Trip to Unending Labyrinth

"Ate March!" Siniko siya ni Eriz kaya napalingon siya rito.

"Bakit?" Walang ganang tanong ni March.

"Hindi ba kayo sinabihan about sa fourth round?" Tanong ni Eriz sakan'ya.

March shook her head as a response. She don't know what awaits her on the last round. Her probability that the last round isn't something that the players' must expect. Knowing that there's no fourth round last time.

She's not in herself, after what happened last night. She can't think clearly, her thoughts were clouded. March was thinking if who's the mole in Harvena. From which league? Or it can be a professor. All can be suspects. She need to find it by herself, the fourth round need to be quick as possible.

Her past still didn't leave her, but she's trying to continue living for herself.

"March, tinawag na kayo," natigil si March sa pag-iisip dahil sa sinabi ni Saint.

Nagpaalam na siya sa mga ka grupo niya at pumunta sa gitna. Nandoon rin sa gitna si Neah at mariin na nakatingin sa huling apat na manlalaro.

Bumuntong hininga muna si Neah bago nagsalita. "You need to come with me."

Without any second she snap her finger, the four players and the queen fled together. The four players was mesmerize by the surrounding that are in front of them.

"You're in the center of the labyrinth," ma'am Neah started, "all you need to do is to get out here within a day. One hour here in the labyrinth means one day from outside. So if you stay 24 hours here. You missed 24 days outside. The four of you will be scattered after I left. You can't used your teleportation here to get out, March and Nacia. There's only one way you can find the way out here and finished the fourth round. From being adversary, that creates a product of harmony. A union is the way to it's key." Then Neah left them.

Just like what Neah said, when she left, the four will be scattered in the different side of the labyrinth.

March was inside in the dark labyrinth and she don't know where side she is. Saang sulok ba siya napunta? Hindi niya alam kung didiretso siya o babalik sa daan na nasa likuran niya. Her instinct says move forward, so she did.

Niyayakap siya ng kadiliman sa loob ng labyrinth. Diretso lamang siya sa paglalakad at hindi gumagawa ng kahit anong ingay kung maari man. All she need to do is to escape. That's it.

On the other side, Neah was back on the arena. Nagsimulang mag bulungan ang mga tao ng makitang wala na siyang kasamang mga estudyante.

"The fourth round started already, it will end once the four student's came back." The queen announce and went back to her seat. "You can go back to your dorms now, players."

Naguguluhan ang mga tao at nagsisimula ng magbulungan. Hindi na nila alam kung ano ang nangyayari. No one explain them what the fourth round is. Basta-basta nalang ito nagsimula.

"Anong nangyayari, master? Nagsimula na ang fourth round, bakit hindi nila sinabi sa'tin kung ano ito?" Nagtatakang tanong ni Seven habang naglalakad sila palabas sa Arena.

Saint was busy thinking about the fourth round too and he's just quiet all along. He didn't bother answering Seven question. As long as he's okay, nothing happened to March, they're bound with each other after all. Kahit sa kamatayan magkasama sila. The queen and kings chose to hide it from them. Why though?

While they're walking the master of Aventurine stopped them. The eerie of their surrounding started suffocating them. His presence is really bothersome to Aragons.

"May kailangan ka, king?" Casual na tanong ni Saint.

"Let's talk," he said plainly.

Saint nod, he bid his goodbye to his member before walking together with king. Narating nila ang isang kwarto sa paaralan na walang katao-tao. Tinignan lamang ni Saint si Yuriel at gano'n din si Yuriel kay Saint.

"I'm bothered about the fourth round, Saint," Yuriel started.

"So your mother didn't told you, huh?" Saint murmured. "You're her son, but she chose not to tell a single word on you. Is that how important the fourth round?"

"Once she didn't told me about something, it's how important that information to her," Yuriel stated while his arms are crossed. "I'm worried about my sister, Saint and I know you feel the same way to that woman from your league too."

Hindi umimik si Saint sa sinabi ni Yuriel.

"What will you do then?" The master of Aragons asked.

