The Zero Curse

Chapter 9

ZERO's POINT of VIEW

"What do you mean?" tanong ko kay Red, at kahit naman ang iba'y nagtataka rin.

Pagkagising niya nang nahimatay siya, kaagad niyang kinuwento ang nangyari. He also said that he fainted because of traveling from a galaxy to another.

"Seraphin?" A commanding question from Sinclair. She looked at Papa with a death glare, and Papa couldn't help but sigh.

"Callista— I didn't know what realm she belonged to."

"So... lumandi ka lang talaga, gan'on?" nang-aasar na tanong ni Alpha. "You didn't even get to know her. Ayan, kaya ka iniiwan."

"Shut up, Alpha," kalmado pero malamig na anas ni Papa. He glanced at me for a second before resting his back on the chair. "I knew she was from another realm, but I did not know it was a realm of the dead!"

"Souls," pagtatama ni Lucifer.

"Okay," sambit ni Papa. "Realm of Souls... Besides, we aren't aware of the other realms beyond our galaxy."

"Right," Sinclair agreed.

Ako naman, takang-taka pa rin sa nangyari. Hindi ko namalayang nakahawak na pala ako puso ko. I wonder... am I just a soul in the form of a human body? Or... am I dead?

"Kita ko pala may dala kang maliit na itlog, Red. What's that for? Pasalubong? Special itlog?" Alpha asked. Nagtaka naman ako kung anong itlog. Wala naman akong nakita, ah?

"Nakita mo?" Lucifer asked, too. "I didn't see anything," he added, his tone like a question.

"Ah, alam mo naman. Wolves have strong sense of smell and feeling," Alpha replied and mischievously smirked.

"Muntik ko nang makalimutan 'yan," ani Red, at naglabas ng isang maliit na itlog mula sa bulsa niya. "Luh, lumiit lalo. Malaki 'to n'ong tinanggap ko 'to."

"So... ano nga 'yan?" tanong ni Papa.

"This is a Phoenix seed, meant to be planted under the Phoenix constellation. Kagaya ng kinuwento ko sa inyo kanina, this Phoenix will be the key to defeat Phoenicia."

Lucifer let out a sad sigh. Napatingin naman ang lahat sa kaniya, ngunit nalipat kay Sinclair ang tingin naming lahat nang bahagya siyang tumawa. "I bet you're sad because you have to kill your own creation. What an angel."

"He's literally the angel, Sinclair," Red implied.

Sinclair looked at him innocently. "I never said he wasn't. What an angel was just an expression. Don't take things literally, Red. Anyways, ano pang gagawin natin?"

Saglit na hindi nakasagot si Red at napatitig lang kay Sinclair. Lucifer knocked on the table to get Red back to his senses. Why do I feel like may love triangle dito? Pero sabagay, obvious naman.

"Uh... sorry. Ano— while we find where the Phoenix constellation is, Zero must find a way to travel in the realm of Souls. Of course, he also has to travel back. Then, he would have to bargain for our reincarnations. And Exiquel's."

"Exiquel?" I asked. "Bakit siya nadamay dito?"

"Hindi ba't nabanggit ko na kanina? When Exiquel casts the spell for me, it will cost her life."

"No— h-hindi ko narinig 'yon."

"It's the second option, though," ani Papa. "The first option would be making Exiquel and Ezekiel one of the ten peculiars who will make the dimension."

I shifted in my seat. Nagsalubong ang kilay ko habang nakatingin kay Papa, at bigla akong napaisip. Is Exiquel and Ezekiel the reason why Papa didn't choose or create two more people? Kaya ba nasabi niya na saka palang makukumpleto ang sampu 'pag natapos ang digmaan?

Then, I remembered what Ephraim told me the first time we met. Whoever starts the idea must be the one who completes it.

"I met the eight peculiars when they were in the verge of dying. I saved them, and gave them part of my soul. Eventually, they also gained powers that are designed to create the Orphic dimension."

This time, Lucifer spoke. "Unfortunately, if Seraphin creates and saves two more souls, his body will vanish. He will be an omniscient soul."

"P-paano niyo naman nalaman?" tanong ko.

"A vision in my dreams," maikling sagot ni Lucifer. "I saw Exiquel's death in my dreams, too. From the very beginning, she was meant to die and sacrifice her life."

At hindi ko na napigilan ang nginig ko. Scenes and visions of her dying made me stop breathing. Hindi ko na namalayang nakuyom ko ang kamao ko.

"So... we just thought of making them part of the ten peculiars. But this time, it would be you who would save her. If you fail—"

"I won't," matigas kong turan. "I won't fail. But— why... bakit ngayon niyo lang 'to sinabi sa'kin?"

"Zero." Sinclair called my attention. "There are things meant to be hidden. If we have told you beforehand, everything might be worse."

This is why hindi na rin nagulat si Papa nang makuha ni Phoenicia si Exiquel. Alam n'yang mangyayari 'to. Napapikit naman ako at saglit na huminga nang malalim. Nanginig pa ang labi ko at pilit kong pinigilan na magsalita pa.

"Everything lies on your hand now, Zero. Our lives, too."

Dahil sa narinig kong 'yon, humigpit lalo ang kuyom sa kamay ko. I felt someone pat my back and the heat of his hand told me it was Red.

"I'm sorry that you have to go through this pressure... but this is the only way left to save our galaxy, Zero."

"Seek for your mother, and let her lead you to Summerland. If there is no way to go to that world, then we are doomed."

°°°°°°

EXIQUEL's POINT OF VIEW

Napasinghap ako nang marinig ang buong usapan nila. My hands trembled in fear with the fact that I was going to... die.

But the moment I heard about Zero saving my life terrified me more. What would happen if he failed? Not that I don't trust him, but if ever— he would live in eternal guilt.

"Exiquel?" My head snapped towards Phoenicia. Her eyes were like a mirror, and I saw my reflection there, crystal clear. I didn't show any signs of fear and nervousness. However, I do think my eyes— for the first time in a year— showed worry.

"Have you learned the spell?" tanong niya. Naaligaga naman ako, at mabilis na umiling. "I'm still perfecting it."

"I'll leave for a little while. Keep on practicing. The war is about to come."

"P-puwedeng magtanong?" sambit ko, kahit na tanong na naman mismo 'yon.

"Go ahead," she answered.

"What will this spell do? I believe I won't be able to perfect it unless I know what this is for."

Phoenicia chuckled and slightly slanted her head. "The spell is to open the portal to other worlds and galaxies. You will be the way to connect our worlds with the others."

The Zero Curse
By lostmortals
Plagiarism is a crime.

And this story pala connects the realms. Plus, may mga twists pa so wag magtataka kung bakit hindi nabanggit ang mga nangyari here sa Phoenix Academy.

Thank you for reading!