Deep Through The Unknown

That attack indeed finished the whole enemy, walang ni isang nakatakas sa mga matutulis na buto na parang spikes na tumubo sa ilalim ng lupa. All these... was because of George, and that odd energy. Hindi parin ito lumalabas sa isipan ko, I can't be mistaken. I only feel that kind of energy flow from the people back at the island. Looking at Freya, when I first felt her energy radiating around her, as if purposely attracting me, akala ko guni-guni ko lang yun. But this time, sigurado na ako na may kakaibang enerhiya ang mga taong ito.

Currently, the injured students are being treated somewhere several minutes after George pulled out his bones, at parang bumalik na ito sa lupa, back to his fingers. May ability siyang makontrol ang paghaba at paglakas ng mga buto sa katawan niya, at nilagay niya kanina ang mga kamay niya sa lupa para doon dumaan ang mga buto na pinapahaba at pinapalakas niya mula sa mga kamay niya. If you think about it, it actually pretty hurts.

Students set out a small camp just around the big house na siyang hindi naapektohan ng labanan kanina. Ang iba namang mga studyante na maayos ang kalagayan ay umikot sa area para malaman kung may natitira pa bang kalaban. And now, we're off to the next area.

"We've taken over this area, pero hindi ko parin makontact ang ibang teams mula sa ibang area." I heard Thane said while sitting on the chair, replenishing his energy, same as others. Habang ako naman ay nakatayo lang dito, nakasandal sa may pader, listening through the darker corner.

"Sa tingin niyo ba nakikipag-away pa sila? Should we send back up?" Tanong ni Sab sa kanila.

"Sending back-up na hindi pa natin alam ang sitwasyon nila ay hindi magandang ideya." Thane answered, exactly as my thoughts.

"George can just do it again then. Yung atake niya sa huli." Haya suggested. Not a bad idea, but I doubt the guy can even handle to use his ability right now.

But more importantly, kailangan ko ng umalis at tumungo sa area D. The fact the we already cleared this area should be enough for us to rest a bit, pero hindi ako makampante simula pa kanina. Mas dumadami lang ang mga tanong ko sa isip simula nang mapasali ako sa labang ito.

The rest needs to replenish their own energy at may mga sugat din sila, pero hindi ko na kailangan magpahinga. Somehow, their emotions are enough to fill in my own energy, at wala din naman akong mga sugat. Right, compared to the others, I may have been the only one who never actually did anything significant.

Nagpla-plano lang ako at umaasa sa iba para magtagumpay ito at makuha ang gusto ko. Now that I think of it, I'm actually pretty selfish. I act so distant, but I'm actually really dependent on others, aren't I? I sighed. Somehow, I'm frustrated.

Lumiko ako sa may isang hallway at binuksan ang bintana. A cold breeze met my face and it swayed away. Since when did it become so dark? Nawala nadin ang mga bitwin, natatakpan na ng mga ulap ang buwan. May masama akong palagay dito.

I jumped over the window, since hindi naman gaano kataas ang bahay na ito. It's a two-storey house at mukhang luma na ito. Then just before I could even jump through it, may naramdaman akong papalapit sa akin. As I turned around, I saw George there, standing behind me.

"You could have said something." Wika ko. He only shrugged.

"Um...i-ikaw lang y-yata ang nakakakita s-sa—akin..." he was trying too hard not to stutter at all. Ibang-iba siya kapag ginagamit niya ang ability niya.

"That's probably because I can feel your emotions." He looked at me as I met his gaze back. "You can say it's empathy."

"S-saan ka n-naman p-pupunta? You...s-should rest..." hindi niya na tinuloy dahil nakuha ko na ang sasabihin niya.

"Dahil pilit na sinasabi ng instincts ko na kailangan ko na magmadali. I don't have time to rest, I'll do just fine."

"W-without...t-the others?" I shook my head at napatingin na sa ibaba ng bintana.

I wonder if they all think I can't do anything without them around. But I'm a logical person, I, more than anyone else, am aware of the fact that I can't do much with just myself.

"Let them rest. Pumunta nalang sila dun kapag maayos na ang kalagayan nila." Well, I don't want them to run into another enemy na hindi pa bumabalik ang totoong mga lakas nila.

I didn't have to wait for George's reply, at tumalon na mula sa bintana pababa ng lupa. My feet landed on the ground successfully and dusted small dusts on my cloak tapos ay napatingin sa itaas kung saan nakatayo si George. He seemed a little uncertain.

