Truth
June 10, 2187

___________________

GEORGIA
Georgia Kaye Alas

"Georgia, have you mastered your ability?" The Head of the tribe asked. Napangiti naman ako, at mabilis na umiling bago sumagot, "No! Not if you teach me, Mama!"

I remember her shaking her head and sighing as if what I said was ridiculous. "I told you, Georgia. I am not your mother. Don't call me Mama," malamig niyang sagot, ngunit ngumiti pa rin ako. Ever since I was a child, I knew how to read minds and I knew she didn't mean to be cold. She just doesn't want me to be attached.

"Mayroon tayong magkaibang abilidad. I can't teach you something that I don't know. You must learn how to control it on your own, Georgia." 

And so, I did. I tried hard every day, just to prove myself to the tribe. The truth was, I didn't belong here, but they were kind enough to own me and give me a name. The head of the tribe, Anika, was a seer. Some even say that she was someone who can transcend time. Rumor is that she is a woman who has sought different worlds and stays for a mission. I always thought that it was true, though. She acts like she knows everything.

Every day, she asks me, "Have you mastered your ability?" and I'd usually answer no. Ngunit ngayon, pumili ako ng ibang sagot. "What would happen if I forever don't, Lady Anika? Would something happen to me? You can see the future, right?"

She hissed. "I am asking you to master your ability, so you can be beneficial for the tribe, Georgia. Don't think of anything else." Pinilit kong basahin ang nilalaman ng kaniyang utak, ngunit sinara na niya 'yon para sa'kin. She was definitely hiding something. 

And that day came.

A typhoon was approaching our tribe, so we needed to evacuate to the center— the highest place in our land. It was safer there... but not entirely. The wind was strong, and the roaring of the skies didn't stop at all. Even the ground started shaking, leaving us restless and anxious about where we stand. Lady Anika had to go near the sea to guide the tribe's land— I don't know how exactly.

"Georgia!" Napabalikwas ako nang may tumawag sa'kin. "Ano'ng ginagawa mo r'yan? Tumulong ka sa pagpapatila ng ambon!" They were using their powers to lessen the damage of today's weather... and knowing my power, I can't do anything.

Ngumiwi ako at umiling, "Mahigpit na ipinagbawal ni Lady Anika na gamitin ko ang kapangyarihan ko."

Ilan sa kanila'y hindi rin nakakatutulong dahil wala namang saysay ang kapangyarihan nila sa bagyo. Samantala, alam nila ang kapangyarihan ko at alam nilang makakatulong 'yon nang husto.

"We're not in the situation to think of rules! The seas have already pulled backward, and if we don't control this... a tsunami might wipe us out!" ani ng isa pa. Lumapit siya sa'kin at mahigpit na hinawakan ang kamay ko. Kuminang ang mga mata niya sa isang ekspresyong... umaasa siya. Umaasa siya sa kapangyarihan ko.

"You're young but we all know how powerful you are, little Georgia! Please... freeze the waters with ice!" Mas lalong humigpit ang hawak niya sa kamay ko, at ramdam na ramdam ko rin ang kaniyang panginginig.

"No," I paused. "Lady Anika said I can't... until I master it—"

"Then master it now! There's no time, Georgia!" Another one replied. She was someone who can see far and near, but no in the past or future like lady Anika. Her vision just reaches unexplainable lengths. "You're the only one who can freeze the wave coming."

I remember that time, she sent a vision to me. It's as if my eyes reached the sights of the sea— its enormous wave flashing before my eyes as if it's about to devour me... no, the tribe. I unconsciously bit my lips in fear of what to do. I had the choice to use my power to freeze the wave and save them, but what would be the consequence of my choice? Will my power really bring peace over the land?

'Yes,' that was what I thought. My hands started to gather mana and energy as my mind tries to remember how to control this power. Then, I felt the cold envelop me. Icicles rained around, and the dark sky turned to a color of white because of the freezing— but isn't this too much, or I just didn't notice that there were already heavy mists and clouds above us?

It looked like we were being trapped inside an ice cave. The strong winds never blew around us, and the rain never dropped to our heads again.

