“Mom, Dad! Come on! It's my birthday, can't you give me what I want? This is my only request,” She insist. Using all her tricks for her parents to soften their hearts once more.

Ginamit na niya lahat ng paglalambing sa mga ito pero ni isa'y wala man lang epekto. Halos lahat ay ginawa niya pero ni isa ay wala pa ring tumatalab. Nag-iisang anak lang siya ng magulang niya. Bawat hiling niya ay sanay siyang binibigay ng mga ito. Malaki man o maliit. They will surely give it to her, without any complaints.

But today is different, that totally shocked her. She ia not used for beggings, just to attain what she wants. She is spoiled from young, not until today. Kaya ngayon nagtatampo siya dahil ito ang unang beses na namilit siya sa kanyang magulang tungkol sa isang bagay na gustong-gusto niya.

Ito ang unang beses na sinagot siya ng hindi at ayaw ng Mom and Dad niya. Hindi siya sanay. She wants it. She get it. This is just her. When she can't get what she wants, she will whine to her parents until they will give in.

"You know that we can't do it, Kylie!” matigas na wika ng kanyang ama. Tila naging bato ang puso nito ngayon dahil sarado ang tainga nito sa anumang pakiusap niya.

They were in her room because their conversation reached to his father's limit. Ayaw nitong makita siya ng mga katulong na pinagsasabihan, dahil sa mansyon na ito ay prinsesa siya na mahal na mahal ng mga magulang. There's no room for scolding a princess like her.

Lumipat ng pwesto ang kanyang ina at umupo sa tabi ni Kylie. Ginagap nito ang kamay niya bago mahinahon ang boses na nagsalita.

“We have already arranged someone for you. You don't need to asked for someone that we don't even know. This one is surely fitted for you," malamyos ang boses na paliwanag ng kanyang ina. Sa tuwing may conflict, ito parati ang taga saway at taga-pag ayos.

Her parents love her so much. She knows that. But sometimes it's not enough for her. Giving her what she wants is only like a compensation for her. Her parents travels a lot because of their businesses and she always left alone with her yaya. Kaya bilang pagpalubag loob, binibigay sa kanya ng magulang niya kung anuman ang hingin niya.

Padabog na iwinaksi ni Kylie ang kamay ng mommy niya bago nakasimangot na sumagot.

"I don't even know him! How can I marry a guy who I didn't see for my whole life?” Kylie screamed. She's getting impatient by this talks. Her request is just simple. Just give it to her and finish. But the talks about arranging her for someone that she didn't even know caught her attention. And it's making her more annoyed. Showing her bratty attitude. Disrespecting her elders.

“... but baby,” kaagad na awat ng mommy niya. “This son of our kumpadre is better than you think. He will sure match your taste,” her mom said putting more effort to calm her down.

“I don't care. And I don't want to! Grant me what I want and this talking will finish!” Kylie still insisted. Her behavior now can't compare to a child throwing tantrums because the toy that she wants cannot be give.

She's now turning eighteen and throwing tantrums is not good. Magiging ganap na siyang dalaga.

Namagitan ang Daddy niya sa argumento nilang mag-mommy, marahil ay hindi na makatiis sa kasungitan niya.

"Yvonne, we know what's the best for you. Prepare yourself because this time what we wants, you will follow. Not your childish whining!" maawtoridad ang boses na wika nito at agad silang tinalikuran.

Nanlumo ang kanyang mommy dahil sa sinabi ng kanyang Daddy. Nanghihina na sinundan nito ng tingin ang pintong nilabasan ng ama.

Hindi nagpaapekto si Kylie sa sinabi ng kanyang Daddy. She is upset and she will carry this until her parents will change their mind.

"Well ma, if you don't want to give me what i want for my debut, then it's fine! But take the consequences if something will happen to me!" Malditang banta niya sa ina na nakaawang ang labi at hindi makapaniwala dahil sa sinabi niya.

Walang lingong-likod na nagmartsa palabas ng kwarto si Kylie. Palabas ng mansyon nila. Di na niya pinansin ang pagtawag ng ina na ngayon ay naiiling na lang habang padabog siyang lumabas ng mansyon.

Hinihiling lang naman niyang ipa arrange marriage na siya sa anak ng bussiness partner ng mga ito, si Brent Calvin. He is her long time ultimate crush. And his ultimate dream boy. Not just flaunting with good looks, but also a top and smart student.

Brent is a graduating student in Engineering class in Ateneo de Manila University. The name itself really can line up to be her man. But she, a certified spoiled bratt, is not the girl that Calvin wants, so to live up to her reputation, she asked her parents about this marriage proposal as a gift for her eighteenth birthday.

