Walking toward the Academy's Pelagus Arce, or the main castle as I remember, everything felt nostalgic. The wooden door opened for us, then turned to a bridge for us to pass through. Umaga na rin dito, o lumipas ba ang oras habang nagte-teleport kami papunta rito?

It felt empty around dahil walang mga estudyante, ngunit maraming Phoenix ang lumilipad sa himpapawid. They roared in the sky, and I looked around more to see that it was raining gold dusts. Hindi naman 'yon kumakapit sa'min, ngunit naramdaman kong tumaas ang magical energy ko.

Nang makapasok sa Pelagus Arce, nagulantang ako nang makakita ng kamukha ni Leviticus. 'Yon nga lang ay itim ang kanyang buhok at pula ang mata. Is this Lucifuge? I took a good look in him, and he seemed so dark. Ruthless. Violent. Like a demon. When he turned to me, his expression softened a bit, as if he was feeling sorry.

Tumingin siya kay Levi at Red sa tabi ko, at sarkastikong nagsalita. "You're alive. That's a good thing. I wonder who's next," he spat. Pagas ang boses niya't saka ko lang napansin halos namamaga rin ang kanyang mga mata.

Nagtaas-kilay naman si Leviticus at 'di na napigilan ang pagtatanong. "Ano'ng pinagsasabi mo, Lucifuge? Nasaan din si Georgia?"

Then, Lucifuge's silence, his tears coming out from his bloodshot eyes answered it all. Georgia... is gone... before I could even meet her again. Napaawang ang bibig ko, 'di alam ang sasabihin. Napahawak ako sa sariling bibig at pinigilan ang impit na sigaw.

The war is real. Flashbacks of my memories of the blood fest flashed like lightning, and emotions went rushing in. No, the emotions I feel right now are stronger. I have never lost someone that close to me in our past lives. We all died together. But now, someone has gone first.

Why... why are things turning like this?

"Three sacrifices... that is what the Oracle of Trophonius mentioned to save this world," Headmaster Gaiael as he went down from the second floor. Patuloy niyang ikinuwento ang buong pangyayari dahil 'di 'yon magawa ni Lucifuge.

Georgia was the one who also returned my memories in my dreams, through the help of Mnemosyne. Even in her last moments, she never forgot me.

Wala ni isa sa'ming nagsalita sa sitwasyon. Red patted my back gently, but I didn't have the courage to turn to him. Tiningnan ko lang ang likod ni Lucifuge, iniisip kung ano'ng totoong nangyari nang mawala si Georgia. It's him who was with her.

It's him who should be most broken, but he's still here to fight.

"Leonidas... si Leonidas?" Nag-aalala kong tanong nang maaalalang may dalawa pa. There are still two sacrifices, and Leo's here for a reason I don't know.

"Sinclair?" Kaagad akong lumingon sa direksyon ng boses niya, ni Leo. He came from the second floor, and when I went to immediately greet him with a hug, he stepped backward. As if he didn't want to make contact with me.

"Leo...?"

Mabilis siyang umiling at nilagpasan ako, ni hindi niya ako tiningnan diretso sa'king mga mata. I looked at Headmaster to know what was going on, but his wide eyes told me that he has no idea.

"Nasaan nga pala tayo?" Tanong niya nang mapansin ang 'di pamilyar na kapaligiran.

"Phoenix Academy," simpleng sagot ko kahit hindi ako ang tinanong niya, at hindi niya rin ako nilingon.

However, his eyes widened at my answer and I heard him mutter curses. My eyes squinted upon his actions. There's something bothering him. Hindi niya ako pinapansin, at nagmumura pa siya. At all times, he acts prim and proper. Not like this.

"Sinclair, pwede bang umalis ka muna? May pag-uusapan lang kami..." sabi sa'kin ni Leo na ikinagulat ko. Tumingin ako sa mga tao rito, and it seemed like they wanted me to go out too.

So I nodded and left them. Niligon ko muna sila bago ako tuluyang umalis sa Pelagus Arce, and they looked like they were waiting for me to go out. Pero ang hindi nila alam ay nakakarinig ako kahit sa malayo. I discovered this ability not long ago.

"K-Kuya," Leo's voice was shaking. I can feel him tremble, and he sounded so scared.