"Thank the moon! The moon has blessed us with our savior, Georgia!" sigaw ng isa matapos ang ilang sandali. Hindi ko naman alam ang mararamdaman ko... 'pagkat patuloy pa ring nanginginig ang aking mga kamay. Maski ang kapangyarihan ko'y nararamdaman ko pa ring dumadaloy sa paligid.

"Georgia?" mahinang sambit ng isa sa tabi ko. Wala sa wisyo akong napalingon sa kaniya, ngunit napasinghap nalang ako nang makitang nagsimulang magyelo ang kaniyang mga kamay. Hindi ako makapagsalita at hindi ko alam ang gagawin. My eyes widened more when the people beside me became completely frozen.

And soon, the cries of rejoicing became cries of fear. Everything else that happened after became a nightmare that haunts me nonstop. 

Jerastus 2, 2196

Napabalikwas ako sa realidad nang may pumisil sa mga kamay ko. "Ah, it seems like we have to end the battle here," Lucifuge announced, holding my hands tight. I didn't know if it was a touch that implies worry or fear. Hindi ko na rin namalayang nagsisimula na namang magpakita ang aking takot at nginig.

"Are you okay, Heidi?" rinig kong tanong ni Aeryn. "You're shaking."

Nahihirapan akong huminga, at kailangan kong pakalmahin ang sarili ko. Hindi rin ako makapagsalita at wala sa sarili akong napahawak nang mahigpit din sa kamay ni Lucifuge. Tinungo ko pa ang aking ulo at nagtago sa likod niya. They shouldn't see me in tears, or else they'll suspect me. 

"She seems exhausted. I'll bring her back to her office," sagot ni Lucifuge para sa'kin. Bahagya namang lumuwag ang paghinga nang hindi na rin siya nagtanong, ngunit mula kong napigilan ko ang paghinga ko nang biglang siyang humarap sa'kin at dinala ang aking ulo patago sa dibdib niya. His hands let go of mine and slid towards my back, patting it very lightly before carefully carrying me out of the arena. 

"We'll retire for the day. It was my fault to push her in the battle too much."

I felt an unfamiliar feeling within me, and it was the first time it ever occurred to me. Somehow, I think I'm being comforted. So, I snuggled myself in his touch and let myself become vulnerable and weak... even just for a moment, so that later—

___________________

LUCIFUGE
Lucifuge Rofocale

Napamura nalang ako sa sarili ko nang mapagtanto kung bakit pilit niyang tinatago ang abilidad niya. It's not that she wanted to hide it, she fears the power she holds. It was never right of me to force someone to use his or her power. Isang malakas na buntonghininga ang ginawa ko nang mapansing unti-unti na siyang kumakalma. Her body stopped shivering and she started catching her breaths.

Sinilip ko ang kaniyang mukha at napansing umagos na ang luhang kanina niya pang pinipigilan. Napalunok nalang ako nang maalalang ako ang dahilan kung ba't nangyayari sa kaniya ito ngayon. I'm not sure though, but this might be an anxiety attack or she remembered a traumatic event from her past.

Narating namin ang tapat ng kaniyang opisina, ngunit bigla akong natigilan dahil sa sinabi niya. "Take me to your room instead." My eyes widened, too, at her words, and I gulped more when she clenched the hem of my polo. "B-bakit?"

"Kiss," sambit niya. The hell, did I hear it wrong? Hindi ko alam kung ba't ako nauutal, pero pakiramdam ko sasabog na ulo ko. "A-ano ulit...?" mahina kong tanong. She sighed and looked up to me. Muli na naman akong napalunok at paniguradong 'di maipinta ang ekspresyon ng mukha ko ngayon.

"You took me but left my bag. I don't have the keys." Oh... keys. Damn, what's going in your head, Fuge? Napailing nalang ako at lumiko na para tumungo sa sarili kong opisina. Napaisip naman ako kung anong hitsura n'on 'pagkat matagal ko nang hindi nabibisita 'yon. I silently summoned wechuge, and ordered him to fix my office.  Binagalan ko na rin ang lakad ko upang bigyan ng oras ang aking wechuge.

