Chapter 11: Earth-Dragon Wizard

"I am not your map, Caleb."

Those powerful words suddenly unlinked the warm strings that pulled us together, the strings that allowed us to get caught inside this sinful illusion. A magical illusion that rattled not just my thoughts, but my unnamed emotions the moment I laid my eyes on this silver-haired vampire.

"I.am.not.your.map."

Mas pinadiin ko ang aking mga salita kasabay nang pag-angat ko ng puting bulaklak sa pagitan ng aming mga labi.

Nang akala ko'y sisimulan na niyang tanggalin ang kanyang mga kamay sa aking pisngi habang ang aming mga mata'y hindi humihiwalay sa isa't isa, higit na musika ang siyang namayani sa kabuuan ng lugar.

I thought my words or even the loud music around us would fully awake him from reality, but what made us both surprised was the abrupt parade of musicians and dancers in the street.

Several colorful portals appeared from different directions with performers in their fancy costumes as they crossed the magical rings. The musicians with their different types of musical instruments were dressed in combination of red, yellow, and blue uniform with their tallest hats designed with tassel and fur. The unified marching of their feet, the graceful movement of the dancers with their fitted gymnast-like attire, bamboo rings wrapped with colorful ribbons were alternately spinning on air. Some were fantastically breathing fire, and even the endless confetti's pouring around the street never seized to amaze everyone's eyes.

I thought it was just performers on feet, but the crowd got even more surprised when the portals went bigger and welcomed a series of huge carts catering to another batch of performers. Each cart was filled not just by the performers but different types of flowers, and small elemental beasts.

Halos hindi ko maintindihan kung saang direksyon ako dapat tumingin. Everything was so fascinating!

Walang tigil sa palakpakan at kasiyahan ang buong Itara Thenon.

Is there a festival or something?

The swarming group of huge performers made Caleb and I distracted from our little confliction. Lalo na nang hindi na namin magawang makaalis doon sa aming posisyon dahilan kung bakit halos masagasaan na kami nang nakaparaming nilalang.

"Anna!"

Caleb tried to grab my hand, but it's already too late for us because the parade already caught and separated us. Ang tangi ko na lang nakita'y ang kamay niyang pilit akong inaabot.

We tried to struggle and grab each other's hands between the surging waves of creatures, with music around us, colors of mana, and endless claps of the people at the side of the street. But the only thing we felt was the sudden brush of our fingertips before we finally lost each other.

At dahil hindi ko na nais pang masaktan dahil sa bumabanggang mga instrumento sa akin dahil sa pagpupumilit kong bumalik sa posisyon namin ni Caleb, pinili ko na lamang sumama sa daloy ng parada.

Itara Thenon's way of greeting their guests is really fascinating! Kahit sa kaalamang nasa hindi magandang sitwasyon kami ni Caleb, hindi ko maiwasang hindi mawili sa mga nakikita ko.

There were also tall humans from both sides of the parade, tipping their hats off, and playing their canes, the huge carts with the master performers were lively waving their hands to the public, even the great magicians without using any talisman or wands were present! But what made us more fascinated were the huge mascots of the legendary blue, red, white and silver elemental dragons!

"Oh, my god!"

Halos takpan ko ng aking mga palad ang aking mga labi dahil sa pagsinghap ko nang malakas. How could I ever suppress this fascination?

Habang patuloy ako sa pagsunod sa daloy ng parada katulad ng ibang mga nilalang na naroon lamang kanina at namimili, may ilang mananayaw ang siyang dumaan sa akin. Some were wearing different design of masks or thick paints on their faces.

Hindi ko maiwasang matuwa nang isa sa kanila'y hawakan ang isa kong kamay at magiliw akong inikot habang panay ang usad ng parada. Pagkatapos niya akong iikot ay nagmadali na rin siyang sumunod sa mga naunang mananayaw, ngunit may panibagong mananayaw muli ang hinawakan ang kamay ko at muli akong inikot, sa pagkakataong iyon ay marahan niyang hinaplos ang buhok ko, doon ay may lumabas na puting panyo.

He professionally swung the white handkerchief and swayed it three times in front of my face from left to right, and when he snapped his fingers, the white handkerchief turned into my headband.

"Wow!"

Nakangiti akong napahawak sa aking ulo upang hawakan iyon. The performer bowed at me, and followed his group. Tila saglit kong nakalimutan na isa akong Callista na maaaring ngayon ay kasalukuyan nang tinutugis dahil sa pakikipagsabwatan mula sa tagalabas.

