When Red Ridinghood finally made it back to Eteilla, she wasn't expecting anything like this.  

Bumungad sa kanya ang madilim na chamber. Ang tanging nakapagbibigay-liwanag sa silid ay ang ilaw na nagmumula sa kisame. Nakakapagtakang wala roon ang sinuman sa magkakapatid.

Red furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. 'Nasaan naman kaya sila?'

As much as she wanted to think that they were just too busy with other matters, her guts were telling her that wasn't the case. Isa pa, kani-kanina lang ay ina-update pa siya ni Acontes sa oras, kaya nakakapagtakang isipin na bigla na lang itong aalis. The Big Bad Werewolves wouldn't leave her unguarded, right?

Indeed, she has a bad feeling about this.

Tinitigan niya ang barahang hawak-hawak nila.

THE HERMIT

'I only need to find the last two cards, and this madness will be over.' She thought.

Matapos niyang ilagay ito sa lalagyan kasama ng iba pang mga baraha, napagdesisyunan niyang hanapin ang magkakapatid. The other portals can wait. Aside from the fact that she doesn't want to overwork herself again like last time, para bang may sariling isip ang kanyang mga paa. Namalayan na lang niyang tinatangay na siya ng mga ito papalabas ng Eteilla.

But as she walked further down the tunnel, the noise got louder and louder and louder...

When she finally reached the end, napasigaw na lang sa gulat si Red nang may humila sa kanya sa pasilyo. They hid behind a pillar. Agad nitong tinakpan ang kanyang bibig.

"Shh! They might hear you."

Lycros?

Nang lingunin ng prinsesa ang werewolf, doon niya napansin ang seryoso nitong ekspresyon habang nagmamasid sa paligid. But his forest green eyes held a certain fear she cannot dismiss. Something is definitely wrong here.

"Anong nangyayari?" She asked in a whisper.

Bago pa man makasagot ang binata, bigla na lang nagkapira-piraso ang haliging pinagtataguan nila. Red Ridinghood watched in horror as the stone pillar crumbled, debris flying everywhere. Kasabay nito, mahinang napamura si Lycros at hinila siya papalayo. But not before she got a glimpse of who---or what---caused the destruction.

A large ash gray werewolf with glowing red eyes that screamed bloody murder.

Hindi siya makapaniwala sa kanyang nakikita.

'Paano nakapasok ang mga kaaway dito?!'

"Kailangan na nating umalis!" Lycros yelled as he yanked her away from the enemy.

Nang makabawi sa pagkabigla si Red, agad din niyang binilisan ang pagtakbo. Her feet and her thoughts were racing, away from those deadly canines. Kasabay nito, hindi niya maiwasang pansinin ang pagbabago ng paligid. Para bang dinaanan ng unos ang kastilyo ng Big Bad Werewolves. The tapestries were shredded. Claw marks tore the faded wallpaper. The moon lanterns were shattered on the floor.

Sa kabila ng lahat ng ito, hindi niya pa rin napigilang mag-alala.

"Lycros, nasaan 'yong iba?"

She called out while trying to catch her breath. Para bang anumang oras ay bibigay na ang kanyang mga binti.

"Don't worry about them. They'll survive!"

Somehow, that didn't put her at ease. Pero sa pagitan ng pagtakas sa halimaw na humahabol sa kanila at sa pagtataka kung paano ito nangyari, Red couldn't find the sanity to complain.

That was when they reached a dead end.

Huminto sila nang makita ang nawasak na parte ng kastilyo. Large portions of the walls and ceiling blocked their path.

'It looks like luck isn't on our side.'

Maya-maya pa, narinig na nila ang pag-alulong ng halimaw sa kanilang likuran. Wala na silang takas. Lycros quickly pulled her behind him in an attempt to shield her away from the enemy.

"Dead or alive, it looks like Socleus isn't gonna back down," the blonde chuckled.

"Lycros---!"

"I'll protect you, no matter what happens."

He managed to offer her a reassuring smile before transforming into a beast. Sa isang iglap, mabilis na sinalag ng gintong lobo ang atake ng kanyang kapatid. Hindi na masundan ng mga mata ng prinsesa ang nangyayari. Namalayan na lang niyang tumilapon ang dating alpha sa kabilang bahagi ng pasilyo, knocking over several vases.

The golden wolf turned to her, but amber eyes only stared past him.

"Sa likuran mo!"

Huli na ang lahat nang mapagtanto ni Lycros ang kanyang pagkakamali. Giant claws slashed at his back, leaving deep wounds and specks of blood staining the gray and gold walls. Pain flashed in his forest green eyes. Nanginginig ang mga binti habang pinipilit tumayo.

