"Sa akin lang, hindi ko pa alam, perong isang bagay ang sigurado ako. Ayoko sa mga traydor, kaya patutumbahin ko yung may palakol pati si Ryoline."
Kadaski's POV
"Nix Q'mei is the name you are looking for." said the axe-wielder as she raises her axe high and swings towards us.
"Tilemetaf-"
"Save your mana, Phantom." I wasted no time to scoop her before dodging to the right.
Drago, Aviary and his team also jumped away from the direction of the blast.
"I can dodge on my own." frowned Assassin as she suddenly unsheaths her dagger in attempt to slice my face.
"Jeez! You're acting like a drunk person. Wala man lang salamat Kadaski?" I complained, as I refuse to put her down. She really looks unwell.
"This sudden turn of events is exciting, isn't it Seniors?" exclaimed Ryoline as she orders her Mythical Serpent to attack too.
Nagpatuloy sa pag-paulan ng mga atake ang dalawang babae. Kagaya ng sitwasyon sa Cleopardia ay nagawa lang naming tumago sa likod ng mga crates at hintaying matapos ang dalawa, siguradong kailangan rin nilang mag-recharge ng mana mayamaya.
"Nueva put me down. I can't fight like this." Phantom stated as she wiggles her way off of my arms.
"You are wounded. Siguro hindi ka naman tanga para sumugod sa ganyang kalagayan." kunot-noo kung sabi sa kaniya.
Sa gitna ng ingay ng mga pagsabog mula sa atake ni Ryoline at Nix, at mga pagpaplano nina Aviary at Drago sa kabilang bahagi ng backstage, isang mahinang buntong-hininga lamang ang narinig ko mula sa Wind Enchant.
"I'm not an idiot like you. Wala akong sinabing susugod ako papalapit kay Nix, kahit anong ibato mong elemental attacks ay walang bisa sa kaniya. I was trying to get away from her all this time." paliwanag ni Phantom.
"Did you just call me an idiot?!" I frowned, how dare she insult me after I saved her.
"That's what you heard? Alright, that proves it. Anyway, I don't like working with you, but Drago is a couple of meters away from us. The least you can do is be useful to me." stated Phantom with a smirk.
"Sa tingin mo talaga ay makikipagtulungan ako sa'yo pagkatapos ng mga pinagsasabi mo? Puntahan mo si Drago kung wala kang tiwala sa lakas ko." naiinis kong pahayag sabay bitaw sa kaniya.
Nagulat ako ng biglang ipatong ni Phantom ang kaniyang mga braso sa mga balikat ko.
"Wh-what are you doin-ARAY!"
Napa-igtad ako sa entablado ng i-headbutt ako ng magnanakaw na ito. "Para saan iyon?!"
"Focus Nueva. It's not that I don't think you're strong-" Phantom's statement was cut mid-sentence when Nix' axe came slicing the floor between me and Phantom.
"Come out rats! I can hear you very well!" shouted the axe-wielder.
Mabilis kaming lumipat sa likod ng kalapit na box crate.
"Ano pala?" nakasimangot kung tanong sa Wind Enchant.
"I just think you're not very good when it comes to protecting people. You can defend yourself well, but you never think twice before jumping into action. Masisira ang plano ko upang mapatumba si Nix at Ryoline. Two more things, you're loud and judgemental." Phantom simply shrugged after all of those.
Anong hindi magaling sa pag-protekta ng iba? Matagal ko nang ginagawa ang trabahong iyan! Matagal ko nang pinoprotektahan si Drago, at dahil sa matiyaga kong pagbabantay ay hindi na kailangan ni Drago na mag-alala pa kapag kasama niya ako.
"Tch, sabihin mo na lang kasi na ayaw mo sa akin. That you hate my guts so much, you're not even willing to give me a chance to prove myself." I responded as I peek from behind the crate to check where Nix went.
When I turned around to face Phantom, she was wearing a deadpan expression on her face.
"You're more dramatic than Reggie, I see, this is probably why I get drained around you." she states, as she fishes a chalk from her pocket only to start drawing a magic circle on the floorboards.
Ignoring me huh?
"Hate is a rather strong choice of word, I'd use dislike. If you did not choose to hate on me continuously, my dislike of you would not grow exponentially." she smoothes down her skirt, after finishing writing Noraxian runes on specific points within the circle.
"Can you even blame me? I know that you're a criminal. You steal stuff, so my bad for assuming that you're going to be a bad influence to my best friend. You're arrogant, rude, selfish, how can I not assume the worse? You lied to the whole school about being a Restovakian, about your whole identity. Earlier, I just recently learned that you've been in this town, and Hazbins actually fear you. My judgement makes sense." I rattled with all sorts of hand gestures.
I flinched when the chalk Phantom was holding snapped into pieces.
Wait, did I make her mad?
"Are you done talking? Get in front of the circle and do what you say you're good at." Phantom said with seriousness as she positions herself on the other side of the magic circle.
"What exactly do I need to do?" I asked in confusion.
"Protect me Kadaski Nueva."
