CHAPTER 16
Ashley's P.O.V.
Nakatingin lang ako kay Serene habang ginagamot si Ereese. She's not healing her by power, she's using the first aid kit I'm bringing.
Lumingon ako sa puno kung saan namin nakita ang demon. Wala na d'on ang demon, ilang minuto pagkatapos naming makita ang demon na 'yon, naging abo ito.
"How did this happened?" Seryosong tanong ni Kyler habang nakasandal sa isang puno ay nakahalukipkip.
Nathan shrugged. "No one knows. I'm in the middle of my deep slumber when it happens."
"Neither I." Segunda naman ni Jace. "Nakakapagtaka lang na hindi tayo nagising sa nangyari."
"Much better if we wait for Ereese to wake up. Let's ask her." Ani ni Kyler saka umayos ng tayo.
Tapos ng gamutin ni Serene si Ereese. Naka-benda ngayon ang ulo nito. Despite of her wounds and bruises on her face, she still look beautiful. And by looking at her wounds and bruises, I know that the demon she fought is not just a low class demon. It may be a higher rank demon.
I sighed.
Sa tingin ko, kailangan na niyang tanggapin ang tungkulin niya. Kailangan na niyang mailabas ang pagiging Guardian ng buo. She doesn't have time anymore. The demons are after her.
If she won't, she'll be killed.
•••
Ereese's P.O.V.
My body feels light than before. Although I can feel a slight pain on my forehead, I'm okay. I feel fine.
Slowly, I opened my eyes.
A bright sunny sky welcomed my eyes. I squinted my eyes as I felt the sun's light penetrating them.
"You're awake.." It was a man's voice.
I looked up to see it was Trevor.
Sinubukan kong gumalaw pero pinigilan ako nito.
"Don't move, you might fall." Anito.
Doon ko lang napansin na nasa kabayo pala kami na tumatakbo papunta sa kung saan. Nakasandal ako sa dibdib nito. Sa tantya ko, siguro ay nasa mga alas-diyes na nang umaga.
"How are you feeling?" Masuyong tanong nito.
"Hmm." Inayos ko ang upo ko bago sumagot. "I'm thirsty.."
Hindi ako komportable sa posisyon ko. Patagilid kasi ang pagkakasakay ko sa kabayo.
Mula sa likuran niya, may inabot ito doon at pagkatapos ay ibinigay saakin ang isang tumbler.
I murmured thanks as I drank and gave him back the tumbler.
"Stop the the horse." Utos ko dito.
"What?" Di makapaniwalang tanong nito. "No. I won't."
"Aayos ako ng upo. I'm not comfortable."
"Maayos naman pwesto mo, ah?"
Tinampal ko ang braso nito. "Stop the horse. I'm not comfortable in my position."
Bumuntong hininga ito at itinigil sa pagpapatakbo ang kabayo.
Nang makaayos ako ng upo ay pinatakbo na ulit nito ang kabayo. Medyo malayo ang mga kasama namin at nasa hulian kami kaya hindi kami masyadong napapansin.
Tinanggal ko na din ang benda ko sa ulo. And for the second time around, pinigilan na naman ako nito.
"Ano ba, Trevor?!" Nakasimangot na tanong ko dito.
"What are you doing? You're not fully healed. Hindi ka nagamot ni Serene ng kapangyarihan niya kaya matagal pa bago maghilom ang sugat mo diyan." Mahabang sabi nito.
"Alam ko." Ani ko.
Hindi naman talaga ako kayang gamutin ng kung sino man. I heal myself. Kusang naghihilom ang mga sugat ko. I have my own healing ability. I can heal myself but I can't heal others. But it only takes time to heal myself.
Tuluyan ko ng tinanggal ang benda sa ulo ko. Kinapa ko ang noo pero wala akong makapang kahit ano.
Good. I'm healed.
"Ereese?" Anang baritonong boses sa likuran ko.
"Oh?" Sagot ko na ang paningin ay nasa harapan.
Hindi ito sumagot bagkus ay iniangat nito ang kanyang kanang kamay at inilapat nito ang palad sa noo ko. Pababa sa ilong, pisngi, labi at baba. Dahil sa maliit ang mukha ko, halos natatakpan na ng kamay nito ang buong mukha ko. Sabagay, ang laking tao ni Trevor.
"What are you doing?" My voice muffled on his palm.
"You're healed.." Di makapaniwalang ani nito. "Where are your bruises?"
Natatawang tinanggal ko ang kamay nito sa mukha ko.
"Speed up." Tinuro ko ang mga kasama naming malayo na saamin. "Abutan mo sila."
Hindi ito sumagot pero naramdaman ko ang pagbilis ng takbo ng kabayo hanggang sa naabutan na namin sila.
