RED's POINT of VIEW
The Realm Traveller

I stare in the vast space around me. I heaved a deep sigh, thinking of what could possibly happen next. Tinaas ko ang kamay ko, at pinikit ang isang mata.

Suddenly, I saw a black hole. Binaba ko ang kamay ko at naningkit ang mata ko lalo. I summoned Draco— which will appear as a meteor in the eyes of mankind. Tumalon ako papunta sa likod niya, at kaagad na inutusan siyang pumunta palapit sa black hole.

Are you sure, Master? narinig kong usap niya sa'kin. Pinalo ko naman nang bahagya ang likod niya.

"Kailan pa ba ako hindi naging sigurado?" singhal ko. "Aish, puntahan mo na, Draco."

You know it's a black hole. It might suck our powers and you, too.

"I'm not Red for nothing. Don't underestimate me, Draco. Besides, black holes may lead to other galaxies."

It's a fallacy, Master. It is not proven—

"Kung gan'on, papatunayan natin ngayon, Draco. It's the first time in history that a black hole is this close. Pero himala dahil hindi naman siya nakakaapekto sa galaxy natin. It's not sucking our realms."

As you wish.

Napangiti naman ako, bagaman may halong kaba ang pintig ng puso ko. Saglit kong naisip... kaya ba hindi kami makahanap ng sagot kung pa'no matapos ang digmaan, ay dahil wala ang sagot sa mga mundo namin at nasa kabilang mundo talaga? Do the answers really lie in the other galaxies?

Napataas ang kilay ko nang tumigil sa pagabante si Draco. He stopped midway, and slightly looked his head back to me. There are consequences, Master. There are consequences for doing the impossible.

"Nothing is impossible in a world of magic, Draco. Go on. Do not hesitate."

He nodded in response. Napahinga naman ako nang malalim, at sa wakas, binilisan ni Draco ang paglipad. My eyes was overwhelmed by the light emitted by the stars around me, but at the same time, the darkness before my eyes scared me.

What if I don't come back alive?

No, I will.

As we cross the black hole, I will lose consciousness, Master. I will return to your seal.

"How do you know?"

Because the black hole is sucking my energy.

Bago ko pa mabuka ang bibig ko, naramdaman kong unti-unting bumigat ang talukap ko. Draco slowly turned to fiery dusts, while the dragon seal on my hand glowed. So, it's true.

The black hole is...

○○○○○○

"Is he awake?" narinig kong tanong ng isang lalaki. Akmang imumulat ko na ang mata ko pero naalala kong wala ako sa sarili kong mundo. Paano pala kapag naging hostage ako? Kailangan ko munang makinig sa usapan nila.

... Ay, sandali. Hindi ko pala sigurado kung success ba na napunta ako sa ibang mundo. Paano pala kapag may space force na humila sa'kin pabalik? Sayang naman effort.

"He will be, in a few moments," another girl answered, but it was very unfamiliar.

"Alina, do you know him?" another voice. I suspect there are three of them here.

"No, but I know he's already awake," the man named Alina answered. Napangisi naman ako, at kaagad na bumangon.

My eyes had a hard time adjusting to the light, but after a few blinks and a little headshake, I smiled. "You're quite smar—"

Natigilan ako sa pagsasalita at naiwang nakanganga ang bibig ko nang makita ang paligid. There were flying islands around, and there were many creatures around.

It was mystical. Much more mystical than any of our realms. This can even beat the first version of the Earth created by Seraphin.

"Smart? I know. I'm Alina, the embodiment of the Wisdom of this realm, Aerilon," the man with ligh blu hair and pinkish eyes said.

"A-Aerilon?" nabubulol kong sambit, at may halong pagtataka. Does this mean I successfully reached other realms?

"Yes, you are in Aerilon. I suspect you're from other realms? Hm, it's strange. Hindi ka naman isang Astral or Celestial. Froi and Lan didn't recognize you when they found you floating in space. Who are you?"

Ay, lumutang ako? Galing naman.

I cleared my throat. "I am called Red and my realm is the Sun. I live in another galaxy, and I went here through the black hole, which I think is a worm hole in your galaxy."

"Is he lying, Alina?" napatingin naman ako sa isa pa. This time, it was a man with violet eyes. Napa-woah naman ako sa laki ng katawan niya. Daig si Alpha! Pero mukhang wild buhay ne'to.

"He isn't, Berseker," Alina answered. He fixed his sunglasses. Napataas naman ang kilay ko, ngunit dumako bigla ang tingin ko sa isa pang babae. She was just watching us, but unlike others, she didn't look at me with a wary look. She looked at me as if she knew me.

Dahil sa tingin ko, napatingin na rin sa babae si Alina at si Berseker— if that is his name.

"Anika. What do you see in him?" asked Berseker. Napataas naman lalo ang kilay ko, anong ibig sabihin n'yang 'what do you see in him?' Katulad ba 'yan ng... gwapo ako?

Or can she read souls?

It can be because Alina has the ability to tell if someone is lying.

"He's seeking for answers," the girl with stormy gray eyes and black hair amswered.

Natigilan ako habang nakaawang ang labi. She knows that I am? Can she read minds?

Tumayo si Anika at naglakad palapit sa'min. Suddenly, the surroundings felt so intense and powerful.

