Chapter 50 History

As I roared loudly in the middle of the forest where the old ruin stood atop highly, on stoned stairs, the four dragons crawled slowly, around me, floating in the air, not even bothered with the attention that I started to attract in the whole Fevia Attero.

I knew right at that moment that we were all visible in the eyes of every Attero even at a far distance, with our size bigger than the height of the tallest tree in the forest, and our overwhelming presence together, it was already not surprising to greet tons of Attero, civilian or not who are willing to witness this fight and the mystery of the ruin.

Rosh and Alarik were no longer making a move, but they were just standing, staring at us in awe. Even Tavion who were busy fighting with the other monsters came outside to witness the unexpected visit of these creatures around me.

"There are really dragons in this world. . ." said Rosh, unbelievingly, as if he wasn't aware of Howl's existence in the very first place.

I was waiting for the other dragons to enter my mind, but Howl again tried to communicate with me.

"You know, it's really rare for us to meet in one place unexpectedly," he said.

Gusto ko pa sana siyang tanungin kung saan siya nanggaling dahil hindi ko na siya nakita pa nang makausap ko ang mga Gazellian, but this isn't the good time to ask about his quick adventure in Nemetio Spiran.

"But I think you should know before anything else the situation in Nemetio Spiran and why the reinforcement is not yet coming," Howl added.

"I don't think she needs more reinforcement. We are enough," one of the other dragons interrupted.

With one of the Attero's power, Howl allowed me to see the situation in Nemetio Spiran. I know that we should be dealing with our current situation in Fevia Attero, but this is how the mana works in this world. Maybe letting me see through the happenings in Nemetio Spiran would not take too much of my time— like some of my dream visits about Tavion, Elin and Ressa pasts.

Tulad nga nang inaasahan ko, nang sandaling ipikit ko nang saglit ang aking mga mata, natagpuan ko na lang ang sarili ko sa likuran ng magkakapatid na Gazellian habang kinakausap nila ako.

King Dastan and Queen Leticia's in the front, facing us , Tavion, Rosh, Alarik, and the Head Wizard. Iyon ang mga panahon na kinausap nila ako at binigyan ko sila ng kaalamang mas magiging maayos ang lahat kung sabay naming sisirain ang tatlong lagusan.

If I could just turn back the time, I wouldn't pressure them about this plan.

Hinayaan ko ang sarili kong makinig sa mga salita ko habang kausap sina Haring Dastan at Reyna Leticia. And listening to Queen Leticia and King Dastan words made me feel assured and relieved like I heard her words for the first time again.

At nang sandaling tuluyan nang naglaho ang imahe namin mula sa Fevia Attero, hindi ko akalin ito pala ang siyang masasaksihan ko mula sa magkakapatid.

"Alright! I should go, King Dastan," masiglang sabi ni Harper.

But King Dastan and Queen Leticia didn't respond at her. Nanatili silang nakatalikod sa kanilang lahat habang naroon pa rin ang mga mata sa lugar kung saan kami nila nakausap na tila naroon pa rin ako at kausap sila.

"K-King Dastan?" nag-aalangang tawag ni Harper.

Huminga nang malalim si Haring Dastan bago muling humarap sa kanilang lahat. "We have to stay here. No one will leave the castle for the meantime."

Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Harper. "B-But why? You told me that it was going to be my mission!"

"They are waiting for us, Dastan! What is wrong with you?!" matigas na sabi ni Adam.

Sa unang pagkakataon ay nakitaan ko ng hindi pagsang-ayon ang magkakapatid na Gazellian sa narinig mula sa kanilang hari. Kapwa na nakakunot ang noo ng mga lalaking Gazellian, Gazellian mates were giving their own opinions, and even Lily's shaking her head.

I saw how Queen Leticia slipped her hand to her king.

"Is it because you're worried that Zen is away? At madadagdag ang wala sa palasyo? Are you that worried about Harper? I thought you trust her enough to let her lead a mission? How about the Tavion?! We shouldn't disappoint him and Iris!" malakas na sabi ni Lily.

