『AIZELLE』
“Phoenix, let’s go! The tournament will start soon.”
I called Phoenix. I curiously looked at him as he remained silent, looking at the sky with an uneasy expression written all over his face. Just when I was about to utter another word, the horizon started to become dull. And as the dark gray sky slowly rose, the dense blackened clouds were pulled down by the heavy rain and soon gave in.
“Aizelle… get ready.”
Kagat-labi akong tumingin kay Phoenix saka tumango. Bakit ngayon pa? Phoenix and I are not ready yet! Isang mabigat at malalim ang buntong-hininga na kumawala sa ‘kin. At sa paglapat ng tingin ko sa kalangitan, nagpakawala ito ng isang galit na hiyaw.
“Phoenix!” Sigaw ko.
Nanlalaki ang mga mata kong tumingin sa kalupaan, mabilis na natutuyot ang mga puno, halaman at maski ang lupa. At sa ‘di kalayuan, isang pigura ang nakakuha ng atensyon ko. Nang sumulyap ako kay Phoenix, seryoso at nandidilim lamang ang kanyang tingin habang nakatingin sa lugat na ‘yon.
At habang pinagmamasdan siya, sapat na para malaman ko kung sino ang misteryo sa likod nito.
Satan.
Mahigpit na hinawakan ni Phoenix ang espada na kanina niya panghawak simula nang mag-training kami. Isang nakakakilabot na ngiti ang sumilay sa mukha ni Satan. This man is looking down on us. His bloodshot eyes languidly looked at us, and let his pitch-black wings arched in his back as if telling us his wickedness will conquer the Divine Continent.
“A deadly combination that I must end,” Satan uttered bitterly.
Satan’s eyes gazed at mine. It was like all the sound faded into nothing, screaming and suffocating my anxiety inside me as if I was being eaten alive by my own fears.
“Aizelle.” I heard Phoenix call.
I… I…
“Die! Die! Die! Just die!”
“Aizelle!” I blinked. Nag-aalala akong pinagmasdan ni Phoenix nang mapansin kong buhat-buhat niya ako. What was that? “Are you alright?”
“No…”
“What happened?”
My lips trembled as he slowly put me down. I looked at him and shook my head, “I… I saw…” Light wishing me to die. “A sea of darkness.”
Matalas ang tingin na binigay ko kay Satan dahilan upang ngumisi siya sa akin. He’ll pay for playing with my fears. I let my wings spread and nodded at Phoenix as I soared to the horizon and summoned my legendary bow.
As soon as I positioned myself, Phoenix immediately lunged his sword toward Satan. My eyes glowed. Phoenix and Satan, who were below me, became more vivid in my eyes, making it easier to ready an attack on our dearest foe.
Phoenix’s sword blazed the shine of the sun, eradicating the hell-like scenery Satan did in the surroundings. And with amusement written on his face, Satan summoned his black sword, which was covered with spikes.
“Phoenix!” Wala sa sarili kong sigaw nang walang kabuhay-buhay na sinalag ni Satan ang atake n’ya. Phoenix was immediately pushed back with Satan’s sudden counters.
And without wasting any second, I released an attack, a fast and powerful one. It landed on Satan’s shoulder, wounding him.
Satan halted and leered in my direction, and once again, I felt the pits of darkness slowly devouring me as he looked at me with his fiery, crimson eyes.
“Aizelle, get out of there!”
Shadows began to appear, enveloping his wings and expanding them more. And as the shadow began to extend, the land slowly became ashes as their lives were forcefully taken from them. Satan once again leered in my direction; my body failed to move as if I was glued to the air.
Phoenix tried to strike Satan, yet it was too late, for he was already flying in front of me.
“Aizelle!”
Satan strangled me with might. His hand was like a poisonous oak; it was slowly melting my skin. I struggled and kicked his stomach, making him loosen his grip. I immediately flew back, but I was his prey. He drew his sword as I swiftly made a shield made out of light, yet the jagged spikes in his sword forcefully grew, gradually cracking the shield.
And with another heavy blow, I found myself plummeting to the ground, making myself collide with a rock.
“Argh…” ramdam ko ang kakaibang hapdi sa aking leeg at braso, mabuti na lang dahil may dugo ng isang seraphim ang dumadaloy sa ‘kin.
Humilom ang mga sugat ko, ngunit nanatili pa rin ang sakit ng katawan ko. Bumaling ako kay Phoenix ang ngumiwi, “Ang sakit, master—”
“Ginagago mo ba ako? I told you to get of there!” Inis na usal ni Phoenix.
“Tanga! Ikaw kaya ro’n!” Sinamaan ko siya ng tingin saka sumulyap sa taas kung nasaan si Satan. “Poison is all over his damned body, as well as his sword.”
“Aizelle… shall we try it once again?”
I smiled at him, “Anything you ask, my liege.”
For the past three years, Phoenix and I had been training in Apollo and Eros’s guidance in order to fully manifest our servitour-king vessel form. My mother, Sophia, and Ice’s father have done it. Master Garet and Tita Freya as well. But for some reason, Phoenix and I had been struggling with doing it.
I calmed myself down and focused. Phoenix gently held my hand as I chanted a ten-layer barrier in order to protect ourselves from Satan.
“Phoenix… if I… if I die—”
“You are not going to die. I won’t let you.”
We slowly closed our eyes. Everything became still as water. There was no sound nor anything to see. But… I can feel something peculiar yet familiar lingering around us. And in the darkness, a golden light suddenly shimmered.
“Aizelle… my dear daughter…”
Ramdam ko ang mabilis na pagtulo ng luha ko, sinubukan kong tumingin sa paligid, ngunit ang liwanag sa harapan ko lamang ang tangi kong nakita. “Mom?”
All of a sudden, her projection appeared in front of me. Sophia the Pillar of Love. Her angelic beauty stood in front of me as she slowly reached for me and held my face.
“Mom…” Wala sa sarili kong sambit. Niyakap ko siya’t marahan niyang sinuklay ang buhok ko. “Phoenix and I can’t merge…”
“My dear Aizelle… Let go of every doubt in you. You are not me. You are not Freya. You are Aizelle. Accept yourself, accept your own strength.”
“What…”
Kumalas siya sa aking yakap at muling ngumiti sa ‘kin, “What kind of king do you thing your king vessel is?”
“He is peculiar, rare, and a kind one… he’s like a man crafted in one mind…”
“Is he a hero?”
I smiled, “A legend.”
The darkness faded into light, a place covered with gold, a paradise. I felt a surge of power within me, along with a hand holding mine with a string tangled around me. The golden paradise leisurely bid goodbye, yet a warm, soothing feeling began to envelop me.
“Aizelle… we did it!”
Nang marinig ko ang boses ni Phoenix, dahan-dahan kong naramdaman ang pagmulat ng mga mata ko. My body moved on its own, no, it moved according to Phoenix’s will. We finally merged. Phoenix spread our wings, and shot Satan with glaring eyes.
And with our silver string finally connected…
The King Vessel of Sun Kingdom finally rose.
… as the Aurulent Phoenix, the mythical king vessel.
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JE LEEST
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