A Shadow of an Illusion

Chapter 17

I was still in daze even if I just left Erebus’ office. I was still thinking of what he told me before he left the room. Hindi ko alam kung tama ba ang pagkakarinig ko o hindi, pero para sa isip ko, alam ko na totoong nanggaling iyon sa bibig mismo ni Erebus.

‘Then you should be careful out there.’

I know that it may sound so cold but it is like he was worried about me, right? Parang nag-aalala siya na hindi ko maipaliwanag kung bakit kailangan niyang mag-alala para sa akin. I mean, days ago we are not even talking with one another, then now that we finally talked, he will tell me that?

I sighed because many thoughts flooded in my mind just because of that one single statement that he told me. Kung alam ko lang na magkaka-ganito ako, hindi na sana ako nakapag-usap pa sa kaniya, kahit na alam kong hindi naman maiiwasan ‘yon.

Naririto ako sa labas ng palasyo at hinihintay si Hemera na dumating, dahil ayon kay Grim, sasabihan pa niya ito na si Hemera ang sasama sa akin sa paglabas ko ng palasyo.

Isa pa ‘yang si Grim. Matagal ko nang iniisip kung paano niya nakakausap si Hemera nang hindi man lang niya naaalala na si Hemera ay ang dati niyang kanang kamay no‘ng siya pa ang namumuno sa Land Realm.

Marami akong iniisip ngayon na nakakapagpa-sakit sa ulo ko pero pinilit ko ang sarili ko na huwag ipakita sa mga tao sa loob ng palasyo na problemado ako dahil baka hindi na talaga ako payagan ni Erebus na lumabas ng palasyo. At hindi pwedeng mangyari ‘yon dahil kailangan kong maka-usap si Elysium ngayon.

Pagkalipas ng ilang minutong paghihintay ko sa labas ng palasyo, sa wakas ay dumating na si Hemera. Naka-sunod sa kaniya si Grim na mukhang binibigyan niya ng instruction si Hemera sa kung ano ang dapat niyang gawin. Nakita ko kung gaano ka-seryoso si Hemera habang nakikinig siya sa dati niyang ‘hari,’ and somehow, i felt bad for her because she had to endure the pain that she is feeling while Grim was conversing to her as if he did not know her.

“I will do as you say, sir,” sabi ni Hemera habanga naka-yuko siya kay Grim.

Nakikita ko ang lungkot sa mga mata niya, at gusto ko sana siyang lapitan para mabawasan ng kahit kaunti ang lungkot na nararamdaman niya, pero pinigilan ko ang sarili ko dahil baka magtaka ang mga tauhan ni Erebus na malapit sa amin kung bakit ko ginawa iyon.

Instead of doing what I wanted, I just watched them from afar as I looked at how Hemera changed her expression while she conversed to Grim. I really wanted to punch Grim to wake him up to whatever magic spell that Erebus had gave him, but I did not do any of that as I watched them silently.

Mga ilang minuto pa silang nag-usap bago tuluyang umalis si Grim at si Hemera naman ay pumunta sa gawi ko. Nang mapansin niya na naka-tingin ako sa direksiyon niya, ang malungkot na tingin niya kanina ay napalitan ng pilit na ngiti at hindi ako natutuwa sa nakikita ko sa kaniya. Pero kagaya nga ng ginawa ko kanina, hindi na lamang ako nagsalita at hinayaan na lang siyang maka-lapit sa akin.

Maybe, I will talk to her later when we are far from the palace so that no one could see it, and so that I will know what she trully feels right now. Nakita ko kasi kung gaano siya nalungkot no‘ng kinaka-usap niya si Grim kaya naman gusto ko siyang i-comfort kahit na sa simpleng paraan man lang.

“The butler of the Emperor already instructed me on what I should do,” Hemera explained to me and I just nodded my head at her. “Then we should get going now, milady, while it is still early.”

Tumango lang ako sa kaniya at nagsimula nang maglakad papa-labas ng palasyo. Tahimik lang kaming naglalakad habang ako ay nauuna at siya ay naka-sunod lang sa bawat lakad na ginagawa ko.

Until we reached the frorest that Elysium and I agreed to meet, we did not dare to break the silence, but I guess Hemera seems to notice that I wanted to ask her something because she cleared her throat right when we entered the forest.

Napa-tingin ako sa gawi niya at hindi na ako nagulat pa nang mskita kong naka-titig siya sa akin. Ang lungkot na nakita ko sa mata niya kanina nang nag-uusap silang dalawa ni Grim.

