Glistening Lantern (Gazellian Series #7)

Chapter 36

Dedicated to: Arizona Ship. And to all readers who voted for CIHA and BIHAA last FRCA 2022, thank you so much!

Chapter 36: Bakas

Caleb and I were still on each other's backs and hands both extended. Though we were the ones responsible for the earthquakes, we were still careful about every movement of the rock from a different direction.

We might be aware that everything was just an illusion, but we couldn't just forget the fact that if we falter even just in a split second, we'd surely die.

We need to find our opponent inside this long dark road.

"My father tried to train us before when we happened to be trapped inside an illusion," ani ni Caleb sa isipan ko.

Our eyes were switching their gazes from left to right as the ground continued to shake, raining dust from above us, and a sudden attack from a short distance that we'd been trying to deflect.

Sa tuwing ibinabalik namin ni Caleb ang atake mula sa direksyong pinanggalingan ay tumatama lang iyon sa pader ng daan.

"And? I don't think you've mastered it."

"Of course, how would I?! That damn Finn was making his illusion more complicated every time that it was my training. He's enjoyed making fun of me."

Hindi ko na nagawang sumagot kay Caleb sa isipan niya at iritado na akong napaharap sa kanya, marahas ko pang naibaba ang dalawa kong kamay.

"So you skipped? You fucking skipped your training!"

Ngumisi siya. "Yeah," dalawang beses tumango.

"Shit," iritadong sabi ko bago muling tumalikod sa kanya. Halos sabunutan ko pa ang sarili ko dahil sa pagkainis sa kanya.

Ano ng aba ang aasahan ko mula kay Caleb?

"Anong sinasabi mong enough with this silly game? You're not even aware on how to—" hindi na natapos ang sasabihin ko nang ramdam kong ilang beses humakbang pauna si Caleb.

"Why would I think so much, babe?"

"W-What?"

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko nang may malalaki na namang mga bato ang patungo sa amin ni Caleb. But my mate wasn't looking at it anymore, agad kong inangat ang dalawa kong kamay upang protektahan siya, pero bago pa man lumabas ang kapangyarihan ko mula sa aking mga kamay nauna nang kumilos ang isang kamao ni Caleb.

He bent one of his knees, and without looking in front of him with his whole attention on the ground, he gave a huge blow on it, creating a crawling crater from his fist to every bit of the dark road with a glimpse presence of the igniting light from my hands.

Natigil sa ere ang mga batong dapat ay tatama sa amin ni Caleb dahil sa puwersa ng suntok niya sa lupa. I could even visualize a force shield around us from the power made from his fist.

And when Caleb looked up as he his eyes slowly opened, with small threads of his silver hair playing on his forehead, revealing those venomous red eyes, bared fangs and mischievous smile, I knew right at that moment that he wasn't even thinking any good plans.

Paulit-ulit niyang sinuntok ang lupang ngayon ay higit na nabibitak at alam kong hindi na iyon ilusyon pa.

"Come on," ani niya habang patuloy siya sa pagsuntok.

Ang tangi ko lang nagawa ay alalayan ang sarili ko sa patuloy na pagyanig ng lupa sa bawat suntok ni Caleb.

Walang tigil si Caleb na tila may hinihintay na anumang lumabas sa bawat suntok niya.