/34/ The Burden of Duty


/34/ The Burden of Duty


[Cloud Enriquez's POV]


I have never seen much terror like these. As if the world is going to end anytime, and here I am, watching these people to tremble the fear as I struggle to swim against the tide of humanity's darkest resonance. Twelve hours had passed and Jill is nowhere to be found again, we lost contact with Jing. 

Humiwalay sila Eliza, Otis, at Vince para puntahan ang kampo ni John Zedong. Kami nila Vince, Palm, at Finnix ang naiwan dito sa area malapit sa Shanghai Tower.

Military forces are scattered around to control the situation, but no matter how powerful the government's ordinance, the fear still reigns and took over the whole city and the world—bit by bit. Not only that, like what I said, it's been twelve hours and the evils took advantage of the situation, ordinary humans who just got their powers took advantage of it and rumors spread like a wildfire that they even formed different groups to terrorize the city.

This. Is. Chaos.

"I can help, I can heal people!" Palm, she even volunteered to help those who are injured, without hesitations, she used her power to save those people.

Finnix, on the other hand, is also helping the firemen to extinguish the fire in a building nearby. And Vince is using his clones to help the evacuees.

The only amazing thing that I can say right now is the scenery of the Peculiars showing their powers for the first time in public in order to help, katulad nila Finnix at Palm. Though the citizens are not used to the 'superhuman' presence, what's more, vital right now is survival. We need each other's help, ordinary or super, we have to do it by ourselves because no one else will save us from this delirium.

"Cloud Enriquez," bigla akong tumigil sa pagtakbo nang sumulpot sila bigla sa harapan ko mula sa kawalan, "That's not your name."

"Who the hell are you?" an old bald man with a golden medallion appeared with two side-kicks.

"It will be complicated to explain who I am in this situation," he looked around and his gaze returned to meet mine, "You know me, Cloud; I am the man who convinced Karen to make all this happen."

And then I suddenly remembered... Siya 'yung laging kinakausap ni Karen noon! His name is... Timoteus, the Time Wizard.

"What do you want with me?" I asked in a not so friendly tone.

"Kung hindi lang ninakaw sa akin ni Jill Morie ang kapangyarihan ko ay maaari 'kong ibalik at baguhin ang oras kapalit ng sarili kong buhay. Kronos' power can, but I interfered too much already, that's why I'm going to let the future happen this time." Maya-maya'y may inabot sa kanya ang kasama at inabot niya sa'kin iyon ngunit hindi ko tinanggap, "Take this, Cloud."

I hesitated first, pero kinuha ko pa rin 'yon mula sa kanya. It's a golden dagger.

"It was meant to kill her mother," nagulat akong napatingin sa kanya, "but I never did." I don't understand what he's trying to say. "I told the Kahvals the signs but I never told them the only chance to stop Jill Morie," napakunot ako sa sinabi niya.

"Why?"

"If they knew that Jill Morie's power has only one weakness, they will take it as an advantage to capture her. Kaya ikaw lang ang sinabihan ko ngayon dahil alam kong kaya mong protektahan ang bawat sikreto na itinatabi mo sa'yong isipan—just like what you did before." Tinutukoy niya ang paglilihim ko kay Jill noon mula sa naging plano nila Karen at Eliza.

"Listen well, Cloud, by the time when the Moon occulted the Sun, that's the only chance for you to stop her. When this planet, the sun, and the moon aligned together, the Chintamani's power will temporarily neutralize in a few seconds. You have to stab her in the heart using that dagger."

"Why...Why me?"

He bitterly smiled at me before answering, "Not all people can kill the people who they love—but you, you killed your mother for the greater good."

M-my mother.

"You will find someone who will help you with this task, and remember... to keep the secret of Jill's weakness only yours." He handed me this time a paper and they vanished into the air.

Binuksan ko 'yung papel at nakita 'ko ang nakasulat doon, ang oras kung kailan darating ang solar eclipse.


*****


[Eliza Macaraig's POV]

SA labas ng Huanghei Building ay nakita ko kaagad ang mga tauhan ni John Zedong, nang ma-recognize nila kami ay hinayaan lang nila kaming pumasok.

"Eliza," bati sa akin ni John Zedong nang makasalubong namin siya sa lobby, may mga kasama rin siyang Kahval, "Any progress?"

Umiling ako, "Jill is nowhere to be found again, I need your help."

Biglang nag-vibrate 'yung phone sa bulsa 'ko at kaagad kong tiningnan 'yon. Isang text message.

Eliza, nasa loob ka ba ng Huanghei Building? -Jing

Luminga-linga ako sa paligid at ginamit ang kapangyarihan 'ko upang hanapin siya. Fifteen meters from here naririnig ko ang boses ni Jing, may kausap siya at may mga iba pa silang kasama.

"What's wrong?" hindi ko pinansin si John Zedong at maya-maya pa'y nakarinig kami ng malakas na pagbasag ng mga salamin. Nakita namin na tumalsik ang mga tauhan ni John Zedong sa labas na nagbabantay.

It's them!

Naalarma ang mga Kahval at ang mga iba pang tauhan ni John Zedong na nasa loob. Nakita ko si Jing na naglalakad kasama ang mga hindi pamilyar na nilalang.

Itinaas ni John Zedong ang kamay na senyales na huwag ding kumilos ang kanyang mga tauhan at hayaan lang na makalapit ang mga paparating.

"Jing!" bulalas ni Pascal at maging sila ay gulat na gulat.

"Sino 'yang mga kasama mo?" tanong ni Otis. Tinignan ko ang mga kasama niya na iba't ibang banyaga at hindi sila katulad ng mga Kahval na high-profile ang panlabas na pananamit. They all looked normal and plain but I can sense that they're all special.

