Chapter 1: Long Live, The King.

Chapter 1: Long Live, The King

The tales are wrong. Hell, or what the people call “Nether” in this universe is not scorching hot.

In fact, the temperature of the place is above freezing cold. Lagpas na sa mga kamay niya sa daliri kung ilang beses siyang bumisita rito. But she’s certain that she is never going to get used to the place, much more the dread that comes along with it.

A shiver runs down her spine when a gust of wind passes her by. It came with hundreds of needles that stuck to her skin. As if that wasn’t enough, the knots of fabric in her stomach tighten when she feels thousands— no. Millions. Millions of eyes watching her move, drilling holes into her entirety.

Tumingala siya. In front of her are tall, mocking gates made out of bones and thorns. Sa likod nito ay kung saan naroroon ang trono ng hari ng Nether. She wonders for the umpteenth time what it looks like inside. Does it have the same motif as the gates? Anong tinatago niya sa loob— so much that he had to put it somewhere far from the entrance where the only means of traveling is through the ruggy boat of a ferryman draped in black cloth?

“Why are you here?” 

His presence always comes as a surprise; he'll arrive when you least expect. Nang marinig ng mga kaluluwa ang kanilang amo, they wailed in joy that sent tremors to the ground and the river behind her. The inhuman noises are high in pitch, piercing her ears. Kumuyom ang mga kamao niya, her nails sharp against the palm of her skin. 

Tumiim ang kanyang bagang. Sing talim ng mga tinik ang kanyang mga mata na tumatagos patungo sa loob ng haring nasa likod ng mga pintuan. 

"I am here to receive the payment from our deal," she tells him.

The image of him sitting on his throne— made out of the same materials as the gates— cross-legged, and a smirk tugging the corner of his lips made her heart beat with anger and hatred. As days stretch by, the desire to see the "king" fall on his knees while choking on his own blood seizes her tighter by the neck.

A deep, guttural laughter roared. Para bang nanggagaling ito sa pinakailalim ng balon. Sumunod ang mga maninipis na iyak at tawanan ng mga preso nito. She stands her ground against all these but her balled fists start to shake and her buried nails start to create angry marks on her skin.

“Give me what I asked for and I’ll give you what you want,” he says.

Nagsalubong ang mga kilay niya sa narinig. A deep frown emerges from her face as his words swim through her ears. Combined by the laughter and the bitter cold, a trigger was pulled.

A reel of all the sacrifices she made flashed right in front of her eyes. Ang pagod, pangamba, pananabik… Her fists strain as she fights to hold on to that last thread of sanity keeping her together. 

When he sees that pathetic look on her face, he laughs again. This time, it's dipped in mockery. It reminded her of the laugh tracks she still sees on some TV shows: the pretentiousness, the faux courtesy. Parang isang malaki itong suntok sa kanya at sa lahat ng kanyang pinagdaanan just to satisfy his whims.

“Akala ko ba gagawin mo ang lahat? Ang bilis mo namang mainip,” he remarks.

Click. For a second, her heart seems to stop beating altogether. The trigger is pulled, the button is pressed. Unable to control herself any longer, she lunges at the gate. 

Mariin niyang hinawakan ang mga buto at idinit ang mukha niya sa pagitan ng mga tinik. The bones are wet and smell awful; the thorns stab through her skin. But she’s too far gone to even think about her comfort and her safety; parang puputok na ang ugat sa kanyang ulo at ang litid sa kanyang leeg. Her eyes are wide and red in a crazed state as she screams in anger.

“Binigay ko na lahat ng hinihingi mo! Ang sabi mo, isang libong kaluluwa lang ang kailangan pero sobra pa ang ibinigay ko! Pinaglololoko mo ba akong hayop ka?!”

The soul prisoners made an amused sound. Imbis na magalit sa kanya, they seem to take her side now. Well, who wouldn't? Sometimes when we see two forces clashing, doesn't it feel good and guiltless to support the underdog? 

