Chase's POV
Ngayon alam ko na. Bumwelo ako at buong lakas na inangat ang katawan ko para kumuha muli ng hangin.
"Float!" bigkas ko. Umilaw ang pulso ko at kusa akong inahon nito, kasabay non ang pagsira ng lubid sa katawan ko.
Napansin ko ang pagtigil n'ya. Ngumisi ako, I teleport towards him while pulling out a dagger. I was about to at least give him a cut on his mask to see his face, but he moved fast to avoid my attack. Katulad n'ya ay umatras din ako, hinawakan ko ang kaliwang tenga ko at binuksan ang bagay na nakakabit dito.
"Sage, I'm with a suspicious guy right now, he has the power of Omnificence," I said through the earpiece. Ngayon ko lang ito nabuksan.
Mabuti at gumagana pa ito matapos mababad sa tubig kasama ko. Tinutok ko ang dagger ko sa lalaki, pero bigla nalang s'yang nawala na parang bula, hindi man lang nagdalawang isip na umalis.
"He's gone," bulong ko.
"Are you okay? Give me a minute..." I heard Sage said on the other line.
Sandali akong napakapit sa malapit na handle. Prinoseso ko ang nangyare, sumakit ang ulo ko at hindi ko alam kung ano ang mararamdaman ko ngayon. Basang-basa ang buong katawan ko, nakita ko rin ang sumbrero ko sa lapag na nasa parehas na kalagayan. This proves that I wasn't dreaming, everything that I saw really happened! I gulped.
"Sage, if you're finish, can you come and help me out here?" I faintly chuckled.
"I can't feel my legs," bumuntong hininga ako. I managed to escape, but it gave me trauma.
If anything that scares me, it will be the deep ocean. What that guy did to me just triggered my fear. I know Sage knew it to, that I can't swim when the water is deep.
I never learned how to swim. If I didn't float out of the water I could've died. Napatitig ako sa pulso ko, ano nalang kaya ang nangyare sa'kin kung wala ito?
"I'm on my way," I heard him said. My face brighten a little.
"Thank you," I mumbled before releasing my hand.
Tumingin ako sa baba, wala na si Venisse at kakaalis lang rin ni Rhian. Pinuwesto ko ang sarili ko nang maayos, ayaw magpaawat ng mga audience, nang umalis si Rhian binaling nila ang atensyon kay Sage. Patapos na si Sage sa ginagawa n'ya at ayokong mag-abala pa s'ya sa mga taong ito. Even know I'm exhausted I still streached my arms to aim, after finding the perfect timing I released a single arrow from above.
"Multiply, now change," I casted. I freeze them for a second, all the arrows are now in position. They didn't even notice.
The people are almost getting close to him. I'll make them all sleep. Now!
"Don't touch him!" I yelled. They all turned to my direction, but I know they wouldn't recognize me in this darkness.
Before they could come to me my arrows already did their job, all of them got shot and went into a deep slumber. I heave a sigh. It's over, the players are now with Venisse and Rhian. They should be out by now.
Napalingon ako nang may maramdamang paparating.
"You're soaking wet- did someone tried to drown you?" biglang dumilim ang mukha ni Sage. Nagulat ako pero medyo napangiti rin.
As expected, he already knew.
"You did a good job while having a mental breakdown," he said pertaining to what I did to the audience. I don't know if he's complimenting me or what.
Pansin ko ang ngiti n'ya pero madilim pa rin ang kanyang ekspresyon. Ilang sandali ay lumingon s'ya sakin at bahagyang lumapit. He took out a towel inside his drone, I stared at him while he wrapped the towel around me. Does he have everything in his drones?
It's just like one of those magic backpacks.
"Let's go down kung saan dumaan sila Rhian," sabi n'ya at nagulat nalang ako nang binuhat n'ya ako.
"Teka lang-" napapikit ako at bumuntong hininga.
