Kabanata xxv
Back in time

***

CLEOBELLE / SINCLAIR

"What do you want after not appearing for days?" I asked firmly while looking at Elsa with my hands crossed.

Napanguso siya doon.

"Patawarin mo na ako Sinclair, hindi ko lang talaga kayang harapin si Ifrid," napabuntong hiningang saad nito. 

Iniikot ko ang mga mata sakanya.

"Ang arte mo ha," komento ko.

Napasimangot siya doon. 'Ako lang ba?' 

May binubulong pa siya ngunit nang taasan ko ng isang kilay ay wala nang nagawa pa ito at itinikom na lang ang kanyang bibig.

"So anong balak mo?" tanong niya sa akin. 

Umayos ako ng upo sa kama saka isinuot ang cloak na ibinigay sa akin ng aking ama.

Ngumiti lamang ako kay Elsa. 

"Titus. I've made up my mind." I mumbled under my breath. 

Just like that, a portal opened right in front of me. Behind it is the Kingdom of Fairies. 

Tumayo na ako saka dahan dahang naglakad papasok sa lagusang kumukonekta sa dalawang mundo. Pagkapasok na pagkapasok ko ay siyang tuluyang pagsara nito. 

"You're back," my father smiled as he stopped playing his harp and faced me.

"I want to awaken my power now," I stated straight to the point.

So I can go back to my senses and lift Aslan's curse; Before I do something stupid and end up falling for him again.

"Are you sure? You know our deal right?" he asked in a serious tone.

Determinadong tumango ako sa kanya.

"Help me awaken my power, Titus," I stated seriously.

Pagod na ako. 

Mas gugustuhin ko pang tumira sa kaharian ng aking ama habang buhay kaysa maulit muli ang aking kapalaran. 

Sana lang pagkatapos ng lahat ng ito ay hindi na magtagpo pa kahit kailan ang aming landas ni Aslan. 

"Okay then," he sighed and then his hand reached for my forehead. 

Ipinikit ko ang aking mga mata habang dinadama ang mainit na daloy ng kanyang kapangyarihan.

I can feel his power crawling on my core, trying to fight with the evil blood that I have.

Nakaramdam ako ng kakaibang sakit na para bang sinusunog ang aking kabuuan ngunit hindi ko maibuka ang aking bibig at hindi ko magalaw ang aking katawan. 

Hanggang sa unti-unti ay binalot na ako ng kadiliman. . .

***

Nang imulat ko ang aking mga mata ay nasa kaharian pa din ako ng mga diwata. Ngunit hindi tulad ng kasalukuyan ay tila ba ay mas masagana ito.

At the center of the place I can see a man; Titus angrily facing a woman.

Nakapagtataka dahil tila ba napakapamilyar sa akin ng senaryong ito. 

Dahan dahang akong tumayo at napagtantong hindi ako nakikita ng mga ito. Ngunit ang ikinatigil ko ay nang makita ang mukha ng babaeng nakatalikod kay Titus.

Nanindig ang balahibo ko nang makita kong kamukhang kamukha ko ang babaeng iyon. Isang babaeng halos kulay puti ang buhok. 

Ang mga mata nito ay katulad ng kay Titus, at mayroon siyang pangatlong mata sa kanyang noong lumuluha ng ginto. 

"If you leave this place, I'll consider you dead," His cold voice echoed through the whole the place."You can never set your foot back here! Don't provoke me!" He added, but it fell on deaf ears as the woman silently walked away. 

"Cresia! Come back here!" He called his name until the woman finally left the place through a portal. 

Sinundan ko ang babaeng iyon hanggang sa makalabas siya.

"Ayos ka lang?" narinig kong sambit ng isang espiritong bigla na lamang lumitaw sa kanyang tabi. 

Elsa?

"Kailangan kong umalis at ipaghiganti ang aking ina," mariing sambit ng babae.

"Ngunit baka hindi ka na talaga pabalikin ng iyong ama sa inyong kaharian?"

Umiling doon si Cresia. "Alam kong patatawarin niya ako sa oras na magawa kong maipaghiganti ang aking ina mula sa pumatay sa kanya," mariing sambit nito saka itinago ang pangatlong mata at binago ang kanyang anyo. 

She really looks exactly like me now that her hair has turned into black and her clear eyes have changed into blue. 

"How about you? You'll have to leave your lover for good since youd ecided to go with me," Cresia expressed her concern.

Malungkot na ngumiti lamang doon si Elsa. "Huwag mo nang isipin pa ang nararamdaman ko Cresia. Pinutol ko na ang namamagitan sa amin ni Ifrid dahil ayaw kitang pabayaang mag-isa rito. Sa tingin ko ay maiintindihan niya naman iyon," napabuntong hininga niyang saad. 

***

I watched Cresia explore the world. On her journey to find the one who killed her mother, she hid in the shadows while causing havoc in Lumina as she hated Lumins as much as her parents does. 

"So you're saying that the demon who killed my mother is living at the Lumina palace?" Cresia asked Elsa.

Tumango siya doon. 

"I can't be mistaken. I felt that same presence at the palace when I was investigating the place. Specifically at the Emperor's chamber," she confirmed.

"Do you think that demon is connected to the emperor?" Cresia asked.

"Well, if I were a demon lord who wanted to cause havoc all over the world, I'd also cling to the emperor itself," Elsa shrugged. 

