✔ How To Tame A Succubus

[20] Merlin

Sometimes the past isn't a lovely place to revisit.

"KUYA!"

Napapikit na lang ako. Para bang hanggang ngayon ay naririnig ko pa rin ang boses ng batang naulila sa magulang at ninakawan ng kapatid. As we walked down the hallway of my old and abandoned ancestral house, with police tape long discarded outside, I can also hear that kid's footsteps as he approached the living room with a carton of milk and a scholarship in hand.

Innocence and hope.

Both gone in the blink of an eye.

Suddenly, I can also see through his eyes again; smell the horrid stench of blood, feel the crimson staining my hands...

Vela stopped walking and faced me.

"Anong problema?"

I suddenly felt stupid asking her that question. Hindi pa bumabalik ang boses niya kaya hindi rin siya makakasagot. Pero sa kabila nito, the pointed look in her eyes was enough to make me pause.

"I'm okay," I lied. "Hindi ito ang unang beses na nakabalik ako rito." Another lie. But I'd rather keep it as that.

Dahil mas madaling magkunwaring maayos lang ang lahat kaysa harapin ang katotohanang matagal ka nang hindi maayos. A defense mechanism, if you'd like to call it that.

Before Vela could even see through that, I started walking ahead.

After muttering a spell to lit a floating candle, the onslaught of memories tried to weigh me down six feet under---to where my brother will never rest in peace. The living room is just as how I last pictured it to be. Nakasara pa rin ang mga bintanang kinolekta ang alikabok ng nakadaang dekada. May mantsa pa rin ng natuyong dugo ang carpet at sahig. Madilim, magulo ang buong sala, at para bang hindi ako makahinga nang maayos.

Vela was quietly studying me.

"I'm okay."

The third lie was meant for her, but why does it feel like I'm better off trying to convince myself?

Napabuntong-hininga na lang ako. Fuck. 'Get this over with, Merlin. Hindi ka bumalik dito para lang lamunin ka ng nakaraan mo,' I harshly reminded myself.

Taking the grimoire out of my robe, I placed it down at the center of the crime scene.

Page 88, The Fancy Film Reel Ritual.

Or at least that's how the grimoire calls it. And if you think that is cheesy, wait until you go to page 56 (The Lovesick Puppy Potion) or page 196 (SSS: Sexy Succubus Summoning). Over the course of a decade since I stole this book, natutunan ko nang 'wag pansinin masyado ang pangalan ng mga ritwal. Bukod sa korni lahat at parang lasing ang kung sinumang nagbigay ng title ng mga ito, I quickly found out that the description is more reliable and the magic still works effectively. May mga wizards lang talaga na hindi forte magbigay ng pamagat.

Give a wizard a wand, never a pen.

Nakakabawas lang ng intimidation points ang pangalan ng mga cursed spells na 'to.

Taking a dagger out of my robe, I pierced the flesh on my palm and let the blood drizzle over the pages.

Vela didn't even wince at the scene, looking as if she's already seen a lot of bloodshed in her undead lifetime.

"Transit umbra, lux permanet... historia est vitae magistra."

Gamit ang Elvian wand, ginuhit ko sa hangin ang simbolong namarkahan ng dugo sa pahina. The text started to glow as I repeated the chant, a prickling energy erupted from the tips of my fingers. Ready to burst. Napapikit ako sa konsentrasyon. Nararamdaman ko na naman ang unti-unting pag-angkin ng pagod sa kalamnan ko.

There was a reason why this book is forbidden: extensive usage and it kills any witch or wizard who tries to wield its power.

Nagliwanag ang buong sala.

Pinalibutan ako ng mga anino ng nakaraan.

'At this rate, it's like I'm digging my own grave.'

Vela's fingers wrapped round my wrist. A silent request for me to stop.

'Not now, lambkin.'

She squeezed tighter, her fingernails biting into my skin.

Hindi ako tumigil. Napaluhod na ako sa pwersang pumalibot sa katawan ko. Hindi ko kontrolado ang enerhiya ng nakaraan, and I can feel it trying to squeeze every breath out of me.

Shit, this isn't good...

The Grimoire of Forbidden Spells literally drains the life force out of any magic user, and I was barely hanging by a thread by the time the ritual was complete.

Una kong nakita ang pag-aalala sa mukha ni Vela nang magmulat ako ng mga mata. My eyes fell down to where she still held onto my wrist, noticing the blood she drew out. But what sparked my concern is the wrinkled skin I saw.

My own skin.

Agad akong kumawala sa hawak ni Vela at tumayo.

Put the damn mask back on.

"The ritual allows us to get a glimpse of the past, on the night of my brother's murder. Ito ang unang beses na ginamit ko ito, so I don't really know how far back we can see past these shadows..."

Nakatitig pa rin siya sa'kin. Nakasimangot. Alam kong kung nakakapagsalita lang siya ngayon, kanina pa siya nagkukumento sa mga maling desisyon ko sa buhay. I ignored her and started looking through the scene before us, a black and while film reel where the figures' faces couldn't be distinguished.

The shadows reenacted the past, like a movie on brief replay.

Kilala ko ang bultong nakaupo sa isang sopa, abala sa pagbabasa ng grimoire na minana niya pa sa yumao niyang mga magulang. He was skeptical at first, but later on accepted the magic in our bloodline. Despite the shadows, I could easily recognize that figure anywhere, even in my nightmares...

Meric Stephen Ambrosius, my older brother.

Maya-maya pa, sumulyap siya sa kanyang relo. Alam niyang malapit nang maghapunan at umuwi ang kanyang nakababatang kapatid. He quickly hid the grimoire behind a throw pillow (he knows I hate that book) and stood up. But before he could even walk towards the kitchen, a shadow emerged behind him.

Someone attacked him from behind.

"Paano ka nakapasok dito?! I-I've already set up protective spells on this house!"

My brother's voice broke. He tried to fight back, but at this point in time, he was a novice when it came to magic and spells. Just a sophomore at Nightspell. The intruder knew this, showing no mercy...

I felt the tears well up my eyes.

Beside me, Vela took my hand in hers. Her eyes still fixed on the scene. A squeeze, fingers interlaced with mine... Trying to comfort me as I struggled to watch Meric's murder before my eyes. Sa kabila ng katotohanang panandaliang kumulubot ang balat ko dahil sa ritwal kanina, hindi binitiwan ni Vela ang kamay ko. Doon lang ako nakahinga nang maluwag.

She anchored me to the present as I torturously witnessed my past...

But even Vela can't lead me astray from the cursed future ahead of me as I stayed on this path of damnation.

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