Illusionist Tribe
MEZUL
EVERYTHING HAD GONE through far. Hindi ko sinasadyang mangyayari ito. Hell---I didn't expect this to happen either! But I guess, it's my fault. And now, Mt. Alilah is in chaos. Or so the whole Triad Land just because my power had gone berserk.
"You did that?" Ayen asked and pulled me. This time I already look at her to pay attention. I've been ignoring them since this whole thing started, baka magtampo na.
"Of course, n-not!" My voice raised a little. Tuloy parang guilty ako. "I mean, hindi ko alam. I'm not really sure..." I looked down.
"The two of you were now in trouble, Mez. Someone has to stop that spell, but I guess we can't do anything about it. But don't feel bad about yourself, huh? It's not your fault!" Ayen convinced me and held my arm tight.
We both faced the storm above us. It has taken the form of whirlwind. Only huge as hell. The sound of thunder continues to get wilder and wilder. Madilim ngunit kapag kumi-kidlat ay nalililiwanag. Still, that didn't change the fact that we are trapped on this mess.
Kahit sabihin ng lahat na wala akong kasalanan, hindi pwedeng tumayo nalang ako dito at basta nalang manood.
"I'm sorry, tutulong ako kay prinsipe Ul sa taas. For now, please evacuate."
Mabilis na umiling sila. "No. If you're gonna help, we might as well help too!" Unang nag-salita si Dino.
"Dino is right, Mez. A while ago, Headmaster Del was able to stop my spell by cancelling it. Kung hindi na niya kayang i-cancel ito kagaya kanina, that only means that we will be needing more power to help." Si Altie.
"Right. For now, we have to figure first how to stop this storm---" hindi na nakapagpatuloy sa pagsasalita si Zaina after I cut her off.
"No. All of you should evacuate." Umiling-iling ako. I think, it's better to say the thing going on between me and prinsipe Ul. The Hell-Keeper subject. May pakiramdam akong hindi sila makikinig sa akin kung basta ko nalang silang babawalan lalo na't akala nila ay mahina pa rin ako gaya ng dati.
I was about to utter the words I've been avoiding saying all this time when suddenly, a lightning strike again. Ngunit iba ang kulog at liwanag na dala nito sa kabuuan ng Mt. Alilah.
Mabilis kaming napalingon sa direksyon ni prinsipe Ul. Fear struck in me when something came out in the middle of the huge storm where the prince is standing. There's a huge hole on the sky that's filled with darkness and enormous amount of magueh. Walang magic circle sa paligid kung saan pwedeng mag cast ng spell at may mga nilalang na nakatayo at lumulutang ilang metro ang layo mula sa kinaroroonan ng prinsipe.
Malayo man alam kong gulo ang dala ng mga bagong dating. I didn't think twice and flap my wings to fly. Ngunit hindi pa man lubusang umaangat sa ere ay muli akong pinigilan ng mga kasama.
Ilooked at Ayen with pleading eyes to let go off me. I can't speak in fear at lumalabas na ganoon din ang nararamdaman niya. She just shook her head, not wanting to discuss the reasons so in the end, wala akong nagawa kundi ang bumalik sa dating pwesto.
After consecutive numbers of lightning and thunder, someone speak and broke the silence. And... it didn't come from our side.
An enemy...
"I told you, Margaux that it's not good to come and visit here at this time when the weather is this bad!" Says a girl that's included with the newly arrived uninvited guests. I know this isn't the right time to flex these eyes we, the crimsons possessed but I have to thank my genetics to be able to hear and see what's going on above us.
The lady who I think is Margaux only 'tsked' as a reply to her comrade. Patuloy na lumalabas ang mga hindi matukoy na nilalang mula sa butas na nababalot ng kadiliman. They don't have wings, but they can walk in the air. Isang bagay na hindi normal kung ako ang tatanungin para sa mga nilalang na naninirahan sa mundong ito.