"Ereese! You're awake--- shit!" Sigaw ni Lia ng makita ako.
Lumapit si Ash saamin. "Good thing that you're healed. What happened?"
"Let's stop first." I squint my eyes and enhanced my senses. May naririnig akong bagsak ng tubig mula sa hindi kalayuan saamin.
"There's a falls thirty meters ahead. Let's stop there." Ani ko na tinanguan nila.
•••
Serene's P.O.V.
Tiningnan ko kung paano tulungan ni Trevor si Ereese sa pagbaba sa kabayo kahit pa sabihin na ng babae na kaya na nito.
"I'm fine! Tulungan mo na lang sila sa paghahanap ng kahoy." Taboy ni Ereese kay Trevor. She's speaking Tagalog in slow. She has an accent when speaking that language.
Ereese is not your typical type of girl. She's a quiet type of person. She seldom talks, she seldom smile. But despite of her negative traits, she still has a good side. May ugali itong mas inuuna ang kapakanan ng iba kaysa sa sarili niya. Ayaw din niyang nasasaktang ang mga taong mahalaga sa kanya. At kahit pa sabihan at gawan mo ito ng masama ay mananahimik lang ito. She wouldn't get mad, she would just stay silent and observe at the corner.
Alam ko at nararamdaman ko na may itinatago silang dalawa ni Ashley. Madalas ay nag-uusap sila na silang dalawa lang din ang nakakaintindi.
Even Lia is curious. Not just only Lia, all of us are curious, hindi lang kami nagtatanong. Dahil kung may balak siyang sabihin ito, sasabihin din niya.
"Like how? Paano? I mean, basta na lang naghilom nga sugat mo? Paano 'yon?" Puno ng pagtatakang tanong ni Lia.
We're already done eating our lunch, at nandito kami ngayon nakaupo sa ilalim ng puno. We're asking Ereese about what happened last night.
"I have an healing ability." Pag-amin nito. "Though, hindi ganon kalakas but I can heal myself. It only takes time to heal."
"So? If you can heal, you can heal others too, right?" Tanong ni Jace habang titig na titig kay Ereese.
Umiling ang huli. "No. My healing ability is only for me."
"Tell us, what other abilities do you have? Hindi pangkaraniwan sa isang tao ang magkaroon ng dalawang ability o higit pa. One ability is enough." Ani ni Kyler na seryosong nakatingin kay Ereese.
Huminga muna ito ng malalim bago nagsalita. "First, Enhanced senses. You already know that. Second, summoning. Once I get a hold or I touched any kinds of weapons, even if it's not mine or if that weapon is in a far place, I can summoned it back. Third, healing ability. I can heal. Only myself. Fourth.." Nag-iwas ito ng tingin at parang nag-aalangan itong magsalita.
"What is it?" I asked. Nacucurious ako. She has too many abilities. It's rare for a human to have more than one ability.
"I.. ahm.." Para bang iniisip nito kung ano ang tamang salita sa sasabihin.
"Hey. Don't pressure her." Sita Ashley.
"I'm fine, Ash." Kumunot-noo ni Ereese. "My fourth ability is still unknown."
"Unknown?"
"Wait, wait!" Lahat sila napatingin saakin ng magsalita ako. "May nabasa ako tungkol sa ganyan. If you have more than two abilities,means you don't have any power. I mean, ako, I possess the element of water, and I have healing ability pero hindi ganon kalakas. Sa mundo natin iba ang kapangyarihan sa abilidad. Nathan, has the power of Earth or Nature. He has no ability and it is possible because he has a strong element. Same as Trevor and Kyler. The element of fire is strong. And for Jace, he possess the element of Air and he has an ability of invisibility. Konektado ang abilidad niya sa kapangyarihan niya, invisibility because you can't see air.
It's rare for a mage to have more than one ability. Then in you case Ereese," I looked at her who's intently listening and looking at me. "You have more than one ability, you don't have power. Your four abilities are enough to make you powerful. And I haven't saw you using your power--"
"I'm not a mage." Putol nito sa sasabihin ko.
Napatitig ako sa kanya.
"What do you mean?" Nagtatakang tanong ni Nathan.
"I know that you're all curious about me. Yes. I'm keeping a secret to all of you. I want to tell you but it's not the right time. I'm not a mage but I possess an elemental power too. But for now, it will only be Ashley who knows my secret. When the right time comes, you'll going to know about it."
Nakatitig lang kami sa kanya pagkatapos niyang magsalita.
She's keeping a secret? How come that she possess an elemental power when she's not even a mage?
Ereese is like a mystery that needs to be solve.
***
© GabYuen