|| Eivel ||

Hindi nawawala ang tingin namin sa isa't isa ng Sphinx. Bakas sa mga mata niya ang pagkairita kahit tinatago niya 'yon sa pagseseryoso ng mukha.

"My last riddle. . ."

I didn't take my eyes off him as I plastered a smirk. Inalis ko ang mga nasa isipan ko at ginawa ko itong blangko bago bigkasin ang huli kong riddle.

"I'm infinite, but commonly just one. I'm for one person, but can also be for everyone. I can be put together with risk, or maybe also fear. If you ever feel like giving up, always know that I'm here."

"As the time goes by, I may fade or even vanish. But I can be secured as long as you're not selfish."

"Who am I?"

Naningkit ang mga mata ng Sphinx sa akin. Sa kabilang banda, hindi nawawala ang ngisi ko habang nakatingin sa kaniya.

"Hmm, you already gave up using tricky riddles?" seryoso niyang tanong.

I flashed a smile that irritated him more. "It looks like I don't need it anymore."

The Game General gritted his teeth and looked at me, dead in the eye.

Hindi pa rin nawawala ang ngisi ko sa labi habang nakikipagtitigan sa kaniya. Umaandar ang oras, kung hindi siya mag-iisip kaagad ay sa 'kin ang puntos.

Napaismid ang lalaking kaharap ko habang nakapalumbaba at nag-iisip.

"Do I need to repeat the riddle?" pang-aasar ko.

Kita ko ang paghigpit ng kamao ng Sphinx. The way he's acting right now, made my guess correct.

"3. . ."

"2. . ."

"1. . ."

My score remained the same. Ang nakalagay sa magkabilang screen ngayon ay (1) at (19).

"Eh? Looks like it took you long enough to guess the answer," sambit ko.

Nanatiling tahimik ang Sphinx at walang kibo. Hindi ko napigilan ang ngiti ko bago ko ulitin ang riddle.

"I'm infinite, but commonly just one. I'm for one person, but can also be for everyone. I can be put together with risk, or maybe also fear. If you ever feel like giving up, always know that I'm here," panimula ko.

"As the time goes by, I may fade or even vanish. But I can be secured as long as you're not selfish. . ."

"For I am chance."

Dumiin ang pagkakakagat ng Sphinx sa ngipin niya at nagsisilabasan ang ugat niya sa leeg dahil sa inis. Malalim akong napabuntong-hininga bago habulin ang mga tingin niya.

"Now I know your trick," sambit ko na agad nakuha ang pansin ng Game General.

"I guess you're really smart. But that's not all. . ."

"The reason why you can answer any riddles, no matter what's the rule. . . is because. . ."

"You can read minds."

Napasinghap sa sinabi ko ang Sphinx ngunit hindi niya ito ipinahalata. Hindi ko nakikita ang mga reaksyon ng mga kasama ko sa likod pero alam kong nabigla rin sila.

"Of course, it's not counted as a cheat because there is only rule," muli kong sambit. "Which what you gave us, making us think that we have the upper hand."

Alam kong imposible 'yon, pero walang imposible ngayon. Lalo na sa lugar na ito. . . after all, this is a game.

"I should've realized it earlier. But I'm too focused making riddles," dagdag ko.

Napagtanto ko lang 'yon dahil sa naunang riddle ko. Pinag-isipan ko ang riddle at hindi ang sagot. . . ang dahilan kung bakit nagtagal ang pagsagot ng Sphinx ay hindi dahil nabigla siya sa riddle ko na hinaluan ko ng ibang terms— kung hindi dahil hindi ko iniisip ang sagot.

Ngayon, tanging ang riddle lamang ang nasa isipan ko habang nagtatanong. Ni hindi pumasok ng isang beses ang sagot sa isip ko. . . kaya hindi nakasagot ang Sphinx.

Nagkaroon ng sandaling katahimikan. Ilang segundo ang lumipas bago binalot ng tawa ang buong silid.

Tawa nang tawa ang Game General habang nakahawak sa noo at mariin na nakapikit.

"MAHUSAY! MAHUSAY! ISA KA NGA TALAGANG HENYO!" natatawa niyang sambit.

