*Note: Expect that there are typos and wrong grammars here*
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Raiden was problematic until he arrived home. Hanggang ngayon ay hindi maalis sa kaniyang isipan ang banta na ginawa ni Lyon para sakaniyang pamilya. He didn't expect that Lyon would do that to him just because of the Tree of Life. It really hurt him so bad.
"Hey, you okay?"
He hid the pain and betrayal first in his expression before looking up to see his sister. He smiled slowly so that her sister won't suspect anything.
"Yeah, just a little bit tired. Kamusta sina Elora?" He asked and removed his coat and scarf and put it on the rack.
"They're asleep. Napagod din ata si Elora sa breastfeeding." She reported. Dahan-dahan namang tumango si Raiden bago siya dumeretso sa kusina upang uminom ng tubig. "Saan ka ba nagpunta?"
"Uhh, somewhere." Reiko sighed them rolled her eyes.
"You really won't tell me, huh. Alright, hindi na kita pipilitin. I'll have to go."
Pagpapa-alam ni Reiko kay Raiden na ngayon ay umiinom ng tubig. But he stopped from drinking when he remembered to remind Reiko of something.
"Reiko.." She turned around again when Raiden called her.
"What?" Tanong nito habang nakataas ang kilay.
"Don't go to the kingdom."
Ipinagtaka naman ni Reiko ang sinabi ng kaniyang kapatid pero nagkibit balikat lamang siya bago umalis.
"Just don't go or else you'll not eat here anymore!"
Raiden shouted enough for Reiko to hear it in the living room. Hindi na ito pinansin ni Reiko at lumabas na ng bahay. Raiden knows that Reiko won't go to the castle since it's not her style at wala naman siyang kailangan doon, but he still reminded her just in case Reiko would thought to visit the castle.
After he drank the cup of water, he went to their room to see his wife and his children. Napangiti agad siya at parang napawi ang lungkot na naramdaman niya kanina nang makita niya ang mag-ina niya na natutulog ng mahimbing. Lumuhod siya sa tapat ng kaniyang mga anak at isa-isa niya itong hinalikan sa noo.
"You're back."
He looked up to see Elora and his smile became wider when he saw the cute and puffy face of his wife. He leaned closer to her and gave her a peck in the lips.
"Yup. Are you tired?"
He stood up and went on the other side of the bed to sit there. Umiling naman si Elora at sumandal sa balikat ni Raiden, while he started to caressed Elora's hair.
"Where did you go?" Elora asked in a soft voice.
"I just went somewhere else."
Hindi alam ni Raiden kung sasabihin niya ba kay Elora ang totoo dahil ayaw naman niyang mag-alala ito sakaniya.
"Really? Pero bakit nababasa ko sa isip mo na pumunta ka sa castle?"
Raiden shut his eyes harshly, nakalimutan niya palang mind reader ang kaniyang asawa. So for Elora not to know about the reason why Raiden went there, he tried his best to shrugged those thoughts off and think of something else.
"Yeah, I tried making up to Lyon." Napatingin sakaniya si Elora at tinaasan siya ng kilay. "Pero hindi kami nagka-ayos."
"Bakit naman?"
"Let's just not talk about that. Matulog ka na lang muna, I know you're tired taking care of our children."
Raiden said and started to hum while caressing Elora's hair. Alam niya kasi na madaling makatulog si Elora kapag ginagawa niya iyon. The weight of Elora became heavier in Raiden's shoulder at alam na niya na malapit na itong makatulog.
He just waited for Elora to fall asleep, hanggang sa hindi na rin niya namalayan na nakatulog na rin pala siya.
——
"How's Victoria?"
"She's find, your majesty."
Dahan-dahang napatango si Lyon habang pinagmamasdan ang baba ng castle. He is standing in the balcony of the highest floor in the castle while the royal guards are behind him.
"Is she receiving those foods?"
He asked again. Matagal na niya itong ginagawa kay Victoria. Palagi siyang nagpapadala ng stocks ng pagkain sa pamilya nila. He also make sure that Victoria is always safe around the city.
"Yes, your majesty."
Lyon sighed, if he could only have a chance to see Victoria again, he would do it. Pero alam niya sa sarili na hindi sila puwede, na hindi sila para sa isa't isa.
