CHAPTER 18

S A K U M I  ✿

I felt the frigid kiss of the air around me, shaking from the sudden drop of temperature. The air had a crisp and biting quality that seemed to nip at my exposed skin. A white mist of smoke suddenly swam out from the carriage in front of us. Ito lang ang tanging karwahe na umuusok.

"Oh so that's the winter prince"

"Who?"

"This carriage over here" turo sakin ni Marvan sa ikaapat na karwahe na malapit samin medyo sagabal ang mga tao sa harap ko. There was an urges of adrenaline rushing through my veins. I never encountered winter in my whole life before, but now I'll witnessed the person who was the winter itself.

I don't know how magics works. Even I tried to do some mathematical calculation or do some research on my own I still don't get it.

Epekto na siguro ng kabobohan.

The carriage move and heard the footsteps from inside like the passenger is about to climb down. I saw the passengers hand touch the side of the door and heard a crisp sound biting the woods and spread something on the carriage wall, it's ice! it's coming out from the passengers hand.

I wanna know how magic works!!

I know it's magic, so what?

Like how did that magic possessed someone's body?

The passenger climbed down. And lately I found that it was a fine man.  Blanc long hair swinging majestically together with his robe, standing graciously with bite of elegancy, brushing the incompetent soul out of his way. His every step marked him with disciplined and pride, an act of nobility that was Prince Niflheim's lacking.

As his feet touch the carpet it immediately froze leaving a white mist on his wake creating an icy spike on the edges of the red carpet. The people around him, was wearing the same robe like him but he was above them all.

I was stunned and someone pull up my jaw, I didn't knew my mouth was dropped from astonishment."That's prince Davianglace the next bearer of the winter core" I heard Marvan said, voice on a nearly whispers and he stood up. Sinilip kolang ang apat na itinakda at ang bawat yapak nila sa pulang katpet ay may iniwan sila at mabilis din itong naglaho. Di ko masyadong nakita ang mga mukha nila dahil sa mga nakaharang na tao.

They were organized by their own seasons.

They were accompanied by four old people, they looked like a priest, long beard with a bald head. Towering them and they went inside the temple, followed by the people behind them and the Spring carriage burst into thousands of butterflies and fluttering away and others went to the stone statue.

The Summer carriage burst and turn into dozens of white doves and flown away, the Autumn one burst into colorful leaves and flown by the gentle breeze.

Di ko maipaliwanag ang naramdaman ko. I was flabbergasted. Adrenaline is taken over me. No words slips out but mouth  left drop, watching the magical scenery.

The winter carriage burst into something and it looks like rain but it's nothing like rain. I don't felt the  drop of water, it fall majestically, slowly and beautiful. I catch the falling small balls that was falling above me. And feel their bitterly cold kiss when they landed on my exposed skin.

"What is this called?" I turn to lord Endemion while catching every balls that falling above my head

"That's snow, Cheri " he said and flickered my nose and one snow landed on my nose.

"Snow... cherry"

He quietly laugh, I never seen that cute side of him, it made him more attractive. "You look handsome my lord" I said and saw him turn his gaze away. "I wanna see that again, it's cute, smiling makes you more amazing..."

"Sami cut it out, and that falling from above you is called, Snow"

"Oh, snow" ginaya ko rin ang sinabi niya at may mga butterfly na lumipad sakin at nakiliti ako ng pumalibot  sakin hanggang sa lumipad na sila sa taas. I almost flopped when I raised my head to see the stonecore. They are so tall the clouds are blocking my sight to them.

I never missed on opportunity to see the beauty of the new world around me.

Mom, your right the world is big enough for a flower that just pluck out from her garden.

Only the three of us left outside and the people inside began to play music. Starting the celebration. I wanna watch too.

"Sami lika na" tawag nila sakin and

I heard a weird sound somewhere, whispering in my ears and it sent shivers on my spine. Something is watching us. Nakita ko rin ang paghila ni Endemion ng kanyang espada pero hinila iyon pabalik ni Marvan at nilingon ang buong paligid. The clouds are blocking the sun and the breeze starting to howl like a storm is coming.

The pressure was intense and I feel it coming and saw a figure blocking the light and it's coming from above me. Without a second thought. I immediately put out my sword and block it's attacks and saw how shocked itself was. I managed to kicked the person a few feet away but it landed gracefully with full spin on his sword. I was amused on how that person spin the sword. It was fast, I left awestruck of how he move it without bleeding himself. Isang pahiwatig na matagal nitong pag eensayo.