"Come to think of it, petit-maitre, mother queen said the fourth round will be done if they'll comeback. Until when? Aren't you wondering that?" Ang mga mata ni Yuriel na seryosong nakatingin kay Saint na siyang nagbigay ng kakaibang pakiramdam sa paligid ng dalawa.

Now it make sense. Walang sinabing araw ang reyna kung kailan matatapos ang fourth round. Pinili nilang itago ito sa nakararami. Pinili nilang huwag itong sabihin sa lahat. Anong maidudulot nito kung sakaling sasabihin ng reyna ang fourth round? Will it change something?

"I know I am going to go against my mom will this time, Saint, but I need your help and the master's of the other two. We need to find out what's going on. This is not about the Clash of League already." The beautiful eyes of the King of Aventurine turn darker like the aura that emitting on his whole system now.

"Count me in," Saint immediately agreed.

"Bring your league mates later here, I'm going to talk to the other two first." Saint nod as what Yuriel said, then he left there.

I hope you're okay, brat.

Nagpatutuloy sa paglalakad si March, ilang beses na siyang muntik mamatay sa labyrinth na iyon. There are many traps that hidden inside that labyrinth. She need to be cautious in her moves. It might be the reason of her to die.

Hindi alam ni March kung ilang minuto na siyang naglalakad, kung sakaling isang oras na, aba, isang araw na din ang fourth round. At kung buong araw na bago sila makalabas, mahigit isang buwan din silang mawawala. Pero isa lang talaga ang nasisiguro niya habang nasa loob siya ng labyrinth, para lang siyang umiikot. Nakakalito.

"Bobo, March, labyrinth 'to malamang nakakalito." Mahinang sambit niya sa sarili niya.

Marami na ngang traps, wala pa siyang clue kung paano makalabas dito. How lucky is she right?

Biglang gumalaw ang mga haligi ng labyrinth na nagpa alerto kay March. Nag-iba ito ng posisyon na ikinataka niya, agad siyang tumakbo sa kabilang daan ng magsara ang nasa unahan niya.

Pashnea, bakit hindi sinabi ni Ma'am Neah na nag-iiba pala ito ng posisyon kada oras.

Oo, isang oras na ang lumipas at ibig sabihin no'n isang araw na din ng lumipas sa labas ng labyrinth. Biglang sumilay ang ngisi si March noong may napagtanto siya. She's the time herself, how can she forgot that.

Alam niya sa sarili niya nagawa niya ang imposibleng bagay noon, ang pagbalik sa oras. Ngayon naman, ititigil niya ito. Nagawa na niya ito ng isang beses, hindi madali. Ngunit susubukan niya ulit ngayon.

She hold her necklace and close her eyes before she uttered something. "Stop the time, but not the living and non living things around it, restart again, until we find the escape of this labyrinth. Do as I say."

As she opened her eyes, she felt her body weakened. Parang kinuha ang buong lakas niya pagkatapos niyang gawin iyon. Nagawa niyang patigilin ang oras, kaya naman nagsimula na siyang maglakad ulit at nagmanman sa nilalakaran niya.

Ma'am Neah said that they can't teleport to get out from here, but maybe she can inside the labyrinth right? To find the other three who's busy finding their way out also. How can she do it if she didn't knew where part she'll go. Just great, March.

Nagiging bobo na talaga ako, simula no'ng nakapasok ako sa labyrinth na ito.

If there's a game called Trip to Jerusalem then this one called Trip to Unending Labyrinth.

Walang na itong katapusan, feeling ni March umiikot lang siya eh. Pashnea talaga. Agad siyang naging alerto ng makarinig siya ng kaluskos. She ready herself if traps will come again.

"Shuta, kamatayan, layuan mo muna ako."  kinakabahang bulong ni March at hinawakan ang kwintas niya. Nanghihina pa rin siya dahil kakagamit lang niya ng kapangyarihan niya. Hindi niya alam kung ano ang kapalit ng ginawa niya, pinakialaman niya ulit ang oras.

Dalawang beses na.

