The Zero Curse

Chapter 11

ZERO's POINT OF VIEW

Napahinga ako nang malalim nang tumagaktak na ang pawis ko sa init. Nanuyo na ang lalamunan ko, at hindi ko pa nga alam kung s'an direksyon ba ako tutungo. I have no idea where my mother is, but they insisted that I must take this path. Father did. Napapaisip tuloy ako, can he see the future or something like what Lucifer does?

Once again, I sighed in frustration. Kunot-noo akong tumingin sa sumisikat na araw. Pamilyar ang atmosphere rito— tila ba may mga Phoenix na dumaan. Or maybe there really are Phoenixes around. Besides, it's not impossible.

Other phoenixes, to be honest, are easy to defeat. It is true that some of them rise from the ashes, but it would take time and power.

Napatingin naman ako sa kasama ko, Ezekiel. He had his hands resting on his knees. Kahit siya pala'y pagod na rin, o 'di kaya nama'y init na init.

"Where does this path lead us exactly?" tanong niya. Narinig ko na ang dismaya sa tono ng kaniyang boses.

Nagkibit-balikat ako bilang tugon. "I don't know, too, Ezekiel. But I have a bad feeling about this."

"Anong ibig mong sabihin?" One of his eyebrows raised. Matapos ay tumayo siya nang maayos at nagpameywang.

Tumingin naman ako sa itaas. "Isn't this path familiar? It's leading us towards the Phoenix Well— if I recall and analyze it correctly."

Tumingin siya sa mga puno, at napansin na ang ilang mga dahon ay tila ba sunog. The grass was actually turning short and yellow as we continue to walk.

"It is," pagsang-ayon niya. "Pero wala tayong magagawa. Dito tayo pinadaan."

Tumango nalang din ako, at nagdiretso sa paglalakad. Mukha ngang wala na kaming magaga—

"Exiquel?" I stopped in my tracks when I heard Ezekiel mention her name. Bumalik ang tingin ko sa kaniya at napansing nakatingin siya sa isang puno. My eyes drifted to the tree, and there, I saw her, squatted on a big branch.

Then, she jumped and waved happily at us. Napansin ko namang mas tumangkad siya. Kaagad kong tiningnan ang mukha o braso niya kung mayr'ong mga sugat o ano. Thankfully, there was none— that only means she's been doing well.

"Bakit ka narito?" tanong ko sa kaniya. Napangisi naman siya sa'kin, at nagpameywang.

"Nakatakas lang," she said, chuckling a little bit. I scowled at her. Imposibleng nakatakas lang siya.

"Bakit nga?"

"I met with Callista, your mother. She told me the spell that will allow you to travel to Summerland," sagot niya.

Nanlaki naman ang mata ko at kaagad na tumingin sa paligid. What if she'll be heard by others? Hindi na siya makakabalik nang buhay sa—

"I have no plans in returning to Phoenicia. Once I've done the spell, tatakas na kami ni Kuya. Wala namang magtatakang lumapit sa'yo o sa circle ng spell dahil sa oras na makasama sila sa'yo sa Summerland, hindi na sila makakabalik. Their existence will fade."

My eyes squinted at her. Napatingin ako kay Ezekiel na ngayo'y nagmamasid sa paligid. He whistled and cool air enveloped us. The swift wind moved around, as if scanning the surroundings.

"Wala ngang tao... pa'no mo nagawa 'yon, Xiquel?" Ezekiel asked.

She shrugged. "I guess Callista helped me? After all, she's powerful enough to be equal with the powers of the creators."

My mother helped her and taught her the spell? Bakit naman? I thought she didn't care.

"Time's running," seryosong saad ni Exiquel. She motioned her hands at Zeke, and called him. Sumunod naman si Zeke at naiwan ako sa kinatatayuan. I was about to move when she stopped me.

"D'yan ka lang, Zero. Hindi naman kita tinawag," mataray na pagalit n'ya sa'kin. Gusto ko namang matawa at makipagbiruan sa kaniya. I wanted to ask her how she was doing, but there was no time for that.

"Anong kailangan kong gawin?" I asked.

She shook her head as a response. In a snap, her expression changed. "Just return safely and as soon as you can," she sadly said.

Napatingin naman ako kay Ezekiel na halatang naguguluhan din sa pangyayari. "Babalik ka na nga sa'min pagkatapos nito?" tanong niya.

Exiquel nodded. "I also need to practice the spell that will allow Red's body to consume Phoenicia's flame, but I can only cast it once Zero has returned. Kaya bilisan mo, ha?" She smiled, but I can see the doubt that lies within it.

What else did my mother tell her?

"Empty your thoughts, Zero. Allow the chant to ring in your head."

Tumango naman ako at sumunod. I closed my eyes and let the humming birds fill my thoughts. I focused on my breathing and connecting with my soul. The branches and leaves swayed— I felt and heard it.

But then, I noticed it stopped the moment Exiquel spoke.

"Medeis Regno. Stellae de caelo, oculus universum. Immites potuit flectere praebueris in spatio et tempore. Ex chao et mundi. Ex realm veniebat ad auras. Portis regione producis animas."

Her voice became distant, and even if my eyes were closed, my eyes shut tightly the moment a blinding light was lit around me. The aura and energy felt familiar with my power. Ice. I knew that my ice power was unlike any other, and for the first time, I felt something similar with what I had.

Slowly, the blinding light faded and the surroundings became colder— but just enough to cool me down. My eyes opened, but it squinted because I had hard time adjusting with the light.

But then, I heard someone unsheathing a sword. My eyes flew open and it widened immediately. I was in an open area, and there were royal knights surrounding me, pointing countless swords. The weather here was confusing, it was sunny but the breeze almost freezed me in place.

I had not overlook this. Hindi ko naisip kung anong maaaring sumalubong sa'kin dito.

"Who are you?" tanong ng isa, who must be the head knight. Napalunok naman ako, at hindi alam ang sasabihin. Napalunok ako at dahan-dahang tumayo. The swords followed my movements, as if they would not let me move freely.

I answered the safest answer I could think of. Sana lang ay maniwala sila, dahil kung hindi, mukhang hindi na ako makakalabas dito.

"I am Zero," sagot ko, at pinalabas ang kapangyarihan ko. Their swords became frozen the instant my hand pointed at those. I snapped, and the ice— even the blades were broken to pieces.

"Son of Callista."

The Zero Curse
By lostmortals
Plagiarism is a crime.

Thank you for reading!