"I am Anika, the holder of the four elements. This is Berseker, guardian of Aerilon and master of all Sphinxs, what we call to the creatures you see. Lastly  this is Alina, the wisdom."

"Four elements?" ulit ko. Napakunot-noo naman ako at sinubukang alalahanin kung ba't pamilyar ang enerhiyang 'to.

The portal in Earth.

"Is there... somehow a portal in this realm?" This time, I caught their attention more. Mas lalong tumalim ang tingin nila sa'kin, at nagkatinginan pa nga sila.

"Is you world where the portal leads to?" tanong ni Berseker. "Apparently, there was a portal somewhere in the Helevetik Kingdom. Hindi rin namin alam kung pa'no 'yon nabuo. We've been guarding it for years. Hindi naman namin mabasa kung anong mayr'on sa portal because Anika—" suddenly, he stopped speaking. Napatingin siya kay Anika na pinisil ang kaniyang kamay.

Anika smiled and then, she motioned something to them. After a few moments na pag-uusap nila na 'di ko naintindihan, bigla nalang lumayo ang dalawang lalaki.

Anika sat on the edge of the bed I was lying at. "I have the power to read someone's past and seek prophecies, too. I may answer your questions."

"As return, you must swear to protect our realm, Aerilon. I believe there is a war going on in your realm, and if the portal opens, madadamay kami sa digmaan. Hindi ba?" tanong ni Anika.

Tumango ako. "It will probably the case. There are countless of Phoenix—"

"Phoenix?" tanong niya. "Phoenix exists in your world, too?"

I hesitantly nodded. "Too? Does that mean there are also Phoenixes here?"

"Yes, but Phoenixes rarely appear. They are immortal creatures that reborn from their own ashes, but in Aerilon, Phoenixes die when their master or protector dies. They only reborn when they find a new protector."

"Sa'min naman, nabuo ang Phoenix nang gawin siya ng Anghel at Demonyo. The Angel made an immortal creature, but the Demon—" natigilan ako dahil si Sinclair ang tinutukoy ko rito. Anika might have a wrong impression on Sinclair.

"The Demon granted it death." Napapikit naman ako nang siya ang tumuloy sa kwento ko. "Then because the Phoenix they created had the ability of an angel and a demon, it became the most powerful creature— and it wanted to destroy your realm."

I never met someone who can read someone's past this accurate. Even Lucifer can't do this.

She stood up, and went to the balcony. A whistle filled my ears, as if she was calling something. Nanlaki naman ang mata ko nang makita si Draco.

Gago kang bata ka! S'an ka naman naglakwatsa! Isip ko, at sigurado akong maririnig niya naman 'yon.

Gumala lang. Sleeping beauty ka, master, eh.

"Hello, Draco," Anika greeted with a big smile. Sumama naman ang tingin ko sa kaniya. Balak pa ata akong agawan ng alaga? Si Sinclair lang ang pwedeng umagaw sa alaga ko.

"Hello, Lady Anika."

Anong Lady Anika?!

Draco, then, turned to fiery dusts again. The dusts carried something... an egg? With feathers? Ano 'yan? Anak ni Draco? Bilis naman maka-shoot n'on.

"This is a Phoenix's egg. I believe a Phoenix can only be defeated by a Phoenix. But... this Phoenix will only be born after a few centuries."

"The war will continue until the next centuries?" tanong ko.

Umiling naman siya. "The war will end now, but a Phoenix will always rise from the ashes. Phoenicia will find a way to be reborn."

"Then, how can we end the war now?" tanong ko. "And how will the war end in the future?"

Anika smiled, and handed me the Phoenix egg. "You already have an idea, right? To consume the flames of the Phoenix. Although... it can only be done through a spell casted by the greatest witch."

"This will both cost your life, and since your life is connected to the lives of the other creators—"

"It is?" gulat kong tanong.

Gulat din namang napatingin si Anika. "You do not know?"

"I don't?"

"Your lives are interconnected. One cannot exist when another dies. You come as a set. If there is one that survives, then reincarnation can be guaranteed to the others."

"So someone among us must survive?" tanong ko.

Tumango naman siya. "But I believe the one who'll survive is the one who already has a connection with others."

Seraphin? He has a connection with the peculiars.

"But reincarnation does not happen to everyone. If you do not reincarnate, then the one who survives will also die."

I gulped. "Then how do we reincarnate?"

"Bargain in the realm of Souls."

Realm of Souls? Afterlife? Pero hindi ba si Sinclair ang may alam n'on.

Umiling naman si Anika na tila alam kung ano ang iniisip ko. "The realm of Souls is the real afterlife. The underworld in our worlds are only purgatory. We pay our sins in purgatory to achieve eternal life in the realm of Souls."

Souls? Realm of Souls? Bakit parang narinig ko na 'yan noon? Suddenly, I remembered Seraphin mention something about Callista.

"She was born from the realm of Souls. Summerland. She's wandering for souls to steal, Red. And I'm keeping her in my watch."

"Zero, son of Seraphin and Callista, the Queen of Summerland is the person who can bargain for your reincarnations because only he has the ability to return back and forth."

"Zero's existence is unreal, Red."

The Zero Curse
By lostmortals
Plagiarism is a crime.

Hehe.

Thank you for reading!