The Zero Curse

Chapter 7

One year after.

There was something wrong in the way everything went on smoothly after a year of Four being a spy. We knew Phoenicia's plans, and we prepared the best counterattack for it. But what I don't get is how they weren't suspicious of anything.

"There's a possibility that Phoenicia knows our plans," saad ko habang nakatingin sa outline ng plano namin. Isang malaking mapa ang nakalatag sa mesa, at may mga simbolo at miniature para maging guide sa counterattack namin.

"Maaaring ginugulo niya lang ang isip natin, hinahayaan na maniwala tayo sa plano nila." They looked at me with utmost confusion. Tinuro ko naman ang mga parte ng mapa na walang mga troops, either from our side or Phoenicia's.

"Isn't it strange? These four parts have no troops, yet it all leads to the Phoenix Well— where most Phoenices reside."

"Are you saying that Four is fooling us?" gigil na namang tanong ni Ezekiel sa'kin. Napangisi naman ako, sabay kibit-balikat.

"People become fools not because someone is fooling them. They become fools because they are blind or they choose to become one. Tama ba ako, 'Pa?"

He looked at us, and shrugged like I did. He sighed loudly as he put his hand above the map. White and silver mists fell from his hand to the top of the miniatures, then some turned to white mists, too. But some became frozen with ice.

"This is just my assumption," he said. "It may be true that Four is giving us misleads; or Phoenicia intents to mislead us by her fake plans."

"If Phoenicia plans to use Four's power, then they will surely be in the Phoenix Well." Papa put miniatures of the opposing side in the well. "Surely the strongest Phoenices and Vampires will be protecting them."

"Then there will be a change of plans?" tanong ni Adara. "Hindi na tayo rito magbabantay sa—"

"No. You will still have your counterattacks by the original plan. Only Ezekiel and Zero will be placed for the Phoenix Well."

"Pero akala ko po ba'y naroon ang pinakamalalakas. Bakit sila lang kung gan'on?" asked Andrix, fixing his glasses time to time.

"I will inform the other creators of our new plan. Lucifer, Red, Alpha, and Eris will be with us, and comrades of their choice," paliwanag ni Papa habang mariin ang tingin sa mapa. Then, he looked up to the others. "For now, your objective is a counterattack and above all, protect mankind."

"Is it clear?" Tumango naman ang lahat, ngunit nanatili lang akong nakatingin sa mapa. If I had not noticed it. We're doomed. But I know for a fact that if I didn't, somebody else will.

Tinapik ni Papa ang balikat ko at hinila ako palabas ng cabin. "Come with me, child."

"I'm not a child."

"Yeah, sure. Sabi mo, eh." Then, he made a water hurricane in front of us. Napasapo na naman ako sa noo ko dahil alam ko na kung anong mangyayari. This water hurricane will serve as a portal for us to teleport.

That's good, but the bad thing is, mababasa na naman ako. Hindi naman ako shokoy katulad ng ama ko.

"H'wag kang maarte, bata. Makikiride ka na nga lang, eh," suway niya agad sa'kin, gayunpamang hindi pa ako nagrereklamo.

I huffed with my disgusted face. "Boomer. Bakit kasi hindi astig ang pang-teleport mo?"

"Why don't you teleport yourself, kid?"

"Hindi ko naman alam kung s'an pupunta."

"Exactly," mariin niyang sagot sa'kin. Sa loob loob, tawang-tawa na ako dahil mukhang pikon na pikon na si Papa. I put my hands up and smirked at him. Labag man sa loob ko, pumasok na ako sa loob ng water hurricane. Sumunod na rin si Papa.