He falls into a pit of laughter once more. Para siyang sirang plaka na tatawanan ang kahit ano. However, his laugh came to an abrupt halt and was replaced by the click of his tongue. She imagines him shaking his head; the semblance of a father utterly disappointed in his daughter that made her head spin.

“Helel,” he calls.

The ferryman in black heeds his call. Lumapit ang bangkero sa kanya at hinila siya palayo sa mga nangangalit na harang sa pagitan nilang dalawa. She starts to stomp her feet and grip the gates tighter. Bumaon pa nang mas malalim ang mga tinik sa kanyang mga kamay, kasunod nito ay ang pagdanak ng dugo pababa sa kanyang mga siko. Her tight grip on the bones left small cracks, tip toeing on the possibility of snapping them in half.

“Tumupad ka sa usapan, duwag! Binigay ko na lahat ng hinihingi mo! Nangako ka! NANGAKO KA!”

Encouraging cheers from the prisoners rush to her head. Dahil malapit nang mawalan ng lakas ang kanyang mga kamay, she drops her knees to the muddy ground and presses her side to the gate. Dahil sa biglaang paglayo niya sa bangkero, napunit nito ang laylayan ng kanyang bestida. Her left thigh got exposed for all the sinners to see which served as the catalyst for their laughter to become louder, more maniacal. The thorns stab her side and little beads of blood start to materialize on her dress.

Ngunit hinalewala niya ang lahat ng mga ito at patuloy na nagsisisigaw.

“Nangako ka, duwag! Sobra-sobra na ang binigay ko sa’yo! Ibalik mo siya, IBALIK MO SIYA,  IBALIK MO  SIYA!”

But no matter how much she screamed, the man behind the gates didn't respond any further. Hanggang sa mapaos ang lalamunan niya, hanggang sa manghina ang buong katawan niya, walang sumagot sa mga tawag niya. 

Still, these didn't stop her. She kept screaming until she started to bawl her eyes out like a child for what she had lost. Her tears must have moved the ferryman dahil tumigil ito sa paghila sa kanya.

She kept chanting the words she held on to for so many years; cradling the deep-seated feelings she never got over with. Animo'y isang batang inagawan ng laruan: sa akin ‘yan, ibalik mo ‘yan.

It’s another sweltering day in Terabestia. Mataas ang sikat ng araw at mahihinang bulong lang ng hangin ang madarama. Living in the Savanna for centuries, the people and their children got used to it: ang lagkit ng kanilang mga katawan dahil sa tumatagaktak na pawis, ang init ng lupa sa kanilang mga paa, at ang ginhawang hatid ng tubig sa rumaragasang ilog matapos ang isang buong maghapon sa initan.

These days, however, Terabestia took a complete 180 degrees turn. Paggising pa lang ni Vanraj ay kaagad na siyang nagsuot ng balabal na tumatakip sa kanyang ilong at bibig. He looks out the window, his long brown tail swaying gently behind him.

Kadalasan tuwing ganitong oras, marami nang mga batang naglalaro at mga tindero’t tinderang naglalako sa harapan ng kastilyo. Ngunit ngayon, tila ba ghost town ang lugar dahil wala ni isang anino ang makikita sa labas. How he'd rather have the noise from the playing kids wake him earlier than he intends to, than wake up late to the stillness of the place.

Lumabas siya sa kanyang kwarto at dumiretso sa dining hall. Lahat ng mga nakasalubong niyang mga katulong sa mga mahahabang pasilyo ay nakatakip ang kanilang mga ilong at bibig ng iba't ibang mga balabal. They stop on their tracks to bow down to him, a gesture he finds awkward. Really. Hindi niya alam kung anong gagawin kapag yumuyuko na sila. So he just speeds up and walk past them without a word.

Pagkapasok sa dining hall ay bumati kaagad sa kanya ang mga naninilbihan. He makes his way to his respective seat and pulls down the scarf he's wearing, letting it dangle on his neck. Kahit mataas ang kisame, sarado naman ang naglalakihang mga bintana. He feels stuffy, and regrets not tying his shoulder-length, curly brown hair in a ponytail.

