Chapter 14: Faceless King

Zeilyn.

"How's your wound?" Tanong ni Markov nang makapasok kami sa inuukupang silid sa hospital. Kasama namin si Verdect na tahimik lang sa paglalakad, habang si Ailes ay umalis dahil may pupuntahan daw.

After the chaos, everything is back to normal, except to the facilities and other structures that needs to be constructed again. Ang laking damage dahil muntikan nang gumuho ang east building kaya matatagalan pa siguro bago tuluyang maayos ang lahat.

And the enemies, parang walang bakas na sumugod sila kasabay nang paglaho ni Blood. The Porsha Academy was just like getting passed by earthquake and flood, not war. I don't know how did it happened but I'm thankful that they're gone. And Blood, I don't know where he is now.

"Zeilyn?"

"It hurts." Mabilis kong sagot kay Markov nang ako'y matauhan. "Hindi ko alam kung bakit samantalang may ginawa si Ailes para mawala 'yung sakit." Dagdag ko at umupo sa hospital bed. Habang silang dalawa ni Verdect ay nakatayo malapit sa bintana.

"What Ailes did is just to prevent the burn from spreading. It's not permanent. He can't fully heal a Porshanist with that." Sagot ni Verdect habang nakatingin sa labas ng bintana.

Markov sigh and throw himself to the sofa. "I'm sorry. I should've come early to you. Sana hindi 'yan nangyari." He looks very apologetic and I don't know what was the reason. His face shows he feels sorry and there's a hint of...terrify.

And why is he afraid?

"Don't say sorry. Alam ko namang hindi mo sinasadya. At tsaka, ako ang may kasalanan. I let myself be like this. Rooftop is a very open place, kaya hindi na nakakapagtakang nakita ako ng mga kalaban."

Markov slightly smile and shook his head. "No, Zeilyn. Do you know how tall the building is to make Blood left you there alone? It's surrounded by barriers that enemies, even us can't see clearly the top from below."

Natahimik ako.

"Maybe the one who did that came from a higher position." Biglang saad ni Verdect.

Nabaling ang tingin ko sa kanya. "What do you mean?"

He sighed and look at me. "Just like us, Porshanist, Monstrous have rankings, too. Me, Ailes and Markov are called protectors, we are once an Elite Student who we're choosen to serve the nobility. We are higher than soldiers and Best Porshanist, and above us we're called Reapers, consist of two members. Sa mga kalaban naman, ang mga ka-level namin ay tinatawag na Dark, while above them is called the Lord's right hand. I don't know how much members each group pero sigurado akong hindi sila basta-bastang kalaban.

Victoria, Monstrous's Queen, together with her husband, Leroid, who's the King, wanted to rule everything and have been aiming for us to vanished."

"Jhea told me that part." Saad ko. "What I want to know is that, who's the person they want to get to be this desperate? And why?"

"Because without that person, they can't do anything against us." It's Verdect who answered.

So for short, nasa amin ang alas. Pero sino?

Mas lalo akong nacurious. I feel like I'm getting there. To the information I've been looking for about our enemies.

"Can you tell me everything you know?" Nagbabakasakaling tanong ko kay Verdect.

"I know a lot but I can't tell you everything."

"Why?"

His face becomes serious. "We have rules to follow, Zeilyn. Kapag may binunyag kami sa'yo na dapat manatiling lihim, may parusang naghihintay sa amin."

Secrets.

"Same as us, Monstrous is also handling a school, and it's called Dark Academy." Sabi naman ni Markov.

Dark Academy. "Let me guess, instead of teaching the students a good intention, they're doing it for their bad deeds, yes?" Sabi ko na ikinatango nilang dalawa. "What about our Kingdom? Who ruled it?"

Markov looked at me. "The King."

King? We have a King?

"Just King? What about a Queen?"

"We have a Queen, but she's currently hiding for her safety." Verdect answered.

"Why?"

"She needs to be safe." Tanging sagot ni Markov.

It must be tough for the King to handle the Kingdom all alone. "Ano palang pangalan ng Hari?"

Natahimik si Verdect ng ilang segundo bago nagsalita. "Zacarious."

Zacarious.

I can feel that even the King's name is solely hidden. I wonder if he is, too.

"Zacarious..." I whispered.

Why does it sound familiar?

"Aside from being the most powerful Porshanist, he is also the one who maintained the balance between us and Monstrous. If it's not because of him, what happened earlier will happen everyday. With no exact time and location." Markov said.

"Are you trying to say that the King lost it's guards that's why we're attacked?"