Before Jing can answer Otis, a guy stepped forward.

"You must be, Eliza," sabi niya sa'kin habang nakangiti at inabot ang kanang kamay, "I'm George Morris."

"I heard that name before," hindi ko tinanggap 'yung kamay niya kaya wala siyang nagawa at tumingin ulit sa mga kasama niya.

"Eliza," nagsalita na si Jing, "This kid brought these—"

"Order of the Black Sun," napatingin kami kay John Zedong na sumabat bigla sa usapan, "Good heavens, it's been so long since I saw your sigil." At itinuro niya ang suot-suot ng isang kasama nila na kwintas na araw.

Kahit walang magpaliwanag sa kanila kung ano ang dahilan ng namumuong tensyon sa pagitan ng dalawang kampo ay masasabi kong hindi maganda ang relasyon nila sa isa't isa. Mga grupo ng Peculiars na ngayon ko lang napagtantong nag-eexist bukod sa mga nakuha ng Memoire noon. Ngayon ko lang din napagtanto na maliit lang pala talaga ang mundong ginagalawan ko noon sa Mnemosyne Institute at kung gaano karami pa 'kong bagay na hindi nalalaman.

"We came here as allies," isang lalaki na may mahabang buhok at bakas ang katandaan sa itsura, "Our ancient orders knew how to close that portal and have the power to do it, it is written in the Book of Oracle. And like what stated in the prophecy, all Aeons will unite because of a child born of a virgin."

Prophecy? May kinalaman ba 'to sa propesiya na sinabi sa akin noon ni Jill?

Based on the context clues they were given, the Kahvals and Order of the Black Sun are former rivals, and now the latter is seeking help as allies because of the thing he called 'Book of Oracle'. They sought help because one cannot do without another. This is...this not what they call the opposite; this is what they call duality. Black. White. Yin. Yang.

I looked at both sides without any prejudice. Jill told me about the prophecy and she's certain that this is all going to happen.

"We will agree to cooperate in one condition." John Zedong said and I can sense a distrustful feeling about him.

"What?"

"We will cooperate to close the portal if... we agreed that when Jill Morie died, the Chintamani will be returned to us since we are the keeper of it for a very long time."

Naalarma ako sa naging kundisyon ni John Zedong kaya kaagad akong pumagitna sa kanila.

"No!" I firmly said, "No, we won't accept that condition." I firmly said. I knew this is going to happen, their interest lies solely on the Chintamani, and once they got it again they might make another Akasha's Game to find a new keeper, who knows if Jill, Karen, and the twins, are the only Rosencruz in the world? Besides, we risked everything to get it, and it somehow saved the doomed future of Jill's family. Parang mawawalan lahat ng saysay kung mapupunta lang din ulit sa kanila 'yon.

Tumingin ako sa grupo ng Black Sun, at sa tingin ko'y hindi rin nila nagustuhan ang naging kundisyon ng mga Kahval, pero iniisip din nila na kailangan ang tulong ng Kahval para isara ang portal. Pero ano ang mas mahalaga?

Nakita kong nagtagis bagang si John Zedong nang hindi ako sumang-ayon sa gusto niya. So, we're still playing the game even in the real world.

"You need us." He stated with an authoritative and desperate voice, "You don't have a choice!"

"We do have a choice, John Zedong, we always have." I said in a calm manner, "The prophecy is already written," ngumiti ako sa kanya dahil alam kong ako pa rin ang panalo, "With or without your help, even Jill Morie knew that if she dies all of this madness will stop. And if the prophecy is wrong, then we shall die altogether and embrace the depths of hell."

Tumalikod ako at sumunod sila Jing, Morris, ang Black Suns sa akin.

"You won't get away." The next thing we knew is we're being surrounded by their cult, "Then why don't we die here and now?"

Lumingon kami sa kanila at alam kong seryoso siya sa sinabi niya.

Umatras ako ng kaunti hanggang sa mapantayan ko si Jing. Hinawakan ko 'yung kamay niya at pinisil 'yon.




[Jing Rosca's POV]


Ibang kilabot ang naramdaman ko ang kamay ni Eliza. She's trying to give me a message and it fucking scares me as if she's going to die. Do your utmost best to get out here, hindi ko alam kung paano ko na-interpret ang simpleng pag-pisil niya sa kamay ko. Find them, find someone, and find Jill. Tumingin ako sa kanya, diretso lang siyang nakatingin sa mga kalaban, at hindi ko alam kung bakit biglang nangilid 'yung luha ko. Bakit ganito?

Tumingin ako sa kaliwa ko at narinig ko ang bulong ni Morris.

"Jing, you know what to do," Hindi ko alam kung paano sila nag-synch ni Eliza dahil hindi naman sila parehas Telepath at parehas nilang sinalalay sa'kin ang bagay na 'to. "Don't worry; these buddies are strong—super strong that you can't even imagine. Once na makalabas ka rito hindi nila hahayaan na may makasunod sa'yo," Hindi ko na kinaya at tumulo 'yung luha ko. Bakit ba kung makapagsalita siya ay parang mamamatay siya? Hah?

"H-how in the hell, they knew that I'm the one who's supposed to do that?"

"You are the Mother; they saw it in the Book of Oracle. The mother is supposed to be the one who will take care of the Keeper." That's an amazing bullshit.

Hawak pa rin ni Eliza 'yung kamay 'ko.

"Morris," tumingin ulit ako sa mga kalabang naghihintay, "Anong pangalan niya?"

"Valerio, ang taong sumalo sa'yo."

"Thanks."

Bumitaw si Eliza sa'kin at alam kong senyales na 'yon.

They all attacked at once. 



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