I remained silent. He's out of his character now.

Tumayo siya at minulat ang kaniyang mga mata. Nang magtama ang mga tingin namin ay kumurba ang labi niya sa isang ngisi.

"Kahit ang ibang Game General ay walang alam sa kakayahan ko na 'to. Sa lahat ng mga nakalaro sa larong ito, ikaw ang nabubukod tanging nakaalam—mali-"

"Ikaw ang nabubukod tanging nakaalam. . . at nagawang makapuntos!"

Huminga siya nang malalim at nagsimulang maglaka-lakad. "Ang ibig kong sabihin— kahit malaman mo nga na kaya kong magbasa ng iniisip ng iba, hindi ko inaasahan na magagawa mong iblangko ang isipan mo nang gano'n-gano'n lang," sambit ng Sphinx.

"I still can't believe it tho. I mean, how can you state a question, without thinking of its answer without even once?"

"And the fact that you've just realized it now and thought of all of that in a short period of time-"

"WHAT A GENIUS!"

He laughed once again before facing me. "I commend you, Miss Eivel. You truly are a genius. . ."

"But, it doesn't matter now." He opened his arms and flashed a grin. "Because. . . it's my turn to ask."

Hindi ako nakasagot sa sinabi niya at napakagat ako sa ibabang labi. Ang kumpyansa ko kanina ay bigla na lamang naglaho sa isang iglap.

Napatingin ako sa screen na nasa itaas ko. It's just a 1 point. . . just one.

Sa kabilang banda, meron siyang 19. Ano nga ba ang silbi na nalaman ko na ang trick na meron siya kung hindi ko naman na 'yon magagamit pa sa kaniya?

Sa totoo lang, walang maipagmamalaki sa isang puntos na nakuha ko. . .

Napayuko ako at nanatiling tahimik. It's just one point. .  yet-

I feel so proud.

It's just one point. . . but it's still a point. And I managed to get one against someone who can freaking read minds!

I can do this!

Taas noo akong humarap sa Sphinx. Naglaho ang ngisi niya sa labi nang makita ang determinasyon sa mga mata ko.

"And I will answer your riddle. After all, just like what you've said, I'm a genius!" determinadong sagot ko.

Kaya ko 'to. Inaasahan ako ng team ko at nagtitiwala sila sa akin. There's 0% chance that I'll lose-

