Zen Xi's P.O.V
2 years ago...
"Nakita nyo ba si Madame ZenLe?" Tanong ko kina Can na nag eensayo.
Pahapon na ngunit wala pa rin si Hai, alam kong may pina plano nanaman ito. SImula ng mawala si Rox ay siya na mismo ang kumikilos para panatilihin ang aming posisyon sa 5 Great Clans.
"Wala naman po, hindi nyo po ba kasama?" Ani ni Ran at yumuko sila sa aking harapan.
"Continue your practice, ako na ang mag hanap sa kaniya- baka nalibang nanaman sa kagubatan." Pag sisinungaling ko bago naglakad palayo.
Dahil si Rox lang ang kaisa isang katiwala ni Hai sa mga sikreto ng aming Clan ay naging distant na si Hai sa ibang mga Clan members namin. At alam ko ring isa sa dahilan ang pagiging taksil ng mga magulang nina Can at Ran kaya't mas pinili ni Hai na huwag isunod sa yapak ni Rox ang tatlo, malaking ginhawa ito saakin dahil hindi maghihirap ang tatlo para lamang sa kasakiman sa kapangyarihan ng aking asawa.
Alam kong nagkamali akong piliin siya, nagkamali rin ako na pagtaksilan siya. Ngunit si Zen Hai ay isang kakaibang babae, hindi magagawa ng isang normal na tao ang mga bagay na ginawa niya. Kahit anong gawin kong pag pigil sa kaniya ay alam kong wala akong magagawa, isa lamang akong walang kwentang asawa, ang tanging kwenta ko lang ay ang bigyan siya ng anak- at pera ng aking mga magulang!
Isa lamang akong binatang uhaw sa kaniyang pag ibig nung pinakasalan ko siya, nasilaw ako sa kaniyang kagandahan at hindi ko nakita ang mga masasamang bagay na naka paligid sa kaniyang liwanag, nagsisisi man ako ay wala akong magawa, mahal ko pa rin siya at katangahan nalamang ang aking pag asang magbabago siya. God knows how I tried to reason out with her- but I was just a shadow, I couldn't do anything!
"Salamat, bukas nalamang ulit!" Rinig kong tinig ni Hai ng marating ko ang tabing ilog, malayo sa daungan ng ZenUa.
"Mahal?" Sambit ko ng makita ang isang Spirit na kaniyang sinasakyan.
"Xi?!" Dali daling naglaho ang isang pigura ng lalaki kasama ang Spirit na kaniyang sinakyan.
"I knew it- how did you managed to get a Spirit work with you, what are you planning this time, aren't you satisfied yet?!" Sunod sunod kong tangong habang umiinit nanaman ang aking mga mata, nagbabantang lumuha.
"You don't have to worry about me and what I would do, you're safe from it anyway-" Hai
"No! This time, I won't let you do things that would lead to another death-"
"You're so naive Zen Xi, hindi tayo titigilan ng Jin kung hindi natin sila tuturuan ng leksiyon. I will handle this, and I know I won't fail- unlike your bastard-" Hai
"Don't you dare badmouth my son like that, he died for your sake-"
"He died because he slipped, I told him he shouldn't cultivate the stupid Dark Arts which he gained from YOU yet he continued to display it in public- he even use Restoration back in JinUa, do you think the Jins would believe us if we say it's the true form of our Nature? We are Healers for Gods' sake, even you couldn't do that! It would lead back to his real origin dummy, Shou Shien was about to discover your bastard's real identity years ago!" She screamed at me, belittling me.
Every member of a Clan knows that the Purity of the Main Branch is the main reason why every offspring could inherit the Clan's Nature and Weapon, but with my unknown background, both my sons inherited my Arts instead of Hai's. Xian's Craft was almost identical to a real Zen, meaning his Craft was partially Hai's and mine But Rox's... He fully inherited my unknown Art- which now they call Dark Arts.
"You knew it don't you? That's why you killed my father and silenced my mother, you know something about my origin-"
"Shut up, and even if I do, I would never tell you!" Her eyes proved my suspicion.
"I knew it, you are the one behind the destruction of our thousand year old lineage scroll- you're hiding something!" I walk towards her as she tries to step back, into the waters.
I tried to make her talk, but I was already caught into her trap. She framed me and faked her dead, luckily a woman saved me when I was escaping CaZen.
"I can help you, under one condition!" She said as I stare at her faceless head.
"Anything, I just want to clear my name-" I said panting, from running.
"You must forget my face." She said before I feel my whole body changing...
*End of Flashback*
"Just a little more... There you go!" I was returned to reality when I heard a loud ooze in the air.
A little Spirit-like creature was making the sound waves, Rox's face showed disgust on the Spirit he was holding before he clenched his hand and squished the Spirit.
"Th- thanks." ShouLe thanked Rox before sitting on the ground, contemplating on the memories that was altered on his mind by those Spirits.
"So these what Man-made Spirits looks like, they're like parasites!" LinLe
"It was really you who killed yourself, I spent years resenting for what my Clan did to you-" ShouLe stood up at tried to attack Rox but I immediately stopped him.
"Calm down kid, they're still the ones behind his death- if he didn't do it, your Clan would kill every Zen that time, he did what he thought was right!" I held him on his collar and stopped him from advancing.
"But still-" ShouLe
"You could hate me for what I did and what Madame ZenLe did, but that won't change anything- as long as they're still out there, this cycle of pain and hatred won't end!" Rox said while focusing on removing the Spirit on LinSe's head.
