The Grimoire

Chapter 21: Cardinal sins

Hindi ko alam kung paano ko sasabihin sa kanila ang totoong pagkatao ko kasi ako mismo wala rin akong masyadong alam. Who would have thought that someone would say na isa ako sa royal blood when in fact ang alam ko lang ay pinanganak ako dito. Not even my foster father told me about something like this.

The mist was now further away, and Kraken stopped. A warm shine suddenly greeted us and I saw how their eyes widened at napatingin sa itaas. The sunlight began to embrace my wound at kusa rin itong gumaling. Bakit may araw? We travelled by night. Dahil nakaharap ako sa kanila at nakatalikod ako sa kung ano man ang tinitingnan nila, I found my selef looking on what's behind me and I was bewildered of what I saw.

There was multiple land floating above the sea. Each land had different temples and each land had different auras. Some had green, some had yellow, some had pink and the only land that caught my attention was the biggest land at the center which gave off a blue aura. My necklace began to shine, and I was surprised that it transformed into something else.

The necklace floated above me at kusa itong kumawala sakin. It turned into a thick golden armlet and the pink crystal turned into a sapphire jewel which was shaped as a diamond. The armlet went to my arm, and it just positioned itself.

While we were amazed by what was happening, we were too stunned to see the floating islands, not to mention the temples on it along with its herbs. Nagulat nalang ako nang biglang lumapit si Kel sakin at para bang gusto niyang makita ang mga isla sa malapitan. I glanced at him, and I saw how he smiled slowly, and he was teary-eyed while staring at the islands with such soft and innocent smile. It seemed like all his questions and worried were answered at this point. It seemed like he was able to find the closure that he has been seeking for the past couple of years.

"It was not a myth," I heard him whispered. "My father was right!" he cheerfully said. "The Hanging Gardens of Babylon is real!" he added at humarap siya sakin. HInawakan niya ang balikat ko and he started shaking my shoulders out of his excitement. "At may survivor nga!!" he shouted happily at nag-echo pa nga ito sa buong karagatan.

Kraken then moved again, and it used his tentacles to lift us up at papunta sa pinakamalaking isla. Isa-isa kaming bumaba at bago ako nagsimulang maglakad para sundan sila, I looked down to see Kraken and I was amazed by his form now. Kraken's form was a young man with a human body. His hair was long his tentacles were hidden as his tail. I saw how he smiled at me and bowed down.

"Welcome back, Your Highness," I heard him said through my mind. Telepathy? He raised his head to give me a glance and he then submerged himself back to the water.

"Kel was right," biglang sabi ni Cairo na nakatitig sakin. Hindi ko namalayan na hindi pala siya sumunod sa kanila at hinintay pa ako. I unintentionally glanced at his lips at umiwas kaagad ako ng tingin dahil bigla kong naalala ang ginawa niya nang muntik na akong malunod. "Alam mo ba? Bakit di mo sinabi sakin?" he asked.

"I-I-I didn't know," I replied at napahinga ako ng malalim. "But I did have a hunch when I saw that family portrait while we were at that asylum. I saw a royal portrait and I had a feeling that I have a connection to that family, and I guess I was right.," I added at lakas loob akong tumingin sa kaniya. He just nodded and he signaled me to walk with him kaya sumunod ako.

We enjoyed the view just like the others. I even heard them saying na may dadalhin nga silang herbs at okay lang naman. As long as hindi nila uubosin. It's not like may makakapunta pa dito. I waited for my armlet to give me a signal kung nasaan na ba ang libro na hinahanap namin because I definitely have a feeling na nandito lang ito. Kraken led us here so I bet it's here.