The Realm

CHAPTER 18: Blinded

(Commander Alexandria's Point of View)

"The great and famous, Alexandria, what brings you here?" the pioneer asked as she gestured me to take a sit on a sofa at the left side of her office. I greeted her courteously and sat where she instructed me to sit.

"I know it is rare for a Hive Commander to rush in your office in an instant," I told her. "I'm grateful that you accepted my request," I added. She stood from her chair and sat on the sofa in front of me. She offered me coffee which was on a wooden center table in between us. "This is still hot, my apprentice brought this in before you came in," she said. I refused to have a cup. "Thank you, but, I'll skip a cup for now," I told her. "Suit yourself," she seemed to insist her offer as she poured coffee on the cup she chose until it's full.

"Excuse me, Pioneer Cassandra?" someone slightly knocked at the slightly opened door. "Yes, come in please," she replied. It was Miguel. I was not shocked to he him walking in the enemy's nests. He was an ambitious boy serving a witch who was, little by little, destroying the system. I just considered her as my enemy, and those who stay on her nest will have the same treatment. "Oh dear, where are my manners," she said glamorously as she took a file from the hands of Miguel. "He's Miguel, my apprentice in the absence of my beloved Angelo," she introduced him to me. "Yes, of course, Miguel," I said. "I saw him at the gala," I added. "He's one of the apprentices of your late sister, by the way," she said as she bowed her head slightly. "Your sister was great," she said in a sad tune. "I know."

She stood and led Miguel out of her office. It took her five minutes to get back. I guessed she gave the boy instructions for their evil plans. She returned. "I'm sorry," she told me and sat again. "It's fine," I replied. Then we started to talk.

"What is your business, Commander Alexandria?" she finally asked.

"It's about the West Philippine Sea, the South China Sea, or whatever the nations outside the Realm call that portion of the world," I replied. I was annoyed seeing her turning the pages of the file she just had.

"What's with that?" she asked again without giving me an eye contact.

"The reclamation of China in that area alarms the world," I began to state the problems that bother me. "We cannot afford to put the nations outside the Realm in vain," I added.

"They have their free will."

"I know, but, we exist because we are tasked to help them put things in its proper places when they cannot attend to it properly."

"What do you propose?"

"Thank you for asking," I delightedly said. "Summon the Hive Commanders of the nations involved in the territorial dispute, particularly, China, the United States, and the Philippines."

"Then what will we do?"

"History repeats itself."

"What are you connoting?" I was annoyed with her attitude.

"We have to order an absolute banning or the reclamation activities of China in the West Philippine Sea."

"Ban the reclamation of China and let the United States, or any powerful countries, take over that strategic place," she said while she rubbed her temple. "We have to do some major twisting if that's what you propose."

"It's for the common good."

"Yes, but we can't."

"Why?"

"History repeats itself as you said," she reasoned. "They are the actors and actresses of their own history, whether it is written on Chinese, English, or Filipino, and we cannot simply butt in and stop them from playing their roles," she sipped her coffee. I still cannot get her point. Something is blocking me from believing every word that was coming out of her mouth. As far as, I am concerned she has a history of superiority complex. She even once dreamed of being the impress of the world, according to my sister. She wants all the powerful nations outside the Realm to remain dominant, so she could use them in attaining her ultimate goal. "They have their free will, and we are just here to guide them as we are trained not to meddle with their affairs," the words I heard the moment I came back from a deep thinking.

"Thank you for your time," I said as I was about to leave that once one great office when my sister was still the pioneer.

"Just trust His plans," she said she stood up and offered her hand for a shake. I shook hands with her and smile. "This witch is hiding a dead corpse underneath her sheets," I said in my mind. "I'll go," were my last words before I left the office.

***

(Miguel's Point of View)

I saw Commander Alexandria going out of Pioneer Cassandra's office. People will probably be in shock seeing her walking in a hall with her five inches stilettos, tight pencil cut skirt, and blazers covering her inner cloth. They might think that she's a ghost of the late pioneer because she and her twin sister are truly identical. Her big curls bounce as she walks sophisticatedly. Her eyes serve as a warning that she's a big thing, telling people that they should not mess with her. Who would have imagined that she's already sixty-five years of age? If not only for the ceremony that we all do the time we hit twenty, she should be both physically and mentally old right now, all of us in the Realm. There are other versions that explain the phenomenon, perhaps, the water that we drink which comes from the Spring of Youth does the trick, or the Realm is just a place which people exempt them from growing old. We were created for a higher purpose, anyway, so it makes sense.

"You are blinded, boy," she said when she passed through me. I was nailed to the floor the moment I saw her going out of the pioneer's office. So, she was able to tell me that I am blinded. I turned to look at her but she already took the left turn going leading her out the building. "Am I blinded? Blinded by power," I asked myself. After all, I am just living by the wisdom of the late pioneer: with power, the execution of great things is relaxed.

I knocked again at the pioneer's office. "Please, come in," she said. I walked inside. "Deal with the Iris, your sister's most trusted friend," she ordered me. "That girl is messing with my plans," she continued while she was showing me the file that I gave her. "...and, Tamara, that girl, she's good at playing hide and seek, find her," she hit the file in her desk. "Yes, Pioneer Cassandra," I said. "By the way, about your sister, Mika and her friend, let them sing," her last order when I was about to step off her office.

"With power the execution of great things is relaxed," I repeated in my mind as I walk my way out of the Capitol building. "You chose this path, there's no turning back, Miguel," I told myself.

I contacted Iris with a disposable phone. "The witch is on her broom," I told her. "Meet me on the lake at five, and bring Commander Nate with you," I added. She was not saying a word for safety purposes.