"Raj," tawag ni Alaric sa anak bago pa man niya mahawakan ang mga kubyertos. Raj looks at his father, whose voice is deeper and more authoritative than he remembers. He is seated at the left end of the table wearing a crumpled dark yellow shirt. Buhaghag ang kulay kahel nitong buhok, his ears of the same color peeking above his crowning glory.

"Darating ngayong hapon ang mga doktor. Pwede bang ikaw na muna ang mag-asikaso sa kanila rito? Isama mo si Amir," he instructs.

"Anong oras, Tay?" Raj asks.

"Alas dos—"

The two men whip their heads at the door nang padabog itong bumukas. Pati ang mga naninilbihan sa kanila ay napatigil sa pagtatrabaho. Some almost dropped the utensils they're holding due to shock.

Farika, Raj's mother, strutted inside. Ang kulot nitong buhok ay nakasinop sa isang mahabang tirintas na napapalamutian ng iba’t ibang mga bulaklak na makikita sa hardin ng kastilyo. She's wearing a white dress that reached just above her knees, gold bracelets shining against her bronze skin. Kaagad lumipad ang tingin nito sa anak. When their green eyes meet, it's as if Raj’s is looking at the girl version of himself.

Farika tugs her son's ear, much to his surprise. "Anong oras na! Nakalibot na kami ng tatay mo sa buong lugar tapos kakagising mo lang?!"

"Fa…" Alaric calls. Farika snaps her head at him. Isang tingin lang ng reyna, kaagad natikom ang bibig nito.

The couple stared at each other for a few seconds before Farika begrudgingly let go of her son. Kaagad hinawakan ni Raj ang tenga niya at minasahe ito. What a way to start the day, he thought as he felt his appetite drop.

Umupo si Farika sa tabi ng anak at bumuntong hininga. "Sinasabi ko lang naman na kahit ngayon lang ay agahan niya ang pag bangon lalo na ngayong kailangan na kailangan ng mga tao ang tulong. Hindi na kami bata ng tatay mo, Vanraj. Hay, diyos Thorem— Inunahan ka pa ni Amir sa pagtulong sa amin…"

Raj knows better than to cut her mother off when she is talking. Instead, he picks up a piece of smoked ham and mechanically munches on it while his mother goes on and on. Bumuntong hininga si Alaric pero hindi ito nagsalita. The servants continue to do their work. Nothing to see, just the usual scenario each morning for the past twenty-three years.

There are days when Raj slips at the back of his mind and lets the world around him fade into a brown noise. He absent-mindedly stares at his distorted reflection on the plate as seconds turn into minutes.

Pagkatapos ng litanya ni Farika, Vanraj sees himself out without a word. Thankfully, they let him off the hook without an extra earful. He tightens his scarf around the bottom half of his face as he descends the winding staircase.

He steps out of the castle and into the sun. The sun’s rays give a different kind of glow to his hair that’s flowing with the wind. His chocolate skin is also shining, the curve of his arms and the veins on his hands become more prominent.

Usually, he plays with the kids in the morning or goes hunting with Amir in the lush forests of the Savanna. But this time, neither of the two is around to keep him company. Siguradong nagkasakit na ang mga bata habang si Amir naman ay abala na tulungan ang pamilya niya at ang kastilyo.

Nakakapanibago.

Tinahak niya ang daan patungo sa ilog kung saan madalas siyang naliligo o ‘di kaya nama’y nanghuhuli ng mga isda. As he walks down the road with only his breath and his own footsteps accompanying him, he slips into a thinking mess.

Tatlong araw na ang nakaraan nang magsimula ang sakit sa lugar nila. It's just a simple cough at first, nang imbestigahan nila kung paano ito nagsimula. But since the creatures in their place are tight-knit, the transmission was quick. The cough then escalated into high fever. Kahit papaano ay bumaba naman ang lagnat ng mga tao through taking medicines, ayon sa mga naririnig niya sa kastilyo. But the worst case scenario ay ang pagsakit ng kasukasuan ng mga nahawa, to the point that (according to his father's reports) others are already bedridden.