The uninvited guests wore the same outfit whether they're males or females. Isang itim na itim na cloak ang bumabalot sa kanilang katawan kung saan maski mukha ay natatakpan. There are three persons in front of prince Ul.
Two girls and one boy. Ang unang babae ay iyong bumasag sa katahimak kanina na kasalukuyang nagrereklamo pa rin hangang ngayon. Along the way, I happened to hear her name from their only guy. She's Trixia. Maliit na babae at mukhang mas bata pa sa akin.
Margaux on the other hand is a tall woman but the other guy is surely taller for he is a man. Ang boses nito'y malamig at nakakapangilabot. Maliban sa tatlo, may mga kasamahan pa sila na patuloy na lumalabas sa isang butas na gawa nila na satingin ko'y isang spacial magic. Only that the hole is not circle. Like it was made by a slash of sword.
I can't go on like this. I must do something!
I frustratedly combed my hair using my fingers. Halos sabunutan ko ang sarili. What to do? I don't know! Natauhan lang ako ng may isang mapusyaw na kulay ng asul ang mabilis na bumalot sa tuktok ng Mt. Alilah. It was a barrier.
I was slightly relieved when I noticed that it came from our side. One of the faculty teachers casted it, not for us but for the safety of the creatures outside the mountain.
"We Crimsons always stays on the safe side. But when the situation calls for it, we have no choice but to resort into fighting."
"Heck, our only resort is to fight!"
"Crimsons! Never let your guard down!"
Hindi ko alam kung sino ang nagpasimula ngunit lahat ng naririto sa taas ay naghanda sa paglipad. Kahit nalilito ay sumabay na rin ako. This time no one stop me. Lalo na at may permiso na galing sa kung sinong mga miembro ng faculty.
I immediately went to prince Ul's direction hoping to join him. Nagkahiwa-hiwalay na kami nina Ayen at ang iba pa. Nang matauhan ang aming lahi mula sa pagkasorpresa ay sumugod na rin ang mga nakaitim na nilalang. They have no weapons so what creature are they?
'Illusionist' says a thought in my mind.
Kumunot ang noo ko at nakaramdam ng galit. How dare them waltz in our territory! What are they thinking? Is this some sort of a dry run? A warning? Perhaps to seek information?
Must be all of the above...
Nagkagulo na ang lahat. In just a snap, the top of Mt. Alilah where the Emperor Palace lies became a battlefield. Most of the students evacuated. Hindi na rin nakialam ang iba pang mga estudyante na nag-aaral sa Averian Univerity maliban sa Crimsons since it was a hidden school in the first place.
I even encountered some of the enemy and immediately tied them using my strings. I used my gravity magic to put them on the ground but then, they suddenly disappeared, leaving black smoke in the thin air.
Doon ko napagtanto na hindi gaanong malakas ang mga nakaitim na nilalang. It was just a bit hard to fight when you avoid your allies that's scattered around the area plus the ranging storm that I think, I created.
You definitely created it, idiot!
Tatlong nakaitim na nilalang pa ang sumugod sa akin. They keep every sigle crimson busy and it's annoying. Habang nilalabanan at iniiwasan ang itim na usok na inilalabas at inihahagis ng mga kaaway ay mabilis kong pinasadahan ng tingin ang prinsipe at ang tatlong nilalang na nakatayo sa kanyang harapan.
They must be the strong ones...
Habang nakikipagsabayan sa mga kasama sa pag-ubos ng mga kaaway ay paulit-ulit kong binabalikan ng tingin ang prinsipe. I saw him raised his weapon, his very own metal vessel na ngayon ko lang din nakita matapos ang pagpili ng mga ito.
Now I know why I can't see him holding his metal vessel around. That's because his weapon was always hidden and marked on his flesh! How the hell did that happen?!
Prince Ul talked to the three-person standing in front of him. Hindi ko lang alam kung anong pinag-uusapan nila. After that, he raised his metal vessel in the air. He didn't utter any spell, but a black light emerged from the skies that taken a familiar form of something. And it even created a horrific sound!
