Adria
It wasn't soon after Cyan's expression became serious that he rushed towards where Klaude's earlier attack came from. Awtomatikong nahawi ang malamig na hamog sa bawat paghakbang niya.
"Klaude, he's coming!" babala ni Chartreuse na nasa ere pa rin bago nito inilabas uli ang mga latigong gawa sa anino. She then, lashed a sharp strike after Cyan.
The latter, with his keen sense made a quick sidestep, effortlessly evading the attack from above without looking.
Hindi natinag si Chartreuse. She hardened the shadows which turned into long retractable, yet flexible spikes. Mula sa kinalalagyan, sinabay-sabay at sinunod-sunod niya ang pagsugod gamit ang mga matutulis na anino. The shadow whips pierced through the fog like lances. Halinhinang binutas ng mga 'yon pati na ang lupang tinatakbuhan ni Cyan.
And like how he dodged the first attack relying only on his senses, Cyan was able to move unscathed through the successive shadow bombardment without stopping from his tracks.
Habang palapit siya ng palapit sa kinatatayuan ni Klaude, unti-unti namang lumilinaw ang silweta nito sa makapal na hamog. Aninag ang pagkilos nito na halatang bibitaw ng atake. Cyan slid forward as he created a sword made of ice using his elemental magic and parried the incoming strike.
Chartreuse was about to take advantage of the situation, but I was quick to block the fast-moving shadows with my flames just before it got close to Cyan.
"Ang hilig mo talagang makialam kahit noon pa, Adria!" she said with spite.
The shadows backed away just so it could charge at me again. Chartreuse aimed at full speed. Kaliwa't kanan ang mga aninong pinakawalan niya. Halos gahibla lang ang agwat ng bawat pag-iwas ko mula sa mga 'yon. A shadow slipped through my guard and slightly brushed against my cheek which was enough to leave a bleeding cut.
"Your head's next!"
She might be right. Her recent attack could've sent my head flying with just a misstep. I'm really in a disadvantage from her long-range multiple attacks.
Habang tinatantya kung ano ang susunod na gagawin ng kalaban ko, hindi nakaligtas sa pandinig ko ang ingay na nanggagaling sa likuran ko. I heard sound of clashing swords echoing in the thick fog. A sign that the other two are also settling things on their own.
Hindi pa man ako nakakabawi, nagpakawala na naman si Chartreuse ng atake. As I roll on the ground to avoid being diced to pieces, a basic knowledge came to mind: elemental magic is the only kind of magic that can counter forbidden magic.
Hastily, I stood up and enfolded both my hands with flames. Inabangan ko ang sunod na atake ni Chartreuse. At nang isinugod niya ang mga anino, agad kong sinunggaban ang dalawa sa mga 'yon habang uniiwas sa iba pa.
With all my might, I pulled Chartreuse and aggressively swung her around before slamming her down. And as soon as she fell flat on the ground, I ordered my flames to crawl on the shadows, and imprisoned her in a sphere cage made of fire.
Nilingon ko ang direksyon ni Cyan. At the moment, he's warding with his own weapon, a black sword that emits dark aura wielded by Klaude. As the latter kept forcefully swinging it back and forth, he still find ways to retaliate. Sunod-sunod ang palitan ng dalawa sa pagsangga at pag-atake.
Puno ng gigil ang bawat hampas ni Klaude. "You should have stayed dead!"
"Why should I, when you're still alive?" Cyan sarcastically remarked.
Mas lalong rumahas ang sunod na mga wasiwas ni Klaude ng hawak dahil sa narinig. Muntik na nga nitong makahagip sa braso ni Cyan kundi lang 'yon agarang naiwasan ng huli.
"We could have stayed good friends." A comment I'm sure Cyan meant.
"How desperate!"
I can't help, but think that between the two, Klaude's the one who's desperate. Pretending to be friends with the person he loathes, for so many years just to exact revenge is definitely a whole new level of desperation.
Are the good times they've spent together as bestfriends really just for show?
If it's me, the bond they shared together looked and felt real.
Mabilis na yumuko si Klaude para iwasan ang paparating sa kanyang espada. Sinundan niya 'yon ng pagpatid kay Cyan na nakapagpabagsak dito sa lupa.
"I could have been the only Frozenmist heir," Klaude uttered as he stabs with his sword, aiming for Cyan's head.
Lying on the ground, the latter kept tilting his head from one side to the other. Trying his best to avoid not only the sharp blade, but also the dark aura that flickers around it. Due to the reason that with just a touch, forbidden magic can rot flesh as it spreads throughout like a deadly disease.
"I could have been Queen Devian's only son!" Sa diin ng bawat pagtusok ni Klaude, nadudurog pati ang kinahihigaan ni Cyan. "I could have been the one destined for Adria!"
Cyan found a chance and kicked Klaude in the abdomen that made him fall back.
The former rose up. "After all this time, you still haven't moved on." Napailing pa 'to.
Once again, Klaude got triggered by Cyan's words. Full of rage, he charged with his sword held up.
Cyan raised his weapon to answer the incoming blade. "Even if you're a half blood, you are still a Frozenmist!" With one strong swing, he repelled Klaude's sword to the side. "So act like one!" Fist clenched, he gave his cousin a wake-up punch in the face.
