Hi! Sinabi ko na yesterday morning ko 'to post but I forgot na may klase pala ako kaya ayan, inabot na ng madaling araw. Thank you so much for your patience!
Dedicated to smljysn!! Thank you for reading!!
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"Anong mga tingin 'yan?" Pigil tawang tanong ni Luna at napapagod na binagsak ang katawan sa bakanteng upuan.
Lady Doreena simply gave her a supplement to help her regain her strength. Scatha needs her body to become stable, to be able to contain that much power inside her, because he has been breathing in her energies just to breathe them out stronger.
He's making her even more powerful.
"Luna bear, usap tayo."
Napadilat naman ang dalaga at hinabaan ang leeg para masilip ang tumawag sa kanya.
"Sino 'yon?" She asked while yawning. Though she's not in her right mind as of the moment, she knew that it was Veton who spoke.
"Babe."
Iraia got up and sat next to her. Despite the fact that Luna's eyes are heavy from exhaustion, she can still see the fear right through her friend.
"Why are you so scared?" Bulong ni Luna na mahinang ikinatawa ni Iraia.
"Am I?" Pilit itong ngumiti.
The spark in Luna's eyes disappeared as she glanced in the direction of the doorway.
Her senses had always been sensitive, as if she was born with them, but the sensation of sensing something heavy and powerful even if it was miles away was a different story.
She's not a fool, but she's pretending to be one in order to avoid facing the reality that she's still denying. She remained silent and kept her breathing steady despite the sweat pouring from her body.
Even before the guests arrived, Damien, who was already behind the door, opened it for them to enter.
"Amara."
Dahan dahang siyang napabangon habang hindi makapaniwalang tinignan ang bagong dating.
"Anong ginagawa mo rito?"
Diamante looked her in the eyes with an emotion that even she felt. He looked at her with a mixture of pride and... pity.
He took a step to his side, revealing a person they had not expected to see.
"My utmost respect, Their Highnesses." The royalties— Iraia, Damien and Luna all stared at her.
"Pharaohs." Dagdag nito at yumukod sa harap nilang lahat.
Kalmadong naglakad si Dea Tacita papalapit sa kanya bago dahan-dahang naluhod sa kanyang harapan.
Mabilis siyang nag-iwas ng tingin habang pilit itinatanggi ang katotohanang sumasagi sa kanyang isipan.
"You finally got full control of the dovetail, Your Highness."
She bit her lower lip and looked up, trying to keep the tears from falling. She was right. Her mother made her reclaim full control of the dovetail.
"Love, hey. Listen to me." Mahinang tawag ni Iraia sa kanya.
She desperately clutched the hem of her shirt, sobbing as she realized she would never be able to escape the truth.
She had never aspired to be powerful. She had never strived to be the best. She had never liked the idea of being superior to everyone else. She only wished for her to be reunited with her family and to live in peace.
Why is fate so cruel that even a simple request from her could not be granted?
"No."
She had no idea who had embraced her, but the moment she felt someone caressing her back and whispering to her that it was okay to cry, she couldn't stop her silent tears.
"Breathe, cielo."
She covered her mouth as she broke down in tears silently in Damien's arms. She clutched his chest and punched him slowly while tasting the metal-like liquid on her lips.
As if doing so would make her pain go away.
"Mama, no. Please." Nanginginig ang kanyang boses habang pilit pinakikiusapan ang ina na tumigil na.
"Amara, my everlasting." Tumatawa ngunit nanghihinang sabi sa kanya ng ina.
Her mother reached for her cheeks as she stared at her with much adoration and love. Marahan nitong hinaplos ang kanyang pisngi bago ginawaran ng halik ang noo niya.
"Wake them up and look for what's bound to evanesce. In there, you shall find me."
Pinigilan ni Luna ang sumigaw habang paulit-ulit na naaalala ang huling pag-uusap nila ng kanyang ina.
She knew.
Her mother was well aware that it takes power to conceal power while simultaneously reviving power. That power is the dovetail, who will be able to awaken the forgotten coins of realms and defeat the one who concealed them—her grandfather.
"Tanginang buhay 'to." Nawawalang pag-asa niyang ani sa sarili bago pinunasan ang basang pisngi.
"Amara." Ani Dea Tacita.
She took a deep breath and turned to face Dea Tacita, who was wearing her natural sad and pained expression.
"This is your fate." Mahina ngunit matigas na saad nito.
Luna almost laughed; there is so much to learn about herself that even she is beginning to wonder how she will be able to balance, control it.
