𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐑𝐀

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟔𝟓

We don't know where we are. We lost the guards and Lloyd was nowhere to be found.

Maia and Zen are still helping me walk because my body felt so weak.

Hindi namin alam paano babalik sa sasakyang naghatid sa amin rito. We need to go back to the palace.

"Psst! Over here!"

Mula sa isang sulok katapat ng building, isang babae ang tumatawag sa amin. Lumingon ito sa kanan at kaliwa bago kami tinawag muli.

"Sino yan?" tanong ni Jhosie.

She's calling us. What shall we do?" tanong rin ni Rollieh.

"Let's go to her." sabi ko sa nanghihinang boses.

Umiwas kami sa mga taong nagmamadali sa paglalakad. Marahil ay para makita kung sino ang pinagkakaguluhan sa bandang unahan.

"Follow me!" sabi agad ng babae.

"Where?" tanong ni Maia.

"To a safe place."

Sumunod kami sa kaniya. She's still young, maybe fourteen or fifteen. She keeps looking back at me habang naglalakad kami pa ikot ikot sa bawat kanto.

Hanggang sa pumasok kami sa isang building. She lead us to a basement. It was her home.

Agad akong pinaupo ni Maia sa sofa nang makapasok kami sa loob.

"Allie, your cold again. May masakit ba sayo? Tell me how are you feeling?"

"I felt weak. My body, i felt so tired and cold Maia."

Lumapit sa akin ang babaeng nagdala sa amin rito.

"My name is Agatha. It's my honor to meet you Princess."

"Who are you?"

"I'm a Seer. And i want to help you."

Napakunot noo ako. Pinagmasdan ko siyang maagi.

Seer.

Same kind who killed my mother.

"How can we trust you? Ang pagkakaalam ko, lahi mo ang pumatay sa dating prinsesa."

Lumuhod siya bigla sa harapan ko.

"They were being manipulated. Their minds was being controlled  by someone we don't know. Kaya nga pinatay nila lahat ng Seer pagkatapos nang nangyari sa inyo ng iyong ina Princess. Tumakas ang ina ko, nagtago, nagpakalayo. At ipinanganak niya ako, isa ring Seer. Simula pagkabata, wala akong nakikita kundi ang pagbabalik mo sa mundong ito. Ikaw ang hinihintay para maayos at bumalik sa dating mapayapa ang mundong ito.
This world is dying Princess. This Empire,the whole nine kingdoms are dying. This realm won't survive without you."

Sumagot ako ng diretso.

"I'm not the one you're waiting for. It's not me. I lost my powers, kaya imposibleng ako ang tinutukoy mo."

Lahat ay nagulat sa narinig mula sa akin.

Maging ang dalagitang nagpakilala bilang Agatha.

"That's impossible Princess." bulalas nito.

"As you can see, i'm weak. I'm cold na dapat hindi dapat  diba Maia?" sabi ko sabay tingin kay Maia. "I'm the dragon's daughter. I should turn into a dragon too but i did not. Why? Because i'm not the dragon's daughter. Maybe mali ang pangitain mo. That woman over there kanina. Maybe she's the one. She is the real Princess of Abel."

Hinawakan ako ni Maia sa kamay nang tabihan ako.

"Allie__."

"I can't see your past Maia. I can't read your mind. Ano pa? Hindi ko man napagaling ang lalaking bulag kanina. I don't have my super hearing. I don't have powers. So please, just let us go home."

I didn't even realize i was crying.

Niyakap niya ako.

"I can't live without you Allie."

But leaving this world was the best option for me.

"Princess, magpahinga na muna seguro kayo. May bakanteng kwarto rito, puede kayong magpahinga muna." ani Agatha.

Kumalas ako sa yakap ni Maia.

"Thank you Agatha. But why did you bring us here?"

"Lord Ehann is not someone who you can mess with. He is a human but the Queen trusted him more than anything. May dahilan kung bakit nasa tv screen kayo sa lahat ng dako ng kaharian. May masama siyang balak laban sayo Princess."

"Pero hindi ko siya kilala. At sino ang babaeng kasama niya? She looks a lot like my mother."

Saka ko lang napansin, may hawig siya sa namayapa kong ina.

"We don't know yet Princess. For now, you need to hide. Malalaman rin natin kung ano ang desisyon ng reyna. Saka na tayo kikilos kapag alam na natin ang susunod na gagawin. Sa ngayon, you need to rest. Safe kayo rito. I put some invisible wall sa building na ito."

Pumayag rin ako sa gusto niya. Sinamahan ako ni Maia sa silid na sinabi ni Agatha.

Nang makahiga na ako sa kama, hinila ko ang kamay ni Maia para tumabi siya sa akin.

"Stay with me."

She kissed the back of my hand bago nahiga sa tabi ko.

I lay on the crook of her arm, feeling the warmth of her body.

"I'm scared Maia." sabi ko sa mahinang boses.

"You don't have to Allie. I will protect you no matter what."

"How can we go back to my world? Ni hindi ko man lang natanong ang reyna."

"Sshhh, magpahinga ka muna. Lets talk again kapag nakapag pahinga ka na."

I closed my eyes.

I felt her lips kissing my forehead.

"Thank you Maia."

"For what?"

"For being with me. I really don't know what to do without you."

"I will always with you Allie. And everything will be alright."

I  might wonder, before drifting off to sleep, “Will everything be alright? I felt like something was about to come. A storm is coming."