It's the fall already, the twenty-first of first fall. It has been months since she joined the training. And out of those days and nights, this is the moment she had been waiting to happen every year. Eversince she was a child, back then at the mountain of Peakbrook, she would patiently wait for the very night, settle outside and stare at the night sky.
Napatingala siya sa madilim na kalangitan. Biglang pumasok sa utak niya ang lahat ng kaniyang pinagdaanan, pagkatapos ay tahimik na nagpasalamat sa itaas dahil buhay pa siya. Then, she reminisced her mom which made her heart skip a beat. She badly misses her.
"Ma..." She whispered, hoping the air would send it directly to her Mom.
"I survived another year of my life again. Miss na miss ko na kayo, kaunting tiis na lang. Kayo na lang ang kaisa-isang rason kung bakit gusto ko nang matapos 'to." She then smiled to the night sky which is starting to get filled with floating lanterns. "Hindi pa ako naghihilom. Ang sabi ng aking guro, ipagpatuloy ko lang daw ang ginagawa ko. Normal lang daw na bangungutin ako gabi-gabi dahil sa mga pinagdaanan ko, pero bilib daw siya sakin dahil normal akong kumikilos sa umaga. Unti-unti na akong humihilom, ayoko nang masugatan ulit 'Ma. Ang hirap ng bumangon, hindi ko na alam kung makakaya ko pa."
"I've survived months of hell, Ma. I was tortured to death, hindi ko inakalang mabubuhay pa ako pagkatapos niyon." She whispered, her eyes becoming teary. "Pero ma, buhay pa 'ko. Hindi ko rin maintindihan kung paano at bakit. Wala ring nag-aakalang mabubuhay pa ako, pero naririto ako."
Nakarinig siya ng kaluskos, mabilis siyang naalerto. Ngunit bumulong muna siya sa kalangitan. "Sana naaalala niyo ako. It's the 21st of first fall. The death of the fallen child, the fall of Eufrata and the empire..."
Tuluyan siyang napatayo at napatingala sa punong kaniyang kinaroroonan, at ganoon na lamang naghuramentado ang kaniyang puso nang makita ang isang lalaking may hawak na maliit na kandila. Kung hindi pa nasindihan ang kandila ay hindi niya makikilala kung sino iyon.
Her senses were enhanced, but she probably couldn't use it well because it has just awaken again, and it's probably stagnant for being hidden and kept. Well, it's either her sensing ability is malfunctioning or he's just so good at concealing himself. She blinked again to make sure if she isn't dreaming.
Muntik niya na itong makalimutan. Ang lalaking nasa kaniyang harapan... na ngayon ay mukha ng binata. He's taller than before, biceps firmed, she just couldn't see his face properly, it's concealed with his cape. And the candle was away from his face now.
The guy was probably there watching her in the shadows since earlier. She's not sure tho, just a thought because why would he even spend a damn time to watch her but it's not the point here. Why is he even there? How did he--oh, dark and shadow powers are the abilities Abyssinians possesses, so the guy must have used a shadow technique to hide well in the dark that she had not even notice. He just sneaked out of his training, what the heck does he need? He's gotten better, he concealed himself so fine that even if she's sensitive she hadn't sensed him.
Archduke Chalcedony.
What is the Archduke doing? Was he really there? And what's with the candles? She's about to freak out, her face doesn't show it but she's confused with the guy's sudden act. Kaya ba tiningnan nito ang mapa niya noong una pa lamang--at nakakamangha dahil natandaan nito at nahanap siya nito. Meaning, he also passed the traps at the woods?
What the heck is this guy?
Walang hirap na tumalon pababa ang lalaki, walang emosyon niyong iniabot sa kaniya ang kandila na tinitigan niya lamang. Nagbuntong hininga ang binata at kinuha ang kaniyang palad, wala siyang nagawa nang ibigay nito ang kandila. Ganoon na lamang kabilis na kumalabog ang dibdib niya, dumausdos ang kaniyang mga luha nang hindi niya namamalayan. Isang bulong ang pinakawalan ng lalaki bago ito tuluyang naglaho sa dilim na nagpatunaw sa kaniyang puso.
What the heck. The Archduke who is a sovereign of Abyss just broke an Abyss rule. With a clandestine whisper, the guy secretly broke the law;
"Happy Birthday, Beryl."
He spoke her forbidden name.
Her lips trembled, and with another clamorous sounds of a fireworks lighting the dark area, beneath the hovering lanterns, tears fell from her precious eyes. Of all 21st's of first falls, this is her first time to receive a greeting... from an unexpected person.
"You survived. Keep on surviving, Beryl."
---◻️---
"END OF SEASON 2."
BINABASA MO ANG
LEGENDS: Unleashing (Season, #2) ✔️
FantasyCelestial Beryl's life takes a dark turn when she joins Abyss's most prestigious academy. Through brutal, traumatizing training, her dormant demon awakens, transforming the once-pure town girl into the feared monster she never imagined she'd become...
