CHAPTER 67 #4
"Even if you've achieved immortality, Drakkon, that doesn't mean you're invincible. Gadesea is the realm of the gods. Your immortality can protect you from death, but it won't necessarily protect you from divine power."
Napakunot ang noo ni Haring Drakkon.
"Then there must be a way."
"There is."
Lucy Pearl slowly placed her glass on the table. "But getting there is not the problem. Getting out is."
"... If the gods discover that an immortal has entered Gadesea without permission, they may see you as a threat. And if they decide to suppress your power, your immortality won't make you untouchable."
"I've survived for centuries," mabilis na tugon ni Haring Drakkon.
"I know." bahagyang ngumisi si Lucy Pearl. "But surviving for centuries and surviving the wrath of the gods are two completely different things."
Lucy Pearl crossed her legs again.
"So if you're really planning to enter Gadesea, you better have a damn good reason."
Drakkon slowly nodded. "I do."
Then his gaze shifted toward me.
"I'm going there to find the truth about Erishkigal."
"There was a magical tree in the continent of Palazan."
Lucy Pearl leaned back in her seat, her expression becoming more serious as she explained.
"Kumuha ka ng bunga roon. But there is one condition. Kailangan maramdaman ng puno ang tunay mong intensyon."
Napakunot ang noo ni Haring Drakkon.
"What happens if it doesn't?"
"Kapag hindi ka nito tinanggap..."
Bahagyang tumigil si Lucy Pearl bago uminom muli mula sa kaniyang kopita.
"You will turn into stone."
Nanatiling tahimik si Drakkon.
"And if I succeed?"
"Kapag nagtagumpay ka, the fruit will recognize you as someone who is allowed to pass. Once you eat it, the magic will immediately transport you to another magical tree."
"Where?"
"Sa labas ng Gadesea."
Tumango si Haring Drakkon tila iniisip ang sinabi niya.
"But remember, getting the fruit is only the first part. The tree will judge your intentions. You can't deceive it, and you can't force it."
Lucy Pearl's eyes narrowed. "So if you're planning to enter Gadesea just to gain power, forget it. The tree will know."
King Drakkon gave a faint smile. "I'm not going there for power."
"I know," sagot ni Lucy Pearl. "That's why you might actually have a chance."
Napatingin ako kay Haring Drakkon. He was really willing to risk everything just to find a way to stop Erishkigal. And somehow, that made me understand why he had called me his only hope.
Bumuntong-hininga ako at tinitigan si Haring Drakkon. For the first time, I realized just how dangerous the path he was about to take.
"Mag-iingat ka, Haring Drakkon. Hindi ito biro. Buhay mo ang nakasalalay dito kahit mayroon ka nang immortality."
Mahigpit kong hinawakan ang aking kopita. "I don't want to lose another person who is trying to protect Arcadeya."
Sandali akong natahimik bago ko siya tiningnan nang diretso sa mga mata.
"And I swear this to you... I will take the Erenhal Sartorias. I will reclaim what belongs to my bloodline, restore the empire, and make sure that the people who suffered will never have to suffer the same fate again."
King Drakkon smiled. "You don't have to worry about me, Little Red. I'll do my part."
And for the first time since learning the truth, I no longer saw the throne as something I simply wanted to take.
It was something I had to protect.
Erishkigal... if you are really a threat to Arcadeya, then I must become the same threat to you...
If even the gods and goddesses failed to destroy you, then I would become something capable of doing what they couldn't...
And if Erishkigal believed that she was the greatest threat Arcadeya had ever faced, then she had no idea what was coming for her...
Ilang sandali pa ay narinig ko ang dalawang malalakas na dagundong mula sa labas ng kastilyo. Napangiti ako dahil doon.
I also missed them...
Tumayo si Haring Drakkon at Cassandra mula sa kanilang kinauupuan.
"Then this shall end here. I'm afraid this will be the last time you see me for a while."
Sandali siyang natahimik bago ngumiti nang bahagya.
"I will say goodbye to the Erenhals, Little Red, and I will leave everything else in your hands."
Napatingin ako sa kaniya, knowing that his journey would be just as dangerous as mine.
"Don't worry. I will return when the time comes."
Gabi na nang tuluyan akong makalabas ng kastilyo. I had already ordered Lucy Pearl and Anastacio to return to my dimension.
Naroon sina Razareth at Dragoroth, waiting for me outside the castle. For the few years na nawalay ako sa kanila, doon ko napagtanto kung gaano na sila kalaki.
Napangiti ako nang makita silang dalawa.
"Mother... I'm glad that you succeeded."
Lumapit nang kaunti si Razareth sa akin, and I could see the happiness in her eyes.
"And I also have good news for you."
Napatingin ako kay Dragoroth na bahagyang tumabi kay Razareth. He lowered his head and gently nuzzled it against Razareth's side, tila nanglalambing.