"Sige na pala," nahihiyang sabi ko. Napatingin kasi s'ya sa binti ko at pansin ko rin ang panginginig nito. Hindi ko ito matago, wala na rin akong nagawa kundi magpabuhat.
Argg! Sisiguraduhin ko na hindi na ulit ako maiisahan ng lalaking 'yon.
"Hold your hat, we can't leave our belongings behind, they can trace it back to us." Agad kong kinuha ang sumbrero ko sa kamay n'ya. Balak ko pa 'to iwan, mabuti nalang at pinaalala ni Sage.
"Sabi ko na nga ba at may mga taong pumasok nang walang permiso. Sino kayo?" bigla nalang kaming pinaligiran ng mga taong nakaitim. Lahat sila may mga Lacrima sa katawan nila, pati ang lalaking kumakausap samin.
Lumaki ang mga mata ko. They're all experiments! We didn't even notice their presence!
"We ran into some experiments, you two have to wait for awhile," sabi ni Sage mula sa earpiece na suot n'ya, pagtapos ay tinitigan n'ya ang mga kaharap namin.
"I don't have time to talk so let's make this quick, the girl I'm carrying must be really cold," he said with a threatening tone while slowly applying a barrier arround us.
He's right, I do feel cold, mukang magkakasipon pa ako ah.
"I can still fight-"
"You think I will allow you?" he cut me off.
Napapikit ako. Damnit! Why did that guy have to use my weakness, of all the things he can do, why show me my weakness?! I want to fight together with him, but he's preventing me.
"You just rest in my arms, these guys are not worth your energy," he said with a slight smile. Napahalukipkip ako nang kinontrol n'ya ang drones n'ya para umatake.
Malakas sila, 'yon ang napansin ko dahil kayang-kaya nila makipag sabayan. Pero napansin ko rin ang pagiging kalmado ni Sage, nakatuon lang ang atensyon n'ya sa mga kalaban at hinahanap ang Lacrima nila, sinabi ko rin sakanya kung saang parte ang tatamaan n'ya, para makatulong man lang ako. We were both preoccupied, but suddenly we heard a familiar sound.
BANG
A bullet has just been released, but it wasn't from the person that we were looking for. It was from a very far distance, there's no way it was from that guy. Someone is still conscious. Tumingin ako sa paligid pero hindi ko makita ang taong nagpakawala ng bala. Ilang sandali ay nagsibagsakan na ang mga experiments na nakapalibot samin ni Sage dahil sa sunod sunod na putok ng baril.
"I almost got hit by your arrow, good thing I was able to dodge it," a girl just landed in front of us while holding a shotgun. She has braided black hair, grey eyes, she's wearing jeans and a dark green sleeveless shirt. She looks young, I think she's 14 or 15.
Lumipad palapit ang drones ni Sage at tinutukan ito ng laser.
"Teka, teka, hindi ako masamang tao!" depensa n'ya.
"Nandito rin sana ako para iligtas ang nawawala kong kaibigan, at yung isa na rin n'yang kasama, ang kaso ay naunahan n'yo ako. Pwede ko ba silang makita?" tanong n'ya. Hindi agad binaba ni Sage ang drones n'ya, pero kalaunan ay tumango na rin s'ya.
"Pwede, pero kailangan na muna natin makalabas, may mga paparating na," sabi ni Sage. Agad s'yang tumalikod at tumalon-talon pababa ng arena. Mahigpit ang kapit ko sakanya, takot na baka malaglag.
I looked at the back to check if the girl can follow us, fortunately she can. She's running a little behind but she can still catch up, that's a relief. Ilang sandali ay tumigil kami sa isang pinto na katulad sa una naming nakita sa labas ng eskinita. We entered the gate, then found ourselves at the same spot when we last left.
"Wooh! You're faster than I thought," the girl said while wiping the sweat on her forehead.
"Nasaan sila Rhian?" bigla kong natanong nang hindi sila makita.