I paid him no heed at nagpatuloy na sa paglalakad. I can see some students patrolling the area pero hindi din naman nila ako binigyan ng pansin, which saves me the trouble of wasting time. The next area is not to far from here, may posibilidad na nakatakas ang ibang mga blacks sa area E may posibiidad na naman na makipaglaban ako.

But remembering what we discussed back at the tower, halos walang tao daw sa area D, even blacks aren't really guarding that area. So is it safe to assume na pilit nilang iniiwasan ang area na iyon? Reason why it makes it looks suspicious. I got a feeling it got something to do with that relic.

Kanina ko pa sinusubukang mag-reach out sa mga spirits ko pero para bang may pumipigil sa connection namin. And I'm getting anxious. I slipped by the area unnoticed, dahil nadin sa dilim at sa itim ko na cloak. Remembering the cloak though, tinanggal ko ang cloak na ginamit namin kanina para makapasok, I don't want to be mistaken as the enemy after all, lalo na at madilim ang gabi ngayon.

It didn't even take me five minutes to reach the next area, which is D. Hindi katulad ng ibang area, this one is less guarded. The wind blowing here is stagnant at parang mas lumamig pa ang area na ito. Walang halos mga bahay na makikita dito, at habang ako ngayon ay naglalakad sa kalye ay wala akong makitang ni isang tao, it was as if the place was deserted.

The soil is really soft, na pakiramdam ko ay lulubog ang mga paa ko sa lupa, and I can't help feeling cautious about it. May mga bahay ding nakatayo, paro hindi katulad ng ibang areas dito ay malayo ang mga bahay sa isa't isa.  And things are even worse here, mas sira-sira pa ang mga bahay. Dumilim lang at naging ganito na ang lahat. Did a battle even occur here? O siyang ganito lang talaga ang kondisyon ng lugar na ito?

Ugh. I just smelled something really bad. I immediately covered my nose when I felt a stingy smell running along the air. It's....a form of energy. Pero iba ito, when I smell it, my body becomes more and more tired. As if it's draining my own energy. Saan ba nagmumula ang enerhiyang ito? The air started forming fog, and it's made up of green gasses. Parang toxic. It's not really harmful, talagang kinakain lang nito ang enerhiya mo.

Habang naglalakad, nakaramdam ako ng kaonting paggalaw sa ilalim ng lupa. It wasn't that strong, but it's not weak either. Then again, the ground shook, this time, a bit more stronger. Napatigil ako sa paglalakad nang bumiyak ang lupang inaapakan ko. A small shaking could break the ground like this, lalo na at mahina ang lupa. Now I feel like I'm walking through a thin layer of ice.

Sinubukan kong alamin kung saan nagmumula ang masamang enerhiyang ito. Then I noticed my leathered boots sank to a small puddle of water, causing some mud stains on the bottom of my cloak. It sucks, but it can't be helped.

Tapos ay may napansin akong paggalaw hindi malayo sa akin. The gasses aren't that thick enough to block out my view, kaya nakita ko ang mabilis na pagtakbo ng isang itim na kabayo. It was only for a moment, pero nakita ko ang isang tao na naka-itim na cloak na nakasakay dito. I frowned. It's either a foe or one of the teams. I needed to know kaya sinubukan kong sundan ang mga footprints nito sa lupa.

Until I hid behind a block of a ruined wall, at ramdam ko ang taong ito bumaba sa kabayo niya. The horse started neighing, and as if the person doesn't want to attract any attention, pinilit niya itong pinatahimik sabay hawak sa leeg ng kabayo. I couldn't see the person's face, pero nakikita ko ang isang parang cave meters in front of the person.

Then it hit me. Kung ano man ang meron sa loob ng lugar na yan, ay diyan nagmumula ang masamang enerhiya na bumabalot sa buong area. It wasn't really a cave, para itong isang secret entrance na pinapalibutan ng mga bato at pader, then inside is dark kaya wala akong makita.

"I know you're there. Magpakita ka." Said the person habang nakatingin sa direksyon ko. Boses ito ng lalaki, at hindi ko siya kilala.

I sighed as I tucked my hood up para matakpan ang mukha ko and stood up, kaya nakikita niya ako. There's no use of hiding kung nakikita ka rin lang naman ng taong sinusundan mo. Upon seeing me, he lifted his hand in front of him at ma lumabas na isang battle axe. It had red glowing linings around its blade as the air around him started dancing in a curcular motion. It gave me a feeling na isang wind-usee siya.