"Protektahan niyo si Sinclair, please. Hindi ko siya kayang protektahan," patuloy niya.

"What do you mean, Leo?" This time it was Rain.

"Oo, maaari kong patayin si Phoenicia para matapos ang digmaan, pero..." tumigil si Leo at nagbuntong-hininga. "Maaari pa ring humantong sa katapusan ang mundo, at para masalba ang realm natin, kailangan ng dugo ng anghel at demonyo."

Tumahimik ang lahat, at kahit ako ay napatigil din sa paghinga. Ano'ng ibig sabihin ni Leo? Hindi ba't...

"Eris Sinclair Alderhaide must be killed as a sacrifice to save the realm. At ako lang ang maaaring makapatay sa kaniya," nahihirapang sabi ni Leon. "Hindi siya mamamatay, hangga't hindi ako ang pumapatay. She'll continue to reborn."

I was stunned. I... I need to be killed by Leo?

"Nonsense!" Narinig kong sigaw ni Lucifer. The floor moved as if on an earthquake. "Huwag mo akong pinagloloko, Leonidas."

Leo didn't answer and Red asked, "Wala na bang ibang paraan?" His voice sounded desperate... Everyone was. But no answer came from Leonidas here, or maybe there was but I did not hear it as the loud heartbeats continued to empty my mind.

The silence stretched and the conversation stopped.

I sighed. Ilang beses na ba akong namatay, nabuhay, at nabigyang pagkakataon? Kung iisipin lahat ng 'yan... hindi na kaso sa'kin ang gustong mangyari ng mga tala, ng kalawakan. I'll gladly surrender my life for the sake of the realm.

Wala sa sarili akong napatingin sa sariling mga kamay. I once had the power of death, and now I have the power to keep the realm alive. Isn't the world playing with me too much? It's too cruel, letting me live for the sake of its ever-changing game.

But finally, the world has decided to let me go. It has decided to end me.

Napatingin naman ako sa itaas nang lumabas lahat ng mga Phoenix. Pinaikutan nila ang Pelagus Arce, kaya't naalerto ako. Kung kanina ay nabingi ako sa katahimikan, ngayon naman ay nabingi ako sa kanilang mga iyak at tawag.

Halos mapairit ako nang may dumaan sa harap ko mismo na isang Phoenix, at nanlaki ang mata ko nang atakihin ng isang Phoenix ang kapwa niya Phoenix. Natigilan ako nang mapagtantong... hindi na ako nag-iisa rito sa labas.

Nabagabag ako lalo nang makarinig ng isang tawa. I looked at where the laugh came from, and saw a girl who looked so much like me.

"Oh! Hi, mother creator!" She greeted sarcastically. Phoenicia.

The emotions that I have been keeping became power. My imagination flowed out of my bounds as dark blades fell onto where she was. The floor turned to shadow and the skies turned dark... and upon looking up, I saw the moon slowly turning to the color of blood.

Blood fest. Napailing ako. Hindi maaaring mangyari ang blood fest ngayon. I must defeat her before the eclipse completes.

But what was unfolding before my eyes made it hard for me to believe in ourselves. Hundreds of Phoenixes roared from outside our barrier, and fires went up toward the academy. Narrow trenches etched the forest around, as if there's been a pattern drawn... as if the Phoenixes had clawed the forest with its fiery talons.

But those Phoenixes weren't ours. It all belonged to Phoenicia.

She transformed into a fiery creature, at nagkaroon siya ng shadow ng Phoenix sa likod niya.

"It hurts so much na gusto mong patayin ang binuo mo gamit ang sarili mong kamay," pagpapanggap ni Phoenicia sa harap ko't umangat ang kanyang mga lupa sa ere.

Isang kumpas lang ng kamay niya at bigla nalang akong tumalipon kung saan. Napakuyom ang kamao ko at tumayo. Darkness consumed my hand, and I fought back immediately. Hindi naman ako mapapatay dito, hindi ba? Only Leon can kill me anyway. Might as well risk this life.

I threw up a ball of darkness that is filled with the power of death... pero wala 'yong epekto sa kanya. Napangisi lang ako nang maabutan nito ang kanyang tuhod. Nang mapaluhod naman siya ay mabilis na umugong ang lupa, as if every movement of hers is strong enough to shake the whole world.

