Sheriagre La Vecchia: A Family's Secret

FAMILY'S SECRET 23

Celestus Empyrean

—

I woke up in a place enveloped in darkness. Walang kahit anong liwanag na makikita sa kwarto ngunit alam kong hindi ako nag-iisa. Someone is staring at me, waiting for me to fully regain consciousness.

"You're finally awake." She spoked.

It’s the high priestess, my abuela’s sister.

Sinubukan kong umupo sa kama at sumandal sa head board habang inaalalayan nya ako.

"You’re in the institution’s clinic. We had to turn off the lights and cover the room completely to protect your eyes." Aniya.

"What happened? Tapos na ba ang magicfest?" Naramdaman ko ang pag-upo nya sa gilid ng kama.

"Tatlong araw kang tulog, Labyrinth. Magicfest didn’t end as planned. A malevolent spirit intervened, targeting you."

Sudden flashes of memory flood my mind, replaying everything that happened that day. The bulky man I fought, who turned out to be a prisoner, and how the sky opened, mercilessly blasting him with constellations.

That blinding light. Akala ko'y tuluyan na akong mabubulag.

"Paano n'ya nagawang itago ang identity n'ya? Even the deities didn’t recognize him." Nagtataka kong tanong.

Are they really that powerful? What if I hadn’t trained? He could have killed me.

"Those spirits can conceal their aurum from anyone, even the gods. Kaya sila nahihirapang hanapin ng mga sangreales dahil nakikihalubilo sila satin." Paliwanag n'ya.

That man was incredibly powerful. He even managed to shroud us with a veil. Hindi ko alam na nag eexist pala yon. And it’s undeniably dangerous! Kahit ano'ng gawin ng mga nasa labas ng veil ay hindi sila makapasok.

"Now, Labyrinth, where did you learn the lost magic?" Nangunot ang noo ko sa tanong nito.

Is she referring to the spell I used in the match?

"I found the book in the Bibliotheca. It had been left untouched, so I became curious and decided to study it." There was something about that book that intrigued me.

Nakita ko ito noong mga panahong naghahanap ako ng libro upang mapalago ang kakayahan at kaalaman ko. Pakiramdam ko'y para sa'kin talaga iyon lalo't nakuha ko naman agad ang mga inkantasyong nakasulat doon.

"Hindi na ito itinuturo sa mga estudyante dahil bukod sa lubha itong mapanganib, wala ring ni isa sa kanila ang nagiging dalubhasa sa pagamit ng mahika."

That makes sense. Ilang rolyo ng tissue ang naubos ko dahil sa pagdugo ng aking ilong.

"Celestus empyrean. Iyon ang ngalan ng libro hindi ba?" Tumango ako bilang sagot.

"That magic was used thousands of years ago. It belongs to the goddess Twyla. Kaya't hindi namin inaasahang mayroong isang mortal ang makakakuha ng abilidad na iyon." Is it a bad thing? Why does it sound frightening?

"And that’s why the upper circean and the deities have devised a plan," Panimula n'ya. "You will join the sangreales in their training at Echethier Mountain for six months."

My mouth fell open in shock. What?! I would never! Batak ang mga iyon sa pag iinsayo, baka hindi na nila ako patulugin! And besides, may tubig ba don? Paano ako maliligo!

"I’m not accepting ‘no’ as an answer. This is a mission. Kailangan mong mas sanayin ang iyong sarili sa pagamit ng mahikang tinataglay mo. Make sure your talent is not wasted." Pirme n'yang dugtong.