Welcome, Player: Grand Quest

Chapter 109: The Forest Whispers

-chapter one-hundred-nine-
____________________

SOLACE

"Reverie. I'm sure your father is very proud of how much you've grown."

"SOL, AYOS ka lang ba?"

Napabaling ako kay Feyre na nag-aalalang nakatingin sa'kin. Binigyan ko siya ng isang mahinang ngiti at tumango. Hindi siya kumbinsido doon but thankfully, she didn't ask anymore questions. I don't think I'd be able to give him a worded answer.

Maingay at walang tabas ang dila ni Feyre, but she perfectly know how to handle a serious situation. After all, she's an adult. May pagkabata nga lang sa puso.

She shows it again when we rejoined the group. Awtomatikong napalingon sa'min ang mga kasama namin. Sinenyasan niya ang mga itong hindi magtanong, lalo na't dahil may bumukas na ng bibig. They all gave me worried glances but decided to follow Feyre's order.

"Voldmir," tawag ni Feyre. "Malapit lang ba dito ang City of Ghosts?"

Voldmir hangs out in the city dahil doon niya nat-train si Cerberus. The three-headed dog is very hard to tame and usually goes on a rampage. Kaya to prevent any casualties, doon siya sa abandoned city nagpapalakas. We also visited that city in the Game of Governor's event. Sa pagkakatanda ko, doon naganap ang preliminaries. That was also where Oddcredibles first appeared.

"Hm. Usually it would take about an hour and thirty minutes of travel, kasi dadaan pa tayo sa City of Stars. Pero pwede na lang nating gamitin ang shortcut." sagot ni Voldmir at itinuro ang isang arched gate hindi malayo sa'min. "We can use the Elves Path. We just have to be alert, maraming illusions and magical creatures na nandito."

Astro thinks it over for a bit. Sumulyap siya sa'kin, para siguro kunin ang desisyon ko. I nodded. If it's a path that will make our travel quick, then what else but to choose it? It would be better if we finish this quest by today. Dahil may hindi maganda ang pakiramdam ko sa mangyayari bukas.

"Alright." Astro agrees. "We have to stick close to each other. Hindi natin alam ang pwedeng mangyari sa'tin diyan. Where will it lead us? In the front gate of the city?"

Umiling si Voldmir. "The Elves Path and the Forest of Memories are connected. May high possibility na doon tayo mapupunta, so we have to brace ourselves. It's one of the dangerous forest after South Continent's Death Isle and Northern Continent's Dragon's Garden."

Sumunod ako sa kanila papasok dito. The Elves Path is very beautiful, with bushes in the sidewalks and vines hanging with blooming flowers. It perfectly compliments the weather. Pinanood ko sina Minerva at Priamos na sayang-saya sa nakikita. Humihinto-hinto sila para tingnan ang mga bulaklak. Vesta follows behind them to make sure that they don't eat it. Mahirap na at baka poisonous ang mga plants dito.

Hex and Feyre are talking in hush voices. At kahit na mature si Feyre pag-gugustuhin, she sucks at keeping secrets, kaya nalaman kong ako ang pinag-uusapan dahil sa pasulyap-sulyap niya. Halcyon joins their gossips, nodding at times. Isa din 'tong hindi marunong maging subtle kasi tinititigan niya na talaga ako.

Medyo na disappoint pa ako nang makita si Astro na nakikinig din sa kanila. Aba, pasimple lang ang paglapit niya sa tatlo. Hindi nga siya tumitingin sa banda ko pero ang lapit naman ng tainga niya sa chismisan nina Feyre.

I sighed. I didn't mean to worry them, but I can't help the strange feeling inside me. Hindi ko din alam kung bakit biglang bumuhos ang luha ko nang marinig ang boses na 'yon. It just... hurts. Na parang may nagpaalam sakin na isang importanteng tao, but my heart won't believe that it's that certain person who bid their goodbye. My heart wants to ignore it. My heart chooses to ignore it.