Desiderio Domini

Chapter 10

Mors just can’t believe his eyes on what he saw but Wynda on the other hand, while not knowing what exactly happened, ay hindi na nagulat na nanalo ang tatay ko.

You see, si tatay ang nagkumbinsi sa mga magulang ni Wynda na ituloy ang kaniyang calling sa pagiging Hazemancer.

Idol na niya si tatay dati pa and she really heroworships him to the point na kahit madami napigil sa kaniya, she still persevered to master her innate talents in the wind element kahit napakahirap ng kurso dahil lang isang napakagaling na Necromancer ang nakakita ng kaniyang in-born talent.

“What in Gaia happened?!” malakas na bulalas finally ni Mors na kanina pa naming hinihintay nang hindi na makatiis ang pobreng bata, “Walang daya pero hindi pwepwedeng ganoon na lang ang nangyari! There must be some kind of a trick or something! The dark cannot defeat the light! That’s just the most basic of things! Hindi tatalab ang kadiliman sa liwanag at siguradong hindi magmimintis na pabagsakin ng liwanag ang kadiliman! It’s just how things work!”

Tumikhim si Grasya at tinapik ang projector, “Yet we have the evidence right before in our eyes. Nakita mo kung paano hindi tinablan ang Necromancer kanina against the Photomancer and he managed to defeat him in a single curse.”

“But...”

Napapahagikgik na si Wynda dahil talagang parang sinisilihan ang puwit ni Mors kasi hindi na ito mapakali sa kaniyang upuan dahil hindi talaga niya matanggap that the unthinkable happened, “Ipaliwanag mo na, sis. Kung hindi ay magtatantrum na tiyak ito. Well, I never saw him throw one. Pero we are in the library so it’s a no-no.”

“Fine, listen, Mors,” pinisil ko ang cute na freckled cheeks nya na despite his dark complexion ay namumula-mula pa, “There’s a trick. But it’s a “legal” kind of cheating.”

Napatingin siya sa akin with those puppy eyes of him that even made my heart melt, “Talaga?! Paano mo nalaman?!”

“That man, the Curse Necromancer named Vlarix Sandugo is my birth father, that’s why Mors,” mahinahon at malinaw na paliwanag ko sa kanya as he gasped cutely at the revelation, “You see, there are countless of curses as there are countless verses in the holy book. One of those is the curse of changing elements.”

Napatayo si Mors sa gulat ng makinig niya ang sinabi ko, “What?! Merong ganoon?!”

“Yes, there are so many things we don’t know about the dark element and Necromancers kasi takot pag-aralan ito ng nakakarami. Taboo and all that ridiculousness. They are considered as powerful as Photomancers, well, as a Protection Photomancer myself, I am in the position to say na mas makapangyarihan pa sila sa amin,” sagot ng governess namin as she paced left to right in deep thought sa harap namin, “Powerful as we may be, we are restrained to what is written in the holy book. Kung hanggang saan lang kami dalhin ng libro, doon lang. That’s the limit of our capabilities. While the Necromancers can delve into the darkest secrets of our world to their heart’s content and I guess isa na doon ang kakayahan na manipulahin ang very element itself.”

I nodded solemnly as I remembered the random musings of my father on that particular skill he is proud of, “It is actually quite a simple curse despite its gamechanging effects. You can think of the elements as the colors of the rainbow, so colorful right? Well, all colors are absorbed by black. Using that philosophy, if he can absorb them, there is a way to manipulate it once absorbed.”

“And that’s what Tito did sa unang tira pa lang ng kalaban niya,” masayang sunod ni Wynda na nagpatango sa akin, “He first cast the changing of element curse on himself by turning himself to light element, kaya walang epekto kahit ano ang tira ng Photomancer and when he goes to offensive, pinaltan niya sa random element ang affinity ng Photomancer using those skulls to distract him from what he is doing bago pakawalan niya ang finale.”

Napakurap si Mors as he tries to absorb and learn from our exchange, “Pero nadaanan ko din sa school dati ang fact na napakahirap na icast ang curses ng Necromancer kahit anong galing mo pa. They are based on words chanted, hindi lang casting time at delay ang poproblemahin niya. It’s the very incantations na dapat niyang sabihin bago gumana ang isang sumpa.”

“Well, for normal Curse Necromancers before him, napakahirap talaga. That’s why as Wynda said earlier, he summoned those skulls for something more than theatrics, Mors,” I said pointedly and finally he got what I am trying to say.

