Ikatlong Persona

The smoke disappeared. Now they can see a woman wearing a red cloak. She has this porcelain white skin complexion, pointy nose and red luscious lips perfectly shaped like cupid's bow. 

"Sino ka?" Sena whispered in the thin air, but she don't seem to hear what she asked her. 

"Anong kailangan mo dito?" Seryosong tanong ni Xai.

The woman on the red cloak suddenly shakes her head playfully. Umangat ang kamay nito't dinuro si Fire. Sabay na napatingin ang mga ito sa gawi ng dalaga na may pagtataka sa mukha. 

She needs Fire? Why? Because she can control two elements?

"You have to come through me first before you get her." He grabbed her hand and hide her in his back. Mahigpit ang pagkakahawak nito na animo'y ayaw niya itong pakawalan.

Pinaikutan nilang lima si Fire. They will not let the woman take her. Whatever happens, they will do everything they can to protect her. 

"We will not let you take her! Hindi sya pwedeng makuha ng masamang tulad mo!" Kendrick blurted out full of conviction in his voice.

Napamura si Shandice. Narinig nilang may kung ano itong sinabi subalit hindi nila maapuhap kung anong salita ang mg aiyon.

"What have I done? I was tricked too." That was what she said but nobody really heard her words correctly. 

Xai created a 10 year barrier to secure the people outside the arena. Siniguro na niyang hindi madadamay ang mga taong nasa labas. 

"Who do you think is the bad one here?" Her cold voice made them swallow a lump on their throat. Napakurap ang mga ito sa tono ng kaniyang pananalita. 

Her voice was into something. Something they don't know. Nagdadalawang isip ang mga itong magsalita't sumabat dahil parang isang maling galaw at salita mo lang ay may mangyayaring masama sa iyo.

"W-what do you need from me?" Kylla raised an eyebrow. Fire stammering and acting so intimidated towards someone was very new to them. Nakilala nila itong matapang at walang kinakatakutang kahit sino.

"Silly, how can you be fooled by her? In a presence of me?" Mahina nitong bulong, ngunit sapat na upang marinig nilang lahat.

"Who the hell are you?" Pabalang na sikmat ni Xai sa kaniya. He seemed be losing his patience with this mysterious woman in red cloak. 

And what does she need from Laurice?

Humigpit lalo ang pagkakahawak ng binata sa kamay ni Fire na nakatago sa likod niya. He will not let her take her. Magkakamatayan muna bago niya ito makuha. 

Suddenly out of nowhere, the two vampire twins appeared. All of them hissed. They knew it, a traitor will always be a traitor. How dumb could they be to trust them.

"Can't get enough, huh?" Makahulugang tanong ni Jas habang nakatingin ng masama kay Fire. 

Now everyone's forehead knotted in confusion. What's with the sudden change of behavior and attitude? They thought these two vampire twins cares for Fire but they're acting different now.

"What are you talking about?" Fire asked with an innocent look on her face as if she doesn't know anything at all.

"Are you happy being me, hmm?" The mysterious woman said as her lips formed a loop sided smile.

Fire suddenly threw her hands on her mouth and look at the woman in disbelief. 

"Ikaw! Impostora ka!" she accused. 

"Tandaan mong hinding-hindi mo kami maloloko!" dag-dag nito habang dinuro-duro ang dalaga. 

"Are you sure I'm the impostor here?" She sneered and they can literally imagine her rolling her eyes.

"Then take that red cloak off." Shandice suggested calmly.

Napatingin ang mga ito kay Shandice. Her face shows no reaction, but they we're curious why she looks so calm in a situation when someone wanted to take her bestfriend away.

"Fine then, Cera." Gumuhit ang ngiti sa labi nito.

Just like what Shandice said, she took off her cloak slowly. Nang tuluyang itong natanggal at mahulog sa sa sahig ay tumambad sa kanila ang napakagandang mukha ng dilag. Nanlaki ng husto ang mata ng mga ito nang makilala nila kung sino iyon. 

This can't be happening!

"Fire!" 

"Laurice!" 

They chorused. Now they are confused as fuck. Napatingin naman sila sa babaeng katabi nila, magkamukhang-magkamukha ang mga ito. The only difference they have, is the woman in front of them looks more confident and enigmatic. May kahabaan ang buhok nito kumpara sa Fire na kinakasama nila, at mas lalong mapangmintas ang mga mata nito.

Who is deceiving them?

"What in the name of..." Napabuga ng marahas na hangin si Onyx sa nakikita. 

"This is bullshit!" Komento ni Kendrick.

Then Xai remember what she told him yesterday. That whatever happened he must believe her and no one else. That's right. That's it. He should trust her. He knew there's a reason why she said that.

