Battlefront

5- Mr. Black

Tiana was bored to death pagkaraan ng dalawang araw na pananatili sa Gerhardt Manor. Deus had already started his research about Battlefront and Malik was back to his own mission. Sana pumayag na lang siyang bisitahin nina Rifka at Gaius. Si Cole naman ay hindi niya alam kung nasaan. Basta nasa mission ito.

Naisipan na lamang niyang tumambay sa parlour at mag-relax. Pero nang makapasok siya roon ay agad na kumunot ang kanyang noo. Something changed.

On top of the fireplace was a massive painting of a castle and in front of it was a lake. The castle looked so old but well kept and there was a flag of green with an emblem in the middle at the center tower. Sa magkabilang gilid ng castle ay maraming puno na halatang inaalagaan din.

"Wow," bulong niya habang ini-examine ang bawat detalye ng painting.

Hindi pamilyar sa kanya ang castle nor the lake and as a Sentry, she was supposed to know every landmarks like this in the whole continent.

Pero bakit ngayon n'ya lang nakita ang lugar na ito? Product lang ba ito ng imagination ng painter? Posibleng gan'on nga.

"It looks magnificent, isn't it?"

Gulat na napalingon si Tiana sa kanyang likuran nang biglang may nagsalita roon.

"Greatgrandpa!" napangiti siya nang makita ang gwapong mukha ni Orpheus Gerhardt.

"Hello there, my sweet pea," nakangiti nitong sabi kaya lumapit siya rito at yumakap ng mahigpit.

"Kelan kayo nakabalik? Kumusta ang bakasyon?" nakangiti pa rin niyang tanong.

It had been years since she last saw him. Five? Six years? Gan'on katagal ang bakasyon nito kasama ang apong si Rianah na bunsong kapatid ng Mama n'ya.

"The vacation was great. Rianah and I finished our goal. We traveled all around the world," he was beaming with pride dahil sa na- accomplish nito ang matagal na nitong gustong gawin.

He had been the ISOP President for a very long time. And when she said long it meant hundreds of years. Kaya naman nang mag-take over ang anak nitong si Lorcan ay agad itong nagpahinga. He watched his great grandchildren grew up before leaving for his expedition and Rianah went with him.

"Did she come home with you?"

"Yes. As a matter of fact, she brought along her fiance. She met him in Ribenly."

Ribenly was one of the ten continents in the world. Malayo iyun mula sa Vergaemonth, which was their continent. Siguro ay aabot ng isang taon ang byahe by ship. Ito ang pinakamalayong kontinente mula sa kanila.

"By the way, I saw you enjoying my new painting," komento nito kaya muling napatingin si Tiana sa napakalaking painting.

"Yeah. It looks like a paradise."

"It's called the Blackbourne Castle."

"Blackbourne?"

Tumango ito. "Of the Blackbourne continent."

Hindi nakaimik ang dalaga. Blackbourne was the only continent ruled by Purebloods. They still had their royal family. They fed on animals since they didn't have mortals in their kingdom.

And this continent was the richest.

"That continent always gives me the chills."

Natawa si Orpheus. "Well, I can't blame you. The lessons they gave us about Blackbourne were scary but it wasn't that bad. They're quite civilized as a matter of fact," anitong mas tumawa pa.

"So, did you meet their royal family?"

"Their family is complicated. I met the king and I did not like him kaya hindi kami nagtagal doon. He gave me this painting though. This is the castle where the royal family resides."