✓ | REBIRTH OF THE REBEL [Book One]

CHAPTER 44

[ C H A P T E R 44 ]

LATISHA VALENTINE

"SUCH A DISGRACE!"

I heard him scream such foul words with his mouth. Ilang beses ko ng narinig 'yan noon at siguro dahil sa ilang taon na ang lumipas, hindi na ako nasasaktan kundi namamanhid na ang katawan ko sa salitang 'yan. I never was his favorite child no matter how I tried to follow every command. It was always her, always my opposite. We have the same hair color, same white skin, similar body curve and perfectly crafted similar faces. There is only one thing we differ physically, and that is our eyes.

We trained together, we always sparred underground. We hunt prey in the forest almost everyday, and she is the only person I can rely on. She was my everything, until father decided he only needed one. Being blessed with twins is a threat, because according to my mother's ancestors: one will overthrow the other. Time will come that if we enter the forest together, there will only be one who will come out alive.

It did, I came out alive. My violent nature is her vengeance, and my betrayal. If we did as we were told: kill me and she will be whole, then father could have succeeded in taking over the Empire. Our mother is a witch, and their bloodline has been extinct since the Empire was born. Magnolia is part of the continent Verandah, and this continent is part of the world: Celestia.

As years became a decade and turned into a century, creatures who reigned with humans before began to deplete as they were annihilated for human obsession with power. I know, in the corners of this Empire, there are beings hiding until their time will come. But, that is not my concern, because since the beginning, I never inherited any magic from my mother.

There are witches who need to reach a certain age to develop their magic, but my time never came. Maybe because my father's human blood is dominant. It is always her, who is gifted and favored. The Moore clan were the only ones who knew there were twins, because the moment that she died, it was also the time I was introduced to the society as an only child.

That is where I met Nethys and the Squad of children my age. I met Burton and almost killed him, which made that squad dissolve. I had friends before when she was alive, but I highly doubt they will remember me or they are still breathing now, because father will kill everyone who knows.

"Surrender, Papa," I uttered, swallowing the lump in my throat as I looked at his rage, his disappointed eyes shrunk in too much anger. "You will never take over the Empire. Hindi ko hahayaan na magwagi ka habang buhay pa ako."

"Then I should kill you," he fumed.

I move my body to dodge his attack. Wala akong hawak na espada para umatake kaya't ang tanging nagawa ko lang ay umiwas. I extended my leg before I knelt to elude from his movement, then use it to stumble on him. Subalit, napaluhod lamang si Ama at agad nakabawi. Kamuntikan akong mahagip ng espada kung hindi lang may taong sumalubong no'n. Roshan's sword clashed with my father's. Everytime the blades crashed with each other, it made a spark as if litting a fire out of their swords.

"Your grace, protecting a traitor violates the Imperial Law, am I wrong?" Father said as his lips formed a grin. "You will be stripped of your status and be punished. In your case, even if the Emperor favors his nephew, the Imperial Court will never turn a blind eye over this crime!"

"Not as long as we present evidence of your rebellion and use other people to atone for your sins," Roshan furiously said.

I didn't waste another second and tried to help Roshan in attacking him. It is two against one and the match is on our side. I attacked my father with my leg but he used his free arm to defend, then Roshan would wield his sword to strike, but father still protected himself from us.