"No, Zeilyn. We just didn't expect that it happened. Our Kingdom is surrounded by radiators that will immediately notify anyone from Palace to Academy that someone has intruded our place. So what happened earlier was unexpected... Or someone in the Palace is taking the other way around." Verdect answered.

I breathed heavily. "What will happen to the person you're talking about?" Tanong ko sa kanya.

"Ikukulong siya at araw araw na paparusahan hanggang siya'y mamatay."

Torture...it's cruel, but if that person is really siding the bad, pretending to be good, the punishment is the thing that serves him or her.

"Is the King gonna be the one punishing that person?" Tanong ko kapagkuwan.

"Nope. It's his personal punisher, Zyron." Said Verdect.

Z-zyron? A very familiar name for me. S-saan ko nga ba 'yon narinig?

I'm a little bit curious about this though. "Have you seen him in person?"

Markov arched an eyebrow. "Who? Zyron?"

Mabilis akong umiling. "No. The King. I noticed that the name you gave me is just his first name or what so I'm curious if you saw his face?"

Papalit palit ang tingin ko sa dalawa nang pareho silang natahimik sa tanong ko.

"Our King.... He's faceless." Sagot ni Markov na nakapagpatigil sa akin.

"S-so... All of you doesn't know what he looks like?"

Umiling si Markov. "Not all for there are some who already saw him, but when it comes to his people, he is known as the Faceless King. They just know that we had a King and his name is Zacarious. Maliban diyan ay wala na."

"Hindi talaga? What about in occasions? I'm quiet sure that palace had some events."

Muling umiling si Markov. "He always kept himself isolated from others."

"He's maybe like that but all people trust him with all their heart. They may have not seen his face but they believe that he can protect them...us." Verdect added.

After he spoke, the door swung open, showing Ailes' worried face. Yumuko siya sa akin ng konti nang makita ako tsaka dumeretso kay Markov.

"He's looking for us." Mahinang saad nito.

And I don't know that... that words can sent Markov off.

"Fuck!" Mura nito kasabay ng pagsabunot sa kan'yang sariling buhok. "He's gonna kill me! Fuck! Shit!"

"Just explain. Make him understand your side." Sabi ni Verdect sa dalawa.

Who are they talking about?

"He's freaking mad, Verdect. He is." May diing saad ni Ailes.

"Alam mong kapag galit siya, galit siya. Hindi siya nakikinig sa ibang tao." Parang nawawalang pag-asang sabi ni Markov.

Verdect just sighed and urged the two to be strong. "I'm sure the pain will just for the meantime. Now, go. Don't make him wait for too long, mas lalo 'yong magagalit."

Hindi sumagot ang dalawa at mabilis pa sa kidlat na tumakbo papalabas ng silid.

"Sinong galit?" Tanong ko pagkalipas ng ilang segundo.

Verdect look at me and slightly smile. "No one." Anito at umupo sa sofa. "Does your wound still hurt?"

Fine. If he doesn't want to answer then so be it.

I nodded. "Yes."

Muli akong napatingin sa pintuan nang ito'y bumukas at pumasok ang isang lalaki na nakasuot ng sky blue na coat. It looks like a Doctor's coat pero magkaiba nga lang ang kulay.

"I'm Jack Takashi." Pakilala nito nang makahinto sa harapan ko. "Let me treat your wound, miss."

Hindi na ako nagsalita nang itinaas niya ang manggas ng aking damit at pinakita sa kanya ang tama ng pana ko kanina.

Without saying anything, he placed his hand on the wound and close his eyes. Kasabay no'n ang naramdaman kong malamig na bagay sa aking sugat at ang kaunting kirot. Other than that, there's none. Hindi iyon nagtagal at tinanggal niya ang kamay sa aking balikat.

"You're okay, but the scar will take time to vanished." Sabi niya at ngumiti.

"Salamat ho." Sabi ko.

Bumaling ang tingin niya kay Verdect. "Come here." Utos niya rito na agad nitong sinunod.

"Don't you know that you're bleeding?" Tanong ni Mr. Takashi sa kanya.

"It's not really that important. I can bear it." Sagot ni Verdect.

"Then what? It may not be painful but you'll lost your consciousness if you lose too much blood without knowing. 'Yung dalawa mo ring kasama ay sugatan." Pangaral nito at napabuntong hininga. "You kids... 'yung pagiging matigasin ng ulo niyo no'ng mga estudyante pa kayo ay nadadala niyo parin hanggang ngayon na nagsiserbisyo na kayo sa palasyo. Why are you like that?"

Nang matapos niyang gamutin si Verdect ay saka ito nagsalita. "I don't know why though. Maybe because we're trained to be a warrior?"