A struck of disappointment flashed her face like a resentful ghaul. She couldn't believe it! When did her parents refuse her? How dare they? Their only daughter and they dare to decline her?

She held her breath as she walked straight to their garden, just at the back of their enormous mansion. Ito ang tambayan niya sa tuwing naiinis siya sa magulang niya.

The sounds of the dry leaves creaking as she stepped on it. Like a cracking of water sprinkled on a hot oil. It's ringing on her ears.

But the fresh air and the peaceful place gave peace to her insurgent heart. She want to shout and let go of all the burden inside so she took the qill to went straight to the forest. Walang masiyadong nagpupunta rito, alam niya iyon dahil busy ang mga tauhan nila sa farm. Sa lawak ba naman ng hacienda nila eh.

"Ahhh, i wish i just dissappear in this world!" Inis na sigaw niya at ipinikit pa ang mga mata para damdamin ang mahihinang tunog ng mga kulisap na nasa paligid. Saglit siyang nanatili sa ganung posisyon bago tuluyang nagmulat. But the moment she opened her eyes she closed it again when she realize something is odd. The sorroundings is different, completely unfamiliar. She's now standing in the big old oak tree that for her, it's seem magical yet it give's her goosebumps. The chirping of the birds are gone, the air that just now is refreshing it suddenly evaporated. She tried to blink some more but she still see the same. She took a step to find a familiar way back to home but she just go back to where she went to.

"A-ano to?" Nauutal at bahagyang may kaba ang tono niya. She don't know what's happening. In the blink of an eye, wala na siya sa bakuran nila. Pero paano nangyari yun? Napapitlag pa siya ng bahagyang makarinig ng kaluskos at sinundan pa ng garalgal pero maliit na boses

“Maligayang pagdating! Avisala, mahal na tagapagligtas. Ivo live!”

A hoarse but squeaky voice resounded her ears that made Kylie jumped in fright. Her heart can't stop beating faster. With a trembling hand, she slowly turned around to look where is the voice coming from. She can't help but to feel scared. Alone in the woods, with no one but herself, and then suddenly an occurrence that she couldn't tell what, all her courage deflate.

The moment she steadied herself, a terrifying sight welcomed her. She almost fainted as she look at the things in front of her.

Little creatures that looks like a human but it's not. The height was about a meter tall. Their faces are wrinkled like a dwarf and the ear is long and pointed up towards the sky. The bulging eyes is round like a tarsier that get even rounder when they heard her screamed.

It took ten whole seconds before her brain processed the whole scene and she started to run for her life.

“Monster!!!” she screamed, eyes bulging in horror. She looks terrified as she quickened her pace to escape.

It only took her five steps before she could run away farther as she bump into a flesh wall that stopped her from fleeing. That sudden stop makes her out of balance and she dropped on the ground. Her bulging eyes suddenly closed to prepare for the impact but a hand as quick as a lightning and firm as a boulder catched her. It was a foot away from the ground but this hand is quick to caught her.

Kylie breath a sigh of relief as she composed herself and stood straight. Just as she wants to thank the owner of the hand that save her, her gaze flew swiftly at the face in front of her.

She was stunned and her eyes widened as she look straight to the eyes of this unknown stranger. She was suddenly fascinated by this handsome and dazzling look. He is wearing a bizarre clothing and hairdos that suit for a highly noble man. For a moment something inside her heart want to jump out of joy upon staring at the amber eyes of the man in front of her. She absentmindedly gaped at the astonishing face that looks like a God that just ascended from heaven. Where am I? Am I in wonderland? I'm dreaming right?

Not until the man opened his mouth to speak that Kylie brought back her mind.

“Sandali, binibini. Huwag kang matakot. Kaibigan kami at hindi kalaban. Hindi ka namin sasaktan," the man's solid voice drifted through her ear.

Kylie's line of sight follows every movement of the man's lips as he speaks. Nae-enganyo siyang makinig. Nang ngumiti ito ay lalong natuliro ang utak niya dahil sa kaakit-akit nitong mapuputing ngipin. Parwng may mahika na biglang naglipana at dinuduyan ang puso niya. She continued staring without uttering any word. She was hypnotized.

"Tumpak siya, binibini. Ikaw sana ay makinig at huwag lumisan. Hindi ka namin sasaktan. Kaibigan kami at kinakailangan lamang namin ang iyong tulong,” nagsalitang muli ang maliit na nilalang na nagpatakot sa kanya. Bakas sa boses nito ang pagsusumamo ngunit sa kasamaang palad ay hindi ito binigyang pansin ni Kylie.

