After a long trip into the mountains, following a faint map and what Sir Nathaniel remembered, we finally reached the secret place hidden deep in the hills.
It was very tiring because of my asthma. I only made it because Zuriel helped me. He caught me many times when I lost my balance and almost fell. Even though he helped, he teased me a lot, saying I shouldn't have come because I would be the first one to die.
The Council headquarters wasn't what I imagined.
It was inside the ruins of an old, forgotten church, hidden deep in the foggy mountains. Green vines crawled over the broken stone walls. Faint lights stretched across the sky above us leftover marks from the Convergence.
From the outside, the place looked empty. It seemed like just another ruin left behind by time and old beliefs.
But the moment we stepped inside, I felt it.
The place was alive with quiet power. Like i can feel presence of something?.
The Council rooms were carved from heavy stone. Every pillar was covered in magic spells written in languages I didn't know. Soft singing echoed through the halls as people in white cape robes walked past us without making a sound.
Sir Nathaniel stood in front of the elders. He calmly explained everything that happened in the cursed town--the monsters in disguise, the failed magic cleaning, and the surprise attack.
The trick was tied to an object buried under the place, he told them. A relic filled with Nephilim magic. Someone knew exactly how to hide their feeding ground. It is the Talim ng Ligalig.
Eris stood beside him with her arms folded. She only spoke when she had to, adding details Nathaniel missed. Her voice was clear and polite
The Council listened carefully.
Later, we learned the decision they had made.
For the first time in many years, the Council was offering land for something new. It wasn't just a place to keep people safe, but a place to teach them how to use the powers they gained.
It was a place for those who woke up changed after the Convergence.
A place for people like us. I mean, I have always been weird, but whatever atleast now we have a place.
It wouldn't just be a safe house. It would become a training ground for hunters, healers, and anyone touched by spirit power of the convergence.
Renovations started almost immediately.
The quiet monastery slowly changed around us. Old bedrooms were fixed. Broken stone paths were cleared. Lanterns floated above the walkways at night, glowing softly in the mountain fog.
Broken windows were replaced with new glass, but the old colored patterns stayed.
New classrooms were built next to ancient stone halls. Staircases twisted between balconies covered in green vines.
The place felt strange.
It was old and new at the same time.
It felt holy, but also useful.
We explored the area together.
Zuriel complained about the old pipes almost immediately, but his mood got better the moment we found the fireproof fighting hall.
Fine, he said with a smirk. I guess this place isn't as bad as I thought it was.
Lucien was already carrying a pile of books he found in the library.
I like it here, he said softly. It feels peaceful. And the air smells like books and old paper.
Then Zuriel looked at him and said, What a nerd.
Come on, don't treat him like that! I said. I slapped his shoulder, and he just smirk
Eris walked beside us like she already belonged there.
That's the herb garden, she said as we passed a small courtyard. I made sure it was planted first. You'll thank me when allergy season starts or if you get hurt.
I held the paper map they gave us and looked around the courtyard.
Are we supposed to start training soon?I asked?
Zuriel glanced over at me.
Only if you don't pass out again.
I shot him a look.
Oh, I'm sorry?! , Who screamed first when the aswang crashed through the roof?
That wasn't a scream, he said quickly. That was a tactical shout!..
Eris rolled her eyes.
You two argue like siblings.
I snorted.
Zuriel just wishes he had my hair volume.
Lucien laughed quietly behind his book.
If classes don't start soon, you two are going to duel with insults.
I would win that duel, Zuriel said proudly.
Eris leaned closer to me.
Ignore him. He can't even carry two boxes of scrolls or books without complaining.
Zuriel looked genuinely offended.
I have delicate wrists. They're important for spellcasting.
Despite the teasing, something warm started growing between us.
It felt strange.
Like we were slowly becoming a family.
Eris felt like the older sister of the group. Strong and elegant in her pink corset and long white sleeves, she carried herself with quiet confidence.
Her magic wasn't flashy. There was no fire or lightning.
But when she moved, you could feel the strength in her bones.
Zuriel said her power is physical strength. Even her magic focuses on making her body strong and helping her heal fast.
During one training session, I hesitated.
My chest tightened a little, and I could feel my asthma starting to act up. Lucky the book of nephilim is with sir Nathaniel now so it more peaceful for me.
Eris noticed right away.
You don't have to fight like we do, she told me gently.
But you do need to learn how to protect yourself. Both your body and your spirit.
We'll find your own way of doing things.
