A Shadow of an Illusion

Chapter 11

Warning: Mentions of blood, violence, killings, and death.

The door of the hall opened and a soft melody of the piano could be heard inside. I started to walk slowly praying that I would not reach the end of the hall where Erebus is waiting for me. Though kahit na ano‘ng gawin ko, alam kong makakarating pa rin ako sa dulo ng hall na ‘to.

I looked around the hall and I could say that this wedding is really well-planned. From the cream-colored chairs with gold lining on its edge that is well organized, to the red carpet with rose petals scattered all over it that I am currently walking to, to the mixed cream ivory and dark purple Calla Lillies that was elegantly designed in the aisle.

I tightly gripped the Calla Lillies bouquet that I am currently holding to ease my nervousness. Marami ring mga bisita ang nasa loob ng hall at nakatingin sa akin. Hindi pamilyar ang mukha ng iba sa kanila pero may iba rin akong nakikilala katulad na lang ni Fawn na nasa isang gilid lamang ng hall at sinusundan ng tingin ang bawat lakad ko.

Nang magtama ang aming mga tingin, bahagya siyang tumango bago niya ibinaling ang tingin niya kay Erebus. Napatingin rin ako sa gawi ni Erebus na ngayon ko lang napansin ay nakatingin pala sa akin.

I got uncomfortable with the way he looks at me but I did not move my gaze away from him. I continued to look straight into his eyes. He had this emotion that I could not name but I tried to remove all the worries that I have and focus on walking slowly.

May parte sa akin na ipinagdadasal ko na sana, may mangyari para hindi na lang matuloy ang kasal na ‘to, at may parte rin na gusto ko na lamang matapos ang araw na ‘to at matapos ang kasal na ‘to para maipagpatuloy na namin ang lahat ng plano namin para sa kalayaan ng mundong ito.

I was halfway through the end of the hall and I felt that something bad will happen. I almost stopped walking but I still kept going. I need to do this. Not for me but for everyone else. For us to be a step closer to the freedom that Erebus took away from this world.

They say that wedding are for two souls who find comfort with one another. They say that this once in a lifetime event are for those who believe that they already found their one true love. They say that you can find that unexplainable happiness when you walk down the aisle and an extreme excitement that you cannot explain, but I did not feel any of those.

Paano ko mararamdaman ang mga bagay na ‘yon kung ang taong naghihintay sa akin sa dulo ng paglalakad kong ito ay ang taong pinaka kinamumuhian ko? Paano ako magiging masaya kung ang kasal na ‘to ay nangyari lamang dahil sa isang pagbabanta ng taong iyon?

This, is not my dream wedding. H*ck. I did not even dream of marrying someone. Wala sa plano ko ang magpakasal sa kahit sino, kahit noong hindi ko pa tinatanggap ang misyon na ito.

I just thought that I will never find that person that could make me experience that word ‘love,’ so I never really thought of these things.

I did not dream of wearing this glamorous gown. I did not dream that one day, I will walk down in an aisle of an unknown palace, marrying someone I despise. Marrying someone that everyone have considered as their enemy.

Narating ko rin ang dulo ng hall kung nasaan si Erebus. May dalawang upuan roon kung saan kami mauupo mamaya pagkatapos ng seremonya.

He reached out for my hands that I hesitantly get, at tinulungan niya ako para maka-akyat sa kinaroroonan niya. Nagtama ang mga mata namin ngunit wala ni isa sa amin ang nagsalita. He just nodded his head at me as if he was telling me that the ceremony will now start.

Akala ko ay iba ang gagawing way ni Erebus sa kasal namin ngunit mali pala ako. Katulad din ito ng mga kasal na ginagawa rito sa mundong ito noong hindi pa niya nasasakop ang limang kingdom.

He will enchant a spell that will bind the two of us and that will mark us as husbands and wife. Only those who have the highest rank, like the queens or kings or their right hand men, in this world could do that spell or those who are gods or goddesses just like me. And that spell were just being taught on the people with higher ranks.

