Dedicated to: Micah Juleyannah Malano
Chapter 36 Another door
Walang lumabas na salita mula kina Tavion, Caleb, Rosh, at Howl. Dahil totoo ang mga sinabi ni Anna, masyadong mataas ang tingin nila sa kanilang mga ama o sa maestro ni Howl na hindi na nila naisip na posibleng nabigo rin ang mga ito, at ang misyong ito ay ang paraan ng pahingi nila ng tulong.
"They might guide us, but your trail will never be the same with them. You have a different fate, different decisions, and mindset," dagdag ni Anna.
"Anna's right. Kung lahat kayo ay aatras dahil lang alam ninyo na ang resulta ng naunang misyon ng inyong mga ama. Will you allow us to continue this journey alone? Kami na lang ba ni Anna ang mangangahas tapusin ang misyong ito?"
"We are sent here not to back down," sunod ni Anna sa sinabi ko.
Ilang minuto sigurong nakatitig sa amin ang apat na lalaki bago may isa sa kanilang naglakas loob. It was Tavion.
"Alright. I'll join these girls. I know the moment I learned that the Head Wizard is just protecting his mate against us, nag-alinlangan na talaga ako. Just like you— or the Head Wizard, I will foolishly protect my mate at all cost, kahit marami akong masagasaan," magaan niya akong tinitigan na may tipid na ngiti sa kanyang mga labi. "But couldn't we just think or see this foolishly? Let's just be thankful na wala tayo sa sitwasyon ng Head Wizard ngayon and I hate to imagine that I'll be in his situation. Sa ngayon ay piliin na lang natin gawin ang tama. We should follow these girls."
Nang marinig ko ang sinabing iyon ni Tavion, biglang sumagi sa isipan ko ang saglit na eksenang hindi ko alam kung saang totoong mangyayari sa hinaharap. The way my whole body ignited and lifted as if I was part of a sacrificial ritual.
Hindi mukhang kumbinsido sina Rosh, Caleb at Howl sa sinabi ni Tavion. "You are just saying it to please these girls, aren't you?" tanong ni Rosh.
"But he's partly right. Let's just see it foolishly. As long as we're not on the Head Wizard's shoes right now, let's not think in advance. And Anna's right, aminado ako nang nalaman ko na hindi natapos nina ama at Haring Raheem ang misyon nila rito ay pinanghinaan na rin ako ng loob," naiiling na sabi ni Caleb.
"And do you think, King Dastan will be happy to hear failed news about you? He trusted you. Tapos aatras ka lang? At nagsama ka pa ng isa," sabi ko nang sulyapan ko si Rosh na natigilan sa paglanghap ng hawak niyang rosas.
We shouldn't fail Queen Leticia and King Dastan. Hindi man nila ako pormal na nakausap bago ang misyong ito, naniniwala akong malaki ang tiwalang ibinigay nila sa amin— sa akin para mapagtagumpayan ang misyong ito.
I will not fail them, no matter what it costs.
Dahil sa palitan naming pangaral ni Anna sa mga lalaki ay nabuo na rin ang loob nilang ipagpatuloy ang misyon.
"The question is, where is she located?" tanong ni Howl.
Tumingin silang lahat sa akin. "To be honest, the map is not helping us that much. It's in this place pero parang pinaiikot-ikot lang tayo."
"It's switching. I told you this ruin is alive. Its structure is moving maybe every hour? Two hours? Pinaglalaruan tayo para hindi natin makita kung saan niya itinatago ang katawan ng diyosa," sagot ni Howl.
"And I think, as we speak, the Head Wizard is already aware that we have an idea with his real reason. A desperate loverboy is not an easy enemy," sabi ni Rosh. Napatango na sina Tavion, Caleb at Howl.
"Just like you?" hindi ko na napigilan ang sarili ko. It was Rosh who confessed that he was here because of his mate.
"A bit," walang kurap niyang sagot.
Nanatili kami sa kuwartong iyon para makapagpahinga, abala ako sa aking mapa at sa ilang aklat na umaagaw sa akin ng atensyon habang may kani-kanila silang usapan. But the room was filled with Rosh and Caleb's conversation about Nemetio Spiran's current situation.
"So, are we going to kill the Head Wizard too?" tanong ni Howl.
If our mission is to kill the goddess, the Head Wizard will do everything to stop us. Dapat nga naming bigyang pansin ang katanungang iyon ni Howl.
"You can have his throne. Ayaw mo ba?" tanong ni Tavion.
