"Get in touch with our media contacts. Do anything that would help minimize the press. Chief De Leon, double-check that the operation's running smoothly. I've met with all the stakeholders, and none of them should pose a threat. But the Beucrafs… They might try to exploit my father's death. Chief Esteban, don't slip up. I want your men stationed across every floor of the building."
I glanced to my left.
"Chief Allar-"
But the seat was empty.
A hush fell over the room. Every eye turned to me.
"I-I'll handle it, Boss!" Chief Medical Officer Tiffany Dimaano broke the silence, rising from her chair.
"Good. Then that concludes today's meeting." I nodded curtly and left for my office.
"Boss! Good morning, do you have a moment?" Miss Irene called out, rising as I stepped through the door.
"Make it quick!" I said, not slowing my pace.
"It's about the former CEO's attire. Should we go with a silver tie or a gold one?" She held up her tablet, thumbnails of ties glowing on the screen.
My patience cracked.
"Why are you showing me this? Didn't I tell you to handle the funeral arrangements?"
"S-Sorry! I only brought it up to have an excuse to see you…" She whispered, bowing her head.
"The Curse is gone now. Just like him. I'm fine, Miss Irene." I turned away, hiding the tears that were starting to rise.
"I hope you're truly doing well."
"Never better."
"I don't know what happened in that meeting, but… If there's something you need to say, I'm here."
I forced my voice to be steady. "How's Elle?"
"She's still unconscious. Luckily, she survived the direct attack. I'm thankful that Achan gave her that Tote-" She bit her lip, realizing she had said his name.
I clenched my jaw. "What a nuisance. Take a week off. Stay with her. She saved my life, after all."
"Th-Thank you, Boss. I'm sorry I mentioned him. Have a good day!" She rushed out before I could reply.
Alone, I slumped into my chair. My hand pressed instinctively to my chest.
"Even hearing your name hurts so much!" I whispered as I reached for my aching chest.
Dad's gone… so why is the Curse still here?
***
Achan's P.O.V
"Flash news, Arthur Abenojar Moralez, the Founder CEO of Moral Ez Luxury Hotels and owner of Zeworld Pharmaceutical Company, has just died with an unknown illness at the age of-" Ori
"Can you please shut up? We don't care about that rich snub!" Sorene yelled at him.
"SHH!" The other passengers from the bus shushed them.
"Sorry, please forgive my friends, they're from the city!" I smiled as I asked for their understanding.
"Sorry!" Ori placed both his palms together and asked for forgiveness.
"Pft, it indeed looks like you've recovered already!" Sorene laughed as they both sat back down.
"Anyway, are you really sure you want to quit Moralez?" Ori turned to me, ignoring Sorene.
"Dude, it's emphasized on Ez, Moral. Ez." Sorene corrected him.
"I'm not talking about the company!" Ori rolled his eyes and leaned towards my face.
I didn't answer.
"Achan?"
I just turned my attention to the window where I'm sitting next and tuned them both out.
"*Sigh* Why are you here though?!" He turned to Sorene, who was sitting in the third row seat, when he couldn't get an answer from me.
"What? Didn't you alert the Coven that the Scion's in danger?!" She whispered to prevent other people from hearing.
"You do realize it's your aunt who sold him out, right?" Ori scoffed.
"Ori?!" I tried to stop him, but he just smiled at me, telling me that he got it.
Sorene's one of our closest friends from the Coven, shouldn't he be a little gentler with her? I knew I shouldn't have told him the truth!
"That dumb old bitch!" She exclaimed.
"WHAT?!" I turned to her.
"Bahaha!" Ori just laughed.
"Scion- I meant, Successor- wait, what are you now again?" She leaned toward Ori to see me.
"We're no longer that, he's the only Vessel, so you should just call him Projeny, he can't be my replacement, after all, we both lost our connection with Him. My power and his knowledge!" Ori laughed, satisfied with his successful plan.
Despite the loss, he's still happy, happy that it turned out the way he planned.
"It's alright, I don't care about that right now..." I smiled at her before I gazed back at the windows filled with green scenery.