The person's identity was obscured, nakaitim siya lahat, a scarf wrapped around his neck, covering the half it's face. But in her figure, flexibility, these must be a woman. Ponytail like mine. Her movement was not familiar to me and I flinched as it just appeared in front of me and in just a matter of second without guarding my post, she landed a hard kick and I sent flying on a nearby tree, hitting my back on the bark and fell on the ground with my face.

I raised my face and spewed the dirt from my lips and she's lunged forward to attack me again. And I dodge her by pushing myself back, I saw how the blade past my eyes and cut few of my strands of my hair and it fell on the ground, I finished it with a flip back and it was the very first time. I flip back!

"WOW!! Endemion did you see that?"

"Focus Sami!" He bellowed, the tip of his sword is on the ground, moving the hilt with his index finger like he was readying for something and Marvan is just playing with a snail.

Masyadong mababaw ang kaligayahan ko ng magawa kong magjump backwards. The person began to gaze me a predator glare. 

Umatake naman ito at nabigla ako sa pagdaan ng espada at pagkaraan ng ulo niya siniko ko naman at nagawa niya rin akong masuntok sa tagiliran, we're even and I stop myself from falling I spit something salty and wipe my lips and saw my eyes sparkled.

My blood!!

As she leapt forward to assault me, may biglang humila sa kanya at nakita ko si Endemion sa likuran ng babae'ng iyon. She looked back and attacked him but after a seconds they patted each others shoulders. And shook hands with Marvan.

Mukhang magkakilala sila. Inalis niya ang kanyang maskara at dun ko napansin na lalake pala ang umatake sakin. Lumapit ito at nagready na ako, defense stance.

I swing my sword and as his shadow almost reach mine. I swing my sword and I cut him and that made him winced a little.

"Chill girl I'm unarmed see" sabay tarak niya ng kanyang espada sa pa at tinaas ang kanyang dalawa kamay sa ere.

Lalake pala to? The heck

He pulled out his scarf, dabbing  the blood from his cut. He turn his gaze to me and I moved back, gripping on the hilt to defend myself for possible assault.

I thought his going to attack me again but he just bowed with his other arms on his chest. Red monolid eyes, straight nose and cute thin lips, pale skin with broad muscle, it stand out.

"Klaudio madame" he just introduced himself and I peered to Endemion to help me. But Marvan yanked him out of my sight.

I look at man again and his covering his cut "Amph Sakumi, let me assist you please" I said with a firm voice and clean his wound.

"Iie"

"Huh?"

"....." He seems offended and turn back. And Marvan touch his shoulder that made him stop walking. May sinabi siya dito na kinabalik nya ng tingin sakin at lumapit ulit sakin and now his face was calm "Sorry I thought you understand nihongo, but let me give you a few reminder don't use HUH, because it's sounder that the person is angry"

Hilig ko pa naman mag huh pag di ko magets. Iba pala sa mga tulad nila ang Huh.

I nodded and asked for a clean cloth. I don't want to contaminate his cut.  We sat down for a moment. He wipe something on my face and I swatted his hands off of me.

"You're not a friendly type"

"How am I able to greet you in a nice way if you just attacked me"

He chuckles and scratch the back of his head "You're mistaken I was testing you"

"You should probably asked me personally if you want a duel, not just attacking me like that!"

"Okay sorry, Ikaw lang kase ang napansin kong babae na may dalang espada... Teka Babae ka ba talaga?"

"Ano ba sa tingin mo ah?!"

"Ow.. oow" He whined and I drop his hand, binitawan ko na rin ang Tali, di ko pansin na pinipiga ko na pala ang sugat niya dahil sa inis.

He make himself small and almost scram. "Okay, okay I'm sorry... But you see, I was amazed because I never encountered a woman that can wield a sword..."

"Okay that's enough" someone just pull me up like a cat. My weight was too light and he put me down beside him. I know who's that person is. It's Endemion. Hilig niya talaga akong dalhin na parang pusa.

Klaudio stood up and brush off the dirt from his trousers "Are you one of the Core's guardian?"

"Wasn't it obvious?"

"I mean she's a lady"

Another veins popping out of my face. I was offended. I put my arms around my waist to answer him but Endemion covered my mouth with his big palm. "Is there a problem with that?"

"Nope, actually I was amused, can I borrow her for a moment?"