Even in the middle of the road with not a single soul but his in sight, he feels the eyes. Lahat ng nilalang sa Terabestia ay nakatingin sa kanya, all because of his fortunate birth to the royal family. Siya lang ang anak, siya lang ang tagapag-mana at siya lang ang maaasahan. He sighs, kicks a mere pebble out of his way and closes his eyes.

Anong dapat gawin? Papaano mapipigilan ang sakit? He finds himself asking the same questions over and over again.

Until a loud cry slices the silence of the day like a sharp knife, tearing the thin fabric that blanketed him from the world outside.

Kaagad umikot ang kanyang paningin sa paligid, tail wagging furiously, and his ears twitching at the top of his head— finding where the sound is coming from. Nang mahanap niya kung saan nanggagaling ang iyak ay tumakbo siya papunta sa tulay. He looks down, his hands on the railings supporting his body.

Sa gilid ng rumaragasang ilog, sa tabi ng mga naglalakihang mga bato, ay isang babae na kalong ang isang batang lalaki. The woman is crying, begging for her son to wake up. Gamit ang isang malaking dahon, pinapainom niya ang kanyang anak habang dinadasalan niya ang tubig— Raj recognizes the mantras: those are prayers for the god of water, Alun. Nang tingnan ni Raj ang batang kalong-kalong ng babae sa kanyang mga bisig, maputla ito at nagbabakbak na ang mga labi.

His body moved before he knew it. Ipinwesto niya ang kanyang paa sa railing and used it as a catapult to send his body flying. Maingay na bumagsak ang katawan niya sa ilog, the freezing currents turning his nerves into metal.

Lumangoy siya nang mabilis patungo sa mag-ina. Judging by the mother's doe eyes, her long, light brown ears at the top of her head and a thick tail wagging furiously at her back, Raj concluded that they are Fulgurs; one of the two classifications of creatures living in Terabestia.

He rises from the waters and when the mother sees him, she is quick to ask for help.

"Pakiusap po, tulungan ninyo ako… ayos pa lang siya kanina habang kumakain kami pero bigla na lang bumagsak ang katawan niya pagkatapos. Uminom naman siya ng gamot pero—"

Idinikit ni Raj ang kanyang tenga sa dibdib ng bata. His mouth went dry nang wala siyang marinig na tibok mula sa loob nito. He presses his finger on the kid's neck as he hopes and prays to the patron god of Terabestia, Thorem.

Nothing. His heart isn't beating.

He rips the scarf off his face and hastily lays it down on the rocks, all the while saying: "Pakilapag po siya rito. Hindi ko po marinig ang tibok ng puso niya."

The mother is clearly in shock. Tila ba pati ang puso nito ay tumigil na rin sa pagtibok. Pero ginawa niya pa rin kung ano ang inutos ni Raj. She puts her son down on the scarf and sits by his body. As Raj begins doing chest compressions on the child, the mother prostrates on the rocks and prays to the gods: kay Thorem, kay Leofric, kay Alun, kahit kay Aetherielle. Tinatawag niya ang lahat ng mga ito at nagmamakaawa para sa buhay ng anak niya.

Sa pagdaan ng mga minuto, palakas nang palakas ang dasal ng babae. Beads of sweat start to form on Raj's forehead habang patuloy siya sa kanyang ginagawa. Every now and then, he checks the child's pulse pero wala itong pagbabago. He shuts his eyes, and prays once more to Thorem; well-aware that he's now the lifeline between the child and death.

"Pakiusap po, pakiusap po… Nakikiusap po ako," the mother sobs, fueling Raj’s strength.

Raj worked tirelessly while he watched the child’s limp and fragile body move along with the rhythm of his presses. The minutes stretched like compressed infinities between seconds. Hindi siya nag-isip ng kung anu-ano. He focused on what he's doing, determined to buy time for the child.

As if their prayers are answered, bumuka ang bibig ng bata at huminga ito nang malalim. Raj checks his pulse and finally, his heart is beating faintly. Kaagad siyang binitiwan ni Raj, his body deflates on the beds of rocks, habang ang ina naman ay kaagad na kinalong muli ang kanyang anak.