"Are you sure you guys are okay? What would the Old Man say if he found out that you've disconnected from the First Mage?!" I overheard Sorene whispering to Ori.
"We're fine... As long as Achan's safe, I'm fine with whatever! Besides, I don't think He'll return on our time, I can deal with that Old Man!" Ori answered confidently.
Tsk!
"You said that that was-"
"Was the last time that I'll help you, I know... So, would you deal with the Coven instead? For me?" He smiled as he leaned towards me, acting cute with his puppy eyes.
"That's my plan!" I said before, pinching his cheeks.
"Ouch! Then it's settled, we'll head there tomorrow!" He took my hands and gently caressed them.
"You really know how to manipulate me!" I smiled before pinching his nose.
"I said ouch, Achan, stop it!" He laughed, realizing that I caught on to his little deception.
This guy knows how to take advantage of any situation, no matter how bad it is; he can manage to keep his cool and think of the best way out!
He sacrificed his power that came from the First Mage to the Goddess of Nature, just to cleanse my Purity, aware of the consequences that he might face from the Coven.
Now, with me becoming the only Vessel for the First Mage of our generation, I became the Progeny, a combination of both Successor and Scion's power, but a lesser one, for I could no longer have access to His knowledge after becoming corrupted- I have no regrets though, at least, I managed to save a lot of people.
Save him...
And with my power and newfound authority, he'll use that as his leverage to cut ties from the Coven that he hated, we both hated, but couldn't get out of.
At least, I can return the favor by being the one to stay!
"If you want to return the favor, please, just live your life, do not leave this place just because you couldn't save one-"
"What about you? You're hurt, Ori, and it's all because of me!"
"Then, if you really want to help me, get me out of your life-"
"No! Don't say that! You said you're not gonna let go of me?"
"Achan, we can't be more than just friends, please, don't be selfish!"
"Then, let me at least send you off. Let me settle everything for you, I wanna end us on a good note, let's see Grama, together!"
"Okay, but after this, go back to him, okay?"
"I can't, I can't face him, not after what I've done to his father!"
"Tsk, it's that mysterious man's fault. What happened anyway?"
"I don't know, we thought the Curse was lifted, but I-"
"Don't think about it anymore, if you want to clear your mind, let's go, send me off. Let's have a little farewell party!"
"Are you sure y'all are not getting married? Why are you seeing Grama with him?" Sorene asked for the fifth time after placing her baggage on the bellboy's cart.
"Dude, butt off!" Ori shooed her before turning to me.
*Sigh*
I don't know what to do, I can't reciprocate his love, and I can't lose this friendship too... Why does he have to catch feelings for a guy like me, though? What did he see in a useless person like me?
"Okay, then I'll be the one to be his roommate-" Sorene held my hand, but Ori just pulled me away from her.
"Hep! You're the only girl here, you'll sleep on the single pax, let me have that!" He stole the keycard for the double pax room from her and pulled me aside.
"Hey! I came here despite my aunt's orders, and you'll just throw me aside like I'm a nuisance? What if I don't help you deal with her- OY!" I heard Sorene's complaints before we could enter the room.
"She's really annoying, don't you think?" Ori laughed as he placed both our bags on the room's couch.
"Don't say that, she's here to help us, despite knowing that we're going against her aunt!"
The room we rented was next to the forest, it has a nice view of it from the room's balcony.
"I know, I'm just goofing!" He giggled.
"She's still our friend, don't be harsh on her!" I told him before checking the two separate beds.
"So, are you really sure you want to send me off? You can still go back and comfort your boyfriend- he's grieving right now, I can handle the Coven, Grama could help me!" He sat on the other bed and removed his hat.
It revealed his now white long hair. Reminding me of the sacrifices he made just for me, wasted on a guy like me!
"Can you please stop acting like a depressed dog? You killed the source of the Curse, we cannot do anything else back then! I know it's only been days since that incident, but please, don't let this thing ruin the relationship you managed to build there, I'm sure he'll under-." He said after I stood in silence next to him.
