Hindi ko agad naintindihan ang sinabi niya kaya wala akong naisagot. Hanggang sa naramdaman ko ang kamay niya sa aking balikat. Napapikit ako nang manikip ang dibdib.
"It's not worth it to stay here anymore. Let this clan go, Oscar."
"This is all I have."
"Because this is the farthest you tried."
Doon niya nakuha ang atensyon ko. Sa unang tingin ko sa mukha niya ay alam kong may nagbago sa kanya. Tila maging ang amoy niya ay hindi ko makilala.
I was standing before him, but I felt so far away.
"I came here to check how you have been doing." Even his voice sounded so distant. I could hear it but not felt. "And also to ask you for one last favor."
Sinubukan ko siyang hawakan pero tumagos lang ang kamay ko sa kanya.
"I only have a few seconds left," he said.
Napahakbang ako patalikod habang unti-unting nabubuo ang isang ideya sa isipan ko. Isang ideya na nagtutugma sa pagkawala niya at kung bakit tila hindi ko siya maramdaman.
As realization began to dawn on me, I knew I had to do something. So, I got down on my knees before him.
He smiled as he put his hand on my shoulder. Nagagawa niya akong hawakan ngunit ako ay ako ay hindi. Ibig lang sabihin no'n na may ibang mundo ang pumapagitna sa amin.
"Let go and be free..." he whispered as he slowly disappeared.
Napapabuntonghininga na lang ako sa tuwing naalala 'yon. That's how I managed to close the first book. The second book was a different story from a different perspective. I had fun writing it because the characters were fun to write.
There's only one book left that I haven't started yet.
The last book.
May mga narinig akong ingay sa labas kaya mabilis kong binalik sa kahon ang mga libro. Kinuha ko ang alak ko saka pumunta sa balkonahe para alamin ang gulo. Mula rito sa kinatatayuan ko ay tinanaw ko ang mga kawal na nagkakagulo. Everyone was rushing in the same direction, which was the burning forest beyond the walls.
There was an attempted attack. The entire Mansion was heavily guarded, so they resorted to torching the forest outside instead. This was clearly a trick to divide our forces and undermine our security.
I sipped my wine while patiently waiting. Narinig ko ang mga yabag na palapit sa akin. Hindi na ito nag-abalang kumatok pa. Narinig kong bumukas ang pinto.
"Lord Oscar—"
"I am watching, Lord Wenson," I stated calmly, still watching how the fire slowly spread across the forest. I held the wine glass tightly in my hand.
"They are obviously showing off their force here," balita pa ni Lord Wenson. "Caligo Clan is a force to be reckoned with. I'm afraid this will eventually affect us as well. We need to take immediate action."
Nabasag sa kamay ko ang baso ng alak. Matagal ko nang minamanmanan ang pangkat na ito. They started out as a small community whose force escalated quickly using the same method I've seen before— if not recruitment, invading.
Narinig ko ang mahinang pagtawa ni Lord Wenson. Tumayo siya sa tabi ko at tinanaw rin kung saan ako kanina pa nakatingin.
"This reminds me of the first time I heard about that uprising group of insurgents. I was with the late Lord Severo and enjoying our drinks. It was a shock to me, but when I looked at your father. He was smiling like he knew that would happen. He knew that after Brixton got exiled, he would later come back with a force. He knew that regardless of the circumstances, your brother would still bow before him."
Chapter 1
Magsimula sa umpisa