“I know you wanted to ask me how do I feel right after I talked to King Grim,” she told me as if she was sure that I wanted to ask her that, which is really true on my part.

I looked away from her as I continued to walk inside the forest. “If you don’t want to talk about it, then it is alright,” I told her.

And I mean it. Alam ko kung gaano kahirap mag-open up sa isang tao kaya naman hindi ko siya pipilitin kung hindi niya gustong pag-usapan namin ‘to. I know her pains because of what Erebus had done to her and the kingdom that she served all this years that is why I understand if she was having a hard time talking about it, or Grim that is.

“No,” she said as she hurried her steps so that we can walk at the same time. “I will tell you how I feel whenever he was talking to me.”

Tinignan ko siya at nakikita kong desidido siyang sabihin sa akin ang nararamdaman niya kaya tumango ako sa kaniya at sinabing, “Then go ahead and tell me.”

Hindi na nagdalawang isip pa si Hemera at nagsimula nang magkuwento. “Hindi ito ang unang pagkakataon na naka-usap ko si King Grim bilang butler ni Erebus kaya naman medyo sanay na ako sa pakiki-tungo niya sa akin pero hindi ibig sabihin no‘n na hindi ako nasasaktan sa tuwing nakikita ko kung paano siya utus-utusan ni Erebus.”

Nakita ko ang lungkot sa mga mata niya habang sinasabi niya iyon at hindi ko alam ang gagawin ko kaya naman hinawakan ko na lang ang balikat niya na para bang sinasabi kong naririto lang ako.

She looked at me then she smiled before she turned her gaze on the path that we are walking through. “Bigla na lang siyang nawala no‘ng mga panahong sinasakop ni Erebus ang Land Realm at walang nakakaalam na kahit sino kung nasaan ba talaga siya, kahit na ako, hindi ko alam kung saan siya napunta. The other knights inside the Land Realm’s palace said that maybe the king had became a coward because of how strong Erebus is, but I still believe that he will come to save all of us.”

Narinig ko ang pagbuntong hininga niya at sa tingin ko, pinipigilan niyang umiyak sa harapan ko. I just continued to listen to her so that the pain inside her heart will lessen.

“Until the day that Erebus already invaded the palace, and the Queen had escaped his grasp, the King was still nowhere to be found. Maraming mga tauhan ng Land Realm ang napa-sailalim kay Erebus at wala kaming nagawa kung hindi ang sundin siya dahil lagi niya kaming pinagbabantaan,” she said and I could hear her voice trembled as she continued to talk. “Luckily, hindi niya ako kilala bilang kanang kamay ng Royal Family ng Land Realm kaya naman ginawa niya akong katulong sa loob ng palasyo niya at hindi bilang isang bilanggo sa loob ng dungeon.”

Patuloy lang kami sa paglalakad habang siya ay nagsasalita ng mga nangyari sa nakaraan niya. I really felt bad for her because she had suffer something like that, but I still kept quiet because I could see that she still have something to say.

“No‘ng araw na nagsimula ako bilang katulong sa loob ng palasyo ni Erebus, doon ko nakita muli ang King ng Land Realm,” sabi niya na nakapagpa-tigil sa aking paglalakad at tumingin sa kaniya. She stopped too and I could see a sad smile on her face. “Laking gulat ko no‘ng araw na ‘yon pero hindi ko siya nilapitan sa takot na baka maparusahan ako ni Erebus, dahil nalaman ko na siya ang butler ng Emperor. And when I finally had a chance to ask him, it looks like he could not recognize me because he just stared at me with his emotionless eyes as he tried to figure out who I am.”

Nakita ko ang pagtulo ng luha niya nang sabihin niya ‘yon. I could feel her sufferings and pain that she had kept all this time because of the things that Erebus had done to her and to the kingdom that I know it has a huge part in her life.

“I was shocked, confused, and many emotions came into my mind and my heart, many questions started to flood my mind that I could not tell if he was just kidding or not, and I was about to tell him who I am but then Fawn appeared and talked some sense to me.”

So that is the story why they got close together and formed an alliance to watch Erebus’ moves, huh?