"It's not that! And we never really became that close, Ori. Also, he's not my boyfriend! And don't try changing my mind, you planned this, remember? Let me help you!" I yelled at him.
"My bad, I thought... Anyway, I just can't see you being like this again, and as for my matter, thank you for doing this for me!" He stood up to make me sit beside him on the bed.
"I can't help it, I promised them that I could save their Boss, so let me at least fulfill this promise!"
"Eh, don't sweat it, that man's doomed anyway. That's the best thing that could come up in that situation, just think of it this way, at least, you saved their heir, right?" Ori smiled as he played with my cheeks.
"What about you? Is this the best thing that could come-"
"Of course! Now, none of us has to sacrifice their life for the other!" He laughed.
"You're really thinking lightly of this, are you?"
"Dude, I've experienced harsher heartbreak in my life, losing the First Mage was the best thing for me! Now, I can finally move on and live my life!" He held my hand and placed it on his chest.
"Move on from me?"
"What? Do you not want me to-"
"Hep! Yes, I can't stand you hurting because of me. There's a lot better person out there!"
"But you're the best for me!" He held my hand.
"Are you sure you're not gonna color that hair?" I tried changing the topic.
"Don't worry about me, I told you, you don't have to send me off if you can't handle seeing me like this!" He smiled.
Sending him off means I have to take him out of the Coven.
"Plus, I like this color, it suits me, right? Is it better now? Are you falling for me with this look?" He flashed his eyebrows and smiled at me.
"Are you sure you want me to help you out of the Coven?" I tried changing the topic again.
Being a Coven member is a big deal for People with Gifts like us, especially Witches like them. That's your entire lineage's history. A community, a family, that would do anything to protect, guide, and help you hide from the danger, especially the danger brought by humans.
But in his case, I know he should no longer be a part of that Coven, the Coven that does nothing but harm him, his family, and his Grama. All they did was fear their family's power, so they slowly stripped their authority one by one, until one day, when we were still young, when they don't have enough protection from the Coven, a group of Witch hunters found them out and murdered almost his entire clan, luckily, that time, father was kind enough to protect him and Grama when the Coven was too afraid to do anything!
This might be the reason for his affection, and I cannot let him be chained up from be, just because of that!
After a few moments of silence, he answered my question.
"I don't want to tell you this, but if this is the last time we'll ever meet. I want to tell you the truth about why I chose to pick this path!"
"Don't say that, I thought you'd never cut contact with me?" I stopped him.
"Achan, you said I need to move on, I need at least a millennium to get over you, don't you think?" He tried cracking a joke, but I'm too serious to entertain him.
"Okay, fine, the only reason why I kept trying to confess to you, thinking you could feel the same way, is that... You're living the same as I am, both our destinies are intertwined, so I thought, by loving you means I don't have to fear the world, I don't have to fear death, and I'll have somebody to share the burden of being the heir to the First Mage's return. But after being rejected, for the third time, I guess I realize that being your best friend was enough for me not to fear anything, besides, I've already done too much just by being your friend!" He smiled as he said those words.
"And after seeing you, trading half your life just to save me-"
"Wait, you knew about that too?!" My eyes widened after hearing that revelation from him.
The Weaponry, he knew about that?!
"Achan, there's nothing that you could hide from me! Why do you think I sacrificed my power to Goddess Nulara just to heal you? I could easily purify you, we're both Vessels of the First Mage, we can easily do that!" Ori revealed.
"Then, why did you use that- and where did you learn that kind of Spell?!"
"The man in the shadows?" He held his long hair, hinting at the same man that I saw.
"The mysterious Mage?"
When did they have the time to talk? Who is that man?!
"He's far stronger than our current Great Mage, and he also knew Black Magic- but I chose to trust him, turns out he's right. We both could be saved!" He smiled as he threw himself at the bed.
"He's the one behind that?" I pointed at his now white hair.
So, that was all part of that man's plan? Was killing Sir Arthur also part of it?!
