Vance's POV

So maybe instead of heading immediately to China, I'm here as a hiker at the top of Mount Roraima on the side of Venezuela.

It is a mountain with a flat top, that inspired Sir Arthur Conan Doyle to write his book, The Lost World, that was one of my favorites to read when I was younger.

And indeed, it is a lost world.

Inilibot ko ang aking paningin sa patag na tuktok ng Mount Roraima. Sa dinami-raming rock formations, aakalain mong nasa ibang mundo ka. 

Hindi naman kasi pangkaraniwan ang landscape na makikita sa Mount Roraima. Hindi rin pangkaraniwan pati na ang mga halaman at hayop na naninirahan dito. May sariling species sila, na natatagpuan lang sa bundok.

In fact, some of the species found only on this mountain are living fossils, species that are identical to plants and animals that have gone extinct a long time ago.

Somehow this mountain also reminds me of the floating island of Olympus Academy, because of the clouds that surrounded its high cliffs.

I have trekked the Gran Sabana or Great Savannah for this childhood dream destination of mine, and it has all become worth it.

Lumapit ako sa isa sa maliliit na crystal clear ponds.

Yumuko ako rito at dinama ang tubig nito.

It's cold.

Ilang sandali pa'y napansin ko ang mahinang pagpatak ng ulan sa tubig kaya tumayo na ako. 

It rains almost every day on this mountain, which is why it is also surrounded with very high and incredible waterfalls, acting as drains.

Inayos ko ang pagkakarga ko sa knapsack na nasa likod ko at lumapit sa hikers na nagtitipon-tipon. Sila ang mga kasama ko sa pag-akyat ng bundok, at sila rin ang magiging kasama ko sa cave kung saan kami magse-set-up ng tents.

We put up our tents within the mountain's rocky caves that they call 'hotels'. 

Not everyone enjoys a cave as a hotel, but I am not one of those people.

I enjoy the wilderness, and crave for solo adventures.

Company isn't my type unless it's for my own pleasure, and unless... it's the Omegas.

Iginiya kami ng guide papunta sa hotel caves ng Mount Roraima. Nang makarating kami, agad akong nagtayo ng sarili kong tent, katabi ang mag-asawang halatang may edad na, pero hindi naman ganoon katanda.

"Now, John, I told you to bring tapes," sabi ng babae. "Where is it?"

Nakayuko ako sa harap ng tent ko habang minamasdan sila na nag-a-assemble ng tent nila.

"Oh..." Napakalmot sa ulo ang asawa niya. "Did you?"

They must be hikers since they were young. Their bodies looked fit and in good condition for hour-long walks, despite their graying hair.

"John!" naiinis na sigaw ng babae.

"Excuse me," sambit ko. "What's the tape for?"

"Well this darling here..." Sinulyapan niya ang kanyang asawa. "Broke one of our tent's sticks while climbing the mountain."

Nagkasalubong ang aking kilay. "Was he the one who slipped on our way here?"

Sa pagkakatanda ko may isa sa'min na kamuntikan nang dumausdos pababa ng bundok dahil maputik ang inakyat namin.

Tumango-tango ang babae. "Goodness gracious, isn't he?" natatawa niyang tugon.

Inangat ko ang hiking bag ko at inilipat ito sa tabi ng tent ko. Saka ako lumapit sa kanila.

"Do you have small ropes?" tanong ko. "-or plastic straws?"

"Oh! Yes!" She clasped her hands. "John! Where's our plastic straw? You know the one that we used to tie our make-shift hammock-"

"I threw it away, sweetheart," sagot ng kanyang asawa habang hinahalungkat ang bag niya. "You said to throw everything plastic."

The woman let out a defeated sigh.

Nginitian ko siya. "You can have my tent."

"Oh, no-" Umiling siya. "That would be too much-"

"Please," I insisted.

"What ever will your partner feel sleeping inside a broken tent-"

"I don't have anyone with me," sabi ko sa kanya.

"John!" tawag niya. "Come over! This young man just offered his tent for us!"

Natawa ako nang mahina.

"Did you now, boy?" Hinawakan ako ng kanyang asawa sa balikat. "My wife guilt-tripped you, eh?"

"Shut your mouth!" His wife gently shoved him away from me. 

"I'm Melanie, and this is my husband, John," pagpapakilala niya.

"Vance," tugon ko. "It's nice to meet you."

John returned to his wife's side. "Thank you, Vance, for offering us your tent." May inabot siyang maliit na pakete sa'kin. "Here, tea as thanks."

Tinanggap ko ito. "Thank you."

Kasunod na nabaling ang aming atensyon sa papalakas na ulan kaya inayos na namin ang aming mga gamit at dali-daling nagpalit ng tents.

"We have hot water for your tea, Vance!" Narinig kong sigaw ni Melanie bago ko isarado ang tent nila. "Just tell us if you need something!"

Inilabas ko ang thermos flask mula sa bag at hinalo rito ang tsaa.

By now, I should've already finished cleaning out the facilities and on my way to China. 

But I'm taking my time, to make sure I'm not going to be the first one there with Amber who I already know is already in Fujian.

In the middle of the cold, I heard footsteps getting closer to the tent. Three shadows that obviously belong to men, passed in front of me and I couldn't help but follow them with my gaze.

I calmly took a sip of my hot tea before raising a corner of my lips.

They seriously thought they could escape me by taking refuge on the top of a mountain.

• • •

Nakababad sa ilalim na tubig ang kalahati ng aking mukha nang dumating ang isang grupo ng mga lalaki. Katulad ko, naghubad din sila ng mga damit at isa-isang bumaba sa natural jacuzzi ng Mount Roraima.

Umayos ako sa pagkakaupo at magaang isinandal ang aking likod sa bato.