"I don't want his throne or responsibilities. I just want to remain the Earth dragon wizard," sagot ni Howl.
"What if we don't have a choice? It's either he kills us or we kill him," sagot ni Caleb.
"Of course, we kill him," mabilis na sagot ni Rosh.
"And make another enemy of Nemetio Spiran?" pagsingit ko sa usapan nila.
"Either way, they'll already see us as an enemy," sagot ni Rosh.
"Dastan will kill us! Babalik tayong may kasunod na batalyon," ani ni Caleb. Mabuti naman at natauhan siya.
"Will he expect a battalion of friends?" tanong ni Rosh.
"That's why he sent Caleb here! Just like what you've done during the war of the goddesses of Deesedayah. The Atteros are allies. Tinulungan nila tayo," dagdag ko.
Minsan ay nagkakatitigan na lang kami ni Anna sa palitan ng salita ng apat na lalaki kaya halinhinan kaming dalawa sa pag-agaw sa atensyon nila.
"My map is not giving an accurate location since it is being influenced by the ruin," panimula ni ko.
"Ganoon din ang lampara ko. We're all aware that our relics work together. Kung nagawa ng mga ito na tulungan tayo kanina at sa mga nauna nating paglalakbay, maybe this ruin or the mastermind behind this place doubled his protection spell against us. Nasisiguro ko na kapag sinubukan pa rin nating sundan ang mapa ni Iris ay iikot lamang tayo," tumango ako sa sinabi ni Anna.
"We'll just end up inside another killer room," naiiling na sabi ni Rosh.
"I think this ruin is really designed for it— an old ruin made of killer rooms," dagdag ni Howl.
"To protect the goddess, of course," kibit balikat na sabi ni Tavion.
"The Head Wizard's mind is quite complicated," komento ni Rosh.
"Wizards, magicians, and witches are quite detailed," sagot ni Howl.
"Huh? So, are you trying to say that you'll design a ruin like this if you're going to protect your mate? It will take time," ngiwing sabi ni Rosh.
"I never had an opportunity," tipid na sagot ni Howl.
Natigilan kaming lahat sa sinabi ni Howl, kahit si Rosh ay hindi rin agad nakapagsalita, at saka lang nabawi ang sarili nang pilit siyang tumikhim para basagin ang katahimikan.
"If I have to hide my mate, I could make a giant flower for her. A tulip, rose, lily? Because I know that the petals of those flowers will only open for me."
Hindi lang ako ang saglit na ngumiti nang marinig iyon kay Rosh, dahil si Anna at nahuli kong nakatitig sa kanya nang may paghanga.
"That's it. That is the loophole in this ruin. Why would he create a place that will protect his mate but still allow anyone to enter? The ruin is still accessible to everyone. Yes, they said that the Atteros are forbidden to enter, but it was purely a word of mouth—a law that is still breakable. Why would he allow a flaw?" tanong ni Caleb.
Tumaas muli ang kilay ni Rosh. "I didn't expect that you'd notice that."
"The protection should be invincible. Bakit nga?" tanong na rin ni Howl.
"Maybe he doesn't have much choice?" sagot ni Tavion.
"I can't fully believe that he's protecting the goddess. . ." mahinang sabi ni Rosh.
"There's something wrong," dagdag ni Howl.
"Because if we're all in his position, even the main entrance would not be possible for anyone to enter. But in his case, he invited us— he challenged us," madiing sabi ni Caleb.
"So, are you trying to say that he's using the goddess as bait?"
"Bait for what?" tanong ni Tavion.
"I don't think that our Head Wizard is evil. I am a good judge of character. I had a few conversations with him. I don't think he'd do something. . ." nag-aalangang sabi ni Howl.
"But he's been sacrificing the lives of Atteros for the goddess. Isn't that evil enough?" sagot ni Tavion.
Howl bit his lower lip. "What I mean. . . what other reason aside from his goddess? Power? He has that already."
Sumasakit na ang ulo ko sa palitan ng mga salita nina Tavion, Howl, Rosh at Caleb, kahit si Anna ay hindi na nakikisali sa kanilang apat.
"The question is, how many rooms are left?" tanong ni Rosh.
I stepped forward as I slowly opened my palms in front of of, unti-unti iyong nagliwanag sa harapan naming lahat habang marahang hinihipan ng hangin na nagmumula sa nagliliwanag kong palad ang aking buhok.
