Ikatlong Persona

Tila ba may pumitik na ugat sa ulo ni Xiomara nang makita ang kakaibang ngisi sa labi ni Cosette. Gusto niya burahin ang ngising yun at ingungudngod niya ang mukha nito sa sahig. Now that her dirty scheme was uncovered, she wanted someone to take a fall for it. Xiomara can understand why Alec wanted to take the blame for her, but the timing wasn't great. It gave the queen the upper hand of making him as a scapegoat.

"Bitch." Hindi na napigilan ni Xiomara ang paglabas ng katagang iyon sa bibig niya na narinig ng kaniyang kapatid. Even the Archons near her heard what she said. Ang marinig magmura ang isang babaeng inaakala nilang anghel ay nakakapanibago sa kanilang pandinig.

Xiomara was frustrated for a fact that she created Cosette to be this cunning and deviously smart to take advantage of the situation.

"Despicable bitch," she mumbled through gritted teeth.

The Archons hearing those firm words from her couldn't help but to feel bewildered seeing how she slander the queen right into her face with no sense of remorse and fear.

This is the vibe of the Glacial Archon gave back in the gathering when the Westerian Czar was looking for a husband. She looks so determined, willful and brave-the reason why they suddenly got interested in her.

Maya maya ay nakarinig ang mga ito ng bakal na tila ba hinihila. Xiomara's attention shifted to the direction where the sound was coming from. Halos hindi ito makahinga nang makita ang isang binatang puno ng galos at pasa sa katawan. Ang dibdib at likuran nito ay mayroong bakas ng latigo. Even the left side of his cheek where he was whipped by the queen did not escaped her eyes. Bukod doon ay may mga tanikalang nakabigkis sa pulsuhan at magkabilang paa nito.

They didn't even tried to put clothes on him. Ang katawan nitong puno ng sugat na may pinaghalong natuyo at preskong dugo ay magdudulot lamang ng labis na sakit sa kaniya lalo na't malamig ang simoy ng hangin.

"Alec!" When their eyes met, he gave her a small smile. Nakagat na lang ni Xiomara ang ibabang bahagi ng labi niya.

If only you remained silent, I could have save the both of us you idiot! palatak nito sa kaniyang isipan.

The knights dragged him at the bottom part of the execution stage and pushed him on the mud. When he fell on his knees, he groaned in pain. Taas noo itong nag-angat ng tingin sa reyna na nakadungaw sa kinalalagyan niya. He wanted to see the look that the queen would give him for offering his life to show how loyal he is to his mistress.

He wanted to prove her that there are things in the world she couldn't have even if she thinks so highly of herself as the supreme being who owns everything in her land. He wanted to make her feel inferior of the Glacial Archon who could get whatever she wants without lifting a finger.

Seeing that conflicted expression from the queen, he couldn't help but to laugh. Dahil dito ay mas lalong naningkit ang mata ng reyna.

"What a lovely expression you have, your majesty. . ." Seeing how he looks so satisfied with her reaction, Cosette couldn't help but to clench her fist.

This man. . . he would rather die than serve me?!

Mas lalo naman nakaramdam ng inis si Xiomara nang marinig ang pagtawa ni Alec. Nakatalikod ito sa kaniya at kitang-kita niya ang mga natamo nitong sugat sa likuran. Why the hell is he laughing? Does he not want his life anymore?

"This man committed a grave sin of murdering me and tarnishing the name of his master, the Glacial Archon. As the Westerian Czar, I sentenced him to death by beheading!" She announced. And just like that, the people began cheering for his head.

Because Xiovenn freeze the barbaric men who were in charge of the execution, One of the knights approached him as he slowly unsheathed his sword.

Kaagad na tumalima si Xiomara at akmang lalapit dito nang pigilan siya ni Xiovenn sa pamamagitan ng paghila sa braso niya. "Bitawan mo ako." Mahinahon nitong wika sa kapatid.

"You can't do anything with the situation," he said as if he already ran out of ideas in his mind. "Even if your knight just tried to protect you by taking the blame for himself, we don't have any evidence to prove his innocence," he added.

Muli ay ibinaling ni Xiomara ang kaniyang tingin kay Alec. Nakaluhod lang ito at mukhang handang-handa na itong mamatay.

"I need to save him." Pagpupumilit nito subalit imbis makinig si Xiovenn ay hinigpitan niya lang lalo ang paghawak sa kaniya.

"I said let go of me, I need to save him!" Dahil sa naging wika nito ay hinawakan ni Xiovenn ang magkabilang balikat niya't pinaharap ito sa kaniya.