Kylie pays no mind on that little monster. Her mind and gaze are locked through the handsome face of the man in fornt of her. She can't help staring at the stranger's gaze. It feels like she's been hypnotize and she didn't care at all. She dont care about what's happening now. She doesn't care if anything is real, the only thing rammaging her mind is the bewitching face in front of her.

“Muli, nagpapasalamat kami at sa matagal na panahong pamamalagi namin dito sa Hisrasal ay dumating na rin sa wakas ang aming tagapagligtas.”

Kylie suddenly wakes up to her senses and finally regaining her composure. The voices! It's real!

She took one step back, away from the man and turned to face the little man. With her heart beating so hard that it almost jump down from her ribcage, she finally faced the little creature.

With a rough total of fifty little creatures, there's also other that looks like the man behind Kylie. They're all wearing the same bizarre clothing, but atleast they look like human, that's gives Kylie comfort. She stay still on guard. She don't know who are the creatures in front of her. Ngayon ay napapalibutan na siya ng mga ito.

“What the heck are you talking about? What nonsense are you spouting?” she screamed. Dala ng takot ay hindi niya alam kung ano ang gagawin. She wants to get away from here as soon as possible. She tried to calm herself to think of a way to escape from these crazy creatures.

"Dumating na ang tagapagligtas! Sa wakas makakabalik na tayo sa kaharian! Ivo live!"

The stout man shouted in front of her cheerfully lifting his cane but looks like a sword. Tila wala itong pakialam sa nararamdaman niya. Kung natatakot siya o hindi. Kung payag ba siya o hindi. Basta bakas sa mukha nito na masaya ito sa biglaang pagsulpot niya.

While Kylie looked puzzled at her surroundings, she heard noises coming towards them. Suddenly the place became more crowded as the surge of little creature keeps on flowing through where they are. Along with that, there are also creatures that looks like a human but it's not, as their ear was pointed. Their backs looks like something was sticking out that looks like a...

Kylie gasped and her eyes widen as she stared unbelievably to the things in front of her. Why do they have wings? What are they? What is happening?

As the thoughts of this travels through her mind, her heart went more frenzy. Hindi niya kayang ipaliwanag kung ano ang nasa paligid niya. Hindi niya alam kung totoo o ilusyon lamang ang nilalang na nasa harap niya.

Her mind went blank. She can't explain anything. When the crowd of people finally gather near them, they suddenly kneeled that gave her more of a shock. She don't even know these things and they kowtow as if she is high above them.

"Ivo live mahal naming tagapagligtas!" Sabay-sabay na wika ng mga ito pagkatapos ng mga itong mag kowtow ng tatlong beses.

“Ivo live!”

Without knowledge of what is happening, she turned around to the man. Hindi

niya maintindihan kung bakit magaan ang pakiramdam niya rito. Alam niyang isa itong estranghero pero hindi siya nag-atubiling magtanong dito. Sa ayos at pustura nito, sa tingin niya ay ito ang lider ng grupo.

“What are they talking about? What are all these? Where is this place?” she hystericaly asked.

Hindi niya alam kung naiintindihan nito ang sinasabi niya. She speaks foreign language as she was used to it and she don't care about the language of a lowborn or unknown creatures.

“Ikaw ang tagapagligtas,” maikli pero matigas nitong sagot. His face looks stern the same time he gave out a warmth feeling that Kylie couldn't explain.

"Anong tagapagligtas? What the heck are you talking about? Where am I? Where is this place? And who are these people?” her voice speaks with exaggeration. As the questions flowed out her mouth one by one, her mind feels lije a turmoil of tornado wrecking her brain out.

The man look at her deeply. His brown eyes seems like glowing to a golden irises. Shining like a sun that erupts through the dark clouds. A lining of seriousness lying on ut before he opens his mouth to speak.

“Ikaw ang aming tagapagligtas,” he casually said. His voice piercing through her mind like a needle prickling it's way inside to make her understand the situation.

“I already heard it a couple of times. I am asking what and why? I don't even understand where I am! And what is happening! What is all this!” she screamed. Her body sways as she turned around to point all those creatures that surrounding around them.

Kylie looked ar the man questionably. Her brows furrowed and irritation filled her mind. The fear and nervousness was replaced as her mind twirled with questions.

"Huwag kang mag-alala. Nag-iba man ang iyong paligid, ligtas ka sa anumang kapahamakan. Dahil sa kahilingan mo bumukas ang lagusan mula sa ikatlong mundo patungo sa gitnang kaharian,” paliwanag ng lalaki saka ito kumilos at itinuro ang isang malaking puno.

The tree was massive and the leaves were canopying the place were the man was standing. The long string of vines seems to shines against the dazzling sunlight as the colorful leaves reflected on it. It is slowly dancy on the gentle breeze of the wind.