"They went to another hotel, hindi natin sila pwede dalhin sa hotel na tinutuluyan natin kung ayaw natin masupetsa ng school," sagot ni Sage.
Umalis na kami sa eskinita at sumakay sa taxi para makarating sa kinaroroonan nila Rhian. Tahimik na sumunod lang ang babaeng hindi pa namin alam ang pangalan. She's still holding her shotgun, I almost forgot that I'm in a different city, she can show her weapon as must as she wants.
Nakarating na kami at hanggang dito ba naman ay binuhat pa rin ako ni Sage.
"Hihi, ang sweet naman," hagikgik ng babaeng kasama namin. Para s'yang teenager kung kiligin... oh wait, she is a teenager. Nevermind.
Nang makapasok ay don lang ako binaba ni Sage.
"Anong nangyare sayo Chase?" dinaluhan ako agad ni Rhian. Agad namang ipinaalam ni Sage ang nangyare.
"Ano! may nagtangkang manlunod sayo?!" Rhian held my shoulder. Tinignan n'ya kung may iba pa akong pinsala, mabuti daw at wala naman.
"Magpalit ka agad," sabi ni Venisse at binigyan ako ng malinis na damit.
Lumingon ako sa babae na nasa pintuan. Nandito na rin ang mga kasama n'ya na mahimbing na natutulog, mukang ginamot na rin sila ng doctor na ipinadala ni Venisse.
"Kaibigan pala s'ya ng isa sa players, hayaan n'yong lumapit s'ya sakanila, at maging mabait kayo sakanya," habilin ko at naglakad na papunta banyo.
Naligo muna ako bago magpalit ng damit, pagtapos ay lumabas na ako. Pagbalik ko ay naabutan ko na nasa gilid lang sina Rhian, Venisse at Sage, habang ang babae ay nasa tabi ng isa sa lalaking nakahilata sa kama. Wala pa ring malay ang dalawa.
"We'll just talk for a minute. There is a basket of fruits on the table, eat it," sabi ni Venisse sa babae. Ngumiti ito at tumango, nagpaalam din ako dito at sumunod na kela Rhian.
"I think the guy who drowned you is also the guy that shot me on the arm." si Venisse ang unang nagsalita nang pumasok kami sa isang kwarto. Sinigurado rin namin na naka lock ang pinto para walang sino man ang maaaring makapasok.
Venisse showed us her left arm that was covered with a bandage, we didn't notice that at first because it was under her sleeve.
"It was an arrow, an arrow just like yours, Chase. I was also attack with the same arrow, I was lucky that someone from the audience got shot instead," sabat ni Rhian.
"For a second we thought it was you, that you made a mistake," dagdag ni Venisse. Lumaki ang mga mata ko.
"How could I?! I would never do that," usal ko. Kalkulado ko ang posisyon ng mga pana ko, imposibleng maligaw ang isa sa mga 'yon.
"We know it wasn't you, but that guy ready made us thought of it for a second. Ikaw Sage hindi ka ba inatake ng pana?" Venisse turned to Sage.
"I was, not just once but three times. There were many attempts because my berrier was too strong to break through," Sage answered. I was dumbfounded, why didn't he tell me?
"It wasn't you, yes, the way of attacking and the arrows are completely the same but I knew it wasn't you," he said, trying to clear my mind.
Sandaling namayani ang katahimikan.
"There are a lot of things happening around us. Now that I think about it, it's getting worse. Since the day we arrived I already felt eyes staring at us from a far," pagbibigay alam ni Venisse. Nagkatinginan kami.
"We're being watched," Venisse mumbled while gazing around the room.
"I don't know when was he watching us, but this time it's really strange. I should've known that something was coming at me, but I didn't. Today, there's no doubt that the son of the former mayor is behind this, if it was his people we will surely notice, unfortunately it was not from his people but from him directly," she's pertaining to the arrow.
"The first time that we've been listed, that's the time he started to watch us," Sage spoke. He's face is more serious than before.