But I realized that she's consuming energy from the sun. There's light coming toward her, and it all seemed like sunshines.

She groaned in pain, ngunit nagsimula namang mag-apoy ang buong paligid ko I touched the flame and imagined it all to ignite into darkness. It did, and it quickly crept towards her. Ngunit bigla akong napangiwi nang makaramdam nang paso sa'king paa. I jerked when I saw a vine-like of fire trapping my feet to the floor.

Hindi ako agad nakaalis at nagulat ako nang mabilis siyang nakapunta sa tabi ko.

"You're a lot weaker than me, Sinclair. You are just a demon-angel, and I am a full phoenix."

Binalewala ko ang sinabi niya at pinantayan ang mga titig niya. "But without my darkness, you can never be this powerful, Phoenicia. I am what makes you," saad ko. I tried to blind her eyes with darkness. The vines slowly loosened, so I took that opportunity to move away from her.

Hinawakan niya ang dalawa niyang mga mata na para bag hindi nagugustuhan ang nakikita. The darkness that I had gifted her wasn't it literally. It was the darkness that consumed her thoughts. Those are her fears and nightmares.

She cursed loudly. "Papatayin kita!"

You can't.

Bumuo ako nang espada at akmang itatarak ito sa kaniya, pero bigla na naman akong tumalipon. I groaned in frustation. She's fast to recover! Ngunit bahagya na akong napangiti nang makita sina Headmaster dito.

Hindi ko lang sila napansin dahil may iba na ring kakampi ni Phoenicia ang naririto. The others were busy because of that.

"Nasaan ang pinagmamalaki niyong Phoenix na papatay sa'kin?" Iyon kaagad ang sabi ni Phoenicia. 'Di sa'kin naka-direkta ang tanong na 'yon, at nakatingin siya kay Red na nakikipaglaban sa mga bampira. Kalaunan naman ay lumapit din siya sa tabi ko.

Looking at them both, they seemed like they are going to burn the whole world. My eyes squinted when Phoenicia's bodily flames turned blue, the hotter flames and billowing from her with every step forward.

Red tried to stop the fire from spreading as he put his hand down and tried to absorb it. His hair was now in a color of red with blue gradient by the end. Ang isa niyang mata ay naging pula, habang ang isa naman ay asul. This is the first time I have seen him like that.

Lucifer on the other hand, had his wings spread and flew in front of me. Halos hindi ko na nakita si Phoenicia. The golden dusts that were raining earlier filled the edge and inner corner of his wings.

Natawa lang lalo si Phoenicia. "This scenario seems familiar! Ah, you all still haven't learned from the past," she said amidst chuckling.

While she was busy mocking us, I coated my blade with poison. Darkness once enveloped me again, at sabay-sabay naming inatake si Phoenicia. Lucifer had blinded Phoenicia with light, and he cast a spell around her that binds her to her place. Red used Draco's aura to fight the shadow of her Phoenix, while I doubled the blade to dance and give her a twirling slash.

She stumbled backwards. Tila nagliwanag ang mga mata ko nang isiping... maaaring malaki ang kapinsalaan no'n sa kanya, pero nawala rin lahat ng 'yon nang bumuntong-hininga ngunit pinagpagan niya rin ang balikat niya na tila walang nangyari.

She held out her hand towards Lucifer, but there was no power coming out from it. Kaya't nagulat naman ako nang biglang bumagsak si Lucifer sa kaniyang mga tuhod.

Hindi ko na napansin si Red nang lumapit siya kay Phoenicia, at patuloy silang naglaban. Hindi nawalay ang tingin ko kay Lucifer na ngayo'y nakapikit, nakakuyom ang mga kamao na tila ba pinipigilan ang kanyang mga impit na sigaw.

I held him gently, at nang mapatingin siya sa'kin, tila hirap na hirap siya. "Ano'ng nangyayari sa'yo?"

Umiling siya't 'di man lang ako tiningnan. Nakakunot ang noo niya habang sinasagot ako. "Pure angels, especially of more divinity, are not supposed to hold darkness in our hearts. It is a fatal weakness. Now, Phoenicia used this against this."