"Tanginang 'yan. Anong gagawain ko d'yan? Ginusto ko ba 'yan?" Pagak niyang tawa habang dinidistansya ang sarili kay Damien.
Dea Tacita's eyes had finally shown another emotion, mirroring everyone else's.
Pity.
They are all pitying her.
"You're bound to control power, Luna. You're destined to hold the dovetail for the dovetail itself is within you." Malumanay na diin nito.
"Please, stop. I'm begging you." Pagod na pagmamakaawa niya bago tuluyang napasalampak sa sahig.
"She's being summoned." Pream out of nowhere reported.
"Gago, hindi ka namatay." Amazed na sabi ni Veton kay Pream na gulat na gulat rin sa nangyari.
"Tangina ka, bakit naman ako mamamatay?"
Bago pa tuluyang magkagulo si Pream at Veton ay nakuha na ng binatang lumuhod sa kanyang harapan ang kanyang atensyon.
Tahimik na pinunasan ni Damien ang basang basa niyang mukha habang sinusubukang sinupin ang nagulo niyang buhok.
"Laria Enfys."
Nawala ang atensyon niya kay Damien at napatingin kay Enfys na kalmadong hinarap ang mensajero ng Luna habang nananatiling nakayukod.
"Why are you here?"
"I'm not from the future anymore." Matapang na sagot ni Enfys na sabay sabay na ikinasinghap ng mga nakarinig.
"Nor from the present." Dea Tacita revealed.
Bago pa muling makasagot si Enfys ay muli na nmaan silang natigilan dahil sa panibagong bisita na dumating.
"Pardon us for interfering but the Princess needs to be escorted to the palace immediately."
Huminga ng malalim si Luna kasabay ng pag-angat niya ng tingin kay Damien na ngayo'y naka-indian sit na sa harap niya.
She wanted to laugh at how adorable he is, like a child waiting for his parent to give him a bear hug, but she doesn't have the energy to do so.
"Alam nila papa?" Tumatawa niyang tanong habang hindi makapaniwalang hinilamos ang mukha sa kanyang palad.
"Amara..."
She raised her head to meet his uncle's gaze.
She wanted to lash out, to show them how terrible it is to be kept in the dark. They were all aware, and her family was aware of her identity, but none of them spoke up.
None of them warned her about the danger she would bring.
"Uncle, I'm tired." Maliit niyang ngiti kay Beau na agad binalot ng takot lalo na nang bumagsak ang katawan ni Luna.
Good thing Damien was quick enough to catch her princess.
"I am coming with her." Pinal na saad ni Damien sa heneral na walang nagawa kung hindi ang ipaubaya ang pamangkin sa kamay ng binata.
Naluluhang pinanood ni Sefarina ang kaibigang ngayo'y bitbit ni Damien papalabas.
"You're not bringing the Princess anywhere." Biglang sabat ni Dea Tacita matapos ang pag-uusap nila ni Enfys.
"Armour already anticipated this. If you don't want an ambush to happen, let the Princess stay in the academy." Nagulat man ang ilan sa biglang pagtaas ng boses nito ay nanatili ang atensyon nila sa heneral na siyang may hawak ng huling salita.
"With all due respect, General. My father sent me here not just to usher Dea Tacita but rather to aid her." Diamante retorted and took a glance on Luna.
Napataas ng kilay si Beau nang mapagtanto ang sinabi ni Diamante.
"Zeus is now meddling with our humanly businesses?" He taunted.
Tumango naman si Diamante. "My father has been idling for the past decades but now with Luna's presence, he's confident enough to interfere." Paliwanag niya.
Zeus is known to hate their entire existence. He wants only the Olympus to reign their realm because according to him, they're godly beings. But eventually, in the end, he had no choice but to co-exist with everyone else.
"You expect me to believe that, demi-god?" Hamon ni Beau na ikinahinga ni Dea Tacita ng malalim.
"This day marks the awakening of the dovetail. The power. So if you ought to protect your niece from the upcoming rebellion, you will listen." Utos ni Dea Tacita na ikinabilib ng Pharaohs.
Dea Tacita isn't a goddess or a title holder, but her confidence in commanding the General astounds them.
"Is my brother at the palace, Lucas?" Tanong ni Beau sa kanang kamay ng hari nang hindi inaalis ang tingin kay Dea Tacita.
"Nasa Koloseyo po ang hari kasama ang iba pang miyembro ng Cinco, heneral." Magalang na sagot ni Lucas.
