Lilian opened her arms again still holding on to the bloody heart of Marlin as she released powerful fire in her surroundings. She smells the burning flesh of the soldiers who perished in the earlier fight as the trees catch the embers of her rampage.
"Lilian stop..." Kalen painfully grunted as he watched her move from one body to another burning everything under her watch. Blood was all over his armor staining even his beautiful gray hair.
Napahinto si Lilian sa kanyang paglalakad at biglang napalingon sa kinaroroonan ni Kalen. She bent her knees and watched him. Her hair extended to the floor and Kalen tried to reach out touching her strands with his bloody hands.
"Please, Lilian stop..." He whispered again.
She momentarily felt sorrowful as she lightly touched Kalen's fingertips but the ominous rage inside her was feeding her core like burning lava, and she was quick to whisk the feeling away. Her cold eyes stared at Kalen one last time before she decided to walk away.
Muli siyang tumayo at naglakad papalayo kay Kalen, denying any compassion or pity she might sense towards these beings. At a distant nakita din niya na nakahandusay ang katawan ni Ardan, his beautiful face lies lifeless on the ground, and saw the damage Marlin did to the young king. She walked further and stumbled upon Obene this time.
Her heart felt heavy, so she stopped and touched Obene's handsome face. Hinawi niya ang buhok nito and felt his cold flesh. A tinge of pain hit her chest.
"Leave her body at once!" Roma shouted, tapping his staff on the ground and it roared like thunder.
Napalingon ng dahan-dahan si Lilian unbothered by his display of power habang nakatingin ng mataimtim ito kay Roma. She took her time to watch him from head to foot, testing and provoking him.
She smiled. "Ahhhhh the sorcerer that trapped me for a long long time. I should harbor hatred against you, first, you interfere with Aelle's incantation and even take his body away from me. Ngunit pinapatawad na kita, you delivered me the perfect host. The years of waiting finally paid off" aniya na nakabukas ang mga braso welcoming her whole being.
"She is not for your taking! Release her!" Saad ulit nito.
"You cannot command me, how dare you! If you want this body back... Take it by force" she threatened.
A compelling force was blasted towards Roma as it quickly spread across the forest. "And this body is so powerful too," she uttered to herself laughing.
Roma glided speedily and pounded his wooden staff towards Lilian which she effortlessly dodged, she turned aside and sent a huge magical ball against him, he barely avoided it and grazed his arm trying to turn it away. It could have ended his life if it hit him at full speed.
She threw another spark of blue flame and Roma rolled over trying to find a place where he could hide. He can't beat the dark lord this way. He needs to think.
"Don't be a cowardly sorcerer... Fight me with all you might" she taunted flickering fire to where he possibly is.
"Lilian, I know you are in there..." Roma shouted. "You are stronger than this, you have to fight the dark lord out" he uttered trying to talk sense hoping it could reach her.
She laughed once again.
"She has abandoned all reasoning now Sorcerer. Her fury is filling her whole, she wouldn't be able to hear you anymore and soon enough I will own this body for good. Give it up, you cannot have her back" she menacingly laughs.
"Lilian listen to me!" Roma uttered once again...
The dark lord found his hiding place and using Lilian's body she easily pulled him out exposing him in the open, Roma stumbled on the ground. She picked him up again and this time Lilian was aiming for his neck. Her strong hands went around him, Roma wriggled trying to breathe, but Lilian was not letting him go.
Nararamdaman ni Roma ang panghihina na kanyang katawan, the visions that he peeks in the future didn't prepare him for this scenario. He tried to touch Lilian's forehead, trying to find her in her mind.
Lilian wake up!
A voice called for her. Lilian opened her eyes slowly as she felt a warm cocoon engulfing her.
Where am I?
"This body is mine!" A distorted voice came out of Lilian's mouth. Noah jumps in and with all force he removes Lilian's hand on Roma's neck, which she eventually does.
Lilian took a few steps away from Noah and Roma at pinulot nito ang espadang nakalatag sa lupa.
