The air eagle dived deep into the forest, cutting every tree that it passes by. Illeasalis stood in the eagle, still maintaining her balance despite the speed of the eagle. She looked up, and opened her hands in the air to burst a flameshot.

"Bobita, para s'an 'yon! E'di naka-attract tayo ng atensyon?" singhal ni Exiquel kay Illea habang hinihila pababa ang damit niya.

"That's a sign for reinforcements. Emergency. The Phoenix that was approaching us is Phoenicia, the main enemy who made all other Phoenixes. Hindi natin siya matatalo. The attention is on us already, so there's no holding back." Illeasalis looked at me. Napataas-kilay naman ako dahil sa tingin niya. Is she saying me not to hold back?

"Anong tinitingin-tingin mo?" mataray na tanong na naman ni Exiquel.

"I'm not looking at you. I'm looking at Zero."

"Ay, okay. Sorry, akala ko sa'kin hehe," nahihiyang bawi ni Exiquel. "Pero bakit ka naman natingin kay Zero?"

"Stop being so protective." Illea scoffed and huffed in annoyance. "And hindi naman kita dapat sagutin all the time. I'm sure Zero knows what I mean."

I do?

Oh, maybe.

Kininditan ko si Exiquel before I launched myself into the air, jumping out into the misty void above. Narinig ko pang tawagin ako ni Zeke at Xiquel, ngunit ginawa ko na agad na ice skating ring ang sahig. After years, I can finally use my powers without worrying at all.

I smirked, as I felt the cold mists of enemies approaching from afar. Through this ice floor I made, I can detect and feel the enemies. How come? Because of the ice mists.

I raised my hands up in the air, and swirling particles of water formed around my arms, then down and up my whole body. This will be considered as my defense, and attack at the same time. Sa t'wing tatamaan nila ang katawan ko, babalik ang atake sa kanila nang doble ang kapangyarihan— but in the form of ice and water.

I glided through the floor, moving faster than the winds. I don't train my powers, but because of my wisdom and skills that I've inherited from my father, it just comes out natural and powerful.

The only thing I'm struggling at is keeping it less powerful.

Natanaw ko naman mula sa malayo ang mga pulang mata. They moved so fast, at hindi ko alam ang tawag sa kanila. Are they new kind of creatures?

Napasinghap ako nang mabilis na dumaan sa'kin ang isang kalaban na nilalang. I couldn't even catch a clear sight of where and how close it was to me. Naramdaman ko lang na may mainit na hanging dumaan sa tabi ko.

Then, another one.

They are not even attacking me. They're just looking at me, like I'm some prey. Hindi lang basta pula ang kulay ng mata nila, parang dugo. Sumulyap ako sa itaas ng isang puno, at laking gulat ko nalang nang may pasugod sa'king nakakadiring nilalang. It had fangs, at mukhang kakagatin ako!

Kay Exiquel lang po ako nagpapakagat.

Holding my breath, I moved to the side, ngunit mas mabagal pa rin ako kumpara sa kanila. Napansin ko pang natutunaw ang yelo. Their screeching and seething teeth made me shut my eyes.

How fast are they? I have never seen any creature this fast! Ano 'to, tikbalang? Pero wala naman silang katawan ng kabayo, luh.

In the fastest way possible, I formed a water arbalest— a crossbow, but more powerful, and which requires greater strength. My best weapon since strength is never a problem to me.

The arrows I created are mists that are only to be seen by my eye. I guess. Sana gumana. Wala akong ideya kung pa'no tatalunin ang mga 'to. Lack of knowledge may lead to defeat.

Gumawa ako ng mist barrier sa paligid ko. Pinaabot ko 'yon sa malalayong puwesto, kaya't mas lalo kong natagpuan kung nasaan sila. Then, the mist formed to ice shards. Natuwa naman ako nang marinig ang mga impit na sigaw nila. I snickered and fastly shot the arrows to their directions while they're busy screaming, stuck in a mist barrier I created around them. Hindi na nga nila napansin 'yon.

Habang patuloy na nagpapaulan ng mga pana sa kanila, tumakbo na ako pabalik sa direksyon na pinanggalingan ko kanina. I just need to make sure that everyone is safe, and hope that Illeasalis knows at least a little about these creatures.

Some kept attacking me, but at least they declined in number. Hindi naman nila ako mapatamaan dahil sa water particles na pumalibot sa katawan ko.

"Zero!" napasulyap naman ako sa taas nang may sumigaw ng pangalan ko. It was a man with bluish gray hair and eyes, riding a flying carpet? Weird, amp. My eyes squinted to the unfamiliarity, so I kept running instead of stopping by his call.

Malay ko ba kung kalaban pala 'yang natawag sa'kin tapos nalaman lang ang pangalan ko? Mind-reader, maybe?

"Zero!" tawag na naman sa'kin ng lalaki. Nagkunot-noo ako, ngunit nanatiling hindi pinapansin ang lalaki.

