Amir's POV:
"Neelam; a blue stone created by the great sorcerer and inside the stone is a demon who invaded our peaceful realm, forty years ago. Now, the demons started to look after this stone, slaughtering people making it easier for them to find the stone, and devouring the flesh, which makes them stronger than any... — "
"Then why don't we give them the Neelam?" I uttered instantly gazing at Master Ki Bou.
"...In that way, they will stop killing and devouring our people! That's all they wanted, right? That blue stone?" I added.
He exhaled a deep sigh.
"But this stone doesn't belong to them, and we don't know yet if they are only after this,—"
"But what inside that belongs to them! " Marcus said, cutting off Ki Bou.
This guy was right! What inside that stone is owned by the enemies.
"Tama siya, tanda! Para wala ng madamay pang mga inosente, bakit hindi na lang natin ibalik sa kanila 'yan?" Cleb emitted while scraping his axes on the table.
"No. I can't! You know the casualties that this demon inside this had done to our realm! It has been carved in our history, we must never forget! Forgetting the history is like denying the significant meaning of the present," Master Ki Bou defended with conviction in his utterances.
" — But you knew from the beginning that it was the reason why they kept coming back, killing, consuming the flesh of our people, it's because of that stone. If you keep insisting, then expect it will get worse. The realm will be the most affected, then another war will rise," I emitted in a modulated tone. Gazing at the stone that was strapped in a thin rope at Ki Bou's neck.
"You don't understand me! This was the great sorcerer's token of gratitude to the people. This was ours and what's inside this was ours! Stop acting like you were born at that time and witnessed what happened back then, you don't understand! It was our symbol of triumph and harmony," He added.
"Tama si Master Ki Bou, if you try to analyze everything. Wala silang babawiin sa atin, wala tayong ibabalik sa kanila at wala tayong ibibigay sa kanila. That stone already belongs to us and what's inside that stone..."
He halted and deeply exhaled, gazing at us with fierceness in his eyes, unsmiling.
"... was already ours," Li finished.
Suddenly, Marcus stood up from where he was seated earlier and leaned on the wall with arms over his chest. Then, click his tongue.
"Then, we suffer," he coldly uttered gazing at the ceiling. He turned his gaze to Li who was seated beside me holding the book of magic, it was opened. Seems like he was reading earlier while listening.
"Suffer from what?! Nonsense killings? Massacring? No. Those people who died at Footers Village, and from other villages here in this realm don't deserve it. Namatay ng walang kaalam-alam sa mga pangyayari, namatayan ng kamag-anak, namatayan ng pag-asang mamuhay ng payapa, namatayan na hindi marapat, those people don't deserve it, and the people who have still a moment to live right now doesn't deserve suffering..."
Slowly, tears started forming around his eyes, he suddenly turned emotional. I just tap his shoulder to calm him down, he seems affected and emotional about those people who were dead and suffered at the hands of those demons. But then, he shrugged it off and uttered his words. I was caught off guard by what he did, yet simply shunned it.
"...those demons need to touch some grass from the real world, we don't deserve the killing of our people, we owe nothing to them, at wala tayong ibabalik o ibibigay sa kanila, wala tayong kasalanan..."
He added, then particularly emphasizing the last phrase he uttered before gazing at Marcus and Cleb ferociously.
"... Now, that the thirteen offspring of power have been born, we need to move right now! protect our people, our realm, that stone. We will protect what's ours. They have nothing to take back from us. Nothing!" Li concluded.
Hushed.
Then, a sudden slow clap from Cleb makes the silenced vanish from the air.
"Pambihirang talumpati 'yan bata! May emosyon! Iba ka! Isa pa nga." Cleb exclaimed sarcastically.
Li turned his head at Cleb who stood and clapped at him.
"Thank you!" Li responded.
"Listen. The Neelam has nothing to do with this, look, the thirteen offspring of mana were created to safeguard the realm from danger and to counter the dark curse that was put by this monster in our realm..." Master Ki Bou,
"...It was my duty to protect this stone, not you. If they kept coming back here to take this, then I take full accountability for it, but you, you will protect the people, the land, and counter the curse,"
"Well, I guess, this is it! Let's do our job! Protect the people, protect the land, and keep yourself alive," Marcus uttered, walked directly out the door, and left the room.
"Tapos na? 'yun na 'yon?!" Cleb emitted
"No, later today, maybe at night, we'll have a bonfire at the second division camp and I have lots to tell to the four of you!" Master Ki Bou responded.
