"HER vital signs are dropping!" I heard a spontaneous beeping of the machine near me. Rinig ko rin ang mga takbuhan at mga mumunting bulungan sa aking paligid. I tried opening my eyes but I just felt myself hyperventilating. I can't stop myself from shaking. The beeping is becoming loud and all I can hear now is Alastair's booming voice.

"Do everything that you can to save her or else I'll kill you myself!" sigaw ni Alastair sa mga sinisigawan nito. Sino ba ang kausap ng lalaking n'ya?

"Y-Yes, Boss." Tugon ng taong 'yon na sa pakiwari ko'y doktor. Am I sick? Am I dead? No, not yet. The beeping of the machine is my heartbeat. Pagkarinig ko'y bumababa ang vital signs ko.

"You need to calm, Alastair. She will be okay." Wika ng isang matanda ang sunod kong narinig. Kung 'di ako nagkakamali, it's the Supremo. I want to clench my fist when I finally remembered why I ended up being here. I finally remembered everything.

My inner self has been awakened but I can't seem to reach my body so I can open my eyes. Gising ang diwa ko pero hindi ko maramdaman ang sarili kong katawan. I feel like my body is floating on something liquid. Nagkaideya ako na baka nilagay nga nila ako sa isa sa mga containment pods halintulad sa mga naging kulungan ng mga Enhanced no'ng isang araw.

"I loathed her all throughout the years having this curse on my body, Supremo. I can't forget the way he killed my brother that day, Lolo. It's the same of how the way she killed my father. She killed them both. And I just can't forgive her yet." Rinig kong palahaw ni Alastair nang pakiramdam ko'y nagsasalita ito sa harapan ko.

I can feel his rage and sadness. Bigla kong naramdaman ang parehas na pakiramdam nang muli ko nang maalala ang nangyari no'ng taong 'yon. The pain of how my Mamma has been killed lingered on my soul. The same pain that he feels today.

I want to say sorry. I really want to say it in front of him. Pero hindi ko magawa. Hindi ko pa magawang manghingi ng kapatawaran gayong hindi ko pa napapatawad ang ginawa ng ama nito sa aking ina. At wala akong karapatang hingin 'yon sa kanya.

Kaya maiintidihan ko ang rason kung bakit n'ya ako niloko. Kung paano s'ya nagkunwari sa lahat para lang mangyari kung ano ang nangyayari ngayon.

"Neither do I, Apo. Hindi ko s'ya mapapatawad sa ginawa n'ya sa anak ko. Pero, may panahon para maghiganti tayo sa kanya. Now that we've already known who's the Seventh kid of that night. We must—"

"Do you really believe that my brother survived?" Alastair asked, interrupting Supremo.

Hindi ko inaasahan na anak pala ni Supremo ang Calixto Aldeguer na 'yon.

"If he was appointed by the Apollo to be the bearer of its last curse then he's alive, Alastair. I was informed that if ever that one of the kids die, the Host will soon to die as well. And we need the Host for our experiment. She's also the key for you to be cured."

To be cured? Akala ko gusto nitong palakasin ang kapangyarihan ni Alastair para ito ang mamuno sa gagawin nitong Apollo Army?

"Kapag nabuhay na n'ya muli ang Apollo stone, we don't need her anymore. From there, I can use the Apollo all mine. And you? You'll live normally just like what you're dreaming, Apo."

"How do we find my brother?" Alastair's serious voice turned into business-like manner. Sumasang-ayon ito sa takbo ng plano ni Supremo.

"He's here," ramdam ko ang paglingon ni Alastair sa Supremo. "I got a notification from our Science Bureau that they traced a vast of energy emitted from the moment that Anastasia occurred the Wave last night. And the coordinates were traced here... in Vexigo."

"He's living among us?!" hindi makapaniwalang reaksyon ni Alastair sa narinig.