"Okay, palagi niyo pa rin siyang bantayan. Warn those guys who would have the guts to hurt her. Keep your eye on her." He commanded them.
"Yes, your majesty." The two royal guards make their bows before going inside.
Lyon kept his stare at the wide garden of the castle. As he was staring, his eyes stopped at the wooden house that was built in the northern part of the garden. Bigla niyang naalala sina Raiden at Elora. It's the house that he gave for his best friend, pero simula nang nag-away sila ay hindi na sila bumalik.
Suddenly, he felt a longing in his heart.
"Your majesty."
Natigilan siya nang marinig niya ang pangalan ni Falcon sa kaniyang likod.
"Was it good that I banned Raiden and his family in my palace?"
He randomly asked because he kept on thinking about it. Hanggang ngayon ay naguguluhan siya kung tama ba ang ginawa niya o hindi.
"Yes of course. You just did the right thing for your kingdom, your majesty. You don't have to think about it anymore. Raiden is a threat to our kingdom, especially to you."
Natahimik si Lyon nang sabihin ni Falcon iyon sakaniya. He doesn't know what to say, dahil kahit sabihin niya na tama iyon ay hindi pa rin niya maiwasang isipin na baka mali ang kaniyang ginawa. Because Raiden is his best friend after all.
"Threat?" Pang-uulit niya.
"Raiden knows everything about you, your majesty. One day, he would just tell everybody who you are and what you are and if that will happen, the archimages will loathe you as their king."
Falcon poisoned his mind again with those dramatic words, while Lyon was not aware of it. He still think that Falcon is in his side, that he is good for him.
"Majesty, I think you should kill him."
Lyon looked down and slowly turned to him. Agad-agad namang tinago ni Falcon ang malaking ngisi upang hindi iyon makita ni Lyon.
"He did nothing wrong. I would not kill a person who is still innocent, Falcon."
He retorted which made Falcon to feel disappointment for him. Bumagsak ang kaniyang mga balikat at hindi na lamang niya pinahalata ang inis.
They were disturbed when they heard a loud stomping of feet that was coming inside the palace. Nilingon nila ito at nakita nila ang mga royal guards na tumatakbo papalapit sakanila habang humihingal.
"Your majesty!" The center guy exclaimed.
"What?" Lyon asked with his deep voice. He could sense the uneasiness in their expressions.
"The Tree of Life..." Lyon's brows shot up and it caught his attention already. "The Tree of Life had been destroyed."
Napaawang ang bibig ni Lyon sa balitang narinig niya. Hindi niya inaasahan na naging mabilis ang pangyayari ngayong isang araw. He shifted his gaze to Falcon and he saw how surprised he is.
"It's Raiden! He did this! He's the one who destroyed the Tree of Life!"
The anger started to grow in Lyon's chest when Falcon said that. Biglang nawala ang awa at lungkot na nararamdaman niya ksnija para kay Raiden at napalitan lamang iyon ng galit.
Lyon didn't talk, he immediately went towards the place where the Tree of Life is hidden. The royal guards followed him and even Falcon. Sa pagbaba niya ah nakita niya si George.
"Your majesty..." Pagsisimula nito at mukhang alam na ang nangyari.
"I ordered you to keep your eyes on Raiden, pero bakit siya nakapasok sa loob ng kaharian ko?!"
Nandidilim na ang kaniyang paningin at gusto na lamang niyang magalit, mas lalo na sa taong gumawa nito. His dark mystique is starting to overpower his mind to the point that he wanted to kill someone, to kill Raiden.
Nakarating sila sa ground floor ng kaharian. The Tree of Life was placed at the center and it was surrounded with protective walls. Pumasok sila rito at napatigil siya nang makita na unti-unti na ngang nawawala ang ilaw na nanggagaling sa Tree of Life.
He gritted his teeth as he stared the destruction in front of him.
"Your majesty, we have no evidence that Raiden was the one who did this." Lyon flipped his coat and turned to George with anger in his eyes.
"Raiden was the only one who wanted to destroy this Tree of Life. Now, he doesn't know the destruction that the Tree of Life will give to us. We don't need evidence anymore, George. As what I ordered earlier, Raiden must be killed for what he do—"
"But he's your best friend!"
