The Cursed (Sepheera Mortem)

Chapter I: The Test (Ang Pagsubok)

"Sepheera! Gising Iha!" bigla akong nagising ng maramdaman ko ang magaspang at mainit na kamay ng isang babae, agad na bumungad ang kulubot na mukha ni Inang Pedora, isa sa pinakamagaling na mangkukulam sa kaharian ng Incantatus, ang lupain inilaan para sa mga mangkukulam, at lubos na ginagalang sa buong Maleficis, ang kabisera ng Incantatus.

"Nanaginip ka na naman ba Sepheera?" nag-aalalang tanong ni Nana Zefra, ang aking ina, she is the Head General of the Higher coven, grupo ng mga magagaling na mga mangkukulam, tumango ako bilang tugon.

"Hay naku..." wika ni Inang Pedora sabay pakawala ng isang buntong hininga

"Bakit po Inang, may ipinapahiwatig po ba ang mga panaginip ko?" nagtataka ko silang tinitigan, ngunit hindi sila makatingin sa akin ng diretso

"May dapat po ba akong malaman? Inang? Nana?" I raised my right eyebrow to repeat the question pero--

"Wala Sepheera! Maghanda ka na dahil mahuhuli ka na para sa taunang pagsusulit! Hindi ba't gustong-gusto mong sumali? Umalis kana kung ayaw mong mapahiya ako sa buong Maleficis? Alis!" galit na usal ni Nana Zefra na tila torong kaunti nalang ay susungayin na ako, hay naku why is she always mad 'pag nagtatanong ako tungkol sa mga dreams ko? Gosh, parang may ipinapahiwatig tuloy siya.

"Opo parang nagtatanong lang eh, ang aga-aga eh ang init ng ulo" I murmured

"May sinasabi ka Sepheera? Ha? Gusto mo bang magsuka ng mga palaka? Ha?" pagbabanta nito sabay titig ng masama

"Ha-hi- wala Nana hehe, ang sabi ko ang ganda niyo pala kahit bagong gising, sige po maghahanda na po ako para sa pagsusulit!" Gosh and aga-aga parang siling labuyo na agad, I headed to my room and prepared myself for the test.

--

"Good day Wizards! The day we all have been waiting for has already come, the annual test for wizards! The test is divided into four parts, ngunit isa lamang ang gagawin natin ngayong araw at 'yon ay ang unang bahagi, ang Bestia Venandi o Beast Hunting, you'll be hunting atleast one vampire or one werewolf, but you'll bring them here ALIVE, note that the more, the higher the chances of passing the test, you'll be given until sunrise whoever fails to comeback will be automatically disqualified, prepare yourselves to be gnawed away, we're about to start in a few minutes." Paliwanag ni Kataliste, isa sa mga katuwang ni Nana Zefra sa pamumuno ng Maleficis, isa rin siya sa mga Chief general ng High Coven.

I immediately run to the forest akay-akay ang isang punyal at pana na kulay pilak. Hayst how am I supposed to catch a werewolf or a vampire when I can't even cast some spell successfully, aish this is bad, I cannot go home without a passed pin (a pin given to those who passed the test, you should have four passed pin inorder to passed the test and become part of the Higher Coven) Inang will kill me if I didn't passed the test, it would be a huge disgraced in the family if I fail. "Waaaaaah what should I do now? Ohh wait, is that a boy?" kunot-noo kong tinitigan ang lalaking nakasandal sa puno, is he asleep, wait parang lobo 'to ah, nays, jakpat! 'pag siniswerte ka nga naman pero malas lang I don't know how to make him go with me papuntang Incantatus *pout* what should I do na?! ohh wait... He looks familiar, humakbang ako papalapit sa kaniya upang mas makita ko siya ng malapitan and when I'm closer enough to see his lovely face, I let my finger roamed around in every corner of his face, his eyebrows are damn long and thick, his nose is kinda attractive, and his lips are se— "Oh you startled me!" reklamo ko ng biglang magmulat ang kaniyang mga mata at bigla niyang hawakan ang kamay ko, napahawak ako sa dibdib ko sa sobrang pagkabigla.