Ĭ̶̢̢̢̢̨̛̘̗̩͔͍̲̪̝̺̻̗̮̙̲̤̠̜͙̣͚̩̥̟̰͔̮͍̯͕͚̟̬̞͈͙̤̥̹̥̭̲̝͕̇̀̿̇̄̔͒̋̎̓̈́̂̌̎̒́͆͐̅̊̍̈́̉̅̈̓̇͊̂̂̀͊͐͂̽̚̕̕̚̚͜͜͜͜͜͜͝͝͝͝͝ͅ ̷̨̨̢̛͇͖͚̜̹̯̳̻̲̲̤͚̜̝̱̣̗̩͆̔͆̇̈̋͐̆͆̋̉̆̋̈͐͋̃͑̂̈́̄́̽͛͛̓̈́̀͑̔̇̑̄͒̊̾͛̈́͘̕͘̚͜͝͝͝c̶̡̯͚̞̮̠͇̦̻̣̗̞͓̮̼̳̠͇̱͙̹͖͖͇̤̲͔̯͍͍͈̗̔̎̔̈́̅́̔̌́̈́͂͌̏̈́̓̏͋̔̚̚ͅȁ̸̢̧̞̻̬͖̲̤͉̦̟̣̖̻̳̪̥̹͙̠͙͖̭͚̼̟̜̀̌̀͛̂̍͋̔͐̍̎̒̂̎͠͠ͅͅǹ̷̢̢̢̡̘̻̠̪̮̯̜̫̟̥̬̗͖̫̺̝̫͇̘̮̻̥̯͉͓̪̤̼͔̬̻̱̮̩̣͖̂͊̌̽́̑̍̊́̓̓͑̑̿͘ͅͅ ̸̧̢̡̨̛̙̯̖̪̹̲̲̺͚̯̮̭̼̠̖͇̤̘͈̠̰͎̳͕͙͍̳͍͔̲̳̮̪͉͛̀͋̔̈̋͒͒͜͜͜ͅͅd̷̢̨̟̲̹͓̙͕͖͎̦͇̟̬̝̠̜͇͔͓̝̓͛̐́͂̄̃́̿͒̽̇̃̾̆̒̑͛̂̿̅͛̔̏͒͂͂̅̚̚͜͝͝͝͝ǫ̸̡̥̺͚̟̼̹͉̘̬̩͈͚͈̮̞̦͔͛͗̊̏͗͛͑̒̽̐̍̕̕͝ͅͅ ̶̢̧̨̢̛̛̛̬̳͓̘̺̜͓̣̦̮͓̗̭̯̮̹̟͕̘̣̜̪͕̺͖̗͓̬̹͍̝̪͉̭̯͎̠̗̜̯͍̤̪͕͔̔͂̀̐͌͐͌͒͛̔̐̉̓̊͊̆̊̅̓̅͌̂̓̂̒̆̀͗̍͛̓͂́̈́̋̽̽̃̂̈́̌̃̓͗͑̌͒̓̅͛̈́̃̄̕͘͠͠͝͝͝ͅţ̵̢͙̭̤͔̥͕̖͎̭̬̹͈͙̦̬̭͓͇̪͇̻̬̫͙̜̹̦̠̳̲̰͎͎͓͛͒͐̀̃́̊͌̔̿̐͆̅̇̈́̉̈́̚͘͘͜ͅͅh̴̢̨͇̟̭͔̲̞̝̟̻̥͍̱̟͆͒̄͊̕̚į̶̛͕̞̲͇̪̺͙̼̩̳̠̗̬̊̓͂̀̋̋͌̉͒̽́̅͝͠ṡ̶̡̧̨̨̢̛̛̼͈̺̼̰̳͚̜̰̙̱̤̯̙̣̰̯̭͓̟̟̳̮̗̭̮̦̩͔̟͓̮̘̰̙̟̜͎͖̟͉̪̣͎̆̿̈̍̒̍͆̔̄̿̽̑͗̾͑̓̽̅̍́͌̋̊̈́̅̓̈́́͒̃̄̕̚̕̚͝͝ͅ,̸̢̢̨̡̱̰̥̺̙͇̭̠͕͈͔̯̬͉̹̰̪̗̞͍̯̖͉̣̝͎̺͇̯͙̰̟̭̮̰̰̩̤̩̥͔̹̦͕̭̱̣̰̯̠̹̾͌̌̕ ̷̡̧̨̧̡̨̡̨̛̯̦̙̳̖̹̹̖͈͇̤̠͔͉̘̜͈̬̬̟̬͔̺̤͉͚͈̟̯̤̙̦̮͔͕͚͍̺̬͓̲̝̥̲̹͎̠̠͈͕̪͑͂͆͋͋̎̊̽͒̽̈́̐̇̏͛̎̏̄̾́̏͂͂̽́̈̽̃͌̐̅͒̀͋́̀̉̀̾̊̍͛͂̍̽̈́̇̿̂̕̚͘͘͘̚̚͜͝͠ͅͅI̸̡̧̡̛̱̣̤̜̯̻͖̩̜̤̩̤̣̹͙͚͎̜͖͖̪̲̜̲̫͎̠̪̙͙̼͙͕̘̼̮͒̒̆̔̎͆̇̇́́̑̉̽͑̋͛̈́̀̃̾̊̀̑̑͊̀͆͗̑̊̈̋̓̃̋̈́͐̓̈́́̊͑̒̓̈́̀̐̊̾͋͑̃̑̚͘͘̚̕͝͝͝͝ ̷̡̨̧̛͎̠̠͙̣̥͍̗̜̮͍̫̬̯̙̳̟̰͈̱̞̯̼͎̲͔̠̯͙̘̞̬͎͙̹̤̓͜ẅ̵̡̡̧̧̧̮͓̺̲̯̥̤̤̱̥̳̠̯̯̖̣̫̝̜̮̦̦̦̜͍̥̙̭̤̙͓̰́̌̅̅̔̈́̋̆̒̇͒͑̀̂͐̏̉́̇̆̇͐͌͂͛̇̈́̑̃͐͋̅͋̒̚̕̕̚̕͠͝͝ͅǐ̴̢̡̧̨̡̛̛̪͖̫͈̞̪̖̪̥̺͔̜̲̖̟̺̬̲͓̹̦̳͎̺̭͔͙̯̲̤͙̺̣͚͍͉͒̇̌̓̓͐̒͗̆͊͌̀͂͐̎̓̀́́͛̅͆̍͐̀̏̉̅͒̆͒͋̾̒̍̌̀̉̌͐͋̑̚̚̚̚̕͘̕͜͝͝͝͝͠ͅͅͅl̷̡̡̡̛̛̻̠̟̰̝̪̱̖̲̪̳̱̦̥̩̠̦͙̫̪̹̳̥̹̱̪̥̭̳̤̳̭̐̆́̃͋̒͂̿̉͒́͆̇͒̎̔̍̀͑͌̊̿͐͐̇͊͂͌̒̐̆́̓̆̅́̋̚̚͜͜͜͝͠ͅl̴̨̡̡̧̡̛̲̳̦͓̫̩͙͇͎̮̞̩̫̦̰̬̯̳̣̤̗͖͓̫̥͓͎̅̍̃̊̽̊̒́̀̈́́̈́͐̑̄̈́͗̅͗̎̒͊̆̽́͊͂̉̒̄̐͂̆͜͜͝͝͝͠ ̸̨̡͍͔͍͉͎̘̰̮̣̝͉̹͕̐̓͆̾̌͌͆̽͌̈̎͊̈́̀̋̽͝͝͠w̶̡̡̛̛̛͖͚̻̲͔̲̱͙̘̙̒̇̌͊͌̉͂̉̍̍̇̆͛̔́̂̽̇̐̾͋͐̓̃̏̃̎̋̇͗̐̏́͒̕̚̚͠į̶̢̡̢̙̟̦͍͖̮̦̫͈̟̙͓͇̮͎̯̘͙̘̰͓̰̺͖͎̬̫̜͔̬̩̺́̇̍̇̒̏̐̐̂̈͝͝͝ͅn̵̛̝͋̄̈̂̑̾̽̓͑͗̋̄̐͒̓̑͒̈́̎̂͛̓̐̕͝͠.̷̷̷̡̢̨̨̧̝̲̝͖̩̖͙̙̘͖̣̗͕̳̙̗̱͈͕͔̗̠̫͎̼̞̯͔̹͎͈̬̳̟̹̟̱͉̺̳̥̩̬̳̩̙̟̼̻̺̹͉̣̟̳̬̜̖̙͙͎͎͎͋͆͐̀̈́̊́͐͛̓͒̍̂͑̀̏̈́̓̌̓͋͌̈͊̈́̑̉̉̈́͊́̀̈̂̑̐̄̽̚͝Ṯ̵̡̨̡̛͈͕͉͇̲͓͍̪̪̯̤͔̱̦̲̒̏̃̈́́̄́͋͋͠ͅh̸͓͚̼̃̿͂̔̓̎̍̎͒͐̓̕è̵̡̢̧̼̼͇͍̮̠̙̰̮͕̥̇̓̆́͑̉̿͊͜͝ÿ̶̳͚̥̖̇̆̊͆͋̇͌̾̽̐̎̃̕͠͠͝͝͠ͅ'̷̡̢̣̟͇̗̟̤͈͈̱͇̓̒̏͐̊̃͑̒̐͌̓͌̑̾͘͝r̷̢̢̥̹̫̠̫̖͎͎͇̣̰̫͎̩̊̓̄̿̐̈̈́̄́̉͘̚͝e̶̩͙̹͎̞̘̻̲̦̻͋͛͌̀͒̿̾̚ ̵̯̝̥̭̙̤͉͈͍̅̈́̂̍̍͒̀̑̆͗͐̚t̵̨̩̠̲̬͈̣͍͕̟͋͂̀͌̅̄͐͘͜͜͜r̶̻̩̘̯͛͛͘͜͝ų̷̮̭͕̟̱̥̗̲̩͔͇̄̈͒̆̿̈́̓s̶͔͍̐̉̅̈̈́̒̇̄̎̕t̶̛͓̟͉͉̳̮͙̱̗͖̫͍̩̫̺͖̮̠͚́́͂̀̈́͒̍̈́͜ͅį̵̛̣̻̭͑̉́̈́̾͒̈̈́̽̽̂͘n̷̨̛͙̜̹̥̣̤̞̣̞͚̄̓͛̈́̄͆̉̋g̵̡̨̛͎̪͖̽͂̐̅͊̓͝ ̶̣̠͔̘͇͚͛͂́͂͝m̴̢̭̩͈̬̜̦̹̺̥͔̜̹͈̳̘͑͐͆͋̆͊̇͆́̌͘̚͜͝ͅę̸̪̗̮̗͚̙̯̞͉̟̭̝̗͖̘̺̬́͐̒̔̐͋̆̑̊̌̈̎̚͘͜͝͝ͅ.̶͈̭̬̺̣̞̯͍̥̭̞̳͙̤̈́̇̽̔͛͠ͅ

