XVII

Marius POV

Have you ever heard a story about a guy who saw a beautiful and elegant rose? He took that rose and kept that forever. He loved that rose the way he love her right now...

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Look who's here with me right now! She's been practicing after she found out what elements she belongs.

Or maybe she's here because I saw her earlier doing some stuffs that she shouldn't be.

"What's with the sky color?" I asked Marxia when we're going to the field.

I saw the three Princesses in the middle of the crowd doing something about their abilities.

They shouldn't be doing this! They're terrible.

How immature they are to fight in the middle of the school ground.

"You know the abilities of Princess Zariah, right?" Marxia asked my classmate on mathematics.

She's a royalty but not pure. Her mother is a villain and so she is.

She knows about the abilities of every student because she holds the book of eternity.

"Princess Zariah, owned the most powerful anklet in the whole universe of Royalties. She also owned the most powerful shadow realm and that's her special abilities." She said and when we arrived at the corner of the field they were singing the song that I never heard before.

"Try to burn me at all your cost, Adira," Athaliah challenges Adira.

I know that they're friends before, but I don't know what really happened between them.

It's like a dream. Yesterday they were friends then when you woke up they're not.

From a daydream to a nightmare. Pity, how tragic it is.

"I also found out what that girl abilities are" she pointed Adira who looks so furious. "She's not powerful at all, but she's dangerous. She belongs to the Fire elements. Funny that she's a half royal, but she stupidly acts like barbarian,"

When I glanced at Athaliah she's... I don't know who if she's really the Athaliah I know. Her eyes are darker than before. Her lips are thin. Her fist were clenched tightly.

"I don't even care if you become an ash here Athaliah because we're not friends anymore." I heard that line from Adira. I saw the anger in Athaliah's eyes.

By her looks I can say that she wants Adira gone... As in GONE.

"Don't test my temper, you called me evil but I'm more than that."

I quickly chased her and grabbed her wrist. She looked at me with sad emotions in her eyes.

She's Athaliah. She might be strong, but she still has her weaknesses like every else have.

"You... You saw everything?" She asked her voice almost cracking.

"I didn't. I just arrived with Marxia." I admitted then pull her closer to me. "We're talking about the Variety show for tomorrow," nag-aalinlangan kong sabi sa kaniya. I don't know if this will help her forget the encounter that they had, or this would just add up into her frustrations.

I caressed her hair and took her royal swirls on her hand. I arranged her hair and put the royal swirls on the side and that made her looked more beautiful and elegant.

She raised her gaze to me and smiled at me.

"Thank you," she smile sweetly and that's my favorite thing about her. "Can you train me?" I just nooded and held her hand.

Now we're here...

"Don't catch it, burn it!" I seriously said to her, because she kept on catching everything I throw.

Nasa Miserth Wisdom kami ngayon dahil natuklasan niya na ang isang kapangyarihang hawak niya. She keeps on catching everything I lifted up to the air.

"I said don't catch it!" Suway ko nang sinalo niya ang isang batong pinalipad ko sa ere.

Huminga siya ng malalim at nagpakawala ng malakas na buntong hinginga at masama akong tiningnan.

"I can't freaking burn all the things you threw!" She yelled saka nagpadyak pa. "All I can do is catch them."

"Catch me then..." Nag-angat siya ng tingin sa akin. Habang nakatingin siya sa akin ay nagkaroon ako ng tyansang paliparin ang isang dumbbell papunta sa kaniya.

Nang papalapit na iyon sa kaniya ay itinaas niya ang kaliwang kamay niya saka nagliyab ang dumbbell.

Woah! She can burn unexpected things that will come, but she can't burn anything that expected.

"See? You can do it nga!" Pumalakpak pa ako sa kaniya.

"I'm still pissed, Marius. Damn!" She yelled and the other royalties looked at us, curious about why she just yelled.

