CHAPTER 51-EARLIER THAT DAY II

LUNA CREST

Before wandering alone on the empty street a gasped of wind left in my ears and I look back and saw a shadow from a distance, walking directly on my hiding place. It's footstep are clicking on the cement. But it just faded. I waited a few seconds before peering but, the streets are now empty. I looked around puzzled. Maybe he went straight to the alley. Di ko man lang namalayan ang pagkawala nito. I became alarmed and waited patiently, standing beside the hut. The light from the post lamps didn't reach my spot.

I heard a footsteps coming again on the same root. Like it was a deja Vu. I open my arms to snatch that person and yet the sound stop again. Twice. I became curious I want to see who or what it was but I heard a creaking sound of door. Squeaking like a mouse that have been snap by the trap.

I took a peeked and the door was left open. I had a bad feeling and I look inside and heard a scream from upstairs. I rushed because those voices are voices of a person who meets a murderer. I didn't hesitated. Ang pumasok nalang sa isip ko ay mailigtas ang taong iyon.

I unsheathed my sword and stop on a door that were left half opened and saw a shadow inside and a woman is lying on the floor, gasping for air and she's bathing on her own blood. I slashed him without a second thought and he faded like an ashes. Living a strand of hair and fell on her blood.

"S-save my child" she tries to talked , her voice was lifeless and I rushed to find her daughter and I saw a shadow past the hall and I sneaked to attacked him but I was surprised to see a man grabbing a headless child. Body were lying beside him, holding her teddy bear and now stained with her blood. Anger rose on me and I lost my temper. And hit them until they lied on the cold floor. But I never felt satisfied. I couldn't look at the poor child's body beside me. I was in rage of disappointment and regrets. I couldn't save her child. I kneel down, soaked on her blood and I raised her on my hand. Sorry wouldn't help. I'm so stupid!! I couldn't save you. I know it's none of my business, she's not a friend of a family of mine but she still have her future but a demon stole her dreams away. I couldn't forgive a soul.

My heart was in race as I heard a scream of witnessing their love ones have been murdered. I can't stay here. I'll be framed for the  crime I didn't commit. Mabilis akong umalis at sumilip sa kanto at dinig ko ang pagkataranta ng mga kapitbahay sa sigaw ng mga tao sa bahay ng biktima. Umalis na ako. I blame myself for not reaching on time.

"I summoned you" whisper slips my mouth. And they jump down from the roof bend on one knee. Their appearance was obscured. Only their eyes can be seen all of that they were completely embodied the shadow itself. Blend in the dark.

"You call"

"My lord what has happen to you?"

"The culprits are all around town, I want all of you to captured every last one of them. I will be here in three days time. Protect the people on ever household that's an order"

"Aye!"

"The culprit has a red mark on their left shoulders. Magkapareho sila ng mga lunarian. Report to me until I get back.. you are dismissed" I said and they disappeared like a blink of an eye. I went back to the palace. I successfully enter the halls. I pushed myself to walked upstairs to see the Grand duchess and someone came out and that makes my her screamed and fall back in shocked.

"M-murderer!"

"No, pearl listen to me" I said to calm her down, the terrors are visible on every part of her being. She walked back but she can't uttered a word like her voice was locked in terror.

"What are you doing at this hour alone?"

"Who are you?"natakot siya at umaatras parin

"Pearl it's me"

"..... What are you doing in the palace?" She's shaking in fear

"I came to check on the place, I asked you why are you alone at this hours, where are the other?"

"Others?" Those face cast a suspicions on me yet she's trying not to be obvious "T-the G-grand duchess asked for a tea"

"I thought you serve Princess Quera" she flinched a little and that make me smirk and let the blood drop on the marble floor. But she still finds a good reason to lie. This is no pearl. This is someone else trying to act like her. She can't fool me. I'm already furious. Kapag naalala ko ang katawan ng bata parang gusto kong magwala.

"I totally forgot, they are helping and  nursing the king, his badly ill, eyes sucken and he refuses to eat because he can't get over about the deaths of her highness.."

"When did this happen?"

"Why are you keep asking me..." She tried to shout but I stop her by putting the tip of my blade on her neck and until she stop and pressed her back against the wall.

"A-about three weeks from now, he didn't even s-show up to the public for his speech, the Q-queen take that responsibility" she stuttering and clenched her fist to calm herself. My face drew back a snarled. And I slashed her in half.

She her widen by surprised and I put back the sword her body fell separately on the floor. You can't lie to me. I know Benzylliette very well.

"Val.."

"Shit men!"

Pareho naman kaming nabigla sa isa't isa at nasa likuran ko sila na nakatingin sa patay. "You damn murderer!" the other one cracked a joke. And taste the blood then glance up to me with a face of interesting

"Ew carnival"

"I'm just tasting it!"

