Immortal Reign: The Stolen Heritage

TWO

CHAPTER TWO

Luke

No, it can't be. It's impossible.

Mas binilisan ni Max ang pagtakbo palayo sa gubat. His breathing was heavy and deep because of the sensations that struck him. Tumigil siya saglit sa gitna ng madilim na gubat. Basang basa na iniangat ang ulo at malakas na umalulong sa buwang natatabunan ng malahiganteng mga kahoy.

With my consciousness inside his body, I felt how the earth shook with his mighty howl. Other wolves lurking on the forest howled in response to their alpha. He can't contain the striking feeling that he felt because of the mortal girl. At kasalanan ko kung bakit nagkakaganito si Max.

He immediately continued running faster. His huge paws creating fissures on the soft soil of the forest floor. Despite the darkness, I can still see the way clearly through his silver eyes. The thick and huge trees crisscrossing on the place. Max bared his teeth and growled, feeling my frustration.

How?! Why am I feeling this?! I already have Althea! I know she has the strings with me! Bakit naramdaman ko iyon sa isang hamak na tao?!

"Luke?"

I closed my eyes for a while at nang dumilat ako, nasa madilim ko ng kwarto ako at nakatanaw sa labas ng terrace. Overlooking the distant forest and the entire city of Viloria from the hilltop.

I spun around and saw her. Althea De Luca. My fiancée. I forced out a smile. "Yes, love?"

Mahinhin siyang ngumiti sa akin. Showing how angelic she can be when she smiles. Her brown hair cascading in waves on her left shoulder. Muli kong naramdaman ang konsensya sa naramdaman ko kanina nang maisip ko siya habang nakapatong sa babaeng iyon sa gubat.

No. I love her. I didn't do anything. I didn't cheat on Althea. She's the only one for me.

Bakit hindi mo nagawang patayin ang mortal na 'yun? Why didn't you atleast shooed her away from Viloria? Bakit ka tumakbo? You never run from enemies! And now you're running away from a mere mortal?!

Naikuyom ko ang kamao at mariin na napapikit. Remembering her small face. How her cheeks were so rosy because of the cold. How beautiful those molten brown eyes were despite of the fear I see. And her smell. So sweet, sultry and so magnetic—DAMN IT!

"Luke? May problema ba?" Muli akong napadilat at nakasalubong ang nag-aalalang mga mata ni Althea. I immediately shook my head. Both to appease her worry and lower my guilt. This is wrong.

Lumakad ako palapit sa kaniya at lumuhod. Leveling our gazes while she's sitting on her wheelchair. Getting reminded of what has happened to her that caused her to be like this. Kumulo na naman ang dugo ko. Whoever that bastard is, he will pay for doing this to Althea. No one should have ever messed with her.

I suddenly felt her soft hands on both of my cheeks. Caressing me with those gentle hands and eyes. Unti-unti namang humupa ang galit na muling lumulukob sa akin. I kissed her palm and held her hand. Feeling those familiar warmth. She always has a way of calming me down. Kahit noon pa, three months ago, before we both were too busy to spend time for each other.

"Don't worry. Magiging okay rin ang lahat 'di ba?" Malamyos ang boses na sabi niya. Tinitigan ko siya. Memorizing her face all over again.

She always has this grace within her, but due to her being weak, mas nagiging mahina ang bawat galaw at boses niya. She can barely do anything she wants. Limitado ang bawat galaw dahil sa pagkawala ng kapangyarihang ninakaw galing sa kaniya.

The immortal flame. The very heritage one Vilorian possesses given by our ancestors. Ipinapasa pasa ang kapangyarihang ito sa mga itinakdang tao sa kaharian ng Viloria na pinili mismo ng kapangyarihan. There is only one person who will have it every 500 years. And for this matter of time, si Althea ang nabigyan ng kapangyarihang ito.

Meaning, she is the most capable physically, mentally and emotionally in storing a power as powerful as something that can make or break a person. She has the best intentions and the purest heart para ipagkatiwala sa kaniya ang kapangyarihang ito. And I couldn't be prouder.

Pero may isang hangal at ganid sa kapangyarihang nagtangkang patayin siya upang makuha lang ang simbolo sa kaniya. We both know how everyone has the desire to keep a power as powerful as this. That even kings and queens from before were tempted to take and steal it from the one who was given. Pero lahat ay nag desisyon na resputuhin ang espiritu ng mga ninuno namin at ang mismong kapangyarihan na siya rin mismong pumipili sa paglalagyan ng sarili.

But this thief is a complete and utter fool. Ganid at inggit lang ang nasa puso at isip ng magnanakaw na iyon. And I will make sure I'll have that person's head hanged on the very heart of Viloria to show them what happens when they mess with me and Althea.

"Of course, love. I will do everything to make you feel better." Hinimas ko ang kamay niyang nakahawak pa rin sa akin. Those gorgeous smile once again flashing at me. I held her hand and inched my face closer. It's been weeks since I kissed her. Napabuga ako ng hangin. We both are just too caught up with the situation at hand that we forget how we should always be together.

Patuloy kong tinitigan ang bawat parte ng mukha niya. Telling myself that I should keep my eyes on her. Nawaglit lang siya ng ilang oras sa paningin ko noong araw na iyon ay nagkaganito na siya.

Napunta lang ang mga mata ko sa mortal na iyon, kakaiba na agad ang nararamdaman ko. And damn that to hell! I will never think of replacing Althea for someone as low as a mortal. And why was she here, anyway? Alam kong takot ang mga mortal sa bayan namin dahil sa kapangyarihan naming taglay. Why would she stupidly soak herself to the bone and step inside the woods of Viloria?