'Di nagtagal, nakarating din kami. Hindi ko na kinailangan ng susi at ginamit nalang ang aking kapangyarihan para buksan ang pinto. Napangisi nalang ako nang makitang malinis na malinis ang opisina ko. Nice. I put her down in the couch, but asked her, "Oh, Heidi, would you rather rest in the bed—"

"No. I didn't ask you to bring me here to rest, Lucifuge," she firmly said while clenching both of her fists. "I came here to confess something." My eyes squinted. Is she finally going to confess that she's a soulless... but why?

Tiningala niya ako bago ngumiti nang malungkot, "I am not Heidi Laquisha Calafiore. I am Georgia Kaye Alas, a soulless whose powers are deadly... Deadly enough to kill Aeryn Eve Surize."

My eyebrows made a furrow because of the last phrase. Her words were firm, but her tears were giving her away. "I'm sorry, H- Georgia. Anong sinasabi mo? You're a soulless... then, were you tasked to kill lady Aeryn? Are you one of the soullesses that go back and forth in Summer and Fall?"

Dito naman siya natigilan— tila ba hindi naintindihan ang tanong ko. "W-what?" she muttered. "There are other soullesses here too? And no! No one asked me to kill Aeryn! It's just that my powers..."

"Are you saying this to me so I can capture and execute you, Georgia?" mariin kong tanong. Hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit bigla nalang niyang sinasabi ito sa'kin. I'm sure she wanted to survive here. Saying this to me only means that she accepts defeat and death.

"Y-yes," sagot niya. "I'll kill Lady Aeryn and—" Tinakpan ko ang bibig niya bago pa siya magsabi ng iba pa. I can't control my wechuge when it feels threatened, and his growls inside my head are saying that he's ready to attack this lady in front of me.

"Kung walang nag-utos sa'yong patayin si Aeryn, bakit mo sinasabing papatayin mo siya?" I asked and slowly removed my hand from covering her lips after feeling that wechuge has calmed down.

"T-The ice spear that wounded her has a poison that will corrupt her system and kill her after three years. I don't know of any antidote," she answered, avoiding my gaze. Mas lalo namang nanliit ang mga mata ko, at sinubukang alalahanin ang nangyari kanina. She was surrounded by the monsters and... Aeryn suddenly entered the battlefield. Maaaring para sa mga halimaw ang ice spears na ginawa niya at 'di para kay Aeryn.

"You didn't do it on purpose, right?" tanong ko, naninigurado. Hindi ko rin alam kung bakit hindi ako nakakaramdam ng pagdududa sa kaniya bagaman alam kong maaaring narito talaga siya para magdala ng pahamak sa mga tao ko, sa celestines.

She nodded, and I felt relieved. Matapos n'on ay pinalibutan kami ng katahimikan. Tiningnan ko siya, at napansing muli na naman siyang nanginginig. She's still afraid. Napasabunot nalang ako sa sarili ko, at muling nagbigkas ng mga salitang kailanma'y hindi ko akalaing bibigkasin sa isang Soulless.

"Live until you find an antidote. It isn't entirely your fault that Aeryn suddenly entered the battlefield. I'll help you find the antidote, and no one else must know that you're a soulless. Continue being as Heidi Laquisha Calafiore in the eyes of others."

Nanlalaki ang mata niyang tumingin sa'kin, tila hindi makapaniwala. "I-I understand. I'll do my best, but you don't have to help me—"

"I'm not helping you for your own sake, Georgia. You're still a soulless, a threat to our land. I'm doing this for the sake of Celestines."

Tumango naman siya, at isang malakas na buntonghininga na naman ang lumabas sa'king labi.  I promised myself that I'll eliminate anyone that poses threat to any of my citizens. Georgia doesn't have an antidote, so she'll be useless but... why can't I bring myself to kill her? Am I being merciful, or am I just hoping that she's that soulless that can unite our land with theirs?

Discovering Summerland 
By lostmortals
Plagiarism is a crime.

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