Blood Secrets

Three's A Coven

Isabela grew up in the streets of St. Angeli. She saw how the city came from something small to become one of the most progressive cities in the country. She lived and survived on the streets but it all changed when one day, she started to feel different. Nalaman niyang kaya niyang hulaan ang mga bagay-bagay. Kagaya nalang ng daloy ng panahon. Her playmates would often ask her if it would rain that day so they'll know if they were going to play out or not. She became famous for it.

Noong una, hindi niya maipaliwanag ang bagay na iyon. She believed it was just a pure lucky guess. A lot of people would ask her about small things, making her guess about them. And when it comes out right, she gets praise and recognition, and gratitude.

Her life on the streets did not take long because one day, someone showed up in front of her. Clad in a loose shirt and skirt, she remembered she was the most beautiful woman she's ever seen.

Nagpakilala ang babae bilang si Esmeralda. Pinakilala niya rin ang sarili niya. Nagtanong ang babae sa kung anong kaya niyang gawin at sinagot naman niya lahat ng mga tanong nito. It was then that she realized that Esmeralda wasn't there to just ask questions. She was there to confirm with her own two eyes of what she can do. Naalala pa niya ang ngiti ni Esmeralda noon. It was the kindest smile someone offered her. Doon sinabi ng babae na magkapareho sila ng abilidad.

For the first time ever since her parents died, she felt she was not alone. While some people marvel at her abilities to predict the future, some others find it strange. So when Esmeralda told her that there are a lot like her, she was ecstatic. Dinala siya ni Esmeralda sa isang parte ng syudad na hindi pa niya kailanman napuntahan. Her parents used to tell her it is the most dangerous place. Their warnings about the place were so deeply embedded in her that even though her parents are gone, she still followed what they say, afraid that her parents would reprimand her.

Nang sinabi ni Esmeralda na dadalhin siya ng babae doon, alam niyang hindi magandang ideya iyon but there was something about Esmeralda that made her trust her eventually. Kaya naman sumama siya sa babae.

When they reached the certain part of the city, it felt different. The air felt heavier somehow. As though there was boiling trouble waiting to erupt. Iyon ang unang naramdaman niya nang tumapak siya sa parteng iyon ng syudad. She can still remember Esmeralda's words that day.

"You can feel it too, right?" Esmeralda asked and she nodded.

"This place is filled with supernaturals, Isabela. Look around you."

Sinunod naman niya ang sinabi ng babae. Tiningnan niya ang paligid. She could see people doing their normal routines. Some were leisurely eating at the nearest diner, and some are just passing by. She guessed most of the latter are tourists.

They don't seem to feel the tension around them. It was the same tension she felt when she feels a storm coming. Or something bad is about to happen. Ngunit ang mga tao sa paligid niya ay tila walang nararamdaman. She looked up at Esmeralda and noticed that the woman was already observing her.

"Something dangerous is in here," she said and Esmeralda nodded.

"Indeed."

Bigla naman siyang kinabahan. Naalala niya ulit ang payo ng kanyang mga magulang noong buhay pa ang mga ito. This place is supposedly off-limits to her.

"Why did you bring me here?"

"Because you are needed in this place, Isabela."

She was confused and perhaps Esmeralda noted her confusion when she said, "You are like me. In this world, we are needed to keep the balance."

She didn't understand what she was trying to say but she went with her, anyway.

Hindi niya naintidihan noon ang ibig sabihin nito. But eventually, she learned about the supernatural world. She learned about vampires. She learned about wolves. She learned about the death of her parents done by the vampires.

Iyon ang nagtulak sa kanya na sumanib kay Julian Cestmont. Ito ang nagsabi sa kanya tungkol sa kanyang mga magulang. Nang mamatay ito ay isinumpa niyang ipagpapatuloy niya ang sinimulan ng lalaki.

Despite her hatred for the vampires, she's still a witch. She balances the supernatural world and that world involves the vampires. Hindi siya sang-ayon sa ideolohiya ni Julian. Kaya ngayon ay babaguhin niya ang gagawin. She plans not to remove all the vampires in the face of the world. Ang plano niya ay kunin ang pagiging bampira ng mga Sylvaines. Since they were the beginning of vampirism, sa kanila galing ang ibang mga bampira. It is enough to attack the Sylvaines because all the vampires they sired will be gone as well.

She closed her eyes as she knelt in front of the altar. It's been days since the ancestors named her the coven leader. Hindi niya alam kung nasaan si Esmeralda at si Leila. But she supposed it was better. Mas mabuti nang wala na ang mga ito sa St. Angeli. She can't have them interfering with her plan. She may not be too respectful the last time they encountered each other but she doesn't want to be put in a situation where she will have to kill Esme and Leila.