Socleus ignored him and came running towards the chosen maiden.

Those wild red eyes with the intent to kill.

Tuluyan nang natuod sa kanyang kinatatayuan ang prinsesa. Wala siyang dalang anumang armas.

The shock paralyzed her.

In a blink of an eye, a black werewolf appeared from the rumble. It leaped from behind the fallen pieces of stone that blocked the hallway.

"Acontes..."

Kasabay nito, mabilis niyang kinakalmot ang mukha ng kanyang kapatid. Napanganga na lang si Red nang marinig ang pagbali ng leeg nito dahil sa lakas ng pwersa. The gray wolf's head twisted to one side as it fell to the ground, a few feet away from her. Walang inaksayang oras si Acontes at bumalik sa pagiging tao.

"My empress, hindi ka ligtas dito."

"Acontes, ano bang nangyayari?!" As terrified as she is, nanaig pa rin ang kagustuhan niyang malaman ang lahat. Damn. Naguguluhan na siya!

"Sinamantala ng mga kaaway na wala si Nyctimus at sinira ang mahikang nakapalibot dito. Without Nyct, Eteilla's magic couldn't keep them out of the castle. Miss Evelyn sent them to assassinate you!"

Nang sinimulan nang bumangon ni Socleus, tumalim ang mga mata ni Acontes sa kanya. The scar on his face was a deadly reminder that he threw all the hesitation away a long time ago. Masakit mang isipin, pero hindi na nila kapatid ang mga halimaw na ito.

Agad siyang bumaling kay Lycros.

"Take her back to Eteilla. The past is the safest hiding place for her right now."

Nanlaki ang kanyang mga mata sa sinabi ng alpha.

"Are you suggesting I cross another portal while you're dying here? Acontes, hindi ko kayo pwedeng iwan!"

Ayaw nang isipin ni Red ang mga posibleng mangyari habang wala siya. She can't just run away like this. Kapag may napahamak na sinuman sa kanila, hindi niya kakayaning patawarin ang kanyang sarili.

But Acontes gently held her face, making her look at him.

His eyes firmly held hers.

And there was that strange tug on her heart again. It feels like a connection of some sort.

"At hindi ka rin pwedeng mamatay. You're the chosen maiden, the rightful queen, and my soul mate... Anuman ang mangyari, kailangan mong mabuhay. Trust me, okay? We can't lose you...I can't lose you, Princess Rieka Ridinghood. If you die, I might just die as well." Marahang sabi ni Acontes at ngumiti para sa kanya.

His confession anchored her back to reality.

Sa huli, wala nang nagawa si Red kung hindi sumakay sa likod ginintuang lobo at panoorin ang papalayong anyo nina Acontes at Socleus. Her amber eyes watched the alpha transform into his black wolf and battle against the their former leader.

When they were out of sight, Red Ridinghood's heart sank.

*

Maybe fate wasn't against them, after all.

'Yon na lang ang gustong isipin ni Red nang makarating sila sa Eteilla nang wala kahirap-hirap. She hopped down Lycros' back and saw the twelve candle lit themselves. Kasabay nito, nagliwanag ang ika-limang arkong bato. Tila ba tinatawag na siya nito.

"You need to go! Hindi ka masusundan ng mga kapatid namin sa portal," Lycros gestured to the portal.

"Pero paano kayo? Paano kung..."

"Like what Acontes said, you don't need to worry about us. We'll ward them away from the castle just in time before the last candle dies."

"And if I get stuck in there?"

"You won't."

Nang maalala ni Red na iba nga pala ang takbo ng oras ng labindalawang minuto sa nakaraan at oras dito sa kasalukuyan, napabuntong-hininga na lang siya at sinimulan nang humakbang papalapit sa portal. She trusts them. Yes, the princess trusts these Big Bad Werewolves with her life. Red Ridinghood has no doubts that they'll be able to drive the enemies away.

She can only hope that none of them will be severely injured by the time she gets back.

Lycros stared at her for a long time. His hands twitched as if he wanted to embrace her and cast all her fears away.

But he didn't.

Instead, the blonde werewolf smile at her.

"Everything will be alright... I promise."

Ang kanyang boses ang huling musikang narinig ni Red bago siya tuluyang nilamon ng liwanag ng nakaraan.

---

I would be lying if I ever said
you served no greater purpose
in the book of my life.
There is at least one good deed
that I can attribute to you.
Only after you left me stranded
and I found myself still breathing
that I knew I could withstand
everything that came after you...

---"To Make Monsters Out Of Girls", Amanda Lovelace