ZODIAC GATES-Beware of the 13th Sign

34'ATTACKED

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“’China . . .” a girl’s deep voice called in the middle of darkness. “’China, wake up.”

     And just that, I slowly opened my eyes.

     I saw Taru’s worried face.

     “’China.” A smile was drawn on her lips when she finally saw me waking up.

     Agad naman akong napaupo mula sa pagkakahiga. Hindi ko pa magawang makipag-usap, inaalala ko pa ang mga nangyari. And when I was finally able to remember all of it, unti-unti namang nag-unahang tumulo ang mga luha ko. “Raya . . .” I cried, also realizing that I’m not in the same place I was. Alam kong wala na ako sa kastilyo.

     “Shhhh . . .” Taru hugged me, trying to give me a warm atmosphere for me to be comforted pero sa tingin ko’y hindi iyon mas’yadong nakatulong.

     “My region . . . my people . . .” I continued crying. “They p-planned it.” I tried to let them know what’s going on, “They’re trying t-to establish another region.”

     “Shhh . . . we know.” She loosened her hug and talked to me. “Hindi rin ako makapaniwalang nagawa iyon ni Von sa sarili niyang rehiyon,” she meant the former Bearer of the Virgo Region. Bakas din ang lungkot sa mukha ni Taru. And after a second of not letting any word to slip from her mouth, nakita ko na lang ang pagtulo ng mga luha niya. She bowed down and tried not to sound awkward.

     I sighed. Earth Signs may look like tough outside pero marunong din kaming masaktan.

     “They ruined my region,” she said calmly after wiping her tears. At ibinalik na niya ang tingin sa akin na para bang hindi man lang siya umiyak.

     I then scanned the area. We were outside the Virgoans’ Virgoan Castle. Marami na ring nagkalat na mga patay at sugatan. Sira na rin ang ibang parte ng kastilyo’t kinakain na rin ng apoy.

     She stood up and wore her serious face she always had for us to see. “Kailangan na nating magmadali, Racchina,” she said, then helped me stand up. She turned around from me. “Kailangn nating tulungan ang mga kasama natin.”

     At sinundan ko naman ang tingin niya and saw beam of lights cutting through the sky, bending toward the Great Circle. “It looks like the beam of lights back when we were chosen as Bearers,” I uttered.

     “H’m,” she concurred. “Those are the beam of lights of the five Golden Keys.” She faced me. “Opoles is trying to transfer immense amount of energy into the 13th Key,” she used her finger to point where the lights had bent to at sa Great Circle iyon patungo. “Opoles is there, with the Ophiuchus Key. Kailangan nating mabawi ang mga susi nang sagayon ay hindi matuloy ang ritwal,” she spoke. “Dor aparir,” she summoned her door to open, “Your Key,” and gave me my Key. Agad ko naman iyong tinanggap and converted it to my own nimbus. After a blink of an eye, nakita ko na ulit ang Capricorn na Sign sa dibdib ko.

     “Mabuti na lang at nakita ‘yan ni Zyke.

     I frowned.

     “Right after protecting the Leo Region with Loki ay agad ka niyang hinanap. He saw you lying on the ground habang nakabantay sa ‘yo si Capricorn. Your region’s Spirit told Zyke to be here dahil alam niyang mas mapapadali ang paggaling mo ‘pag ginamot ka ni Virgo.”

     And that’s when I realized that I didn’t have any wounds anymore.

     “Pero hindi naging madali ‘yon. My Key was placed on a staff-like thing outside the castle. It gave a beam of light above and bent toward the Zoidion’s center. Mabuti na lang at natulungan ako ni Zyke. He helped me,” she said. “Kaya nakuha ko ulit ang Key ko.”

     “Nasaan siya ngayon?” I asked.

     “In Aries Region, trying to help Euai to get her Gate Key back by defeating Shari, the former Bearer of their region. Ang sabi niya’y nakikipaglaban pa rin daw sina Adiya, Drok, Suwan, Kases at Irgo sa mga rehiyon nila kaya ‘di pa sila makakatulong. They’re also going to help others after.”

     “Kung gano’n ay kailangan na nating kumilos,” I talked.

     “H’m,” she agreed. “To Scorpio Region.”

     “H’m?” I frowned.

     “Bakit?” she asked.

     “Wala.” So we already passed through with her door. Agad naman kaming iniluwa nito sa rehiyon ni Con.

     “Look out!” And then my eyes widened when a ball of whirling water was approaching toward our direction. I jumped sideward right and Taru on the left. Agad ko namang naramdaman ang pagbagsak ko habang sumabog sa ‘di kalayuan ang bolang tubig na muntikan na sanang tumama sa amin.

     “Taru,” I called while standing up. Nakita ko namang tumatayo na rin siya.

     “’China, Taru, it’s nice to see you here,” Con smiled though we could see the bitterness in his eyes.

     “We’re here to help you,” Taru spoke.

     Con smiled with happiness on his face kahit alam kong dama niya ang hapdi sa mga sugat niya.

     “What? Hoy, h’wag kang mag-isip ng kung anu-ano.”

     “H’m,” he muttered.

     “Kung ganoon ay tumawag ka pa ng mga kasama mo.”

     We turned around and saw a thin man about 15 meters away together with two other Sagittarians.

     “I never thought they could be in this plan of having a 13th region,” Con talked in a really low voice, making his disappointment be visible enough for us to feel. Nakadama rin kami ni Taru ng lungkot habang inaalala ang mga nangyari sa aming mga rehiyon.

     “Con. Give up. Our people will be happier if we become Sagittarians,” Rahin spoke beside a six-feet staff-like thing kung saan nakalagay ang Gate Key ni Scorpio. It released a green beam of light toward the sky and bent toward the center of Zoidion. “And you two, give your Keys to us.”

     “I won’t give give up!” Con yelled. “I will be forever a Scorpio at hindi ko hahayaang mangyari ang gusto niyo.” And then Con ran so fast, using his ability to run like a speed of light and headed to the staff ngunit nang tangkain niyang kunin ang Key ay tumilapon siya palayo.

     The staff had a barrier.

     “Con!” we hollered nang bumagsak siya sa ‘di kalayuan. We strode toward him at nakita namin kung gaano siya nasasaktan.

     “They leave us no choice,” Taru said, looking at me with her determined eyes. At kahit na hindi niya sabihin ay alam kong isu-summon niya si Virgo and she wanted me to do it as well with my Celestial Spirit.

     I gave her a “yes” look and we already stood up, facing our enemies. And together . . . we summoned our Celestial Spirits.

     “Virgo!”

     “Capricorn!”

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