Napakunot ang noo ko sa pagtataka.
"What good news?"
Tumingin sa akin si Razareth, then briefly glanced at Dragoroth.
"I have laid eggs..."
Nanlaki ang mga mata ko.
"Wait... what?"
I stared at them both, completely caught off guard.
"You did what?"
Bahagyang umangat ang ulo ni Dragoroth, habang si Razareth naman ay tila proud na proud sa kaniyang sinabi.
"I have laid eggs, Mother."
"Woah! congratulations!" napangiti ako nang malawak, genuinely happy for the two of them. "I believe one of those little dragons will become the dragon of Raquim someday."
Napatingin ako sa tiyan ni Razareth, imagining the little dragons that would soon hatch from those eggs.
I Imagined Raquim having his own dragon...
Napatawa ako nang mahina.
"Perhaps one of them will inherit the strength of Razareth, while another might inherit the power of Dragoroth. Who knows? Maybe one of them will be just as stubborn as their parents."
Bahagyang umungol si Dragoroth, tila hindi nagustuhan ang sinabi ko.
Napangisi ako.
"Don't look at me like that, Dragoroth. I'm only telling the truth."
Razareth let out a soft sound, almost as if she was laughing at him.
I couldn't help but smile. After everything that had happened, after all the loss and uncertainty, this small piece of happiness felt like something I desperately needed.
A new generation of dragons, huh...
And perhaps, someday, one of them would fly beside my son.
Niyakap ko si Razareth, and she immediately lowered her massive head closer to me, allowing me to rest my arms around her as much as I could. Our bond had always been strong, but after being separated from her for years, I realized just how much I had missed having her beside me.
I smiled softly.
"Look at us, Razareth..."
She gently nudged me with her head.
"You already have eggs, while I have Raquim."
Napatawa ako nang mahina habang patuloy siyang niyayakap.
"We really grew up, didn't we?"
For years, she had been my dragon, my companion, and one of the few beings who had always stayed by my side. And now she was about to become a mother, just as I had become a mother myself.
I never thought that when we finally met again, we would have something so important in common.
She had her little dragons waiting to hatch.
And I had my little Raquim waiting for me in his room.
Humiwalay ako sa yakap at saglit siyang tiningnan. Napababa ang aking tingin sa suot niyang necklace. It was a ruby carved into a heart shape, a piece I had personally commissioned from the half-Erenhals years ago.
Napangiti ako nang makita iyon sa kaniyang leeg.
I remembered how excited Razareth had been when I first gave it to her.
Razareth really had her own personality. She loved pretty and shiny things, especially anything that sparkled whenever light touched it. Kahit noon, kung may makikita siyang kumikislap na bato o kahit anong magandang bagay, talagang hindi niya iyon tatantanan hangga't hindi niya nakukuha.
Kaya hindi na rin ako nagulat na hanggang ngayon ay suot pa rin niya ang ruby necklace.
Nasa terrace na ako ng aking silid, tahimik na nakaupo habang ang liwanag ng buwan ay nakatapat sa akin. Ever since I learned that I was Morpeia, I started praying to the moon more often.
The moon had always felt different to me. Hindi tulad ng ibang diyos at diyosa na hindi ko maintindihan o maramdaman, there was something comforting about looking at it whenever my mind became too heavy.
Kaya sa tuwing wala akong makausap, sa tuwing marami akong gustong sabihin ngunit walang makapagsabihan, sa buwan ako bumabaling.
I stared at the moon above me, letting its pale light fall across my face.
"You're listening to me, aren't you?"
Mahina akong napangiti.
"Kaluluwa ng buwan... gabayan mo ako."
Mahina kong sambit habang nakatingala sa maliwanag na buwan. I didn't know if the moon could truly hear every prayer I whispered, but ever since I learned that I was Morpeia, I had always felt that there was something connecting me to it.
"Sa dami ng bagay na kailangan kong harapin... sa Erenhal Sartorias, kay Erishkigal, sa aking mga kaaway at sa mga taong naghihintay sa aking pagbabalik... I don't know what lies ahead of me."
Napahawak ako sa aking dibdib.
"But I know I can't turn back anymore."
Tahimik akong nakatingin sa buwan.
"Kaluluwa ng buwan, gabayan mo ako sa landas na kailangan kong tahakin. Give me the strength to protect the people, and guide me when I no longer know which path to choose."
Huminga ako nang malalim.
"And if the day comes when I have to choose between my destiny and the people I love..."
Bahagya akong ngumiti.
"Then let me have the strength to make the right choice."
Lumingon ako sa kama kung saan mahimbing na natutulog si Raquim. I smiled softly as I looked at him, noticing once again how much he resembled his father. The shape of his face, the way he slept so peacefully... he really looked like Vincenzo.