The almost swept her but she remained her ground. The ancestors always liked the spectacle and they like making grand entrances. Binuksan niya ang kanyang mga mata at nakita niya ang mga ito na nakalutang sa harapan ng altar. Today, there are just a few of them.

"The other side is in chaos," said one of their ancestors. Hindi na niya naabutan ito noong nabubuhay pa ang babae. Her name was Corazon.

"You told the vampires on the other side what you were planning to do so that's basically your fault," she said and she knew it was bad to talk to their ancestors like that but she couldn't help it.

Maya-maya pa ay naramdaman niyang parang may sumasakal sa kanya dahilan para hindi siya makapagsalita.

"Know your place, Isabela," warned another ancestor named Krausus. He's one of the oldest witch ancestors as far as she knows. She choked and finally, they let go of her neck dahilan para mapaubo siya.

"The vampires on the other side will not allow the Sylavines to be killed as it would mean they will also vanish from the other side. They're quite hell-bent on tearing the other side apart," said another one named Benilda.

"Sinasabi niyo bang huwag kong patayin ang mga Sylvaine?" The thought made her cold. The ancestors are superior beings. Even superior than the living ones. And they could also be total assholes. Kaya inaasahan na niyang magbabago ang isip ng mga ito sa kung ano man ang pinaplano niya.

She stood and faced them. Nakita naman niyang nagulat ang mga ito habang nakatingin sa kanya. Clearly, they were not expecting her to do that. it was supposed to be considered disrespect. She waited for her throat to constrict but it didn't come.

"The vampires killed my parents. This is not only what you want but also what I want. I will remove the vampirism from the Sylvaines and they will die as humans--"

"You will do no such thing!" said Corazon and then she dropped kneeling to the ground. She could have sworn her kneecaps cracked. Isang malakas na pwersa ang nagapaluhod sa kanya at hindi siya makagalaw.

Nanatiling matigas ang kanyang eskspresyon--indication that she is not going to back down easily.

"We have a better plan, Isabela," saad naman ni Benilda. Sa kanilang tatlo, si Benilda ang pinakakalmado sa kanila. "Death is too easy a punishment for them. They have wronged a lot of us. They have wronged a lot of people. They have wronged you. They deserve to suffer more than death."

Naningkit naman ang mga mata niya habang nakatingin sa kanila.

"What do you want to say?" tanong niya habang nagtatakang nakatingin sa tatlo.

The three exchanged glances before Krausus stepped forward. The force that was forcing her to kneel was gone but she remained kneeling.

"There is a way for them to suffer but to do this, we need more than just Lorcan Sylvaine's blood. We need the help of another coven."

Napakunot ang noo niya habang nakatingin sa tatlo. "Another coven? There is no other coven in St. Angeli other than our coven. Where am I supposed to find another coven?"

"They will come to you, Isabela. And they will know what to do."

Bago pa man siya makapagsalita ay bigla nalang naglaho ang tatlo sa harapan niya. Nanatili siyang nakaluhod doon na para bang iniisip kung anong ibig sabihin nina Corazon.

Then she heard footsteps behind her. Agad siyang napatayo at hinarap kung sino ang mga ito. She readied her hands to attack if it was the Sylvaines but she was wrong.

Hindi ito mga Sylvaines. In fact, they don't look familiar to her at all. At base sa ekspresyon sa kanilang mga mukha, they don't look lost either.

Tumigila ang tatlo sa harapan niya. Two of them are men and in the middle of them is a woman. Nakatingin ang mga ito sa kanya.

"I suppose your ancestors have told you about us?" sabi ng babae sa gitna.

"I'm sorry?"

Sa halip na sagutin siya nito ay iginala ng babae ang tingin sa paligid. Saka naman niya naalala ang sinabi ni Krausus sa kanya. "We need the help of another coven."

It seems that recognition was too obvious on her face that she saw the two men smile in her direction.

"You are--"

"Yes, we are," sagot ng babae sa kanya.

"But they told me I need the help of a whole coven."

Nakatingin ang tatlo sa kanya na para bang naghihintay sa susunod niyang sasabihin.

"Where are...the others in your coven?"

Nagtaas ng kilay ang babae sa kanya at narinig naman niyang napatawa nang mahina ang dalawang lalaki.

"There are no others in our coven, Isabela. Us three is powerful enough to become a coven."