Darn. I don't want a fight, dahil hindi ako sigurado kung nanumbalik na ang totoong enerhiya ko.

"You're....a student." Wika niya. "Nababaliw na talaga ang coucil, to think they'd send students to fight us off para lang makapasok ang mga Knights nila." I frowned. So isa siyang black. And where did he get that information?

"Do you have something to do with this energy?" Alam kong alam niya ang ibig kong sabihin dahil sobrang obvious nito sa paligid namin.

"Huli na nang malaman namin ang plano niyo. It was a great plan, and we were forced to retreat." So tama nga ako. Ginamit lang nila ang iba nilang kasamahan para makatakas ang mga nakakataas sa kanila.

"Kung ganoon ay bakit nandito ka? Or are you just a mere pawn?"

"You think? I don't really feel enough energy coming from you. I don't think you'll last a minute battling with me." I've always had trouble sensing my own energy, kaya hindi ko alam kung gaano kalakas o kahina ng enerhiyang pinapalabas ko. And I won't say I don't hate the feeling of being underestimated.

Pinaikot niya ang weapon sa dalawa niyang kamay as if preparing for battle. I gritted my teeth. Mukhang wala akong magagawa kundi labanan kung sino man ang taong ito. Pero mauubos lang ulit ang enerhiya ko kung magpapalabas ako ng weapons ko, and worse, I might passed out again. But can I defeat this guy without using my weapons? I can very much tell he's strong, but not as strong as that Philip guy. Now I'm just depending on my weapons, damn it. Can't I really do anything on my own?

"Hmm wala ka bang plano magpalabas ng weapon mo? Or are you a mage?" He sighed. "Kung wala ka ngang plano pwes ako meron!"

He used his feet to sprang up at tumalon papunta sa akin. His battle axe aimed at me, I turned myself to the opposite direction, barely avoiding his weapon. Umatras ako patalikod para lumaki ang space sa aming dalawa. Short-ranged fighter siya, and I can't attack him barehandedly kung ganoon ang class niya. If I create a gap between us, hindi siya makakaatake. But all I can do is run away. I need a distraction.

Napaupo ako bigla sa lupa nang biglaan nalang itong yumanig ulit. Pero parang mas malapit ang point of origin nito and it's slightly stronger than earlier. The horse started neighing again, at ramdam ko ang pagtipon na naman ng mga green gasses. I feel my own energy slowly leave my body. Nagmumula ang lahat ng ito sa may mabatong entrance sa unahan namin. Just what is in there? The relic?

"Keila! Finally!" I stopped when I heard Ziandra's voice rang through my head. "Makinig ka," she suddenly sounded serious. "Marami ang taong nagtatago dito ngayon. Hindi nila kaya ang gasses na nabubuo dito." In other words, they might die, especially kung wala silang spiritual energy katulad namin. Iba kasi ang form ng energy ng mga normal na tao.

Then there was that sound again, a huge angry roar. I can suddenly feel her fears from here. Ano ba talaga ang nangyayari?

"Kung hindi ka makakarating dito sa tamang oras, we'll be forced to use our own energy." Ibig sabihin gagamitin nila ang nga abilities nila.

"Ziandra! Nasaan kayo?!" I asked, almost desperate. Pero may naging buzz lang at naputol ang communication namin. Tss. Damn it.

"You're contacting someone from the inside, aren't you?" Bumalik ang tingin ko sa lalaki na nasa unahan ko. I don't have time to fight him.

"Hindi mo ako mapipigilan."

"I'm not going to stop you." Pinawala niya ang battle axe niya as he turned around to face the entrance meters away from him. "Papasok din ako. I don't trust you, pero kailangan nating magmadali kung gusto mong maligtas ang mga tao sa loob."

He's....he's seriously thinking of the well-being of the people?

"Hindi din kita pinagkakatiwalaan, at wala din akong alam kung ano ang habol mo sa loob, pero hindi ako magdadalawang-isip tapusin ka kung may gagawin kang masama."

"Ako ang dapat sumabi niyan."

Gust of winds suddenly escaped the entrance, sending our hoods back off. Napatakip ako ng mga mata ko. The winds became more and more stronger plus heavier, hanggang sa tumigil ito pagtapos ng ilang segundo. I looked back at the guy in front of me, his hood already down. He looked back at me, his eyes filled with the same wonder.

And at that moment, I just knew na mas magiging mahaba pa ang gabing ito.

AN: 😊 Happy reading! (And I can't help but wonder who's the most favourite character in this book 🤔 and I love Andrea 🙂)))