"Salamat po! Oh, salamat po nang marami!" She cries in relief and seizes her son in her arms na para bang kapag linuwagan niya ang yakap, baka tuluyan na itong mawala sa kanya.

Raj is late to realize that he’s gasping for air while his own heart is hammering loudly against his chest. Para siyang umahon mula sa pagkalunod; the gulps of air are cool and refreshing yet sharp as it glides down his chest.

"Ma'am, kailangan pa rin po niyang madala sa ospital," he says. To this, the mother looked hesitant. Dahan-dahan itong napailing habang nakatingin sa mga mata ni Raj.

The eyes of the Fulgurs are beautiful. He read in one book before that they are forged out of “the finest elements through alchemy” — Kayumanggi o itim ang madalas na kulay ng mga ito. Their eyes are bright and round. Sa tuwing tinititigan ang mga ito, a sense of kindness and hope always come rushing to one's senses. Ternuhan pa ng mga mahahaba nilang pilikmata, malayong-malayo sa mga mata ng mga Regim tulad ni Raj. The eyes of the Regim come in different glowing colors, the shapes scream nothing but strength and pride.

Seeing the woman's bloodshot eyes; the softness and kindness now replaced with fear, grief, shock and relief all at once made Raj's skin crawl.

"Wala ring magagawa ang mga doktor… ilang beses na kaming pabalik-balik. Isa pa, puno na ang mga ospital. Ilang beses nang sinasabi ng mga tao kay Haring Alaric at Reyna Farika na manghingi ng tulong sa Aether pero wala pa ring nangyayari."

Lumapit at lumuhod si Raj sa harapan ng mag-ina. What she said made his ears twitch in curiosity. Out of all the neighbouring towns… "Aether?"

The woman swallows and clears her throat before explaining.

"Wala ka pa noon. Bagong kasal pa lang ang mga magulang mo. Noong ang lolo… ang lolo mo pa ang hari, nagkaroon din ng ganitong sakit noon sa ‘tin. Pero hindi humantong sa ganito dahil kusang tumulong ang mga taga Aether. Nagbigay sila ng mga napakaraming supply ng isang bulaklak na nakakapagpagaling ng sakit. Sinasabi na regalo daw iyon ng diyosang Aetherielle sa kanila. Pinakuluan sa tubig ang bulaklak at pagkalipas ng tatlong araw matapos naming inumin iyon, bumalik sa normal ang lahat,” she says without missing a beat.

Something inside him clicks. But there’s one nagging question in his mind: kusang tumulong ang mga taga Aether sa kanila? Para na rin sinabi ng babae na pumuti ang uwak. The creatures in Terabestia despise the fairies from Aether. Kahit saan sila dalhin, hinding-hindi sila magkatugma. The former is all about strength, pride and power while the latter is about grace, kindness and sophistication. 

Raj convinces the woman to go to the hospital. Sinamahan niya ang mag-ina at hindi siya umalis hangga’t hindi maayos ang sitwasyon nila ro’n. Then he goes back to the river to take a bath, scrubbing himself a little harsher than usual to get rid of the things that clung to him in the hospital.

Pagkatapos ay bumalik siya sa kastilyo with only one goal in mind. He changes his clothes and puts his wet hair in a ponytail. He speeds past the servants, stretched hallways and large rooms. Nang daanan niya ang lounge at masulyapan ang gintong trono ng hari— the bright sun pouring from the windows looking like grown reeds of gold on the floor— he hastily looks away na para bang nasilaw siya sa nakita.

His life is going to change. Hindi lang ang titulo niya ang magbabago. Soon, he is going to be King Vanraj Yesdanzer of Terabestia. He’ll rule everything the sun touches. That’s an irrevocable fact that he has to face. Whether he likes it or not, there’s nothing he can do about it.

Fine, he sighs inwardly as he pushes the library doors open. The act marks the beginning of accepting things as they are. He’s continuing the pattern. The absolute and endless pattern of the kings— only that his hands are shaking and he feels as if he’s walking on a tightrope. No room for mistakes, no surface to hold on to.