"We need to get all the list of students, faculty members, staffs and guards who are currently here and check their backgrounds. I asked Aarav to filter them all and give us the final list by anytime today." Supremo said.

Gusto ko nang makawala sa kung saan ako ngayon dahil nanganganib ang buhay ng Seventh Keeper. I know who he is... and I need to get out of here so I can protect him.

Pero paano?

Napatili ako ng bahagya nang maramdaman ko ang aking diwa na tila nahuhulog sa isang malamig na butas. Nang bumagsak ako ay napadaing ako sa sakit at agad na tumayo. Iginala ko ang aking paligid.

I only see nothing but a huge mirror in front of me. Ang paligid ay sobrang dilim.

Lumapit ako sa harapan ng salamin. I somehow remember a vision of a mirror talking at me. I looked on it and stared at my face. Nagulat ako nang hindi gumalaw ang ulo ko sa repleksyon ng salamin. My face in the mirror is still looking at me. Her stares are blank but I know she wants to say something.

Sa mga oras na 'yon alam kong hindi na ako ang nasa repleksyon ng salamin. It seems like I'm facing another person but I'm still seeing my face. May ideya ako kung sino na ang kaharap ko. Hindi naman ganoong kahirap isipin kung sino 'to. I'm just confused how? Even science can't explain this. This is beyond it. Beyond the knowledge of the world.

"I know, you know who I am." The person in the reflection spoke in an ancient language but I didn't expect that it was like she translated it simultaneously on our language. "Hindi ka tanga para hindi ako makilala."

"W-What's happening then? Bakit hindi ako magising ngayon? They need me now. This is the time I need to protect them the most." Halata sa tono ko and desperasyon. I have a point. I'm wasting time.

"Then you must have remembered everything." The reflection concluded. "I had to conceal what happened before so you can move on. So, your rage won't eat your being. As a kid, I know you can handle my power really well. But you'll end up killing your body in the process so I have to conceal the memory that you lost."

Hindi ako makapaniwala sa sinabi nito. She knows that I can't handle the pain? The pain of what? The pain of losing my Mom? Losing the hope that someone might have saved us but there's none? Pain from the crime that my mother had done and blamed myself for it? Hindi dapat! Hindi n'ya dapat 'yon ginawa! Because it didn't lessen anyway. The pain from its power is the same from the pain that silently resurfacing.

"Pain is my best friend. I hope you remembered that so well." I spat. Giving her the sarcasm and the fact. "Hindi matutumbasan ng lahat ng sakit ang sakit na itinago mo. Kaya sana hinayaan mo nalang na maramdaman ko 'yon."

My reflection sadly smiled at me as if she really indeed knew all my pain. "I'm sorry."'

I scoffed hearing that from a soul inside my curse. Did I really hear it right?

Apollo just apologized?

"Your Mom did that for a reason," I immediately interrupted her.

"Too cliché to believe. I need to know the reason. Gusto kong tanggapin ang lahat ng 'to gaya ng ginawa mong pagkuha sa paningin ko. Gusto kong maintindihan ang lahat kung bakit ako? Bakit ako?! Bakit sa lahat ng bata, bakit sa lahat ng pamilyang pwede mong sirain ay ang pamilya ko pa ang dapat mong piliin?"

Hindi ko na napigilan ang hindi mapaluhod sa sahig habang nilalabas sa kanya ang lahat ng dinadala kong sakit. It's really too much to handle. I handled it perfectly, wala ako rito ngayon at buhay pa kung hindi ko kinaya ang lahat. Pero dumating na kasi ako sa punto na gusto ko nang sumuko. Na mas pipiliin ko nalang ang mamatay nalang para matapos na ang lahat ng 'to. My existence is like a curse to anyone else, more so suffering.

Sana hindi nalang ako madaling makaintindi. Sana mahina nalang ako. Sana hindi ko nalang kinaya ang lahat para mas hindi na humaba pa ang pasakit na 'to.