"Gladly, I found someone already," she heard a voice coming from her back so she diverted her gaze towards it.

Unti-unting papalapit ang aninong nasa likuran niya. Hanggang sa tuluyan niyang makita ang itsura ng babae. It was the Avelon contestant, Louisiana Nahara Vidarte .

"I won't do any harm, don't worry." The woman assured to March. "I just feel that someone used a power and it led me to you."

Saglit na natigilan si March sa sinabi ni Luna at sinuri niya ito ang babae ng mabuti. Paano kung clone lang itong babaeng nasa harapan niya? Paano kung isa ito sa mga traps?

Pashneang what ifs!

"Nababasa ko ang mga nasa isip mo, I encounter many traps in this labyrinth already. My probability says that the traps revolve on nature, I didn't encounter any cloning." Pagsambit ni Luna, hindi mo makikitaan ng kahit anong bakas na pagsisinungaling.

"Wala akong masabi," iyon lang ang sinabi ni March.

Saglit na natawa si Luna sa sinabi ni March. "Meron kang sinabi."

Napakunot ang noo ni March sa sinabi ni Luna. Is she trying to make a joke?

"Are you here to convince me to come with you in finding a way out in this labyrinth?" Walang pag-aalinlangan na tanong ni March.

It makes Luna grimace.

"Bingo!" Masayang sambit nito.

"Give me valid reasons then," she said while having this voice of second thought of believing the woman in front of her. "To believe everything you said."

Nakita niya ang pag-irap ni Luna na parang nagsisimula ng mainis.

"We can't find the end of this hide out if we don't unite," Luna murmured. "That's a valid reason, I guess?"

"Do you believe that I'll bite on your tricks?" March question the woman in front of her.

Luna slightly chuckled, oh, it's doesn't sound any happiness, but annoyance.

"You're intelligent, March. Kanina ka pa nagpa ikot-ikot dito at nag-iba nalang ang mga daanan sa labyrinth na ito hindi mo pa rin nakita ang labasan. Now tell me? Aren't you suspecting it?" May diin ang bawat salitang binibitawan nito. There's a part of March who's not convinced of everything that Luna's stated, but it all make sense.  "Nasa saiyo kung maniniwala ka sa mga sinabi ko. Pero isa lang ang nasisiguro ko. Aabutin tayo ng siyam-siyam rito kung hindi tayo magkakaisa. Remember what ma'am Neah uttered before she left us?"

It ring a bell on March head.

From being adversary, that creates a product of harmony. A union is the way to it's key.

"Now tell me which part of the things I said are lies." Nanatiling tahimik si March habang iniisip ang mga sinabi ni Luna at ni Ma'am Neah.

A scene suddenly pop on her head.

"The rise of the guardian, the comeback of time, the shine of the moon and the sentiment of love." she spoke in a whisper and glance at Luna after. "Let's say that I agree on everything you uterred." Tsaka siya nagsimulang maglakad papunta kay Luna. "Bakit kailangang magsama-sama pa tayo?"

Agad na napairap si Luna sa tanong ni March. "Mukha bang may alam ako?"

"Exactly you knew nothing so as me, they chose to play on us, the gamemasters of this Clash of League, and the reason, I don't know." March enunciate. "Last time, ma'am Neah told us this as a hint. 'The rise of the guardian, the comeback of time, the shine of the moon and the sentiment of love.' We thought of it as something that are related to the Clash of League and we are right. The rise of the guardian was Nacia, the comeback of time is me, the shine of the moon, it's you, and lastly, the sentiment of love was Ella. We had a scrimmage with each other and we are now in the fourth round together."

"Are you saying that you're agreeing on what I told you lately?" Hindi makapaniwalang tanong ni Luna.

"Tinatanong mo pa iyan eh may sagot na ako jan kanina." Pagsagot ni March. "We'll find them now, the longer time we stay here, the longer we missed many happenings outside."

Luna clap her hand and put her hand to March shoulder. "Well then, let's find the real road of this Unending Labyrinth."

"Let's end this game."

Harvena: Aire
By DeeYanny
Plagiarism is a crime

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