CHAPTER 66 #2
With Rassia's long burgundy-red hair flowing behind her, she looked like the queen of fire itself. Her natural black eyes began to glow with a deep crimsom red, reflecting the flames surrounding her.
The red glow in her eyes grew brighter as the Eternal Flame responded to her presence.
Napalingon si Rassia nang dahan-dahan sa kanyang likuran. Halos hindi na niya napigilan ang kanyang sarili na iangat ang tingin sa kalangitan nang maramdaman niya ang isang presensyang pababa sa pulang kalangitan.
Sa isang iglap, lalong lumakas ang apoy sa buong kagubatan. Ang mga apoy na kanina'y nagliliyab lamang sa paligid ay biglang sumiklab nang mas mataas, na para bang may kung anong nagpakawala ng napakalaking enerhiya sa buong lugar.
Ang mga apoy ay nagsimulang umikot sa paligid ni Rassia, habang ang mga ilog ng lava ay lalong kumulo at umapaw sa gilid ng bulkan.
Maging ang pulang kalangitan ay tila naging mas matingkad.
Then, a powerful roar echoed across the entire forest.
Sa pagitan ng nagliliyab na ulap, isang napakalaking nilalang ang unti-unting lumitaw.
Bawat pagaspas ng napakalawak nitong pakpak ay nagpakawala ng matinding alon ng apoy, dahilan upang lalong sumiklab ang kagubatan.
Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Rassia habang nakatingin dito. Ang nilalang ay napakalaki, higit pa sa laki ng kaniyang pulang dragon na si Razareth.
Halos natakpan ng malawak nitong mga pakpak ang malaking bahagi ng pulang kalangitan, habang ang bawat pagaspas nito ay nagpakawala ng napakalakas na bugso ng init at apoy.
The Eternal Phoenix...
Nanatiling nakatingala si Rassia, hindi maalis ang kanyang mga mata sa sinaunang nilalang.
It's even bigger than Razareth...
"It took you long enough to summon me, Child of Fire."
The voice echoed across the entire realm, deep and ancient, carrying a presence so overwhelming that the flames around Rassia suddenly surged toward the crimson sky.
Every fire in the realm responded. The mountains trembled. The rivers of lava erupted with renewed force. And for a brief moment, even the Eternal Flame surrounding Rassia seemed to bow to the voice of its Sovereign.
Rassia froze. She knew that voice. The same voice from the dream she had before awakening in Vlymir.
Napalunok si Rassia habang nakatulala pa rin sa nilalang na kanyang nasummon. Halos kailangan niyang iangat nang todo ang kanyang ulo upang makita ang kabuuan nito dahil sa laki nito.
A massive phoenix stood before her, towering over the entire realm.
Its enormous wings stretched across the crimson sky, while its orange-red feathers glowed like molten metal beneath the light of the flames.
Every movement it made sent waves of heat through the air, yet Rassia felt nothing but warmth.
Its golden eyes slowly focused on her.
The Eternal Phoenix had finally answered her call.
Fuck... kung ordinaryong mage lang ako, o 'yung dating Rassia na walang alam sa mundong Arcadeya, baka kanina pa ako nahimatay sa sobrang lakas ng mana ni Anastacio...
"I have been waiting for you, descendant of my previous master, Aurelius Archimedes Quentin..."
The Eternal Phoenix's golden eyes remained fixed on Rassia as his ancient voice echoed throughout the realm.
"My chosen master."
The flames surrounding them suddenly surged, as if the entire realm itself had recognized the bond between them.
Rassia's eyes widened. Anastacio had been waiting for her all this time.
Bahagyang ngumiti si Rassia habang nakatingala sa napakalaking Eternal Phoenix sa kanyang harapan.
"I am honored to summon the oldest of all Sovereign Spirits." bahagya siyang yumuko bilang tanda ng paggalang bago muling itinaas ang kanyang tingin kay Anastacio.
"And I have been waiting for you too, Anastacio."
The Eternal Phoenix remained silent for a moment, his golden eyes fixed upon her. Then, the flames surrounding them suddenly grew brighter.
Nang mabanggit muli ni Rassia ang kanyang pangalan, bigla siyang napaatras nang maramdaman ang napakalakas na paggalaw ng mana sa kanyang harapan.
Mabilis na bumaba ang Eternal Phoenix mula sa kalangitan at dumapo sa harapan niya. Sa mismong sandaling tumama ang mga paa nito sa lupa, isang napakalaking alon ng apoy ang kumalat sa buong paligid.
The enormous creature slowly disappeared within the fire, and moments later, the flames began to take the shape of a human.
The fire faded. A man was now standing in front of Rassia.
The man standing before Rassia was tall, with tanned skin and striking golden eyes. His long orange-red hair flowed down his back, glowing faintly like the flames that had surrounded him moments ago.
Napatulala nalang si Rassia sa nilalang na kaharap niya. Even in his human form, the overwhelming presence of the Eternal Phoenix remained around him.