̷̷̢̨̨̧͎͍̗̱̗̫͙̗͓͍̤̫̙̗̦͚̙̥̘̠̭̞̝̣̗͕̳̙̗̱͈͕͔̗̠̫͎̼̞̯͔̹͎͈̬̳̟̹̟̱͉̺̳̥̩̬̳̩̙̟̼̻̺̹̊͒͗̿́̄́̓̏͐̿̎̍̑͐͛̓͒̍̂͑̀̏̈́̓͠ͅͅͅŢ̸̨̨̨̢̧̘͈̖̟̞̩̗͚̖̹͈̘̝̼̻͖̳͚̞̺̗̖̻̩̬̠̮̭̞̯̘͉̟̥͇̰͙̗͍̜̥͈̯̘̬̭̦̯̥̹̪̤̭̰͖̳̿͊̌͐̅̈́͐̌̃̀͘͜͜͠h̴̛͎̙̯́̅̊̍̈́̂͆̀͊͂́̓͐̌̈́̌́̈̆͛́͐̌͗̿̅̆̐̐̓͑̋̾͑̕̕͜͝͝ȩ̶̛͉͚̩̪͎͍͛̓̂́̾̌̄͑̊̂̓̎̋̊̃̽̃͌́͌̀̽̍̿̉̎͊̌̇̓̀̓͆̾̈́̄̽̌̿̉̓̽̓́̌͂̊͋̕̚͝͠͝͝͝ÿ̶͙̥̘́̉̀̂̈́̈͆̅̋͋̊̌͐̈͆̒͂̾̈́'̵̢̢̪̩̮̫̠͖̖͚͕̱̮̙̲͔̠͓͙̳̥̭͔̩̗͖͚̦̗̜̰̓̆̈̾̑̆͂͋͗̅̌̄̏̐̇̿̓̉̈̈͛̅́̾͊̈̕̚̕̚͜ͅr̸̨̛̼͚͔̗͇̯͓̼͍͉̦̳͎̮̜̦̲̼̪͚̠̺̫̜͎͇̜̖̣͎͋͆̑͋̐̓͆̓̀̏̏̿̓̄͛̇̂̈́̓͛͌̏̏̑̈͌̌̾͌͋ͅè̸̢̨̞̮͇̪̯͔̝͉̭̪͚̯͚̘̠͓̣̺̥̪̭̝̦͔̲̺͙͇̝͚̪̼̻̺͕͙̲̘̀̊̈́̂̓̉̿̌̂̐̍̔̒̈́̅͆͊͊̀̈́̐̈́̊̀̍́͌͋̈͑̀́̽́̌̃̓̇̿͛̕͘̕̕͘̕͜͝͝͝͠ͅͅ ̵̢̛̳͈̰͉͔̣̀̉͗̏̈͐̐̽̈́̈̊̆̍̽̈́̂̇̒͑̊̀̓̿̊͌̾̌̋̆̆͗̕̚͘͝͠͠t̷̬̀̇̿̎̑̎͊͑̄͆̍̆̇͠ŗ̶̡̧̨̧̧̢̛͓̺̥͉̯̼̥̱͚̙͕̳̝̘̳̜̣̭͈̭͖̳̪͕̤̬̟̭̰̬̪͔̪̜̦̟͈̳̯͇̜̟̦͎͖̥͓̙̼̖̗̟̭͖̟̠͑̃͊͂̓͐̀̄̈́̽̀̉̿̂̉̇̅̊̄́̾̔̂̔̎̕̕͠͠ư̴̠̝͈̩͇͔̠̮̱̮̍̌̇͂̏̃̉̑͐͆͗͒͋͂̀̕̕̕͠s̴̢̧̢̨̛̛̛̛͈̦̺͍̲̲͉͇͖͉̜̖͚̝͎̺̣̺̗̗̙͙̺͉̩̮͇̦̟̭̠̻͙͓͉̣͔͖̮̀̊͊̔̆͋͊̓͗͗̈́͌̆͗̒̄̀̔͗̈́̿͊̽̈́͌̈́̿̎̀́̂̇͑̒̇͗́͋̈́́͆̽͛͊̂̌̑̓̂̾̎͊̅̓̊̕̚͜͠͝͠t̵̨̯̫͓͔͚̭̽͌̒̈͋̈́̋̈͊̒̆͋̂̽̂̅̉̈̐̓̐͑͒͐͌̎́́̀͋̅̋͐̽͋̃͆̊̃́̈́͂̇͛̂͋́̓͆̂̂́̈́̏͘̚͘̕͘͝ì̷̡̡̨̡̛̛̘̱̣̦̺̞̠͕͙̫̖̗̲͚͍̀̐̂͊̈́̿̀̅͗͊͋͛͒̇͑̐̊͐̀̃̌͂̂̎̀̽̎͌͋͌̂̀͗̄́̕͜͝͠͝ņ̵̛͖̩̜͍̘̟̰̱͔͔͉͛̑̅̆́́͐̀̎̑̌̑̿̑̄̓̀͗͋͊̓̕̚͘͜͝ģ̶̢̨̨̛̭̞̲͖͔̟̞͕̖̮̣̳̘̝͎͋͋̅̋̋̓̍̐̈̂̇̿͂́͋̓̇̅̃̕͜͠͝͝͝ ̶̨̣̺̒̓͑̿̈́̇͗͘m̸̨̨̛̜͚̮̥͈̞͉͍̹̯̮͔͖̤̟͎̲̗̤̰͐̽͐̉̅̓̈́̄́̇̐̇̏̒̅͋̏͛̎̈̕̚͝ȩ̶̨̨̧̲̱̼̻̥̮̲͈̫̩̜̭̰̭͇͉̦̜̻̱̝̜͎̬̹͗̑.̷̛̙̬̟̲̺̪̣̻̙͚̠̤̗̪̍̍̔̄̃͑͋͌̅̉̐̈͊̀̿̏͋̈́̉̀̔̉͂͌͆̃̿̍̔̀͛͛͑̓̄͛̌̓̑̏̍͒̚̕͜͝͝͝

