Prey of the Lion

Chapter 23: A Continuation of the Twins and the Twin Moons

Chapter 23: A Continuation of the Twins and the Twin Moons

Lumabas na kami sa Grand Library at tumungo sa Garden. Para akong pasmado ngayon sapagkat basa ang aking mga palad dala ng pawis. Nanlalamig ako, hindi ko mawari kung bakit. I just saw the flower wither away with my own eyes, and I knew it was because of me. Something was wrong, and I know it deep in my soul. Bigla kong naalala ang hula na binigay sa akin... What is being hidden from me and Leo? Ano ba talaga ang katotohanan? Bakit ako nagkakaganito? I was afraid and scared, hindi ko alam ang gagawin ko. I was scared of the truth, and the same time, I wanted to know about it.

“You said about Ostrum being unsealed... That it is a possibility, since he is immortal and that sealing him is the only way of stopping him.”

Tumango naman si Akane, “yes, that was the condition of Hadez in giving Aurum the power Anima, which enables him to give life, the total opposite of Ostrum’s Mortem, the power to take life.”

“Why did Ostrum agree, then? He only made his brother immortal. I mean, it does not make sense.”

“Because Hadez said that Ostrum can be sealed with Anima.” Ngumiti si Akane sa akin pagkatapos. Ilang minuto ng paglalakad pa ay narating na rin namin ang hardin ng palasyo kung saan maraming mga halaman at bulaklak ang naroroon, sa gitna nito ay ang patio. Bigla ko tuloy naalala ang aking mga magulang at kapatid, we were just here a few days ago.

Tumungo kami roon ni Akane at umupo sa may silya. I was paranoid and thought it was wrong to choose the garden as we were surrounded by plants—and they had a life. What if my magic starts to act again? I was scared... I wanted to be with Leo. Hindi ko alam, pero sa mga sandaling ito na ako ay naguguluhan, gusto ko lang siyang makita. I wanted an assurance that what he said was real, that we had to be together in order for my magic to remain unsealed. I was too confused and lost.

“Ostrum and Aurum confronted each other after being gifted and blessed with magic by Hadez, and they fought. Ostrum successfully managed to seal away Aurum, however, he also needed to sacrifice himself. He gave away his own life to seal his brother, and thus, creating the Twin Moons.” Akane stated, “and that is why the Twin Moons are named after them.”

“So, you mean to say, Ostrum is technically that purple moon, there. I mean, he is there... And he is sealed.”

Ngumiti si Akane, “we don’t really know, but as far as I know, that is the most logical reasoning we both know of, or I guess that’s what we can summarize basing on the things that I have previously stated.” Akane remarked and I nodded as what she said made sense.

I closed my eyes and recalled the poem that has bothered me again.

In destiny, unpredicted and yet to be done

in oblivion & ignorance, it is too late to run

the dark and the light must never be mixed

or fate, itself, be broken, unfixed.

The seal, Mortem, locked within thy soul

the blazing fire shall gradually burn Anima, & all

away—and deceptions, you live by

like fools and puppets, in strings, you’re fated to die.

Another soul, awakening, after you have fallen

from here, Terra Forma, the world will be stricken

and the Twin Moons, together, just watching over

in this pandemonium and harmony, you’ll find forever.

Is it possible that the story of the Twin Moons and the Twins is connected to my future? After all, there was a reference to the Twin Moons, that means the story about it is involved with me. Plus, the magic Mortem is sealed within me... But why is the magic sealed? And not unused?

I gulped when I finally realized—Ostrum was immortal, and he wielded Mortem. What if it is not Mortem that is sealed within me, but Ostrum himself?

Para akong binuhusan ng malamig na tubig dahil sa aking naisip. I wanted to cry, to shout, and stuff. It was out of fear... I was scared.

“I think I learned enough.” I smiled at Akane after and stood up, “I’ll just go and rest now. You do your business too.”

I wonder if she felt the change in me, she looked at me, her eyes were glistening in delight, and I was curious why. She nodded her head, “alright, Prince Lark. Ihahatid ko na ba kayo sa inyong kuwadra?”

“Don’t bother, Akane. Thank you for the offer, though. I can manage.”

“Alright.” Yumuko na siya at hinayaan na akong maunang pumasok sa palasyo, pabalik sa aking kuwarto. When I was there, alone, I slid my way into the bed, at nagkumot ako, pinikit ko ang aking mga mata. I felt safe and sound as I smelled Leo from the bedsheets. I closed my eyes, my thoughts were playing wild, and they were killing me. The fire was already raging as well, it was in my soul, and I felt a part of me burning slowly.

I want to know the truth.