Pagod na pagod na 'ko. Gusto ko nang magpahinga. Kailan ba 'to matatapos?

"I chose you because you're destined to be my vessel. I chose you regardless of what destiny will make you become. They must have known that you are strong. Na kahit na ilang beses mo na noong inisip na sumuko ay hindi mo pa rin ginawa. Kumapit ka. Lumaban ka. You slapped me the fact you won't give up even how painful the pain that I brought to your life. Kasi alam kong may pinoprotektahan ka pa..."

Natigilan ako sa huli nitong sinabi. Napatigil ako sa paghikbi.

"You're still protecting that person, aren't you?"

Napatakip ako sa aking bibig sa tanong n'ya. Apollo and I are one. Kaya paniguradong alam n'ya ang mga ginagawa kong pagprotekta sa isang tao.

"Mula sa taong 'yon, nadagdagan nang nadagdagan sila. Kinakaya mo ang sakit dahil sa kanila. Dahil may pinanghuhugutan ka pa ng lakas. Na may pinanghahawakan ka pa para mabuhay. You don't want to die, Anastasia. You still want to live..."

Sa puntong 'yon ay mas umiyak pa ako nang unang sumagi ang mukha ni Mamma. Her final smile and moments with me.

"You don't want to die because you know that you will lose your mother that way. You're afraid to die because you might lose her love for you."

No matter how hard I tried to hide it, kahit pa nagalit ako sa kanya no'ng panahon na wala pa akong maalala, alam kong 'yon ang isa sa rason ko kung bakit pa ako buhay. I don't want to lose her love, her memory. Dahil mas hindi ko 'yon kakayanin kung pati ang pakiramdam na 'yon ay mawala pa sa'kin. I may not be the Asia Graham if it wasn't because of my mother's love.

Hinayaan n'ya akong umiyak ng mag-isa. Hindi s'ya muling nagsalita pa. Nang maubos ko na ang lahat ng dapat kong iluha, I fixed myself and stood up to face her again.

I need to finish this no matter what happens.

"How do I finish this?" I asked her with my impassive face. Hindi na mababakasan pa ng panghihina. I'm now the usual self again. The Queen of Death.

Apollo smiled at me. I can see how proud she is upon choosing me. Kung proud s'ya? Ako? Kinamumuhian ko s'ya. This is her fault. S'ya ang punot dulo ng lahat.

"Just like what I've shown to your mother, chaos will soon to arise on Earth because of the stone. I told her to distribute the seven mind curses to the seven children that I will be choosing. This time, it needs to be placed back to the stone."

Nagtaka ako sa sinabi n'ya. "Mom clearly told me to protect them and they will protect me."

Tumango tango ito. "Yes, she did. You all need to protect each other for this reason. The stone was unstable because of the seven abilities and the ones you have. But now it's firm, you now have to put it back."

"Pero kung maibabalik ang lahat ng 'yon sa bato, ibig sabihin, kahit sino maaaring makagamit no'n." I rebutted.

Bumuntung-hininga muna ang nasa repleksyon bago ako nito sinagot muli. "'Yon ang silbi ng bato, Anastasia. Ang panatilihing nasa loob lang ang mga 'yon. Ibig sabihin, mawawalan ng buhay ang bato kapag nakuha na muli nito ang pitong abilidad na ibinigay ko. Maliban nalang..."

A specific word had returned to my mind when I think I know what she's talking about.

"Maliban nalang kapag may gawin ang... Descendant na ina-assigned mo?"

Isang malalim na buntunghininga ang binitawan ni Apollo nang masabi ko 'yon at kapagkuwa'y tumango. Tapos naging asul ang mga mata nito at may pinakita na kung ano.

I gasped in shock when I saw the destruction of Earth. Para iyong totoo dahil ramdam ko ang init, galit, at pagkasira sa paraan ng pagpapakita n'ya sa'kin ng mangyayari kapag wala akong gawin para hindi 'yon matuloy.

