"Once upon a time, two phoenixes fought each other, and millions survived."

Eight months have passed since the great war. The blood fest didn't happen the moment they died. The realm is now living at peace again.

I looked outside by the windows, and smiled when I saw the townsmen living well. Phoenix Academy had locked itself from everyone to restore its magic, its phoenixes, and its glory. Nagkalat sa iba't ibang lugar ang mga Phoenicians, trying their best to fit in the mortal world.

There hasn't been anything going on around yet, and I hoped it would stay like that... pero sino ba namang niloloko ko?

Natigilan lang ako sa pag-iisip nang may tumawag sa'kin. "Your Highness."

Napatingin naman ako sa alagad, at kaagad ko siyang ningitian. "Ano iyon?" I asked her as she kept her head down. "Dumating na po si Prinsipe Leviticus," sabi niya kaya't mas lalo akong natuwa.

Tumingin akong muli sa bintana at nakita siya kasama ang ilan niyang mga knights. Him coming back at the palace was a big revelation to all, so the royal family made the people think like he was only missing. Tiningnan niya rin ako, ngunit kaagad din itong iniwas. Maiintindihan ko naman kung... galit pa rin siya sa'kin.

Sinara ko na ang aking bintana at bumaba ako sa unang palapag para batiin siya, bagaman mukhang ayaw niya akong makausap. Nagbukas ang pinto ng aming palasyo, at kaagad ko siyang sinalubong ng ngiti ngunit sininghalan niya lang ako't mabilis akong dinaanan.

"Ba't 'di mo ako pinapansin, kuya?" Tanong ko sa kanya't nagteleport sa harap niya.

Mabilis siyang tumigil sa paglalakad nang harapin ako, pero malakas akong napatawa nang irapan niya ako. "Hala! Arte mo kuya!" asar ko sa kanya habang tawang-tawa pa rin.

"Ikaw ang maarte. Bakit ba ayaw mong sumama sa'kin? Nagpapasarap ka lang dito, ah," aniya at tinanggal ang kaniyang armor.

Nagkibit-balikat ako at sumandal sa pader. Hindi ko siya sinamahan sa Phoenix Academy, o tulungan ang iba pang mga Phoenicians. 'Yan ang pinagkakaabalahan niya ngayon, ang tumulong lang nang tumulong. "It brings bad memories," gusto ko sanang sagutin, pero duwag pa ako para ipaalam pa.

I killed countless people there, but I may have also saved them... or not.

"Kamusta ang ibang Phoenicians?" I asked to avoid the topic.

Nagpamulsa siya habang sinasagot ako, at tiningnan ako na para bang hindi ko pa alam ang sagot. I know they're well. "Maayos sila. Mukha namang mapayapa ang buhay nila, and they're actually having the time of their lives. Pero marami na rin ang may gustong bumalik sa Phoenix Academy."

Tumango naman ako. Yeah, they would want to. They belong there.

"Si Master Gaiael?" Sunod kong tanoong.

Tumawa naman siya, "Naroon pa rin. Siya pa rin ang punong-abala sa pagsasaayos ng academy. He's really dedicated."

Napangiti naman ako na unti-unti nang nanunumbalik ang dating estado ng academy. Sana nga magtuloy-tuloy na ang kanilang kasiyahan at kapayapaan. Wala na sanang gagambala pa sa kanila, at wala na ring makakaranas mawalan.

I feel so empty, and at the same time guilty. Hmm... maybe it's time.

"Pupunta lang ako sa Phoenix Falls," paalam ko at maliit na ngumiti.

Nagbato naman siya sa'kin ng espada, at kaagad kong sinalo iyon, "Sige. Mag-iingat ka, ah." Tinanguan ko siya at hinawakan nang mahigpit ang esapada. Sumakay ako sa kabayo, at tinakbo ito patungo sa Phoenix Falls.

I shut my eyes when I felt the ominous aura around. It's starting... the dangers and destruction of this life is emerging despite that I had already ended Phoenicia.

Bumaba ako mula sa'king kabayo nang makarating sa Phoenix Falls. Pinagpagan ko ang aking damit, at hinawakan nang mariin ang espada. Tumingin ako sa paligid, at dito ko natanaw nang mabuti ang palasyo at buong syudad.

Nawala naman ang masama kong pakiramdam nang marinig ang mga huni ng ibon at agos ng rumaragasang tubig ng talon. Bahagya akong napangiti ngunit nabawi rin 'yon agad nang marinig ko ang boses niya.

"Nandito ka na naman?" Narinig kong tanong ni Leonidas, 'di ko pa man siya nakikita. Nilingon ko siya at nakitang naroon siya sa tabi ng talon, hinahayaang ang sariling mga paa na mabasa at umapoy.

Ever since, the Phoenix falls had turned red, as if the waters were actually lavas. Leonidas liked it more that way. Kumikinang ang mga mata niya lagi habang tinititigan ang pulang katubigang may ginto ring ningning.

Hindi ko siya sinagot kaya't muli na naman siyang nagtanong. "Nakabalik na si Kuya?"

"Ah, hinintay mo lang pala ang pagbabalik niya bago mo ako puntahan," natatawa niyang saad. We hadn't have a proper conversation during the past eight months. We were both cowards of the truth and the consequences of it.

