The Grimoire

Chapter 51: Clouds and Seas

VERMILLION

Cairo asked for a couple of minutes to talk to Animus, and we waited outside the castle where we could see some parts of Zarona. I squinted my eyes as the sun begun to rise, casting a warm glow over Zarona. Its streets echoed with a quiet symphony of birdsong filled in the air, weaving through the alleys. Light mists danced along the edges of each building which provided an ethereal beauty to the whole country. I smiled as I saw a chimney releasing a gentle wisp of fragrant warmth and a comforting aroma of a freshly baked bread. Of course, the local bakery usually opens first. Some shops creaked open, merchants started arranging their wares and the market transformed into a vibrant tapestry of colors showcasing fruits, vegetables, and crafts.

This is the kind of peace that everybody deserved.

This is the kind of peace we want to protect.

The door from the castle creaked open kaya napalingon ako. Cairo went out, wearing our school uniform. Pati rin kami ay suot namin ang uniform namin pero syempre hawak namin ang weapon na binigay nila sa amin. He smiled at us, and we smiled back at him. Animus went out from the door, and he gave us a kind farewell. We bowed down our heads as respect and gratitude for taking care of us at tumalikod na kaming lahat para umalis. The weight of the decision hung in the air as we pulled away.

We stopped on our tracks when we noticed that there were a couple of kids waiting for us. Halos umatras na ako nang mapansin kong may hawak silang bulaklak. Gago parang gusto kong umiyak. Everyone was surprised and none of us dared to move. A chorus of "thank you" and cheers erupted from the children, and I just can't help but smile at them. Leo and Kel moved first at nagulat ako nang lumuhod silang dalawa at tinanggap ang mga bulaklak na hawak nila. I can see how the children's faces lit up when they did that. Their eyes shined with mixture of awe and gratitude.

Napatingin ako kay Cairo and I felt how emotional he as to the point na nanginginig na ang bibig niya. He took a deep breath at lumapit rin siya sa kanila nd he began to tap their heads. Nagtinginan kami ni Evie ng nakangiti sa isa't isa at tumakbo kami papunta sa mga bata. We spent a couple of minutes with them, thanking them, and giving them hugs and kisses.

Unfortunately, we have to head back to the school. We walked towards the port na malapit lang dito at nagulat kami nang makita namin si Al. He was just beside our black ship at ngumiti siya nang makita kami. He approached us and bid us with farewell and good luck. 

"We'll see each other again then," he said, and we nodded habang kami ay umakyat sa ship. The crew and the captain greeted us, and we were escorted towards our respective rooms. None of us declined and none of us even talked to each other maybe because the moment we'll land in Terrax, it means we'll be deployed in the final war now that we gathered two of the grimoires.

The hum of the ship's engine resonated around my room, and the rhythmic creaking of the ship's timbers harmonized with the distant call of seagulls. My gaze was fixed on the panoramic window that framed the vast expanse of the ocean. If only Kraken was still here then maybe I'd feel a little safe venturing in this ocean, but just seeing the waters itself is painful. I closed the curtains at humiga ako sa munting higaan at napatingin ako sa itaas. I took that piece of paper from my pocket at binasa ko ulit.

"Dead City, Tower, Midnight," I mumbled. I sighed at tinago ko ulit. I closed my eyes to calm my mind and to rest kasi alam kong matagal pa kaming makarating at madugong labanan ang haharapin namin- haharapin ko. Magagalit sila alam ko pero kung isasama ko sila, I'm sure he'll activate that curse. Still, I believe na may rason si Kuya dito kaya oo, pupunta ako ng mag-isa. This is our fight in the first place. A Fractured destiny indeed. Oh, how I wish I could escape this destiny and just live him peacefully and normally just like we used to. Despite the fact that he's just my half-brother, I could say that we had a good relationship. Kahit na palagi siyang tinataboy sa Babylon dahil siya lang ang nag-iisang tao na walang asul na mata.