyosa kaya't tumayo ako.

"Change the color of your eyes."

Pumikit ako at ilang segundo lamang ay naramdaman ko na ang pagbabago nito. Wala akong ibang nakikita kundi ang isang nakakasilaw na puting liwanag sa harapan ko. The goddess's soul is brighter than the sun.

"What can you see?"

"A dark surrounding and your intensely bright white soul," sagot ko.

"See? You can improve that and see everybody's soul without even changing your eye color like that..." Tumigil ito at hinawakan ang mga pisngi ko. She is examining my face. Nalaman ko ito nang igalaw niya ang mukha ko papunta sa kaliwa at sa kanan nang paulit-ulit.

"And that is when you reach the highest mastery level of using the white force. Which will be a few weeks from now," sabi niya matapos bitawan ang pisngi ko.

"Oh my, your face is dry. Why didn't you take care of your beauty? I'm very disappointed in you." Matapos nito ay inirapan niya ako.

"Goddess, I don't care much about my beauty. It is the least of my concerns. I have a lot to do and please bear in mind that we're here to train," paalala ko sa kanya.

"That's true, but you can't force me to stop making you more beautiful. You're my daughter, after all," nakairap pang sabi nito.

Tumango lamang ako dahil alam kong wala na akong magagawa.

"I will teach you how to create attacks with white power tomorrow. For now, I will teach you how to use your ability to see souls properly and how to use your hands to make yourself even more beautiful."

After that, my intense training with the goddess of the kind heart started...

And it was like hell.

♛