"Reinforcements! I am one of Seraphin's creation, the fifth!" At d'on niya lang nakuha ang atensyon ko. Paano ko naman mapapatunayan 'yon? Malay ko ba kung mapagpanggap lang pala—

Natigilan naman ako sa pag-iisip nang biglang bumagal ang takbo ng mga kalaban kong nilalang. Tila bumagal ang takbo nila nang may nakakarelax na tunog na umalingawngaw sa buong forest. Napatigil na rin ako sa pagtakbo, at umangat ang tingin ko sa lalaki. He was playing a flute normally, yet the moment his lips parted from it, the flute continued playing music. Then, the carpet lowered in level.

My eyes got drowsy. Pakiramdam ko'y kahit ako, nadadala na ng tunog. Pero syempre hindi pwedeng mawala ang cool ko. "Who are you again?"

"Your father's creation, born from your idea. I am Ephraim Arquaile," he said as he held out a hand to me. "I mean no harm. Nakita namin ang emergency sign ni Illeasalis. Pumunta kaagad kami rito ni Adara, the third creation. I bet she's already there to get Nine and Four."

Napataas naman ang kilay ko. Nine and Four? Sino naman 'yon?

"Ah, ang ibig kong sabihin ay si Ezekiel and Exiquel. I keep forgetting their names." Then, he nervously laughed. Hindi ko naman tinanggap ang kamay niya at sumakay sa flying carpet nang mag-isa.

"What are those creatures?" tanong ko bago pa niya paliparin ang carpet. Napaupo naman ako dahil pakiramdam ko'y mahuhulog ako 'pag nakatayo.

"Vampires, new creatures which Phoenicia created. They are considered the fastest among all creatures. They also have heightened senses. However, they lack magic. They prey on mortal blood, mostly, some prey on animal's blood."

"At kagaya ng ginawa mo kanina, mapapatay mo sila kung mahuhuli mo sa o mapapabagal mo ang takbo nila. It's quite impossible to catch up with their speed, unless magic power is used," patuloy niyang paliwanag sa'kin. "Air users can be their best enemies."

"Now, where are we headed?" I asked when I noticed that we were heading towards a new direction. Nasulyapan ko naman sa likod si Illeasalis na kasama si Exiquel, at isa pang babae na kasama naman si Ezekiel. I suppose the unfamiliar girl is Adara which this guy—

"Ano nga ulit ang pangalan mo? It slipped on my mind."

"Ephraim Arquaile."

"Who named you? Si Papa?"

He nodded and it immediately made my nose scrunch. "Bakit ang gaganda ng pinangalan sa inyo, tapos akin, Zero lang? 'Yun na 'yon? Zero as in zero sense."

Ephraim chuckled and shook his head. "No need to be jealous of us."

Sino namang may sabing nagseselos ako? If he hits on Exiquel, or vice versa, that's the only time I'll get jealous. I'd probably sulk and overreact— kidding.

"Ephraim!" napalingon naman ako sa direksyon ng pinanggalingan ng boses, kahit na hindi naman ako ang tinawag. "Saan na tayo ngayon?"

"We return to our base. It'll be impossible to secure the portal for a long time. Hindi pa naman 'yan magbubukas kaya pansamantala muna tayong babalik."

Nanlaki naman agad ang mata ko nang mapansin na may mga sumunod sa'ming Phoenixes. Akmang bubuo na ako ng mga ice spears, natigilan lang ako nang biglang mawalan ng apoy ang kanilang mga pakpak, at bigla silang bumagsak.

My eyes darted to Illeasalis and Adara. Their eyes both glowed, and there was a magic aura that enveloped them. I suppose Illeasalis consumed or put out the fire, while Adara… "What is Adara's power?"

"Her power is ergokinesis, the ability to manipulate energy." Napatango naman ako bilang tugon. Interesting. I'm sure Father has a purpose of why he gave her that kind of power, and I wonder how his mind works. I wonder how he plotted everything.

"Are you all complete? I mean has Father finished creating all the ten that will make the dimension?"

Umiling naman siya at malungkot na ngumiti sa langit. "Not until this Blood Fest and war ends."

"Bakit naman?" kuryoso kong tanong. "Bakit kailangan pang hintayin matapos ang digmaan na 'to? Ba't hindi pa niya tinapos ng nakaraang taon? E'di sana may mapupuntahan tayo na mas ligtas."

Ephraim huffed and closed his eyes. "Nothing's easy, Zero. We all went through hardships, and I think, you must, too."

Agad na kumunot ang noo ko sa sinabi niya. O' bakit naman nadamay ako? Saya-saya na ng buhay ko kasama sina Exiquel, eh. Bago pa ako makaangal ulit, pinigilan niya na agad ako.

"Enough with your questions, Zero. Only your father knows what will happen. We only know hints, but we do not know everything. But let me tell you something, Zero. Whoever starts the idea must be the one who completes it."

Saglit na tumaas ang kilay ko. Naalala kong ako nga pala ang nagpasimuno ng ideya ng dimension. Kung gayon, ako ang kukumpleto sa dimension?

The Zero Curse
By lostmortals
Plagiarism is a crime.

Thank you for reading!