Conflagration: War of the Dead Worlds

Kabanata II

***

"You died after reading that and they transplanted your brain to me. I won't let that happen anymore. I won't." Kumunot ang noo ko. Hah? Is he joking?

"I'm not joking." Ugh! Stop reading my mind! He suddenly smiled.

"I can't stop reading it you know." Ugh!

"By the way, namatay ako after reading that book? Why? Is that book a cursed one?" Umiling siya.

"Do you remember what your father said to you after he gave you that book?" Tanong niya sabay upo sa kama ko.

Hmm... My father said that he will give me a task once I read that book.

"He'll give me a task after reading that book. Bakit? Ikakamatay ko ba yung ipapagawa niya?" He nodded. Teka... Ba't ba alam niya yun e diba sabi niya he doesn't exist here? That means na dapat ay ang alam niya lang ay yung mga nangyari nung na-invent na siya. Ugh! I still can't believe that 'death' thingy.

"Alam ko lahat ng 'yun dahil nasa akin ang utak mo. What time is it?" Tanong niya na ikinakunot ng noo ko. I looked at my watch.

"10:34:06 in the morning." Nabigla ako nang nag-countdown siya.

"4, 3, 2, 1" Pagkatapos niyang magbilang ay huminga siya ng malalim.

"Bakit?"

"They finished inventing me already. After 20 minutes, ipapatawag ka ng daddy mo at sasabihin ang task sayo. Now, listen to me carefully." Hindi ko parin siya maintindihan. Ugh! Saulong-saulo talaga niya lahat ng mangyayari ah!

"Remember what I said? You will die after giving you the task--"

"I won't die. Akala ko ba nasa sayo ang utak ko? If nasayo nga, dapat alam mo ang Power Ability ko." Sabi ko sa kanya. Kaming mga Titinians ay may mga power abilities. Yung iba is enhanced sight, enhanced hearing at kung anu-ano pa. Yung sa akin ay repelling everything that can cause harm to me. I can also repel things. And, kung makikita niyo ay mukhang ang Power Ability ni Fierce ay mind reading.

"Yes and a no. Yes because I know kung ano yung Power Ability mo. No because hindi mind reading ang power ability ko. Remember, I have your brain.  I can read your mind and not the minds of others. Invention ako at nilikhang walang Power Ability. Alam mo naman na ang pinakamahalagang parte ng katawan ng isang Titinian ay ang utak at mata dahil nasa utak lahat ng nalalaman natin at nasa mata naman natin ang Power Ability natin. I forgot to tell you. I also have your eyes and my Power Ability is obviously repelling." Nanlaki naman ang mga mata ko. So this man is just like a boy version of me. Oh gosh! My eyes and brain? How come? No way! Hindi ako mamamatay! I can repel death! I can!

"No you can't." Sabi naman niya.

"Kung kaya mo eh di sana buhay ka pa sa panahon na pinanggalingan ko."

"Bakit? Ano ba yung task na pinagawa ni papa?" He sighed.

"Pagkatapos mong mabasa ang libro, nalaman mo na hindi lang pala nag-iisang clan ang Titinian Clan. May dalawa pa at yun ay ang Ganymede Clan at Callisto Clan. He wants you to spy them which caused your early death." As in? So, may kapangyarihan din sila tulad namin? And ugh! That task. He did that on purpose.

"Yes. May kapangyarihan din sila. And also, I know that you are aware that your father is protecting a powerful gem." Nag-nod naman ako. May pinangangalagaan nga si papa na gem. At yun ang Fire Gem. Pinapasa yun sa bawat successor and I am the next to be the Fire Gem Protector.

"Sana nga. Kaya ako pumunta dito para tulungan kang makuha ang trono. No body deserves that throne except you." Sabi niya pa. He went here to help me live and to have the throne. I'm thankful for that. Although, parang hindi kapanipaniwala lahat. Dapat hindi ko siya paniwalaan pero some parts of me want to listen to him. He's a stranger pero magaan ang loob ko sa kanya. Maybe because he has my brain.

"Thank you." Ngumiti naman siya. Ugh! Pero ang hirap mag-isip ng kung anu-ano dahil nababasa niya ang isip ko.

"Back to the topic. Your father is protecting the Fire Gem and you know that. The two other clans protect powerful gems too. The Ganymede Clan protects the Water Gem while the Callisto Clan protects the Air Gem. All in all ay tinatawag tayong Euphylectoxians. Now, sa loob ng history natin, wala pa ni isang namumunong babae." The two other clans are fascinating but as he said na sa loob ng history ay wala pang babaeng namumuno sa mga clan na yun, I think, nage-gets ko na kung ba't ako namatay. So, the task he gave is the plan he made for me to die. Ugh!

"So, they transplanted my brain and my eyes to you because my father wants a male successor? How terrible." Tsk. I hate this.

"Nung ipinanganak ka ay nasimulan na 'kong imbentuhin kaya dun nagsimula ang edad ko. Obviously, kani-kanina lang nila 'ko natapos. I am not a robot. I have a body of a human. Ginawa ako nun para maging isa sa mga Butler mo. Akala nila lalaki ka pero nung ipinanganak ka at babae ang naging anak nila, they decided na gawin na lang akong body mo in the future because wala pang nagiging babaeng successor. That's the reason why you died. That's the reason why in the time I came from, I became the successor. Ayaw ko nun. I don't want to be a leader. Kahit utak mo 'to magkaiba parin tayo ng pag-iisip." Natulala naman ako. Can't believe all of this.

"Your mother is dead right?" Tanong niya. Tumango ako.

"She died because your mother didn't want their plans. Your mother disagreed to the plans of the Great Elders and your father. They---"

"I know. They killed my mother." Napabuntong-hininga naman ako. Ugh! Kinikilabutan ako.

"Now, tutulungan kita. Hindi ka dapat mamatay. In the name of Fiero, the 1st Fire Gem Protector, I will protect you until my last day." Sabi pa niya. Ngumiti naman ako.

"You don't have to. Now that I know their plans, I will do my best to survive." Tumayo naman siya.

"Mamayang ipapatawag ka ng papa mo, sasama ako sayo." Umiling ako.

"No. Hindi ka pwedeng makita ni papa." Nagulat na lang ako nang biglang siyang nawala. W-where is he?

"Fierce?" Nabigla ako dahil nakita ko siya sa tabi ko.

"W-what is that?" He smiled.

"Invisibility. I can be invisible." How?

"Through the use of your brain. Natututunan ang invisibility." Ah okay.

"So, sasamahan kita mamaya. Lahat ng isasagot mo sa papa mo ay sasabihin ko sayo sa utak mo." Kumunot ang noo ko.

"Utak mo 'to." Sabay turo niya sa ulo niya. "That's why we can communicate through minds. Pero tayong dalawa lang ang may kaya nun." Sabi pa niya.

'Be ready. Tatawagin ka na ng Butler mo na si Luigi.'

Parang may tutubing pumasok sa tenga ko. Ugh! Did he just spoke to me through his mind?

'Yes. Subukan mo kaya.'

I don't need to. He can read my mind anyway.

'Subukan mo sabi eh!'

'Okay.'

Nagulat naman ako. Oh Gosh! I did it!!!

'Feeling mo naman ang laking achievement nun.'

'Tse!"

'3, 2, 1.'

"Shreldeen, lumabas ka jan! Pinapatawag ka ulit ni Sir Samuel." Nginitian ko si Fierce at naging invisible ulit siya. I smiled nervously while heading to the door.