Lumapit ako sa kaniya ngunit mabilis siyang tumayo at pumunta sa direksyong malayo sa'kin. His back stood as a wall and a boundary between us. He didn't want me here. "You came here to finally ask to kill you, right?" Tanong niya sa'kin at napapikit ako nang mariin. Alam niya na ang sagot bagaman 'di ko sabihin sa kanya nang malakas.

I was not supposed to survive. Ang plano ko ay ang maglaho kasama ni Phoenicia. But I survived, leaving the realm to danger. The realm might still end because the demon, Sinclair, is still alive.

"Leo, please," pagmamakaawa ko sa kanya, at nang harapin niya ako, inilahad ko sa kanya ang espada.

Umiling siya at napasabunot sa sarili niya. "Hindi ko nga kaya, Sinclair!" Sigaw niya sa'kin. At some point, I knew that he can do it. He can kill me... but something's preventing him to do so. As if the stars above made him this way, like how it made us who we are.

Lucifer and I believed that there are things that are beyond our free will. We were always bound by something made by the unknown of the universe.

I felt a force from him, and I quickly stumbled backwards. Nanginginig ko siyang sinagot, "Kailangan, Leo! I can still feel the dangers of the realm. Hindi man ngayon, but eventually, this realm will come to an end if you don't end me!"

Leonidas punched the water, at dahil sa napakalakas na impact nito, yumanig ang buong kabundukan kung nasaan kami... o baka nga ang buong syudad. He has uncontrollable power now, and that is why he has always secluded himself here, in his safe space.

I opened my mouth and muttered, "Please."

Muli kong nilahad ang espada. He looked at me, and back to the sword. He muttered curses na hindi ko na lubusang naintindihan. Maaaring katulad ko, nararamdaman niya na rin ang panganib na paparating.

For the eight months I have been living, wala akong ginawa kung hindi ang umiwas sa kanila. I wanted to avoid them, and avoid attachments. Alam kong kailangan kong mawala, at hinahayaan ko silang masanay na... na unti-unti na 'yong tanggapin,

I faced death many times, but it all failed. Only Leonidas can truly kill me.

Nagulat ako nang maharas na kinuha sa'kin ni Leonidas ang espada. Tinapat niya iyon sa'kin at tumulo ang kaniyang mga luha. Napatungo ako, at sa loob-loob, nagpasalamat. Baka... ito na. "I'm sorry that you have to do this, Leo."

Hinawakan ko ang dulo ng espada at mas tinutok iyon sa puso ko. My hand bled because of the sharpness of the blade, ngunit hindi ko na naramdaman ang sakit na dulot no'n.

"I'm sorry for doing this to you," sagot niya at umiwas ng tingin sa'kin.

Isn't the world cruel for the both of us? For everyone? Still, I managed to smile. Finally, the realm might come to eternal peace.

"Leo, kailangan nating gawin 'to para sa lahat."

Lumunok siya't pagas ang boses habang muling himihingi ng tawad. "I'm really sorry." Naramdaman kong tumusok na sa'king balat ang espada, napangiwi ako sa sakit pero 'di pa rin mapawi ang mga ngiti ko. It was a bittersweet moment for me, who had endured all the deaths because of living.

"Go, Leonidas."

Yumanig ang paligid at umulan nang malakas. The wind went wild too, and my hair covered my smiling face. Hindi ko rin masyadong nakita si Leo dahil sa ulan, hangin, at usok. I felt blood dripping from my chest, and I just let it be. This is real death.

The rain poured down more, but I believed that after this, the rainbows would appear again, and what has been promised of peace would be given to this realm.

Leo groaned in pain, then I no longer felt the sword inside me. "I'm sorry, Sinclair. Pero mas gugustuhin ko pang mawala ang mundo, kaysa mawala ka."

Nanlaki ang mata ko sa sinabi niya, at akmang ididiin pa lalo ang sarili ko sa espada nang bigla niya itong bawiin. "Leo!"

Then, my horrors came true. A gasp escaped my mouth when Leo had stabbed himself with the sword. The vision of my last hope to save the world had lost himself. I quickly came to him, but he fell to the falls, that are now deep and burning.

The prophecy had lost against the unknown.

"Leo!" Muli kong sigaw sa kaniya.

Napahawak ako sa'king bibig at 'di napigilan ang pag-iyak nang mapagtantong... wala na si Leonidas.

"This is my choice, Sinclair. Not yours. No one can kill you now. Please live," aniya sa'king utak. But how... how can I live in a dying world? I cried not only in grief for him, but grief and sorrow for the realm.

Hindi ko nasalba ang mundo ko.

Mas lalo pang yumanig ang lupa, at lahat ng katubigan ay nagsimulang maging pula't nakakapaso. Nabingi rin ako sa mga iyak ng madla. Nabulag sa usok na dala ng sunog sa buong kalawakan. Fire was what had saved us from Phoenicia, but fire is what is also ending the realm.

How long will I suffer this miserable life? Ano na ang magyayari sa'kin kapag wala na ang realm na ito?

The explosions were all around, and it all meant one thing...

The realm is coming into its end. Our world is dying.

"Once upon a time, a man saved a woman in exchange of billions of lives— a woman's life for a realm's death."

Phoenix Academy
By lostmortals
Plagiarism is a crime.

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