Napatango na lamang dooon si Cresia.

Due to the information she received, Cresia started working at the palace, trying to find that demon; Vespera's brother who had killed her in front of Cresia.

However it seems like the fate had change of plans. . . 

"I'll end you," Cresia stated coldly, facing the demon who killed her mother. 

Malakas na natawa ito roon.

"You're too weak to kill me, my dear niece," he grinned.

I'd never expected I'd see the King of Darkness itself in this dream. The power behind our transmigration into this world.

Their fight lasted for a long time. Although Cresia left a great damage to the King of Darkness, he was able to cast a strong spell against her before he escaped. 

Tumilapon sa malayo si Cresia ngunit nagaa niyang ibaon ang espada sa dulo ng malalim na bangin.

"Bumalik ka ditong duwag ka! Harapin mo ako!" pagsisigaw niya.

Cresia is at her limit. She's on her weakened state after fighting with the King of Darkness.

As she was about to fall into the endless abyss below her, a strong hand pulled her out of her misery.

A man who has a tall figure and a huge frame. His hair is as black as the night sky and his eyes resembles fiery rubies.  . .  Aslan.

No, this man isn't Aslan but someone who has a signifiant resemblance to him.

Mukhang kasing tanga ko din si Cresia at umibig siya sa lalaking iyon matapos ng paulit-ulit na pagtatagpo ng kanilang landas.

Apparently, his name is Yves, he's one of the Kingdom's soldier. 

Unlike me and Aslan, these two seem to love each other mutually. They eventually got married and had children. 

I thought they would stay that way and be happy, but it seems like everything is just too good to be true.

Hindi talaga uso sa aming sumaya.

Yves turned out to be the Emperor, Cresia loathes. An emperor who's under the control of the King of Darkness.

In the end, Cresia died at the hands of Yves. Just like the fate I couldn't escape no matter what I do.

Mapait akong napangiti habang pinanonood ang lahat ng nangyayari. Wala din naman akong magawa kung hindi ang manood lamang.

Akala ko ay matatapos na ang masamang paanginip na ito, ngunit nanatili ako sa lugar at hindi magawang makalabas.

"No, Cresia. . . I-I didn't mean it! Please stay with me my love, please please, I'll do anything just come back to me!" Yves shouted in great pain making me halt.

"How did you escape from my control! This isn't supposed to happen!" The King of Darkness  exclaimed.

The pain in Yves eyes were visible as he looked at the King of Darkness filled with rage.

"I'll follow you soon Cresia. . .  I'll avenge you so I can ask for your forgiveness in the afterlife.  . ." Yves mumbled under his breath.

He then endlessly fought the King of Darkness until he perished. I'm not sure if he really died after that, considering that he came back in our time line.

After their fight ended, Titus arrived with his face filled with regrets.

He fought with Yves who didn't even try to defend himself.

"No, don't take her away! Please!" Yves begged in his weak state as Titus carried his daughter's lifeless body.

Titus just looked at him coldly as he casted another spell to make Yvess fall asleep.

"I'll spare you since my stupid daughter loves you so much, she chose to sacrifice herself for your worthless life," Titus exclaimed angrily as he took Creia's body back to the Kingdom of Fairies.

Si Elsa naman ay kasalukuyang naglalakbay dahil inatasan siya ni Cresia na protektahan ang kanyang anak at tumakas sa palasyo nang mangyari ang kaguluhan.

Tears fell from her eyes as she found herself fading away while carrying Cresia's child with Yves.

That moment, she realized that her summoner, Cresia, had already perished. Before she does too, she decided to protect their child until the end.

She left the child in front of a house on the mountains of Glacialis until she silently perished.

Not long after, the death of Emperor Yves was also announced.

***

Tila ba ay hindi ako makahinga sa lahat ng nasaksihan ko. Lumuluhang iminulat ko ang mga mata at hindi inasahan kung sino ang bubungad sa akin.

"Cresia. .  ." Bulong ko sa pangalan niya.

Masuyong ngumiti ito sa akin at iniabot ang isang kandila na takang tinanggap ko.

"You're Cresia; I am Sinclair; We're Cleobelle; As we are created from the same soul, it's sad that we also share the same fate," she stated.

"What do you mean? " I asked. 

"Although me and Sinclair have failed to stop our fates; Cleobelle, I hope you can create your own path," Cresia smiled.

"You don't have to tell me that," I said in a serious tone.

"Mag-iingat ka Cleo. . .  Nasa paligid mo lamang ang nilalang na gustong pumuksa iyo," biglang litaw ng isa pang pigurang kamukhang kamukha ko. 

"Sinclair?" I asked. Tumango lamang ito sa akin.

"Sinasabi mo bang malapit lamang sa akin ang master mind?" paninigurado ko. 

However, she didn't answer my question. Instead, her third eye opened, releasing a blinding light. "Please, save Yves; Free Aslan. . ."

That was the last thing I heard before snapping back to the present and coming face-to-face with Titus.

"Cresia. . . " A tear fell from his eyes as he called her name. 

From there, I saw my reflection on the clear waters below us. . . Now I look exactly like Cresia.

"Cleobelle, that's my name. Not Cresia; Not Sinclair."

We may share the same soul, but I'll make sure to escape the fate we also share once and for all. 

I sighed. 

If I ever manage to get out of this world, I would really need theraphy.