Luel glanced one last time at the creators of the mortal realm. It was a very short time that she has spent time with them, but it was worth it. Marami siyang natututunan tungkol sa kanila, at sa orihinal niyang mundo. Pati sa mga kapangyarihan niya.

Nalaman niya rin na si Sinclair ang dahilan kung bakit nawala at nadestroy ang mortal realm... but now, it has been born again from ashes like a phoenix.

"We'll surely miss you, Sariel," wika ni Lucifer at malungkot na ngumiti.

He opened his arms for her, and Luel was taken aback by his sudden action. Tumingin siya sa iba, at ganoon din ang ginawa nila. Lumapit siya sa mga 'yon at nag-group hug bigla. She pouted. Parang ayaw ko na tuloy umalis... pero kailangan.

Pagkahiwalay niya sa kanila, nagulat siya nang gumawa ng golden rose at red rose si Lucifer. Namangha siya sa ganda n'on. "Give this to Sinclair once you return, and this red one is for you, Sariel."

She smiled sweetly, and nodded. Napalingon naman siya kay Red na nakasimangot na. "Akala mo ikaw lang, angel boy. Pwes, ako rin meron." Bumuo naman ng anklet si Red, "May spell ang anklet na 'yan, Luel. Kapag napapahamak ka, puwede mong sirain at pansamantala kaniyang bibigyan ng lakas."

Tumango siya, at napatingin sa baba nang i-suot iyon ni Red sa kaniya. Hinintay niya na magbigay siya para kay Sinclair pero nagtaka siya nang wala 'yon. Red raised an eyebrow and chuckled, "Tsaka ko na ibibigay ang regalo ko kay Sinclair kapag nakabalik na s'ya."

"Ah," sambit ni Luel at ngumiti. She waved her hand goodbye to them. Hinawakan niya ang gem ng kaniyang vine bracelet. She closed her eyes before connecting herself with the gem or the teleportation object.

Nang imulat niya ang mata niyang muli, nakabalik na siya sa mundo niya. I'm finally back. Tumingin siya sa paligid at napansing naroon parin sina Alcaeus, Arenspade and Hanie. I'm sorry... gagawa ako ng paraan. She sighed, still feeling the guilt reign over her heart.

Nagulat siya nang makita si Zach na nakaupo sa malayo. His back rested in the trunk of a tree, and his eyes were closed. Nagtaas-kilay si Luel, bakit parang may nagbago sa kaniya? His black hair was longer, and he looks tired.

Nang maglakad siya, tumunog ang mga dahon dahilan kung bakit unti-unting nagising si Zach. He alarmingly looked at her direction, and immediately, his eyes widened. "Luel!" Dali-dali siyang tumayo, at mabilis na lumapit kay Luel.

Napasinghap si Luel nang makatanggap ng yakap mula sa kaniya. Naipit ang hawak niyang mga rose dahil sa sobrang higpit ng yakap ni Zach. She whispered, "What's wrong... Zach?"

Hinaplos ni Zach ang kaniyang buhok. He started breathing heavily, and Luel could hear his fast heartbeats. Napakurap-kurap siya dahil sa weird actions ni Zach.

"You're back," Zach said.

Sinubukan namang umalis ni Luel mula sa kaniyang yakap, pero mas hinigpitan naman ni Zach ang yakap sa kaniya. Napalunok si Luel, "Zach... bitaw ka, pwede ba?" Sinubukan niyang tarayan ang tono ng boses niya. Zach slowly let go of her.

She met Zach's longing eyes. Her eyebrows made a slight furrow, he is acting weird.

Nagkunot-noo si Zach, "We— I have been waiting for your return, Luel. Hindi namin alam kung saan ka nagpunta. You just... disappeared."

Tumango si Luel, "I was in the mortal realm, my and Sinclair's original realm. What happened in the past day? Are the elementals still safe?"

Zach made a confused look, "The past day? Luel, isang taon kang nawala. Isang taon din akong naghintay. Ang iba, nagpatuloy ang buhay, but the pure elementals are still scared. Hindi pa rin lumalabas mula sa Aeria."

This time, Luel's eyes widened. Isang taon?

"They thought you died. Hindi naman ako naniwala, at nanatili rito. I promised to protect you, but I failed," He sighed deeply, "I'm glad you returned."

The emotions were very evident in Zach's eyes. Isang araw lang naman ako roon halos... Bakit isang taon na agad?

"Kung isang taon na ang nakalipas, kailangan ko na agad hanapin si Sinclair," wika ni Luel.

Zach asked, "Bakit? Baka ipahamak mo na naman ang sarili mo, Luel." His voice growled a bit.