Roma takes some air painfully as he eases the pain in his neck.
"Be careful Noah, the dark lord is controlling her body..." babala nito.
She raised the weapon against the two men in front of her.
"Lilian, it's me..." Noah pleaded, he knew she was in there somewhere.
She didn't acknowledge Noah's words but instead, she raised the sword and attacked him mindlessly.
By instinct Noah defended himself, he raised his sword too, and Lilian expertly maneuvered the blade, creating a clanging sound in each contact when Lilian suddenly lost her footing.
"Damn this long dress!" She cursed under her breath. She tried to gain her balance again, but Noah was already aiming for her neck.
Noah paused, his hands tremble habang hawak hawak ang kanyang espada. He can end it here and stop Lilian from this madness.
"I can't do it. I can never hurt you Lilian" his eyes softened and he defeatedly dropped his sword, his eyes were on her begging for her to return to his side.
"I can" saad ni Lilian na walang pag-aatubiling ibinaon ang espada sa dibdib nito.
Noah groaned from the pain, but he held his feet steady. "Lilian... It's me. Please stop this" pagmamakaawa niya.
Lilian just smirked pushing the blade further but stopped midway ng makita niyang hawak-hawak ni Kalen ang matalas na bahagi ng espada.
"Lilian stop" Kalen tried to talk but his strength was slowly fading.
Using her two hands, she pushed the blade even more firmly penetrating Noah's body and Kalen's. The prince once again fell on the ground and death came to his aid in a matter of seconds.
Blangko ang mga mata ni Lilian na nakatingin sa walang buhay na katawan ni Kalen ngunit madali niyang ibinalik ang atensiyon kay Noah who was defying her even more, his will and hope to bring her back was indeed commendable.
Nooooo! Came the voice in her head.
Noah winced as blood started to splatter but he didn't move away from Lilian.
"This is not you Lilian... Come back to me please" he gently touched her face, delicately tracing her cheek.
The battle within Lilian's mind starts to arise. Certain memories from her childhood flash before her eyes and Noah's smiling face has always been there for her. His laughter serves as music during those countless times she felt alone in the orphanage. He is her big brother, her one true friend.
Don't you dare hurt Noah! The voice within her screamed and she readily dropped the sword from her hand.
Get out of my body! She loudly utters making Lilian take a step back and scream uncontrollably, she twitches her arms, bending her body forward and backward trying to expel the dark lord within her. She pulled her hair painfully regurgitating the entity who was latching firmly. Get out of my body! She screamed in her mind again.
A loud growl escaped her mouth together with a painful shriek as the shadowy figure immersed away from her.
I cast it out!
"Lilian quick! Let us vanquish it together!" Roma shouted and instinctively he raised his wooden staff and aimed at the ominous shadow while Lilian pointed her hands to the entity upfront, collecting all her strength, and with all force they propelled it towards the dark lord.
It resisted for some time, but the incantation of the prophecy and the sorcerer were too powerful to handle so eventually the dark shadow slowly faded away.
"Go back to where you belong!" Roma loudly said and as the last form slowly disappeared it released a deafening unearthly sound of violent turbulence before the last vapor vanished in the air completely.
Roma was equally exhausted, stumbling on the dirt as he tried to catch his breath.
Lilian's whimper was the only sound that was heard around them.
"What have I done?" She asked habang nakayuko ito at nakahawak sa kamay ng kanyang kababata. She scanned the area too and watched the elaborate damage she caused within the forest, and she couldn't help but notice an intense feeling of guilt inside her.
"Noah, patawarin mo ako" aniya.
Noah smiled painfully; his breathing was labored as he held on to the stab wound, she had inflicted on him earlier. "I am glad you are back... I have missed you. Never turn into a villain again that was scary" Noah attempted to lighten up the situation, but that only made Lilian cry harder.
"Lilian, it's not your fault, look at me." He touched her hand and squeezed it tightly. "Even if I die, it's not your fault, I will always be your big brother. Always." pagbibigay katiyakan nito.