It's a massive double door. About 70 feet in height. It was surrounded with black light na ngayon ko lang nakita. Hell, I didn't even know that black light is possible! Not to mention that this huge gate also looks scary!
Bumilis ang tibok ng puso ko sa kaba at pagmamadali na matapos na ang mga nilalabanan. I need to hurry and witness this. Witness how the gate of hell appeared in front of everyone's eyes for the first time.
Napipikon na ako sa pag-iwas at sa pakikipaglaban. All I did was dodge my opponents attack and corner them using my strings. Nahahati ang katawan nila sa pamamagitan noon ngunit naglalaho naman sa hangin matapos maging itim na usok.
One thing I noticed with these hooded creatures is they don't use magic circle to activate a spell. Are they what they called illusionist here? Kaya ba naglalaho sila at nagiging usok? At lumulutang sa hangin?
Siguro gaya talaga ng hinala ko ay naririto sila para magbigay ng kung anong babala o magpasimula muli ng digmaan. Wala ng ibang rason. But wait...
"Shit," I muttered a curse when I'm almost got hit by a red, thin light that that was casted by my opponent. Pissed, I hurriedly cornered it with my strings. Ilang sandali pa ay sumabog ang itim na usok at nawala ang aking nahuli.
When I finished fighting the last pair of hooded creatures, I immediately gazed the prince. Mabilis akong lumipad papalapit sa kanya ng biglang magtagpo ang aming paningin.
I almost fall and lose my cool with that death glare of his like it some sort of a stunning spell. Bigla, hindi ako makagalaw. I was really surprised how scary the look on his face he threw at me. Parang isang halimaw at hindi prinsipe ang kaharap ko.
I stopped on my tracks and watch him in awe. Hawak ang metal vessel ay bihasang ikinumpas niya ito sa hangin. His vessel is far from looking simply. It has a sun symbol and it's... a little thick than mine.
It looks very manly that also suits him yet it's too long. Parang isang metro mahigit ang haba. It has some sort of rings just like mine and the sound of bell rang as the violent wind continued releasing the storm's rage. Wala akong nagawa kundi panoorin siya at ang mga sumunod niyang ginawa.
The gate of hell took it's time to opened. About 10 seconds... Ten freaking seconds and it was still slow for me! I guess, I'm just excited and very much overwhelmed. Right.
Ang disenyo nito'y mga higanteng buto na ikinalat at ibinudbod sa mismong pinto. There's a skull of a huge creature. Parang sa dragon. There are tusks of huge mammoth's an even some bones of simple creatures like humans!
But what really caught my attention was the multiple locks (or at least that's what I thought) arranged between the 2 doors kung saan nakapwesto ang dalawang malaking hawakan. San daang buto ng kamay na magkasalikop ang mga daliring unti-unting naghiwalay sa pagbukas nito.
And when it finally opened, a cold icy wind blew from the insides of it. Madilim, punong-puno ng magueh at mga kadena ang nasilipan kong nasa loob nito. Then suddenly, it became like a huge vacuum.
Hinigop nitong lahat ang makapal at itim na mga ulap sa itaas. In a blink of an eye, the weather came back to normal. Like there's really no storm happened in the first place. And while watching everything being sucked on the huge gate, I was just staring at it in awe, unable to react.
Kahit hindi ko sulyapan ang mga kasamahan ko ay alam kong ganoon din ang magiging reaksyon nila. And heck---I don't wanna say this but---this isn't the right time to check on them! Even if some were injured or in the verge of death!
Am I really a hell-keeper?
The gate of hell closed. Kung gaano ito kabagal na i-summon para dumating at bumukas... ganoon naman kabilis itong sumara at nawala. And when it was finally out of my sight, I was able to move again. Lahat ng mga naka-itim na nilalang sa paligid ay nawala, maliban nalang sa tatlong nasa harapan ni prinsipe Ul.