"I barely saved you from your death!"Impit nitong sigaw dahilan upang mapatingin ang mga Arkon sa kanila.

Bilang nakakatandang kapatid nito, halos mabaliw siya nang mabalitaang napagbintangan ang kapatid niya sa pagtangkang pagpaslang sa reyna. Hindi ito magkandaumahog lalong-lalo na nang malaman niyang itinakda itong pugutan ng ulo pagsikat ng araw. He was worried sick thinking he would lose the only family he had.

Now that he managed to save her from death, he will never let her risk her life in exchange of someone else. It already infuriates him how she could even think of saving Sage despite of what he did. And now she is trying to save a lowly knight who used to be the queen's pawn ordered to kill her!

"Why are you sacrificing your life to a mere knight who used to be an assassin to kill you?!" anas nito.

Sa kabila ng ingay ng mga tao ay malinaw pa rin itong narinig ni Xiomara. She can see anger in his eyes, but at the moment she couldn't make herself care. Ang tanging nasa isip niya lang ay ang iligtas si Alec.

"Your life matters most than that knight, Xiomara. As the Glacial Archon you-" Iginilid ni Xiomara ang ulo niya't sinalubong ng matalim na tingin si Kane na siyang ikinatahimik nito.

"Who are you to condemn who's life matters the most?" Napakurap ang mga ito nang makita ang pag anhag ng kulay ng kaniyang mga mata. Her electric blue eyes were glowing as she thorws death glares at him.

"Anong karapatan mong kuwentahin kung kaninong buhay ang mas importante?" wika nito habang nangmamatang nakatingin sa Arkon.

"Your measly life is just as important as those small little pest and insects, don't flatter yourself too much just because you're an Archon once favored by the Gods." Kane tilt his head upon her words. Hindi ito makapaniwalang tumingin sa kaniya.

Did she just compared his life as those pests and insects?

"Let go of my hand this instant, Xiovenn!" Xiomara tried to break away from his grasp but he was too strong for her. Pinandilatan niya lang ito ng mata.

"Xiomara, calm down!" Apila ni Reed at Aviel.

Umiling siya't inangat ang tingin sa reynang nakangisi habang nakatingin sa kaniya. She was smiling at her with so much slyness and malice. It was as if she was telling her that she won and she can't do anything but watch her own knight helplessly executed in front of her.

The loud cheering of the people didn't help to calm her down either. Her eyes then landed on her knight. Seeing the deep cuts in his back, the swollen bruises and numerous wounds in every part of his body-she felt numb. There was a chilling sensation in her chest that was giving her the urge to release something unknown. It was as her spiritual veins refunctioning after being blocked for a long time.

Wala na siyang ibang maisip o maramdaman bukod sa galit. All she knows is that she wanted to rip Cosette's neck and feed it to the wolves in the Snow Plain. She wanted to cut the people's tongue and bury their body in the snow to let the frost crows feed on their eyes. She wanted them to suffer in pain the way her knight did. No one can leave unscathed.

Just then, Aviel look around when he felt a sudden disturbance in the air. The breeze felt cold. Napatingala naman si Sage nang mapansin ang paglipana ng iba't ibang ibon mula sa himpapawid . The birds seems to detect a disarrange power somewhere.

Having a hot core, Kane also felt himself shuddered with cold. His forehead knotted knowing their location is neither hot nor cold. It was the temperate region of Westeria so it's unusual to feel cold.

Habang abala sa kuro-kuro si Kane ay nakatuon naman ang pansin ni Reed sa namumuong ulap sa kalingitan kung nasaan nababanaag ang pagbuo ng bagyo. Hindi niya lang alam kung ulan ba ang bubuhos doon o 'di kaya'y ugong ng kulog at kidlat.

Seconds after that, they felt an overwhelming energy. Kaagad na hinanap ng mga ito ang pinagmulan ng kakaibang enerhiya at dumako ang paningin nila kay Xiomara na nakikipagtitigan sa kapatid nito.

Napakurap na lang si Xiovenn nang makita ang pagbabago ng kulay ng mata ni Xiomara. Her eye color were slowly turning into a mixture of cerulean and electric blue eyes. Her body was enveloped with a mysterious blue energy and a tattoo of a snow fox suddenly glowed in her forehead.

In a split second, she was able to yank herself away from him-dahilan upang tumalsik ito ng limang metro palayo sa kaniya. Everything happened too fast and the people were not able to figure out what really happened. Ang alam lang nila ay may kung anong nilalang na dumaan sa kanilang harapan, at sa pagmulat ng kanilang mga mata ay nakabulagta na ang mga kabalyero sa lupa na may mahabang kalmot sa leeg.

