The skies lit up brightly the moment my foot reached inside the ruins. Ancient languages—barely visible—were carved detailedly upon the rustic walls. The ground beneath was soft, as though any moment it will break, reason for my light footsteps.

It was around the time where the sun was just starting to rise up, and about more than twenty minutes since we walked towards this place. And yet, sweat was running down my forehead as though I ran quite a few distance. Caelesti was perfectly fine as usual, unlike my panting breath paving away, she was composed—if she was normal person, I'd even say she's determined.

But then again, she held no such emotion. Perhaps she sometimes did, but it would not matter for she'd obliterate her own unnecessary emotion in an instance. She looked almost blankly at the marvelous views invading our sights. This whole place just screams history—something I'm about to know.

The whole place wasn't a whole, I knew that much. But I couldn't helped but think how beautiful this building would have had if it wasn't ruined. This place looked like one of those ancient Egyptian tombs I once saw in one of the books on Caelesti's shelves back in the house.

When we reached out unto the open, I could clearly see the sun rising on the distance, the light it was giving was highlighting the dusts everywhere. On the front, there was a mini-stage that I would have to reach by going the stairs, oh and crossing the small canal filled with water too.

Jumping across the canal with Caelesti leading the way, I stopped just before my foot could land on the stairs. I was looking at her figure standing on the middle and from where she stood, I was so sure she could see the view from the outside below. This ruin was more of like placed atop of a cliff. A pigeon circled above too, and I guess the sun was high enough to illuminate everything.

I was aware she was relieving an event from a far off memory, perhaps memories of her past that I will soon get to know or there's that option that I could never. I was having a dilemma, that sort of feeling which surges inside me, thinking how I could reach her at this very moment with just an extend of an arm--or two--but I was too scared to do so.

"You're my death."

It had been roughly almost a week ever since that night happened. I'm not even sure if I was still the same me after I heard those words. They echo through the back of my mind whenever I meet her gaze. Just like how she meets mine right now. It was as though I was being burned alive by those eyes, despite them having no emotions somehow there were instances where she looks at me with concern, or was I perhaps imagining?

There was no reason for her to lie to me, but I couldn't believe her words. I thrive to protect her, not to kill her. Just the thought alone is impossible in the first place. This undeniable sense that I must protect her at all cost still lives within me, so how could I even begin to hurt her?

May posibilidad din na siguro siya mismo ang nagbigay sa akin ng ganitong emosyon, pero may tiwala ako sa sarili ko, alam kong akin ang mga emosyon na ito. Paano ko ngaba malalaman? Paano kung pinaglalaruan niya lang ang mga emosyon ko?

Stop it. Ano ba itong pinag-iisip ko? I'm doubting her? Seriously? Naguguluhan na ako. Simula nung gabing sinabi niya ang mga salitang iyon sa akin, mas lalong gusto ko pang malaman kung sino ngaba talaga ako? Bakit biglaang nawala ang nakaraan ko? All those sleepness nights I spent thinking about these stuffs and I'll never get to know the answer.

"Why are you looking at me like you're seeing another part of someone from me?" She smiled, and I seriously don't know whether she's showing a real one or not. The way she shows her emotions don't reach her eyes, kaya masasabi kong hindi ito totoo.

"You remind me so much of someone that it's vexing." She admitted, her gaze still locked on mine.

"Do you hate this someone?"

"I do."

"Does that mean you hate me too?"

"You and her aren't the same, almost, that is."

"That didn't answer my question."

"If it satisfies you, then my answer is no." I sighed in relief I didn't know I was holding 'till now. "Her existence brought chaos in this world and I hated her for it."

"And we're the same in that aspect?"

"Possibly." She turned her head around, and I urged myself to follow as she went passed the posts which divides to many chambers. She took the middle one. "The only difference is that unlike her, you have a future to unveil for the world to see, more mysteries to create which people will seek for answers, and more time to grow for you to understand everything."

"Hindi ko maintidihan."

"You shouldn't." Kumunot ang noo ko sa sinabi niya.