"Nahanap niyo na siya 'di ba?" Althea asked, full of curiosity. I ached at the hope I sensed in her voice. I sighed. "I'm sorry, love. Napuntahan na ng mga tauhan ko ang tinirhan niya sa bayan ng Pompi noon. But they reported how he escaped and left."

She heaved a deep sigh. I squeezed her hand in comfort. "That news was two months ago. No improvements." Mahina nitong usal at tumungo. Her brown eyes immediately flashing with sadness. Katulad ko, gustung gusto niya na ring mahanap ang gumawa nito sa kaniya. Ito lang sa ngayon ang pumupuno sa mga isip namin. Ito sa ngayon ang pinakaimportante sa amin. Ang makuhang muli ang simbolo. Ang Immortal Flame.

Ako naman ngayon ang humawak sa magkabila niyang pisnge.

"Like I promised, I will find that fool and punish him. You will have the ancestral power again and you will regain your strength. Everything will be okay, alright?" Nakatitig na sabi ko sa kaniya. Her angelic smile once again coming back in a few more seconds. Napabuga ako ng hangin. I never liked seeing her sad.

"Thank you, love," she said ang hugged me which I responded tightly. Minsan nalang kaming nagkakaroon ng mga tagpong ganito mula nang magkaganito siya. Hindi man namin aminin, there seems to be different in us. A gap that wasn’t supposed to be there. At oras ang pinakamalaking naiiisip kong rason kaya nangyayari ito ngayon sa relasyon namin.

I spend almost every waking hours working, taking care of the kingdom, and she's just in her room, resting. Tuwing umuuwi ako ay natutulog na siya and I don't want to wake her up. She needs to regain her strength. And I'm not liking how she's slowly feeling unfamiliar to me that my body welcomes a potential other woman to make my senses wake up.

Nagagalit at nahihiya ako sa sarili dahil sa naramdaman ko unang tagpo palang ng mga mata namin ng babaeng iyon.

Maybe this is just a product of how I long for Althea all these days.

Naramdaman ko ang paghigpit ng yakap niya sa akin. "I love you, Luke." Mariin akong napapikit. I heaved a deep sigh and caressed her nape, tracing that scar on it. The ancestral symbol that once was there.

Yes. We love each other. Siya lang ang taong kayang magparamdam sa akin ng ganito. "I love you, too Althea." I sighed.

I let her go and stood up. Pumunta ako sa likod niya at tinulak ang wheelchair. "Let's get you back to your room. Kailangan mo nang magpahinga." Masigla siyang tumango tango sa akin na ikinangiti ko.

Yes. She's the only one who can make my heart beat crazily.

She should be. 

"YOUR Highness, we have reports for today with the Keepers."

Bungad ni Benjamin nang makaapak ako sa unang palapag ng kastilyo. I looked at my Chief Officer. Built bigger and taller than most, I still tower over him.

Kagaya ng nakasanayan namin tuwing tungkol sa kaharian ang pinag-uusapan, he kept his distance for formality and immediately held his head high without meeting my golden gaze.

"Proceed." My voice boomed on the empty halls of the Victorian castle.

"Your Highness, wala pa ring pinagbago sa lahat ng humina matapos makuha ang simbolo. The Vilorian falls and fountain is still at stake of seizing to produce enough water for the kingdom. Ang mga ani ng mga magsasaka ay patuloy na bumababa, affecting our goods for exportation to the other cities of Asturia and it might affect the annual ball for the feast of harvest."

Just like how Althea is weakening because of the ancestral symbol's absence, ganoon din ang nangyayari sa kaharian ng Viloria. The ancestral power also serves as the beating heart of the entire kingdom. That's why I will do everything to get that greedy fool and cut his throat for affecting such a big kingdom as Viloria just for his greedy desires.

"Lessen the exports and contain the once we can gather. Kakailanganin natin iyon sa mga susunod na mga buwan. Regarding the ball, we won't cancel it. We don't want to worry our people." Agad siyang tumango, hindi pa rin nakatingin sa mga mata ko.

"You're dismissed," I said in a monotone.

I was finally about to walk away when he spoke again.

"My King, the Keepers reported a mortal inside the forest." Napatigil ako sa paghakbang palayo. I clenched my teeth when those molten brown eyes and wet body once again took its place inside my head.

Damn you, Luke!

"The Keepers tried tracing her scent, but she just vanished. But don't worry, Your Highness, we will get rid—"

"Let the mortal be." Natigil siya sa pagsasalita ko. Hinarap ko si Benjamin. His dark eyes, meeting mine for the first time now.

"As long as she's not a threat to the kingdom, let her be. We had a pact with their leaders. Wala tayong dapat na gawin sa mga tao, like how they should not hover over our business." He immediately bowed down. Pero kita ko sa mga mata niya ang pagtataka sa desisyon ko.

I usually just get rid of mortals who try to invade our kingdom. I shoo them away just as immediately. But I can’t seem to see myself getting rid of that mortal I saw in the forest. Hindi ko alam kung bakit. At ayaw ko na rin alamin pa kung bakit.

"As you wish, Your Majesty." Agad akong tumalikod sa kaniya at naglakad patungo sa sariling kwarto.

The moment I stepped inside the dark room, I immediately found myself stepping out to the terrace. Looking over to the forest where I felt those drowning pleasurable sensations inside my chest for the first time in three months.