LEGENDS: The Fall (Season, #3) ✔️

The Survivors

Jumping, climbing and running in the woods-- she did all of those at ease. Sa sobrang pagkapamilyar niya sa bundok ay nakapikit niya na lamang itong binabaybay. Not to mention she's comfortable of her suit since she was used to wear anything before. Now, with a black cape hovering at her back, a sarong where her sword that used to be a magic cane was tucked, a comfortable boots, she could freely roam and cling all over the trees.

She can't wait for their reaction. She managed to survive, she can't wait to see the nobles once again. She never said anything before their separation, kaya sigurado siyang magugulat ang mga ito kapag nakita siya nitong buhay at nakapasa. She can't wait to see the nobles reactions, she's sure they're waiting--- or maybe not.

What the hell is this?

She arrived at their destination-- and only one person was there. She could only see one person, leaning his back against the well. She's facing his back, she couldn't almost recognize him once again. She looked around to check but no one except him was there, she awakened her abilities to make sure and double check, but only the two of them was at the exact location. Out of the persons who promised to come back at the exact location two years ago, only two had survived.

Celestial Beryl and Archduke Chalcedony.

He lost his horns-- or maybe he just learned how to conceal it well. He looks so fine, looking so human just like her. His hair were almost silver, it's getting ravished by the wind. She can't see his face yet, only his back and firmed biceps. Sigurado siyang mas lalong malalaglag ang mga panty ng mga babaeng humahanga sa Archduke, his form was now exaggeratedly fine. He'd grown taller as well, while her-- nevermind.

Nakayuko ito, animo'y napipikon na kakahintay sa kanila. He was the first to arrive at the location, and maybe he's still waiting for the others. Right, baka nahuli lang ng dating ang ibang nobles na nakapagtataka dahil siya ang palaging huli. Dapat ay naririto na ang mga iyon, ngunit wala parin.

And there she ran with an obscured conclusion, only her and the Archduke came at the meeting place. Does that mean, only the two of them had survived?

Tumayo ito pagkatapos ay matalim na lumingon sa kaniya, animo'y alam na nitong naroroon siya, naramdaman na nito ang kaniyang presensya bago pa siya tuluyang nakarating. He looks so intimidating that his glares sent shivers down her spine. Wala pa itong ginagawa, tingin pa lamang ngunit nakakakilabot na.

"A—Archduke." She stuttered, gusto niyang sampalin ang sarili. She did not train just to stutter, how dare her mouth!

Nanatili itong nakatayo, wala siyang nagawa kundi ang lumapit dito ng nakayuko upang maghintay sa tabi nito. Hindi man halata ngunit kinakabahan talaga siya. Nakakatakot ang titig nito, animo'y naiirita. Nagsususpetsa ba ito? Tatanungin ba siya nito kung ano'ng pandaraya ang ginawa niya para makapasa? Baka naman iniisip nitong pinatay niya ang kaniyang guro kaya naman naririto siya?

Ngunit ang lahat ng mga iniisip niya ay naglaho sa mga salitang namutawi sa bibig nito.

"You look..."

Tuluyan na siyang napalingon dito. She gulped when their orbs danced against each other. He really looks so fine, his eyes were still uneven. His crimson eyes looks on fire staring against her uneven orbs, their gazes danced against each other beneath the falling leaves. His scar was still there. His brows furrowed when he noticed how she was up for a staring contest, no one was backing out and no one was willing to back off the staring contest.

Celestial's heart was beating rapidly. How does she look? She looks what? Nag improve? Knowing the Archduke, pwedeng sabihin nitong mukha parin siyang mahina.

"What?" She gulped, not backing out the staring duel.

His eyes narrowed, his glares became sharper, "Short."

Her eyes narrowed as well, not pleased with his description. Yes, she did not grow at all. Well she did, just a little. Fuck, yeah-- but how could he use it as a greeting to her? That sounds like an insult!

She clenched her teeth, she's different now. Not the girl they used to bully before.

"Oh yeah? You haven't changed at all." She rebutted. Lie, he freaking looks like an Adonis now! He was a prince charming kid before, but now he looks like a greek god and that's frustrating because she can't fire back something bad at him.

And for the first in the history, a curve wrote on the Archduke's lips.

"Tch." He just reacted and looked away.

WHAT THE HELL! He was the first one to look away! She won the staring contest--oh my freaking goodness she won the fucking duel--just a staring duel tho, but still she won! It was the Archduke y'all!

She blinked when he suddenly growled. She noticed their distance, nagsimula nang humakbang palayo ang Archduke.

Muling nangunot ang noo nito, "What are you doing?"

She raised her brows, "What?"

"Let's go." Saad nito pagkatapos ay humakbang na naman palayo.

Nanatili siya sa kaniyang pwesto. Sobrang daming nagbago, una sa lahat ay inaanyayahan na siya ng Archduke na noon ay hindi nito ginagawa. Kahit na sa ibang nobles. And-- Huh? What? Where? Lutang na lutang siya, nakakahiya.

Nagbuntong hininga ang Archduke, at sa isang iglap ay napuno ng panandaliang sigaw ang lugar. Yup, Celestial Beryl screamed at the top of her lungs all of a sudden-- because who would fucking not? Archduke Chalcedony just beamed right in front of her all of sudden crapping her systems out.

He clenched his teeth, not pleased with her reaction, "Tayo lang ang nakatagal. Ikaw at ako lang ang natira. Oras na para umuwi."

Umuwi.

Goddamn, not the time to cry. Shit, shit! So her conclusion was right, they were the survivors of that deadly training. They're the last nobles of their batch--only the two of them remained!

"Let's go home, Beryl."

For another time after the long first time, she wants to cry again. A single tear immediately fell on her cheeks, and they just stood there for the moment not missing the falling leaves drifting down the surface. She thought the Archduke would be mad because shredding a tear is strictly forbidden, but he did not say anything, he just let her tears fall as soon as it escaped from her beautiful eyes.

When she wiped her tears and stared at him once again, she had that satisfaction on her face. "Let's go home."

She missed home, she missed her mom, she's so glad she had survive, and she fucking missed her name. She almost lost that forbidden word, and this guy reminded her that again, her forbidden name.