Chapter 3: Journey

THE aroma of a brewed coffee invaded Alaster's pointed nose making him to regain consciousness. He opened his eyes and the first thing he do was to roam his eyes all over the familiar place. He ended up in the familiar place again and again.

Bumangon siya mula sa pagkakahiga at may pumukaw sa atensyon niya. There in the small kitchen, he saw a young woman with a red-blond hair facing off the brewed coffee that she was making. Mukhang doon nagmumula ang amoy na nasamyo niya.

"Oh. You're finally awake." malamyos ang himig ng boses ng babae nang magsalita ito habang ang atensyon ay nasa kapeng ginagawa nito.

Alaster didn't utter a reply nor a single word. He just remained silence while looking at the girl's back. He is a man of few words so he can't make up a good conversation. He was known for being a silent and cold person.

"Hoy! Magsalita ka naman kapag kinakausap ka!"

The girl was no longer in the kitchen and she is now in front of him wearing an annoyed face. It looks like this girl couldn't handle people like him. He can now finally see the beauty of that girl who saved her life for the second time.

She looks like an innocent lamb with a pair of crimson red eyes and a crimson plump lips. Her skin was fair and white as snow and by the look of it, she might have been bothered by many suitors.

He never denies that this witch was like a real reincarnation of Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty. Yes, a witch. He can sense a dark yet good aura inside of her, screaming that she's a witch- the infamous witch of destruction.

Despite all of this, its weird that Alaster never felt even a trace of danger approaching him as he look at the girl. But he shouldn't be this calm. He never know if this girl was trusted enough so he needs to be more cautious.

"Hoy!" the girl shouted right at his face. His eyes and whole attention were all over her annoyed face again.

He sighed. He doesn't have a choice but to give her a reply. What a pain of ass.

"What do you want?" aniya sa malamig na boses. Wala siyang choice kundi ang sagutin ang makulit na babae.

The girl flashed a radiant smile. She handed him a coffee. He just stared at her like she was his wholesome specimen.

When the girl noticed that he didn't accept the coffee she made, she just sighed in frustration. "What a stubborn kid." she said then in her snap of her finger the cup of coffee suddenly vanished.

Binalingan siya muli ng babae. "I just want to ask you some questions. I hope you don't mind..."

He nodded giving her his permission. The girl sat at the chair and started to ask questions.

"Why are you here in my private space?" Tinapunan siya nito ng nanunuring mga mata.

He know that he couldn't make a single lie infront of this witch so he decided to spread everything that he knows from the start-hid mission, about the stone.

After he accepted the mission without even care about the danger it harbors, he leave already to start his mission. He had this map about where he would find this stone and search for the stone in every vicinity in the forest but he got lost in the woods until he suffers from a deep fever, not a fever but a mana sickness. He drained his mana in his body for using it in slaying demons he had met.

Hanggang sa nakita niya ang isang maliit na bahay sa gitna ng gubat. He decided to take a rest inside without knowing that the house is where the witch of destruction stays. He knows the witch for a long time since she was famous in the Cleon Kingdom but not her name. Walang hindi nakakakilala sa kanyang lakas at panganib na hatid.

Pero tila kabaligtaran naman yata ang naririnig niya sa nakikita niya. She's harmless and innocent. She even saved him from the monsters and from his sickness given off that he was just a perfect stranger for her.

Natigilan siya. Bakit niya iniisip ang reputasyon ng babaeng ito? He should working his face off and continue his search again hindi iyong nag-iisip siya ng kung ano-ano.

"About the stone... Is this the stone that grants wishes?" biglang tanong ng babae na siyang ikinagulat niya.

How did she know about the stone? Hindi niya sinabi ang tungkol sa purpose ng bato na iyon unless kung may alam talaga ang dalaga tungkol sa sacred stone na 'yon.

Mukhang alam ng babae ang itinatakbo ng utak niya kaya nagsalita ito. "I know a lot about Genesis. My clan was once conduct a research about that stone but they never find one. Hindi ko lang alam kung bakit wala pang nakakakita ng batong iyon. Some says it was just a myth from ancient tribe and some says it is not. But one thing is for sure..." Her eyes met his own orbs. "That stone is not just a simple one. It is the harbinger of evil."

Sumeryoso si Alaster. Right from the start ay naghihinala na siya sa batong 'yon. Mukhang hindi lang siya ang nag-iisang hindi naniniwalang mabuti ang idinudulot ng bato at mukhang may alam ang babaeng ito sa kanyang hinahanap.

"Edna Fritzhald, right?" He asked. Tumango ang babae. Inilahad ng lalaki ang kanyang kanang kamay sa babae tsaka nagsalita. "Would you like to go on a journey with me?"

Yeah, it's weird. He think he's insane. Asking about a girl like that! Hindi niya nagagawa iyon sa tanang buhay niya. Ngayon lang at labis siyang nagtataka.

This girl is something. And it irritates him.

NAGULAT si Edna sa naging offer sa kanya ng lalaki. Hindi niya inaasahang aayain siya nitong sumama sa kanya. Weird. Hindi kaya ay may ibang pakay ang lalaki? Pero kung titingnan niya ang mga mata nito ay mukhang wala naman.