"Harper can still lead her mission. She still has that journey to King Tiffon's world, but not now," kalmadong sabi ni Haring Dastan. Lalong napuno ng hindi pagsang-ayon ang kabuuan ng lugar na iyon.

"But her journey is needed now, Dastan!" sigaw ni Adam.

"They are waiting for them, for us, bakit wala tayong gagawin? What the hell, Dastan! L-Leticia?" Caleb's hoping for the queen's answer. Pero nag-iwas lang ng tingin si Reyna Leticia.

"We promised her that we will help her. I will not abandon her again. We shouldn't keep them hanging, and we should be moving right now. Time is very important in Fevia Attero right now," dagdag ni Anna.

Habang nagpapalitan ng salita ang magkakapatid, tanging sina Kalla at Naha lang ang nanatiling tahimik.

"What's wrong, Dastan?" tanong din ni Finn.

"I can't think of any good reason for us to stay put in this castle while Tavion's group is hoping for us to help them, nagkaroon tayo ng usapan sa kanila," sabi naman ni Evan.

"Do you have a plan?" tanong ni Casper.

"I don't think abandoning them and letting them think that we're on the move is a good plan, Dastan," mas matigas na sabi ni Adam.

And this time, no Gazellian stood behind King Dastan's word but only his queen. Nang makita nang lahat na nakatitig lang sa kanila si Haring Dastan, tumuon ang kanilang mga mata kay Reyna Leticia.

Nang hindi agad makapagsalita si Reyna Leticia, hindi na naghintay pa si Caleb. He turned his back and started striding to the exit, sumunod agad si Adam, Harper, Anna, at Casper.

For the very first time, I saw how Queen Leticia extended her arms and allowed her golden mist scattered around the throne room to shut all the exits.

"Walang makalalabas!"

Kahit ako ay napasinghap sa sinabi ni Reyna Leticia. Ngunit hindi rin pumayag si Anna, inangat niya rin ang kanyang dalawang kamay at hinayaan niyang humalo ang kanyang mana sa kapangyarihan ni Reyna Leticia upang mapawalang bisa iyon.

"Caleb, buong akala ko'y ang mundong ito'y handang tumulong. I thought this family is one and united! You never told me that abandoning is your family's special skills!" sigaw ni Anna.

Naningkit ang mga mata ni Haring Dastan. I saw when he took one step forward with his eyes piercing on Anna, naging alerto si Caleb at nagawa niyang iharang ang sarili nang makita niyang hindi nagustuhan ni Haring Dastan ang sinabi ni Anna, but Queen Leticia's hand was too quick to stop her king. I expected Lily to side with Queen Leticia and King Dastan with Anna's remarks, but using her own smoke she tried to cut Anna and Queen Leticia's connected power, as if it was in tug of war.

Nakabuka ang dalawang kamay ni Lily habang nasa gitna siya. Marahas niyang tinanaw ang magkabilang panig, from King Dastan and Queen Leticia's part to Caleb and Anna. There are now two sides, Caleb, Anna, Adam, Harper, Casper who took the side of his twin, Kalla and Finn who sided with his mate. Habang sina Evan at Naha lang iyong tumabi kina Reyna Leticia at Haring Dastan.

"Sorry, we've been taking King Dastan's bad side recently with our jewelry business," ngiwing sabi ni Naha.

Bumuntonghininga si Evan. "But if this is going to be a fight, we will fight fairly."

Iritadong lumingon si Lily kay Evan. "There is no fighting that will happen! Hindi ito ang higit na kailangan sa oras na ito!"

"Let us leave, Queen Leticia. Iris, Tavion, and Rosh are waiting for us," ulit ni Harper.

"You promised them. This is wrong. . ." umiiling na sabi ni Anna.

Kahit ako ay nagugulat sa naririnig mula kina Haring Dastan at Reyna Leticia. I've seen them fight and witnessed their every battle, but I never heard an order from them to stay put and allow someone to believe or wait for false hope.

