The Chosen One

“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.

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