Wala talaga akong naiintindihan sa mga sinasabi niya. She's telling me things as though she'll never be there to see it, and she doesn't want me to understand those things at this moment. Sino ba itong tinutukoy niya Naguguluhan talaga ako, kailan ba siya magiging derecho sa akin? Kailan ba siya magiging totoo? Gaano pa ba katagal bago ko siya maintindihan?

One moment I thought I already understand her ways, but on the second thought she's a depth I couldn't reach no matter how far I explore. She has that barrier around her which prevents other people from ever reaching her. Walang nakakaalam ng mga iniisip niya at nakakatakot ito.

Lumalakad kami sa may malaking hallway na gawa lahat sa mayayamang mineral at matitigas na bato. May mga malalaking statues din sa bawat gilid, mostly animals and people with armours along with their spears. All of them were made in the same kind of gemstones, they must be rare artifacts.

Sa dulo nitong nilalakaran namin, ay may tumatakip na mga veins at dahon. Caelesti was leading a great gap between us Kaya mas nauna siyang nakapasok. I moved the leaves sideways para makita kung ano ang nakatago sa likuran, and I was mesmerized by the sight of it.

Isang bilog na fountain ang nakalagay sa gitna ng lugar, it's like a small arena with an actual space for a battle. The fountain isn't really working when we got close to it, but the water around it is crystal clear, its scent told me it was still fresh. The surrounding area around the fountain was filled with water that when I stepped down, it reached up to my knees.

Makikita ko ang mismong disenyo ng sahig dahil sa malinaw na tubig, and due to the reflecting sunlight colliding against the waer's surface, everything around us seems to be glowing. I used to think there's nothing in this island but death everywhere, but I guess I was wrong.

"Did you create all of these? The ruins, temples..." I asked trailing off. The hem of her elongated dress that reached up to her knees has already gotten wet, yet she didn't seem to mind.

"No. I could never." She glanced at me first before looking around, I did too. "Ancient civilization once lived in this island, they created everything you see in here."

"And you're trying to say they're all dead?" She nodded. "Ancient civilization, you mean this place existed before even the Great War?"

"The civilization only started disappearing after the second Great War, the decline of Cursed Bloods."

"Are both events related?"

"I thought it was a mere coincidence, but I learned that Cursed Bloods and Leos used to coexist in this place, even though in the outside world they're constantly at war, fighting for dominance, fighting which bloodline really is more powerful." She started tracing the water beneath her, almost playing with it.

In the end, nanalo nga ang Cursed Bloods laban sa mga Leos pero sa huli, sila din ang mga nawalan ng buhay dahil ginamit lamang sila ni Denaricus. This story must be well-known by now, especially that I'm beginning to understand why those events have to happen. It's for the sake of this world, and there's nothing they could have done about it.

"Why did the civilization disappeared then?"

"The World's Battle happened." I frowned. I never heard of it.

"World's Battle?"

"It's a battle between the strongest people on this world, and in every thousand years, there's only twelve. They come from different nations, having different armies of people wth them, and at the right moment, they all battle to death. The last one to survive is to be granted by a single wish from the Gods, and it can be anything."

"Maraming mamamatay dahil lang sa isang kahilingan?"

"Every people have a wish of their own, something that only the Gods can grant. World domination, immortality, fortune, fame, you name it."

"Nangyari na ba ang labanang ito?" She shook her head.

"Soon."

"Are you one of those twelve?"

"No." Nagulat ako sa sinabi niya. Malakas si Caelesti, pero hindi siya kabilang sa labingdalawang iyon? Ibig sabihin may mas malalakas pa sa kaniya?

"You're saying someone out there is stronger than you?"

"Who knows." And there she goes again. Why won't she just tell me everything? Why must she keep it as a suspense?

She lifted her hand from the water's surface, not even a splash was made when she did that, she was graceful. Lumapit siya sa akin, kasabay nang paglapit niya ay bigla na lamang akong napaluhod, with my arms supporting my weight and my head looking down.