̵̵̨̨̧̨̛̛̛͈̯͎̹̝͈͓̥̼͙̝̝̘̲̜̮̮̳͈̘͈̫̱̤̜͉̻̥̩͚̦̙͚̖̘̩̳̮̫̼̼̝̺͚̫̝̼̭̺͎̗͙͚̜͕̗̎́͂̈̿͐̅̋͗̉̾̀̄̅͆̾̂̐̈́͗̌̋̃̾͊̐̅̂̈͗̂̈́̐͑̒̿͋͒̃̈͒̐́̈́͑͌̃̈͗͊̏́̓̓̊̎̆́̆͂̈̉̈̊̓̈́͛̓̈̔̌̚̕͘͘̚͜͠͠͝͠͠ͅͅI̵̧͚̞͖͔̜̼̺̞͍͕̬̮͈̖͓̣̤̲̝̙̲͔̼̪̓̀̈́̔̆́́̂̏̎̌̂̋̑͘̚͠ ̷̧̨̨̡̧̢̛̘̭̖̤͓͎̞͚̣͕͚̦̜͇̤̙̲̝̼̦̥̖̘̥͔̼̳͉͕̻̳̪̤̬̬̫̞̭̦̉̾̆̐̊̈́͋́̈͐̒͆̔̏̋̒̊͛̐͂̓̐̀̆͌͂̉̈́̈́̈́̔̏̇̀͑̎̄̀̓̿̀͛͊̋͋͐̉̿̀͊̕̕̚̚͘͘͜͜͜͝͝ͅc̴̡̢̤̺̭̞̺̘̭̜̹̠̲̯̖̩͚̘̟̠̪̟͖̠̟͍͔̱̣̬̦̻̥̯̿̑͛͑̇͗̀̃̓̎̈́̔͑͆̏͐͆̾̊́͗̐̌͐̋͒͒̈́̃̇̈̕͘̚͠͝a̸̢̢̧̢̧̡̡̧̛̬̞̗͖̘̙̣͉̪̝̻̘͈̗͎͚̣͓̯̥̖̫̦̭͍̭͓̺̮͔͕̥̹͎͔͇̳̩̙̹̒́͑͂̔͐̋̀͒̅̔̑̓̉͆̐̾̀̒̈́̉̌̑̇͛̌̆̐͌̈̓̀̈́̅̓͊̀͆͊̀̓̔͊̆͘̕̕͜͜͝͠͠ņ̸̛̛͓̤̪̯͈̦̮͎̰̩̭̣̙͇͎̠̉̄̆̍̄̅͊̾͋̓͗͐͂̉͌̓̆̓̽͗̍̀̀̂̓͊̍̀̉̿̓̔̈́͐̈͗̑́̀̔̌͌͛̎̈̚̕̚̕͝͠͝͝͝͠-̵̢̧̢̡̡͓͚̥̻̣̭̬̣͕̜̹̘̲̩̣̞̤̪̝̖̮͖̲͉̬̮͈̪̞̙͕̪͇̟̞̞̰̠̗̜͔̥̦͖̤̬̙̫̟̞̝͕̱̃̈́͗̋̊̅̾̈́̓́̍̆̈́͋̓́̅̀̀̀͑̄̈̽̀̐͌́̆͌̄̌̿̅̌̈́̉̓̇͒̆̓̆͋͆̌͛͑̆͒̎̈́́́͋̇͘͘̚̚̚͜͜͝͠