I got goosebumps. Since I was listed there wasn't anything suspicious, I didn't felt a single soul. Hindi ko alam na may nararamdaman na pala silang kakaiba, o may kakaiba rin akong naramdaman pero sadyang binaliwala ko lang ito?
"Hindi ko alam kung kailan ang sakin, since I was a kid, many people have been keeping an eye on me. I thought is was already normal, but if that guy is really the one behind this then we can't be reckless, for now let's act like we know nothing. Being anxious all the time will not help," suhestiyon ni Sage.
"Meron pa tayong kailangan pag-usapan, eto ang litrato ng mga lalaking nabanggit ko," kinalat ni Venisse ang litrato sa lamesa. Eto yung mga taong nakasalumuha n'ya kahapon.
"Sabi mo may sword s'ya diba? he must be a member of those Daylights," kinuha ni Rhian ang isa sa mga litrato.
"Daylights... they seemed pretty strong, but we can outsmart them," Venisse smirked, but when I turned to Rhian she looks shock while looking at the picture.
Blanko ang mukang nilahad n'ya sakin ang litrato. Nang tinignan ko ito ay dumilim ang paningin ko.
"Namumukhaan ko 'to," sabi ko habang nakatiim bagang.
"You know him? That was the guy who was beating up a boy in the alley along with two mens," pagbibigay alam ni Venisse. Yes, we know this guy very well.
Napatingin ako kay Sage na tahimik lang, tumango s'ya nang mag tama ang tingin namin.
"This is Vivian's father!" I informed. I almost crumbled the picture because of how tighly I was holding it.
Sinabi namin ni Rhian ang nangyare sa kaibigan na nakilala namin sa school. She was the only normal student we know, she's true, caring, selfless, yet a cheerful friend, but she's gone; died from the hands of two criminals. Remembering that day still gives me a heartache, but I'm more angry now than sad. I just want to give her justice.
I already planned on what I'm going to do when I catch her parents.
After our little meeting we decided to went out since we are taking too long. When we opened the door we were surprised to see the girl that we came with. Nakasandal s'ya sa kabilang pader sa harap mismo ng pintuan kaya napansin namin s'ya agad.
"You guys took so long, I was getting bored," she said and smiled. We glance at each other, asking what will we do to her?
"Why are you guys so good at fighting? Just like my brother," she suddenly asked.
"I was in the audience, I saw it all. I was almost hit by your arrows, thank goodness I dodge that attack," pasalamat n'ya sa sarili n'ya. Kung hindi nga naman n'ya naiwasan 'yon ay wala s'ya ngayon dito sa harapan namin.
"We're just ordinary citizens," walang pag-aatubiling sagot ni Sage.
"Really? you guys sure don't look like one," the girl sarcastically said.
"A girl that's fighting with brute force, almost killing someone, a guy with two dangerous drones floating around him, a girl with a bow that can create a massive destruction in the city, and a girl riding a very big motorbike going on a rampage. You call that ordinary?!" she crossed her arms while raising an eyebrow. Medyo may pagka-mataray pala ang babaeng 'to.
Pero teka, ganon ang tingin n'ya samin?!
"What about you? you have a shotgun!" Rhian yelled while pointing at the shotgun hanging behind her back.
"Yeah, very ordinary," Venisse said sarcatically like how the girl said.
The girl was stunned, she looked at her shotgun and laughed awkwardly.
"Oh yeah, I guess we can all relate to this, hehe." Napakamot s'ya sa ulo n'ya at hindi tinutulan ang sinabi sakanya ni Venisse.
"Tsk, we've been with you for a few hours now, what is your name?" tanong ni Venisse. Bumalik ang sigla n'ya.
"Oh! I forgot to intruduce myself. I am Christina Jewel Santiago, younger sister of Christopher Jared Santiago," masaya n'yang pinakilala ang sarili n'ya, at nagulat din kami sa taong binanggit n'ya.