Lilian extended her hand, tapping on her powers so she could heal him. She was crying non-stop blurring her eyesight, but she didn't mind. However, it was too late.
Noah is dead.
"This is all my fault." She sniffs. "I am so sorry..."
With her broken heart, Lilian stood up and ran towards the deeper part of the forest. She wanted to run away. Flee from all the pain she imparted, cast away all her guilt and the loss that is eating her inside.
"Lilian come back!" She heard Roma shout.
Wala na ang kanyang ina, ang kanyang kababata, si Obene, Kalen at Ardan. She lost them all and it's all her fault.
She was blindly running non-stop, pouring her pain in every step. Hindi niya alintana ang mga kahoy na nakapaligid sa kanya, some vines graze her legs and arms, but Lilian didn't notice. Patuloy ang kanyang pagtakbo blocking all the noises in her mind. She then made a hasty stop when a familiar sense filled her entire being.
The enchanted tree.
She realized when her eyes caught its striking presence, standing gallantly in the middle of nowhere was the same tree that haunted her dreams for a long time she felt the same vibration of some sort like a mysterious energy around it. It emits subtle flare within its trunk and branches inviting Lilian to come closer and she did.
"You brought me here so I can end and ruin the lives of the people I care about... And now they are all gone, and it was all my fault," she uttered blaming the tree in front of her.
"Please take me instead, they don't deserve to die. I am willing to sacrifice my life in exchange. Bring them back please..." she desperately prayed.
The glow of the mystic tree intensified some more, and Lilian decided to get even closer. She then extended her hands reaching out to its power and when her palm touched its rough trunk, she saw clips of past events and scenarios that had not happened yet.
Lilian saw a glimpse of what was ahead, and her heart sank even more. Subalit karugtong ng pait at sakit ay nakikita ni Lilian ang pag-asa ng kinabukasan, she gathered her courage again and is determined to take action of what she just realized. This time she knew exactly what she needed to do.
Roma finally caught up with her and his eyes could not believe what he was seeing, the enchanted tree had not taken its form before, it had always been a mystery within their people, believing it existed but had not been seen by anyone ever. However here it is, coated with magic and enigma. He focused his eyes again and saw how Lilian touched the tree trunk forming a sort of understanding.
What is happening?
Roma's eyes widened in shock as he witnessed how Lilian set herself ablaze, capturing the enchanted tree in the process.
"Lilian what are you doing?" he asked from a distance.
Napalingon si Lilian sa kanyang direksyon at malungkot itong tiningnan si Roma.
"I am setting everything back to the way it was before. I will do the right thing this time" she answered.
"You are sacrificing yourself!" He uttered and was quick to try to pull her out from her demise, but Lilian cast a barrier blocking Roma from even going further.
"You don't have to do this..." he pleaded.
Napailing si Lilian. "This is the only way..." saad nitong may determinasyon sa tinig.
A combination of blue, red, and yellow flames started to eat Lilian alive, she didn't scream for she felt no pain. The mystical tree dances along with her fire. She closed her eyes as peace finally settled her whole being.
It had been too long since she felt this kind of peace. As the last of her strength was slowly consumed by the burning inferno it ignited every inch of her body and for a few seconds Lilian watched it happen when finally, she stumbled at the bottom of the enchanted tree realizing the completion of her sacrifice.
Moments later what remains are her ashes as carried by the cold wind spreading them all over the realm.
Roma felt the dust and ashes sprinkled in the night sky like little sparkles of light bathing all over him and opened her hands, welcoming it when suddenly, he felt all his wounds were starting to heal. Impossible. He thought in utter shock.
He raised his arms and saw each bruise and burn, closing, removing all the scars from the encounter he had had earlier.
Lilian made a final sacrifice to bring back all the people she cared about. It was the ultimate act of selflessness and fulfillment of her duty as the prophecy's bearer.
Lilian... Roma whispered in the wind.