Elaire's POV

"The pirates are going to attack Asure later at night." I told the chief the morning after, when he met me outside the inn. "Alam nilang nakabalik ka na mula sa Lumien pero wala kang dala kaya aatake sila."

"Huh." Nanliit ang kanyang mga mata. "Gano'n ba..."

Bago niya ako panghinalaan, sinabi ko sa kanya kung paano ko ito nalaman. "I used a divination spell."

Earlier, I cut my finger and drew a line of blood on the mirror. I wanted to be ready if something happens to me at King Oceanus' castle but the reflection showed me the pirates' attack instead.

"Mabuti nalang talaga at nandito ka, Elle," nagagalak niyang sabi. "Isa kang tunay na anghel ng kadiliman na hinulog sa amin."

"And I think I can find my way to the castle ruins, chief," I said. "You don't have to accompany me."

The chief and I soon separated ways— he went to prepare his men while I went to the castle ruins.

The path I decided to take wasn't easy. The trail that I followed was worn and uneven but I was surrounded by beautiful greenery. Bawing-bawi ng mapayapang kalikasan ang hirap ng landas na tinahak ko. At pagkaraan ng halos isang oras ng paglalakad, bumukas ang landas upang ibunyag sa'kin ang mga labi ng dating isang malaking palasyo.

The castle has already broken down— wala na itong kisame at pader. At ang natirang bakas nalang ng palasyo ay ang mga batong haligi nito na pinalibutan ng mga baging at halaman.

It was still morning when I arrived at the ruins and the sun shone over it in a way that I could see its story.

I could almost feel how beautiful the castle was before time ruined it. And clearly, King Oceanus knew what he was doing when he chose this spot for his castle.

Aside from the breathtaking view of the town and the ocean, the breeze here was gentle and refreshing. And around me, there was the enchanting scent of saltwater blending with the fragrance of wildflowers.

Dumaan ang simoy ng hangin at sa hindi malamang dahilan, nakaramdam ako ng kaunting kirot sa aking dibdib kaya napahawak ako rito.

Sa kabutihang palad, mabilis itong nawala at sinimulan ko na ang pag-ikot sa lugar.

From what I heard, there should be an entryway to the underground tunnels that other vampires have prepared— malakas akong napasinghap nang biglang gumalaw ang lupang inapakan ko at nahulog ako rito.

You've got to be kidding me. I groaned after my back hit cement. Ano bang gamit ng entryway kung kaya ko naman palang gumawa ng sarili kong entry.

Maingat kong inangat ang aking likod at natagpuan ang aking sarili na nakaupo sa gitna ng madilim na lagusan. Dahan-dahan akong tumayo. Pinagpag ko ang aking damit at saka tumingala sa butas sa kisame ng tunnel. Ilang segundo ko itong sinuri bago ibaba ang aking ulo paharap sa dilim.

Everyone has heard about the hidden tunnels under the ruins. Other vampires have already explored most of them. But not all. May ilang tunnels kasi na isinara ng mga taga-Asure sa takot na bumigay 'yong pundasyon at gumuho ang mga ito.

Umikot-ikot ako at nalamang madilim ang magkabilang dulo ng lagusan.

Judging by how dark it is, I must be in one of the restricted tunnels.

Hinintay kong magparinig 'yong mga bulong pero dumaan ang ilang minuto at pinalibutan lang ako ng nakakabinging katahimikan. With all my senses enhanced, I decided to start walking. Umalingawngaw ang yabag ng aking mga paa sa lagusan, na parang higit pa sa isang bampira ang naglalakad.

I recited a basic spell and an orb of light appeared in front of me, floating to where I want to go. Naaninag ko ang maputik kong landas at ang mga basang baging na nakaukit sa mala-arkong pader. Nang mahati 'yong tunnel at kailangan kong pumili kung saan ako pupunta, kumanan ako. Pagkatapos, kumaliwa na naman. Hinayaan ko lang ang aking intuwisyon na giyahin ako palalim sa mga lagusan dahil wala talaga akong ideya kung saan ako patungo at di pa rin nagpaparinig ang mga bulong.

Losing track of time, my feet continued to walk through what seemed like endless darkness. Everything around me dimmed when the small ball of light started to fade so I recited its spell again. Nanumbalik ang dating liwanag at saka ko nakita ang batong pader sa unahan.

A dead end? Lumapit ako rito. Sinubukan kong hawakan ito ngunit sa sandaling dumapo ang aking palad sa pader, nahulog mula sa kisame ang alikabok at maliliit na piraso ng bato. Mabilis kong ibinaba ang aking kamay sabay hakbang paatras.

Naglibot-libot ang aking tingin dito, naghahanap ng palatandaan na hindi ito isang ordinaryong pader na guguho kapag nagkamali ako ng kilos. Pagkatapos, gumuhit ang dismaya sa aking mukha. Wala naman kasing kakaiba rito. Wala rin akong nararamdamang kapangyarihan mula rito.