"... You may leave now," He added. We nodded and left this room after, it's a newly made cabin created manually and through Ki Bou's combination magic of water, wood, rock, and steel magic, in the past weeks ago. This camp had three divisions; one where the entrance is, where it accommodates you to two opposing bunkhouses and a gazebo at the center, the second division of this camp was connected by a hidden path at the corner of the camp, it was a spacious and surrounded by trees, so we decided to set a vegetables and fruits gardens in this area, a lake created by magic itself, and also a camp cafeteria, the third and final division of this camp is where we set two cabins; one for Master Ki Bou and the other one was for the thirteen offspring's headquarters, a training ground, and a healthcare center near the entrance of third division of the camp in where we could take medicines and the patients could rest there, Lusaka lead the center, on the other hand, Mill will be the appointed messenger of Master Ki Bou, and Niala was the head at the cafeteria, we still have a lot to rebuild and improve on this camp, back then, this camp had been abandoned for so long.
...
After we left the chamber, I walked alone going through the cafeteria at the second division of the camp. I didn't see Marcus anywhere around since he got left sooner, Li stopped over at the healthcare center to help her older sister, while Cleb made himself some free time as he bath at the camp lake.
I reached the cafeteria and directly sat at one of the stools, looking around to see if Niala was there.
She was not here.
"She's not here?" I uttered to myself, arms on the table while fidgeting. I whistled in boredom.
Then, suddenly someone taps my shoulder, twice. I turned around and saw her holding a wooden menu board, beaming.
"Good Noon, you're my first customer for this day." She emitted.
"Oh? Was I?" I asked.
"Yes, so I humbly ask for your order, sir!" She uttered, keeping her smile on her face.
I looked at her, arching my brows at her. Then, politely grab the menu board in her hand.
"Let me see the menu," I said
Potato soup, Crispy Smashed Potatoes, Classic Pot Roast, Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Vegan Roasted Sweet Potato Salad.
So, the main dish was potatoes. Is it for today's main dish? or this is all she knows to cook for?
I turned my gaze at her and arched my brows at her.
"Potatoes?"
Suddenly, her smile started to disappear off her face, put her arms over her chest and raised her eyebrows at me.
"Bakit ba?! Ano?! Kakain kaba o Itatapon ko 'to?" She uttered threatening me to throw her dishes.
I raised both my arms.
"Chill! I'm not complaining!" I said.
"Then pick!" She commanded, pointing to the menu board.
"Okay! Then can I have crispy smashed potatoes?" I said, pointing to it.
"Wala." She shortly replied. Arms on her waist, all sass.
"True? Then, can I have Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes?" I said, then turned my gaze to her who was now checking her fingernails while clicking her tongue.
"Wala din,"
"Seriously?"
"Yep,"
"What about Classic Po... —"
"Wala din,"
I'm starting to doubt that she has nothing to offer me. I looked at her and arched my brows at her.
"Guess that you have nothing to offer me on this menu, right?"
She couldn't look at me right in the eyes.
"Potato Soup..."
"Iyon lang nailuto ko, besides, walo lang naman tayo dito sa camp. So, tinipid ko na lang at Potato Soup lang ang niluto ko,..."
"But, what's on the menu was potato dishes na I was supposed to cook for, plano ko siyang lutuin sakaling may customer ako na madami-dami." She reasoned out.
I nodded, and as soon as I figured it out.
"Ahh, okay, I see..."
"Then, can I have potato soup, please?" I emitted.
Then give her back the menu board. She accepted it and left right away.
Moments later, she handed over the bowl of potato soup. Its aroma was fair, and I never second-thought to taste it.
"It was good. Thanks for this! I suggest you offer this to others, I'm sure they'll like it. " I said, praising her soup.
"Thanks!" She shortly replied, delighted.
I smiled.
"Welcome, ... " I responded.
"Oh? By the way, we'll have a campfire later at night! Wanna join?" I said, inviting her.
"Sure! Isasama ko si Mill at Lusaka," She said.
...
"Where's Master Ki Bou?" I asked, as soon as I arrived at the camp lake where we were having a campfire. As I can see, they are just starting to set the fireplace. I gaze at Li who just sitting at the log, busy reading the big and thick book.
"He's not here yet," Marcus said. Leaning back at the tree, honing his sword, again.
"Mamaya pa siguro si tanda, ..." Cleb emitted, chopping off the woods with his axe that was needed for the campfire.
"Kasama mo pala sila?" he added, sooner, noticing the three behind me.
"Ay, hindi! 'di ba obvious?!" Niala emitted her sarcastic tone and rolled her eyes at Cleb.
"Pasensya naman po, ganda!" Cleb responded, seeming to apologize for it.
"Anyway, you guys can sit there while waiting for Master Ki Bou," I said, they immediately find themselves a comfortable place to sit. Lusaka sits beside her younger brother, Mill, and Niala sits on the other side beside Cleb.
"Yow! Marcus! Sindihan mo na 'to!" Cleb said, dictating Marcus to ignite the wood.