Zuriel stood nearby, flipping his wand lazily between his fingers. A small flame danced at the tip with each spin.
A knife hung at his side.
She's right, he said. You're weird, but you aren't helpless.
I looked at him. Aw. Is that your way of saying sorry?
Absolutely not. He replied
Lucien walked over and handed me a cup of warm tea made from herbs in the garden.
You belong here too, Gehan, he said quietly. Whatever you're dealing with… we'll face it together.
For a while, things were peaceful.
My reflection stopped smiling on its own.
I spent my days studying ancient wards and strange sigils. Some nights Lucien and I sat under the stars reading old texts together.
Eris told stories about her early training.
Zuriel never apologized for the way we started.
But somehow, he always ended up standing closer to me than before.
------•́ ‿ ,•̀----
One evening, Sir Nathaniel called me into his private room.
He finally had time for me. He had been very busy for a while
A spell circle shimmered quietly beneath my feet.
I've been studying your condition, Nathaniel said.
The voice you hear. There's no sign of possession. No attached spirit.
Whatever you're hearing… it may actually be part of you.
I blinked.
But what about my reflection? The smile that isn't mine?
Nathaniel's expression darkened slightly.
Some spirits are drawn to sorrow. They cling to strong emotions. They don't always speak. Sometimes they only watch.
A shiver ran through me.
Then he placed something on the table between us.
The Book of Nephilim. It was closed now. The glow was gone. The red eye in the middle of the cover was shut.
But I could still feel something inside it.
Like a heartbeat.
That book is a vessel, Nathaniel said. Every spell inside it was made by someone who owned it before. Their spirits are still there.
They guide, they whisper, and they tempt.
The strongest spirit inside holds a piece of Malekai's own soul. Malekai was the first one--the person who created the Nephilim book.
My breath caught.
Nathaniel nodded slowly.
It's possible he chose you. You may be part of his bloodline.
No, I whispered.
Maybe not by choice, Nathaniel said gently. But blood remembers.
That's why his spell didn't destroy you. Or the magic of whoever else used the Nephilim book before.
That's why the book listens to you.
Part of me wanted to run.
To throw the book away.
But deep down, something inside me responded to it.
A pull.
If you grow stronger, Nathaniel continued, you may be the one who can destroy that fragment inside the book.
But if you lose control… he could take more than your mind.
I stared at the cover.
For a moment, it almost felt like something inside was smiling.
I'll do it, I said quietly.
I don't care who he was.
I'll make sure he ends with me. Even as I said that, I was trembling a little from fear.
------•́ ‿ ,•̀-------
The door clicked shut behind me.
My chest felt tight.
Not just from my asthma.
From everything Nathaniel had just told me.
Zuriel was leaning against the wall outside with his arms crossed. His wand was spinning slowly between his fingers.
You don't look completely possessed,
Good start. he said.
I gave him a flat look.
Don't make me set that ridiculous crop top shirt on fire.
He smirked.
You'd be doing me a favor.
I tried to laugh.
But it came out shaky.
I-I'm special, I muttered. Haunted. Maybe cursed. A possible threat to the world. You know. The usual.
Zuriel pushed himself off the wall and walked beside me.
Then he say Ah, So you're the main character? Or the villain?
Unfortunately. Probably both???!
We walked in silence for a moment.
I didn't ask for this, I said quietly. The voice. The book. The bloodline.
I don't get it. I already have enough problems with my missing memories and not knowing where I went when I was gone.
Now I have this cursed book to deal with. The universe might actually hate me.
Zuriel didn't answer right away.
Then he said softly
Yeah. I know. It's hard, whatever you're going through. What you forgot... or who you forgot.
My steps slowed.
I feel like I'm going to break.
You can break Gehan
I turned to him.
I don't want to become someone else's weapon.
And before I could stop it, a sob slipped out.
Zuriel didn't tease me this time.
He just pulled me into a hug.
You're not alone, he whispered.
Even when you want to be.
I laughed weakly.
You're such a weirdo, Zuriel, but thanks.
You're welcome.
We stayed there until my breathing calmed.
Then I nudged him. Don't get used to this....
Too late, I already did get used to you.
---( ◜‿◝ )-----
Later, as we walked again, our arms brushed once.
Neither of us moved away.
My chest still felt heavy with questions.
But for the first time in a long while…
I found myself smiling.
Just a little.
I still didn't know who I was becoming.
But for the first time,
I wasn't afraid to find out.