The Cursed One

24 | Deep Into the Abyss

The ceremony. 

Sinabihan na siya ni Reagan tungko sa bagay na iyon. Ito ang seremonya kung saan ipapakilala na ang mga kalahok sa paligsahan. This is where the champions will be introduced. Hindi niya maisip kung paano mangyayari ang ganoon. Will they have to speak in front of the people? Magpapakilala ba sila sa mga ito? Magiging maayos lang ba ang lahat? Sa pagkakaalam niya, hindi maganda ang relasyon ng magkakapatid na prinsipe kaya naman hindi niya mapigilang isipin na magkakagulo. 

I hope not. 

Kasalukuyan siyang nasa loob ng kanyang kwarto. Kagabi ay natanggap nila ang isang imbbitasyon tungkol sa papalapit na seremonya. Nang tingan niya ang reaksyon ni Reagan tungkol doon ay hindi niya ito mabasa. Kaya naman hindi niya alam kung mabuting bagay ba iyon o hindi. It only added to her anxiety. 

Hindi niya alam kung saan nagpunta si Reagan. Pagkagising niya kanina ay bumungad sa kanya ang pagkain sa mesa at isang sulat na ginawa ng lalaki. Sinabi doon na may pupuntahan siya saglit at hindi siya pwedeng lumabas ng kwarto. Wala naman siyang planong lumabas dahil una, hindi niya alam ang pasikot sikot sa loob ng palasyo. The last thing she would want is to get lost inside. Second, even if there are many wards inside the palace that prevents them from running into other people, she couldn't risk it. Napag-alaman niyang hindi masyadong malakas ang ward dahil nakakagamit pa naman ng mahika si Reagan kagaya nalang ng ginawa nito kagabi. 

Agad naman siayng bumangon. Naalala niya ang sinabi ni Reagan tungkol sa isang libro na naglalaman ng mga kayang gawin ng nullification abilities. Tinitigan niya ang dalawang kamay niya. Back in the forest where she was chased by those spear-wielding men, she triggered a different form of her nullification abilities. It was an invisible shield. It made sense as it deflects any kind of magic or even physical attacks. And during that time when she sliced that ball of fire, her nullification abilities also managed to get to the sword that's why it managed to cut the ball of fire. 

Both incidents were driven by some sort of emotion. Adrenaline or anger. Napatitig siya sa kanyang palad. How can she summon her power even if she's no mad or driven by adrenaline? 

Ipinikit niya ang kanyang mga mata at nagpokus. She centered her focus on her core where she could hear the almost silent humming of her nullification abilities. The humming was calm, gentle--as though it can't be bothered no matter how much she tries to call it. It remained idle. 

Kumunot ang noo niya sa konsentrasyon. Sinubukan niya ulit. She reached through her core and focused on her calm magic. She tried to grab it but it only slipped from her grasp. Ibinuka niya ang kanyang mga mata at napatitig sa kanyang palad. Gaya ng sinabi ni Nate, Emil, at Reagan sa kanya, kailangan niya munang maging malakas para makontrol ang kapangyarihan niya. She has to control her nullification. She has to learn how to wield it without the need of adrenaline or anger. Dahil kapag hindi niya magawang kontrolin ito bago ang seremonya, hindi niya alam kung magagawa pa niyang kontrolin ang Shadowburn na nakakulong sa loob niya. 

Huminga siya ng malalim bago ipinikit ulit ang mga mata. With her palms turned upward, she reached again into her core. Agad niyang naramdaman ang mahinang ugong ng kapangyarihan niya na para bang nagpapahinga ito. Dahan-dahan siyang lumapit rito. Slowly, she reached into it, touched its cold surface and waited for the familiar buzz of her magic. Hindi niya alam kung gaano siya katagal naghintay ngunit pinagpapawisan na siya at wala pa ring nangyari. Her power remained a silent hum. 

Ngunit hindi siya susuko. Alam niyang may paraan para magawa niyang kontroling ang kapangyarihan niya. She had been training for days and she figured she should at least learn to call her magic. Kaya naman nagpatuloy siya sa ginagawa. Her arms are starting to strain but she did not give up. Nanatili siya doon at sinusubukang gisingin ang kapangyarihan niya. She reached deeper and deeper until the almost silent hum of her power turned into complete silence. 