"Why? I literally have no idea about what happened earlier. Why you're in the middle of that crowd and singing even though your voice is not beautiful! Kung nag ballet ka na lang sana edi panalo ka na." Nilingunan niya ako at masama ang kaniyang tingin dahil sa aking sinabi.

"What did you just said?!"

"I said--"

"What?!"

"Your... Your voice is beautiful." I lied, and she calmed herself.

She took a knife and touches that side-by-side.

"You know," she started while looking at the knife with spark in her eyes. "Friends are like knives," her voice was hoarse, as she caressed the knife.

"Knives, why?" I curiously asked her and avoiding myself at the knife afraid that she might stab me intentionally.

"They can stab you from behind using their mouth, but they can stab you in front using their strength." I was surprised when she suddenly threw the knife and hit it on the board.

Bullseye...

S-she's creeping me out.

"Do you know what happened earlier?" I shook my head as an answer. "Let's just say... I found the hint why people used to blame me for doing and being good." She smiled and grab her own apple.

"Do you have the leads?" Biglang tanong niya sa akin. Napawi ang ngiti sa aking labi nang mapagtanto ko ang ibig niyang sabihin.

She's asking about the leads who stole her crown.

"We already checked the CCTV footage near your garden. We saw something and someone." Iginiya ko siya papunta sa isang opisina sa Miserth.

Nakabukas na ang loptop ko at handa na lahat ang ipapakita ko sa kaniya.

"How many are they?" She seriously asked without taking her eyes off the screen.

"Five or seven I think?" Hindi ko siguradong sagot sa kaniya.

"Let's see..." Madiin niyang pinindot ang play button para panoorin ang mga video footages.

I'm right there are five guys who sneek inside the secret wall. They're all wearing black shirts and black pants with a cup on their heads.

Nang nasa loob na sila ng secret walls ay may mga gwardyang sumugod sa kanila. I was shocked when I saw how the vines and roots of the plants went to them.

I can't deny na malakas ang kapangyarihang hawak niya. It's Agrokinesis it can manipulate plants at his will and just by his command.

He's wearing all brown and black hoodie and pants that's why I can't see his face clearly.

Ginamit niya ang kapangyarihan niya para hindi maka sagabal ang mga gwardya kapag kukunin na nila ang korona.

"Stop the video," utos niya sa akin saka ni zoom niya sa isang lalaki na may hawak ng kapangyarihang agrokinesis.

"Why is there a problem?" Kumunot ang noo niyang nakatingin sa lalaki.

"He's familiar..." Umiling-iling pa siya at ni zoom sa ibang bahagi ng lugar. "Hindi lang sila lima o pito Marius." Saka pinakita sa akin ang ibang tauhan na nasa taas ng bubong at halaman na nakatago.

"There are so many of them, damn!" Ni play na niya ulit ang video kung saan matagumpay na nilang nakuha ang korona niya.

Umiiling-iling siya na para bang ayaw niyang maniwala sa kaniyang nakikita. May isang lalaki siyang tinititigan sa buong video at doon siya nagsisimulang umiling nang umiling.

"They're only 50 of them there," napakamot pa siya sa kaniyang batok. "But they're thousands in total." Hindi ako makapaniwala sa kaniyang sinabi.

How the heck she counted them when it's too dark that time?!

"You only have two days before the coronation." I worriedly said and caressed her hair.

"Craentich Wicked," I heard her whispered.

"You know that island?" Gulat siyang napatingin sa akin.

"No.. I just saw the name on my papers before, and it sounds really familiar." She whispered and went outside to breathe...

Nagtungo kami sa Miserth Battlefield dahil hinamon ko siyang mag ensayo. Habang naglalaban ay tahimik lang siya't walang reklamo, ni hindi nga siya tumanggi at pumayag na lang agad.

She's mad... She's getting evil, I know that.

When Athaliah is mad Miserth Wisdom ang kaniyang tambayan. Kapag hindi pa siya umaalis at nanatili ng mahabang oras rito hanggang sa mapagod siya sa pag-e-ensayo ay may gusto siyang patayin.