Lyon stopped—but that wasn't enough to melt his stone heart.
"He's no longer my best friend. He's a threat to me and now he's destroying my kingdom!"
He turned again to the Tree of Life, he suddenly remembered his mother who took care of it, kaya mas lalo siyang nagalit kay Raiden. He then raised both of his hands and slowly, a black light covered with black smoke was released in his hands and he immediately hit the Tree of Life with his mystique.
"If this is what he wants, then I'll give it to him." He said while greeting his teeth. When he was done releasing his mystique, he stared the Tree of Life. The yellow light that was surrounding the tree started to fade and it was replaced with a black smoke.
Tumalikod na si Lyon pero bago siya umalis ay huminto muna siya.
"We will start a war. Prepare for attacks."
——
"What are you doing out here?"
Raiden asked after he washed the dishes. Lumabas muna kasi siya sa kanilang bahay nang makita niya na nasa labas din ang kaniyang kapatid.
"Just watching the big moon." Reiko plainly answered without looking back at her brother. She just kept her eyes at the moon.
"Alam mo ba palagi kang tinatanong sa akin nina Jackson, also Elora. Kailan mo ba balak magpakita sakanila?"
Raiden also started to look at the moon, too. Napangisi si Raiden pero unti-unting nangingibabaw ang lungkot sakaniyang puso. Ngayon lang kasi sila ulit nag-usap tungkol sa kaniyang mga kaibigan. Raiden really missed his friends too, isa ito sa mga nawala nung pinili niya na tulungan si Lyon.
"I don't know. Hindi pa pala nawawala yung spell, e." Nasagot na ngayon ni Raiden ang kaniyang tanong.
They kept their silence after that, they were just staring at the big bright moon with its serene light. Reiko and Raiden fantasized the beauty of the moon, ngayon lang ulit nila ito natitigan and they were already amazed because of its tranquility.
Pero biglang napakunot si Reiko nang mapansin niya na unti-unti itong nababablutan ng itim na usok. Hindi nagtagal at napansin na rin iyon ni Raiden. The black smoke slowly enveloped the bright moon.
"What is happening, Raiden?"
Reiko's voice was shaking as she started to feel fear while staring at the moon. Naguguluhan din si Raiden dahil iyon ang unang pagkakataon na nangyari 'yun.
"I don't know..."
Then suddenly, they heard a loud storm that was coming from the skies. Bigla namang lumabas si Elora nang marinig niya iyon at sinamahan sina Raiden.
"What was that?"
Tanong niya pero hindi nila iyon pinansin nang may sumunod na namang kulog. The serene and dark skies started to be covered with purple lightnings and there were thunders after it.
"What the hell?"
Unti-unti na ring lumabas ang mga ibang archimages nang narinig nila ang sunod-sunod na kulog at kidlat na nanggagaling sa labas. They looked up and they felt frightened when the dark skies started to change its color to purple. Napansin na rin nila ang pag-iba ng kulay ng buwan.
"Raiden..."
Suddenly, they heard a deep and creepy voice from the sky. The name Raiden was echoed for three times. It was then followed with a horrifying howl. Raiden felt the touch of his wife on his hand.
"Why did you destroy the Tree of Life?"
From that moment, Raiden knew it was Lyon who is speaking to him. Pero ang hindi niya maintindihan kung bakit iyon ang kaniyang sinasabi dahil hindi naman niya sinira ang Tree of Life. While, Reiko and Elora looked at him confusedly.
"You have disobeyed your king. I've warned you and gave you a second chance but you just wasted it. The spell that I casted to each and every archimages in our world will now be gone and they will see you as a criminal not a king."
His voice keeps on echoing which made an eerie effect on it. But then suddenly, Raiden's children started to cry loudly. Nagulat si Elora at dali-daling pumasok sa loob upang tignan ang kaniyang mga anak. Raiden wanted to follow, too but he was frozen there like a statue.
"I'll not let this pass. You made a great disaster in our world which will be resulted in a bloody massacre. Raiden, as what I've ordered earlier.....you shall be killed. I'll give you what you want, I'll give you the war that you started. You have an hour to prepare yourself... Don't runaway, because death will chase you, and in that way, you will have your taste of death."
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Thank you for reading! Two chapters left!
ecyela