REMNANTS

LIS almost had his head cut off when Aryl smashed her axe on his direction. Ni hindi niya nga alam kung saan nito kinuha ng babae dahil bigla na lang lumabas, at sa isang iglap, nandito na agad sa harapan niya at handa siyang bawian ng buhay.

"Oh, dear spells! My four hundred and fifty years of existence just flashed before my eyes," he exclaimed, his hand on his chest, acting like he almost got a heart attack.

"Tigilan mo 'ko, Lis. Huwag mo 'kong buwisitin ngayong araw," kunot-noong asik nito. "Labas!"

She gestured her hand for him to get lost. Sa isang kamay naman nito ang palakol na unti-unting naging usok hanggang sa tuluyang nawala na para bang dinala ng hangin.

He tried to act innocent. "Hindi naman kita inaano d'yan tapos bigla kang manghahambalos ng palakol mo. I was just asking about earlier where you and Aster—"

"Manahimik ka!" she shouted, veins popping out her neck. Her face slowly turning red. "Tumahimik ka! Tahimik! Tahimik!"

Hindi na napigilan ni Lis ang sariling matawa sa pagmumukha nito. Buti na lang walang mga customer na pumapasok kaya malayang-malaya siyang asarin si Aryl.

Pagdating talaga kay Aster ang bilis nitong maasar. Masiyadong halata.

Muli siyang humalakhak habang napapapalakpak pa. Sinakop na ng kaniyang tawa ang bawat sulok ng tindahan. Naubo na siya ng ilang ulit at nasamid sa kaniyang laway pero tuloy pa rin siya sa pagtawa.

Nasaan na ba kasi si Aster? Magbabandang hapon na ngunit 'di pa rin ito bumabalik.

Speaking of, Lis immediately turned to the direction of the entrance when he saw his friend entered.

Grinning like an idiot, he greeted him. "Aster, ang tagal mo raw sabi ni Aryl."

"W-wala akong sinabing ganoon!" Isang sapok sa ulo ang natanggap niya dahilan para mapadaing siya.

"You're not allowed to do that, miss." Aster intervened as he walked toward them at the counter. Salubong ang mga kilay nitong nakatingin kay Aryl.

He wanted to punch him for saying that and for acting so cold at the woman.

'That's not how you make a move, idiot!'

Hindi naman niya masisisi si Aster dahil trabaho naman nitong bantayan siya. And to make sure that he is treated with respect. Smacking the next chief of Mythria was a big move that shouldn't have happened. It was an act of arrogance and disrespect towards their lineage.

He witnessed how his friend stared at Aryl. Nasa harapan sila ng isa't isa at ang counter lang ang pumapagitan sa kanila, habang siya naman ay nasa gilid at nag-aabang sa susunod na eksena.

"How dare you look down on my master's lineage."

Despite his butler's cold gaze, he sensed something from it. Something different from what he just spouted.

"I'm not looking down on anyone," sagot naman ni Aryl at 'di rin nagpatinag sa mga titig nito.

Lis couldn't help but form a grin. Napakagat siya sa kaniyang labi para pigilan ang sariling matawa. Siyempre, ayaw niya namang sirain ang eksena.

'I should've asked Aster earlier to make me some Vegie Sal. It will be perfect while watching this scene.'

"You smack the master's head, clearly showing your disrespect. And whoever got the foolishness to do that to the master, I, his butler, will lay my judgement on you."

His eyes shook in panic. Kahit kailan talaga masiyadong sineseryoso nito ang lahat ng bagay. Mabilis niyang hinawakan ang balikat nito upang pigilan sa gagawin. "Enough."

"But master!" he protested.

"She doesn't know any of our rules. We are also in their territory. We are in no place to act like this," he said. Kahit na ayaw niya pang pigilan ang eksena ng dalawa, kailangan na niyang sumapaw dahil alam niyang hindi marunong magbiro ang kaibigan.

Hindi ito sumagot at salubong pa rin ang mga kilay na nakatingin kay Aryl. Si Aryl naman ay ginantihan din ito ng tingin.