"Then why would Luous order you to escort my favorite niece?" Takang tanong ni Beau at nilipat ang tingin sa binata.
Agad namang tumalima si Lucas at yumukod. "I have been looking after the Princess, General. His Majesty gave me an order to summon Her Highness the moment she discovered her identity."
Tumaas ang kilay ni Iraia sa narinig at sasabat na sana nang senyasan siyang manahimik ni Veton na nakikinig lang din.
"Damien—"
Umikot ang mata ni Beau nang mapansing wala na ang paborito niyang pamangkin.
"They went upstairs." Balita ni Arrow habang nakaupo sa dulo ng hagdan.
"Right. He obviously didn't take me seriously, did he?" Irap ni Beau at hinarap muli si Dea Tacita.
"I appreciate your kindness and concern, Lady Dea Tacita." Maliit na ngiti ang kanyang ginawad dito kasabay ng bahagya niyang pagyukod.
Hindi na niya hinintay pang makasagot ito dahil agad niyang hinarap si Lucas para bigyan ng mga gagawin.
"I'll be meeting the consiglio at dusk, I'll leave my niece to you." Seryosong anito kay Lucas na agarang tumango.
Nilingon niyang muli ang natitirang Pharaohs na tahimik bago sila marahang tanguan. "Take care." Huli nitong ani bago tuluyang lumabas.
That leaves the remaining Pharaohs, Lucas, Diamante and Dea Tacita in the living room.
"Fuck." Basag ni Sefarina sa katahimikan at nawalan ng balanse. Mabuti na lang ay malapit siya sa sofa kaya doon siya bumagsak.
"What are we gonna do?" Mahinang bulong ni Iraia habang kagat kagat ang kanyang kuko.
Napairap si Veton at nilayo ang kamay ng dalaga mula sa bibig nito. "Mauubos 'yang kuko mo, sayang." Irita namang lumayo sa kanya ang dalaga.
"This should be the last time you'll be seeing me." Ani Dea Tacita, suot ang malungkot nitong ngiti.
Of course. No one wants to see her in this realm, no matter how beautiful she is, because she personifies death.
"Death is inevitable but destiny isn't. It will always be based on the result of your final action so choose wisely and lead where your final destination would be."
Marahan niyang niyukod ang kanyang ulo sa kanilang harapan bago niya talikuran ang mga ito.
But she stopped midway before she could even walk pass through Enfys. "Time is lethal, Enfys." She tapped her shoulder and continued walking her way out.
"Arrow, I'll need to have a word with you after I came back." Ani Diamante na sinundan na si Dea Tacita.
A deafening silence circulated the whole room.
Sa sobrang bilis ng pangyayari, hindi na nila ito masundan. It seems just like the other day, they were just goofing around then now, they're about to fight and meddle with death.
"Please tell me that no one is going to die." Iraia's voice broke as she looked at Enfys, who was sitting calmly on the sofa.
"Do you wanna know how and why?" Biglang saad ni Enfys.
"Stop." Pigil ni Pream na nakatayo sa harap ng glass door at nakatalikod mula sa direksyon nila.
"After the beginning of our journey to find the map, I time travelled continuously." Panimula nito.
"There were times when I was in my current state, but the majority of the time, you were all conversing with the future me." Ilang beses nahinto si Enfys sa pagk-kwento dahil sa bigat ng kanyang dibdib.
"I wanted to change our future so bad to the point that the future me spent too much time in the present." She chuckled lightly.
"And you know what that means?"
They heard a loud explosion making them jumped to death. No one was even prepared of Pream's sudden distress of emotion!
"Please stop." Pagmamakaawa ni Pream na nakatalikod pa rin sa kanila.
Enfys looked at his broad back and smiled. "The present me will die." She continued.
"No fucking way." Veton unbelievably muttered.
Tuluyan ng napahagulgol si Iraia habang tahimik na nakadapa si Sefarina sa sofa na ngayo'y gumagalaw galaw ang balikat.
"Soon, you'll just see me vanish in thin air." Nakangiti ngunit nanginginig ang boses nitong sabi.
"No one's dying on my watch."
They all turn to their leader who's now emitting a cold aura. Nang tuluyan itong makababa'y isa isa nitong tinignan ang mga kaibigang kapwa wala na sa katinuan.
"We will fight." He announced.
"Not because of the realms we have to save but for us."
He looked at them with determination written all over his face.
"We will fucking fight for ourselves."
**
:)