"For now, we are not the best help that they need the most," mahinahong sabi ni Haring Dastan.

"Kung hindi tayo? Sino?! Bakit kailangan pa natin silang paniwalain na tutulong tayo?!" sigaw muli ni Caleb.

Hindi sumagot si Haring Dastan dahil sa pagkakataong iyon ay tipid na ngumiti si Reyna Leticia at sinalubong ang mga mata ni Anna. "Uulitin ko ang katanungan ni Caleb, Anna. Kung hindi tayo mula sa mundong ito, sino mula sa inyong mundo?"

Nang marinig ko ang mga salitang iyon ni Reyna Leticia, unti-unti ko nang naintindihan kung bakit pinaniwala nila kami sa Fevia Attero na handa rin silang makipagtulungan sa amin.

King Dastan and Queen Leticia want me to decide and discover that we can handle it to ourselves. Ang tanging dahilan kung bakit hinayaan ng hari't reyna na magkaroon kami ng usapan sa pagitan ng mga Gazellian ay para bigyan kami ng lakas ng loob at isiping may mga nilalang na naghihintay sa amin sa pagbalik sa Nemetio Spiran.

Napapailing na lang ako habang tanaw sina Haring Dastan at Reyna Leticia, hindi ko akalaing ganoon na lang ang laki ng tiwala nila sa akin, kay Tavion at maging kay Rosh. That they could even foresee that we would come up to the decision that we'd stop waiting for them, but fight on our own.

"Your journey to King Tiffon's world will take more time, Harper. At tulad nga ng sabi ninyo, oras ang kalaban natin dito. Don't you think that plan didn't cross my mind? It turns out that the old ruin in Fevia Attero started to collapse with its deteriorating sacrifice. Bagay na hindi pa nangyayari sa dalawang natitirang lagusan. We can't have the same approach for the three portals. Sa ngayon ay dapat bigyan muna ng solusyon ang lugar na siyang nag-aalboroto," mahabang paliwanag ni Haring Dastan.

"Sinasabi mo bang sila ang siyang tulong na kailangan nina Iris at Tavion?" tanong ni Anna.

Huminga nang malalim si Reyna Leticia. "Siya lang ang natatanging nilalang sa panahong ito na maaaring makatawag sa kanila habang wala pa ang babaeng itinakda kay Rosh. Sila ay mga Attero at nararapat lang na sila ang magsara ng lagusang iyon dahil ang dugong nanalaytay sa kanila'y mula sa mundong iyon."

"I don't understand. . ." ani ni Caleb.

"Your queen is telling us that Iris should call the Fevia Attero's greatest pride, the four dragon wizards. Ang mga nilalang na napakaraming taon ang kailangang lumipas bago magkasama-sama sa iisang lugar. Those dragons were not even in friendly terms for them to appear out of nowhere. Kung lalabas sila nang sama-sama, siguradong nakikilala nila ang tatawag sa kanila. . ." nagsisimula na ring malito si Anna.

Alam kong sinisimulan na niyang isipin kung ano ang koneksyon ko o ang babaeng itinakda kay Rosh sa mga dragon ng kanilang mundo.

When they witnessed that Anna stopped struggling but rather confused, most of them calmed down a bit. Hindi na ipinakita pa ang sunod na nangyari ng araw na iyon, ngunit nang muling may ipinakitang eksena ang Nemetio Spiran, masasabi kong higit na silang nagkakagulo.

"I can't stand this anymore! They are fuckingly waiting for us, Dastan!" gigil na sabi ni Caleb habang itinuturo ang imahe kong nakalutang na sa loob ng bula at nasa ilalim ko sina Tavion, Rosh, at Alarik.

Hindi na iniharang ni Reyna Leticia ang kanyang kapangyarihan at tinanaw na niya sina Anna, Harper, Casper, Adam, Kalla, at Finn na nagma-martsa na palabas ng kwartong iyon.

Tipid lang tumanaw sa kanila si Reyna Leticia bago siya tumalikod at humarap na sa nangyayari sa amin sa Fevia Attero.