Sa huli, umikot ako at bumalik sa daan. But after less than ten seconds of walking back, I stopped, and finally noticed the large symbols painted along the tunnel walls. Hindi ko ito napansin no'ng una dahil natatakpan ito ng mga baging at sa dilim, nagmistula lang itong tumutulong tubig sa pader.

I turned around and with a light touch, gently traced the symbols back to the dead end.

Hindi pamilyar 'yong mga simbolo, at kinutuban akong kaya hindi ko ito nakikilala kasi galing ito sa ibang panahon. The looks, the smell, and the feels of them were ancient. They were magic symbols that have already been forgotten through time.

Pinagpatuloy ko ang pag-imbestiga sa mga sinaunang simbolo at napatigil nang may isang kumuha ng atensyon ko.

ᚠ

Life. Blood. I remember encountering the old symbol while reading textbooks that contained little information about my rare magic.

"Blood..." bulong ko sa sarili nang hawakan ito at ilang sandali pa'y napalingon sa pader sa dulo ng lagusan. Do I have to bleed to open it?

Dumako ako sa harap ng pader. I didn't hesitate to grow both my fangs and flick my thumb under one of them. The deeper the wound, the more it bleeds, so I cut my skin deep and drew a line of blood in the middle of the wall.

Nothing happened. Maybe it needs more blood...

Bumukas ang aking bibig upang tugunin ang muling paghaba at pagtalas ng aking mga pangil. Mababaw akong suminghap bago ibaon ang aking ngipin sa sarili kong kamay. Pinigilan kong mapangiwi nang damhin ang lambot ng sarili kong kalamnan, at saka diniinan ang aking kagat.

Warm blood gushed out of the holes I continued to pierce with my teeth. Dumaloy ang dugo papasok sa aking bibig at pababa sa aking dila na kusang sinagi ito habang tumutulo pa sa aking balat. Sinipsip ko ang dugo mula sa aking sugat nang hindi ito nilulunok. My own blood tasted bittersweet— like honey with a metallic aftertaste. It was pleasant but never satisfying, 'yong tipong malasa nga pero hindi naman katanggap-tanggap ng aking lalamunan.

Pulling my fangs out of my skin, blood poured from my mouth, unto my hand now dripping red.

Humihingal ako nang ilapat ang duguan kong palad sa pader at gumuhit ng mas makapal na linya gamit ang aking dugo.

I stood in front of the stone wall, waiting for something to happen. But nothing happened, again, dahilan na mapasimangot ako. Pero hindi ako nagtaka dahil isang simbolo lang 'yong binasehan ko sa ginawa ko. I missed out on the rest of the symbols painted along the tunnel. Nakita ko lang 'yong simbolo ng dugo at nag-akala agad akong kailangan kong dumugo para mabuksan 'yong pader.

Tinignan ko ang mga butas sa kamay ko na unti-unting sumara. Bumalik na rin sa dati ang aking mga ngipin na madalang kong dinilaan upang linisin. Pagkatapos, pinunasan ko ang duguan kong labi.

I continued to clean myself while wondering what kind of enchantment was put on the wall in front of me. Nagsimula akong mag-isip ng mga paraan kung paano ito buksan nang biglang lumiwanag 'yong pader dahilan na mapaatras ako.

A red glowing circle started to form on the wall, revealing even more symbols that I am unfamiliar with. I couldn't recognize the symbols along the circle's edge, but I did recognize the three overlapping circles at the center.

Isa ata itong sinaunang shadowgate, magic circles that serve as entryways to hidden places. And I need to find its key, which is a spell, nang makapasok ako sa kung ano mang nakatago sa kabilang dako ng pader.

Mariin ko itong pinagtuunan.

A shadowgate that only reveals itself through blood... Binulong ko ang karugtong. "Must also open itself through a spell of blood."

Dumako-dako ang aking mga mata sa bilog. "A blood spell..." I tried to see if I could remember a blood spell that could activate portals or gates. "Magic of secrecy—"

"Magic of secrecy," pag-uulit ko, at sa wakas ay nakapagpatuloy. "Hear my plea, wrap me in the mystery of realms unseen." Malalim akong nag-iisip habang nagbibigkas. "Grant me power to behold a land never wondered, a place never told." Iningatan ko ang sumunod na mga salita. "And let this blood of mine become the key that opens what is behind the wall that shadows me."

"Attendite me vocantem, magica secretorum..." Tumingala ako. "Capere me."

'Heed my call, magic of secrecy... take me.'

Napaatras ako nang unti-unting lumiwanag ang bilog at pinuno nito ang buong paningin ko. Bahagya kong tinakpan ang aking mga mata dahil sa patinding silaw. Saglit akong napapikit, at sa aking pagdilat, natagpuan ko ang aking sarili sa gitna ng isang makulimlim na silid.

Nang ibaba ko ang aking kamay, marahan akong napaubo dahil sa maamag na amoy na sumalubong sa'kin. Kumisap-kisap din muna ako bago ilibot ang aking paningin.

Books... small wooden ships... jars... empty vials... wilted plants...

The entire room looked like a small office that hasn't been touched for ages. Maalikabok ang sahig at nabalot ang bawat sulok ng mga sapot ng gagamba.