I knew it...
He is the one from my dream...
Every strand of his hair seemed to carry the warmth of fire, while his golden eyes held the ancient power of a Sovereign Spirit...
"Thank you for calling my name, my chosen master."
The man before Rassia slowly raised his golden eyes toward her.
"I am Anastacio. I was born from the ashes, forged by the flames, and emerged as the Eternal Phoenix. I am the first of the nine Sovereign Spirits, and the Sovereign of Fire."
Lumuhod si Anastacio sa harapan ni Rassia at marahang hinalikan ang likod ng kanyang palad bilang tanda ng paggalang. Nanatiling nakatuon ang kanyang ginintuang mga mata kay Rassia habang bahagya siyang ngumiti.
Ngumiti rin si Rassia sa kanya habang unti-unting nauunawaan ang bigat ng sandaling ito.
Anastacio has finally awakened after centuries of slumber, ever since Aurelius Archimedes Quentin was his last master.
Meaning... the moment I die, Anastacio will return to his slumber and wait for his next chosen master again.
Bahagyang tumingin si Rassia sa kanyang mga kamay, ramdam ang napakalaking pagbabago sa kanyang mana.
I can feel it. My Eternal Flame is much stronger now.
"Anastacio, why did you choose me? Is it because I'm a descendant of Aurelius? or because of my Eternal Flame Mana?" tanong ni Rassia.
Tahimik na tumingin si Anastacio sa kanya bago bahagyang ngumiti.
"You are indeed a descendant of my last master, Aurelius. And your mana is far stronger than his ever was. Even your appearance bears an uncanny resemblance to him."
Saglit siyang natahimik. "But no, Master. Those are not the reasons I chose you."
Bahagyang kumunot ang noo ni Rassia.
"You appeared before me long before Aurelius ever became my master. I had already chosen you long before, Master. I simply waited for you to become stronger. That is why I was able to appear in your dreams before you even knew who I was. I knew who you were... I knew the power sleeping within you,
even before you awakened it yourself. I also knew that if I was going to stand beside you as your Sovereign Spirit, I could not remain the same as I was centuries ago..."
Napakurap si Rassia sa narinig.
"So I became stronger as well. I wanted to be strong enough to stand at your side... and worthy of the master I had chosen long before we finally met."
Tuluyan nang nanlaki ang mga mata ni Rassia, tila hindi makapaniwala sa mga sinabi nito.
"I chose Aurelius because the blood of the Orythea flowed within his lineage."
Bahagyang kumislap ang ginintuang mga mata ni Anastacio dahil sa eternal flame ni Rassia sa paligid.
"And that blood eventually led me to you. You are the Orythea, my destined master."
The red flames reflected in Rassia's eyes as she stared at Anastacio.
For the first time, the weight of being the Orythea truly settled upon her shoulders. Ang mismong isa sa mga sovereign spirit, isang sinaunang nilalang na nabuhay nang napakaraming siglo, ang kumilala sa kanya bilang Orythea.
She could feel the significance of it. The responsibility. The power. And the destiny that came with it.
"Is the Orythea really a savior, Anastacio?" tanong ni Rassia.
"Yes... but in Gadesea, the word Orythea carries two meanings."
Bahagyang tumahimik si Anastacio bago muling nagsalita.
"Savior... or a threat."
Napatigil si Rassia.
"The Orythea is not destined to save the world, Master. Nor is she destined to destroy it. She is the one who holds the power to decide which fate the world will receive."
Tila natigilan si Rassia at bahagyang kumunot ang kanyang noo sa narinig. Hindi niya maiwasang magtaka.
Bakit savior lamang ang alam ni Lucy Pearl at ng mga Erenhal tungkol sa Orythea? at bakit naman threat ang itinuring dito ng Holy Cathedral?
"I know by the look on your face, Master," ani Anastacio. "I know you're wondering. That was exactly the look Aurelius used to make whenever he discovered something that didn't make sense. You really do take after him."
Saglit siyang natahimik bago muling nagsalita.
"Hundreds of years ago, Master, there were two records about the Orythea written in an ancient language that the Holy Cathedral never knew existed. And those records contained a meaning of the Orythea that was never included in their teachings."
Bahagyang naging seryoso ang kanyang ekspresyon.
"Not only the meaning of Orythea, but the language of Gadesea itself is extremely complicated to understand. Even the High Angels of Gadesea struggle to understand the ancient language of Gadesea itself. The language is far more complicated than most beings realize.
Its words can carry meanings that change depending on how they are written, spoken, or interpreted."
"That's why the Holy Cathedral only knows one meaning. A threat."
Bahagyang napangisi si Rassia habang pinoproseso ang mga salitang narinig niya.
"Orythea... a savior or a threat..."
Bahagya niyang tinaas ang kanyang kilay, at lalong lumawak ang kanyang ngisi.
"Why wonder when I can be both?"