"Ganiyan na ba talaga ako kagwapo para hayaan ang kamay mo na libutin ang bawat distrito ng aking mukha? Huh? Binibini?" Sa likod ng maamo nitong mukha ay nagtatago ang mala-demonyo niyang boses, mas lalo niyang hinigpitan ang pagkakapit sa kamay ko dahilan upang mamilipit ako sa sakit "Ouch, that hurts!" Reklamo ko habang tinatapik-tapik ang kamay nito sakaling kumalas ang kaniyang hawak, pinilit kong kumawala ngunit sadyang malakas siya kaya kahit anong gawin ko ay hindi niya ako binibitawan

"You should have known the consequences of touching a man's face before letting your desire rule over your body, lady." Nagsitayuan ang balahibo ko when he smirked like an evil after he let those words out of his mouth

"Bakit anong gagawin mo?" I covered my body using my arms "And anong desire ha? Hindi kita type no!"

"I'm sorry but you should take whatever consequences you have for your actions, lady" he said again, winking and smiling like an i***t.

"Co-consequences? I only touched your face hindi naman yata sapat 'yon para patayin ako!" singhal ko

"Patayin?" He laughed like a fool

"Bakit? Bakit ka tumatawa?" I asked, then I let out an irritated sigh, patuloy lang siya sa pagtawa not paying attention to what I just said

"Ganiyan siguro talaga 'pag sira-ulo, tawa lang ng tawa" I mumbled

"Kasi naman binibini paano kita mapapatay by just holding your wrist tight" oh crap my stupidity is on its maximum level again but I cannot let my bandera down so

"I—" *Bang* "Ginoo!" Lumingon ako para makita kung sino ang bumaril

"Mga Bampira" bulong ko sa sarili

"Umalis ka na! umalis ka na dito!" sinubukan niyang tumayo at itulak ako papalayo ngunit "Where do you think you're going?" sambit ng isang bampira na batay sa damit ay napapabilang sa mga Certare(Sirtari)o mga maharlika at mga bampira na matataas ang posisyon

"Dito ka lang sa likod ko" sambit nito na parang hindi ko kayang protektahan ang sarili ko, well hindi nga naman talaga. He acted like an overprotective brother

"Why? I can handle mysel—" Hindi ko na natapos ang sasabihin ko when he look at me with pissed face kaya wala akong nagawa kundi ang sundin siya

"Maphrim the vampire hunter" saad ng lalaki na tila lider nilang mga bampira "Is that your girl? I wonder tuloy if sino ang uunahin ko sa inyo, ikaw ba o siya?" He said while pointing his sword on us

"What?! I'm not his girl noh, and he's not my type duhh!" I said like a girl na inaway ng kapit-bahay

The Vampire leader mocked me and said "Whether you're his girl or not you'll still feed my sword with your blood" He walked away with a grin on his face after uttering those words.

I laughed shortly and said "What, why? I don't owe you something that needs to be paid back, hindi ba't siya (I pointed the werewolf boy) lang naman ang may kasalanan sa inyo? So why don't you let me go?"

"Why don't you kill him?" He inquired sternly

"What?!" I asked in shocked, I didn't see it coming

"Gusto mo pang mabuhay hindi ba? Then kill him and I will let you go"

With a puzzled expression on my face, I inquired at him "But ha-how"

"Cast a spell mangkukulam ka hindi ba?" I was taken aback when I realized he knew who I was but I didn't let him notice it, so I responded right away.

"No, I'm not"

"Don't you dare lie to me, I can see your wand! Do it now or I'll cut you into pieces!" He drew his sword and aimed it at me.

"Alright, alright, I'll do it now, just take your sword out of my neck 'cause it stinks!" I rolled my eyes as I uttered those words, he just smirked and took his sword away, tinignan ko ang lalaking nangangalang Maphrim, hinang-hina na siya, I can see the 444 Marlin used by that evil vampire to shoot Maphrim and for sure it was loaded with silver bullets, I mumbled a sorry as I look at his eyes. I'm sorry, Maphrim, but I have no choice but to do this; I need to save myself. I waved my wand in the air and cast a spell "Erit somnus tuus sanitatem!" When I finished casting the spell, Maphrim lost his breath and collapsed to the ground.