Nakikita ko ang sarili kong repleksiyon sa tubig, and once inch away, my nose would have hit the surface of the water. Sa gilid ko ay nakikita ko din ang repleksiyon ni Caelesti, she's looking down at me and there was no way I could guess what she's thinking.

Hindi ako makagalaw, yung parang may pumipigil sa aking malakas na pwersa ng gravity. Pinilit ko ang sarili kong makabangon manlang pero mas lalong sumakit ang buong katawan ko.

"W-what are you doing?" Tanong ko sa kaniya, alam kong siya ang may gawa nito.

"You have to remember your past."

"Ano naman ang kinalaman ng nakaraan ko dito?"

'Because you can never kill me otherwise."

"But I don't want to kill you!" Hindi ko ginusto na itaas ang boses ko, pero dahil sa nararamdaman ko ay hindi ko na napigilan. I lifted my head to face hers despite how hard it was, and there she stood a few centimeters away from me.

"You're only saying that because you know nothing." She said, almost whispering.

"If knowing everything about my past means I'll eventually have to hurt you, then there's no way I would make myself remember--ah!" It's like every single bones in my body started to disintegrate all at once.

Ito ang unang beses na sinaktan niya ako, at hindi ko alam kung bakit kailangan niya pang gawin ito para lamang pilitin ako. Pero kahit ano mang klaseng paghihirap man ang ibibigay niya sa akin, hinding-hindi ako papaya sa gusto niya. Just for this once, can't she just let me keep wanting to protect her? Doesn't she really want to live? Would she really rather die? Bakit ganoon? Bakit niya ba patuloy na pinapahirapan ang sarili niya? If I indeed have the power, I'd punch her until she realized what she have been doing all this time.

"Have you heard about Alitheia Fountain?" She was thoroughly studying my expressions, and I hate the fact that she's hurting me without a change on her own.

And Alitheia Fountain? Of course I have heard of it. Kahit sinong tao naman siguro ay alam kung ano ito. It's a famous legend about a fountain that once someone drowns into it, they will be able to find the truth of themselves--my stomach sank when I realized what I was thinking. Nilbot ko ang paningin ko at napansin na ang tubig na ito mismo ay nanggaling sa may fountain sa gitna. I gulped.

"Don't." I was begging her.

Natatakot ako na baka kung malaman ko nga ang nakaraan ko ay makakaya ko na siyang patayin. Paano kung may nagawa siyang kasalanan sa akin noon at nandito ako para maghigante? Hindi ko alam kung magiging sino ako kung mangyari nga iyon. I feel it, as days pass by I feel like I'm being another version of myself, someone I'm not familiar with but at the same time it's comfortable. Like whoever that person inside me, she's the real me. Pero kahit itago ko man kung sino talaga ako ay gagawin ko para lang hindi ko masaktan si Caelesti.

"You're going to find the truth about yourself--" I interrupted her, forgetting the fear that once prevented me from saying the things inside my head.

"Wala kang karapatan para magdesisyon para sa sarili ko." Seryoso ang boses ko and she was eyeing me with the same intensity I was giving her. She crouched lower to my level and lifted my chin a little.

"You seem to be forgetting your place." Her cold voice ran through the whole place, mas malamig pa ang boses niya sa tubig na ito. "I am Caelesti, I can do whatever I want.'

'And yet you couldn't even live the life you wanted." I retorted. I was so sure she was taken aback by what I had just said, but she didn't show it.

"Because I accepted who I am."

"No, it's because you gave up to your fate and let it do whatever it wants you to do! You were being weak!"

"Sometimes acceptance itself is neither strength nor weakness, because there are times where you just have to simply accept just to keep going."

Wala akong masabi dahil totoo ang sinabi niya. Minsan talaga sa buhay may mga pangyayari na kailangan nating tanggapin kahit gaano man ito kasakit, kahit gaano man ito ka-imposible. Tanggapin man natin o hindi, magiging inspirasyon man natin ito o magiging kahinaan, may mga oras talaga na kahit wala sa dalawang iyon ang nakataya ay kailangan parin nating tanggapin because it's the only way to keep going.