Mr. Takashi tsked and shook his head. "No. All of you are trained to be a warrior. Matigas lang talaga ang ulo niyong tatlo."

Verdect just sighed in defeat after hearing those words.

"If this happens again, look for me, okay?"

Pareho kaming tumango ni Verdect.

"Salamat, Mr. Takashi." Sambit ko.

"Walang anuman, Miss Monarch. I'll go ahead." Nakangiting reply nito at lumabas ng silid.

Verdect look at me. "Okay ka na?"

I nod. "Much better than earlier."

"Good."

***

Tahimik akong naglalakad sa lobby habang hinahawakan ang aking balikat. The pain is gone but the scar is not. Kagaya ng sabi ni Mr. Takashi ay kailangan ko pa ng oras upang maglaho ang sugat. I felt weird though. I felt cold in the wound area.

"Zeilyn!" Napahinto ako sa paglalakad at nagalingon sa aking likuran. I saw Jhea running towards me and hug me afterwards.

"Nag-alala ako sa'yo. Akala ko may nangyari na sa'yong hindi maganda. I want to visit you to the hospital but Ma'am Trecia needs a clean-up. Hindi niya ako pinayagan, knowing that Verdect, Markov and Ailes is with you." Saad niya.

I chuckled. "Nothing happened, okay? I just got a bruise."

Pagkasabi ko no'n ay kumalas siya sa pagkakayakap sa akin habang nanlaki ang kanyang mga mata. "What?! Saan?! Gaano kalaki? Masakit ba? Oh, my!"

Pinigilan ko ang mga kamay niyang halos kapkapan na ang buo kong katawan. "It's nothing serious, Jhea. Hindi naman ganoon kalala."

"Kahit na!"

I sighed. I don't know why she's fussing about it. "Mr. Takashi already healed me. Don't worry now, okay?"

Marahas siyang napabuga ng hangin. "How dare them hurt you?!"

"Calm down, Jhea. I believe they're gone now."

She look at me. "But I'm still angry. Sa susunod mas mag ingat ka pa, okay?"

I just nod as an answer and give her my reassuring smile.

She sigh. "I'm glad that it's not that worse." She clung into my arm and stare at the empty lobby.

"May pupuntahan ka ba ngayon?" Tanong ko.

By hearing that, she heaved a deep sigh. "Pinapunta ako ni Ma'am Trecia sa library para mag-aral ng mga spell. Grabeh, nag-gyera na nga at lahat-lahat, pinapa-aral parin ako."

"Ganoon ba?" Muli akong tumingin sa kanya. "Can I join you?"

Mabilis siyang lumingon sa akin habang nakakunot ang kan'yang noo. "Do you have any idea how boring the library is?"

It's boring for her? "It's not for me. I love being surrounded by books."

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

I laughed at her reaction. "May mga tao talagang hindi nagkakasundo sa isang bagay."

She pouted. "Don't tell me that. It irritates me."

I frowned. "Why?"

She shrug her shoulders before settling her attention to the empty lobby again. "Maybe because I haven't met the one who shares the same interests as me."

I hold her hand that makes her look at me. "Don't be disappointed, okay? Each of us is unique in our own way. Just be you and be contented, then the person you are looking for will come unexpectedly."

Nanatili ang tingin niya sa akin kapagkuwan ay ngumiti. "Thank you. Anyway, let's go to the library now."

Nakangiti kaming dalawa na naglalakad patungong library. Nang makarating ay diretso kaming nagtungo sa east side at nagsimulang maghanap ng mga librong babasahin.

"Jhea, for you...what's the most powerful spell?" Katanungang kusang lumabas sa bibig ko.

Napatingin siya sa akin at umaktong nag-iisip. "There are different kinds of powerful spell, eh. What kind ba?"

Uhm... "Can you tell me that different kinds?"

She closed the book she's holding and sat on the ground. Umupo ako kaharap niya at hinintay ang kanyang sagot.

"Ganito kasi 'yon, there's a book where all of the powerful spells are written. What's the needed ingredients of it, how do we make it and how does it work. Pero hindi ko na alam kung saan 'yon matatagpuan. It was 10 years ago when I last saw it.

Isa sa mga nakasulat doon ay kung paano buhayin ang isang patay, paano mawala ang kapangyarihan ng isang mage, paano walain ang memorya at marami pang iba na akalain mong imposibleng mangyari."

My mouth open in awe. I can't belive that there is such thing as that. "Maybe that is why the book is gone. That's just... dangerous."

She smile. "No, Zeilyn. Imposibleng basta nalang mawala ang librong 'yon. It's very important and well-guarded."

If that so... then where is it now?

***

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