Napakuyom ako ng kamao dahil sa narinig. Bakit ko nga ba nakalimutan ang importansya ni Archilliah sa lahat ng 'to?

"Ano bang silbi ng Descendant na pinili mo?" tanong ko sa kanya sa tanong na hindi ko rin masagot no'ng maalala ko ang lahat.

Natigilan ng bahagya ang Apollo sa naging tanong ko sa kanya. Bumakas ang lungkot roon habang nakatingin sa'kin. Nakaramdam ako ng kaba sa paraan ng tingin na binibigay n'ya. Para bang may isang mangyayari na ikakalungkot ko na naman.

MY whole body is convulsing. Ramdam ko ang panginginig ng buo kong katawan. My heartbeats raised from normal that gave an alarming signal to those who are keeping me alive. Mabilis na pinuntahan ng mga nurse ang doktor na naka-assign sa akin.

I opened my eyes. And I can definitely see that I'm inside of a containment pod. Mas lalong nanginginig ang katawan ko. I don't know what's happening to me. Ito na ba ang katapusan ko? No! Hindi pa dapat. I still have things to finish.

I tried moving but I can't. Maraming nakapulupot sa'king mga tubo. Maging sa bibig ko na tanging nagbibigay sa'kin ng paraan para makahinga.

Ramdam ko ang sakit nang natatanggal ang mga tubong nakakabit sa'kin. Ang dugong umagos ay s'yang humalo sa tubig kung saan ako nakababad

Natigilan ako sa pagpupumiglas nang may maaninag akong gulo sa kung nasaan ako. I saw how the doctors and nurses fell on the floor because of someone who came in. Muling bumabagsak ang aking mata dahil sa panghihina. Pero ramdam ko pa rin ang paligid ko.

Someone is knocking on the containment pod of where I am. I can't see his face. Lalaki 'yon base sa figure ng katawan nito. Bawat sapak n'ya sa kinalalagyan ko ay ramdam ko ang frustration building up on him. Hanggang sa umikot ito at may kinakalikot na kung ano.

Doon nagsimulang ma-drain ang tubig na nasa loob ng containment pod. Nang magbukas ang ilalim na parte ng pod ay doon ko naramdaman na natanggal rin ang respirator na nakakabit sa bibig ko at nahulog.

Ang akala ko'y tatama ako sa sahig. Pero ramdam ko ang isang makisig na braso ang sumalo sa'kin. My eyes are still blur. Naapektuhan yata ng tubig na 'yon ang Lenses na suot ko kung kaya't hindi ko maaninag kung sino 'to.

"Asia! Asia! Do you hear me?! Don't sleep please! Lalabas na tayo rito. Okay?!" rinig kong sigaw n'ya sa'kin pero I'm too weak to even speak.

Dahan dahan kong iniangat ang isa kong nanghihinang kamay sa pisngi ng binata. I smiled longingly when I finally recognized the man who helped me.

"D-Do you... finally remember m-me?" I asked with a glint of weakness.

Natigilan ang lalaking may hawak sa'kin nang matapos n'ya akong balutan ng malaking kumot. He smiled at me to indicate that he already did.

"Do you prefer calling you, Asia? Or... Tasia?"

I chuckled a bit when I finally heard that name again. It's been so long. I thought I killed him that night because he's not moving when Apollo gave him the last curse.

"You've been in comatose for so long, b-because of m-me. You've been hurt a-again b-because of me." Naiiyak ko s'yang tiningnan when I remembered how I involved him.

Pinahid n'ya ang luhang tumakas sa aking mata then smiled again. "I stubbornly followed you that night, Tasia. I followed you at my own will. I'm still the same though. The stubborn reporter who's nagging at you all the time. Now, we need to move out."

I chuckled once again when he pointed it out.

Sunod-sunod akong tumango sa kanya. Agreeing with what he has said.

"Yeah, you're still the same... mapa-Ali man o... Nicholas."