UNDER REVISION | "With the sleep of the sun, the carnage has begun. . ."
Maviel Chione von Heinrich was a herald of madness and enigma. An eternal walking fluff of frustration and confusion. A hurricane of distraction and manipulation. Shrouded with...
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"You were gone for half a day!"
Sabay na natigilan ang dalawa matapos marinig ang sinabi ng prinsesa. Zervis shot a questioning side-glance at Maviel who looked equally confused. Nang magtama ang kanilang tingin, sumang-ayon sila sa isa't isa na hindi inabot ng kalahating araw ang snowball fight at pagtakas nila sa mga bata. But only their eyes spoke as they held their tongue.
Sa halip, ibinaling nila ang atensyon nila kay Seraphina na hindi pa rin tapos sa pagpa-panic. "Nevermind! Right now, that's not important!"
For the half a day that she claimed they were gone, the princess looked awfully distraught. Her platinum blonde hair, usually kept in a fancy braid, were all tangled and messed up, with few loose strands covering her horror-filled face. Such appearance was unbecoming for Sera, hence both Maviel and Zervis could tell that there was something else causing her panic.
"What were the reports?"
"Pumasok muna kayo."
Avery, who had just exited their temporary quarters, held Sera's shoulder to calm her down. Huminga naman ng malalim ang prinsesa at pinaypayan ang sarili, saka siya nauna nang pumasok. The others trailed closely behind.
Habang tinatahak ang daan papunta sa iba pa nilang kasama, sinimulang ipaliwanag nila Seraphina ang nangyari habang wala sila Maviel. Avery began, "While scouting, Damien and Ethel spotted a handful of suspicious individuals scampering around the borders of Feuer."
"They were hauling heavy bags at hindi naman kami tanga para hindi ma-realize na kasali o may koneksyon sila sa Tartarus. We observed them for a while before retreating, as per my and Avery's command to not engage," Sera ran her hands through her locks in a futile attempt to calm herself down. "But Damien, stupid as he was, was simply too proud to heed an order from someone who belonged from another house!"
"He went against orders," pagpapatuloy ni Avery bago pa tuluyang sumabog sa galit si Sera. "Hindi namin alam kung anong nangyari. Bumalik na lang si Ethel mag-isa dahil inutusan daw siya ni Damien na mauna na."
"I wouldn't even blame Ethel for leaving him. Everyone was aware of how hard-headed and rude that man can be."
"With that being said," singit ulit ni Avery, "makalipas ang ilang oras na wala syang paramdam, nag-volunteer si Raiden na i-scout ang area para hanapin siya."
"And?" Zervis impatiently asked. "What did he find out?"
"The fool's been captured." Sera spat every word with venom as if it's the most ridiculous thing to say. "Raiden found him and the band near the borderlands. By now, they would've already crossed the Antarctic borders."
"Eh? Akala ko malakas 'yon?" naguguluhang tanong ni Maviel. "Paano siya nahuli?"
"Terrain advantage, perhaps?" Avery said with more hint of uncertainty. "If Tartarus is really involved with those people, as we suspect, then it's a given na kabisado nila ang lugar na 'to. After all, the said group is rumored to have originated here."
