Discovering Summerland

Chapter 24

The Monster of the Abandoned Castle
Jerastus 19, 2196
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LOWELL
Harden Lowell Calafiore

Despite having darkness as my power and strength, I had never encountered this much darkness.

Nanliit ako sa kadiliman dito. Nahihirapan ang mga mata kong umangkop sa kakulangan ng liwanag. Shadows danced along the walls, making it more difficult to actually register the whole shape of the room.

The architecture has a certain grandeur despite its deteriorated condition. The huge halls appear to go on forever, and the arches and pillars are impressive. It's hard to imagine this place in its prime, but I sense that it was once a place of great power and wealth that can be compared to the castles in Summer.

But I did notice that the once-grand interior has turned to nothing but thick layer of dust and cobwebs covering the walls. The fabric of the chairs has rotted away in several areas and is heavily dusted with dust. Underfoot, the floorboards squeak, threatening to break any second.

The feeling of being watched is ever-present, and that feeling shackles me here.

I can't do anything about it- no, it's just that I won't.

Hindi ko na rin mabilang kung ilang araw na akong naririto, kung ilang araw nang lumipas simula nang... simula nang kuhanin ako ng kamukha ni Lucifuge.

I was certainly sure it was him until he acted like he didn't know me.

"Lucifuge?" I mumbled softly back then, looking at the man who had been staring at a tall tower near the seas.

His eyebrows almost met a line. Hindi niya ako nilingon no'ng una, ngunit unti-unti siyang napatingin, puno ng pagtataka ang mukha.

"You know me?" 'Yan ang una niyang bungad sa'kin. Ako naman ngayon ang napuno ng pagtataka. Imposibleng hindi niya ako makilala dahil lang narito kami sa land of Fall. I'm certain that my appearance didn't change.

But then, I thought maybe he was joking so I just shook my head and sighed. "Stop playing around, Lucifuge. We have no time for it and we still need to search for the others. Georgia. We need to find her so she can guide us around."

I was a fool to do that. Give away information in a strange land to a strange man who acted that he didn't know me. I didn't think of the possibility that he might not be our crown prince. That was possible in a world full of mysteries.

"Georgia... Georgia Kaye Alas..." he said, as if he was recalling the name in his mind. "She's here. She's back," mahina niya pang sambit at nagulat nalang ako nang may luhang pumatak mula sa mga mata niya.

"My angel. She's finally here. I knew it, we'd be together. Where is she? Where can we find her?" Nagulat na ako nang sunod-sunod ang tanong niya. Hindi ko nagawang sagutin ang mga 'yon, hanggang sa saktan niya ako.

Kung hindi ako lumaban, maaaring patay na ako.

The man was like a psychopath. He'd cry for Georgia, then smile devilishly, then go hurt me for not knowing where she was- as if it was my fault. He'd laugh for a moment, then stop to whisper her name. Lucifuge was never like this.

But the question of how he knows the name Lucifuge, and how he knows Georgia is still present. So despite of the fear and uncertainty, I went with him.

His energy, aura, and power were beyond mine and even Lucifuge from Summer. I knew I wouldn't be able to fight him or threaten him because that would be the death of me.