He walks forward to the stock of woods in the center and draws his sword on it. Then a sudden smoke emitted from his sword. We were amazed by it, how is he able to wield his magic through its sword? This guy is something else. The point of its sword created a spark that lit up the wood and created a fire.
"Paano mo nagawa 'yan?" Niala uttered, curiously.
"I wield my magic through this sword," He said, then put back the sword on its scabbard.
"Ah, so it means that kayang dumaloy ng mana sa kahit na anong bagay?" She added.
"Exactly, like the great sorcerer, he was able to wield his magic to its baton," Marcus replied, then turned his gaze after Cleb.
"... Cleb can do it also with his axe," He added.
...
"Magandang gabi," the Master uttered in a deep monotone. Suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
We stood and bowed at him.
"Mabuti't nandito na kayong lahat," He said, then sat at one of the logs.
"Why did you want us to gather here?" I said,
"To tell you about them," He said, the tone of his voice turning into full seriousness than earlier.
Now, all ears and attention were on him.
"Them? Who?" I curiously uttered.
He turned his gaze at me, I was confused. I can see in my peripheral that their eyes were on me.
"Prince Amir,"
"W-what? W-why looking at me like that!" I emitted.
He sighed and smiled at me.
"You will lead them, ... "
"You will lead the other offspring in protecting the realm,"
I couldn't fathom why he was made to lead the offspring, I was wondering why, when in terms of mana experience and combat mastery, Marcus could lead the others or either Cleb who has the better right command and brawn among us, Li who was wisdom and expediency that can potentially lead.
"Why me? Is it... is it because I'm a Prince of the realm? I said, pointing at myself.
Nod.
"Why?" I asked.
"You're a light mana user which is stronger than any mana like air, fire, water, or earth... "
"And yes, you're a prince. It's the same thing."
"Marcus, Cleb, and Li are capable of leading. But you, being a light offspring, and the kingdom's prince was your edge among them." He clarified.
Now, I understand.
"I'm good for Amir to lead us," Marcus emitted.
"Uh-huh, he's right! Amir got the power, he might not be as good as Marcus and Cleb in combat or as a bookworm like me, but I know he can lead us, there's something special in him." Li said, then peeked at me, smiling and giving me a thumbs up, Lusaka who was between us, tapped me on my shoulder and smiled also.
Now, that's pressure!
"Aside from that, it's also about them..."
As we turned back at him, I already knew what he meant. Those monsters.
"It's the demon clan...from the Valiré; Realm of Demons."
So, that realm does exist, I thought it was just a myth passed on by the generational leaders. That demon-ruled kingdom with discipleship does live in this world.
"So, it does exist pala talaga! At 'yong Omu-Omu na 'yon ay taga Valiré," Niala spoke.
"Yes, that realm does exist and it's deep away from seven majestic realms of Alvenrass..."
"... and about that demon clan, I do encounter five children of Valixiur..."
There are a lot of them, the fact that Master Ki Bou encountered five of them was truly remarkable to me.
"Believe it or not, as soon as I mastered my mana, I never stopped searching for the offspring, and at the same time encountered and fought with them. Four of them; the fourth child named Louison, who possesses a poison curse, and Corpiones the fifth child with a curse of a scorpion. Emmidi, this one is easy to beat, the sixth child with a unique kind of curse — a silk curse. This one for me was challenging to beat because of its toughness and skills, the last one was the seventh child; the one you encountered, Omu Magre. Also, this one inside this stone, ..."
"...This one is far way stronger than the four I encountered, the fact that he is almost as equal as the great sorcerer during their battle, decades ago, ..."
He deeply sighed.
"... made me intimidated, Lucky for me I didn't battle with this." He emitted, grabbing the stone hanging on his neck and caressing it.
"So, there's five of them plus that Lord Valixiur, right?" I uttered. Ki Bou looked at me and suddenly stood up.
"He has these two strongest cards that to remains mysterious, I couldn't find them, hiding, they're not lurking here in this realm, probably..."
"How did you know that he was hiding his two strongest children?" Marcus said,
"... During my battle with Louison and Corpiones, one of them mentioned their two older brothers who are much stronger than them and preserving their power as the two and Valixiur will kill the great sorcerer. They give the hint; blue eyes and four eyes," He responded.
"Hmmm, na-intriga ako sa sinabi mo, Master Ki Bou?!" Niala uttered, intrigued.
"In what way?" He emitted.
"Not sure, basta na-intriga ako sa mga sinabi mo, Maestro," She responded.
"As you say so, ... "
"... But let me know you that they are after our blood as it doubles their power when consumed, ... " Ki Bou explained.
"...that's why the thirteen offspring of sorcerers was born to be the frontline guardian of this realm and counter the dark curse," He summed up.
- END.