Chapter 24: The Captured Serpent

“You!” sigaw ni Kristina habang hindi makapaniwalang nakatingin kay Kesha. Yes, si Kesha. This annoying b*tch is always getting on my nerves every time.

“What are you doing, Kesha?” hindi makapaniwalang tanong ni Calvin dito. “I thought we talked about this?” he added.

Oh right, it is Calvin’s lover in the past. Hindi ko alam kung bakit niya nagustuhan ang anak ng hipokritang babae na ‘yon. Psh.

“I’m sorry, I will get a pretty huge reward if I will make that b*tch over there suffer!” she replied, laughing like an ugly witch.

“Sinabi mo sa kaniya ang plano natin, Calvin?” naguguluhang tanong naman ni  Euhonn. Tiningnan namin nang matalim si Calvin. Don’t tell me...

“Yes.” I groaned in frustration. Fool! Bakit nagpapa-uto siya sa babaeng ito?!

“Why?!”  Antonette shouted while gritting her teeth. Akmang susuntukin na sana ni Sky si Calvin pero naunahan ko siya.

“Aray!” he complained when he received a strike to his nape from me.

“Fool,”  I said in my knitted brows.

“Well, it doesn’t matter now. I already know it, so I will tell the King about this! “ Kesha muttered.

“Gu—” and before she could shout anything, I immediately released my omnikinesis ability.

“Shut your mouth,”  I commanded, making her mouth freeze. I staidly looked at her.

Natahimik naman silang lahat no’ng makita nila ang seryoso kong ekspresiyon. Naglakad ako patungo sa kaniya. I saw how she gulped a few times. That’s right, be frightened with my existence.

Akmang itataas na sana niya ang kaniyang kamay para gamitin ang kaniyang kapangyarihan ngunit naunhan ko na naman siya.

“Lower your hands, Kesha. You don’t want to get hurt.” I smiled fakely while saying those. I steadily stopped when I reached a meter away from her.

“Now, do you want to talk?” pang-iinis ko sa kaniya kaya tiningnan niya naman ako nang masama.

“You’re coming with us, whether you like it or not,” dagdag ko pa kaya nakita ko siyang nagpupumulit na magsalita pero hindi niya magawa. I’m sorry, you will not say a single word if I don’t say so.

“Elijah,” I called my guardian. Lumabas naman ito gamit ang anyong tao niya.

“Kargahin mo siya, we will going to interrogate her,” I commanded.

Tumango naman si Elijah do’n at agad niyang kinarga si Kesha na nagpupumiglas pa rin.

Napahawak na lang ako sa sintido ko sa kakulitan ng babaeng ito.

“Stay still, you little rascal!” utos ko na naman sa kaniya kaya hindi na ito gumalaw pa. Good. Masunuring bata. Psh.

“Who’s that?” tanong sa akin ni Jouesh no’ng makarating na ako sa pwesto namin kanina.

“My guardian,” I simply answered. Kumunot naman ang mga noo nila.

“That’s Ace,” they all said in unison.

Napairap na lang ako sa kawalan. Here we go again.

“Yeah, and he’s my guardian. Please don’t ask anything, we need to go,” sagot ko na lang sa kanila upang mahimasmasan na silang lahat sa pagkagulat.

“I know a place, we can go there, Beatrice,”  Calvin suggested, and I nodded as a yes, kaya nagsimula na kaming maglakad papalabas sa piitan.

It took us several minutes before we arrived at this place. Kailangan pa kasi naming maglakad nang napakalayo upang hindi kami makita ng mga estudyante at kawal sa loob ng eskwelahan.

I need to interrogate Kesha, because as far as I can remember, siya ‘yong dahilan kung bakit nabisto ang plano namin noon.

“Grabe, paano mo nagagawa ang gano’n, Bea? Try mo nga sa akin!” magiliw na sabi ni Sky habang ngumi-ngiti ng abot sa ngala-ngala.