“Sinabi niya na ginamitan ng magic si King Grim kaya siya nagkagano‘n, kaya hindi niya ako maaalala, at kaya hindi niya nagawang iligtas ang Land Realm. I remembered how much I cried after that, and I thanked Fawn for being there for me and become my problem absorber,” sabi niya at magmula no‘ng nagsimula ang usapang ito, nakita ko ang pagngiti niya. “Sinabi niya sa akin ang lahat. Kung bakit siya naroroon, kung ano ang nangyari sa kaniya, at doon ko nalaman ang alliance niya kay Helios. Sinabi ko sa kaniya na gusto ko ring tumulong sa kaniya at pumayag agad siya dahil ayon sa kaniya, mas magiging madaling kumuha ng impormasyon kung marami ang kikilos.”

“Is that the reason why the three of you are together now?” tanong ko sa kaniya.

Napa-baling siya sa akin bago siya ngumiti at tumango. “And we are glad that we met you, milady.”

I just smiled warmly at her as I genuinely said, “Me too.”

Naging tahimik kami pagkatapos no‘n at patuloy lang kaming naglalakad sa loob ng kagubatan. Katulad ng ginagawa ko nitong mga nakaraang araw, hindi ako dumiretso sa malapit na village sa palasyo, ang ginawa ko ay ang lumiko at pumunta pa sa mas mapunong lugar dito sa loob ng gubat.

Lumingon ako kay Hemera at nakita ko ang pagtataka sa mukha niya kaya naman nginitian ko lang siya nang makahulugan para sabihing may iba akong pina-plano.

“King Grim said to me that you are always going in the village near the palace and I thought that it is very odd for you to go in the same place over and over again,” sabi niya sa akin at alam kong nagtataka siya sa kung saan kami pupunta. “I know that you wanted to explore more but I never thought that you are so interested about this forest.”

I laughed because of what she said. She even have frown on her face as if she was asking why we are here that is why I already told her what is my goal right now.

“Pumupunta naman talaga ako sa village na malapit dito,” sabi ko sa kaniya at nakikita kong hindi siya naniniwala sa akin kaya naman tumawa ulit ako. “I am telling the truth,” I even added.

“I’m sorry, milady, but I know that you are not telling the truth right now,” she said and I could hear doubt in her voice that made me laugh again.

“But it is the truth,” sabi ko sa kaniya.

And that is really the truth. The day after Elysium talked to me, I decided to check the whole village that is near the palace. Sa tingin ko, maayos pa naman ang pamumuhay nila sa village na iyon pero nakikita ko rin sa mga mata nila na hindi sila masaya at hinding-hindi nila makakamit ‘yon hanggang nandito pa si Erebus sa mundong ito.

Sasabihin ko na sana sa kaniya ang totoo kung bakit kami lumiko rito, nang bigla na lang may lumitaw na tao sa harapan namin. Parehas kaming nagulat ni Hemera pero agad akong naka-bawi sa gulat ko nang makita ko kung sino ang taong iyon.

“You should stop confusing her, Menrui,” sabi sa akin ng taong iyon na nakapagpa-ngiti sa akin.

“And you should stop scaring people, Elysium, it does not suit you,” I joked.

Parehas kaming natawa dahil sa pinaggagawa namin, bago kami lumapit sa isa’t-isa para yakapin siya. I felt her pat my back so I did the same before pulling out of our brief hug.

“It’s been a while, Menrui,” Elysium greeted me that made me pout.

I even nudged at her to tell her to stop doing that. “We just talked days ago, you know.”

Napa-iling na lang siya dahil sa sinabi ko bago niya ibinaling ang tingin kay Hemera. Speaking of Hemera, she was standing behind us as if she was frozen in shock as she continued to stare at Elysium as if she could not believe that she saw her right in front of her eyes.

“Are you perhaps the chosen one by Celeste?” tanong ni Elysium kay Hemera na may ngiti sa kaniyang labi.

Hemera just nodded her head as her mouth gaped as she said, “One Goddess is already enough to make me so fascinated, but another one in front me? I guess I am not ready for this.”

I just shook my head because of what Hemera had said and Elysium laughed as if she is enjoying the shock look on Hemera’s face. Napag-desisyunan kong lumapit na sa kanila dahil sigurado akong lolokohin lang ni Elysium si Hemera kung hindi pa ako magsasalita.

“That is what I was about to tell you earlier, but then she appeared out of nowhere,” I explained to her as I playfully glared at Elysium but she just ignored me.

“How much does you know?” tanong niya kay Hemera kaya naman siniko ko siya para pigilan siya sa pagtatanong kay Hemera.

She then looked at me with a questioning gaze and I gave her a pointed look, and it looks like she get what I wanted to tell her so she immediately shifted the topic.