"Chill, you two. Wala naman kayong balak na tunawin ang isa't isa, 'no?" he said and once again, the corner of his lips lifted. "Kayo ha! Ang bilis ng improvement. Just a while ago, you two were all lovey dovey, holding each other like this." He imitated Aster's position earlier. "And now, you two are intently, crazily staring at each other like is just the two of you in the world."

"Ano?"

"W-what?"

"Haven't you notice? Kanina pa kayo nagkatitigan."

Sabay na napaiwas ang isa't isa matapos niya iyong sabihin. Mabilis na naglakad si Aster papunta sa gilid kung saan naroroon ang mga binebentang bulaklak, habang si Aryl naman ay tarantang napapasilip sa ilalim ng counter, kunyari may hinahanap.

Lis wanted to laugh but he suppressed it. Bukod sa natatawa siya, nagulat din siya. He couldn't believe it. That was more than what he expected. Papalit-palit ang tingin niya kay Aster at Aryl na parehong nagpapanggap na may ginagawa at 'di nililingon ang direksyon ng isa't isa.

What was this his seeing? It felt like he was watching two youngsters trying to hide their songs of love.

He couldn't help but let out a sly grin.

He just decided.

Except for his ambition, he wanted to see the two to be together, as well. He would going to see this until the end.

Naglakad siya papunta sa direksyon ni Aster at tinulungan itong ayusin at pantayin ang mga paso ng bulaklak. Kita niya ang namumula nitong tainga kaya tahimik siyang natawa. Hindi naman siya pinansin nito at pinagpatuloy ang ginawa.

"Lis, you look insane."

"Wala ka nang ibang ginawa kundi tumawa."

"Tawa lang ambag mo ngayong araw, Lis."

Komento ng mga bulaklak sa kaniya pero lalo lang siyang ngumisi. "They look good together, right?"

"Agree!"

"Hindi kaya!"

"Ang guwapo ni Aster kaso 'di ngumingiti. 'Di siya makakapuntos niyan."

Napahagikhik siya sa sinabi ng Dahlia.

"What now?" Aster asked without looking at him.

"The Flora said you should smile. Nalalanta raw sila sa nakabusangot mong mukha."

Nilingon naman siya ni Aster dahil sa sinabi niya. Akala niya'y susunggaban siya nito pero bumalik na sa dati ang mukha nito. Mukha na palaging boryo.

"Stop what you're scheming, master."

"I'm not scheming." He shrugged and proceeded to change the topic. "So? What did you see?" he asked, pertaining to his order.

It was so little, but he noticed Aster's tiny sigh of relief. Relieved that he changed the topic, and he wouldn't have to deal with his teasing. Of course, Lis didn't want to push it in one go. He should take it easy, make it natural and let the two developed their feelings from each other.

Tiny pushes would do and that would be his role.

"It looks like Sol is attached to the woman."

Tumango naman siya sa sinabi nito. "What else?"

"I saw them walking inside a lone Cell, it looks like they are living together." Aster hesitated for a moment but continued to talk after a minute of silence. "The woman was crying, and Sol was comforting her."

"Cross is comforting her? He's comforting a woman?" napasigaw siya. Hindi siya makapaniwala sa narinig. Kahit na isang beses 'di niya nakitang umalo ng kahit na sino ang may-galit-sa-mundo niyang kaibigan.

Sana pala siya na lang ang sumunod sa kanila. How badly he wanted to see it.

"What's your decision, master?"

Tumahimik naman siya at nag-isip. Judging from Aster's report, it looked like Croissant valued the woman. It would be terrible of him to ruin them. Should he pardon his sentence?

Umiling siya.

No. He couldn't just ignore and forget his crime. Although he was willing to put the death sentence down, it would be better to put it in good use. Kung pagsasamahin niya ang impormasyong natanggap mula kay Aster at Aryl, masasabi niyang importante ang brown magician kay Cross.

If that would be the case, he would seize this advantage.

He needed to know more about the Shadows, and Pahima might be able to help them. It would be faster for them to find Aryl's sister, and when that time happens, he could get his Dragon Stone back.

"Let's leave them for now. I'll talk to you about this when it's time."

He needed to set out a good plan.