"Ahhh!" Sigaw niya at tinapat ang kaniyang kamay sa isang tabla na pinalipad ko saka iyon nasunog.

"You still can't control your power," I said. "Control your emotions too... It's connected to your elements."

Inflammation is really dangerous when you don't know how to control it. Kahit bahay ay kaya mong sunugin na lang bigla lalo na kapag hawakan mo lang ito. Kahit ang battlefield ay magagawa niyang sunugin dahil sa galit niya. Maging ang taong kasama mo.

"You're still mad ba?" I asked habang nagpupunas ng pawis sa aking noo at leeg. "About what happened kanina?"

"I'm just pissed." Kumuha siya ng isang papel at ginawa iyon bilog. "I really damn hate Adira!" Galit niyang pasigaw dahilan kung bakit malakas ang pag alab ng papel na hawak niya sa kaniyang kamay.

"See? Look at that and your emotions!" Pinitik ko ang kaniyang noo. "The more you become evil, the more you can't control everything." Nakita kong sumilay ang ngisi sa kaniyang labi.

"Oh, I'm just evil now?" Tinapon niya sa kung saan ang papel mabuti na lang at walang nasunog. She doesn't know how to turn off her power when she used it. "I'm always evil, Marius." Saka ako tinalikuran at umalis na ng Miserth.

I really wonder why she's mad. It's been years no since the last time I saw her like this. She's the worst version of herself now.

I must say... Let the game begins?

Naramdaman kong nag vibrate ang cell phone ko sa aking bulsa. Nang tignan ko, Athaliah messaged me.

My Princess Athaliah:

I'm going to Pendragon Belgues, you want to come with me?

Ano naman ang gagawin niya sa Pendragon Belgues?

Me:

I'll go with you.

My Princess Athaliah:

Bring the leads.

Tanging sabi niya na sinunod ko naman. Kinuha ko lahat maging ang flash drive at memory card.

"Anong gagawin mo sa Pendragon Belgues?" Tanong ko nang makasakay na kami sa scooter niya.

Everything about her is purple. Even her scooter konti na lang ay para na siyang eggplant. Well, her hair color.

"Teivil called me." Iyon lang at inilabas niya and kaniyang amulet saka may ibinigkas na spell.

Napakapit ako sa kaniya ng mahigpit nang umangat ang scooter niya sa ere.

"Ngayon alam mo na anong pakiramdam ng mga bagay na pinapalipad mo sa ere." Sabi niya pa.

Kitang kita ko ang malinaw na tubig ng karagatan dahil nakalutang nga kami sa ere. Kita ko nga rin ang gwapo kong mukha sa tubig.

Nang makababa na kami ay magulo pa rin ang Pendragon Belgues.

"Hold me." At sa isang iglap ay nasa opisina na kami ni Teivil.

"Why did you call me?" Mariin na tanong ni Athaliah kay Teivil.

"Good afternoon, Princess Athaliah and Prince Marius." Bati niya sa amin saka kami pinaupo sa harap ng mesa niya.

"Where's your crown?" Tila nainsulto si Athaliah sa tanong ni Teivil.

"What the hell do you want, Teivil?"

"Let's make a deal--"

"How many deals do you want, Teivil?" Putol sa kaniya ni Athaliah.

"This one's nice--"

"You know that I don't want something so called NICE!" she slammed the table of Teivil.

"We, Villains will help you to find your crown." Natigilan kaming dalawa sa sinabi ni Teivil. "Give me the leads."

"In exchange of what?" Sabay naming tanong ni Athaliah.

"You know what I want." He winked and opens the loptop.

In just 15 seconds he closed the laptop and snapped his finger.

"I know those guys." Para bang naka jackpot na siyang kaagad kahit konting segundo pa lang ng footages ang kaniyang nakita.

"Mhavryck and Mallory!" He called his M&M friends. "Prepare the Villains."