"Dark Craft, a very mysterious forbidden Magic that has an unknown source"
Rox's
"JinLe will remain here in LinUa until he fully recovers, thanks to Man we managed to save him from the brink of death!" Lord Axcel
"Where's Zero?" LinSe
"He's on our room, please let him rest." Lord Axcel
"Poor Zero, he had to fight his own fa- ahem. Anyway, I received a report from my husband saying he'll return with ShouLe to sort the misunderstanding..." LinSe
They're a few meters away from the Chamber I'm sleeping in yet I can hear their conversation.
"Is it true?" Claw
"Yes!" Fang
"Rox is no longer Maester's Disciple, after he absorbed that Spirit they call The Undead, Rox's body changed into it and broke the Link!" Head
"Tama ba ang hinala natin?" Wing
"Dark Magic, the only explanation we can think of. There's no stronger Magic to severe a Ritual between Lord and Disciple, this is governed by the Divine Gods, a Dark Magic is the only other way Rox could destroy that Link!" Head
"But- but he can't possibly do that, alam kong gusto niya ang Lord-" WIng
"Whether he liked Maester or not, we know how impulsive he could be. If we only know how to deal with a Spirit he wouldn't have to sacrifice himself and chose a very difficult way subduing those Spirits!" Fang
"I can't believe I'm siding with Fang, but yes. If only we had any knowledge about fighting a Spirit, we wouldn't have to rely on that Jin kid and Rox to fight The Undead. The only thing we did back there was be beaten up by a crazy Spirit!" Claw
"Sana okay lang si Rox!" Wing
"Lord Axcel assured us that he wasn't influenced by the Spirit he absorbed. Our Nature is very Pure especially Master's, and with Madame ZenSe as his tutor, I know he successfully turned those Spirits into Orbs!" Can
"Zen Can?! Kelan ka pa diyan?" WIng
"Enough to hear the last conversation you had." Can
"How's the other TriZen? I know they exhaust themselves because of us!" Claw
"They're fine, supporting allies is what we do so do not worry about them!" Can
"Th- thanks!" Wing
"And as for Master, please just trust us, I know what he did isn't something from Dark Craft, rest assured!" Can
I opened my eyes and stared at the ceiling, I rolled out of the bed and stared at the mirror besides the window.
"But I used Dark Craft!" I whispered while looking at the Spirits flying around behind my reflection.
And when i turned around, you couldn't see anything flying behind me.
"I'm sorry mother but I have to!" I turned into the mirror and watch the Spirits fly around.
"You're awake!" I heard Lord Axcel behind me.
"Did you saw her?" I turned to him.
"N- not yet, I couldn't sense her ever since we left JinSan." Axcel
He stared at me as if he never saw me for a long time.
"Y- you looked different." Axcel
"Well, this is what I really looked like! Now I just have to figure out how to publicly announce my return without igniting another war!" Saad ko habang inaalala ang mga narinig ko kanina.
"Or we could just continue with the lies until we settled your Clan's safety and just return with me back in Cullaisten!" He said while holding my shoulders.
"I-"
"Rox is no longer Maester's Disciple, after he absorbed that Spirit they call The Undead, Rox's body changed into it and broke the Link!" Head
"I don't know..." I turned around to avoid his eyes.
"You've done enough for your Clan, and if it's true about what you said regarding your own mother as your Clan's enemy- I cannot stand you getting hurt again! You can start another life with me, let your Clan handle that, dealing with The Undead is enough help you could do, you're still young. You could choose to be happy than suffer from whatever your clan did!" Lord Axcel
"But, kung si mother nga ang may pakana nito, it's best to learn her side and settle it-"
"What if she did died back then and became an Undead, could you do what you did earlier to your own mother?" Lord Axcel
He's right, I managed to use Acquire on those Spirits and The Undead because they did not know how to counter it- but if it's mother, the one who taught me that, I might die trying!
"I know everything you do is for your clan, but what does your clan ever did for you?" He said that pierced through me.
What does my family ever did for me?
''Remember anak, if we are cornered. Do not forget to keep your brother safe, even if you have to sacrifice your life! That is your duty as the second born!'' Mother
''Opo ma, kahit anong mangyari. Magiging kilala ang ating Clan at magiging susunod na clan leader si kuya Xian!''
"Maybe that's why the Gods reincarnated you- to live life how YOU wanted and not because anybody else told you to!" Lord Axcel
That's the second time I've heard it from him, yet why does my resolve wouldn't change?
"But this is what I want, I want to help my family with my second life because that's what I was born for!"
Because it's my duty as the second born!
