The Lost Prodigy

59. Glimpse

Bumalik ako sa lugar kung saan kami nag-usap ng mga kasama ko. I was back under the mountain. Tinawag ko ang mga pangalan nila at nagbabasakaling nandito pa sila. I also called for Ophelia even after what she had done to me. But my voice only echoed for several times until it vanished. And no one answered.

Naging alisto naman ako nang makarinig ako ng paggalaw malapit lang sa akin. Nasisinagan ako ng buwan pero hindi abot ng liwanag ang buong paligid. The torches weren’t even lit. But driven by my curiosity, I stepped towards where I believed the sound was coming from.

Napaatras ako nang makita si Prince Killian na nakayakap sa kanyang mga tuhod at umiiyak. His cries became louder every passing second and it came to the point that he was already wailing. Pero hindi lang siya ang natigilan kundi ako rin nang may marinig kaming boses.

“Will crying help you solve your problem?”

That voice was venomous. Even though I wasn’t really in this place during the past, I can still feel the voice crawling its way inside my mind like a parasite.

Ganun din ang nangyari kay Prince Killian. He kept on hitting his head because he's thinking that he was only hearing things.

But everything is real. Calev is here to tempt him.

“Who are you? Get out of my head!” Sigaw niya at buong lakas lang na tumawa ang diyos ng kadiliman.

“I can’t tell you who I am. And I won’t leave until I see you claim the throne for yourself.”

“You piece of shit! You don’t know what you’re talking about!” Napasabunot na ang prinsipe sa kanyang sarili dahil hindi pa rin nawawala ang boses na bumabagabag sa kanya.

“Is cursing the only thing you’re good at? Maybe your twin is indeed rightful to be king. You were always born to be his shadow. He even got what your stupid heart desires. And you brought all of this to yourself. You let him take everything away from you. Aside from that, you know that you’re soft-hearted even if you deny it many times. You don’t fight for what you deserve. You have always been a dog on a leash, following his orders like a loyal pet.”

“Shut up!” galit na sigaw ni Prince Killian na tinatakpan na ngayon ang kanyang tainga. But it was no use. Calev already had a grip around the prince’s fragile mind.

“You should see yourself right now, cowering there like a fool. Would you really let Eliana think that you’re a coward?”

I saw the prince stopped resisting. He lifted his head and gazed directly at me. I took a step back because of surprise.

“Tell me what to do,” sabi ng lalaki at hindi pa rin nawala ang pagkakatitig sa akin. Nang mapalingon ako ay napako ako sa aking kinatatayuan nang may makita akong itim na usok.

A face formed there and it gave the prince a lopsided grin. The black creature rammed at me like a bull and I lost my balance. Pero hindi ako sa lupa bumagsak kundi sa isang kumpol ng mga natuyong dahon. The scene had changed abruptly this time. Pinakalma ko naman ang aking sarili dahil kumakabog na naman ang aking puso mula sa nakaraang pagtatagpo.

I saw a woman sitting on a nearby tree stump. May balabal na nagtatago sa kanyang mukha. Across from her was Prince Killian. Napalunok ako nang makita kong parang may nagbago sa kanya. He got slightly bigger and he became more muscular than before. He was wearing a sleeveless tunic that’s why I can see some of his scars. Wala pa ang mga peklat na iyon noong huli ko siyang nakita.

“I bet twenty gold coins that your twin brother is dying to see you in his coronation,” rinig kong wika ng babaeng kasama ng prinsipe. He scowled at the woman in return. He then unsheathed his sword and started slicing a nearby tree. In just one swipe, he divided that tree into two. Kinabahan ako nang makitang tatamaan ang babae pero isang kumpas lang ng kanyang kamay ay napagalaw niya ang puno kaya hindi siya nabagsakan nito.