“Of course! Kung madaming bibig na magsasalita ng bawat parte ng incantation at the same time, you can consider it instant! Kahit bunganga pa ng mga bungo ito as long as you said the words, it doesn’t matter in the end! Ang talino ng tatay mo, Vladira!” manghang bulalas nito na nagpangiti naman sa akin as Grasya nodded in agreement quickly.

“Vlarix Sandugo is considered to be one of the most powerful elemental user in his generation. That and he is a well-known mercenary for hire and many guilds from all levels wanted to recruit him but he stayed a soloist to the very end of his magnificent career,” she said approvingly sabay hinga ng malalim at nagpatuloy na sa aming topic, “Well, the lesson is this, Mors. Huwag kang basta lang aasa sa elemental affinities and actions to carry you through. With enough skills, power and wit, one can overcome their elemental weakness and triumph over their nemesis just like what Vladira’s father have showed us. Wynda, can you give me an example of an elementally weak skill overpowering its greater enemy?”

Tumango si Wynda at kumindat sa akin as we remembered our idiotic encounter with a rather strong and ravaging fire back when we are in our boarding house in college, “Fire can easily defeat water given enough, well firepower.”

“Exactly! Kahit pa sabihing water beats fire, a single drop of water won’t do a thing in the face of an all consuming fire,” our governess said clearly as she pointed at my direction, “Ikaw, Vladira? Any more examples before we moved on to the next topic?”

“Wind beating lightning by sheer ilussion and fantasies alone, earth defeating ice by using animals suitable for the cold and water beating earth by just overwhelming the land and rock with liquid among other instances,” sagot ko as Wynda and Mors took note of what i just said.

Tumango si Grasya bago umupo sa kaniyang upuan sa tapat namin and looked at the three of us rather curiously, “That wraps up our lesson about elemental affinities and weaknesses. Next ay ang pinakaimportante before we end our theoretical studies sa guild. What will be your foci?”

“Hindi ba parang napaka-aga pa ata for that, Grasya?” tahimik na sagot ni Wynda as she glanced at me meaningfully.

“Oo, hindi ba tsaka namimili after your masteral?” sunod na tanong ko as Mors himself is very disturbed by the question himself, “We are just barely out of school at nangangapa pa lang sa basic knowledge ng mga jobs and all.”

The Apprentice nodded in agreement, “Oo nga, ang dami ko pa ngang kailangang pag-aralan at kahit nagfocus ako sa wind at dark, wala pa sa level one ng job nila ang natututunan ko. What more kung iba pa?”

“Well, normally, yes, need ninyo muna matapos ang masterals ninyo before you chose your foci, but let’s all be frank and honest here, ang level ng kakayanan ninyo is alread comparable to our other guild members who reached their last stages,” mahinahon na paalala niya sa amin at natahimik naman kami.

We did a mock battle against the Guild Hero and Guild Madam last week, three against two, and we managed to last for a solid twenty minutes before they finally overhwelmed us with their sheer powers combined.

But I am not convinced, “Gaius and Sasha are barely using half of what they can unleash back then at wala pa din kaming pag-asang manalo at all. I guess we should look at that perspective instead.”

“No, Vladira. Gaius and Sasha are our guild leaders. Of course nasa rurok na sila ng kanilang mga jobs and have a lot of years of experience under their belt but forcing them to use even bare half of what their normal abilities is something to be proud of considering Gaius can decimate an entire high level guild on his own easily and Sasha can hold on her own against an entire top eight guild without batting an eyelash.”

She then stood up and walked towards the window and looked at Cailee and Candice sparring against each other with wild abandon without regards to their sibling’s safety.

“Number one laitera ang dalawang muses natin and even them agreed that given enough time, a year or two, you will be on their level and possibly malampasan ninyo pa sila in their limits,” she said truthfully before putting her hand on her large chest and sigh, “Kailangan mamaximize natin ang mga potensyal ninyo para hindi ma-aksaya. Kung susundin natin ang timetable o schedule, we will be wasting precious time waiting for the “right” time to find your focus.”

Wynda raised an eyebrow as she gave up her argument entirely and so I did, “Well to be perfectly honest, pinag-iisipan ko na din kung ano nga ba ang focus ko? Most, if not all Hazemancers before me are either wind or illusion specialists. Pero parang gusto ko talaga ipush ang pag focus sa fantasy.”

“Oh, so you are a dreamer, eh, Wynda?” magiliw na tanong ng governess that made my childhood friend nodded quickly.

“Naku, oo. Iyon nga ang unang napansin ng tatay ni Vladira sa akin when he first saw me. Ang lawak daw ng imahinasyon ko at ang dami kong naiisip na kung ano-anong mga pantasya at panaginip.”

