#ROTLB04
THE man who looks exactly like Haruki was wearing an empire’s knight uniform, unlike the other guards it has badges and also the collar part is red. The scar below his eyebrow to the bottom of his eye was also noticeable. Plus his hair has those blue highlights.
“Woah.. mag kamukhang mag kamukha kayo,” Reiva said, palipat-lipat ang tingin sa dalawa.
“Are they ready?” May lumapit na babae at saka tinanong iyon sa lalaking kamukha ni Haruki.
She was also wearing a uniform that looks exactly like the man who looks like Haruki, her hair was tied to a high ponytail. The most striking at all is the metal that’s covering half of her face. Pero hindi ’yon hadlang para hindi mapansin ang walang ka-emo-emosyon niyang mata. She carries a bow and an arrow in her back.
Tumikhim ang lalaking kamukha ni Haruki, “I’m Hakazu, the empire’s knight along with her. We already told about this matter to your mentor,” he looked at Cheska and pointed at her. “Her. And I’m expecting that you are all ready.” Tumalikod na ito at nag simulang mag lakad.
“Ay, wait lang!” Hingal na hingal na tumakbo si Isonoe, napa-tigil naman si Hakazu para lumingon dito. “Wadadams, aalis na ba? Ready na ’ko!” Dumapo ang tingin ni Isonoe kay Hakazu, “Uy! Hello, Haruki. Sorry ulit sa kanina, ah?”
“Nandito ako..” Sabat ni Haruki.
Gulat namang lumingon si Isonoe kay Haruki at nilipat ang tingin kay Hakazu, ilang beses niyang inulit ’yon hanggang sa nag salita na si Hakazu.
“Your neck must be tired. We’re different persons, I don’t know him.” His voice crack a little on the last line, no one noticed it except Nabi.
“Oh, ah, ahm.. Hello Hakazu?” May alinlangang ani ni Isonoe. “Ay, teka saan ba tayo pupunta Cheska?”
“Pupunta raw tayo sa emperyo, utos ng emperatris.” Sagot naman nito.
“Pupunta tayo sa impyerno?!” Gulat na tanong ni Isonoe, “Alam ko namang marami akong minus points pero huwag naman ako agad pupunta ro’n e hindi pa naman ako patay.”
“The empire, Miss. Not the hell.” Hakazu replied to her.
“Totoo ba?! It’s my first time pumunta sa empire if ever, 3 years na akong nag to-tour pero never pa talaga akong naka-punta sa empire.”
“Mukha ba akong nag bibiro, Miss..?”
Winagayway ni Isonoe ang kamay niya, “Hindi naman gano’n, hindi lang ako makapaniwala. So.. tara na?” Excited na ani ni Isonoe.
IT’S already past midnight, pero bukas pa rin ilan sa mga shops dito. Bluemendorf isn’t called as the empire’s owl for nothing. Mas marami nga ang bukas noon pero dahil kumalat na ang bali-balita, some don’t want to risk their safety para sa negosyo.
They went to the most visited park here on Bluemendorf, itʼs not what you think it is. Mayroong huge statue sa pinaka-gitna ng parke, it was tall and slight skinny. Sumunod silang lahat kay Knight Hakazu at sa kasama nito. Lumapit sila sa statwa at may kung anong pinindot ang kasama ni Knight Hakazu. And then, in just a blink they were blinded by a glowing light. Napa-takip silang lahat sa silaw nito except to those two, the Knights.
They’re shock of what they are now seeing, particles of a metal is surrounding an entry.
“Go inside, lahat kayo.” Said by the companion of Knight Hakazu.
Sumunod naman ang mga ito, lahat sila ay pumasok na. The space was huge, hindi malaman kung hanggang saan ang lawak no’n. The space was pure plain, walang kung anong gamit.
At nang lahat sila ay nando-doon na, napa-kapit sila sa mga katabi nila. The entry, or the portal perhaps operates forward as fast as if it were on a racetrack. Wala pang limang segundo ay tumigil na sila, some of them are still hugging the person beside them because of fear.
