ZERO's POINT of VIEW

"Zero." Napalinga-linga ako sa paligid nang marinig ang boses ni Exiquel, pero tanging kadiliman lang ang nakita ko.

Nas'an ako? Bakit bigla nalang nagdilim ang paligid? Is this one of Phoenicia's traps?

I shook my head as questions continued flooding my thoughts. Hindi na dapat ako mag-isip ng kung anu-ano, at sa halip ay mag-isip kung pa'no ako makakaalis dito.

My thinking was interrupted by the sounds of footsteps in my back. Recouping my composure the best I could, I faced the person behind me. To my surprise, it was my father- Seraphin.

"Anong ginagawa mo rito?" tanong ko. "Anong kalokohan 'to, 'Pa?"

Papa chuckled. "Sorry to burst your bubble. I'm not your father. I just borrowed his features."

Nagsalubong ang kilay ko sa sinabi n'ya. Borrowed his features? "Then, who are you?"

"I'm an Astral sent by Cosmos, the all-knowing, the source of power," he answered. Mas lalo lang nagsalubong ang kilay ko dahil sa pamilyar na terms.

"What kind of joke is this?" tanong ko ulit- ngunit ngayo'y english naman, hehe. "Do I need to kill you, so I could get out of here?"

Once again, he answered me with a chuckle. "No, Zero. You won't be able to go out here if you kill me. This is neverland, a place where lost souls are stuck, and it is us, Astrals and Celestials, who allow others to go out."

Without further ado, I made an ice sword and pointed it at him. "Anong kailangan mo? Kailangan ko nang lumabas dito." Nanlaki naman ang mata ko nang maglaho ang ginawa kong ice sword, at hindi ko na rin magamit ang kapangyarihan.

"This is a place where time is stuck. Your physical body won't be affected unless I let it. I have control over this space."

Nagtiim-bagang ako, at mariin na pumikit. This man is getting on my nerves, huh. Lumapit ako sa kaniya, at kinwelyo na siya- natigilan lang ako nang mapagtantong hindi ko siya nahahawakan.

"Mukha ka na tuloy clown, Zero," aniya at tumawa na naman. I gritted my teeth as I looked at him.

"I bet you don't remember Summerland, or the time you bargained for reincarnation."

I stopped in my tracks when I heard the word Summerland. For a reason, I thought it was familiar. Then suddenly, memories flashed in my mind.

I went to Summerland, the place where my mother truly belonged. And I bargained with King Ezra Gwydion. But how does he know all of it?

"You're aware that your mother is from Summerland, the realm of Souls. That only means that you're half mortal, and half a living soul like Callista. You cannot save Exiquel and share your soul with her, then."

Mas lalo namang kumunot ang noo ko. "Anong kinalaman n'on sa pagsagip ko kay Exiquel?" tanong ko, nanggigil sa paraan ng pakikialam n'ya.

He tapped his head with his finger, as if telling me to use my wits. "You're a different being from her. Once you share your soul, there is a great possibility that you might end up killing her and making her stuck in Summerland."

"Malaki ang posibilidad na ang kaluluwa na mabigay mo sa kaniya ay ang parte ng kaluluwa mo na namana mo kay Callista, and if it happens, the one you shared your soul with will be stuck in Summerland- and will never reincarnate. Others can share their souls with you, but you cannot share yours to them."

Hindi ko kaagad nakuha ang sinabi n'ya. But after a while, I finally got it- then it hit me. I wouldn't be able to save Exiquel, and I didn't bargain for her reincarnation!

Fumed by rage, I looked at the Astral. "And why should I believe you?"

"You don't have to. It'll be your loss, not mine," sagot n'ya at tila may pang-aasar sa tono. "Don't you want to know another way to save her, Zero?"

Napalunok ako, hindi malaman kung maniniwala at makikinig sa kaniya. But it wouldn't hurt me to listen, right? Instead of answering his question, I waited until he spoke again.