"How dare you lay a hand on my man?" Matalim nitong wika habang umaanhag ang kulay asul nitong mata.

Cosette stood up as she was too stunned to speak. Samantalang ang magkambal naman na si Ash at Storm ay napaatras sa gulat. Even Xiovenn and the Archons could not believe their eyes.

They are seeing Xiomara, standing while hugging the knight in her arms. Hawak nito ang bewang ng binata sa likuran upang suportahan ito sa pagtayo. Her left hand along with her long nails caressed his head that was buried on the left side of her neck.

Alec was almost breathless and too weak to even speak, but hugging his mistress gave him strength to hold on and remain conscious. His vision was a bit blurry, but he can see nine tails of white fox in his mistress' back-radiating a bizarre light. It was dancing playfully in the air as if it was fascinated by something.

Hindi naman maiwasang mamulagat sa gulat at pagkamangha ang mga taong nakasaksi ng pagbabagong anyo ng Arkon. Her silver white hair was freely drifting in the air with her eyes piercing through Cosette's soul. And her tails look astonishing that it gives the impression of being soft and majestic.

"T-the Divine Beast of Nine Calamities?" Utal na naibulalas ng isang ginang na nanonood.

The Divine Beast of Nine Calamities, the only nine-tailed fox since the ancients. The untamed Divine Beast who was said to be missing for thousands of years. It turns out that it chose the Glacial Archon as his master and this was the first manifestation of his power in front of the Westerian folks.

Indeed, it was a sight to behold.

The knights immediately gathered around the queen to protect her when they felt a potent energy that could endanger her safety.

"Y-you are protecting a criminal! This means you are colluding with the enemy who tried to harm the queen!" Matapang na akusa ng isa sa mga kabalyero na naroon habang nakatutok ang sandata nito sa dalaga.

Imbis sumagot ay tinitigan niya lang ang mga ito. Gusto nila itong sugurin subalit ayaw humakbang ng kanilang mga paa sa lupa. Ito ay marahil nararamdaman nila ang lakas nitong hindi nila matutumbasan kahit gaano pa sila karami. Kahit ang mga titig nito'y tila ba nagbibigay ng babala sa kanila na sa oras na humakbang sila papalapit rito'y makikitil ang buhay nila gaya ng dalawang kabalyero na nakabulagta sa lupa na walang buhay.

"What are you waiting for you dimwits! Attack her!" Dahil sa naging utos ng reyna ay walang nagawa ang mga ito kun'di sumugod sa dalaga.

Alec nuzzled his head in her neck as he released a low chuckle despite of being in pain. "This. . . is so. . ." He paused and coughed blood. "Embarrassing," dagdag pa nito.

Alec breathed heavily as he slightly bit his lower lip from pain. Bugbog ang katawan niya at hindi niya akalain na ultimo paggalaw ng panga niya para magsalita ay magdudulot sa kaniya ng labis na sakit.

He was her knight and he was supposed to protect her. But now here she is, protecting him against them. How ironic.

When the knights were only a meter away from them, Xiomara moved her tails releasing a shockwave that sent them flying away from the impact. Four of her tails hovered on Alec's back as if it was shielding him from another attack.

"Don't you think you are taking back your own words, Cosette?" Mabilis na napasinghap ang mga manood dahil sa walang kahabas-habas nitong pagtawag sa pangalan ng reyna.

"And you call yourself a queen?" She mocked.

Hindi nagsalita ang reyna kaya naman nag-alala ang mga Arkon sa kung ano man ang magiging reaksyon nito. If there is someone in Westeria you should not insult and disrespect, that is the queen. Because she holds all the power and authority. She is the law of Westeria.

"You swore to pardon my knight. His intention to admit that he committed a crime was obviously to protect me, and yet you would still condemn him a criminal despite it was the royal investigator's fault?" Ang bawat salitang binibitawan nito ay para bang punyal na paulit-ulit na sinasaksak si Cosette dahil sa katotohanang pilit niyang itinatago sa harap ng mga mamayan para mapanatili ang imahe niyang isang mabuti at may isang salitang mamumuno.

"Or maybe you can't put the blame on the royal investigators because you bribed them?" Umani ng bulungan ang naging turan nito.

"Slander!" Kitang-kita naman ang pamumula ng mukha ni Cosette dahil sa galit. She was angry for a fact that Xiomara would dare to defame her name in front of her people. Even though what she said was right, she was fearlessly brave enough to rub it in her face without thinking what might happen to her if the queen sets her mind to harm her.