What?
"She's coming." Phantom pointed to our left. "Remember, do not speak."
"Ahh~ The ringing of an on-going enchantment. I can never forget this one. There you are Albus Feles!" shouted the muscular woman. "You're coming with me."
Phantom will dodge that axe swing right? She just told me earlier that she can dodge on her own, then again Phantom also asked me to protect her, but without Fire enchantments this will not be easy.
Nix is closing the gap between the Eumythymn and herself, and here I am crouching behind a crate. What am I doing still discussing with myself when someone needs my help? Screw hating her, this is an Enchanted Elite mission! I could not risk failing because of my personal feelings.
"Yubalia Comet!" yelled Nix Q'Mei.
Not on my watch.
I lifted the crate which was loaded with jewelries and throws it to Nix' direction.
Instead of swinging towards Phantom, Nix swerved her weapon to smash the crate away. "You still have your wind enchantments despite your sorry state?"
"You think your weak punches damaged me? Who do you take the Albus Feles for Q'Mei?" said Phantom before chuckling.
It was at this moment I realized what she was planning to do. I'm going to protect her by attacking Nix Q'Mei because in this way, Nix will have to focus on the direction of her voice and not on me. We can finally defeat her!
I gave Phantom a thumbs up.
"You can't fool me, I know you felt those hits. Albus Feles may know how to cast strong magic, but her body isn't as tough as mine. Ha! Pretend all you want, you will end up begging for forgiveness." laughed Nix, spinning her axe and creating a gust of wind above her.
What's with that weird response? I shook my head to focus, if Nix can easily smash crates I need to find something she will be struggling to destroy. There!
"Forgiveness? What will you need that for?" Phantom remarks as a comeback.
Seriously, if Phantom's snarky responses are directed me, I'd be angry now. Actually, I can't help but feel bad for Nix Q'Mei since she have to deal with those.
"Oho, not me, you do. Tch, ow!" Nix stumbles one step backwards as I successfully hits her left leg with an arnis stick. "How did you get near me Albus Feles?!"
Phantom did not respond and only nodded to me.
For some reason, this gets me excited. Time for a barrage of attacks!
I thwacked the back of her knee, then strikes her abdomen next. Nix tried swinging her Legendary weapon in blind pursuit, but continuously misses me. "Stop moving around!"
"What's the problem Nix? I thought you can sense everything." teased Phantom.
My final attack was a thrust to her neck, making sure that I did enough to force her to fall down.
"How-?!"
Nix Q'Mei trips over and loosens her grip around her axe. I tapped her forehead with the tip of the arnis as a warning, before glancing back to Phantom.
Phantom releases her hands from the magic circle and walks up to Nix. "As usual you're not paying enough attention to your surrounding."
Nix went silent for a good five seconds, before bursting into laughter.
"Can I speak now?" I asked Phantom.
"You're already doing it." the Wind Enchant responds sarcastically.
Ugh, seriously this woman is getting on my nerves. I was about to return a snide remark, when I noticed the unusual shaking of her hands.
"Where's your forgiveness?" Asked the Eumythymn sardonically as she looks down on the defeated axe user.
"Aren't you suppose to ask me where is the Chronicle Book?" stated Nix causing both Phantom and I to look at each other.
"You know where it is?" I was delighted to hear that the Chronicle Book is confirmed to be here in the backstage.
"I already know where it is. I tracked it already. However, Nix Q'Mei where is the forgiveness?" Phantom seriously pulled the topic back on the table.
I don't know what's going on anymore, and I feel like this is heading to something I would not like, but I am also intrigued.
"You're seriously demanding when it comes to me huh?" laughed Nix.
Isn't the loser suppose to be the one to beg for forgiveness? It sounded like Phantom was asking Nix to forgive her. "I'd like to say tha-"
"Didn't you receive a mail addressed to your tree? Not that the tree was a registered house, but there was a post office nearby. It's probably rotting there for four years now. You never went there, rather you never went to get the letter." Nix sighed as she casually sits back up.
I gripped on the arnis sticks tightly in case a round two begins, but both Phantom and Nix were civil with each other. What is happening?! What letter?
"Are we done fighting?" I interrupted out of confusion.
"Don't kid with me. A criminal does not have the right to receive mails." scoffed Phantom as she clench her fists.
I am totally being ignored here.
"Except you were not a criminal back then Virdjana. I don't know if you just forgot because a lot happened back in that auction, but wanted criminals with official wanted posters loses their rights to that. Yet, you're a different case. You're not someone from the Capital of Arcacia that got thrown out to Retromalus because of your crimes. You don't have a wanted poster. You were a free citizen." explained Q'Mei.
All these information bore more questions in my mind. Phantom told me that she did come from Arcacia and travelled to Retromalus to run away from authorities pursuing her or something close to that.
"How could you say that?" Phantom's whispery tone sent shivers down my spine, she sounded sad, but at the same time angry.
She grabbed Nix by her collar, and intensely glared at her.