And then there's black. There was darkness so cold and so deep. Hindi niya alam kung ano iyon, hindi niya alam kung nasa pinakailalim na ba siya ng kapangyarihan niya ngunit sa pakiramdam niya'y iba iyon. Where her nullification feels calm and gentle, the darkness was the opposite. Ramdam niya ang lamig ng paligid. Her core felt like freezing. 

What is this?

 The darkness felt hollow, empty. And yet it felt suffocating as though the air in her lungs is being taken away. She knew that the wisest decision is to get out of there. Ngunit pamilyar sa kanya ang lamig. The shiver that ran along her spine felt familiar too. Nahigit niya ang kanyang hininga nang mapagtanto kung nasaan siya.

She has reached too deep. Too deep that it wasn't even possible. She has reached the Shadowburn instead. 

As if on cue, the dark surrounding shivered as if waking up from a deep slumber. The coldness intensified as if freezing her intentionally. Her instincts shouted for her to run and get out but she seemed bound and unable to move. She had pried too deep. And now the Shadowburn is holding her. 

Then eyes started to appear everywhere. Kagaya noong nasa eskinita siya kasama si Reagan. Hindi siya makagalaw at hindi iyon dahil sa parang may pumipigil sa kanyang gumalaw. Ito ay dahi sa takot. Takot na hindi niya maipaliwanag. Nakatingin sa kanya ang mga mata. Hindi katulad ng nilalang sa eskinita na itim ang mata, ang mga matang nakikita niya ngayon ay pula. 

"You have come," said an unrecognizable voice. Hindi niya alam kung saan nagmumula ang boses o sa isip lang ba niya naririnig iyon. Wala na siyang pakialam at wala na siyang oras para pag-isipan iyon. Kailangan niyang makaalis doon. 

Ngunit ang hindi niya maintindihan ay kung paano siya nakapasok doon. The Shadowburn is sealed by the Mistres herself. Hindi siya dapat nakapasok doon. 

"And yet here you are," said the voice. Alam niyang ang Shadowburn ang kumakausap sa kanya ngayon at nababasa rin nito ang nasa isip niya. 

"Paano ka nakapasok dito?" tanong nito sa kanya. Hindi siya makasagot. Tila naputok ang dila niya. Nanginginig din siya. 

I need to go. I need to get out. I shouldn't be here.

It was her fear speaking. The eyes looked at her as though they could see every fiber of being and made her very anxious and vulnerable. 

Paano nga ba siya nakapasok? Hindi niya alam. It was sealed. It was supposed to be impermeable. And yet there she was.

Then she felt the coldness skittering on her skin as though it was caressing her. Then she heard a chuckle. Then the Shadowburn said, "You wish to control me, human." 

"But you do not know that there is no need to control me. All you need to do is accept me as a part of you and you will be the strongest magician that lived. You will even be stronger than the Great Wizard who made me." 

Its voice was like a caress to her very being. 

Ngunit nahanap niya ang boses niya at sinagot ito, "Hindi ko kailangang maging pinakamalakas. I wished to control you so you can't kill people anymore." 

Another chuckle that made her shiver. Naramdaman niya ang marahas na lamig sa kanyang balat. 

"I killed those people who wronged you, nameless girl." 

She gritted her teeth, not because of the cold but because of the anger that was starting to build inside her. 

"I am no nameless girl. My name is Mirabella Frey and I am a Reaper. One day, I will be able to control you and you will do exactly what I say."

"Is that what they told you?" Another purr. "You are still a nameless girl. You will never control me. You will never be strong unless you accept me. Because I am part of you. I was inside of you the moment you were conceived. We were meant to coexist. We were never meant to be separated." 

Sher pursed her lips. "You're lying. There will come a day when I will return to the book where you belong." 

Ngunit imbes na galit ay mahina lang itong tumawa sa gawi niya. Its red eyes were blazing as they stared at her. 

"You will find one day, little girl, that what you're trying to do is impossible. But I'd love to see you try." Then those eyes narrowed as it looked at her. Nagsimula namang itong lumapit ang mga ito sa kanya. They started closing in, as if suffocating her until she covered her head. 

Then she was back in her chamber. 

Hinihingal siya nang buksan niya ang mga mata niya. Inilibot niya ang paningin niya sa paligid. it's her chamber. She's back in her chamber. Napatitig siya sa dalawa niyang palad at kitang-kita niya ang marka ng kanyang kuko doon. Pawis na pawis din siya na para bang galing siyang tumakbo nang ilang kilometro. 

Nakipag-usap siya sa Shadowburn. 