Kaya naman ang mga taong gustong magpakasal ay kailangan pang pumunta sa head ang lugar nila, o ‘di kaya naman ay sa palasy o mismo upang ma-perform ang spell na sinasabi ko.

As for Erebus, I am not really sure on how he would perform the spell when I clearly do not know where he came from. Akala ko, may nahuli siyang isa sa mataas ang pwesto rito at iyon ang paggagawin ng spell, pero laking gulat ko nang i-enchant niya ang spell na makakapag-bind sa aming dalawa.

Erebus mumbled the spell and a magic circle appeared on the floor where we are standing. Hinawakan niya ang magkabilang kamay ko at katulad kanina, nagbanggit rin siya ng spell na tuluyang makakapag-bind sa aming dalawa.

My left wrist glowed as well as his left wrist that held my right hand. We are standing so close to one another that our forehead almost touched. A bright yellow shines thorough the magic circle and our left wrist shined at the same time. Nakaramdam ako ng kaunting sakit sa kaliwang pulsuhan ko.

Makalipas ng ilan pang mga minuto, natapos ang enchatment ng spell. Ang nakakasilaw na liwanag kanina na pumalibot sa aming dalawa kanina ay nawala na. Unti-unti na ring nawawala ang magic circle na nasa sahig kanina. Ang tanging ebidensiya lamang na ginawa ni Erebus ang spell ay ang marka na nasa kaliwang pulsuhan ko.

I let go of his hand immediately and went to check the mark on my left wrist. It is a snowflakes. I tried to figure out what is the meaning of that mark but my brain is empty. I looked at Erebus, clearly confuse and was about to ask him a question but then he did not even let me.

May isang maid ang lumapit sa amin na may dalang isang box na kulay gold din. Ibinigay niya iyon kay Erebus at si Erebus naman ay binuksan at kinuha ang laman ng box na iyon.

He held my left hand again and that’s when I saw what is in the box. It is a golden ring with an amethyst gem in the center. It was simple yet beautiful. He put it on my left ring finger and to my shock, it perfectly fits on my finger.

If our situation were different from this, I would be in awe with everything that I have seen today. It was all well-prepared, and it seems as if he really planned all of this for a long period of time and not in a span of two weeks.

Alam ko na dapat hindi ko maramdaman ito pero sa loob ko, feeling ko nanghihinayang ako sa mga bagay na ginawa niya ngayong araw. It seems as if there was really a love between the two of us, when in fact, the truth is we barely knew each other. H*ck I even resent him, so why the h*ck does he have to prepare this kind of wedding? And I really don’t know the answer for that.

Erebus looked at me for a brief second and I know what he wants, so I held the other ring that was on the box and then I put it on his left ring finger.

Huminga ako nang malalim bago ko inilipat ang tingin ko sa kaniya, at laking gulat ko nang makita kong titig na titig siya sa kamay kong hawak-hawak niya.

I thought I have seen sorrowful look on his face, or maybe I am just imagining things, because when he looked at my face, his expressionless face returned.

Tinitigan niya ulit ang mukha ko ng ilan pang mga minuto, bago siya humarap sa mga taong naging saksi sa ‘kasal’ naming dalawa. He held my hand tightly as if he did not want to let go, or is it just my imagination? I don’t know. I just focus my gaze on nothing in particular as he looked around the hall.

“From this day forward,” he said that made the people inside the hall look at him with interest. “Menrui, the woman that is beside me, will become my wife and will become the empress of this world.”

The whole place got silent after he said that. My mind went blank too because of the last phrase that he said.

I thought that he just want me to become his wife because he felt like it, but I never thought that he was really serious about this to the point that he will make me the empress of this world. I tried to register this new information but it felt like my mind really went blank.

