Leonidas Malcolm's POV

Sinilip ko ang reaksyon ni Kuya at ni Rain. Nong una'y wala silang reaksyon, ngunit biglang napalitan ng mangha nang ipalibot nila ang kanilang mga tingin. Matapos noon ay lumipat sa'kin ang tingin nila at parang sa'kin namangha.

I smirked. Soon enough, makukuha ko rin ang puso nila at dadalhin nila ako sa Phoenix Academy. Just the thought of it excites me. "Dito mo talaga natagpuan si Eris—"

"Sinclair," pagtama ko sa sabi ni Rain. Napasinghap lang ako nang maalalang kasama nga pala namin siya. She might be offended because of what I did. She might think I'm dismissing her name, Eris. I just... I'm just familiar with Sinclair. Hindi ko na dapat ginawa pa 'yon.

"Yes." Si Sinclair na ang sumagot para sa'kin. "I was drowning here, but he revived me. Thankfully, it worked," natatawa niyang kuwento. "Wala pa akong maalala bukod sa pangalan ko no'n."

Nagulat naman kami ni kuya nang biglang naging pula ang mata ni Rain. Ang buhok niya ay naging pula rin. Ahh, nagtatransform siya kapag nagamit ng kapangyarihan.

"Rain, bakit?" Tanong ni Kuya Levi.

"I can feel a strong energy force. Katulad ng energy force sa may Phoenix Well. I can feel the same here," sagot naman niya.

"Phoenix Well?"

Tumingin sa'kin si Kuya at sinagot ang kuryosidad ko, "It's a place in Phoenix Academy. Inside that is where all the Phoenixes reside. Once in a while, they are released from the well."

Tumango-tango ako at binalik ang tingin kay Rain. He looks like he's struggling, like he's hearing voices at nabibingi siya.

"That's one of his abilities. He can hear some creatures, lalo na kung affiliated sa apoy o araw," dagdag ni Kuya Levi. Perhaps may naririnig siyang mga Phoenix... kung eto nga ay konektado sa Phoenix Well nila.

Pumikit ako nang mariin at sinubukang pakinggan din ang mga phoenix, malay mo, 'di ba? Nakaramdam ako ng kakaibang enerhiya sa'king paligid, and I heard a cry. Was it a Phoenix's Cry?

Nagmulat ako ng mata, I strided towards the side of the falls. "Leon!" Tawag sa'kin ni kuya but I just smirked at him. "Kuya Levi. I can also hear the Phoenixes. Ibig sabihin ba noon, parte na ako ng mga taong maaaring sumali sa academy?"

Rain chuckled and looked at me. "Of course. You can be part of the academy. Pero hindi ka makakasurvive kung ang alam mo lang ay ang makarinig ng mga Phoenix. You must have another ability besides that, Leon," he straightforwardly answered.

Well, he has a point, but I can discover it in the academy. I'm sure. "I still want to go," giit ko. Sabay silang tumingin sa'kin, and Kuya Levi answered me, "Walang tao sa academy ngayon, they are probably in the Greek World or kaya sa Orphic Dimension." They're willing to bring me there... but of course, hindi ko puwedeng iwanan ang mundo ko.

"Would you like to take a dip on the falls? It's very refreshing," pag-iiba ko sa usapan.

Sinclair shook her head. "I'll rest, Leo," pagpapaalam niya. The two men shifted to her. Oh, parehas silang susunod kay Sinclair.

Hinubad ko ang aking armor, at lumubog sa falls. Tiningnan ko naman silang dalawa ngunit umiling lamang sila sa'kin, "Hindi na, pupuntahan nalang namin si Sinclair. Kahit d'yan ka na muna."

Tinanguan ko sila. "Mag-iingat kayong pabalik," sabi ko't 'di na inintay si Rain at Kuya Levi na magpaalam. This time, it seemed like Sinclair still wanted to go with Rain. Well, she has no choice since Levi cannot enter the town.

