Chapter 20

After the blast, we were all vacated to a safer place under a shelter. I have no idea where they were holding us now. There's too much destruction occurred and I couldn't even move myself because there's too much pain when I move. Gusto ko mang gumalaw, hindi ko magawa at gusto kong hanapin ang mga kasamahan ko ay wala akong ideya kung saan ko sila hahanapin. I just hope they were alive. Kung kailan kakausapin ko na sila para maayos na ang gusot, this unexpected thing happened and I feel like we shouldn't shrugged it off. It's more than that.

I tried to look around the room and there were beds next to me and so on and so forth. I don't know how many beds and people laying down on it. I was just hoping that one of them were my friends.

A moment later, a nurse staff came by to check in on me. She immediately check my vitals and examined me if there's still something I feel aside from the pain muscles and I said nothing more than that. She also reassured me that the pain will eventually go away after a few hours of rest and I think that's fine. I shouldn't worry about myself now, I should worry about my friends.

"Hey..." I called her before she left me and finishes jotting down some notes on her clipboard. 

"Yup, what's up?" she queried. 

"Where are the other?" I asked worriedly, "and what happened?"

And before she could answer my question, bigla namang sumulpot ang aming Commanding Chief. She gave a little update on my condition to my boss and then she left afterwards. Tumapon ang tingin ko sa Chief ko and I could tell that he really felt so devastated.

"Sir..." I muttered.

He nodded even though my word has no context, he already knew what I meant. Inabot nito ang braso ko at tinapik-tapik niya ako. I don't know what he meant by that. Gulong-gulo rin ako. Wala akong ideya kung anong nangyayari.

"Sir... what happened?" I asked.

"It was unexpected, Mister Landon," he sighed. "We never foresee this tragic incident."

"There was a blast sir... an explosion. What happened next? Where are the other Silver Knights?" I asked frantically. "Why there's only a few Knights around? Are we all saved? What will happen to our cabin now? Where we would be staying?"

"Calm down, Nathan, mabigat din para sa amin ang nangyari. No one sees it. Kahit ang mga Royals ay hindi inaasahan ang pangyayaring ito. They already set an emergency alert around the palace and send all the Gold Knights in service to prevent this explosion happens once again. The news has already been out in the public, nagsisimula na rin naman kaming magpadala ng mga mensahe sa mga pamilya niyo. And yes, we've already sent our message to you family so there's nothing to worry about... well, not all will receive a message that'll falter their worries but it's the opposite of it."

"What do you mean, sir?" tanong ko at kasabay no'n ang malalalim na paghinga. I'm trying to feel so calm pero kapag iniisip ko ang mga ganitong bagay, hindi rin ako mapakali.

My chief shakes his head confirming that it wasn't a good news. Not even at all. 

"Some Silver Knights didn't make it from the explosion. We were all still searching for everybody and they are at the cabin looking for those who haven't been found yet but there are already numerous deaths from the Silver Knights. And it's horribly terrifying, Nathan, not everyone can be one of the Silver Knights and yet, we keep losing them..." he gripped his hand on my arm. "I'm so glad that you're still here, Nathan."

"Sir... one more question before you go and check out on the others," I said.

He nodded. "Sure, what would it be your question, Nathan?"

"Who did this?"

He took a deep sighed and shook his head. "We're still ruling out that out. We still don't have an idea who might be behind of the tragic incident. We can't conclude anything right now. All are into it. Hindi pinapalagpas ang ganitong sitwasyon dahil may mga nasawi na pu-pwedeng itaaas na ito sa National Emergency. Silver Knights is part of the system so if they are hurt while doing their job or in the area of their safe zones, it has to be ruled as sabotage."

"That could be the Black Knights! They are the ones who are capable of doing that. They've been in the areas of Gold and Silver Knights. They are the only group I know who could do this kind of horrendous act. They're such a disgrace," I hissed.

"Yes, they could be but we're still learning about. We will inform everyone at the end of the day. Rest, Nathan. You need it."

"Thanks, sir..."

When he patted my shoulder and then he leave to check out on the others. I still couldn't believe how it all went. I'm still worried about my friends and I really feel sorry to those Silver Knights we lost. But I hope they found their peace. And we are alive, we will find justice to them. Hindi rito natitigil ang lahat. They started it, we will ended it. They took blood on us, we'll get our justice. Kung kaya nilang gawin ang bagay na 'to, mas malupit pa ang kaya naming gawin.

Silver Knights won't stop here unless we were told not to. But there are lives that we lose so we will fight for them, fight for what is right.

I ended falling back asleep to get a rest. It is what I need right now so I could find the others too.

***

At night, when we're all awake, our chief announced to every one that it was all doing by the Black Knights. Hindi pa kami pwedeng gumawa ng aksyon at kailangan muna namin pag-aral ang mga susunod na hakbang. Sa ngayon, kailangan muna namin ibalik ang mga nawalang lakas namin at kailangan naming maging mas matatag pa.

Our chief announced that we lost thirteen Silver Knights and that includes Ryle and Duncan. I feel so bad that we didn't get to talk and sort it all out before it happened. Nagsisisi ako ngayon. Cameron and Brody joined me in. Nasa kabilang station sila ng hospital swing kaya hindi ko sila kasama sa kwarto. We were still devastated on how it all went. 

Ryle and Duncan were good people, they were funny, they made us laugh and I know they still have a dreams to fulfill and because they wouldn't be able to do it anymore, we'll do it for them and for long as we stood as a Silver Knight, we will do it for them.

All the remaining Knights gathered around near the cabin and we lit a candle and send a prayers to those we lost. Some are still injured and are still enduring the pain from the incident but they want to join because they know it hurts to lose someone close to them. And that's a fact. Losing someone is that hardest part and on our job, we risk ourselves for it so we expect it to happen any time. Any day is uncertain so we shall be prepared.

Our chief made a little speech for those we lost and to those who left with us. Ang bigat sa dibdib. Pero ganito ang buhay, we all need to move on but when we move forward, we're going to take their memories with us and so they won't be forgotten. 

To Ryle and Duncan and to the eleven Silver Knights, you will all be missed but never be forgotten. So long brothers...