Map of the Blazing Hearth (Gazellian Series #8)

Chapter 23

Anna's plan was to make it look like the ruin pulled her, an Attero, inside it, and Caleb would pretend that he was one of the monsters of the ruin, since most of the Attero were still not familiar with vampires. By that way, they wouldn't think that Anna's intentionally wanted to enter the ruin and she has accomplices already inside.

Nang mapag-usapan na namin ang plano ay agad na rin kaming naghiwalay.

At first, I find Anna's plan impossible. How could those guardians leave the entrance of the ruin unguarded? But Anna and Caleb made it possible by getting too much of their attention through their realistic acting.

"He's quite an actor," kumento ni Tavion na nagniningas ang mga mata at pinanuod ang unang hakbang na ginawa nina Anna at Caleb.

"Faster," halos hilahin ko na si Tavion para umakyat sa mataas na hagdan.

Sa bawat hakbang ko paatas ng hagdan ramdam ko ang bigat at lakas ng kapangyarihang naroon. Siguro ay ganoon na rin ang siyang nararamdaman ni Tavion kaya mas bumilis siya sa pag-akyat at nagawa niya pa akong unahan.

And when we arrived at the highest part of the long stairs, the entrance of the ruins, the invisible force field of the entrance suddenly had that purplish silver color, like a lightning that was about to electrified someone who would try to enter the place.

Iniharang ni Tavion ang isa niyang braso na para bang ang presensiyang iyon mula sa pinto ay kakawala at aatake sa amin.

"How are you sure that these creatures inside would follow you, Tavion?" kinahabahang tanong ko.

"I am not sure."

"You're really impossible."

"But I can always try, and if it didn't work, at least I tried," lumingon siya sa akin at ngumisi.

I stood on my ground as I watched Tavion approached the entrance of the old ruin, and when he tried to touch the barrier, an invisible force threw him away. Muntik pang mahulog sa hagdan si Tavion kundi lang siya nakahawak.

I bit my lip.

Tavion might have the chance to communicate with the monsters inside, but the entrance was all about the acceptance of the ruin. It should welcome us. Tulad ng sabi ni Howl ang lahat ng makakapangyarihang bagay ay karamihang may sariling buhay and this ruin was one of it.

We couldn't just force ourselves inside. It should welcome us. Nang akma na namang lalapit si Tavion ay ako naman ang nagharang ng braso sa kanya.

"Allow me," tipid kong sabi.

Sumalampak na ako sa lupa sa harapan ng pinto, inilabas ko ang aking mapa at inilapag din iyon sa lupa. Naglakad na papalapit sa akin si Tavion at dumungaw siya roon sa mapa ko.

Nang pinagmasdan ko ang mapa, wala naman partikular na kakaiba roon. It's stating my current location and legends of some important places in this world.

Siguro ay ilang minuto rin akong nakatitig sa aking mapa na wala namang nakikitang kasagutan nang muli akong tumingin sa bukana. If we witnessed a purplish force field with its electricity a while ago, this time, I got an eye contact with the burning eyes of different beasts hiding behind the shadows.

Umawang ang bibig ko at napatayo na ako ang posisyon ko. Of course, the world of the beasts would only welcome another beast. Hindi na ako nag-aksaya pa ng oras, nagsimula na akong hubarin ang kasuotan ko.

Nagmamadaling lumapit sa akin si Tavion at sinilip niya ang mukha ko.

"What are you doing?"

"Taking off my clothes."