"We don't have to worry about that for now, I don't think he'll ever return, after what we've done to Silvia- he said that himself... For now, you have to come up with a plan to overthrow Miss Vervaine while protecting Sorene's reputation to the Coven, and after that, you're gonna have to prepare enough reasoning to send me off and not be killed by that Old Man!" He bragged, as if he were challenging me.
"Oh, so that's my plan? Thanks for thinking for me!" I smiled before pulling the pillow over his head and hitting him in the stomach.
"I told you, we're the greatest team of all time. You don't have to think because I'm here!" He grabbed another pillow and struck my back.
"Then why are you leaving me then?!" I held his arms and pushed him back into the bed.
"Uhm, because I failed to catch your eyes?" He smiled after pulling me closer to him.
"I'm sorry!" I held his cheeks and placed my face against his chest.
"Achan, how many times do I have to assure you that I'm fine? Besides, I don't even love you that much!" He laughed before grabbing my cheeks to raise my head.
"Why were you so insufferably annoying back then?" I muttered the words slipping out before I could catch them. "Maybe I could've fallen for you… If you'd been just a little older. But no- I'd already locked that door ten years ago, long before you ever had a chance."
His eyes widened. "You… You knew?!"
He pushed me off, the shock hitting harder than I expected.
"That you're five years younger than me? Of course, I knew. My father was the one who gave Grama that potion to make you older. I guess you were too young to remember."
My lips curled into a smile, bittersweet at the edges. "I still remember the night I first met you."
His jaw dropped. "So that's why it took me three years to catch up to your height when she stopped giving me that ridiculous 'goat's milk'?"
"It was goat's milk!" I said casually. "Just laced with Growing Preach."
His expression turned from stunned to betrayed. "Wait… is that why you could never fall for me? Because of the potion? Is that why my drink always had… Your hair?"
Of course it had. The potion needed a human hair to mimic their age. And who better than me?
Naturally, my father would use mine.
"Dude, please, let's drop this!" I stood up and went to sit on the sofa.
I can't believe he's gonna interrogate me this hard.
"Then, can I call you Kuya? (Big brother)" He ran to sit next to me.
"You're making it weirder!" I pinched his cheeks and stood up.
"Okay, fine... I'll drop it, just so you know, if I finally move on from you, you'll be hearing that word from me!" He said before walking into the bathroom to take a shower.
*Sigh*
"Why do I have to tell him that?!" I grabbed my hair and gently tugged it.
"Grama, we'll be off!" Ori hugged his grandmother after we visited her for the day.
"Good luck, don't forget all the Sigils I prepared!" Grama waved at us as she smiled at me.
"I promise I'll return him safely!" I said before activating the Barrier around their mansion.
"Oh, you're getting better at using my part of the power!" Ori giggled after seeing the giant Magic Circle around their home.
The tree I just planted grew taller and wrapped around the gate to their house, making their wooden gate and fence around their property well protected.
"Thank you!" Grama bowed before going inside her house.
"Now that we're all settled, shall I keep my aunt busy while you two deal with your plans?" Sorene whispered as we arrived at our Coven's place.
"What can you do, abduct all her fairies to keep her from coming to-" Ori
"Good idea, thanks, Ori!" Sorene clapped her hands after hearing Ori's sarcasm.
"Heed my call, Sphynx of the underworld, I summon thee!" She recited her Summoning Spell, and a giant cat covered in blue flames came out from her back.
*Roar* The ground shook as her Familiar vanished into thin air.
"We'll be back, good luck!" Sorene waved her hands before being engulfed by the blue flames, vanishing together with her Familiar.
"I've seen that Demon Cat for the fifth time, yet I still get goosebumps every time she summons it!" Ori shook his head before leading the way to where the council of the Elders is.
"Achan, we got this, don't worry!" Ori smiled before opening the giant double doors that revealed a group of old People with Gifts that gathered around the round table.
"It's about time, First Mage, welcome home!" The old man said with open arms, his eyes glowed as a piercing energy struck my head.
"ACHAN!" Ori's panicked scream echoed in my head as I felt the world tilting.