Hindi dapat siya makontento sa nakikita niya lang. She should ask the man. "Why would I go with you? Anong benefit ang makukuha ko kapag sumama ako sa paghahanap ng bato?" she even crossed her arms.

The guy didn't bother to speak again. Mukhang hindi rin alam ng lalaki ang dahilan kung bakit siya nitong inaya pero maya-maya ay nagsalita ulit ito.

"I found you useful. Mukhang matutulungan mo ako sa misyon ko." He said in a deep and chilly voice. Wala talagang ibang tono ang boses ng lalaki kundi kalamigan.

She even feels the chilly air coming from this man. He was like a pile of ice and snow, cold and distant. His brooding icy eyes never leave her as it she was being sucked with his stares.

Pero hindi sasapat iyon para pumayag siya. Kailangan niyang mapatunayan sa kanya na dapat siyang tulungan. "Why would I help you? Are you one of the people who has an ulterior motive? Do you also want the sacred stone for yourself?"

The guy gritted his teeth and clenched his fist. It seems like he was losing his temper right now. "Ano? Sabihin mo lang kung matutulungan mo ba ako o hindi?"

"I can help you but I want you to state your own reason. Why did you accept this kind of mission if you don't want the stone?"

Problemadong napahilot ng kanyang sentido ang lalaki. Mukhang hindi na kinaya ang pagiging makulit ng dalaga. Well, walang lalaki ang magtatagal sa sobrang kuli niya and by the look of this guy, konti na lang at sasabog na siya.

"Damn. I accepted this mission because I want to slay demons and I want you to lend me a hand for searching the stone since I don't have any information about this stupid stone. What else?"

Hindi mapigilan ng babae ang tumawa. Ang cute kasi nito tingnan habang galit. And she never know na nakakapagsalita pala ng madaming words ang lalaki. It looks like she was improving to make him more productive!

"Chill, young man. I'm just asking you and I can sense that you are telling the truth.." Tumayo ito mula sa pagkakaupo at hinawakan ang parehong kamay ng binata.

The man frozed when she touched his cold hands as he stares at her face. Edna gave him her sweetest smile that she had in her entire life.

"Let's work together, Mr. Knight. I am looking forward to work with you. By the way, you can call me Edna. What's yours?"

He avoided his gaze from her and in a cold voice he managed to made a reply. "Alaster. Call me Alaster."

"Alaster. What a nice name." It was a beautiful name for a man like him. Stubborn.

"Tsk." The man hissed at her at kinalas ang pagkakahawak sa kamay niya. Seems like he was irritated at her sudden move and she couldn't help but to smile a lot.

'I found him so adorable when making an annoyed face.' Edna giggles in her mind.

She went back from cooking their lunch in her kitchen before they leave. She avoided using some spells to restrain herself from doing some recklessness especially that there is someone in her house.

"Which one do you prefer? Fried chicken or chicken curry?" tanong ng babae habang naghihiwa ng manok.

Hindi muli sumagot ang lalaki kaya nilingon niya ito. Nakita niyang nakatingin ito sa mga litratong nakasabit sa dingding at nag-iisip ng malalim.

Nilapitan niya ang lalaki. "Sila pala ang mga magulang ko." aniya pa at tumitig rin sa larawan.

It was a painting of her dead family. Long time ago, there is a sudden massacre to her clan and the criminals were the magicians. She didn't know why they killed her family but she didn't bear any hatred against them.

She was taught to be a good witch. A witch that helps people or someone who is in danger. Her goal in her life was live to the fullest and nothing more.

Hindi sumagot ang lalaki sa sinabi niya kaya napanguso siya. 'Ang cold niya talaga.' sambit pa niya sa kanyang isipan.

AFTER they finished eating their lunch, she packed all of her belonging that they will needed in their long and tiring journey. She prepared a magical wallet where in she put all of big things in there. The wallet have some spells casted on it and can handle much more things. It was necessary for their long walk.

She didn't know where to find the sacred stone but she can tell and sense the mana lurking in the stone. Naalala niya kasing ang batong 'yon ay dating hinahanap ng mga witch clan pero nabigo sila kaya itinigil nila iyon.

"I'm done!" she exclaimed then hold her things in her back. She was dressed in red sleeve and red skirt. Down to her waist, there is a brown belt where in she hide her magical wallet. She even equipped herself with protection spell against monsters.

"You're slow." reklamo ni Alaster na kanina pang naghihintay sa kanya. Ngumiti na lang siya at sinabayan siya sa paglalakad.

"Are you sure you don't want yourself to equipped with protection spell?" Natanong ni Edna 'yon sa gitna ng kanilang paglalakad.

In an icy voice with blank expression, Alaster spoke. "No need. I can handle myself."

She pouted at the cold treatment that the guy gave to her. Bumalik na naman sa pagiging cold ang binata matapos niya itong tulungan pero imbes na magalit ay may kung ano sa puso niya na nag-uurge na pangitiin ang lalaki.

It feels like Alaster was suffering from a pain and he's still the victim of it-like he was under the cage of despair.

'I want to know more about him. I want to help him and make him happy. I must first need to erased all of his wrinkles in his forehead, meaning his blank and irritated face.'