~*~

3rd Person Point of View

Nakangiti si Akane, she put a concentration of her mana to the Teleportation Ring that she wore, and a portal opened. It was purple in color, and the portal looked like a mirror showing the other side, her destination. She crossed it and she was finally at the Luna Axis Domain.

“Oh, ang bilis mong bumalik?” Frost asked, confused. Hindi nito mawari kung bakit biglang bumalik si Akane. Parang ilang minuto lang ang nakalipas, at muling nandito ang kaniyang kapatid. Hindi sila magkamukha dahil magkaiba sila ng pinagmanaan. Akane got her looks at her late mother, and Frost got his looks at their late father. Mabuti na rin ito, dahil kung magkamukha sila, baka maghinala pa si Lark.

“I successfully triggered Lark’s magic power, Mortem.” Nakangiting balita ni Akane kay Frost, nanlaki naman ang mga mata ni Lord Viseris dahil sa kaniyang narinig. Halata ang tuwa sa mukha nito dahil nakompirma rin nila na si Lark talaga ang vessel kung saan naka-seal ang kanilang panginoon na si Ostrum. They were believers and followers of this man... All of the people in the Luna Axis are people who hold a grudge against the world, and they want to remake the world, they first will start it, however, by wiping off humanity. They believe they were the chosen ones, and that they are doing it for a good cause...

They were traumatized and victims of the cruel reality, and they were like Ostrum himself, ostracized and criticized by society, because they were different and because they were misunderstood. People fear what they do not understand.

Evil is not inherent; it is formed and molded.

Akane and Frost’s home kingdom was Atlanta, and it was reduced to ashes as it was caught between the fight of two kingdoms. They were the casualty, and because of the ridiculous wars, they lost their family and home. It was just the two of them who survived, and Lord Viserio, the late father of Lord Viseris, found them, and gave them purpose as he saw that they had a magical potential. He helped them train so they can enroll to Empire Academy of Liondale Empire... Who would have thought that they would become one of the biggest assets of Luna Axis?

Akane, Frost, Marion, and the other members of Luna Axis are victims of the cruel systems and the world—which is why they aim to eradicate the perpetuators of it. The humans.

For them, it is a justified cause. The end, thus, justify the means. However, they do not know that so much innocent lives and people have also been shed and killed because of this motivation. What is truly right and wrong? They are just continuing the wheels of cruelty, going in circles.

“What did you do, though?” Frost asked Akane.

Akane grinned, “I told Lark the truth, about the Aurum and Ostrum, and somehow, that triggered him.” Aniya, “don’t worry, I proceeded with precaution and I waited for the perfect time where he is too attached to the emperor to even leave despite knowing that the truth is the opposite, and I know right now, he remains in denial of the truth—because he has already fallen head over heels for the emperor.”

“Siguraduhin mo, or else we’ll have a big problem. We have to be successful in fulfilling the Luna Axis’s primary goal, which my father and the ones before him has failed to do so because they could not find the vessel of Ostrum. We must not fail now that Ostrum is very near to being unsealed.” Lord Viseris stated to Akane.

Akane nodded, “do not worry, Lord Viseris. I know what I am doing.”

“Don’t take too much risks from now on.” Lord Viseris added.

Akane nodded diligently.

Tumingin si Lord Viseris kay Frost pagkatapos, seryoso ang ekspresyong nakapinta sa mukha nito ngayon. “At ikaw naman, Frost, stop trying to intervene... Or else.” Biglang dumilim ang paligid at bumigat ang atmosphere sa silid. It was Lord Viseris’s magic.

Frost smiled reluctantly, “noted, Lord Viseris.”

“Bumalik ka na sa palasyo, Akane.” Utos ni Lord Viseris kay Akane pagkatapos at tumango naman ang dalaga, binuksan na niya muli ang portal at bumalik sa palasyo sa Liondale Empire, “On the other hand, Marion...”

“Yes, Lord Viseris?” Marion asked.

“Any news about the whereabout of the remaining bones of Ostrum?”

Umiling si Marion, “my crew is still looking and searching for clues, Lord Viseris.” Aniya, “we still have no leads.” Dagdag nito.

It is not enough that the Dark Lord, Ostrum, is unsealed... Their last requirement is to collect all of his bones that were scattered across Terra Forma. It was Aurum’s doing to make sure he remains sealed, by scattering the bones of his brother across the world, where people cannot reach it.

They already had most of Ostrum’s bones, what they lacked is just his skull and his left hand.

Ngumiti si Lord Viseris at saka siya tumingin sa bintana kung saan tanaw ang Twin Moons, “it is already near. I can already feel the presence of Ostrum.” He chuckled darkly.