Bahagya akong nakatago mula sa kanila kaya kinailangan ko pang ihilig nang kaunti ang aking ulo para masilayan silang lahat na sabay-sabay na naligo.

So, there's eleven of them who managed to escape my single-handed attacks and have hid themselves here...

Nag-abot ang aking kilay.

Last time, I counted twelve.

"You take baths before sunrise?" A voice of a man greeted me from behind but despite the surprise, I managed not to turn my head.

Marahan akong tumawa. "I should ask the same question to you."

"Well..." Narinig ko ang mabagal na paglubog ng kanyang katawan sa tabi ko. "See that ton of men over there? We all came together."

"That's a lot," puna ko.

He exhaled a relaxed breath. "My friends and I, we went through hard times," sabi pa niya. "Our bodies need to rest too, you know?"

"You?" tanong niya. "What brings you here, friend? Are you someone who likes adventure? A tourist?"

Friend. He just called me a friend.

Hindi ako sumagot.

"I shall give you a list of more destinations in Venezuela..." aniya. "It is not just Mount Roraima that is beautiful in my country..."

Needless to say, I wore a bored expression while listening to him name every tourist spot in Venezuela.

Tila hindi pa kuntento, sinali na rin niya ang mga kilalang lugar ng bansang Brazil.

"There is also the basin of the Amazon River-"

"Amazon, you say?" tugon ko.

"Yes," kumpirma niya. "There is a water basin, and it is very beautiful."

A knowing grin formed on my face. "I heard there was a great flood..."

"Yes, there was flood near the basin-" Daglian siyang napatigil, at ilang sandali pa'y napansin ko ang paglalim ng kanyang boses, halatang pinagdududahan ako.

"Where did you hear that?" usisa niya. "Someone told you?"

This time, I genuinely laughed before turning my head to face the huntsman.

"No." Nginitian ko siya. "I was there."

He parted his lips to warn the others but he only ended up gurgling blood. It dripped from his mouth as he roughly scratched his throat, as if it could save him from choking on his own spit and blood.

Meanwhile, I just watched him struggle, until his arms floated and his head lay motionless on his shoulder.

Pinaningkitan ko siya at kasabay nito ay ang pag-ubo niya ng mas marami pang dugo.

Saka ko tinulak ang kanyang ulo pababa sa tubig.

Halos isang minuto rin siyang naglaban, ngunit wala siyang ibang nagawa kundi ang kumibot-kibot habang nalulunod pagkatapos mabawasan ng napakaraming dugo.

It didn't come as a surprise that he didn't die from the shock of losing too much blood. 

He was a huntsman. As stupid as he was for not recognizing me, he was still harder to kill than a normal person.

Mahigpit kong hinawakan ang balikat ng huntsman at inangat ito pasandal sa mga bato.

Pinasadahan ko ng aking mga daliri ang namamasa kong buhok bago napagdesisyunang umahon na mula sa namumulang tubig.

Binalewala ko ang tingin ng ibang huntsmen na agad napatuon sa'kin pagkalabas ko mula sa likod ng mga bato. Kinuha ko ang shirt na nakasampay sa bato at akmang isusuot ito nang mapayuko ako sa hubad kong dibdib na nabahiran ng dugo.

Tinignan ko ang light blue shirt na nasa kamay ko.

It's one of my favorites.

Sa wakas ay sinalubong ko na ang tingin ng ibang huntsmen.

"You don't mind if I borrow a shirt from one of you, do you?" tanong ko.

No one answered.

Two of them climbed on the rocks to run to me, though.

Sinulyapan ko ang tubig na nasa paanan nila at napangiti nang bigla itong gumalaw dahilan na madulas silang dalawa.

Their heads jerked back after hitting the rocks so they probably died.

And I found out I was right, after I saw puddles of blood spread under them.

Leaning to the side to avoid a machete, I glanced back at the huntsman who threw it and snickered when he fell on his knees, catching breath until he too, like the first one, also choked on blood.

Interestingly, two of the huntsmen held a small stick in their hands that transformed into spears that they quickly threw at me.

One grazed me on the shoulder and one sliced my thigh.

Tinalikuran ko ang huntsmen at hinatak ang spear na bumaon sa likod ng kinatatayuan ko.

Dinama-dama ko ang bigat ng teknolohiyang ito sa kamay ko. Humigpit ang pagkakapulupot ng aking mga daliri sa gitna nito nang iunat ko ang aking braso at pinakawalan ang spear sa direksyon ng isa sa huntsmen.

Ngunit agad akong napayuko nang tumama ang isang kamao sa aking sikmura.

It seems like they learned to take me seriously after what I did to their camps.

I gave the huntsman who was able to hit me an uppercut and another jab on the side of his face, sending him rolling to the ground.

Another one grabbed my arm and twisted it behind my back. He gave me a strong shove to the front but instead of falling, I stretched my free arm and hit the side of his head with my elbow.

They must've been mad because they all charged towards me.

Don't know what happened though, because after a few minutes, I found their bodies floating on the pools.

"Oh, shit." Napamura ako pagkatapos makita ang sumisikat na araw. "I'm going to be later than Reign..." -if she was also on her way, but obviously, she's not.

As what we always say, it's better to be late but never later than Reign.

Balewala ang lamig, tumakbo ako sa tent ko at kinuha ang kapa ko. Pagkatapos, nagmamadali akong umalis habang wala pang nagigising na hikers.

I sprinted towards one of the mountain's high waterfalls and jumped over the edge.

"Don!" sigaw ko.

Against the sound of rushing water, I heard a horse's neigh from below. 

I fell for a few seconds but before I could plunge unto the base of the falls, a shadow rose from the pool's dark pits, forming a figure of a black horse who ran upwards to meet me.

Napangiti ako. "Good boy."