Is she not afraid of the power that I hold as the queen?

"Am I wrong then?" Xiomara innocently asked.

"Then you should probably punish the royal investigator instead of my knight." aniya habang nakangiti nang malawak sa reyna.

"Not unless it was true that you bribed him to have a fabricated result just to accuse me." Mahina namang natawa ang reyna. Even though she was mad, she have to keep her composure because people are watching her.

"And what makes you think I would do such effort to frame you?" tanong nito habang dahang-dahang bumaba mula sa kinauupuan niya upang lumapit kay Xiomara.

"Because I am the hindrance to your plan on marrying one of the Archons, aren't I?" Natigilan naman si Cosette.

H-how did she. . .

"The Archons have sent me their marriage proposals. . .and today I will give my answer." Napaayos naman ng tayo ang mga Arkon.

"My dear Archons, as much as how qualified you are to become my lawful husband-I shall decline your proposals," Nagkatinginan naman ang mga ito dahil sa naging desisyon niya samantalang napangisi naman si Xiovenn.

"Because I already have someone in my heart." She trailed-clutching Alec in her arms as if she don't want to let go of him.

"The knight you people are cheering to be beheaded. . ." Napaiwas kaagad ang mga tao nang titigan niya ang mga ito nang masama.

"And the knight you've been wanting to kill. . . is my lover, Cosette." Biglang nawala ang ngisi sa labi ni Xiovenn nang marinig ito. That is why she wanted to save him at all cost.

Since when did she have any romantic attachment to this jerk?

Si Alec naman na nakarinig ng mga salitang binitawan ni Xiomara ay nahimatay ng wala sa oras. Nababaliw na siguro siya para sabihin iyon sa harap ng maraming tao.

"So I demand you to bring the royal investigators who caused this misleading probation in this case, or else everyone would assume you harbor ill feelings for me because you didn't receive any marriage proposals from the Archons." Cosette was about to answer her when they felt an ominous aura. It was eerie and dark-as if the energy desires nothing but chaos and destruction.

Mula sa baba ay may nakita silang isang anino kaya naman mabilis na napaangat ng tingin ang mga ito. Above the tower, they saw a man wearing a black robe and cape. His hair was messy and he was wearing a mask covering half of his face. Tanging labi lang nito ang nakikita. He was emitting a devious ambience of dominance and abomination.

"I guess I was late." He mumbled as his ethereal voice echoed in everyone's ears.

"Who is he?" Wala sa sariling bulalas ni Connor nang matanaw ito.

"Is he a God?" Aniya ng isang babae na animo'y nabighani ito sa matikas na pangangatawan ng binata kahit pa hindi niya ito masyado matanaw sa malayo.

"Is he a son?" Hearing that question from a small child who must be confused by his gender, the man chuckled.

"Am I the holy spirit?" He cracked at his own joke like a mad man that he is. Napakunot naman ang noo ng mga Arkon dahil sa asta nito.

"Tumawa sa sariling joke, ampota." Bulong ni Sage habang umiismid.

Maya-maya ay bigla itong nawala sa taas ng tower at lumitaw sa harapan ni Xiomara. Dumako ang mata nito sa kayakap niyang lalaki. Bigla itong nakaramdam ng inis, pero agad rin naman itong naglaho nang mapansin ang reaksyon ni Cosette nang makilala siya.

"Good morning, by the way." At may gana pa talaga itong bumati at kumaway sa mga taong naroon na halos mangatog na sa takot dahil sa bigat ng awra sa paligid.

Muli ay sumulyap ito kay Xiomara at para bang nagtaka ito nang makita ang mga buntot sa likuran niya. It turns out she manifested the power of the nine-tailed fox earlier than the book says.

He shrugged his shoulders. He doesn't care anyway. Mas importante sa kaniya na walang umaayong pangyayari sa libro. As long as the book doesn't have that lousy plot and crappy ending, he'll live a good life.

Humakbang ito papalapit sa dalaga, dahilan upang maging alerto ito kaya naman inangat ng binata ang dalawang kamay niya na para bang pinapakitang wala siyang gagawing masama rito.

"I am Alexius Astagria, m'lady." Pakilala nito habang nakangiti. "Let's bite-" Bigla itong natawa.

"I mean, I don't bite." Pagkaklaro nito habang mapaglarong nakangiti sa harapan ng dalaga.

What the hell is wrong with this bastard?

G O L U C K Y C H A R M