DARKNESS clothed the place and the magicians had returned to their Cells. No one was wandering at eight in the evening. It was silent, and only the cold wind had been passing through the streets. Except for Lis who decided to stroll at night. Tulog na sina Cortez, Aryl at Aster, at siya lang ang naiwang gising kaya napagpasiyahan niya munang lumabas.

He wasn't used to the place yet. Their culture was different from theirs. In Mythria, they didn't have any curfew except for special occasions. Pero sa Faegika, alas otso pa lang, dapat wala nang magliliwaliw sa labas.

"So peaceful." Though he could hear the voices of the plants, it had never been distracting to him.

His robe lifted as he floated on the air. He strolled the area to find a perfect place to sit and have his time alone.

Nahagip niya ang pinakamataas na gusali. Ang Aena Tower, kung saan nakatira ang mayor ng Faegika. It was far from where he was, but it would be no problem if he could fly.

"Wo-ho!" He exclaimed as he jumped out of the terrace and swooped his way out to the sky. He reached the tower quick.

Ang laki pala nito sa malapitan. Ito lang ang gusali na naiiba dahil hugis tatsulok ang bubong nito. Sa pinakatuktok na palapag, may napakalaking bintana na gawa pa rin sa parang jelly na materyal ngunit kagaya ito sa flower shop na nagmukhang glass. Sinilip niya kung ano ang nasa loob ngunit may nakatakip na kurtina sa bintana kay wala rin siyang nakita.

Sa baba nito ay may barindilya na gawa sa kahoy kaya naupo siya roon. Pinagmasdan niya ang buwan habang iniisip ang mga pangyayari sa mga nakaraang araw.

'How long will I stay here?'

This was one of the things he wanted, but he couldn't help himself feel lonely. He missed his mom, his people, and his home. Minsan na ring pumasok sa isip niya kung tama ba ang desisyong pinasok niya. But whatever answer it was, it didn't really matter at all. Just like he said, he would do anything for the sake of his dream.

That was the only thing that had been keeping him alive for hundreds of years.

Kung hindi ninakaw ang Dragon Stone niya siguro nakoronahan na siya bilang chief. If he could turn back time before the coronation, would he choose to stay inside their mansion or repeat the same thing he did on the bar?

He chuckled. Of course, he would be going to repeat it. Hindi siya mapupunta rito kung hindi iyon nangyari at hindi niya rin malalaman ang mga pangyayari dito sa Faegika.

Hindi niya mapigilang mabagabag tungkol sa mga Shadow at sa nangyayaring kidnapping. Ilang taon na itong nangyayari ngunit wala man lang aksyon na naganap. Isa rin sa mga napansin niya ay wala sa mga magician ang handang bigyan ng aksyon ang mga nangyayari. All the magicians he interacted so far were friendly. Too friendly that it made him assume this place was perfect and got no underlying problems.

But no. There was a sense of arrogance behind their smiles.

"What's really going on here?" He reached some few strands on his color-filled hair as he tried to think of Faegika.

This wasn't the place he would be ruling but still, he felt the need to do something. After all, Faegika was one of the districts he wanted to co-exist with. He might as well handle the mystery of the Shadows.

Ilang minuto pa siyang nanatili roon bago niya napagpasyahang bumalik sa Riko Town. Ang akala ni Lis ay makakatulog na siya ngunit may dumagdag lang sa isipan niya.

Habang lumilipad siya pabalik kanina, nilibang niya ang sarili sa mga kalsada na nagmimistulang mga linya. Kahit na madilim, nakikita niya pa rin ang mga kalsada dahil sa mga ilaw na nakakabit sa bawat Cell. May biglang pumasok sa isipan niya kaya lumipad siya pataas upang makita ang kabuohan ng Faegika.

Mabilis na napakunot ang kaniyang noo. Mula sa ibabaw, pinagmasdan niya ang imaheng nabuo ng mga kalsada.

From the direction of the Blizzard Region, five broadest parallel roads met at the Aena Capital where the center of Faegika lies, and there, the roads had been scattered into countless directions, broken and narrow—some were zigzag-like—all pointing to the Desert Region.

"A lifeless tree," he muttered.

Hindi niya alam kung nagkataon lang ba ito o baka malikot lang talaga ang imahinasyon niya, pero nang makita niya ang imahe, mabilis na pumasok sa isipan niya ang isang tao.