My body feels light.
No wonder why because In this place I am weightless. Different colors of clusters of light are flashing beyond my eyes. It's like I'm seeing the stars in a close view.
Napatingin ako sa paligid. Is this what they call a nebula within a galaxy? But why did I know those things? Napalingon ako sa likuran ko when an unknown force suck me in.
My eyes widened as I saw a big black hole. I scream as I was sucked inside but was muted.
Natagpuan ko ang sarili na lumabas mula sa isang liwanag but there I saw an entire empire getting destroyed as flaming gigantic rocks falls from the sky to the whole land creating havoc. People are screaming asking for help and dying at the same time. It's like hell came up to this land.
Napatingin ako sa taong kumalabit sa akin sa gitna ng kaguluhan. Its a small child, with white hairs, pale skin and sky blue eyes. Marahan niyang hinila ang tela ng damit ko.
Is she asking me to follow her?
So I did.
When I take a step everything around me changes like we travel through time and space. And the young child was suddenly gone.
I look around. This is a familiar room.
Nanlaki ang mga mata ko nang makita ang sarili na nakahiga at mapayapang natutulog sa gitna ng malaking kama.
Why am I there when I'm here?
"I did nothing! You're cruel your Grace. You still chose that woman over your own blood? I am your sister!"
Is that Ruelle's voice?
Gusto kong lumabas kaya sinubukan kong hawakan ang handle ng pintuan. Pero tumagos lang doon ang kamay ko.
Ah. Is this a dream?
So I went through the wall and there I saw Ruelle and Rufus arguing outside my room.
"Stop shitting me, Ruelle. You told me that the Duchess is exchanging letters with someone, that they're having a rendezvous behind my back. Concluding all of that, you pulled something aren't you?" Rufus' face darkens with rage, his voice is low which makes it more frightening.
"N-no...why don't brother believe me."
"Because you are my sister," Rufus said which made Ruelle speechless.
Why are they fighting? I waved at them but got no response. I really am invisible.
"I know your inferiority complex more than anyone else. You don't have any mana flowing within your body, you feel useless and infuriated with that fact. But remember Ruelle, not only you are suffering. My wife is dying inside as well."
Me? Dying what?
Ruelle scoffed.
"You don't love her, don't you? Why does brother act like you're concerned? You can find someone better with a good status, let her be brother!"
"Enough Ruelle." Madiing tugon ni Rufus. May halong pagbabanta. Pero hindi nagpatinag si Ruelle.
"You can marry Lady Daffodil after the Duchess dies. She's the daughter of a marquis, more deserving to be a duchess than anyone--"
"Do you have a death wish, little brat?" Rufus' face is now void of any emotion. His voice is colder, lower, and calmer but has an intensity that will make you tremble as you feel his intent to cut your neck.
"B-brother why a-are you treating me like this..."
"If my wife dies, I will take the heads of you and your company. Reflect on yourself Ruelle. I'm not kind. Not even of my own blood."
Rufus walks out and passes through me. He went inside my room so I followed him only to see the unexpected.
Rufus sat at the edge of my bed. He caressed my hair while holding and kissing the back of my hand.
Is that woman lying there really me? Is this a dream? Or am I in reality?
What happened to me at the warehouse after I blacked out?
Right... that bastard showed up before me. How about those two?
They must've found me. But how?
"Zanelli...wake up." My heart broke as I heard his voice cracked.
Hindi ko alam kung ano ba ang dapat kong maramdaman. I'm happy, confused and sad at the same time. Why is Rufus acting so passionate towards me? Matagal na ba siyang ganyan sa akin na hindi ko lang napapansin?
Gusto kong kalabitin si Rufus para sabihin na nandito lang ako sa tabi niya, hindi niya kailangan magalala but I couldn't even touch him.
Tiningnan ko ang sarili ko na mahimbing na natutulog, sino ang hindi magaalala sa ganyang hilatsa ng muka na parang hindi na magigising pa.
"It is I , Lemisha Periwinkle, may I come in and have and audience with you Duke Rufus?" Isang katok at anghel na boses ang nagsalita mula sa labas pero hindi natinag si Rufus. He lifelessly look at the door while tightly holding my hand.
Dude, I'm not going anywhere. And it is your first love came knocking behind that door yet he did not budge.
"Come in."
Lemisha Periwinkle. The current crown princess is visiting me.
Lemisha half smiled as she greeted the Duke.
"I see that you find the person you want to offer your life with," Lemisha commented.
Rufus blankly stared at her.
"Can I do that now?" He asked. Marahang umiling si Lemisha. They're talking about things that both of them only understand.
"You can't, and no one can."
"What do you mean?" Kumunot ang noo ni Rufus, maski ako ay nagugulumihanan na din sa pinaguusapan nila.
"Her soul is gray in color. Just like a smoke, she will soon..."