I giggled and nodded sweetly at her, “Hindi lang for herself but also for me. Kung ano-ano na lang nagagawa niyang kaguluhan dahil sa kaniyang daydreaming nung mga bata pa kami.”

“In-born na talagang Hazemancer, I see,” tumingin naman sa direksyon ko si Grasya at ngumiti encouragingly, “How about you, Vladira? Gusto mo bang sumunod sa yapak ng tatay mo?”

I quickly shook my head in denial, “Naku, wala. I wish. Napakabulol ko. Simpleng incantation lang, hindi ko pa matapos-tapos.”

“Naikwento din ni Gaius sa akin na medyo tagilid ka sa shadow as well dahil napakabagal mong mag-cast, naunahan pa ng cooldown niya ang sinusubukan mong gamiting skills.”

“True. Ewan ba napakahina ng atensyon ko pag sa mga mahahabang isipan at salitaan. It’s just not my cup of tea, I guess.”

But Mors looked at me adorably with those puppy eyes again, “Pero iyong mga sinummon mo sa laban natin against Gaius and Sasha are something else! Iyong mga skeletons, mga bangkay, mga kaluluwa at espiritong gala. Kung hindi nga lang wala daw kinakatakutan ang Guild Hero at Madam natin, nagsitakbuhan na sila at napaihi na.”

“Well, I guess there’s only one choice of focus for me then,” I said meaningfully to the Photomancer who giggled a little, “Kahit bata pa lang ang hilig ko na talaga makipagchismisan sa mga namayapa na.”

Tumango agad si Wynda, “Tunay ka dyan sis! Kaya nasanay na din ako in my early age na biglang may lalabas na multo, bangkay o kalansay sa tabi ko para makipagusap sa iyo. Well, I guess it is somewhat useful. After all, makakasugod ako sa laban without screaming and losing my consciousness everytime may naaagnas na katawan na lumabas sa hukay next to me.”

“So its and undead focus for our Vladira here,” Grasya said and I nodded in agreement before she moved to Mors, “As written in the annals of history, there are a handful of Neomancers who managed to attain near godlike status in our world.”

Napasinghap kami ni Wynda ng makinig namin ang sinabi ng governess namin as Mors just remained quietly pensive.

“Yes, godlike. Kahit ang holy book na tanging mga Photomancers lang ang nakakabasa ay nagsasabi na ang Neomancers ang pinakamalapit na tao sa nakakataas sa ating lahat. Even more so than us. He or she is the vessel of his will to our world. A hallowed body na ginagamit ng diyos para tingnan ang mga nangyayari sa Gaia at sa pagtatapos ng buhay ng Neomancers, babalik ang kanilang perpektong katawan at kaluluwa sa piling maykapal kung saan ikwekwento nila ang kanilang naranasan sa lupa.”

Bumuntong-hininga na lang si Mors at napailing slowly as if he refuse to accept that fact, “Kaya napakahirap ng buhay ko. It’s either ang daming namlamlastik sa akin o kinakatakutan ako. Ako ay ako, anak ako ng mga magulang ko, hindi isang nilalang na pinadala ng kung sino man para mag-espiya o mangalap ng impormasyon before dying and reporting back my findings. Mas may kwenta ang buhay ko. Or that’s what I want to believe.”

“You do know na hubris at kabastusan sa banal na aral ang sinasabi mo, Mors?” maingat na tanong ko dito na nagpahalakhak naman kay Grasya as she looked at the scadalized face of my childhood friend na hindi makapaniwala sa sinabi ng kaibigan namin, “Even us, practicioners of the darkness knows kung ano ang pwede at hindi namin pwedeng isipin at sabihin pag diyos na ang usapan.”

Pero sumimangot defiantly ito at tinitigan ang puting halo na nakasabit sa dingding ng library emitting an ethereal holy light as it is blessed by the highest and eldest Photomancer in Sapienos.

“Wala akong pakialam. I am something, someone more than a puppet of a powerful being. I am me at gagawin ko ang gusto kong gawin sa buhay ko,” malakas na sabi nito sabay taas noo.

To mine and Wynda’s surprise, napangiti si Grasya kindly sa bata, “You do know that the reason why many Neomancers before you through the ages have failed is because hindi nila sinunod ang calling taas for them to perfom great miracles and feats worthy of god’s vessels.”

“Miracles?”

Tumango ang governess namin at huminga ng malalim before starting to recant a tale as old as Gaia itself about how Neomancers came to be and the truth about their existence.