Una'y puting anino ng nakarulyong papel ang lumutang mula sa aking palad hanggang sa unti-unti pa iyong nag-angat at mabagal na nagbukas sa aming lahat. At nang sandaling kapwa na kami nakatingala roon ay tila sumabog ang liwanag sa paligid nito kasabay nang tuluyang pagguhit ng mga detalye nito sa aming harapan.
"Just like what I've told you earlier, the characters are moving," panimula ko. "But I am already familiar with the characters that we've been through," itinuro ko ang ilang lugar na gumagalaw sa mapa.
"We've been here, ibig sabihin ay hindi na natin kailangan dumaan ulit sa lugar na ito o kaya'y hindi natin dapat salubungin. Though we can't guarantee it, but I am starting to learn a pattern. Look closely," mas lumapit silang lahat sa akin.
Inilabas ko iyong maliit na buhanging orasan at inilapag sa lamesa na siyang pinaggigitnaan naming lahat.
"There's a time pattern."
Nang sandaling maubos ang buhangin sa itaas, sabay-sabay gumalaw ang mga karakter sa mapa at nalipat iyon ng iba't ibang posisyon.
"Oh, that's why you mentioned that wizards are detailed, huh?" tumatangong sabi ni Rosh habang nakatingala sa mapa.
"So, we're now aware of the time pattern. Our problem now is how to know the pattern of their movement. Is it randomly or not?" tanong ni Anna.
"It's not going to be random," agad na sagot ni Howl.
Tumango ako sa sinabi niya. "We can watch it closely."
"Ilan na baa ng narating ninyo? My arrival is quite late," tanong ni Rosh.
"We passed the moving statues, the room consisting of doors, water and nymphs, a collapsing tunnel, and a desert. We finished four obstacles," sagot ni Tavion.
"I can see six moving characters. There are still two obstacles," sabi naman ni Howl.
Hindi nagtagal ay nagbago na ulit ang posisyon ng mga karakter. Walang nagsalita sa amin at nanatili kaming nakatitig sa mapa. We stayed like that in few turns of movement of the map.
"Is it a pyramid?" tanong ni Caleb.
"Two pyramids?" dagdag ni Tavion.
"I thought it was a star at first, but it is a combined pyramid. There are in the opposite positions," sabi ni Rosh.
Howl used his magic to place a pen and a paper on the table. Siya iyong pumagitna sa amin habang nakalutang pa rin ang mapa ko. Inilapag na rin ni Anna ang kanyang lampara sa lamesa.
Howl started to draw the pattern in front of us. Paminsan-minsan ay nasulyap pa rin kami sa mapa at sa orasang buhangin para makita ang eksaktong galaw ng mga karakter.
"I thought each three will only move on the same pyramid, but look at the next movement, the pattern changes and they are following a diamond pattern. May mga hindi rin gumagalaw."
His explanations are quite complicated, but I could see his enjoyment and excitement. Kung sabagay siya na rin ang nagsabi na ang mga salamangkerong katulad nila ay mahilig sa ganito.
Naghintay pa kami ng ilang beses na paggalaw ng karakter sa mapa hanggang sa mapapitik siya sa kanyang daliri.
"I am certain on its movement," ipinagpatuloy ni Howl ang pagturo sa amin ng bawat detalye hanggang sa tuluyan na nga siyang matapos.
"There you have it," he said proudly with open arms.
Saglit lang kami nagkaroon muli ng usapan bago isa-isang nagtungo ang atensyon sa pintuan.
Ibinaba ko na ang aking mapa, hinawakan na ni Anna ang kanyang lampara at hinayaan namin manguna si Howl patungo sa pintuan. Nasa magkabila sina Caleb at Tavion habang si Rosh ay pinili ang likuran.
Nagkaroon ng nakabibinging katahimikan habang sabay-sabay kaming naglakad patungo sa pintuang maaaring magdala sa amin sa kamatayan. Pakiramdam ko'y naririnig ko na ang mabibigat naming paghinga, ang malakas na tibok ng aming puso, ang pagtulay ng aming mga pawis sa aming noo, at maging ang pagkuyom ng aming mga kamao sa bawat hakbang.
Howl walked confidently with his flapping suit on his shoulder, hair swaying and earing dangling, Anna and I was next to Howl with Caleb and Tavion on our sides, while Rosh was silently tailing us.
As the old library started to flicker with its dim light and darkness started to last, the different colors of our eyes ignited together, approaching a single wooden door like predators on the hunt.