CHAPTER 73 #3
Hindi na pinatapos ni Lurtheron ang kawal at mabilis nang naglakad papunta sa throne hall. He summoned his white sword into his hand because he couldn't use his powers due to the curse his brother had placed on him.
Agad namang sumunod sina Caspian at Dazro. They also summoned their swords, knowing that they could not rely on their abilities in the presence of whatever was approaching.
Habang naglalakad sila, tila unti-unting nababalot ng pulang liwanag ang buong paligid. The halls that were once illuminated by the usual palace lights now seemed to glow beneath the strange burgundy hue.
Ang mga apoy na nakapaligid sa mga pader ay mas tumingkad, their flames burning brighter as the overwhelming mana presence continued to spread throughout the palace.
Meanwhile in throne hall of the palace...
Napaatras ang mga Imperial Knights, maging ang ilang Holy Knights na nakabantay at nakahilera sa loob ng throne hall, nang makita ang mga presensiyang tila biglang lumitaw sa gitna ng red carpet.
Despite their fear, mabilis na humarang ang limang Imperial Knights sa harapan ng trono upang protektahan ito. Mabilis nilang hinarap ang mga pigurang nasa kanilang harapan, habang ang ilan ay naglabas ng magic circles at ang iba naman ay itinutok ang kanilang mga espada.
"I-Impossible..."
"I-Isang d-demonyo!"
"T-Teka! Isa ba iyong Sovereign Spirit? but why is it standing beside a... d-demon?!"
"Is that..."
"That red hair..."
"R-Rassia Saint Quentin...?" bahagyang nanginig ang boses ng isang kawal.
"She's alive?!"
Nanginginig ang kanilang mga kamay habang nakatutok ang kanilang mga espada sa walong pigurang nakatayo sa ibabaw ng red carpet.
Sa likuran nina Agarus at Katarina ay tahimik na nakatayo sina Raja, Lazlo, at Stain, habang sina Anastacio at Lucy Pearl naman ay nasa likuran ni Rassia.
Walang sinuman sa kanila ang nagsasalita, ngunit sapat na ang kanilang presensya upang mapuno ng matinding tensyon ang buong throne hall.
The Imperial Knights and Holy Knights could feel the overwhelming mana surrounding them, and despite their attempts to remain composed, their trembling hands and uncertain expressions made their fear obvious.
Bahagyang napangisi si Rassia nang makita ang takot sa mga mukha ng mga kawal.
She slowly looked around the throne hall, allowing her eyes to wander across the familiar white pillars, golden decorations, marble floors, and the enormous throne standing at the end of the red carpet.
Saglit siyang natahimik habang pinagmamasdan ang lugar na minsan na niyang nakita bago niya muling ibinalik ang kaniyang tingin sa mga kawal.
This was the very palace she had once destroyed using Razareth's dragon fire. Ang mga pader na ito ay minsan nang nilamon ng apoy, ang mga bulwagan ay minsan nang napuno ng kaguluhan, at ang mismong lugar na ito ay naging saksi sa kapangyarihang ipinakita niya noon.
Rassia's smirk slowly widened as the memory returned to her. Bahagya niyang inikot muli ang kaniyang paningin, as if comparing the place before her with the one she remembered.
Hmm... how ironic... this is the very palace I once destroyed... and yet, here I am, preparing to take it for myself...
Bahagya siyang tumingin sa mga pigurang nasa paligid niya bago muling ibinalik ang kaniyang tingin sa trono na hinaharangan ng mga kawal.
Anastacio and Lucy Pearl remained behind her, while Agarus, Katarina, Raja, Lazlo, and Stain stood silently behind them. Their presence alone was enough to make the knights hesitate.
Dahan-dahang nagsimulang maglakad si Rassia patungo sa puting trono, causing the Imperial Knights and Holy Knights standing in front of her to instinctively tighten their grips around their swords.
Every step she took echoed through the throne hall, while her black dress gently swayed behind her.
The ruby brooch attached to her dress caught the light from the massive chandeliers above, briefly shining like a crimson jewel against the darkness of her attire.
"Imperial Knights! Holy Knights! Don't let that bitch come near the throne!" sigaw ng isang kawal, desperately trying to sound brave despite the fear evident in his voice.
Agad namang napalingon si Anastacio sa kaniyang direksyon.
Bahagya siyang natigilan nang marinig ang sinambit nito kay Rassia.
He couldn't accept the fact that someone would dare to speak about his master that way, especially while she was standing right in front of him.
His expression remained calm, but the atmosphere around him suddenly changed as his gaze slowly settled on the knight who had shouted.
Mabilis na tumingin si Anastacio sa kawal. The moment their eyes locked, the knight immediately froze in place.
The knight's body suddenly started to burn.
Flames quickly surrounded him, forcing him to stagger backward as the other knights immediately stepped away in fear.
He tried to extinguish the flames, but they continued to flicker around him as Anastacio's gaze remained fixed on him.