My eyes fluttered and my nose scrunched before I sneezed at the table beside me. Pagkatapos, napakurap-kurap ako sa nakabukas na librong ibinunyag ng makapal na alikabok. Ilang segundo ko itong tinitigan bago tuluyang nilapitan.

There was a sketch on top of the opened pages. Kinuha ko ito.

A woman wearing a long dress stood beside a marbled ledge, holding a wilting rose while looking afar.

'Princess Emnestra of Irvale,' ang pangalang nakasulat sa ibabang bahagi ng papel.

Dahil dito, sinimulan ko ang pagsusuri sa buong silid habang inaalala ang kasaysayan ng Irvina.

Like I mentioned before, Irvina is the largest kingdom in the world. It is an entire continent of its own. But before magic existed, two kingdoms actually shared the continent— Ashina and Irvale.

Napakalaki ng Ashina kung ikukumpara sa Irvale, kaya gusto nitong sakupin ang mas maliit na kaharian at angkinin ang buong kontinente. Ashina, despite centuries of trying, couldn't invade Irvale because Irvale, although small, was undeniably good at defending itself.

Princess Emnestra of Irvale eventually ascended the throne. Inimbitahan siya ng hari ng Ashina na bumisita sa kaharian nila. Everyone thought that the war was finally going to be over, nang tanggapin ng bagong reyna 'yong imbitasyon. She was the first Irvale monarch to do such. Halos dalawang linggo rin siyang nanirahan sa palasyo ng Ashina, ngunit sa sandaling bumalik siya sa kanyang kaharian, Queen Emnestra of Irvale was said to be in a fit of rage when she declared a full-blown war against Ashina. And around this time, pinakasalan niya ang kanyang queen's guard na si Oceanus.

Inilaan nina Queen Emnestra at King Oceanus ang buong lakas at kapangyarihan ng kanilang kaharian sa digmaan. Ashina retaliated, of course, and both kingdoms took the war more seriously, until it became evident that the war will only end when one of the kingdoms has fallen.

In the end, Ashina prevailed. Or so they thought. Queen Emnestra just gave birth to her eldest child when enemies surrounded the palace. Nasa bingit ng pagkatalo ang Irvale nang matagpuan ng reyna ang hari na duguan sa isang pasilyo ng palasyo. She realized that no one was left to save her except herself, and so while the enemies searched for her in the palace, she desperately made a deal with the darkness.

The darkness gave the queen magic to protect her kingdom. She became the first mage, at dahil dito, nagawang baguhin ng reyna ang takbo ng digmaan. She ravaged through the borders and her wrath reached Ashina's palace, where she killed everyone. Every royal. Every noble. Every general. Every servant. Every knight. Everyone. And when the war ended, she declared herself queen of both kingdoms and the ruler of the entire continent.

Fortunately, King Oceanus didn't die. He recovered. And under the queen's orders, he united the kingdoms of Irvale and Ashina, creating Irvina.

Aside from being the largest kingdom, Irvina also became the birthplace of magic, dahil hindi nagdamot ng kapangyarihan 'yong hari at reyna. Ibinahagi nila sa buong mundo ang patungkol sa mahika. Kung ano ito, saan ito galing, at paano ito palabasin at gamitin.

Balewala ang alikabok at dumi, umupo ako sa likod ng mesa. Isa-isa kong binuksan ang mga librong nakakuha ng aking atensyon at nalamang karamihan ng mga ito ay discontinued journals, war plans, at saka sketch books.

'Yong unang royal family ng Irvina... makapangyarihan nga sila pero nabalot naman ng trahedya ang kanilang pamilya.

Queen Emnestra and King Oceanus had three children together— Prince Lumien, Prince Eden and Princess Lumina. After the queen succumbed to madness and died, Prince Lumien, the heir, killed his own brother and father. And when he became king himself, proceeded to marry his own sister.

That's right. The kingdom's capital was named after a murderous and incestuous king.

Habang nagbabasa ng libro na may lamang ancient spells, nahagip ng aking tenga ang tunog ng tubig na tumutulo. Tinuwid ko ang aking pagkakaupo at luminga-linga, hinahanap kung saang direksyon ito galing.

Kasunod kong narinig ang pagbuhos ng tubig kaya dali-dali kong sinarado 'yong libro at tumayo. Clutching the green book against my chest, I was about to investigate one of the shelves when it suddenly fell in front of me. I took a step back after water surged from the wall behind it.

Muling lumabas ang tubig mula sa pader na malakas akong itinulak patama sa mesa. Hindi ko pa rin binibitawan ang libro nang tugisin ko ang mapanakit na daloy nito at nadapa ako sa bahang namumuo sa loob ng silid.

Tumayo ako at napagtantong wala akong malabasang pinto o mga bintana.

Water continued to climb up to my waist while I struggled to find something in the room that I can use. Anything. Sumakit din ang aking ulo kakaalala ng spells na pwede kong gamitin para makatakas. I tried several but none of them worked. They weren't powerful enough. I was trapped.

Another surge of water pushed my entire body into the flood. I sank to the floor and above me, the ceiling collapsed.