Here we go again, isip ni Luel.

"Look, Zach," she said, "May kailangan akong gawin, okay? Kung mapahamak man ako or what, bahala na. Basta kailangan kong hanapin si Sinclair, whatever the consequences be."

"She's at the Anika mansion," mahinang wika niya. "She's unresponsive."

Unresponsive? "What?" tanong ko.

"N'ong nawala ka at inakala niyang patay ka, nahimatay siya at paggising niya, biglang hindi na siya kumakausap sa kahit kanino. Everytime, she cries. Saying that she destroys worlds and kill her own loved ones. Ayaw niyang lumabas sa mansyon. Ang naiisip ng mga specialists, she's under mental and emotional problem. Dala ng pagkawala mo. We even think na maraming nawala sa kaniya to bring her up to that point," mahabang paliwanag ni Zach.

Luel's eyes started to be filled with tears. Paano na? Kailangan niyang dalhin si Sinclair sa mortal realm... pero she's unresponsive. Paano?

Without even a word, mabilis siyang nagtungo sa Anika mansion using her vampire speed, leaving Zach behind. Binuksan niya ang pinto ng kwarto ni Sinclair. Tila piniga ang puso niya nang makitang tulala sa dingding si Sinclair. Ni hindi siya lumingon nang bumukas ang pinto.

Sinclair's face looked like it had dried tears. Maputla siya, at hindi maayos ang hitsura. Napaawang ang labi ni Luel, "S-sinclair— Mama..."

Ngayon, napalingon sa kaniya si Sinclair. Her golden eyes turned dull, and her face showed no emotions. Wala siyang excitement na nakita sa mukha ng ina niya. Sinclair looked at her like she's nothing at all.

Lumapit siya at nilapag ang roses na binigay sa kaniya ni Lucifer. Hindi naman iyon pinansin ni Sinclair.

"M-mama," Luel's voice croaked. Once again, she's calling her 'Mama.' Lumuhod siya para pantayan si Sinclair.

Tears fell from Sinclair's eyes, but it still showed no emotion at all.

Nagulat naman si Luel nang tila marinig ang boses ng kaniyang ina sa utak niya.

"Another illusion," Sinclair said. Her lips weren't moving, but Luel was sure it was her voice.

"Hindi ako ilusyon, Mama," nanginginig na wika ni Luel.

"She's even calling me Mama, now."

"Nakabalik na ako, Ma. Nanggaling ako sa mortal worl—"

Tumayo si Sinclair at umalis sa harapan niya. Pumunta siya roon sa may bintana at tinanaw ang Qidian. "Now, she's telling me that the mortal world is alive. I destroyed it already, at susunod na ang Aerilon."

"It's true, Ma. Nabuhay ulit ang mortal realm," Luel said. Lumapit siya sa nanay niya at niyakap ito mula sa likod. Naisip ni Luel, ano ba ang nangyari sa kaniya?

"Ang tagal naman mawala ng ilusyon na 'to. Everything feels real, but I'm done. I want my life to end. I'm already dead inside. When will it just end..."

"Ma," sambit ni Luel. "Lucifer sent the golden rose."

"Stop these illusions, please."

"Hindi 'to ilusyon," Luel pleaded while burying her own face to Sinclair's back. Hindi niya akalaing dadating siya sa ganitong punto. The woman that she loved so much is unresponsive. The brave woman now lost her will.

Pero kailangang ibalik ni Luel sa wisyo si Sinclair. To send her out of this realm, and bring her back to the mortal world.

"Ma... Red has a gift for you kailangan mong bumalik sa mortal world," wika ni Luel. She does not want to send her back like this... she needs to revive the real Sinclair. The brave, fearless and strong one.

"Why are the worlds so cruel to me? I love them... why do they all need to leave me?"

"I-I didn't leave you," wika ni Luel. But you will, Mother. You need to leave me.

Tinanggal ni Luel ang kaniyang vine bracelet. Sinuot niya 'yon kay Sinclair na para namang walang pakialam. She still believes this is all an illusion. Sa loob ng isang taon, lagi siyang nag-iilusyon. Nasanay na siya... at pagod na pagod na siya.

Nilagpasan niya si Luel, at muling umupo sa kama niya. She stared at the golden rose, and remembered all her memories with that.

"Luel was my anchor. She kept me alive... but I can't live without her, anymore," dahil doon, mabilis na tumulo ang luha ni Luel. "Ako nalang sana ang naabsorb ng portal."

So, she believes I've been absorbed by the portal? Luel thought. Lumapit mula siya sa kaniyang ina at niyakap ito nang mahigpit.