"He's right, and please Elder Zen, don't call me kid, I am Shou's leader, please show some respect..." ShouLe walked out defeated.
Poor kid, he grew up hating his own Clan, I hope he would finally find happiness after this!
"Please Pa, let him be..." Xian stopped me when I was about to follow ShouLe.
"I kind of relate to that kid, he'll feel better soon when he moves on." I said before returning to removing Spirits.
Just like what Rox taught us, the Spirits are responsive to our Orbs. And because all three of us has the same Orb Nature, we managed to fan out and treat every single citizens of the four great clans in just one whole day, it's a tragedy of what happened on the Jins but we must focus on the present... We'll give the citizens of Jin a proper burial after this battle- thanks to Lord Axcel, their bodies are stored in some Crafted Space.
*Blood splat*
"Kuya!" Sigaw ni Rox ng bigla nalamang tumumba si Xian.
"Anak?" Takbo ko palapit sa kanila.
Padilim palamang ngunit malapit na naming matapos ang pagpapagaling sa lahat ng naandito.
"Your Nature isn't as pure as ours, son, pahinga ka muna..." Lapit ko sa kaniya habang pinagmamasdan ang ilaw na lumalabas sa mga kamay ni Rox.
"I- I can still-" Xian
"No! ZenLe, please help brother to your Chamber." Rox stopped Xian.
"We'll take it from here, please rest." I pat his shoulder as Yoin carries him away.
"How come you haven't used up your Manas- Orb yet?" Lord Axcel
"That's one of the mysteries our Arts have, it doesn't seemed to have a limited Orb reservoir..." Sagot ko na ikina tango nalamang niya.
"That's why it is a very scary Arts, but I don't see how your guys couldn't feel any exhaustion- I mean we've been here for hours." Saad ni LinLe na ikina turo nalamang ni Rox sa gilid namin kung nasaan si Ran.
Ran's glowing and his Orb is coming towards me, Rox, and the other one was for Xian.
"This is the last one, Man, study." Rox said before making the Spirit fly towards Man.
"Silephina, Goddess of Psychic, Bestow me with your Divine protection and let me use one of your abilities. Essence Sight!" Man Crafted and his eyes glowed bright.
*Collective amusement*
"He's one of the kids this guy raised, they also learned Dark Craft from him."
"But they do not have the same Nature right?" LinSe
"Yes, that's why they only use their Craft when needed, I am just saying these secrets to all of you so that we could establish trust between each other." Rox's seriousness came out, it seems like he's already tired.
"Yes Zen Rox, we know and we do trust you!" LinLe
"Why don't you take a rest first, I'll take care of the rest- if Man finds something." I smiled at him which formed a hint of smirk in his lips.
"Thank you pa..." Sagot niya bago siya nagtatakbo papuntang puno at naupo sa ilalim nito.
A few minutes passed and Man continues to scan everyone.
"Elder Xi, I was trying to talk to you earlier but I know you were busy..." Can stood besides me.
"Hello Can, I am sorry I have t-" He cut me off.
"H- hindi mo na po kailangang humingi pa ng patawad, you did what's right... I just want to say, I am glad you've returned, kailangan ka nina ZenLe at ni Master, please do not let them be consumed by their anger towards their mother-" Can
"You know that's impossible, all our lives we were terrorized by her thirst for power- and now that she's aiming for something monstrous, their hatred will help us put a stop on this once and for all. We cannot trust anybody out of our Clan for they do not know how powerful Madame ZenLe- we've been hiding this side of our Clan for generations, but now, we are the center of the world's attention. Rox's return must've been caused by the wishes of our Ancestors to stop Zen Hai's terror!"
I know I am putting a lot of expectations to my son but I can feel it, he's born for something great!
"Sana nga po tama ka, sana lang hindi sila malunod sa kanilang mga galit- Madame ZenLe's very good at manipulating emotions." Can
"Rox was born to be her successor, not to the throne but to become like her, and I know he already surpassed Zen Hai!"
"Elder Xi, mukhang wala na pong katulad nung mind Spirits." Man
"That's good to hear, may isa pa akong ipagagawa sa inyo. And please do not let my two boys know this..." I stared at the setting sun behind the tree where Rox's sleeping.
I watch him sleeps at Lord Axcel's lap and smiled.
"Please take good care of your brothers..." I said before teleporting out of the vast field where they are, out of the barriers.
I stood on top of the hills where behind it were the ruined ZenUa, I watch the vast field, now they call Great Land slowly being filled with torch lights to fight of the coming darkness of the night.
"I'm sorry I haven't got the guts to tell you, let me take care of this on my own- which I should've done long ago!" I mumbled as I walk towards under the tree and look up.
"That Cullaisten Lord is really something, the only good REAL thing one of your bastards have, Despite all of these lies that spread on this world, their relationship was the only real one-" Said by the monstrous of a woman.
"You're wrong, despite of not knowing the truth, they already have that strong bond that you won't be able to break."
"I searched everywhere for you yet you hid somewhere so easy to spot- who's your back up, someone more powerful than your REAL family?" She flew down and her white hair shined from the bright light of the full moon.
"You don't wanna know..." I looked at her Spear, similar to mine.
"Missing your Pet?" She smirked before gripping her Spear too tight.
"Master?!" I heard a familiar voice that made me mad.
"You'll pay for EVERYTHING you've done, to me and to this world. You're mad Zen Hai, you're mad!" I screamed at her while she just laugh menacingly.....