"Then do you accept me as your Mate?"

AVERY

It's already dusk and we already take our positions on the palace. We sneak inside without notice - with our cloaks and knives and swords. Kasama nina Zach sina Lianna at Leo para pigilan ang mga kawal na puntahan ang kanilang hari. Hindi namin sila maaaring isama papasok sa palasyo dahil tiyak na babagal ang kilos namin. Mabuti na lang at pumayag sila.

I'm heading to the throne room with Zirrius through a secret passage. I'm sure we'll find the king there. Sina Damon at Shin naman ay pumunta muna sa mga tore upang sirain ang koneksiyon ng magic circle sa ibang kaharian.

Verone is communicating with them. The other rulers of the Elven Kingdom, Rigel and Zion, already reach the other affected human kingdoms. Plano rin nilang pabagsakin ang mga tore. Hindi madali ang kanilang gagawin dahil tiyak na maraming kawal ang nag-aabang at makikipaglaban sa kanila. Alam naming hindi papayag si Seth na masira ang lahat ng kanyang pinaghirapan. I'm sure he has his own plans to stop us.

Through the secret doors, we managed to reach the throne room. We opened the door and we are now behind the huge curtains hanging on the wall. "I'll distract the King. You stay here," sabi ko kay Zirrius.

Umiling siya. "I will do that. Ikaw ang maghintay rito," sabi niya.

"Pero—"

"Ikaw ang kailangan nila, Avery," putol ni Zirrius. Nag-aalalang tumingin ako kay Zirrius. Tama siya pero natatakot ako na mapahamak siya. "Trust me on this, Avery. Don't cause trouble for both of us now. If you see an opening, you may strike right away. Hindi kita pipigilang lumaban. Pero sa ngayon, ako muna."

I look at him with worry but I nod firmly. I don't want to be weak now. He's my mate but we have our responsibility. Our responsibility comes first.

He smiles softly at me. Marahan niyang hinaplos ang mukha ko. Mariin akong napapikit. "Promise me you will not die. Elfania needs you. And I need you." I hate how my heart races at a time like this. Wala ako sa lugar para kiligin pero hindi ko mapigilan.

"Mukhang hindi ako mamamatay sa digmaan. Mukhang mamamatay ako sa kilig, Zirrius," mahinang pagbibiro ko. Nang magtama ang mga mata naming dalawa, nakakalokong nakangisi siya. I hate the glint of mischief in his eyes. I hate how perfect he looks in his elf form. And I hate that I can't love what I'm seeing right now. That I can't appreciate everything about him now.

He moved closer, pulling me in a long, tight hug. And I just let him be. I'm not being negative but what if this will be our last hug? I want to at least cherish this moment without any regrets. "Avery, listen to me. You're my mate. We're mates. At kung meron mang mamamatay sa 'tin, tiyak na sobrang masasaktan ang maiiwan."

"Mas pipiliin ko na lang sumunod sa 'yo," putol ko sa sinasabi niya.

He chuckles softly. "Sshhh. I'm not telling you this to follow the dead ones. If I die, promise me you'll find me on my next life. Pero hindi 'yan ang gusto kong sabihin. No one dies. Not you. Not me. Not anyone on our side. We will end this and we will live anew. We will be happy. I trust you and you have to trust me now. I will distract the king and you don't have to worry about me. We need to carry out this mission without our feelings getting in the way. Do you understand?" there's finality in his voice. I can't disagree. Niyakap ko siya pabalik.

"No one dies," I answered. I decided to trust him and not worry about him anymore. Whatever may happen, I'll accept it. I pulled away from the hug and look at him with firm resolve. "Kung ganoon, hangga't hindi pa napapabagsak nina Damon ang mga tore, kailangan nating pigilan na makumpleto ang ritwal. Distract King Aulius and I will look for openings."

"You can count on me," he said. He pulled away and started to walk behind the curtains but I suddenly held his hand. Kunot-noong nilingon niya ako. "Are you hesitating ag—?" Bago pa siya makapagtanong ay binigyan ko siya ng mabilis na halik sa labi. "Be careful," sambit ko. I hope that won't be the last kiss we'll share. It is too fast and too sudden. I want longer kisses.

Nang makabawi siya si Zirrius tila nahihiya siyang tumalikod sa 'kin pero wala siyang sinabi. His ears are red and I'm sure he's blushing. Hindi ko mapigilan ang ngiti sa labi ko. Akala niya siguro siya lang ang marunong magpakilig.

I bring back my focus and walk to the opposite direction. I silently run behind the huge pillar to get a better view of the happenings inside the throne room.

Nasa gitna si King Aulius habang isinasagawa ang ritwal. He's chanting spells and the medallion is in the middle of the magic circle. Nakikita ko ang itim na mahika na lumalabas mula sa medallion. Nagsimulang umilaw ang magic circle. Unti-unti itong naging kulay ginto. Tumataas ang balahibo ko dahil sa kapangyarihang nagmumula roon. Ngayon ko lang napagtanto na hindi biro ang labang haharapin namin.

Nang tingnan ko si Zirrius, nasa likod na bahagi na siya ni King Aulius. He's a bit far that's why the King can't sense him. I can see him chanting a spell quietly. He makes a seal on the ground and the Devil fire starts to spread and it attacks the King.

Pero hindi madali ang lahat, naramdaman ng hari ang kapangyarihan ni Zirrius at agad na umilag. He even subdues it without exerting much effort. The Devil Fire just disappear like its nothing at all. He looks back at Zirrius. Ngayon nakatalikod na siya sa 'kin. Ipinagpatuloy ko ang pagtakbo sa likod ng isa pang pillar.