Who wouldn't be swayed by this lively festival?

Habang hawak ko iyong bulaklak na bigay ni Caleb at sinusundan ang parada, hindi ko magawang itago ang sigla at tuwa ko, kahit ang aking paglalakad ay napapansin ko na rin na nasasamahan ko ng ilang pagtalon-talon at pag-ikot kagaya ng mga nilalang na naroon.

The parade was so beautiful and magical.

May ilan pang mananayaw ang isinayaw ako sa gitna ng parada, some kissed the back of my hand, danced with me, winked at me, and even offered me more flowers.

Hindi lang naman ako ang ganoon dahil karamihan sa mga kababaihan na nasama sa parada ay ganoon din ang kanilang ginagawa. Pilit ko nang sinisilip ang dulo ng parada, nakailang talon na rin ako, ngunit hindi ko pa rin nakikita ang siyang patutunguhan ng parada.

Sinubukan ko rin tumanaw sa likuran ngunit hindi ko man lang masilayan si Caleb. Siguro'y matapos ang parada'y magagawa namin muling magkita, lalo na't nasisiguro kong katulad ko'y pinili na rin niyang magpadala sa agos ng iba't ibang mga nilalang.

Tumagal pa ng ilang minuto ang aming paglalakad hanggang sa makarating na nga kami sa lugar na nasisiguro kong tanyag na malaking plaza ng Itara Thenon.

Around the huge plaza were stoned buildings with marbled barricades. There, the elegant royal bloods were seated comfortably with their luxurious chairs, suits, and dresses, servants were serving them tea, some were fanning them with expensive huge fans, and some small elemental beasts were fluttering around them. The plaza also has the symbolic statue of the four dragons, and as the confetti's of the parade continued to linger, the flag of Itara Thenon was firmly swaying with authority on the highest building of the plaza.

When the wind blew a little bit stronger, I automatically held the white handkerchief on my head. My hair swayed with the unified confetti's glistening around the plaza.

I unknowingly glanced at the right side of the highest building, and there, I saw someone with the most overwhelming presence of an Attero. A male Attero with his famous white diamond pendulum-like earring on his left ear, his long raven hair that can reach his shoulders, his peculiar fashion sense compared to any living male Attero, white plain long sleeves with three button undone, tucked in with his fitted black pants, long silver necklace with the pendant of earth dragon, and a dark green colored coat that simply hung on his shoulders— the Earth dragon wizard!

Kumpara sa mga maharlikang kahilera niya sa itaas, nanatili lang nakatayo ang tanyag na Attero, tamad na nakasandal sa isang poste habang nakakrus ang mga braso.

He's the famous Earth Dragon Wizard! Howl Paladein De Voss!

Hindi ko akalain na magkakaroon ako ng pagkakataong makita ang isa sa pinakatanyag na salamangkero ng Fevia Attero!

One of my plans before, if my power failed to embrace me, was to marry one of the legendary magicians of elemental trains. Ngayo'y pagkakataon ko na upang isagawa ang isa sa mga hakbang ko, ngunit hindi ko makita ang sarili kong humahakbang patungo sa kanya.

I was still standing in the middle of a crowded plaza, blankly staring at the man I'd thought would save me from my cruel destiny. Marrying one of the dragon wizards was my last resort to save myself and my family from further humiliation, but all those just vanished.

At nagsisimula na akong matakot sa aking rason.

Natigil lamang ako sa malalim na pag-iisip nang biglang nabago ang musika sa paligid. It was a music with quick beat, more lively, and powerful. Ilang beses na naman akong napalingon sa paligid habang nagsisimula nang gumalaw ang mga nilalang na tila unti-unti na namang umaayon sa musika.

Napansin ko rin na hindi lang ako ang babaeng may puting panyo sa ulo dahil halos hindi ko na rin mabilang ang mga babaeng ngayon ay katulad ko'y tila naguguluhan sa gitna ng plaza.

But as try to analyze the movement of the uniformed dancers, I could slowly understand the next performance! They're trying to include some of their audience!

All the females with a white handkerchief on their heads suddenly went inside a huge circle of male dancers. The professional movement of the male dancers led us to a good formation.

Ilang beses akong umiling sa kaharap kong lalaki para malaman niyang hindi ako ganoon kagaling sumayaw, ngunit tipid lang siyang ngumiti sa akin. He's trying to assure me with his gentle smile!

But I really can't do this!