"Believe me, I am alive, 'Ma. Pumunta ako sa mortal realm, at nabuhay mula sila. They are waiting for you," she said. Using her other hand she controlled the rose hanggang sa makarating iyon sa kamay niya.

Humiwalay siya sa yakap, at nakita paring walang emosyon si Sinclair. But she knows, her emotions will show soon.

Hinawakan niya ang golden rose, at hinayaan siyang matusok ng mga thorns. Blood dripped from her, and she saw a slight worry from Sinclair's eyes.

Mula sa kamay niya, gumawa siya ng ilusyon ng mga demonyo na pumapalibot sa mortal realm. "That's the mortal realm now. The demons are in rage without you. They need you there."

"Stop!" The skies suddenly turned dark for a split second. Napatigil si Luel, at nawala kaagad ang ilusyon niya. There was a slight shaking in the ground.

Sinclair was now crying in too much sorrow. The clouds cried along.

"Ayoko na please! I don't want to be the cause of the fall of another world. I've been living and surviving for years. Hindi ko na malabanan ang sarili kong mga demonyo. I can't even control my illusions. Hindi pa ba sapat na sinira ko ang mundo ng mga mortal! Bakit kailangan pati ikaw!"

Luel felt a little relieved, she's responding now. At least.

"I am real, Mother. Nanggaling ako sa mortal realm. I met them, your friends. Alpha, Seraphin, Lucifer, and Red. They are there, alive," wika ni Luel.

Pinahawak niya ang golden rose sa kaniyang ina. She cupped her face, and wiped her tears. "Ma, they need you. Someone needs you again. You need to be strong again. You were strong because of me, right, Ma? Now, please be strong for your own world. Don't give up, Ma. Hindi mo kailangang matakot kasi totoo ako. Totoo na nabuhay ulit ang mundo mo."

Sinclair looked at her directly this time. "I'm sorry, Georgia, Lucifuge. Hindi ko naprotektahan nang buong-buo si Sariel."

She understood the pain of her mother, so she will set aside hers. Naintindihan niya ang desperasyon ni Sinclair na tumigil na. Sa daming nawala sa kaniya n'ong nasira ang mortal realm, nanatili pa rin siyang malakas. At ngayong akala niya'y nawala si Luel, mas lalong lumala ang guilt na pumupuno sa puso niya.

She understood all of it, so she must do the best option to make Sinclair okay again.

Luel smiled weakly, "I love you, 'Ma."

The first time she said it.

Probably the last, too.

"I love you more than anyone even if you are not my own child, Lucianna Sariel. I'm sorry for letting you die..."

Umiling si Luel. Hindi siguro siya maniniwala hangga't hindi niya makikita ang mortal realm, isip niya. Maybe I need to bring her back now that she's a little responsive.

She kissed her mother's forehead, "Goodbye, 'Ma. They will keep you safe and okay there. You will be happy once again. Thank you for treating me as your own. You may now take a rest on living for me. Live for yourself now, Mama. Live happily in your world."

Hinawakan niya ang gem sa vine bracelet na suot na ngayon ni Sinclair. They didn't have proper goodbyes, but she needed to do this.

She looked at the sorrowful eyes of her mother. She smiled sadly, ignoring all tears that ran down her cheeks.

Huminga siya nang malalim at pinikit ang kaniyang mata. She once again connected her soul to the gem, and then activated it.

Hiniwalay niya ang kamay niya. Tumayo siya, at pagmulat niya... walang kahit anong bahid ni Sinclair.

Her mother has finally left her, and nothing... can ever be greater than this pain she's feeling right now. The woman she's live with for sixteen years is suddenly gone in a blink of an eye.

Tinakpan niya ang bibig niya para pigilan ang mga hikbi niya. She knows that Sinclair would do good there, but she didn't know if she would be okay without her mother.

"Ma...," she called even though her mother wasn't there anymore.

She put a hand in her chest, wishing to stop the clenching of her heart. The door opened, and she heard approaching footsteps.

"Luel, w-why are you crying?" Tanong ni Zacharias. Tumingin siya sa paligid at napansing wala si Sinclair.

"Nasaan si Lady Sinclair?" tanong niya.

Luel just shook her head. Hindi siya makapagsalita. Zach sighed. He went near her, and once again pulled her into a tight hug.

"Shush, Luel, nandito ako," wika ni Zach. Hindi niya alam kung anong nangyari but he just let her cry in his chest.

It hurt him to hear her cry after being lost for a year.

Aerilon Academy
By lostmortals
Plagiarism is a crime.

Himala. This chapter and the previous had 2k + word count. Lapit na matapos mga mamser.

Thank you for reading!