The Ruler of Westeria

TROW 17| Execution

Xiomara

Pinasidhan ko ng tingin ang lalaking kasalukuyang nakaupo sa trono na pagmamay-ari ng Terra Archon. He was looking at me as if I'm a piece of art that was about to get destroyed. Pinigilan ko ang sarili kong huwag igulong ang aking mga mata. 

"So I was right, you will indeed come here looking for the antidote to cure your brother." Hindi ako nagsalita't nanatili lang nakatitig sa kaniya. 

"Unfortunately, there is no antidote left." I remained the stoic expression in my face. I will not give him the satisfaction of seeing me anxious because of his lie. 

Mataman ko lang siyang tiningnan. He tilt his head and stared at me, amused. "You think I'm bluffing?" Tumaas ang sulok ng labi niya. 

"The core ingredient of the antidote is the essence of Imp Weed which was burned by some rascal all through out the Evergreen Forest." Napantig naman ang tainga ko sa sinabi niya. 

As far as I can remember, this wasn't on the story. There was a last remaining antidote left. And now that he mentioned it, the burnt areas I saw in the Evergreen Forest must be the Imp Weeds he's talking about. In that case, he isn't lying. 

"What's that look on your face? Aren't you terrified your brother could die any moment from now?" Mapaglaro nitong anas habang nakadekwatro. 

Kumuha ito ng kulay berdeng mansanas at kinagat ito sa harapan ko. He then stood up and started playing with the apple by throwing it in the air and then catching it. Diretso lang itong nakatitig sa akin na para bang sinusuri ang buong pagkatao ko. 

Sinuklian ko naman siya ng kaparehong titig na binibigay niya sa akin. Sure, I'm inside the body of a weak Glacial Archon. The submissive and soft-hearted woman who can be easily manipulated and control. But that don't mean I would change my personality and let them trample me. 

"Aren't you terrified your sister could die any moment from now if you choose to threaten me instead of negotiating?" Nakita ko namang natigilan siya sa sinabi ko. He was not expecting me to throw his words against him that easily. 

Humakbang ako papalapit sa kaniya habang may ngisi sa labi. "Or would you rather let her die so you could inherit the throne you've been dying to covet since you're young?" Ibinaba niya ang kaliwang kamay niyang may hawak na mansanas. I saw how he clenched his fist on the apple. 

"You-" 

"As far as I know her spiritual core was damaged." I took another step closer as I started to walk around him, taunting him.

"She maybe an immortal as an Archon, but if it involves a damage in her spiritual core, it means her primordial soul could turn into ashes and she will die without any chance of resurrection." Umigting ang panga niya kaya hindi ko maiwasang matuwa. 

"The magical amulet that damaged her core had the nature of her divine beast, the Mountain Griffin. The only way to help her heal is to receive a huge amount of mana cultivation from someone, or to inhale the incense of a Glaze Lily flower that contains the ancient magic from the Goddess Esmeralda herself." Nakita ko kung paano bumaon ang kuko niya sa mansanas na hawak niya. 

Umiwas siya ng tingin sa akin kaya naman iginilid ko rin ang ulo ko upang sundan ang mga mata niya. Nagkunwari akong nagulat na siyang naging dahilan upang bumalik ang atensyon niya sa akin. 

"Do you perhaps think the Westerian Czar will help you?" Muli ay ginawaran ko siya ng isang ngisi na paniguradong magpapamukha sa kaniya kung gaano siya katanga. 

"Don't be naïve, Sage. Cosette will never sacrifice her thousand years cultivation for the Terra Archon. She can't even sacrifice even a little power just to save her younger brother, what makes you think your sister is an exception?" Naniningkit mata nitong hinawakan ang panga ko. Dahil nakatali ang dalawang pulsuhan ko ay hindi ko magawang pumalag sa kaniya.