Hindi dapat posible iyon. The power was sealed. Paanong nakapasok siya roon? Was there something wrong with the seal? It is getting weaker? Pero kung humihina iyon, nakalabas na sana ang nilalang na iyon. But it remained sealed. 

Fear gnawed in her as she paced her chamber back and forth. Ramdam pa rin niya ang lamig sa kanyang katawan at ang kakaibang takot na naramdaman niya kanina. Nang hawakan niya ang kanyang braso ay pawisan pa rin siya at nanlalamig. Naririnig pa rin niya ang boses nito sa kanyang isipan. 

We were meant to coexist. 

Anong ibig sabihin nito? Na hindi dapat niya ito ibalik sa libro? Paanong nasa kanya na ito nang ipagbuntis siya ng kanyang ina? She shook her head. 

Hindi siya dapat maniwala sa nilalang na iyon. Nakita niya kung paano siya nito kontrolin noon. Kung paano nito gamitin ang katawan niya nang hindi niya nalalaman. Nakita niya kung paano siya nito manipulahin nang ikukulong na ito. The Shadowburn is deceitful and whatever it says should be the last thing she would believe. 

Nang humupa na ang panginginig niya, naupo siya sa kama at uminom ng tubig. Kahit anong gawin niyang pagkumbinsi sa sarili, hindi pa rin siya mapakali. Kailangan niyang bumalik sa Fortress. Kailangan niyang makausap ang Mistress. Matapos ang nangyari, kailangan niyang ipatingin ang sitwasyon niya. She pried too deep that she reached the sealed power. Paano kung sa ginawa niyang iyon ay napawalang bisa ang seal?  

Naubos ang isang baso ng tubig at saka naman siya nakarini ng pagkatok sa kanyang kwarto. Her head whipped to the door and instantly, her senses became awake. She's still spooked about what happened and it has made her paranoid.

Ngunit narinig niya ang boses ni Reagan sa likod ng pinto kaya naman agad niya itong binuksan. Bumungan sa kanya si Reagan na nakatayo doon at nakatingin sa kanya. Ngunit hindi siya nag-iisa. 

"Emil?" she said when she saw her uncle. 

Nakasuot ito ng trench coat at halatang may pinuntahan pa ito bago nakarating sa palasyo. 

"The Prince wanted to train your mind. That is, I will teach you to put walls in your mind just in case," sabi ni Emil.

Napatingin naman siya kay Reagan na nakatingin lang din sa kanya. Maya-maya pa ay nanlaki ang mga mata nito. Kasabay niyon ay naramdaman niya ang pag-agos ng likido mula sa kanyang ilong. 

"What the hell have you been doing while I was gone?" tanong ni Reagan sa kanya. Hinawakan niya ang kanyang ilong at tiningnan ang daliri at nakitang dugo iyon. 

"Why are you bleeding?" tanong naman ni Emil sa kanya. Binigyan siya ni Reagan ng panyo at agad niya itong ipinunas sa kanyang ilong. She then looked at the two men in front of her. They were looking at her too, waiting for her to say something. 

Then she said, "I talked to the Shadowburn."

Both of the men blinked at her. Silence hovered between them until it was Emil who said, "Did I hear you wrong or did you say you talked to the Shadowburn?" 

"Paano mo nagawa iyon? You said it was sealed," Reagan said. 

"It is sealed," sagot niya.

"Then how?"

She swallowed hard before she said, "I was trying to summon my nullification abilities. I couldn't do it. Sinubukan ko ulit. I tried harder, I dove deeper, and then I realized I must have gotten too deep." 

"Too deep you reached where the Shadowburn was sealed," continued Emil. Tumango naman siya. 

"I was inside it. I got inside the seal." 

"Paano mo naman nasabi na nakapasok ka doon?" 

"The eyes. I saw the eyes. I was inside it." 

Nakita niya ang gulat sa mga mata ni Reagan habang nakatingin lang nang mataman si Emil sa sahig.

"I need to talk to the Mistress, Emil. I need to know why and how I managed to do that." 

Tahimik na nag-iisip si Emil habang nakatingin pa rin sa sahig. Saka ito tumingin sa kanya. 

"Very well," he said and then turned to the Prince. "I will take her, Your Highness." 

"I will go with you," said Reagan at agad na nagpunta sa kwarto nito. She did the same. 

After what she did earlier, she couldn't risk leaving it like that. The last thing she would ever want to happen is to unleash the Shadowburn now that it knows what she plans. 

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