"Kill her with your own power-"

"What the heck?" sambit ko agad. Hindi pa siya natatapos magsalita. I knew it. I shouldn't listen to him!

"Hindi pa ako tapos magsalita, Zero," mariin niyang sabi.

"But I'm done with you. Now, get me out of here." I approached, about to use physical power to force him to get me out of here- not until he said something again.

"Kill her with your power, and reincarnate her with your power, too."

My eyebrow raised. Reincarnate her? "How will I be able to reincarnate her? I didn't bargain for her reincarnation."

"You don't need to bargain. You can reincarnate her, if you would let yourself believe that you also belong to Summerland- if you accept that you're the son of Summerland's ruler, Callista."

Hindi ako nakapagsalita. It was still absurd for me. Kill her with my own hands, and reincarnate her with my own hands, too? Do I have the power to do that?

"Yes, Zero. You have the power to reincarnate." Suddenly, the phrase sounded familiar- as if someone already told me the same statement.

At tama nga ako. Narinig ko ang boses ni Lucifuge sa utak ko. "You can reincarnate people, too, Zero, for you have the blood of Callista."

And Lucifuge obtained his physical form from Ezra Gwydion, another rule of Summerland... hindi kaya aksidente n'yang nalaman 'yon mula sa kaniya?

At ibig sabihin ba n'on, hindi ako niloloko ng Astral na 'to?

"Do you believe me now, Zero? The war is about to end. Exiquel has already performed the spell."

Mas lalo naman akong naaligaga. Hindi ko ngayon alam ang gagawin. It would be a last minute decision, and that decision alone can affect Exiquel's future.

"Once she's reincarnated, everyone will forget about her- all memories. It is the cost of reincarnation," sagot n'ya. "Magkakaroon s'ya ng bagong pangalan at kapangyarihan, but her form will remain the same."

"Go now, Zero. Before you regret everything."

Then, slowly, the darkness faded. Muli kong narinig ang digmaan sa labas, at unang sumalubong sa'kin ang katagang, "The war has ended!"

Mas lalo namang kumirot ang puso ko, at agad na hinanap ng mata ko si Exiquel.

Finally, I saw her— down on her knees, and looking at her bloody hands. Napalunok naman ako at kaagad akong naglakad papalapit sa kaniya.

"Zero," I heard her mutter. My breathing stopped the moment I heard my name. She was looking for me, she was waiting for me to save her.

Lumuhod ako, at hinawakan ang kamay n'ya bagaman may dugo. I squeezed it and carresed it with my thumb.

One of her hands reached my face and cupped it. Napalunok naman ako nang banggitin n'ya ang pangalan ko.

"Zero," she said, the corner of her lips slightly rising, and her eyes beamed with hope while tears ran down her cheeks.

Hindi ko naman kayang tingnan pa ang hitsura n'ya kaya't hinila ko siya para sa isang yakap. I started trembling, and I struggled to speak.

"I'm sorry, mi amore." Kasabay ng pagbigkas ko n'on ay ang pagpatak ng luha ko. Nahirapan akong huminga habang hinahawakan ang kamay n'ya. And I wanted to say sorry again and again.

My hands travelled to the back of her neck, and in the most vital part, I slowly made an ice blade— the blade that will kill her.

"Zero?" aniya. The moment she said my name, my tears started to burst. I knew she would be reincarnated— but she wouldn't know.

Ang alam niya, pinatay ko s'ya nang tuluyan. Slowly, her presence started fading and I couldn't help but shake more.

"Zero—"

"Exiquel!"

Then, that was the moment she vanished.

Alam kong mabubuhay siya ulit dahil ng kapangyarihan ko, ngunit hindi ko alam kung bakit simula n'on—

Kinamuhian ko ang sarili kong kapangyarihan. I wished to the Cosmos, take my power away from me.

The Zero Curse
By lostmortals
Plagiarism is a crime.

Thank you for reading!