̶̡̨̡̛̖̜͓̫̮͚̱̥̤̩͎̗̦̝̩̲͕̺̺͔̙̻̤͕̣̣̥̮͈̱͚̣̲͈͎̜͔̭̩̯͉̜̤̣̼̟̉͒͝ͅͅ

̸̢̖̦̲͉̝̲̗͚͉̓͊̊͜C̷̱̳̘̬̎̾̎̍ă̵̧̮͈̞̻͇̮͇̳͓̮̓̐̈́̔̎̐͌̈́͝ͅͅǹ̸̫̻͙̠̖͙̪̮̥̦̌̔̋̋̒̇́̏̚͝ ̸̨̘̼͓̞͙̼̳̼͚̳͎͛̿̇̈̐͂̂̚I̷̝̲̞̪͔̦̱̥͑̋͋̒̔̃̽̕͜?̵̨̲̞͕̰̓̃

"I'm a tie that connects one to another. I can be weak, or grow much stronger. I can stick like a glue on a paper, or stain like an ink on a sweater. Either way, I can stay forever, or disappear sooner."

"Who am I?"

Parang nagbago ang mga nasa paligid ko. Tila nagblangko ang isipan ko at hindi kaagad ako makaisip. Hindi ko alam ang nangyayari sa akin.

For an individual. . . who is a genius all her life.

My heart suddenly started pounding fast and I'm having difficulty in breathing. Without thinking anything, I answered the first thing that came into my mind.

What will happen, if the only thing that makes her recognizable. . .

"F-Feelings-"

Hindi ko naituloy ang sasabihin ko nang makita ko ang pagkurba ng labi ng Sphinx na nasa harapan ko. Tuluyan ng bumigat ang pakiramdam ko at napako na 'ko sa kinatatayuan.

That's the moment I knew I lost.

The Sphinx leaned closer to my face with a grin.

Disappear?

"I am a promise."

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