The Scepter of Marahuyo

Chapter 034

TWO YEARS LATER

My eyes open, and I find Aaron leaning over my bed. He’s reaching over my cheeks, and I feel the gentle way he caresses them.

“Good morning,” he greets.

“I told you not to wake me up like that,” I say and turn away from him.

“It’s the most effective way,” he says. “Besides, you are to train with grandpa today.”

I sit up and look down at Aaron, who’s leaning on the bed like a good dog, a large one at that. He’s smiling up at me as if I make his day.

“Stop smiling like an i***t,” I say and cover his annoying face with my blanket. I call my anito and twist the blanket on him. I only loosen it when I am done changing my clothes. He breaks free just in time before I open the door of my room and leave it.

I find Senyor Pablo at the side of the inn. He’s sharpening his gunong and is holding it sideways to inspect its blade. I prepare myself and grip the hilt of my gunong. It’s moments like this when he looks like a harmless old man when he is always about to do something.

“Good morning,” he says.

“Go--” 

Something passes through beside the side of my face. I sidestep, but I am too slow when I notice that he’s no longer holding his gunong. There is a stinging sensation on my cheeks, and when I touch it, I find blood.

“Two years later and your reactions are still slow,” Senyor Pablo says.

He almost killed me, but he’s right. I am still slow. My brain perceives that he’s about to do something, but my body can’t react fast enough. 

“Have you told my grandson?”

I shake my head. Without touching the ground, I call for my anito and touch the small gash on my cheeks: just one swipe, and the pain vanishes.

“How can I tell him of my failure to find Master Orson’s murderer? And because of that failure, you are telling me to join the Scepter selection.”

It’s been two years since Master Orson died. As for the culprit, Master Suvayan and Axel found one, by the name of Aman, but he never admitted to the murder even when he was exiled from the zone. All the proof points to him though. Aman and Master Orson were seen by the townspeople arguing over the crops. Aman lost it and called Master Orson that he’s not fit to become a Scepter. They also found some items of Master Orson in his house, but Aman says that Master Orson gave those to him even if they are always against each other. 

Despite that, Senyor Pablo didn’t believe the verdict. I didn’t either, even if the man lived alone and had a bad relationship with his neighbors. The fact that not a single person witnessed in favor of him hints that something is wrong. That is why Senyor Pablo was convinced of it.

“When are you going to sign up for the Scepter selection?” Senyor Pablo asks.

“I’m not yet sure,” I say.

I finish my warmup and face Senyor Pablo. He also finishes his and attacks. I deflect it and make a sideways attack on his torso, which he successfully defends.

“Why?”

“Because,” I rotate my body and hit his shoulder with the most force I can muster and adds, “I still want to be a traveling mage.”

“I didn’t know you'd lose your motivation to find the real culprit,” he adds. “Two years and we never found anything beneficial. Do you think that you, as an ordinary mage, can take revenge for Orson?”

I retreat and make a distance between us. I glance at my blade; the reinforcement in it is working perfectly. 

“I’m not as ordinary as before,” I say. I gained strength and skills that are so far from what I was. I can even call my anito in less than a second.

“You don’t have the influence and resources a Scepter has. You won’t get close to the center of it all. You need to become a Scepter. That is why we trained you.”

“I know that!”

Yes. I trained with Master Deborah, Nico, and Senyor Pablo for the past two years during the weekend. During the weekdays, I heal and rest the wounds I incurred from the battles over the weekend. I also study all potions that are possible with Anitun Tabu as my anito.

“You’re getting riled up,” Senyor Pablo says and makes a defensive stance.

The wind around me swirls, and before I can even make an offensive attack, Senyor Pablo attacks. So I defend with my gunong, which results in the wind around me dissipating. 

“Or is it because you’re being comfortable with my grandson?” Senyor Pablo asks.

I call for my anito, and a swirl of wind under Senyor Pablo appears. He notices it too late, and before he can withdraw, the small tornado forms and lifts him off the ground. It twists him, and then I let my wind vanish. He falls, but before he hits the ground, I make a bed of wind to cushion his fall.

“Good. Very nice,” he compliments. “You will have no issues with the Scepter selection.”

“I’m not yet sure if I’m going to join it,” I repeat.

Senyor Pablo sighs and approaches me. He places his hand on my shoulder and says, “I’m happy that you think of my grandson now, that he’s become important. But you need to think about it hard. This,” he says, and his grip on my shoulder tightens. “I don’t think it will stop at Orson. They've been quiet for two years, but it’s not the end, Holly. Orson is just a start.”

I clench my jaw. Up till now, Senyor Pablo is certain that it is a power struggle. But now, I don’t want to believe it, even if my brain tells me that Senyor Pablo is correct.

“Hey, you two done?” Aaron interrupts. “Master Deborah and Nico are here early.”

Senyor Pablo breaks the connection, and he withdraws his hand. “They want to start the celebration early?”

Aaron nods and approaches us. “They say that the mages from the barracks will also arrive around lunchtime.”

“That’s a lot of people, better put those two to the kitchen,” Senyor Pablo says and leaves us.

Once Senyor Pablo is inside, Aaron blocks my view of the house. So I shift my attention to him.

“What?” I ask.

He examines me from head to toe. “Not injured today?”

“You should be worried about Senyor Pablo instead. I defeated him.”

Aaron grins. “My grandfather is a Caltra warrior. I don’t think you’d be able to defeat him.”

To be continued…