--

"Whoaaa binuhat mo siya mag-isa mula Aladia (Ang lugar na dati ay pagmamay-ari ng mga Coyote) hanggang Incantatus? Ang lakas mo talaga Sepheera!" Manghang-manghang tanong ni Alyeka (Alika)

"Well..." I stretched my arms and flex it as if I have muscles

Kinapa ko ang aking batok kung saan naramdaman ko ang sakit, someone hit me "Ouch! Sinong taranta-"I shifted my gaze to see who it was but I found out it was "Nana! What are you doing here po?" tiningnan niya lang ako na parang dragong gustong-gustong akong sunugin ng buhay

"Bakit Nana, may nagawa ba ako? Hindi ka po ba natutuwang na nakapasa ako sa unang bahagi ng pagsubo—"

*slap* "Why?" I asked trying to hold back tears

"May gana ka pa talagang magtanong ha? Hindi mo alam? Ano sa tingin mo? Ha?! Tarantado ka talagang bata ka, wala ka ng ibang ginawa kundi bigyan kami ng sakit ng ulo, anong ginawa mo sa lobo? Ganiyan ka na ba talaga ka desperada Sepheera? ha?!para lang malaman mo, kahit kailan ay hindi ka makakapasok sa higher coven dahil hindi ka nakatadhang makapasok sa coven dahil sisiguraduhin kong hinding-hindi ka papasok!"

"Nana? Did you mean it?" I looked at her and smiled

"Yes, I really mean it" Everyone was in great shocked but I manage to keep my smile as if my heart doesn't ache.

"Liar!" I left the hall after I spoke that word

I went to the dungeon where they put Maphrim, I was about to open the door but I was obstructed by the guard "Move! Or I'll tear you into pieces and feed it to those creature!" they got scared so I opened the gate "Maphrim? Erit Anima tua" He gasped for air as soon as he get his breath back.

"Maphrim are you okay?" Tumango siya at kinapa ang mga sugat niya

"How?" he looked at me "How did you do it? I thought you wanted to save yourself?"

"I casted a sleep healing spell, that made you appear lifeless until your wounds heal, as you sleep, your wounds are healing but it could be dangerous if the spell wasn't reversed" I explained

"How about Ezrile and his armies?"

"You mean those vampire who attacked you? They just disappeared like nothing happened after they confirmed that you were already dead."

"How? What do you mean they left like nothing happened? They should have taken my body as proof of their victory" He asked again, as if there was something wrong about the behavior of the vampire earlier.

"I don't know, I just asked them if I could give you a formal funeral as an apology for what I have done to you and they agreed, that's why you're here, oh before I forgot your wounds aren't completely healed yet, but they'll heal better if you turn into a wolf, so you better stand up and prepare yourself 'cause I will get you out of here." I headed to the door and look for the guards, they are still there

"What shall we do now? Should I attack them?" sabi nito ng bigla siyang sumulpot sa likuran ko

"No! We can't do that, beside they are still my brothers, just wait there, I'll find a way" saad ko bago tinungo ang mga kawal, I raised my wand and casted a spell "Somnum!" I stood still to see what will happen

"Miss Sepheera ano po ginagawa niyo? Ginagaya niyo po ba si Darna?" Waahh nakakahiya, ba't hindi gumagana? "Ah-eh-ah-no, ano nagpra-practice ako, oo tama nagprapractice ako para sa pagsusulit." Tiningnan lang nila ako na parang nakakita sila ng baliw na lumunok ng bato at sumigaw ng darna

"Oo nga pala tinatawag kayo ni Kataliste, may iuutos daw sa inyo, ako daw muna ang magbabantay ng piitan" tiningnan lang nila ulit ako na parang nagtatanong kung totoo ba talaga ang sinasabi ko o hindi

"Oh? Ano na?!" bulyaw ko ng hindi pa sila gumagalaw sa kinatatayuan nila

"Pero Miss Sepheera, no'ng huli beses po na kayo ang nagbantay sa piitan, muntik ng makalabas lahat ng mga priso dahil natulog kayo malapit sa kanila kaya nakuha yung susi, buti nalang a--" wika nito pero hindi ko na siya pinatapos

"Hep-hep-hep!" wika ko sabay takip sa bunganga nito "Huwag na nating balikan 'yon at saka bata pa'ko no'n kaya muntik na silang makatakas" wika ko habang tinatapik-tapik ang balikat nito

"Pero Miss Sephee—"