"No, yun nalang yung isa" sabay turo niya kay Marvan na nangungulangot sa tabi tabi.

"Oh come on, this woman is once in a blue moo.."

"I said no, don't make me repeat myself" Klaudio just sighed with a hint of frustrations and he pull out the stick from his back and it extended longer. Makasing taas na sila nito.

"Maybe some other time"  he whipped it, letting my eyes following it's movement. My mouth left open and he ended it with a nice stop, using the tip of the stick to close my mouth. Nabaliw lang ako sa bilis na ginawa niya.

"I'll meeting you inside, and miss Sakumi thank you for the try out. I wanna bump into you again. Ciao!" he said and he just disappeared. I couldn't even took a few glimpse but only heard the rustling of leaves.

"Who's that man?"

"Klaudio the guardian of the Torii, he serve the temple when since he was young. His job is to keep out trespasser and monster to enter the holy land"

"Mukhang mabigat naman pala ang trabaho niya"

"Hay... wala namang mabigat sa trabaho niya Sami nakatambay lang yun"

"Mabigat kaya pano kung may makapaso..."

"Sam" I raised my face and saw his fake smile again. I think he wants me to stop "Let's go inside rather than studying that guy"

Pumasok na kami at bumukas lang Yung pinto mag isa. Sa loob napanganga na naman ako kase napakaluwag talaga. Sa laki ng espasyo parang pampalasyo na. Naglakad lang kami sa hall at huminto sa harap ng nakapalaki laking pinto at napapikit ako ng bumukas ito at narinig ko ang palakpakan ng mga tao sa loob at ang iba nag sasayawan na. Kala ko great hall it's a field.

Nakaupo naman ang iba sa tabi habang sumasayaw ang ilan sa gitna ng open field. Parang entertaining show lang.

"Sakumi!" I heard a voice somewhere and saw Klaudio sitting on the roof of the tent. Genuinely smiling, waving his hand to me and the people from the crowds look in to our directions. "That's my girl over there!"

I wave back but Marvan and Endemion just yetted me somewhere and find some vacant seat. Nakahanap naman kami at napalagitna nila ako. Nakita ko ang apat na prinsepe na nakaupo medyo malayo sa isa't isa.

Mukhang masungit pa ang ilan. May nakita rin akong nakaupo, apat din sila may dalawang Babae.

"Whose those people over there?" Tanong ko at tiningnan naman nila.

"Oh, that's the winter Princess, Alaida. The other one is an Autumn Princess, Ileya Lavelle"

"Ang mga apat na nakita mo kanina ang mga bagong pinili ng dyosa. Puro lalake lahat, Yung si Lavelle crush ko yan kaso di pwede, my position is the lowest in the peerage"

"I don't get it"

"It's because he's a Baron and the woman he likes was a princess"

"So?"

"So, means it only takes for a miracle for both of them to be reunited, they will face a lot of criticism because the man she loves was not a prince or not higher in rankings and that's the reason, it drives him to stop himself from approaching the princess is plus she is also a bearer "

"Oyy!" Marvan seems annoyed and slapped Endemion's shoulder to stop him.

Binalik ko naman ang tingin sa mga importanteng tao sa mundong ito. Pero isa lang ang nakakuha ng atensyon ko.

Yung lalake na nagdala sakin sa mundong ito. Prince spring. Or should I say Niflheim. His foot was on top of the table while his hands are resting behind his head. I saw the other people from the other season didn't like his attitude. It was disrespectful for him and to the temple. Ang laswa ng ugali niya kahiya sa mga side niyang spring.

One of the priest stand and the people that turn their head to listen. He looks like his the head of all the priest in the temple

"Calling the guardians of the seasons"

The crowds-cheering, clapping their hands. I felt like my heart leapt out from my chest. I was comfortable in sitting here why calling us to go to the center huhu!!

"Lets go Sami"

"Yoko kayo nalang"

"Sami"

"Alright" I reluctantly agreed and stood up and descended the stairs.

And as I go further and further. I saw how shocked he was and all I did was bitting my lips. He didn't blink his eyes, he was stunned and couldn't believe to see me. Tumabi na kami sa kanya at nakita ko ang paglaglag ng panga niya. And his unwelcoming aura. We both scowled and I felt something, scorching heat rising above my head and it's about to explode. Nagkaharap lang kami na masama ang tingin sa isa't isa. Nagbow lang kami at pinikot niya ang ilong ko

"What are you doing here!!"