I'm not letting anyone fool me!

"You are the impostor, you are not Laurice. You are with those lowlife vampire. You are not her," he said with finality in his voice. Dahil sa sinabi niya, the real Laurice Fireilline Gwyneth Apostle chuckled. 

"Lowlife vampires? Where did you get that attitude Lune?" Natigilan ang binata nang banggitin ng dalaga ang ikalawang pangalan niya. Yes, she used to call him Lune. But still, he would not change his mind. She is the impostor.

"And me an impostor? You must be some special kind of fool." She slowly walk towards their direction only to intimidate them even more. Naalarma naman ang mga ito't umaksyon upang lumaban kung sakaling aatake ito.

They really want me to prove it.

On cue, everyone motioned their hands to summon their energies. They are ready to attack her anytime if she did something, but the look on her face was not scared at all. In fact, she just stood there unbothered. 

Diffrent types of Elemental Blades went flying on her direction but she wasn't moving a little. Marahas na patungo ito sa direksyon ng dalaga ngunit nang isang pulaga na lang ang lapit ng mga ito sa katawan niya'y bigla itong tumigil sa ere.

She narrowed her eyes, and the blades suddenly backfired. Their eyes widened in shock and created their own shield to protect themselves. 

The fake Fire was enjoying everything in her sight. They don't believe her and they are protecting her instead. Hindi niya naman aakalain na napakadali palang mauto ng mga ito. She was laughing in her when they created whirlpools and whirlwind to fight against the real Fire.

"You are really willing to fight me?" Dahil abala ang mga ito sa pagkontrol ng iba't-ibang klase ng ipo-ipo na gawa nila, ikinumpas ng totoong Fire ang kamay niya't sa isang iglap ay walang kahirap-hirap niyang nabasag ang barrier na gawa ni Xai. 

Kaagad namang nagulat ang mga ito't naibaling nila ang kanilang atensyon sa nasira na barrier. Xai's even more confused. He's having a second thought now. There is only one person who can easily break strong barriers and that's the real Laurice that he knows. 

Gulong-gulo na ang isip niya't nagdadalawang isip na siyang kalabanin ang babaeng kaharap niya. Malakas ang kutob niya na ito ang totoong Fire pero hindi niya pa rin makalimutan ang pangako niya. He don't break promises!

"Fuck!" Napahilamos na lang siya. 

Napatigil na lamang sa paggawa ng ipo-ipo ang mga ito nang nakaramdam sila ng panghihina sa katawan at parang nalilimitahan ang kapangyarihan nila. Sabay na napamura ang mga ito nang mapagtanto nila ang dahilan kung bakit.

They lose one of their gems.

"Now who do you think did that?" 

"A-are you okay, Xai?" The impostor asked, concerned about his condition. Napaismid naman ang totoong Fire. 

The audacity of this bitch. 

Kapansin-pansin naman si Shandice na walang ginawa kun'di ang tumayo lang at tingnan ang pinanggagawa nila. She knew this would happen in her dreams.

"Stop this nonsense now, Devina." Walang ganang wika ni Fire rito. Nabato ng wala sa oras ang babaeng nagngangalang Devina. 

"You! What did you do to them!" Galit nitong atugal habang nangagalaiti sa galit. Fire scoffed. 

"Don't bullshit me when you know exactly what happened to them," wika nito habang dinidiinan ang bawat katagang binibitawan nito.

"I didn't do anything. If there's someone who could do anything bad, that's you!" Patuloy nitong akusa. 

"Oh?" Fire began to twirl the ends of her hair as she continue to her her defending herself. The more she explain the more she looks like a desperate fool.

"They are weak because their powers are limited. How can you explain that, Devina Clorosis," She paused for a bit to look at her reaction. Nakita niya ang pagbalata ng galit sa mata nito kaya ngumisi siya bago ipagpatuloy ang sasabihin niya. 

"The daughter of the Black Sorceress that died 22 years ago because of the war." Devina clenched her fist.

"Who is Devina Clorosis?" Patuloy na pagmamaang-maangan nito. 

Fire almost clapped her hands. She deserves an award for the drama she's acting. Well, they are too dumb and stupid to get fooled by her to. She was disappointed. 

"You can deny the truth, but you can't lie to yourself." She said, taunting her. 

"And Lune, I never thought you can be fooled easily." She crossed her arms and gave him a cold stare.

"W-what do you mean?" Xai asked even though he's having a gut feeling that he really made a fool out of himself.

"Because of her foolishness you were fooled, and because you were a fool fooling around too, It's the loss you'll pursue." 

And they knew, they're done for it.

Itutuloy...