"Nagsisimula na siya. Nasisiguro kong higit siyang matutuwa sa desisyon nating nagtiwala tayo sa kanya at sa desisyon niya," mahinahong sabi ng reyna.

Hindi na sana nila papansinin pa si Reyna Leticia ngunit nang biglang magliwanag na tila ginto ang katawan ng reyna at lumutang iyon sa gitna ng silid habang magkakasunod siyang gumawa ng tatlong atake mula sa iba't ibang parte ng silid na iyon, natigil ang kanilang paglalakad at sabay-sabay silang lumingon pabalik.

The three attacks turned into visions of three different worlds, like rectangular images, giving three versions of theaters in different settings. A similar explosion in the dark sky in the separate worlds awakens every creature with great curiosity.

All the female Gazellian gasped with Queen Leticia's move.

Kahit ako'y napatulala sa ginawang iyon ni Reyna Leticia. She just penetrated the three worlds with her power and took the risk of getting the attention of every powerful creature of these three worlds.

Queen Leticia has placed her name with my action and decision without any hesitation!

Ilang beses akong napahakbang paatras habang sapo ang mga labi ko. Ramdam ko ang biglang paglandas ng mga luha ko habang pinanunuod at pinakikinggan ang bawat salitang binibigkas ng reyna na walang pagdududa at pag-aalinlangan.

The trust that Queen Leticia gave me. . .

"Ako ang kasalukuyang reyna ng Nemetio Spiran, ang mundong pinamumunaan ko'y hanggang ngayon ay alipin ng walang katapusang sakripisyo mula sa isang mahiwagang lugar na alam kong maging ang mundo ninyo'y ilang daang taon nang pilit nilalabanan. Lahat tayo'y umaasa mula sa isang propesiya na may darating na siyang nakatakdang sisira sa tatlong lagusang unti-unting pumapatay sa ating lahat, ngunit tayo bilang mga namumuno'y hindi itinakdang maghintay at umasa dahil lang sa propesiya. Maghihintay tayong lumalaban!"

Hindi rin nagtagal ay may imahe na rin tumabi kay Reyna Leticia sa itim na kalangitan. Ang Head Wizard!

"We will be destroying the famous old ruin of Fevia Attero. And this world will be accepting help from Nemetio Spiran," pormal na sabi ng Head Wizard.

Suminghap si Anna sa kanyang narinig. "H-He announced it to the whole Fevia Attero. . ."

Nakatingala na si Haring Dastan sa nakalutang na reyna na pilit gumagawa ng pangmalawakang anunsyo sa tatlong malalaking mundo.

"This is all about lighting up the first torch. This is how Iris will show to these three worlds the beginning of breaking the endless sacrificial curse, as someone in a line of creatures who have been a sacrifice. Ipamumukha niya sa tatlong mundong ito, sa mga nilalang na nanunuod ngayon, na isang puting lobo ang kauna-unahang tatapos ng walang katapusang pag-aalay ng buhay. And she is our Iris, from Nemetio Spiran, and a powerful Gazellian," mahabang sabi ni Haring Dastan na mas nakapagpatulala sa akin na tila hindi niya ako ginawang hamakin at paghanapan ng kakayahan bilang Gazellian.

He said those words with full of trust and faith that I'd succeed in everyone's eyes.

When the huge image of Queen Leticia and the Head Wizard vanished in the thin air and replaced with my situation when I was still inside that dark galaxy, I suddenly felt the nervousness all over my body as if I was there again.

Ramdam ko rin ang matinding tensyon ng lahat ng mga Gazellian habang pinapanuod nila kung paano ako kumawala at lumabas sa bula, hanggang sa tuluyan na ngang magsimulang magalit ang siyang kadilimang nagkukulong sa akin at habulin ako ng pinaghalong kidlat at apoy.