Kylie focused her gaze and her mouth gaped wide open when she saw that in the middle of the tree trunk there was actually a hollow marks and it's seems fascinating. Natatabunan ito ng mga baging kaya hindi niya kaagad napansin.

The man continue speaking as he looked back at her. His brown eyes that seems to be shining gold never leaves hers.

“Ito ang puno ng Eo Mugna. Dito ang lagusan papunta sa unang kaharian na aming tirahan. Nabuksan ang lagusan dahil sa iyong biglaang kahilingan. At iyon ang dahilan kung bakit ikaw ang tagapagligtas dahil ang siyang tanging makapagbukas ng lagusan ay isang magiting na mandirigma na may taglay na mahika. Ikaw ang aming hininhintay na magpapabalik sa amin sa aming kaharian. Huwag mo sana kaming biguin, mahal na tagapagligtas,” mahabang paliwanag ng lalaki habang hindi inaalis ang tingin kay Kylie. Inaalisa ang bawat ekspresyon ng mukha niya.

"Anong lagusan? Anong kaharian?" Gulong-gulo na siya. Mababaliw na yata siya sa pinagsasabi ng mga ito.

Kylie felt dizzy facing all these creatures and absorbing what the man said when suddenly a legendary truth strikes her mind. A truth that she never once believe if its true.

"Who is Aunt Izza mommy?" A twelve years old little Kylie asked her mom as she pointed a woman on the antiquated photo hanging on the walls of the corridor.

Her mom smiled while gazing at the picture with eyes sparkling with admiration.

"Would you believe me if I tell you?" Nakangiting sagot nito bagama't hindi inaalis ang tingin sa nakapaskil na litrato.

"Nah, of course. Would I insist on asking you if I don't?” she pouted her lips as she answered back. “Is she that mysterious that you're hesitating to tell me?" she continued. Like her mother her eyes was also fixed on the hanging frame.

This wall on the corridor that leading to the old grandma's terrace was full of pictures of her Aunt Izza that she never once met.

"She's a legend. A spoiled brat like you,” she heaved a deep and sorrowful sighed before she continued. “She suddenly dissapeared before her eighteenth birthday. Until now we don't have any idea about her. No traces to be found where she went to. Some tell, she died or ran away with her boyfriend. Other's say, someone caught her and bring her to the other world," she let out a soft redicule laugh at the end part.

Kylie chuckles and turn her head around to face her mom, face gleaming with unbelievable emotions.

"And you believe that legend ma?" her brows raised to a crescent moon as she asked.

"Of course not,” her mom answered immediately.

Kylie smirked. “See?”

“But she's the fourth in our bloodline that just suddenly dissapear without any trace. Even if it is a mere legend we are afraid that it will continue. But so far, it's almost a hundred years ago, until now nothing happen. So maybe, it's just really a legend."

"Legend..." Kylie uttered the last word softly. As she recalled what her Mom said, she feels the fat tears suddenly poured fown her eyes. Her heart thud so fast realizing what in front of her are all true. She can't help but to sob silently while the fear lingers in every of her being.

She may keep denying it but the evident is true. She can't run away. This is her fate. The legend that her mom was talking about is true.

Her faith is to continue the history of her bloodline. She is afraid. She know nothing about all this. How can she survives? She's a spoiled rotten brat that know nothing but whine and throw tantrums like a little child. Kung siya nga ang sinasabing tagapagligtas ng mga nilalang na nasa harap niya, she's afraid she will just failed the.

"Binibini..." kaagad na lumapit sa kanya ang binatang kausap ng makita siyang umiiyak. "Patawad... Pero kusang nagbukas ang lagusan at itinawid ka rito."

Tahimik niyang pinahid ang masaganang luha. Masakit at malungkot man, ay kailangan niyang tanggapin ang kapalaran. Maybe she will find her Aunt's here. Maybe she can help. Maybe she try. But how many maybe's until she will realize that this is beyond her strength?

She shook her head. Nahihirapan siya. Kung tatanggapin ba niya makakabalik na siya?

“Why me? I am nothing but a spoiled brat. I can't help you all,” her face full of tears as she looked around. Hopelessly seeking for someone that will say she isn't the one. But no one. No one in the crowd give her expectations. She can only sigh and blows a soft breath, heart still pounding so hard. “Why me?” she asked sadly.

Malungkot na ngiti rin ang iginanti ng lalaking kausap. Ang tingin nito ay hindi pa rin inaalis sa kanya.

"Dahil ikaw na siguro ang nakatakdang magliligtas at magpapabalik sa amin sa loob ng Kaharian ng Estoleothia,” the man simply answered.

Kylie's eyes narrowed. She can't keep denying this anymore. Whatever is this she need to face this.