“Nevermind that,” sabi niya bago siya umupo sa isang malaking bato na naroroon. “I never formally introduced myself to you, and i guess this is the right time to tell you who I am. I am Goddes of the Sky, Elysium.” She grinned at Hemera then she raised her eyebrows at me and I just shrugged my shoulders.

“Sa tingin ko may hindi kayo sinasabi sa akin,” sabi ni Hemera na nakapagpa-tingin sa amin sa direksiyon niya. “But I will just let it go because I think that this isn’t the right time for me to know it, right?” Then she looked at Elysium who has a huge grin on her face.

Elysium slowly clapped as she said, “I now know the reason why Celeste choose you as the chosen one and not from the Royal Family of Land Realm.” Then she nodded approvingly.

Napa-ngiti si Hemera dahil sa sinabi niya. “I will take that as a compliment.”

Elysium, who still have a smile on her face, said, “It is a compliment.”

Bago pa mapunta sa kung saan ang usapan nila, pinutol ko na iyon dahil nauubusan na kami ng oras. Any time from now, Erebus might call for me to return inside the palace. After all, there is a problem lurking around it and I needed to confirm what it is.

“I think we already need to move on our main goal,” I interject and I could see that the smile on Elysium’s face faded because of what I said.

She nodded her head at me as I could hear her serious tone. It’s been a while since I last heard it. “Yeah, we have to.”

Tumingin kami kay Hemera at nakita ko ang nagtatanong niyang tingin sa aming dalawa kaya naman sinimulan ko nang ipaliwanag sa kaniya kung bakit naririto si Elysium.

“We talked a week ago,” I started telling her then my explanation goes on from the time that I went out in the palace and I thought that I could call Elysium to tell her my progress, up until she decided to go here. “That is why we agreed to meet today, so that we can come up a plan to help everyone and to save those who suffered the most,” I said as I ended my brief explanation.

Tumango naman si Hemera sa akin at alam kong naintindihan niya ang lahat ng nangyayari ngayon.

“And I think that you can help us to come up with a plan even if you were just here because of the fate that is in favor to us. After all, you are serving Erebus for a long time, right?”

Tumango lang si Hemera sa tanong ni Elysium bago siya tumungo at sinabing, “I will glady lend my help to the both of you, Goddesses.”

Elysium just nodded her head again as she said, “Then we should start to create a plan.”

And so, we created a magic barrier so that no one will notice what will we do, and we started creating our plans. Malaki ang naging tulong ni Hemera dahil halos alam niya na ang lahat ng pasikot-sikot sa loob ng palasyo ni Erebus.

Napag-usapan rin namin ang mga taong naka-kulong pa rin hanggang ngayon sa loob ng dungeon at kung ano ang dapat naming gawin para hindi makahalata si Erebus na may pina-plano kami laban sa kaniya.

We continued to discuss until we noticed that the sun had started to set so we started to wrap our discussion.

“Ako na ang iisip ng paraan para mailigtas natin ang lahat ng naka-kulong sa palasyo,” sabi ni Elysium at sabay kaming tumango ni Hemera sa kaniya. Tumingin ito sa aming dalawa at sinabing, “Ipagpatuloy niyo lang ang paghahanap ng impormasyon tungkol kay Erebus.”

Tumango ulit kami at pagakatapos n’on, agad ding umalis si Elysium bago siya magpaalam sa amin. Kami naman ni Hemera ay agad na tinahak ang daan pabalik ng palasyo.

Nasabi ko na sa kaniya ang mga dapat niya isagot kapag nagtanong si Erebus, o ‘di kaya naman si Grim sa kaniya, kaya naman alam ko na hinding-hindi sila maghihinala kung ano ang ginawa namin ngayong araw sa labas ng palasyo.

Pagka-tapak pa lang namin sa loob ng palasyo ni Erebus, agad kong naramdaman ang tensiyon rito. I immediately looked at Hemera, and I could see that she has a serious expression on her face as she looked straight ahead.

Tinignan ko ang direksiyon ng tinititigan niya, at laking gulat ko na makita si Erebus doon. Pero hindi lang siya mismo ang nakakagulat, kundi ang nag-aalalang tingin sa mukha niya.

It seems like he was looking for something, or rather someone, because as he saw me, I could see the relief on his face as if he was glad to see me.

Hindi na ako nakapag-react pa nang bigla siyang lumapit sa akin at niyakap ako.

I could hear a gasp beside me and I know that it came from Hemera, and I, on the other hand, tried to process what is happening right now. Many questions are running in my mind, but above it all, all I could think of was:

“Is this really Erebus?”