The crowd were also silent as Erebus have finished what he said, but after a few secons, they started to clap their hands as if they already registered on their minds what their Emperor had said.

“If anyone is against with this decision, then you may come forward so that you can face the consequences,” he said that made the whole crowd stop clapping.

The whole place got silent again as I looked at him with an anger in my eyes. Pero hindi niya iyon pinansin at nagpatuloy lang siya sa pagsasalita.

“If anyone wants to interfere with my decisions, then you have to keep in your mind of this day,” he said coldly again. Nakita ko ang pagngisi niya at nakaramdam ako nang hindi maganda dahil doon. “I will give an example to anyone who wants to interfere with my plans, and to anyone who are against with my decisions.”

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko nang sinabi niya ‘yon. Sinasabi ko na nga ba. May hindi ako magandang nararamdaman sa ceremony na ito. Kaya pala hindi mapalagay ang puso ko nitong mga nakaraang araw dahil may pina-plano siyang ganito.

I should have not believe him from the start. I shouldn’t have trusted him that he will fulfill his deal with me. Dapat pala talaga ay naniwala ako sa isinisigaw ng utak ko na huwag maniwala sa ipinangako ni Erebus.

The wall that was behind us were gone and I know that it was because of Erebus’ magic. That wall was replaced by ten men who was kneeling on the ground with their hands tied with a chain behind their backs. Sila ay naka-linya habang nakatungo ang kanilang mga ulo. I could also see bloods on their shirts.

Nakikilala ko ang isa sa mga taong nasa likuran namin ngayon. Arson. It was really him, at siya ang nasa pinaka gitna ng linyang iyon.

I looked at Erebus with rage in my eyes. “We had a deal. Sinabi mong gagawin mo ang parte mo sa deal na ‘yon pero ano ‘tong nakikita ko ngayon?!” I asked angrily. I threw the bouquet of Calla Lilies on the ground and I was about to slap him but then he stopped my hands from doing so. “Sinabi mong hindi mo gagalawin ang sino man hangga‘t sinusunod ko ang lahat ng gusto mo, tapos ito ang gagawin mo?!” I did not even stopped myself from shouting at him.

Ganito na lang ba ang mangyayari sa amin? I really shouldn’t have believed him. Alam ko namang hinding-hindi niya magagawang gampanan ang parte niya sa deal na iyon. Bakit ba umasa pa ako? Bakit ba umasa pa akong susundin niya ang deal na iyon?

Now, I am starting to question myself if I am really intelligent, because I am sure as h*ck that this will not happen if I just let my mind work. If I just thought of it thoroughly, baka hindi kailangang humantong sa ganito ang lahat.

Erebus throw a glance at me as he said, “I already fulfilled our deal.” I glared at him as he said that. “Sinabi mo sa deal natin na hindi ko gagalawin at wala akong gagawing masama sa mga taong nakakulong sa dungeon hanggang sa mapatunayan mo ang sarili mo sa akin. And you already proven yourself to me, and today is our wedding. Don’t you like my gift for you?”

I let out a sigh as if I could not believe that I was hearing this st*pid statement. Akala niya ba ay wala akong alam para laruin ako ng ganito? Akala niya ba pwede niyang basta-basta na lang niya kong ganituhin?

“B*llshit,” I said as I gritted my teeth.

“What?” he asked me in disbelief.

Sinamaan ko pa siya lalo ng tingin. Wala akong pakialam kung nakatingin ang mga tao sa amin. Wala akong pakialam kung nakikita nila ang lahat ng ito. Dahil pa sa akin, kailangan nilang makita kung gaano katuso ang tinatawag nilang Emperor.

“Stop this b*llshits!” I shouted, angrily.

Narinig ko ang pagsinghap at pagbubulungan ng mga tao sa paligid namin pero hindi ko iyon pinansin. I know, I am letting my emotions got better on me again, but I needed to tell him this.