"Anong lasa?"

"Kalawang"

"Patikim nga" I sighed and whacked his head using the scabbard.  Napailing naman ako ng wala sa oras. I surveyed the empty hall and only them breaks the silences. Apat sila at mga kasama ko sa Junakie. Iba ang tinawag ko kanina. Those are ninja but rarely summoned if needed. These four are my tails and didn't do anything right but ruined my life.

Tumayo siya matapos malasahan ang dugo." This poor dead girl are a clone" aniya at may kinuha sa dugo at Isang buhok. At biglang naglaho ang katawan nito. "This hair is.." he sniff it and by his expression, tells it all

"A Benzylliette?"

"Oh really?" pinag aamoy nila iyon na parang mga maniac

It's rare for Benzylliette to bare a son, and most of them are woman and Junakie on the other hand never bare a daughter all of us are men. It's rare for both species to like each other because Benzylliette are too sensitive and treat Junakie as threat. I turn my shoulder and stop at her door.

"Is this her's?"

"Her who?" I asked, at tinuro nila Ang buhok na kinatameme ko.

"No"

"Ayy" they all frowned like an idiot. 

I went to Esthelian's room and never been so irritated in my entire life. Ginagalaw nila ang gamit ng prinsesa. "Oyy what this..." I gave him ahead bonk. I withdraw my sword and let the tip of my blade get it and out it back to the drawer and hit him again "Wag nyong gulihin ang kwarto niya!"

"Ohhh, so this is a woman's room?" They are grinning at me, parang pinagmumukha nila akong may ginagawang maselan sa kwarto ng Babae.

"Shut, this is her's"

"You mean that gorgeous...." di siya natapos ng batukan siya ng kasama niya. Nakangisi lang ako sa kanya at kitang kita ko ang panginginig niya. He beh for his life and someone open the door and my body frozen in shocked.

"Luna crest?" I sighed in relief. It was just Emerald.  "Why are you... Soaking in eww" Pagkabigla niyang tanong at tumingin naman sa apat at masaya siyang binati ng mga ito pero pinagbabatukan lang niya at tumingin ulit sakin "Luna crest, the king.."

"I know someone spill the beans and I thought it's was pearl. Somehow that hair copies her appearance" they gave her the hair strand and she smell it.  I saw how shock she was.

"You mean there are other us in this palace?"

Tumango lang ako at pinahintay lang saglit. Ilang minuto namang nangdaan dumating silang lahat na kinasakit ng ulo ko. Nakikipagharutan pa sa mga attendant Buti hindi sila pinapansin ng mga ito. Pearl came to me and smell her own hair that were used by someone whose trying to get her identity. Her clone is dead but I wonder where are the clone of the other Benzylliette

"I had a bad feeling about this" said she

"Can I go near the king with you?" I asked and she shook her head.

"No, we are assigned to princess Quera and we haven't seen the king"

Dun palang nakuha ko na ang sagot. Sabi nung nagbabalatkayong kanina na inutusan silang alagaan Ang hari dahil masama Ang kalagayan nito. But I turns out they themselves didn't seen him. "The other you told me that they are nursing the king"

They gasped in fear. "The are planning to kill the king!"

"Oh no!"

"Oh no indeed" I said "How can I wander around here without being notices"

"Oh, A banquet will be celebrated tomorrow"

"Perfect"

"No, its not Luna Crest it's not safe for you to wander around the Castle every people in the ball have their invitation cards with them and also the guards will be all over the place, it's impossible for you to sneak in, your life will be in danger"

Yes it might be risky, but I know a person that will help me get into this mess "Well then, can Viscountess Dela Fluer son go to the ball?"

They gasped in joy "Genius!"

I immediately left the room and jumped outside the branches for another and another until I reach the forecastle. Her Chateau is a bit far away from here. I jumped down and rushed under the dark sky, the moon is hiding behind and it looks like it's about to rain.

Not to long ago, I heard a sudden clatter of .... Roof and I turn my shoulders on that direction immediately. I saw a shadow sneaking on a hut. And I don't want to fail again. Failure is not an option . I jumped up and I summoned my sword from my essence. Before the culprit stab it's victim. I slashed his back in diagonal. His body split and divided into two, fell on opposite direction. Somehow I find it familiar. A pungent smell of miasma came out from its body and heard a hollow voice screaming until it fades away together with its body, living a strand of hair.

I pick it up and the blood that scattered on the floor were purified.

One down. Wonder how many are there outside.  I put the hair on my scarf to report it back Zendalia. That culprit is not a person but a copy of someone.

Who's behind this?! I can't let Esthelian come here, having this criminals roaming around.

I left the hut and jump up to the roof, scanning the whole alley until I saw another of em roaming around, sneaking, a few meters away is a scout standing on its post, Wala itong kamalay malay na may papalapit na criminal sa kanya. I counted each steps and I pick out my dagger.