The entire throne hall fell silent, and no one dared to move as they watched the knight struggle beneath the sudden burst of fire.
"Ser Garon!" sigaw ng isang kawal habang mabilis na lumapit sa kaniyang kasama. Agad namang kumilos ang mga kawal na may hawak ng water element. They summoned their magic circles around their hands before releasing powerful streams of water toward Garon.
They desperately tried to extinguish the flames surrounding his body, but the moment the water touched the fire, it instantly evaporated into thick clouds of steam.
The flames refused to disappear, continuing to burn with an unnatural intensity that none of them had ever witnessed before.
Napaatras ang ilan sa mga kawal, clearly unable to understand why their water magic wasn't working.
Even the strongest water-element knights could not suppress the fire, as if the flames themselves were rejecting every attempt to extinguish them.
"Why isn't it working?!"
"The flames are too strong!"
"Keep trying!"
Ngunit kahit gaano karaming tubig ang kanilang ipatawag, the flames only continued to burn around Garon.
Anastacio remained completely still as he watched them, his expression cold and unreadable. He simply looked disappointed that they had dared to insult his master in the first place.
"I am the Eternal Phoenix, Anastacio. Give respect to my presence, the Sovereign of Fire, humans. I will not tolerate disrespect toward the summoner of the Eternal Phoenix, the rightful ruler of this very Empire," ani Anastacio in a deep,
commanding voice that echoed throughout the entire throne hall.
Nanlaki ang mga mata ng mga kawal nang marinig ang kaniyang malalim na boses. For a moment, none of them seemed capable of responding, as if their minds were still trying to comprehend what they had just heard.
The Eternal Phoenix was not merely a powerful Sovereign Spirit spoken of in old legends.
It was a being associated with the highest form of fire, a power that most humans could only dream of witnessing.
At ngayon, the very being standing before them had openly declared that Rassia Saint Quentin was its summoner.
Unti-unting bumaba ang ilang espada ng mga kawal habang napalitan ng takot at pagkagulat ang kanilang mga ekspresyon.
Samantala, patuloy lamang sa paglalakad si Rassia patungo sa puting trono. She didn't even bother looking back at Garon. Her only destination was the throne waiting at the end of the hall.
Ang kawal na nasa unahan ng trono ay napangiwi at bahagyang napaatras sa kaba, his eyes remaining fixed on Rassia as realization slowly settled into his mind.
"No way... Rassia Saint Quentin was the summoner of the Eternal Phoenix..."
Napalunok ang kawal habang unti-unting bumabalik sa kaniyang alaala ang gabing matagal na niyang sinubukang kalimutan.
Naalala niya ang napakalaking ipo-ipo ng apoy na minsang bumalot sa kalangitan, ang matinding init na tila kayang lamunin ang buong paligid, at ang kakaibang mana na noon pa man ay hindi niya maipaliwanag.
W-what are w-we supposed to do against the s-summoner of the Eternal Phoenix?
"Huwag kayong matakot! Tibayan ninyo ang inyong loob! Protektahan ang trono!" sigaw ng isang Holy Knight habang mahigpit na itinataas ang kaniyang espada, pilit na pinatitibay ang loob ng mga kawal sa kaniyang paligid.
"Huwag ninyong kalimutan ang inyong tungkulin!"
"Formation!" sigaw naman ng isa pang Holy Knight habang dumadami ang pumwestong mga kawal sa harapan ng trono.
"Keep your eyes on them! huwag ninyong hayaang malagpasan nila ang ating hanay!"
"Do not lower your weapons!" sigaw ng isa pa, his voice trembling slightly despite his attempt to sound confident.
"She may have the Eternal Phoenix, but that does not make her the ruler of this Empire! Stand your ground! Protect the throne at all costs!"
"If we retreat now, we will be remembered as the knights who abandoned their duty!"
"Hold the line!" sigaw ng isa pa habang sabay-sabay na itinataas ng mga kawal ang kanilang mga espada.
"No one moves unless I give the order! Keep the formation tight! Huwag ninyo silang hayaang makalapit sa trono!"
"Protect the throne!"
"Do not let them pass!"
Muling umalingawngaw ang kanilang mga sigaw sa buong throne hall, ngunit kahit gaano nila kalakas na isigaw ang kanilang mga utos, hindi nila lubusang maitago ang takot na makikita sa kanilang mga mata.
The presence of the Eternal Phoenix and the other powerful beings standing behind Rassia had already shaken their confidence, yet they continued to hold their positions because they knew that retreating would mean surrendering the Imperial Throne without a fight.
Sa loob lamang ng ilang segundo, sabay-sabay nilang itinaas ang kanilang mga kamay at sandata, gathering their mana as they prepared to launch everything they had toward the eight figures standing before them.
"Attack!"
Sa isang iglap, sabay-sabay nilang pinakawalan ang kanilang mga kapangyarihan.