Archimage: Taste of Death (Archimage Series #1)

Chapter Seventeen: After Years

*Note: Expect that there are typos and wrong grammars here*

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"Raiden, let's go home."

Napa-angat ng tingin si Raiden nang tawagin siya ng kaniyang nanay. Hindi kasi niya maalis ang kaniyang tingin sa bulaklak na lumulutang sa Baze Lake. It was a Chrysanthemum Bouquet that they offered for the death of their father, bag in my I'm Paul McPhall. Hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin sila makapaniwala na namatay na ang kanilang tatay, especially Raiden and Reiko. They were out for almost three weeks, and they didn't have the chance to visit their father, kaya mas lalong nalungkot sina Reiko at Raiden dahil hindi man lang nila nakita ang kanilang tatay bago ito mamatay.

Raiden and Reiko were just silent while heading home. Wala ni isa sa kanila ang nag-uusap, pero dahil dito mas mahihirapan naman si Viera. She knows that it is difficult to her children, nalulungkot man si Viera sa pagkawala ng kaniyang asawa ay pinipilit pa rin niyang maging matatag para sa kaniyang mga anak.

"Hindi pa ba kayo mag-aayos para sa mission ninyo? Susunduin na kayo mamaya."

Mamaya na kasi darating ang ship na maghahatid para sakanila papunta sa kanilang misyon.

"Mom, can't you see? That work will lasts for five years! We will not see you for five years. Is that what you want?"

Reiko can't help but to explode all of her frustrations to her mom. Hindi niya kasi maintindihan si Viera kung bakit pinapayagan sila na tumuloy sa misyong iyon. Reiko doesn't want her mother to be alone for five years, and she's not naive to notice that her mother was just pretending to be strong because she knows that deep inside, her mother was hurting.

"Mom, makinig na lang kayo kay Reiko. We'll stay here."

Viera immediately shook her head and headed towards Raiden's room. Nagtaka naman ang dalawa sa ginawa ng kanilang nanay kaya sinundan nila ito, pero pinigilan agad ni Raiden ang kaniyang nanay nang makita niya ito na inaayos ang kaniyang gamit sa bag.

"Mom, I'm not going!"

Pilit na hinahablot ni Raiden ang kamay ni Viera pero hindi niya iyon hinayaan.

"Both of you will go."

She said it with authority in her voice.

"Mom, please... don't do this." Halos magmaka-awa na si Raiden sa kaniyang nanay.

Viera's heart broke when he heard the pleading voice of her son. Agad niyang binitawan ang damit ni Raiden at pinikit ang kaniyang mga mata, stopping her tears to fall down. She was exhausted too.

"Hindi niyo kasi ako naiintindihan..." She started as she faced her children. "I want you to pursue your dreams. Diba? Ito naman yung pangarap ninyo. I don't want to be the person who will hold back you in having a good life. I'm not getting young, anymore. Sooner or later, I will die too like your dad. I want you to go so that if I die, you will have a better life than this. Please..."

Their mom was already sobbing, she bursted out all of her tears that she was holding back earlier.

Raiden shifted his eyes to his sister because he felt guilty with his mother's words. Reiko was already crying pero pinipigilan lang niya ang humagulgol. She slowly nodded to Raiden while covering her mouth, as if she was telling Raiden that they should go.

After and hour, dumating nga sa harapan ng kanilang bahay ang dalawang spaceships. One was from C.H.A.I.N and the other one was from the D.G.A.

Malungkot pa rin ngayon sina Raiden at Reiko dahil ayaw talaga nilang iwan ang kanilang nanay, pero ano ang magagawa nila kung si Viera na mismo ang tumutulak sakanila na umalis.