More divinity? Isn't he the most divine among them, since he's the first and he's the one who created them all? At... ito rin ba ang dahilan kung ba't nabuo si Lucifer? Kung ganoon...

"P-paano? Hindi ba natin pwedeng gawin ulit ang ginawa mo kay Lucifuge? Extract your memories," mabilis kong suhestiyon. Mariin niya lalong pinikit ang kanyang mga mata kaya't nagdalawang-isip akong hawakan ang kanyang mga kamay. Mabilis naman niya 'yong tinanggal, 'di ko pa man nahahawakan.

"Memories, the dark memories keep on coming back to me, and I can't control it. Hindi na rin sila mawawala sa'kin," sabi niya na tilapinipigilan ang pag-iyak, o... galit. Nanliit ang mata ko 'pagkat ang mas naalala ko— namin— ay ang mapait na nakaraan. The blood fest... the bloodshed.

"Ano... Ano pa ang pwedeng gawin?" Desperada na ang pagkakatanong ko. I didn't want to lose him like Georgia.

Sa iling niya, tila ba wala na kaming magagawa. "The only way out of it is to kill Phoenicia, but then, it'll be too late," paliwanag niya habang hinahabol ang kanyang hininga. Halos hindi ko rin narinig 'yon kung 'di ko gagamitin ang mga abilidad ko.

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko nang nagsimula siyang umubo ng dugo. "Lucifer!"

Mabilis kong pinasadahan ng tingin ang lahat, pero wala nang ibang nakapansin sa'min, not even Red and Phoenicia who are against each other. This won't do. Kailangan kong patayin si Phoenicia.

"I'm sorry, Lucifer... This will all end soon, okay? I'm sorry—" You don't deserve this. "— please wait," marahan kong bigkas sa kanya't pinunasan ang dugo mula sa kanyang mga labi.

Walang pag-aalinlangan kong kinuha ang espada sa tabi niya, ngunit nakagat ko ang labi ko sa pagpigil sa pagdaing. It's his holy sword. If I didn't had an angel's blood, I would have not been able to use this or even touch this. It slightly burned my skin, but it didn't matter.

I yielded the sword. The holy blade of angels is now in the hands of the first and strongest demon.

Tinapat ko ito kay Phoenicia, at hinayaang balutin din ng kadiliman ang espada. Katulad naming dalawa, mapupuno ito ng kapangyarihan upang wakasan ang demonyo, dahil sa mismong espada, at pabagsakin ang anghel, dahil sa taglay nitong dilim.

It's a weapon made especially for her... and me.

Lucifer's blood in my hands had ignited the power to kill. To be the demon.

I closed my eyes and poured my soul into it. Unti-unting umangat ang mga paa ko mula sa lupa dahil nagiging kaisa ng mahika sa paligid ang akin. Nang imulat ko ang mga mata ko, nagliwanag 'yon at kumawala ang espada mula sa'king mga kamay at dumiretso sa puso ni Phoenicia.

Mabilis na nakalayo si Red, at sigurado akong tumama 'yon kay Phoenicia! I fell onto my knees and my breaths all seemed like gasps after that blow. Naningkit ang mga mata ko upang makakita lagpas sa usok na dulot ng kapangyarihan ko.

Phoenicia stood frozen. The sword that had struck her deeply dropped to the ground, turned to dust, but came back to my hands. Maski ako, naestatwa sa posisyon ko, hinihintay kung ano'ng mangyayari kay Phoenicia. Is she finally going to die?

"No." Nabura agad ang ideyang 'yon nang marinig ang boses ni Phoenicia sa loob ng utak ko. She turned to ashes, but phoenixes rise from ashes.

Nagsimula akong makaramdam ng matinding presensya sa kinalalagyan niya. The moon and sun had slowly started to meet each other, and I was also slowly losing hope. The Phoenix that had emerged from ashes was marvelous. It reminded me of the dreams I kept when I was a child, the innocence amid cruel worlds.

But this Phoenix... is our fear and nightmare.

Phoenicia turned to a phoenix, destroying our world.

Phoenix Academy
By lostmortals
Plagiarism is a crime.

Thank you for reading!