"Alam kong darating ka," sabi ni King Aulius. "Nasaan na ang sakripisyong kailangan ko?" tanong pa niya. Inilibot niya ang paningin sa malawak na silid. Agad akong nagtago sa likod ng malaking pillar.

"Itigil mo na ang lahat ng ito. Tama na ang kasakiman mo. Kahit maging malakas ka man, hindi ka rin magiging masaya," giit ni Zirrius.

Malakas na tumawa ang hari. "Zirrius, hindi mo ba naiintindihan? Ang malalakas ang naghahari. Walang makapapantay sa kanila. Tinitingala sila at maaari silang maghari sa buong mundo. May kakayahan silang angkinin ang buong mundo."

"Aanhin mo ang mundo?" kunot-noong tanong ni Zirrius. I can sense that Zirrius loathes the person he's talking to.

"Aanhin ko ang mundo? Magsisilbi ang sanlibutan sa 'kin. They will all bow before me and revere me like I'm a god. Like I'm the most powerful being in this world and no one can surpass me. Do you not dream of that kind of power?" he asks as if he already lose his sanity.

Nang silipin ko sila, nakakuyom ang kamao ni Zirrius na tila gusto na niyang suntukin ang hari kung maaari lang. "Reveal yourself. Don't be a coward and hide behind someone else's face," sigaw ni Zirrius. He can't contain the anger and frustration.

Malakas na humalakhak ang hari. "Make me reveal myself then, Zirrius," paghahamon ni King Aulius.

The chandelier falls towards Zirrius' direction. The King attacks first. "Tiyak na lalabas ang sakripisyo kung manganganib ang buhay mo," sabi ng hari.

Hindi nagpatinag si Zirrius sa sinabi ni King Aulius. Iniwasan niya ang chandelier. Different objects fly on his direction. Ang iba sa mga ito ay tila humahabol sa kanya kaya wala siyang nagawa kundi ang tumakbo at umiwas sa mga ito. Kinakabahan ako para kay Zirrius pero naaala ko ang pangako kong magtitiwala ako sa kanya. I harden my resolve. I can't let my feelings affect our plans. I will stick on the plan no matter what. I'll let Zirrius do his job.

Napansin ko ang patuloy na pagliliwanag ng magic circle. Patuloy pa rin ang medallion sa paglalabas ng matinding kapangyarihan pero natigilan ako at pinagmasdan ito nang mabuti. Naglalabas ba ito ng kapangyarihan o humihigop ng kapangyarihan?

Napaawang ang labi ko nang mapagtanto ko ang totoong nagaganap sa medalyon. Hindi ito naglalabas ng kapangyarihan sa halip ay humihigop ito ng kapangyarihan. Humihigop ito ng kapangyarihan mula sa mga tao. Mula sa mga nilalang na nasa loob ng magic circle.

Nagngingitngit ang kalooban ko. How can Seth be this cruel? Hindi ba niya naisip na maraming mawawalan ng buhay? Maging ang mga kapangyarihan na pinapakawalan ni Zirrius ay tila kinakain lang ng medalyon. Kung ganoon ang Devil Fire na naglaro kanina ay hinigop lang ng medalyon.

Si King Aulius naman ay hindi naglalabas ng kapangyarihan, sa halip ay nagbabato siya ng kung anu-anong kagamitan kay Zirrius. Now, I'm no longer sure who's stalling for time. Is it Zirrius or King Aulius himself?

Hinihingal si Zirrius. Lahat ng pinakawalan niyang mahika ay walang epekto kay King Aulius. King Aulius acts like he's subduing it but the truth is he is letting the medallion suck it away. I can't find any openings yet but I tried to be patient.

Inilabas na ni Zirrius ang kanyang espada nang mapansin niyang naglalaho lang ang Devil Fire na nagmumula sa kanya. Maybe he already figures it out. I hope that he does.

By the looks of the situation, I can say that the magic circle is already activated. And I'm not sure if I can use magic to reverse it. I need to have a better look of the whole magic circle itself. Kailangan kong malaman ang bawat detalye. I need wings.

I contacted Damon inside my head. "I need Ayen," sambit ko. She has wings and I need her to fly. "Or if each Kings and Queen can send me a blueprint of the parts of the magic circle in each kingdoms then that will help too. I need the details. I need to find a way to reverse the ritual. The medallion is too powerful and I can't stop it from sucking life forces."

"Stay with Zirrius. I'll collect the information you need. I'll let Shin handle other matters here. In the meantime, I'll communicate with others and ask them to describe each parts of the magic circle and draw it for you. I'll come to you right away," sabi ni Damon.

Nakahinga ako nang maluwag. Good thing Damon can communicate with them. "Alright. I'm counting on you."

Zirrius and the king are exchanging blows for blows. They continue attacking each other with swords. Ipinagpatuloy ko ang pagmamasid sa paligid. I wonder who made that medallion. It is so wicked that this world can be destroyed anytime.

I chant a spell and the ground and the walls start to tremble. I guess it's time for me to attack now. King Aulius isn't using any extreme magics because he knows what the medallion is doing. He knows it's futile.

Spikes made of bricks start to form in the walls and floor. I attack him using those things and he immediately sense it. He uses the air spell to knock it off. Maging si Zirrius ay lumipad palayo sa kanya. Mabuti na lang napiligan ni Zirrius ang pagtama niya sa pader. He rolls and immediately stands up. Hindi ko alam kung naramdaman niya ang presensiya ko pero alam kong hindi niya ako nakikita.

Sa ngayon wala na akong magagawa kundi tulungan si Zirrius na lumaban habang hindi pa dumadating ang impormasyong kailangan ko.

Two heads are better than one and we need to at least use this advantage against the king.

***