"I did a horrible thing. I committed a crime. I got everyone killed Nix Q'Mei. How could you claim that I am not a criminal." Hissed the Wind Enchant.
"Because you didn't kill them, it was a raid gone wrong because Leader failed to watch over his children." Unlike Phantom who already lost her cool, Nix was speaking calmly.
Phantom murdered people?! I found myself reflecting on the things I told her. Surely, one of them is lying, but why is that Phantom is the one insisting that she did the killing, while Nix is saying she did not?
Phantom shook Nix, and bit her lips in the process."You can't just appear before me and tell me that I have no fault in that. I am the primary suspect."
I swallowed whatever words I wanted to say as I am witnessing a sensitive discussion between old friends? I assume they were friends.
"As expected you will be blaming yourself, worry not, no one blames you Albus Feles. Once again, it is not your fault." replied Nix as she glances towards Phantom's neck.
I also got curious, so I followed her line of sight and realized that she was looking to the necklace. Wait a minute, I don't remember seeing the pendant cracked before.
"Compared to the people that will judge you based on the names given to you, didn't you think that the Resonance understands you more why you chose to get him back that day? We recognize his importance to you, and no one regretted helping you find your only family back." smiled Q'Mei.
"Only family?" were the only words that stuck to me on that part.
Phantom lets go of Nix afterwards.
"Kadaski! Virdjana! Great, you defeated her too! Tie her up!" Drago's voice made me remember that we are on a mission. "What's wrong? Why are you guys silent?"
"How was the fight with Ryoline?" I asked Drago as I blocked his vision of Phantom.
"It was a cinch. I didn't even have to fight. Sir Aviary was amazing! It's actually tempting to join his team." Drago answered with joy.
"Drago." I began sternly.
"Ah- biro lang naman. Ito naman oh. I'm not going to place myself in that kind of danger. Our job is already time and energy consuming." my best friend nervously responded.
"We glance at your fights from time to time. Kadaski Nueva right? Who would have known that you know how to wield the Arnis Recrepo? That seeps out a lot of stamina from the user." stated Aviary with a nodding gesture. "You must have been training hard."
Arnis Recrepo? I glanced at the sticks I am holding only to realize that my hands are already bruised up.
"Freak! Ang hapdi! Drago pahingi ng healing potion!"
"Eto!" mabilis naman responde ni Drago sa paghingi ko ng tulong.
Ryoline is unconscious, so is her Mythical Beast Naga, meaning that Aviary dude probably did not hold back.
"My subordinates will take all illegal goods here and send back to its original owners." then he paused and glance at me, "I am impressed by your skills, I give you this enchanted handcuffs as a gift. It nullifies the mana flow. Hindi makatatakas si Ryoline sa inyo, at maging ang pekeng Resonance na iyan." tukoy ni Aviary kay Nix Q'Mei.
Tumingin ako kay Phantom at mukhang handa itong pumatay dahil sa sinabi ni Aviary.
"Sir Aviary, with all due respect, I believe my friend Albus Feles. Perhaps, there are two Resonances. It is a possibility." mediated Drago.
"Impossible, the only person who founded the idea of Resonance was me... and my old friend Okapa." From a confident tone, Aviary's voice became stale.
Kuha ko na, at ito lang yata ang pagkakataon kung saan tama ang hinala ko. Naiintindihan ko kasing kapag nag-ka-kaaway ang magkakaibigan at walang ayaw magpatalo kadalasan pinagtatalunan kung sino ang mas mangingibabaw.
Aviary marched towards Nix asking, "How is he? I bet that geezer still compares his achievements to mine. Ha! Tell him that I am a full pledged Arcacia Rover, medals on my office, plaques are on my shelves."
"Leader Okapa is dead. Guess you win the banters." Nix answered immediately, devoid of emotion.
Aviary fell silent, a silhouette on his face, as he clears his throat and turns away. "I-Is that so? In any case, I should have known since he's older so he left the world earlier than expected."
"Mukhang may guilty ah." I could not help but be annoyed at Aviary. I still don't like his confidence, competing against the dead? Seriously?
"Sir! Intruder's underlings are coming from the left and right wing. We need to move now." reported one of Aviary's subordinates.
"I suppose this is where we part Enchants. I bid you good luck." smiled Aviary to us, before disolving his group into two to fend of the attackers.
"Aski, you're really cool back there. Wish I could do those moves. At any rate, we can focus on the mission now." said Drago with a nudge to my elbow.
"Nix can you stand?" both Drago and I gulped when Phantom started feeding Nix Q'Mei a healing potion.
"Teka, paano mo iyan nakuha?" nagtatakang tanong ni Drago kay Phantom.
'Because she's a thief Drago' ngunit hindi ko na ito binaggit pa.
"Pweh! Bitter!" complained the Yubalia Axe wielder.
Why does Phantom kept on helping enemies we just worked hard defeating? Did she get an amnesia from the punches Nix Q'Mei gave her?
"She's going to help us. Never too late to add another one to the team." Phantom nonchalantly reasons, as she opens the double door leading to the real backstage of the Dome.