Reiva and Maige are both hugging each other, they are both still shock of how the heck the portal runs that fast. Nabi was also shock, pero hindi siya naka-hawak sa kung ano dahil wala namang ibang bagay ang nasa loob maliban sa mga taong naka-sakay dito. She found Haruki hugging her waist habang naka-pikit pa, she can feel that he’s shaking. On the other hand, Isonoe is holding a fabric of the uniform. Naka-pikit pa rin siya habang naka-hawak do’n, she intend not to open her eyes at baka bigla na namang umandar ang portal.
Nabi tapped Haruki’s back, “Oy, tapos na.”
Unti-unting minulat ni Haruki ang mga mata, tumama ’yon kay Knight Hakazu. He was staring sharply at him, parang hinahalughog ang buo nitong pag ka-tao. And then, dumako naman ang mga mata nito kay Isonoe na naka-kapit pa rin sa tela ng uniporme niya kaya naman tumikhim ito.
“Tapos na, nandito na tayo sa emperyo.” Tanging saad nito.
Napa-mulat naman si Isonoe ka-unti at gulat itong lumayo, “Sorry! Akala ko si Miss Cheska ’yong nahawakan ko ng damit, same color kasi. Sorry ulit!” Anito saka nag peace sign.
“Forgiven. Now, let’s go head outside,” Ani ng kasama ni Knight Hakazu. Tinaasan siya ng isang kilay ni Hakazu. “What?”
“Nothing.”
They stepped outside and followed the companion of Knight Hakazu, the temperature here in Eicasea was quite cold but the air was very refreshing so hindi ’yon problema.
“Knight Hakazu? Tama ba?” Biglaang tanong ni Reiva, tumango naman si Hakazu rito. “Ano’ng pangalan ng kasama mo?”
“She’s Knight Licht, that’s all I can say.”
“Okay.. ayan lang din naman tinatanong ko.”
They are already infront of the empire’s palace. It was very huge, even the word huge cannot describe it. It was tall, very tall and wide. Pansin ang pinaka-tuktok no’n na may puting ilaw, palatandaan daw ’yon na nasa emperyo na sila kapag nakasakay ka sa sasakyang himpapawid.
Nabi take a look at Eicasea, merong mahaba at malawak na bridge ro’n papunta sa labas ng emperyo. Sa gilid ng bridge ay may tubig, they say na ang tubig ay galing sa falls ng Bluemendorf. If you take a step back, mapapansin mo ang malaking snow mountain sa likod mismo ng kastilyo. Mukhang malapit lang ito pero may kalayuan din.
Maya-maya pa ay may lumabas ding portal sa tapat nila, they saw another two person dressed as a Knight. Lumabas din do’n ang ilang kababaihan. Kasama na ro’n si Iucresia, napa-kaway si Isonoe nang makita siya nito pero binelatan siya ni Iucresia.
“Galing port ang mga ’to.” Saad ng lalaki.
“Saang distrito?” Walang emosyong tanong ni Knight Licht.
“Sa Schnauki.”
Napa-tango na lang si Knight Licht, at maya-maya pa ay biglang nag latag ang mga guwardiya ng navy blue na carpet.
“The Empress is here, give respect!” Sigaw ng isa sa mga guard.
After that, nahagip nila ang babaeng bumaba sa hagdan na balot ng carpet. She's dressed in a long off-shoulder gown that hugs her waist and emphasizes her curves, making her look as young and ravish as possible.
Lahat sila ay sandaling nag bow, the empress looks like a real goddess. Taas noo itong nag lakad, her face is soft as a feather. Hindi nakakatakot ang mga mukhang ’yon, she looks young and a soft person. Nang tuluyan siyang naka-baba kumawala ang ngiting minsan mo lang makita.
“Anong batch na ’to, Hakazu?” Mahinhin ang boses ng empress na nag tanong kay Hakazu.
“We’re currently on batch 16, your highness. And we have 24 batch to go.” Sagot nito at nag bow.
Tumango-tango ang Empress, “I want this batch to stay inside my palace,” lumapit ito sa gawi nila Isonoe at natigilan ng makita si Nabi na titig na titig sa kaniya. Saglit silang nag titigan ni Nabi pero ito na ang kumawala saka ito ngumiti. “I remember someone because of your eyes and the way you look at me.”
Kumunot ang noo nilang lahat sa narinig, “Who?” Hindi mapigilan ni Isonoe na mag tanong.
“The late empress, empress Krealene.”
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Sorry for the late update! My phone is badly damaged. I will maybe get a new one soon. :))
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