But if accepting means going forward, if it means I have to follow my fate, then I won't move forward. Caelesti may not fight against her fate, then at the very least she has to let me fight mine. I'd even do anything--even ending my own life--just to make sure I won't be able to hurt her. She's not just someone who's important to me, she's someone I want the world to see, see how beautiful she is unlike their prejudice against her.

She held my head down the water, pero bago pa man bumgsak ang mukha ko sa tubig ay tinapik ko na ang kamay niya at mabilis na lumayo. My clothes were already soaked along with hers, but I didn't care at the moment. Nagkakatinginan lang kami like any moment now, everything would end in a single movement.

"Tell me when you've decided to give up." She turned around and before I could run up to her, a rock golem suddenly blocked my way.

Nagagalit ako dahil hindi niya mismo ako hinarap, and if she thinks I'll give up just because of this, she's dead wrong! Nakalimutan ko man ang nakaraan ko, but it doesn't mean I'm weak in battle. Because I can feel it, something inside me surging up, threatening to explode.

The golem was huge, enough to crush my whole existenxe with its gigantic foot. When he attempted to do just that, I quickly moved to the other side. On a small corner of my eyes, I saw Caelesti walking out with her pace slowing, probably thinking I'd really call her and give up.

Remembering my current opponent, the water splashed everywhere every time the golem moved along with the ground shaking underneath me which caused me to loose my balance. Nakaupo ako sa sahig when it swung its fist around. May parang nagsabi sa akin na itaas ang dalawa kong kamay kaya ginawa ko ito. Nagulat nalang ako na may pumapalibot na sa aking barrier made of purple magic circles.

The magic circles began to layer up and up until I felt an energy shooting out from the end of the circle, tumama ang atake na ito sa mukha mismo ng golem. The huge rock monster fell unto its knees, and still in shock, I got up to my feet.

The golem was about to stand up, but another magic circle appeared underneath it that even the waters around started glowing. Hindi ko alam kung ano ba talaga ang ginawa ko, pero isa-isang nawasak ang bawat parte ng batong golem. The ground shook once again every time the boulders fell. Kung kanina ay medyo palang ang basa ko, ngayon ay basang-basa na talaga ako dahil sa malakas na talsik ng tubig.

I wiped my vision filled with droplets of water and looked back behind me. I saw Caelesti's figure stopping, and I couldn't see her expression, but she remained there standing without moving.

Lumakad ako palapit sa kaniya, pero hindi parin siya gumagalaw as if she's waiting for me to get closer, and until then I'll keep my guard up. I stopped a meter away, and the moment she turned around, she disappeared. Nagulat ako sa nangyari, at huli na nang mapansin ko ang paparating niyang kamay.

It was merely a slap, but I could feel my back hitting against the wall in a mere instance. Tapik lang ng kamay niya yun, but it seems like I broke a rib or two with that attack. Ni hindi ko manlang siya nakita or naramdamang gumalaw.

I knew it, she's strong and I can't believe someone out there is even stronger than she is. I feel already suffocated by her energy surrounding this place. Bumalik sa akin ang takot na pilit kong kinalimutan kanina. My hands were trembling as well as my legs and there, realization hit me.

There was no way I could kill her. Was she testing me? Or is it that she just suddenly decided to kill me. Either sounds bad, and in this dire situation I don't even know what to do. This is how strong the woman I want to protect so badly, and it's as though she was trying to tell me that she doesn't need my protection—that she's capable of handling everything om her own.

And I hate the fact that I don't want to ever realize this. I hate the fact that she's even making me stay away from her. Her walls are built so far high and so hard that nobldy could even attempt to enter it. Naiinis ako dahilt dito. Ayaw niya ba talaga sa akin? O ayaw niya lang talaga sa mga mahihina?

Nakatingin lang ako sa kaniya nang lumapit siya. She grabbed me by the collar, lifting me up. I gritted my teeth when the sudden realization of pain hit me all over my body. I grabbed her wrist in return, hoping to twist it.