The Tale of Aeryn Glaze (Tag-Lish Version)

Chapter 17

⊱∘──AERYN──∘⊰

The memory embers ceremony started at eleven in the evening.

No one else was allowed to come but the participants of the tournament. We arrived at a huge gathering place at the back of the Erebus research facility. By the time all participants had arrived, and the night had gone quiet, the ceremony started.

Ang bawat isa ay nagdala ng mga bagay na nagtataglay ng kanilang mahalagang alaala. Kung ano man ang mga alaalang iyon, hindi na ito ibinunyag. Bago nila sunugin ang mga bagay na dala nila, hinawakan ng isang truth-teller mage ang kanilang mga kamay at pinasumpa sila na ang mga bagay na hawak nila ay may memorya nga na maaaring magdala ng suwerte, hindi lamang para sa paligsahan, kundi para sa Erether.

Nagdala si Jonah ng puting scarf. It was a scarf with his name embroidered on it by his mother before she died.

He was not abandoned. Sa halip, minahal siya ng kanyang ina, kahit na hindi sila nakakapag-sama ng mahabang panahon dahil may sakit ito. Inampon siya ni Azer noong siya ay sanggol pa lamang, at ang tanging natitira sa kanyang ina ay ang scarf.

"Are you sure about this, Jonah?" tanong ko sa kaniya. "That scarf is important to you, isn't it?"

"Yes, but this ceremony gave me the chance to move on." Tinignan niya ako na may halong pagkalungkot ang kaniyang mata. "All my life I've been wishing that my mother would come back alive so that I can meet her. I held on to this for thirty-three years and I should have accepted the fact that she would never come back a long time ago. I mean, she's dead. Why did I even hope for the dead to return?"

"Still..." I sighed. Still, he was right. Having hope about something and ending up hurting us isn't good.

"What about you?" He asked. "What did you bring?"

"Nothing too important." I hesitated, letting the words hang in the air for a moment. "Just a photo."

"Is that what you think?" Snow grimaced as if feeling the pain from the things that I told them. "That we abandoned you?"

"It doesn't matter what I think." I let the cold wash over my heart and did not let any emotions come out. "It's all in the past."

I just wanted to walk away at that moment. I just want to get away from her sight and cut this insufferable tension between us. But then, I remember something.

"Do you have a copy of that photo from your room?" I asked her. "That photo...the picture of the three of us when we were little. If you could send me a copy, I would appreciate it. I would like to burn it in the night of the ceremony."

I realized then that I actually don't have anything that holds precious memories. I didn't have anything from this place. When Azer took me in, I may have received a lot of things, but I tend to just give it away when I am done using it.

Dahil hindi ako marunong magmahal ng isang bagay, kahit na ang pinakamahal na mayroon ako, hindi ako nagdalawang-isip na ibigay ito sa mga taong sa tingin ko ay mas karapat-dapat dito. Kahit kailan wala pa akong natatanggap na regalo. Sa tuwing gustong i-celebrate ng grupo namin ang birthday ko, sinabi ko lang na bigyan nila ako ng pera.

If I do have an object that is so important to me, I wouldn't even think of burning it.

Hinawakan ng truth-teller ang mga kamay ko nang magtanong siya tungkol sa litratong hawak ko. Nang makita niya ang larawan, alam kong sa mga ilang segundong iyon, nakilala niya ang dalawang mukha na nasa larawan. Baka nagtataka siya kung sino ako o baka kilala na niya ako. Saglit nga niyang tinignan si Flint na nasa tabi niya.