Ilang beses kong naririnig ang singhap nina Anna, Harper at Naha, maging ang ilang mura ni Adam. I saw how King Dastan's hand balled and his jaw clenched as he watched me keenly. Kahit malayo ako sa kanila ni Reyna Leticia ay nakikita ko ang pawis sa kanilang mga mukha.

Tutok na tutok si Lily at ilang beses napapamura sa tuwing muntik na akong tamaan, while the other male Gazellians were silent but couldn't even blink. And Kalla's silently praying for me.

Mas lalong natahimik ang lahat nang humarang na sa akin sina Vera at Sierra. I even saw the pain in their eyes when they witnessed how I turned my back and tried to save myself, but when I stopped in midway and turned myself into a human, with nothing but my physical strength and naked body that Queen Leticia hid from anyone's eyes, bigla na lang akong nakarinig nang sigawan.

Pigil ang hininga nang lahat habang papalapit na ang apoy at kidlat sa aming tatlo, ngunit ang higit na napatulala sa kanila na siyang reaksyon din nina Vera at Sierra'y nang iangat ko ang aking kamay sa gitna ng delubyong iyon.

When I summoned the map and turned it into a blazing sphere above my palm, I thought I'd witness disappointment, since a relic is very important in Gazellian family, but they gave me different reactions.

Because the moment I threw the map against the surging fire and saved the pixies, I heard the deafening scream of every Gazellian in the throne room.

Umiiyak at tumalon sina Harper at Lily, napalugmok na sa sahig si Anna na lumuluha, napasandal na sa pader si Kalla, at yumakap na rin si Naha kay Evan. Nanghina na rin at napasalmak sa sahig si Caleb, napahinga nang maluwag sina Casper at Finn.

And for the very first time, I saw a transparent reaction of King Dastan, as he raised one of his hands, balled first, showing his triumph. Yumuko si Reyna Leticia sa kanya at ngumiti.

With Queen Leticia's power she showed the reaction of every citizen on how I successfully escaped that sacrificial darkness. Lalong nagsigawan ang maraming nilalang mula sa tatlong magkakaibang mundo nang sandaling nagmulat ako at bumaba sa lupa na may nakaluhod na isang tuhod.

"I am back."

Another roar of victory overwhelmed the whole room of Parsua Sartorias, with the cheer of other creatures all over the three worlds.

Habang nakaangat ang mga mata ni Haring Dastan at pinapanuod ako na kumawala na sa kadiliman ay tipid niyang pinagkrus ang kanyang mga braso.

"What is the warmest and the brightest place in every castle?"

"The hearth with its fire. It is the place where a family usually gathers to feel the warmth," sagot ni Anna.

"That's where Iris stands for, her as the map that would bring everyone around the blazing hearth. She'll be the one who would light it, who will give its first fire to keep it ablaze. . . showing these to the three worlds is like lighting up a hearth for us to gather as one. Her map is a unity and warmth— ceasing the endless cold of sacrifices."

When King Dastan casually glanced at these subjects, all he witnessed were purely admiration and agreement.

"Iris is indeed the map herself," King Dastan firmly said.

Akala ko'y mananatili pa akong pinapanuod ang reaksyon nilang lahat nang biglang tumama ang aking mga mata kay Reyna Leticia.

Ngumiti siya sa akin. "Tapusin mo na, Iris."

When I nodded at her, I opened my eyes again in Fevia Attero with the dragons curling around my body like a huge werewolf.

I jumped high, I saw how my silhouette as a huge werewolf covered the moonlight with the dragons flying beside me with Rosh, Alarik, and Tavion on their back.

As we descended back to the ground, the huge ruin started to embody a new form— a giant made of stone, positioning itself to welcome us with an attack.

There were only a few words that I needed to tell them, and with Howl's ability, I sent them directly inside their minds. "Let's start making a history."

"A fucking great history!" matigas na sagot ni Tavion.

For the very first time, I heard the mixture of voices of the other dragons, with Howl, Rosh, and Alarik with the same conviction and intensity as Tavion's words.

Their voices echoed triumphantly in my head. "YES! A great history!"