Cyan clearly acknowledges Klaude's existence, recognized his ability that the latter, himself didn't.
Paatras na napaupo si Klaude sa lupa. His upper lip bled. Walang anuman nitong idinura ang dugo mula sa bibig.
As if it didn't hurt, his expression remained fierce. "Easy for a pure blood to-" Natigilan 'to sa pagsasalita. Suddenly, he clenched his chest. May kung anong sakit ang iniinda nito, na siguradong hindi si Cyan ang may dulot.
What's wrong?
Bigla na lang din sumigaw si Chartreuse kaya napalingon kami ni Cyan dito. "Klaudeeee!" she screamed her master's name in pain.
"D-amn, the t-time wasn't enough t-to kill you." Klaude pertaining to Cyan, was barely able to speak before slowly disintegrating into black mist.
Nung binalikan ko ng tingin si Chartreuse, unti-unti na rin siyang naglalaho na parang usok.
Cyan ran to my side, and without any idea of what's happening, we watched the wisp of black mist slowly fuse together into a huge spiral.
"Summoning forbidden magic itself, to perform a test isn't free,"
Bigla na lang sumulpot si Eve mula kung saan, na ngayon ay nakatutok ang mga mata kay Cyan habang ganon din 'to sa kanya. "Your bethroted's soul was the promised price, your majesty." Baling na nito sa 'kin.
Klaude and Chartreuse bit more than what they can chew.
Napabalik ang atensyon ko sa unti-unti nang lumalakas at lumalaking itim na ipo-ipo. "They gambled with too high of a stake."
"This is their price to pay," Cyan mumbled as if to finish what I'm about to say.
Within the spiralling wind of darkness, a blaring howl resounded that shook the ground as the gust of wind got stronger. It was a roar of an unknown beast.
Nang kusang humupa ang malakas na hangin at naglaho, natutop ko na lang ang bibig.
There, standing was a massive red-skinned three horned biped creature, with wings similar of a dragon. The abomination that could have been Cyan's old body, has been recreated from Klaude and Chartreuse instead.
My heart ached of what became of them. I find it unfair. Even them, don't deserve this kind of fate.
Bumugso ang malakas na hangin dahil sa pagaspas nang malaki nitong mga pakpak.
"We can't let that go and roam in this world." Cyan uttered before I felt the wind get chillier.
Small flakes of snow slowly formed around him. His silver hair began glowing, making the strands almost transparent. Unti-unti ring nagliwanag ang kinatatayuan niya.
"Rise, Khione!"
A snakelike dragon made from ice swiftly emerged from the magic circle that took shape underneath his feet.
It was my first time seeing his elemental beast.
The frost dragon slithered in air and successfully wrapped itself around the dark creature, restricting its movement. The two beings struggled against each other. The creature stridently roared as it tries to resist the dragon's confinement. And through its wide agaped mouth a black beam of light fired, clearing everything in one straight path. It left nothing in its wake, but burn marks.
"A—dria. A-A-Adria."
Natigilan ako. It's calling my name.
Klaude and Chartreuse consciousness might still be there!
Pasugod na sana si Cyan nang pigilin ko siya sa braso.
"They don't deserve this," paliwanag ko. "There could still be a possibility to turn them back."
"Adria, we do magic, not miracles."
Nakagat ko ang pang-ibabang labi bago idinugtong ang nasa isip. "I can—with a full-pledge dark magic contract," sagot ko kahit alam kong hindi himala ang tawag do'n kundi kasalanan.
There was disbelief in his eyes as he remained silent for a few seconds.
Nangunot pa ang noo niya bago nagsalita uli."I can't let you sacrifice yourself again. You've sacrificed enough!"
Suddenly, a long obnoxious cackle rang in our ears. Pareho kaming napabaling sa pinagmumulan n'yon. It was Eve, sitting on top the dark creature's head like it was nothing.
"You're willing to succumb to dark magic for the likes of them?" tanong nito bago saglit na nabalot ang kabuuan niya ng itim na usok.
And when the smoke diffused, she appeared as if she was someone different: black hair that burns like flames and a dress that flows, made from dark thick fog.
"It's as expected of you though, your majesty." Ngiti niya.
Out of nowhere, a crescent, shaped like a wide grinning mouth materialized behind her. Inside was pure darkness.
"Not having you contracted now is a pity. However, you'll eventually give in, sooner or later without anything of mine at stake," she said clearly pertaining to the dark creature as hers.
I'm speechless looking at Eve. I don't want to believe it, but my mind kept insisting about the truth.
I was fooled. For so many years, I was.
As thick strong chains came straight out from the mouth, shackling the dark creatures limbs and neck, I heard Cyan whisper to call Khione back just in time.
"I shall collect my payment." Tinalikuran na kami ni Eve kasabay nang unti-unting paghatak ng mga kadena sa tinutukoy niyang bayad papasok sa loob ng kadiliman ng nakabukang bibig.
"A-are you really—"
She looked back with a wide smile on her face. "I am dark magic. I am the strongest kind of magic there is. I am the embodiment of evil."
It was the exact same lines she told me when we first met in the forbidden library.
"It was fun watching you two." She then disappeared into the mouth along with the dark creature who's supposed to be Klaude and Chartreuse.
_________
N/A:
I thank leevmealone_ for her assistance in the last part of this chapter.