I don't think he want to include them inside the gate. Maaaring itinira niya ang mga ito upang malaman ang kanilang tunay na pakay sa pagpunta dito ng walang kung ano-ano. After all, he and his friends were always sent to missions outside Averian University to look and spy for this illusionist.
He was even badly injured the last time he got into a mission. What more now? I'm sure he's partly blaming himself because they didn't predict that these unknown creatures will happened to seek for a fight. Not now that we aren't prepared.
I didn't think twice and rushed to his direction. But then, the prince sways his metal vessel and aimed it on my direction. Sandaling napunta ang malamig niyang tingin sa akin bago bumaling sa natitirang kalaban.
"Stay back," I heard him say in a very cold tone that I'm sure was for me. Again, for nth time this day---night rather, I was told by the same words---damn it!
And it's more frustrating that I can't do anything about this mess! I am a hell keeper too! The freak am I just standing?!
"Besides, Mezul's not ready yet. She can't even contain her metal vessel."
I gritted my teeth upon remembering the exact same words sir Del uttered just hours ago. Ano nga bang magagawa ko? I just happened to unleased a huge typhoon that can easily wipe this kingdom because my power gone berserk!
Oo at hindi ako nawalan ng malay pero nagdala naman ng delubyo. Seriously, ano bang spell ang ki-nast ni prinsipe Ul sa metal vessel ko?
Mezul, this was not the right time to blame others for your mess either!
"Yeah, just stay back, scarred face. You won't like it when the present hell-keeper gone mad!" Trixia spoke, mocking at me then shook her head and let out a wicked laugh like she's insane.
Tuwang-tuwa ito kahit nasa alanganin ng sitwasyon. Is she not afraid of death? Prince Ul will not kill me, imbecile! I'm his mate! I wanted to scream but of course I restrained myself.
"Maybe, we'll die here..." she 'tsked'. "But at least we got some juicy information to report! So..." she held her hand and a small black butterfly came out of it. Di nagtagal ay dumami ito at mabilis na lumipad papalayo. "Tell everyone to spread the news. The male hell-keeper has finally revealed himself! Carry my message, Piece!" Dagdag pa nito.
Inis kong binalingan ang mga paru-paro at minanipula ang kapangyarihan upang mapuksa ang mga ito pero masyado silang mabilis para mahabol.
And when I lost my patience, someone grab me on the arm and drag me out.
The Crimson's has no plans on staying to watch the fight and immediately evacuate. Maybe prince Ul send some messages through telepathy and told them to stay away.
Ako, na na-engkato yata ay nagpadarag naman sa kung sinong humila sa akin paalis ay walang nagawa kundi titigan nalang ang magyayari mula sa malayo.
AGAIN!
When we all keep our distance, the three hooded creatures spread away and started attacking the prince. I was thankful that I fell at the bottom of the line dahil nagkaroon ako ng kaunting panahon para manood.
Prince Ul took his time on fighting them. Na para bang hindi threat ang tatlong kalaban kaya ganoon siya kapanatag. Pero halatang higit ang lakas niya sa kung sino mang nilalang na naririto ngayon. The three were surely having a hard time. Kahit na... tatlo pa sila.
I can't help but be disappointed with myself. For being useless and for the long gap between prince Ul's power and ability compared to mine. Malayo-layo pa pala talaga ang hahabulin ko. Tsk.
Bago magsara ng tuluyan ang pinto papasok sa palasyo, sa unang pagakakataon ay nasulyapan ko ang kapangyarihan ni prinsipe Ul. I always have been curious about it. Turns out... it's lightning. Only gold in color.
Wala sa sariling napangiti ako, double doors are closing, because for the first time... I saw my mate fight. Kahit na mabilis at sandali lang. Kahit hindi ko siya natulungan. I still smiled in the end. And it's more frustrating that I'm smiling after being useless. After knowing how far our gaps between each other.
After running away.
The feeling hurts like hell... In my heart... felt like I'm being suffocated. And then everyone panicked.
Too much for being useful, Mezul.