Dahil sa isip ko, baka may magawa pa ako. Na baka mapigilan ko pa siya sa gusto niyang mangyari, kagaya ng ginawa niya noong nasa dungeon kami. Kahit na alam kong parang mahirap nang paniwalaan siya, ginawa ko pa rin.

“Tigilan mo na ang mga ginagawa mong ‘to! Stop using people as if they were just a lifeless puppet that if they have no use to you anymore, you will just cast them away.” I clenched my fist when I saw that nothing has changed on his expression.

Napatigil ako nang marinig ko siyang tumawa nang malakas. Mukhang nagulat din ang lahat ng nasa loob ng hall na ito dahil narinig ko na namang napasinghap ang iba sa kanila. Is he out of his mind right now?

He stopped laughing as looked at me with a smirk on his face. “You are just my wife,” sabi niya habang pinagdidiinan ang mga katagang binibitawan niya. “You do not have the right to order me around. If I want to do something, then I will do it in just a blink of an eye, and you don’t have the right to order me what to do.”

To prove his point, he raised his hand and was about to cast a spell, but I stopped him.

“Ano sa tingin mo ang ginagawa mo?!” Sigaw ko sa kaniya habang nakahawak sa braso niya para pigilan siya sa gusto niyang gawin.

Wala na bang pag-asa? Hindi ko na nga ba siya mapipigilan? And will I just let him do what he wants to?

No. I am not that kind of woman. Hindi ako basta-basta sumusuko lalo na at buhay ng mga tao ang pinag-uusapan namin ngayon. At hindi ko siya hahayaan sa gusto niyang gawin.

With that in my mind, I started to enchant a spell on my mind and I saw that he was doing the same. I clenched my fist and I was determined to stop him from doing something.

Itinaas niya ulit ang kamay niya at alam kong gagamit na siya ng spell kaya naman inihanda ko na ang sarili ko. Pero bago pa man mangyari ang lahat ng inaasahan ko, napatigil kaming pareho nang may lumapit na kawal kay Erebus.

He dropped his hands again that made me let out a sigh. May ibinulong ang kawal na iyon sa kaniya at nakita ko ang pandidilim ng mukha niya. Mukhang hindi maganda ang narinig niya kaya gano‘n ang ekspresiyon niya.

He looked at the direction of the ten people behind us as he said, “The ten of you are lucky enough that I have something to do. I will spare your life for now. You should be thankful.” Then he turned his gaze towards me. “I don’t know what charm you have, but I guess that you are always lucky when it comes to this things. I will see you later.”

Iyon lamang ang sinabi niya at tuluyan na siyang umalis ng hall na iyon. Hindi niya na rin ako binigyan ng pagkakataon na sagutin siya o di kaya naman ay tumutol sa gusto niyang mangyari.

I shook off the thought of talking back at Erebus and I turned my attention to the ten people behind me. Tumingin ako sa mga kawal na nasa likuran lamang ng sampung taong iyon atsaka inutusan sila.

“Ibalik niyo na lang sila sa dungeon. Hindi ‘yong parang hinihintay niyo pa silang mamatay sa harapan ninyo!” I shouted at them.

Sa isip ko, mas ayos nang nasa dungeon sila kaysa naman naririto sila sa labas at parang hinihintay ang kamatayan nila na dumating ano mang oras magmula ngayon. Sa sitwasyon ngayon, mas ayos nang sa dungeon muna sila habang naghahanap kami ng paraan para mapabagsak si Erebus.

“Ano pang ginagawa niyo?” Sigaw ko ulit sa kanila pero wala pa ring sumusunod sa kahit anong sabihin ko.

Akmang sasabihan ko muli sila nang bigla na lang may nagsalita sa likod ko.

“What are you doing? The empress had given you an order and you were just standing there?”

I turned around to see who it was and shock was written all over my face when I recognized his face.

He just smiled at me then he turned his gaze towards the knights that was behind me. “Go on and follow what the empress had said.”