Ngunit may magagawa pa ba ako? The aristocrats, royal bloods, and important magicians were all present! Higit akong aagaw ng eksena kung bigla na lang akong aalis sa malaking bilog at sisira sa kasiyahan ng pagdiriwang.

So, when the male performers formally bowed with their right hand and the left hand behind their back, I tried to bow back while spreading my skirt a little. The small elemental beasts started to fly above us while sprinkling their mana like showers of raindrops.

With the elemental beasts' magical power, a tall post with blinking lights suddenly appeared in the middle of the circle, but what made us surprise more were the white lacy strings on our waists tied and connected with the central tower. As the tower ignited wonderful lights, and the unexplainable mana flowed at the lacy strings, I felt that someone just blessed me with the ability to dance with the music.

Nang muling nagbago ang musika, kusang tumingkayad ang mga paa ko, tumaas ang aking kanang kamay at walang kahirap-hirap umiktad ang aking katawan na tila kaisa na nga ng musika.

All the women with white headband moved in unison, we're all like a ballerina tied in a huge carousel. Sa bawat galaw naming mga kababaihan ay ganoon din ang pagsunod ng mga lalaking mananayaw.

To interpret more about the dance, it was like a woman trying to flirt with a man by making him follow and tease him. Dahil sa tuwing abot kamay na ako ng aking kaparehang lalaki ay bigla akong hinihila ng tali. Hindi rin nagtagal ay hinahayaan na ng mga lalaking mananayaw na sumali na rin ang iba pang mga kalalakihan. Probably the real partners of the girls around the carousel tower.

Napuno ng tilian at higit na palakpakan sa paligid lalo na nang mawala na ang kulay ng kasuotan ng mga talagang mananayaw at pumalit na ang iba't ibang nilalang na kanina lamang ay nanunuod ng parada. Ngunit ang higit na mas lumakas sa tilian ng mga kababaihan ay ang biglaang pagtalon ni Howl Paladein De Voss mula sa mataas na gusali at eleganteng naglakad patungo sa nagsasayawan.

And with his professional dancing skills, just like a common royal blood trained by the best dancers in this world, the Earth dragon wizard easily blended with the choreography. Litaw na litaw ang kanyang kakisigan at ang kanyang bihasang pagsayaw sa bawat pag-ikot at pagparehas niya sa mga babaeng kanyang nadadaanan.

The movements of strings were now unpredictable. Dahil bigla itong humahaba o kaya'y umiikli dahilan kung bakit nahihirapan na ang mga lalaking mananayaw at ang tanging nagagawa na lamang ay sumunod sa ikot.

"We're about to end the introductory dance! Claim your partner for our kingdom's symbolic dance!" malakas na anunsyo ng isa sa mga totoong mananayaw.

What is that?

Bumilis ang ikot ng mga tali mula sa tore, kaya bumilis din ang pagsunod ng mga lalaki. Hindi ko na inaasahan na may kukuha sa akin ngunit ilang beses akong napakurap nang tila sa akin nakangiti si Howl!

"Be my dance partner, My Lady."

Handa na sana niya akong abutin nang biglang nabago muli ang galaw ng tali, sa halip na hilahin kami nito papalapit sa kanya'y biglang umangat ang mga tali na tila kami'y naging mga ibong nagliliparan sa himpapawid habang umiikot.

Natigil ang mga kalalakihan sa pagsunod at kapwa napatingala sa kalangitan. Masigabong palakpakan ang sumalubong sa lahat.

Hindi rin nagtagal ang pananatili namin sa ere dahil habang mabagal na kaming umiikot ay unti-unti na rin kaming bumababa.

"Now, ladies! Throw your handkerchiefs!"

Unti-unting rumehistro sa akin ang bawat parte ng sayaw! The white handkerchiefs were not just decors, but distinction! The white handkerchiefs have different scents— scents that will identify their dance partners.

The dance steps together were just familiarity of the scent and the real claiming of partner is catching the woman's handkerchief!

Sabay-sabay naming inihagis sa ere ang aming mga panyo. Ilang beses akong napapikit habang ibinababa ng tali, hindi ko alam kung bakit bigla akong kinabahan, ngunit nang sandaling tuluyan na ngang lumapat ang aking mga paa sa lupa'y sinalubong ako ng eksenang hindi ko inaasahan.

My handkerchief is not just in one hand, but two.

"She is my partner," Caleb gritted his teeth.

Howl arched his eyebrows and pulled the handkerchief towards him. "Are you? Outsider..."