"Aalis ba kayo o aalisin ko yang bunganga niyo?" bulyaw ko ng muli itong sumagot

"Paano? ni hindi niyo nga kami kayang gawing palaka" bulong nito

"Ano? Anong sabi mo? Gusto mo bang durugin kayo ni Kataliste? If 'yan ang gusto niyo, sige!" akmang aalis na ako ng pigilan nila ako

"Okay na po Miss Sepheera aalis na po kami" They get their flying broom and ride it as soon as they stepped out of the gate

"Maphrim, halika na!" we went out through the back gate

"Hanggang dito na lang ako siguro, I need to go back to the dungeon kailangan kong magbantay doon, by the way I don't owe you anything, if mayroon man, I already paid it." Ngumiti lang siya sa'kin, I went back to the dungeon at nadatnan kong bukas ang isang kulungan, tumakbo ako at tiningnan kung anong nangyari "Patay! Nakatakas!" I don't know why pero I can smell him at tiyak kong hindi pa siya nakakalayo, I took out the silver dagger out of my pouch and chase him, isang bampira at ang bilis niya. Mas lalo pa siya bumilis ng makita niyang nakabuntot ako sa kaniya, lumihis ako ng daan to corner him ngunit hindi gumana, nawala ko siya, I can no longer smell him

"Are you looking for me?" napatigil ako ng marinig ang boses mula sa likuran ko, paanong hindi ko namalayan ang pagdating niya o naamoy man lang gayong mas malapit na siya sa akin?

"Anong sa tingin mo?" I said it fiercely.

He looked at me and raised his eyebrow "Paano ka nakatakas?" I inquire, he pouted and replied "Well... I used my head" He pointed his head

"Ows talaga ba, pero sorry ka na lang kasi you can't leave this place 'caus-"

I was taken aback when he run up behind me and pointed the silver dagger I was holding at my throat and said "'cause what?"

"You're shaking Darling, you know what the snake sees the Hen's breast, yet the hen doesn't know it and continues to challenge him, what should the snake do? Should he exposed the hen's breast?" Napatakip ako ng bunganga ng mapagtanto kung ano ang ibig niyang sabihin ngunit hindi ko alam kung ano ang tinutukoy niya

"What—what do you mean?" I asked

He didn't answer my question but instead he responded by asking a question "Who are you?" He let go of me and bolted away, leaving me speechless.

---

"Sepheera! Saan ka galling kanina ka pa namin hinahanap, galit na galit sayo si Nana Zefra" Hindi ako kumibo, nasa isip ko parin ang sinabi ng Bampirang iyon, anong lihim ang tinutukoy niya? at paano niya nalaman? May kaugnayan kaya ito sa mga panaginip ko?

"Sepheera! Saan ka nanggaling Iha? Kanina pa ako nag-aalala sayo" Sambit ni Inang Pedora

"Mas mainam Iha kung huwag ka munang umalis ng Maleficis, masyadong delikado" dugtong niya pa

"Bakit ho Inang? Malayo pa ang kabilugan ng buwan ah, bakit niyo po ako pinag-iingat?" kunot-noo kong tanong dito

"Dahil sa katarantaduhan mo nakalabas ang tatlong bihag, ang isa doon ay prinsipe ng mga bampira at ang isa naman ay prinsipe ng mga lobo pero dahil sayo wala na, kung hindi ka sana tanga Sepheera edi sana hawak na natin ngayon sa leeg ang Vetrinium( Kaharian ng mga Bampira) at ang Zathria (Kaharian ng mga Lobo)!" bulyaw ni Nana Zefra

"Tama na 'yan Zefrana! Hindi ka ba nag-aalala sa anak mo?" awat ni Inang Pedora

"Bakit Inang? Tama na man ah, oh ngayon ano? Kinailangan ng buong Incantatus na maghanda dahil maaaring lumusob ang mga bampira at lobo pagkagat ng dilim dahil paniguradong hindi nila 'to palalampasin, mabuti naman sana kung may maiaambag ka Sepheera, pero wala eh, isa ka lang hamak na pabigat!" hindi ko namalayang tumulo na pala ang luha ko

"Why? Why are you doing this to me Nana? Why?!" hindi ko na napigilan ang sarili ko

"Dahil hindi kita anak, narinig mo? HINDI KITA ANAK! At wala akong anak na tulad mo, isa kang kahihiyan Sepheera!" She raised her wand and teleported.