Hinihintay matyempohan ito at limang hakbang nalang papalapit na ito habang hawak hawak ang dagger at dun kuna naisipang itapon ito at diretsong tumama sa ulo nito.

"Two" I counted and look for another. I jumped down and hid when the scout past the same alley and a poster had me stop, I step closer to see it. Isang mensahe na may magaganap na celebration bukas. Nakuha pa nilang magsaya habang maraming namamatay sa labas ng kaharian.

Naramdaman ko ang tulis ng espada sa leeg ko. Ramdam ko ang basa na tumutulo sa balikat ko at amoy ng Isang dugo.

I leaned on the culprit and I saw its crimson eyes. And hunger for something. Before it could slit my neck . I point my hand on his direction my sword ran straight to his abdomen. Tumagos lang ang espada at tinulak ko pa ito Hanggang sa mapasuka siya ng dugo. Dinig ko ang boses at paghinto ng kanyang paghinga. Nakadilat ang mga mata, matang Hindi napaghandaan depensahan ang sarili. Bakal na hiniwa ang kanyang lamang loob.

His gasping for air and making me remembering my past. I move my sword and slice him in half. His lower abdomen fell first before his uppers body. He fell on his spot and saw his intestines and other organs spilling out of his body.

The blood dripping on the ground.

"Gahhh!!" Someone is rushing to attacked me and I whirl with a slash and he fell on his spot without even noticing my blade run to his.

"Four" I counted again. Their body slowly disappearing. Hanggang sa buhok nalang ang natira at itinago iyon sa king bulsa. The place began to lit and the moon came out from those clouds, winds pushing away those thick cloud to the mountain. I walk alone quietly under the trees, away from the scouts post. Night is quiet, and mysterious. The canopy of trees blocks out much of the light from the stars and moon, creating a deep, inky darkness that can be difficult to navigate. The forest floor is often thick with underbrush and fallen leaves, which can make it hard to move around. Yet it's better than running myself to those scouts.

Konteng lakad nalang mararating ko na ang ang Chateau.

I heard crickets starting to make noise, for any humans who doesn't like the sound of the forest might end up imagining things, such ghost or bad spirit lurking, roaming freely on the forest like they said, but crickets makes sound to mate.

Mate..

That made me miss my princess already, but I can't go just yet. I need to investigate. Few more days the festival is about to begin. I know it's a grand celebration of her kingdom yet she is anxious and afraid to be late.

I keep on wondering of how she knew something and she knows what will happen next like going back to Devuniak. Lahat nang mga gusto niyang Gawin ay madali niya lang magagawa. She's is something. Hirap niya ring basahin.

Hours past, I arrived at my destination. And the guard bowed to me. Yes, without them knowing, people around here didn't knew that the people working in this chateau are all half blooded pixies. They are mixed with human blood. Just like Zenith. They live among human for millions of years without being caught.

The butler open the doors for me and I saw many fairies flying around and stop and bowed to me. "Viscountess we have a visitors" the butler announced my arrival and I saw her flying and stop at the balcony. Dumungaw lang ito sakin habang sinusuklayan ang kanyang mahabang buhok.

"It's late my son, why sudden visit how's thy princess"

"She's safe, and why sudden address me a son? That sounds.." I stop when I heard someone is snoring nearby. I saw her husband sleeping on his study. The door is open and I saw many papers scattering all over the floor

"Forgive me for my dear beloved he just got home" she said and flutter her wings. Her majenta gowns shimmered with gem beads and she landed gracefully and the fairy gave her blanket and cover her husband with a kiss on the forehead. "Why come here without her highness and I smell reek of blood from you"

"Forgive me bringing such odors. Galing ang mga dugong ito sa mga tao na gumagambala sa gabi, pumapasok sila sa mga bahay ng mga sibilyan at pinapaslang ang mga ito. Di ko alam kung ilan pero apat palang ang napatay ko. I have something in here and those criminals are not one of us, they're just a mere clone"

The fairy came with a white handkerchief and I put the strand of hair and she gave it to Viscountess. She picked it up with a pinky out. Disgusted and sneered at me. I apologized for those reek of blood.

She look at it slowly "Oh?" She became interested and look at the strands carefully "So that's explains the unsolved cases. This is my husband job yet he failed because his getting too old having big bellies is hard for him to keep up and follow the trail of the criminals. Thanks you for this it's a big big help for my husband. And what can I do in return?"

She's fast!

"Help me enter the banquet tomorrow I want to sneak it" I said and she gave me a smirk.

"It's just a small help, anything else?"

"Grand duchess Tonali is the target" I said and her smile widen. And that night. It's like we're in a a game, chess, and the games commence.