“Oo nga! Try it on me! Parang ang cool kasi!” banat din naman ni Carper habang parang asong ul*l na nagpu-puppy eyes sa aking harapan.
Napailing na lang ako sa inasta nila. Hay, kailan kaya ‘to sila magbabago?

“Do you want me to burn the both of you like hell?” I blurted out.

Napasimangot naman silang dalawa dahil sa sagot ko.

“Ang kill joy mo talaga!” reklamo naman nilang dalawa kaya napangiti na lang ako. I know.

Pumasok naman kami sa isang tree house na mukhang hide out ‘ata nila Calvin, Euhonn, Sky at Carper. Hindi ko alam kung bakit may ganito silang pakulo sa buhay nila. May mga sikreto siguro ang mga ‘to, kung kaya’t  may pa-tree house silang nalalaman.
Well, ayos din naman, dahil may pagtataguan kami ngayon.

“Now where is the mad queen?”  I immediately asked Kesha when we finally entered their hide out.
I released my omnikinesis ability to let her speak, I almost forgot that I used it on her earlier. Psh.

“Why would I tell you?” nakangisi nitong sagot sa akin. I arched my left brow.

“Then, let me just use my ability, is that okay with you?” Kesha squinted when she heard my reply.

Sila Kristina nama’y taimtim lang na nakikinig sa amin. May halong pagtataka ang ipinapakita nilang ekspresiyon. Naguguluhan siguro sila kung bakit ko ito ginagawa.

“The queen wants to start a war between the four realms. And in that day, there will be an execution. Where you will die and Dianna will kill you,” mahinang sambit nito sa akin.

“What do you mean war?” sabat naman sa amin ni Euhonn.

“Two days from now, many blood will flow. The lifespan of the cursed immortals will dwindle, as the king and queen will sacrifice everything just to annihilate them all,” she added while looking at me intensely.

Oh! What Elijah said a hundred years ago was freakin’ right! All hail to the guardians of the cursed immortal. This era, everything will going upon our plan.

I smirked, looking at Elijah who’s also smiling at me.

‘Elijah, this is it!’ I excitedly rejoiced on my mind.

‘Yes, Ayesha. This will be their end!’ he replied.

I commanded him to vanish out of our sight, they were all shocked when I did that, however, they immediately coped up.

“The plan, Calvin,” sabi ko kay Calvin kaya naging seryoso ang mukha nito.

“Yes, I know, “ he replied.

Napatingin naman ako sa mga kasama ko na naguguluhan sa kanilang nasasaksihan ngayon.

“You will understand if you all remember everything, but no. Just wait for the right time for you guys to remember,”  paliwanag ni Calvin sa mga kasamahan ko.

“Remember what?”  Kristina asked curiously.

They need to stay in the shadows after a while. It is a good thing that they can’t remember everything, for now. It’s the safest thing that I can think of. I don’t  want them to sacrifice their lives again, just like what happened a hundred years ago.

“I need to go back to the dungeon,” I said while looking at them.

“Ha?! Nasisiraan ka na ba ng bait, Bea?!” Nakita ko naman kung paano magdikit ang kilay ni Antonette habang sinasabi niya ‘yon.

“I’m not,” sagot ko sa kaniya at seryosong napatingin sa kaniya.

“Bakit kailangan mo pang bumalik do’n, Bea?” naguguluhang tanong naman sa akin ni Carper.

“Oo nga, Beatrice? You’re safe here. Kung bumalik ka ro’n, sigurado akong mapapatay ako ni Eunice!” saad pa ni Euhonn habang ang noo niya ay nakakunot. Malapit na akong matawa ngunit buti na lang ay napigilan ko pa. Kalalaking tao, natatakot sa babae. Pfft…

“Euhonn’s right, just stay here! Bakit ka pa kasi babalik do’n? Sayang ‘yong effort and planning namin para makuha ka lang do’n!” buwelta naman ni Sky.