"Enough. I don't believe you. Out." He said as he dismissed her like she was a stranger and not the woman that he once loved.
"I understand. But if the Duke needs me, I think I can be of help."
As Lemisha went out the Duke's shoulder drooped down, his forehead at the back of my hand that was lying on the bed. Nagalalang napatingin ako kay Rufus. Who knows that he has this side that no one can dare to see? I don't wanna see him this vulnerably frustrated. Nothing can match how my heart aches for him.
I once again tried to touch his face but it just went through...
Naalala ko noong sinagip ako ni Lemisha, she's telling me about the color of my soul. I'm not clueless enough to not know what she meant by that.
I must have already...
I hardly gasp for air as I was sucked by an unknown force to somewhere. Pagdilat ko ng mga mata ko ay isang kamay at pamilyar na muka ng isang taong kinasusuklaman ko ang bumungad sa akin. The trashy Count touched my face and lifted my chin. I feel like I was struck by lightning, my body stiffened, my pupils widened, and my brain fogged. All the traumas that sleeping within me awakening and flashbacks of my miserable life flash before my eyes.
All of it happened because of one man.
None other than the Count Dumkoff.
All the hatred I felt towards the world, this life, and to the ones who created me pours like a bucket of pricky ice.
"You. Ruined. My. Life."
He screamed in pain as his fingers that touched my skin twisted on their own up to his shoulder. The breaking of his bones can be heard, nothing that I cared about. My mind is foggy and wrath embraces me.
"Let there be...suffering." I pointed to the Count. His eyes widened more and terror was written over his face.
"You! Witch!" He tried to run away but as my words reached his ears, every bone in his body became brittle. They cracked and broke on their own. He coughs blood as all of his organs are pierced by his sharply dislocated bone.
He screamed in agony, horror and rage. But it cannot do anything. Seconds later he falls in the ground like a boneless piece of shit. I walk towards him. Every step that I take melts every dust that surrounds me, and the floor that I walk on becomes lava.
"H-have mercy..."
"IS THAT YOUR LAST WORD." I look down at him. I am now consumed by my darkness. All I want is his death after his suffering.
"You. F*ck*ng witch..." He hardly blurted those words when he could hardly breathe.
I smiled at him wickedly.
With just one look I made his limbs separate from his body. One. by. One.
He screamed like he meant it and it was music to my ears. Nakangiting nilanghap ko ang hangin sa paligid after the bastard loss his conciousness. I kicked his torso.
"You dead?"
I squatted down to see his face. His eyes became white that suited his fugly face. Pinitik ko ang noo niya kasabay niyon ang pagsabog ng buo niyang ulo. Sinong magaakala na may utak pa pala siya at kapiraso niyon ang tumama sa muka ko.
I wiped it up and looked around. I remember that there was supposed to be a rat with him earlier.
I snapped my finger. I am now outside the warehouse looking at the man who ran away with his horse. I clapped and saw myself riding that horse with him.
"Where do you think you're running to?"
"ANYWHERE AWAY FROM THAT WITCH!"
"Hmm... is that so. But you can't escape, really." I nodded.
Lumingon siya sa akin. Nanlalaki ang mga mata sa pagkabigla saka rumihistro ang takot sa muka niya nang mapagtanto kung sino ang nasa likuran niya.
"Yo! Count Thomas Larimore."
He screamed as if he saw a ghost. That made the horse startled and panic.
I chuckled as the count fell off. Maybe he broke one bone or two but not enough to satisfy me.
I jumped off the annoying horse and let it run loose.
"Ah...ah. This is why I hate being kind."
"Please spare me, Duchess!" magkadaupang palad na lumuhod siya sa harapan ko. I blankly stared down at him.
"I don't give second chances to ugly people. You can go now with that trash of a count." I sighed.
"No, please! I have daughter and family to take--"
How pity. But I feel no remorse at all. I reached out his head and slowly whispered into his ear. Terror is written on his face, and tears fall.
I just took a step back and watched as his body exploded a few seconds later. I wipe my bloody face.
Bumagsak ang balikat ko. I look at my hand. My mana vault opened on its own with no one interfering to release it. I feel nothing as I look at these blood and body parts that splattered everywhere into pieces.
I just feel so tired that I wish I was dead and never woke up again. If this time I die and find myself in Hawysia once again, I might destroy the whole kingdom and even this world.
Napatingin ako sa langit.
I might finish their existence the next time I live and find myself in the loop once again.
"ZANELLI!"
My lifeless eyes went to find that voice. He's up there, flying in the sky. As his face slowly became visible to me, my heart felt like it was at ease.
I smiled warmly. Emotions slowly come back and darkness disappears as the ray of warm light shines over me.
"Rufus!"
I wave at him. But suddenly coughed and vomited blood. The last thing I remember was Rufus' worried face as he caught my back and the thing that I worried about was not myself but the blood all over me that tarnished his clothes.