✔ How To Tame A Succubus

[31] Merlin

"Sa tagal na nating magkakilala, I'm actually surprised you always fell for my innocence, Merlin." 

A burst of light hit my wrist before I could even raise my wand. Napasigaw ako sa sakit nang puntiryahin ng atake ang marka ng Supplier sa pulsuhan ko. Wala na akong ibang nagawa kung hindi mapaluhod sa sakit. It felt like my entire body was burning from the inside-out, sizzling underneath my raw skin. Walang inaksayang oras si Sir Hamilton at agad na sinipa papalayo ang Elvian wand bago ko man ito tangkaing abutin.

Shit!

Geniana stalked towards me, her face carried the tortured souls of all the witches before her as she knelt down and grabbed my hair.

"But then again, humans are always blinded by revenge. So much so that you fail to see a lot of clues leading to your own tragedy. Bulag at uhaw sa paghihiganti," mahinang sabi ni Nian habang nakatitig sa akin. "Meric tried to protect you despite your inescapable fate. Nakakaawang malaman na ang sarili mo lang ang dapat mong sisihin sa pagkamatay niya."

My ears rang with her words, fury sparked like a wildfire inside me.

How dare she fucking drag my brother's name into this?!

"Hindi mo alam ang mga sinasabi mo!" Wala sa sarili kong pinilit kontrolin ang katawan ko sa kabila ng sakit. Sa gilid ng mga mata ko, walang buhay na nakahandusay sa sahig ang bangkay ni Johannes. His one eye gone, other stared at me with equal emptiness.

'Hindi ka na dapat nadamay rito, Johannes. I'm sorry,' I averted my gaze away.

Guilt made me feel sick. The blood of my bestfriend now permanently stained my hands.

"The vision I saw using the forbidden spell... it was showing me the truth all along," I laughed dryly. "Kayo ang pumatay kay Meric... You were after the Grimoire of Forbidden Spells that has been passed down in our family for generations, and my brother was in the way because he inherited it. Nang dahil lang sa isang libro, nagawa ninyong sirain ang buhay ko?!"

The witch stared at me for a long time, pity evident in her aged eyes.

Bakit naman niya kakaawaan? Hindi ko maintindihan.

Ilang sandali pa, umangat ang katawan ko sa lupa. Namalayan ko na lang na gumagamit na pala ng levitation spell sa akin si Sir Hamilton. My body was paralyzed, every muscle frozen in time. The exhaustion and fatigue from the journey and the recent events rendered me helpless against these two magic users.

Nian gently placed a hand on my forehead. Her touch disgusts me.

"The Grimoire of Forbidden Spells was stolen from our ancestors a long time ago, Merlin. But they didn't tell you that, did they? Stolen by the very family who betrayed the wizarding realm and fled to the human world. Ang buong akala nila makakapagtago sila sa Eastwood at makakapamuhay nang tahimik matapos nilang nakawin sa amin ang libro. Nang dahil sa mga ninuno mo, nagdusa ang pure bloodline namin. It came to a point when we can no longer keep our youth and our powers," she narrated, slowly cutting my skin with her sharp nails. "Lumipas ang ilang henerasyon ng paghahanap namin sa grimoire, hanggang sa narinig namin ang mga balita sa Tartarus. Ang mga haka-hakang ang Grimoire of Forbidden Spells ay mapupunta sa pangangalaga ng isang makapangyarihang human wizard mula sa Eastwood. A naturally talented wizard who can successfully weild it's power. Something even my ancestors cannot accomplish."

"That's why you killed Meric?!"

"No," Nian smiled, almost sympathetically. "That's why Meric tried to protect you. Bakit sa tingin mo si Meric ang pumasok sa Nightspell School of Wizardry? He was struggling in his studies. He had low grades! He was putting himself in front just to protect you---his younger brother. Siya ang nangalanga sa grimoire dahil nauunawaan niyang ang sinumang hahawak nito ay magiging target namin. It was only a matter of which will kill him first---the consequences of the forbidden spells, or the wrath of the witches?"

Nagdidilim na ang paningin ko. Hindi ko alam kung saan nila ako dadalhin. Ang huling natatandaan ko ay ang sumunod kong tanong...

"Why now? Ang dami mong pagkakataong patayin ako para kunin ang libro."

Sir Hamilton, who finally spoke in his gruff voice, answered. "We couldn't cast any spells on you nor do any harm. Hindi namin alam kung anong ginawa ng kapatid mo, but there was an existing protection spell that made you almost untouchable... up until you summoned that succubus."

Succubus?

Si Vela.

Looking back, I suddenly remembered that one page on the Grimoire. The summoning spell I used was annotated with the inscription and symbol used for Vela. Imposibleng ang witches ang tumawag dati sa isang succubus. Could it be... that Meric summoned Vela before? But why? What role does she really play in all this mess?

I was flooded by questions that led to even more questions than answers.

My mind finally shut down.

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