“Do you all trust me?” Imbis na sagutin ang mga tanong nilang lahat ay tinanong ko rin sila pabalik. Natahimik naman sila nang dahil do’n.

“Yes,” they all said in unison.

“Then, you need to follow my instructions.” Tumango naman silang lahat sa akin nang sabihin ko ‘yon.
Sinabi ko sa kanilang lahat ang aking plano, na sinang-ayunan naman nilang lahat.

“We need to make sure that the students inside here are safe,” I said.

“Paano naman namin sila mapasusunod?” tanong sa akin ni Kristina.

“Using their charms,” sagot ko kay Kristina habang nginunguso sila Sky. Napakunot naman ang noo nito kaya napatawa na lang ako nang mahina.

“Just kidding, I will help you do it. I have the ability, remember?” I added making them sigh in relief.

Natatakot siguro silang maging mahangin na naman itong mga lalaking nasa harapan namin.

“Let’s go?” They all nodded as a response. Nagsimula na akong maglakad papalabas ng tree house at sumunod naman sila.

“The captured serpent, never forget her! Don’t let her escape, okay?!” paghahabilin ko sa kanila.

“I will go with you.”  Napatingin naman ako kay Jouesh nang magsalita na ito sa wakas. Kanina pa kasi siya tahimik, inakala ko ngang umalis na siya.

“Yes, you can, they will never suspect you!” Ngumiti naman siya nang dahil do’n kaya agad kong hinawakan ang kaniyang kamay at sabay kaming naglakad patungo sa piitan.

“Mag-iingat kayo!” rinig kong sigaw ni Antonette kaya kumaway na lang ako sa kaniya bilang pagsabi ng ‘oo,’ at nagpatuloy na sa paglalakad.

Ilang minuto rin kaming tahimik habang naglalakad, hanggang sa basagin ito ng aking katabi.

“Are you really sure about that plan? What if it didn’t work? Then you’ll die?” Nakita ko naman kung paano kumunot ang kaniyang noo habang sinasambit niya ‘yon.

“Don’t worry, it will definitely work! Just trust me, my dear,” I replied, smiling from ear to ear.

“Just…” he heaved a sigh before continuing, “Just be safe, okay?” sabi nito at huminto sa paglalakad, kaya napahinto rin ako. “I will be watching over you, and if there is something strange, I am here to rescue you,” he added while holding both of my shoulders tightly.

Napangiti na lang ako nang wala sa oras dahil do’n.

“Yes, I will, Tristan,”  I replied as I gave him a smack on his lips.

“I will always be here for you,” sabi pa nito.

Kinurot ko na lang ang ilong niya.

“Ang baduy mo, unggoy, bumalik ka na sa katinuan mo, please!” nang-aasar kong sagot sa kaniya kaya nagkadikit ang kilay nito.

“H-Hoy! Ako na nga ‘tong concern sa ‘yo, e!” reklamo niya kaya tinalikuran ko siya, at nagsimula nang maglakad.

“Gorilla, hintay!” sigaw nito sa akin.

“Tse! Ayaw ko sa baduy na katulad mo!”  sigaw ko rin pabalik sa kaniya, sabay mapang-asar na humagikgik ng tawa.

“Ugly witch, ugh!” I heard him groan in frustration, kaya mas binilisan ko pa ang takbo ko. “Hoy!”

At ayon nga, para kaming nagkakarerang dalawa. Nakita ko naman siyang hapong-hapo na, at hindi man lang siya nakakahabol sa akin.

“Bw*sit! Gorilla, hintay!” pagmamakaawa niya sa akin pero hindi ako nakinig sa kaniya.

“Bahala ka r’yan, unggoy!” buwelta ko pa na mas lalong nagpa-inis sa kaniya. Tumingin naman ako sa aking harapan, at laking gulat ko sa nakita ko.

Nagmadali naman akong mag-teleport sa likuran ni Jouesh.

“What are you do—uhm!”

END OF CHAPTER 24