Greatest Witch

Kabanata 23

Rise from the dead 

I feel so alone. Napayakap ako sa aking sarili ng nagsimulang lumamig ang buong paligid. The wall I am leaning on started to frost and the ground started to shake. Then, a black smoke appear from nowhere. 

"It must be frustrating, isn't?" A female voice. That's what I just heard. 

"Who are you?!" 

"Your nightmare and answer." The woman replied with soft chuckle in the end. 

"Stop playing tricks with me. Reveal yourself!" 

"Are you ready, though?  I bet you'll faint if you see me. " She said in mocking voice. 

"I don't care who you are. I will kill you." 

"Huh! As if you can, Zenger. You're a soft girl. That's why all the people around you..."The black smoke divided into two, a silhouette of a woman appeared. "dies." 

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko sa aking nakita. How this did happened? She cannot be here! She's gone... how? 

"Grayeh?" 

"Oh, dear. You you still remember me."

"How can I forget a woman vixen like you?" I spat. 

"Surprise bitch! Hindi ko gusto ang mga pinagsasabi mo tungkol kay Black Lord kaya naririto ako upang parusahan ka!" She sway her two hands upwards and she whisper a spell. Seconds later something befalls from the sky, sharp pointed crystals made of ice that repeated the pattern of the smoke she once made. 

"Thick and sharp,  aren't they?" Hinawakan nito ang ginawa ng kaniyang mahika. The moment she touch it a small smoke arise from the crystals, the color is red. It's a liquid type of smoke and the moment it falls in the ground, it's forms a lava. 

"What are those?" 

It looks like a barrier...

"Scared? That's new, you used to be reckless and bossy. " She quickly glance at me. "But here, you are nothing. " 

Her words made me feel hot but I cannot release the heat from my body. It makes me mad. The sensation I am feeling cannot me determined. 

"Fuck." I whisper. 

"There is no use of that, Zenger. " She shake her head. "Pity." 

That mouth of hers, I will ripped them apart the moment I escape here...

"What is you mission, Damen? Hindi ka pa ba kontento sa kapangyarihang mayroon ka ngayon? What do you want more? What do you desire to obtain? The heaven's gate?" I look at her with laser eyes. 

"That glare is kinda deadly, you are making me uncomfortable." She breathes. Kalaunan ay nag-iba expresyong ng kaniyang mukha. Ang mahabang damit nitong kulay puti ay nag-iba ang kulay at naging kulay itim. Ang buhok nito noong abo ay naging kulay pilak at kasing kintab nito ang sinag ng araw. 

"Perhaps, I wanted to enter the heaven's gate and perhaps I wanted more."  She added. " Pero, nandito rin ako dahil diyan. Sometimes the Black Lord's power is not enough. There barrier are just not my type." Baling niya sa mga krystal na kaniyang ginawa. "but for you, it will be a pure torture." 

She touch the crystals and the red liquid started to flood the ground. I took a step back and I heard her laugh. 

"Why did you choose to be this cruel? Was it because of your greed or hopelessness in love?" 

"You are hilarious, my god. I witness all forms of love in this world. I witness your parent's romance, the epic romance from the legend and my shallow romance. " She rolls her eyes. 

She sighs. "But it lead me to conclusion that, love is just an illusion. It will exist if you wanted and it can fade." 

I look at her eyes. "Then, why did you die with Enso that day?" 

Ang mga mata niya ay tila nag-iba, saglit pero bumalik rin iyon sa dati. Plain and empty. Ramdam ko rin ang pagbaba ng temperatura ng buong paligid at ang unti-unting pagkatunaw ng crystals na gawa sa yelo. 

"It was all for the show, dummy! The poison? I made it all. Realistic no? You are nothing but also a fool. What a shame." She remarked. 

Lies, Grayeh. You are just here because of longing and the absence of Enso must be the reason why you seek this path that isn't clearly for you. You are letting them use you... in useless and great cause. 

"ENOUGH, CHILD." A masculine and deep voice speaks. 

Grayeh slightly bow. "I apologize, my lord." 

"Relay my message, child and take your leave." 

That voice... it took me years to heard it again. 

"Yes, my lord." 

Inipon ko lahat ng aking sama ng loob. Lumipas man ang panahon ay hindi ko malilimutan ang boses ng taong pumaslang sa aking pamilya. Dahil sa boses na iyon ay lumiwanag sa akin ang madilim na sitwasyon na mayroon ako ngayon. It awakens all the sleeping emotion I have inside me. In one second of it, I was certain to obtain the next thing I wanted to do. 

You will be done for, Black Lord. 

"I am here to inform you by the Lord's words. Listen carefully, Zenger. Bloodshed will flow like a river if you provoke me again. Build your army for I will destroy them in pieces. I can hear you... I am always near and you cannot protect them all!"

"No! You are gaining nothing from me, Black Lord. You are alone, you are not loved by others, you are being feared because of your power but it did not intimidate me at all. For me, you are just a past who needs to be written in the history book like a rotten apple! No one shall remember your existence because you are not worthy to be remembered!" I said bravely.

"No one shall insult the Black Lord!" Grayeh waved her hand and a lightning almost strike me when someone came to block it from the sky! 

The figure of the man is familiar. The scent, height, the clothes he's wearing and the color of his hair.. 

"Flame?" I whisper in relief, shock and fear. 

"At your service, my love."

I glance at Grayeh. Nabato ito sa kaniyang kinatatayuan. Hindi makagalaw at ang mga mata ay nakapako sa amin. Ang kidlat ay dumapo sa mga krystal na ginawa niya dahil para umagos ang mga likidong kulay pula. 

"This is impossible!" She screamed. She touch herself and ruin her dress as well her hair as if she wasn't in her right mind. As she pulled up her dress, it revealed all the wounds all over her body. Soon the fire started crawling from her toes up to her upper body. Nanggaling iyon sa kaniyang mga sugat.

 Her screams was silent for me because of Flame's worried face. His warm gaze flatters all the chamber of my heart. 

I touch his face... "I missed you." 

"Are you okay? I missed you too.." He said in soft voice. "Did she hurt you?" 

"No, no... how did you find me? You will get punished by the heavens!" I replied. 

"At least I'm with you." 

"How can you  crack a joke in this situation? You fool." Mariin kong sabi sa kaniya. He smiles and that also melt all the uproar emotion I have. 

"I will not let the two of you be with each other! You deserved all the pain caused by your love!" 

Isang nakakasilaw na ilaw ang dumapo sa aming direksyon. Init at lamig ay naghalo dahilan mapasigaw kami ni Flame dahil sa hindi malamang dahilan at nararamdaman. 

"Hold my hand!" My man screamed. 

I reach for his hand, the moment my hand touches his, the memories from the past filled my empty heart and that left me smiling as I lost my myself in depth of our memories.