Mapanlokong nginisian ni Rain ang kapatid ko, kaya't tinapunan siya ni kuya ng masamang tingin. Pinanood ko lang sila habang pawala nang pawala sa paningin ko. Sinclair looked back at me. Ngumiti siya at kumaway, binalik ko naman 'yon.

Nang mawala na sila sa paningin ko'y pumikit ako at nag-isip. Wala pala talaga akong alam sa mundo. Magiging hari na ako 'pag lumipas pa ang ilang panahon... but I'm still so young. At simula noong dumating si Sinclair sa buhay ko, I changed. I liked the simple things. I did not wish for power. I wished for love.

But I know Sinclair does not love me that way, or baka hindi pa, or never at all. Seeing my rivals, wala akong laban sa kanila. Rain Evan Delvar and Leviticus Malcolm.

Malakas ang buhos ng talon, at aaminin kong medyo masakit sa katawan at sa ulo ang patak nito. Medyo lumayo ako rito ngunit nagulat ako nang tila may kumagat sa'king paa at hinila ako papunta doon. Sinubukan kong magpumiglas, but the hold was too strong. Sumipa ako nang sumipa, but it still did not come off.

Ang tubig ay naging kapantay na ng leeg ko, anytime now, parang mas lalalim ang tubig kaya't nag-ipon ako ng hininga and held it when I drowned in the water. Minulat ko ang mata ko, but still held my breath. Tiningnan ko kung ano ang humila sa'kin pababa, but it was just a glint of fire.

I tried swimming up pero parang may black hole na humihigop sa'kin lalo pababa. I was struggling for many minutes now, and anytime now, I feel like I'd lose senses.

Woah. Is this my end?

Ang tubig ay tila bumuo ng ipo-ipo, at nasa loob ako noon. Mas lalo akong nahilo sa'king nakita but after a while, I heard some voices, "Welcome Phoenix."

I shut my eyes, and the warmth of darkness enveloped me.

***

Nang muli akong magkaroon ng kamalayan, napabalikwas ako't bumangon. The last thing I remember was that I am drowning. I gasped loudly, catching for air.

Tumingin ako sa paligid ko, and my eyes almost popped out in the sight. Who in the world would not bawl their eyes out?! This world seemed so surreal. Lahat ay makulay at maliwanag, at ang mga tao rito ay puro may mga kasamahang hayop. Animals that were very unlike to the Earth's animals. These were magical.

The heavens on this place was not just clouds or anything. Puro buildings na magaganda ang disenyo, at napakaraming palamuti. It also looked like the universe, not just plain sky blue surroundings. This is my dream land, isip ko at napanganga sa nakita. I figured that I was on a floating house.

Is this a dream?

"Gising ka na pala," napalingon naman ako sa isang matanda na may magandang boses. It was very alluring kahit na matanda na siya. Kung hindi mo siya titingnan ay mapapagkamalan mo siyang dalagita.

Tumango ako at napansing kakapasok niya lang. "Nasaan po ako?" Magalang kong tanong bagaman 'di siya kilala at kahina-hinala ang sitwasyon.

She smiled and handed me a bowl of soup. "Eat this, it will help you regain energy," she gently told me.

I thanked her, and gladly ate the soup. Tila tuwang-tuwa siya sa'kin nang kumain ako. She finally began to speak, "So, you're from the mortal realm."

Obviously. But I was quick to catch, so I asked, "What realm is this?"

"This is Aerilon, the World of Heavenly and Mythical Creatures, and this is where they reside," she smiled and looked at the sky. "Ikaw ay isang Phoenix, kung hindi mo iyon nalalaman. It is very rare for a Full Phoenix to be born, or very rare to have Human-shifting Phoenix. One rare factor is that you are born out of this realm. That means you have someone to guard in the Earth."

Nagtaka naman ako kaya't napatigil ako sa pagkain. She seemed to have noticed it after I spilled some soup.

"Ah, I'm sorry. I must have surprised you, but please listen because we only have limited time," aniya habang humihingi ng paumanhin.