*Sigh* He looked at me surrendering.
"If that's what you wished, get ready, LinLe will return soon with ShouLe!" He smiled while giving me an opened box filled with my Clan's clothing that looked like what I usually wore!
Why is he easily persuaded? Why is he not mad at my answer?!
"I told you, I love you and I will always stay by your side wherever you go and whatever you do!" He smiled before putting the box at the bed and turned around waiting for me to change clothes.
Kinuha ko naman ito, pinagmasdan ko ito at hindi ko namanlayang naka ngiti na pala ako.
"Axcel?" I called him as I started changing.
"Hmm?" He answered without looking.
"I know I haven't been clear to you about what I really am, and I want to start opening up to you about me..."
"That's good to hear!" Axcel
"And let me start by saying I am glad I'm no longer you Disciple!" I continued after wearing the last layer of my clothing.
He turn around with a confused look.
"Because I can now clearly see what I truly felt about you!" Saad ko na ikina ngiti niya.
Lalapit na sana ako ng biglang bumukas ang pintuan ng aming Chamber.
"Master I heard LinLe's coming ba- oops sorry!" Saad ni Can na dali daling umatras at isinara ang pintuan.
*Chuckle* Lord Axcel
"We'll talk later!" I jumped to kiss his cheeks which caught him off guard.
*Chuckle* I walked out of the room and saw Can standing outside looking nervous.
"I- I'm sorry kuya Rox, I thought he's still with LinSe-" He explained which made me jiggle.
"Wala ka namang ginawang masama, calm down Can!" Tap ko sa braso niya.
"Wh- what where you too talking about?" He mumbled after we started walking down the pathway to the entrance of LinUa.
"Nothing much..." I answered.
I can feel Can's unease eyes staring at me as we continue walking.
"How are you three handling this?" Sambit ko nang hindi nalingon sa gawi niya.
"Honestly, we're overjoyed seeing you alive and well after all of these years but, but if The Undead turned out to be made by Madame ZenLe, everything we fought for, the thing that made us three, what we are now, as the TriZen, those would be all for nothing!" Can stopped at his tracks and looked at me with a teary eyes.
I looked at him, feeling downhearted!
"We promised not to turn out like you, but if she orchestrated all of this, would that make us involved with her plans? We thought by haunting The Undead will help you finally rest in peace but- but if she planned all of it, it would make us as pawns to her plans... We turned out to be just like you!" He cried.
"Don't worry, hinding hindi nyo gagawin ang ginagawa ko para sa ating Clan, as long as I'm here, po protektahan ko kayong lahat!"
I never wanted them to be like me, I want them to live life without having our Clan's burden- but now, they are the ones who carries all of our Clan's burden!
"You never did became like me, you three became better than me!" I lifted his head.
I put his head towards my shoulder and caressed his back.
"Without you three, that Spirit could've destroyed a lot of Clans back then up to this very day. Mother isn't the one behind the things that made you today, it's yourselves. You decided to become the TriZen, you all honed the skills and abilities to reach your goals. Do not think about who ever orchestrated this battle, as long as we'll win!" Sambit ko bago siya yakapin ng mahigpit.
I missed these kids so much, and now that they know who I really am, I don't have to hide my longing for these kids I raised!
"Thank you Master!" Yakap niya saakin.
Nagulat naman ako ng maramdamang may dalawa pang katawan ang yumakap saakin.
"Master!" Rinig kong mangiyak ngiyak na sambit ng dalawang pamilyar na boses.
"Ran, Man!" Banggit ko sa kanilang mga pangalan.
Matapos nila akong yakapin ay ihinilera ko sila at pinag masdan.
"You all grown so much, I'm regretting not seeing you three grow up into what you are today!" Sambit ko na ikina ngiti nila.
"But you can still see us became real men, we'll make you proud Master!" Can
"I'm already proud, thank you for accepting me back to your lives!"
"Of course, you're our Master!" Saad nilang tatlo na ikina ngiti ko.
This warm feeling in my heart, the unfading smile in my face, I hope this would be the start of my real happiness!
"You already have a wife and kids, stop crying like a kid!" Lingon ko kay Can na nahagulgol nanaman.
"I- I can't stop it, I missed you so much Master!" Matawa tawang iyak nito.
"Hindi namin akalaing makikita ka pa namin muli!" Man
"You didn't change Master, pandak ka parin!" Saad ni Ran na ikinatawa namin.
*Whoosh!* Natigilan ako ng maramdaman ang isang pamilyar na Essence na dala ng hangin.
"Shou Shien!" Bulong ko bago lingunin ang pinanggalingan nito.....