"I am aware of the Earth, the others living here, are not. We are called Protectors. Because our main goal is to protect our realm from any harm. There are lots of realms in the universe, but ours, along with some, remain unknown and secret," paliwanag niya. "Matagal na naming, Elders, alam na hindi rin magtatagal ang sikretong ito. Eventually someone will discover it, and it is you. I think there is a purpose for that."

"With your abilities and identity, you belong here. Pero dahil isa kang human at sa mortal realm ka tumira, you belong there. I'm sad to inform you that the mortal realm is running out of time, ngunit mayroon namang paraan para isalba iyon, and you, my dear, will be the one to do it," she added.

Napatingin ako sa labas nang may ibon na mayroong buntot ng isang ahas na dumaan malapit sa'min. I was surprised, but the woman wasn't.

"Hindi ko rin alam kung paano. But according to my visions, there is a way. Pero para magawa iyon, you need to kill the person that you are guarding," sambit niya't nakuha muli ang atensyon ko.

Napakunot-noo naman ako. "Guarding?"

She smiled again, at bigla namang may lumabas na mythical fox sa likod niya. The fox purred at umikot siya sa'kin. Muntik ko pa ngang mabitawan ang aking holy soup. "Leon, this fox is called a Guardian. It can shapeshift into a human form since it is strong, only a few could do it."

"They exist to Guard us, Protectors. And you are a Guardian too, since you are a Phoenix. Are you getting me?"

Medyo natagalan rumehistro sa utak ko ang sinabi niya, pero kalaunan nama'y tumango ako. "Some mythical creatures do not have Protectors, so they remain wandering in this world. Or some phoenixes for example, wander in your world. But having a Protector and vice versa meant that an individual is complete."

"Why would I kill my Protector or the person that I am guarding?" takang tanong ko. I was supposed to guard the person, so why would I kill?

"It is a sacrifice for your realm. It is the only way that everyone can live. Her soul is divine, and your realm needs it to survive. She will provide balance through her sacrifice."

"Her?" I asked.

"The half demon, half angel. I believe she is named Eris Sinclair Alderhaide. And that being can't be killed by others, eventually her soul will revive, and only you, her Guardian, can kill her."

I scoffed when I heard Sinclair's name. She wants me to kill Sinclair!

"I can't," I firmly said.

"Then everyone will die. Your realm will be gone, and will return to cosmos, the place where beings above everything and everyone dwell. They're the ones who predetermine our fates and make who we are. You see, the universe is complex. So it is really impossible for a realm to die. I'm telling you a way to prevent it from happening, so please listen," aniya na halos nagmamakaawa na.

"I can't! I can't kill her. Maybe I can kill myself, but not just her," malakas kong sagot.

Pumikit siya nang mariin, at mariin na rin ang tono niya ngayon. "The life of your realm will fall into your hands... And also it's death. You will be the one to kill it."

Napasabunot ako sa'king sarili. "Wala na bang ibang paraan?" Tanong ko dahil desperadong-desperado na ako.

"I'm sorry pero wala na," sabi niya at tumungo. "Please think this through. It's just one life versus millions, Leon."

Nag-igting ang panga ko sa sinabi niya, "She's not just a life!" She was taken aback by my sudden outburst. Napatango siya, "Yes, I know. It would be really hard to kill the one you are guarding. It will cost you almost your soul."

Umiling ako. "Alam mo naman po palang hindi ko kaya. Then why would you tell me this?"

"In case you change your mind, and suddenly want to save your realm. You are the heir after all. Don't you care about your people?"

I closed my eyes, of course I care.

At sa dinagdag niyang mga kataga, mas lalo akong natakot. "And cosmos made you this way. It's just who you are meant to be."

Tumingin nalang ako sakaniya at napabuntong-hininga. Wala na akong magagawa kung ipipilit n'ya 'yan. "Kailan ako makakabalik sa realm ko?"

May binigay siya sa'king bracelet. Parang vine ito na mayroon lamang kakaibang stone sa gitna. "That will lead you back to your realm," she said. Sinuot niya 'yon sa'kin, at hindi na ako naghintay ng oras upang makabalik.

Phoenix Academy
By lostmortals
Plagiarism is a crime.

Thank you for reading!