CHAPTER 21
Eureka's POV
OUR QUEST HAS BEGUN. It's another round of mystery to solve and enigmas to unravel.
Sinubukan naming humanap ng daan pababa ng bangin. We're determined to get to that abandoned city, which is the Atlantis, based on our wild guesses and observation so far. Fortunately, may compass si Mr. Ned Landers. He's a scout ranger, as he told, so bringing an old compass along the trip was a basic doing in his profession. Base sa compass ng ginoo, nasa "east" ang syudad. Kailangan lang naming sundin ang direksyong pa-silangan nang sa gayun ay 'di kami mawala habang tinatahak ang masukal na kagubatan pababa sa matarik na burol.
"This way, kids." Mr. Landers led the way. Kaming lima, kasama si Zharina, ay sumunod lamang sa kaniya sa gayun ay 'di kami maligaw.
As I expected, the path that we're taking was too dangerous for a club composed of teenagers, us. Dahil nga pa-slant ang daan na aming nilalandas, may mga instances na nadudulas kami at kamuntikan pang madapa. But the good thing was, agad kaming bumabangon upang ituloy ang paglalakbay. Lalo na't gubat ito, maraming mga kahoy, bato, dahon, insekto, at kung anu-ano pang sagabal sa paligid. There was one moment, the soil softened and Zharina slipped off, almost gone out of balance. Luckily, the knight in shining armor- Genesis- was there to save her. Mabilis na naalalayan ni Gen ang braso at baywang ng dalaga bago pa ito tuluyang bumagsak.
"Thank you," Zharina sweetly said as she gained back her balance, then tucked some strand of her hair behind the ear.
Genesis smiled, "Be careful next time, okay?"
Zharina nodded in response and locked an eye-contact with Gen for almost seven seconds. Kulang na lang ay 'yung slow background music, para may romantic effects. Napansin ko ang pagpipigil ni Neil ng tawa. Si Ele ay walang reaksyon. Nagkatinginan naman kami ni Suzy at binigyan niya ko ng makahulugang tingin.
"Ehem," tumikhim si Mr. Landers, kaya agad na natauhan ang dalawa. Mabilis na humiwalay si Gen sa binibini. Si Zharina naman ay napaiwas na ng tingin, nagba-blush pa. Isang matalim at taas-kilay na tingin ang pinukol ni Mr. Landers kay Genesis, kaya naman napayuko at napakamot-batok na lamang ang binata.
"Wew, lover boy alert," bulong ni Neil sa katabi niyang si Ele.
Natawa nang bahagya si Suzy at napailing na lamang ako.
"Let's continue?" tanong ni Ned.
"Um... Y-Yes, sir," sagot ni Gen.
Awkwardly funny... but sweet at the same time. Obviously, may gusto si Gen kay Zharina. Well, who wouldn't? Napakaganda ni Zharina lalo na't may lahi siyang British. At mukhang bet din ng dalaga ang co-member namin. Oh, love birds!
We proceeded our track down the sloped wilderness. The route really gave us a hard time. But we ain't backing down. Not today! In the midst of our journey, mga ilang minuto ang nakalipas, sa wakas, narating namin ang patag na lupain. Nakalabas na rin kami ng kakahuyan. Wala nang mga nagtataasang puno. No'ng makatapak kami sa kapatagan, bumungad sa'min ang malawak at maaliwalas na paligid. Sinalubong din kami ng malakas na pag-ihip ng hangin. Tanging ang malaking espasyo lamang sa pagitan ng lupa at bughaw na langit ang aming naaaninag. At sa dulo nito, naroon, natatanaw namin ang mga mala-higanteng pader ng syudad.
"There it is!" Sabay turo ni Zharina sa abandonadong syudad ilang kilometro ang layo mula sa'ming kinatatayuan. "We're halfway there."
Ibinulsa ni Mr. Landers ang kaniyang compass saka ito sumenyas. "Let's go!"
HERE WE GO.
Muli kaming naglakad. Sa pagkakataong ito, mas madali na kaming nakakagalaw dahil 'di katulad kanina na matarik ang aming nilalakaran, ngayo'y patag na lamang ito. Wala na ring mga puno at kung anu-anong hadlang sa'ming daan. The mysterious lost city of "Atlantis", the one that lies at the end of this isolated land. Just wait, we're coming! Faintly, the wind blew on our bare skin, the sunlight showered from above, and clouds dispersed from the sky as it's already between morning and noon. Kapit lang, guys, malapit na tayo! Kapit lang. Kinalaunan, unti-unti nang lumalaki ang matataas na pader ng syudad sa'ming paningin. Meaning, malapit-lapit na kami mula roon.
"Guys, we're almost there," pangungumbinsi ni Suzy kahit halatang pagod na siya. "Keep moving!"
After a few more steps, finally, the gigantic firm-built walls towered our average heights. Habang naglalakad palapit sa nakakalulang pader ng syudad, namalayan ko na lang na unti-unti nitong tinatakpan ang sikat ng araw hanggang sa nilamon na kami ng higante nitong anino.
"Wow..." that remark escaped our wide open mouths. Awestruck.
Tiningala namin ang sobrang nagtatayugang pader. Napakataas na halos gabundok ang laki nito. Gawa ito sa purong mga bato, mga bricks, specifically. Nagdudugtong sa pader na 'to ang isa pang higanteng tarangkhan na pinroprotektahan ng makakapal na metal. Nangangalawang na sa kalumaan ang naturang tarangkahan, ngunit matibay pa rin itong nakatayo. Wowwww! Ito ang bungad o ang pinaka-entrance ng syudad, I think? Hindi na nakakapagtaka kung mukhang napakatibay nito at 'di madaling pasukin. Isang maunlad na kontinente dati ang Atlantis, base sa ancient historical account, natural lamang na magtatayo sila ng high-quality at matatag na panangga panlabas upang protektahan ang kabuuang loob ng syudad.
"This is it," Neil walked closer to the huge front gate. "We're here... We made it!"
"Oh my gosh... I told myself I'm not gonna cry." Pinaypayan ni Suzy ang mata niya na ngayo'y medyo maluha-luha na. Napangiti ako at umiling na lang.
Hinawakan ni Mr. Landers ang kaunting parte ng tarangkhan. Naglabas pa siya ng mini-size na magnifying glass at tinapat ito sa kaniyang mata, animo'y in-examine ang maliliit na detalye ng metal nito.
"Hm... Titanium," bulong ng ginoo habang nanatiling nakatitig sa maliit na parte ng metal, gamit ang kaniyang hawak na apparatus.
"Titanium, you say, sir?" tanong ni Ele nang siya'y tumayo sa gilid ng ginoo. Nanatili akong nakatayo malapit sa direksyon nila, sapat na para madinig ko ang conversation nila.
Nilingon ni Mr. Landers si Ele, saka nito binalik sa bulsa ang kaniyang magnifying glass. "Yes indeed. This gate was built with titanium. Fascinating, isn't it?"
"Why do you say so, sir?" kunot-noong tanong ni Ele.
"Well, look how huge this gate is," tugon ng ginoong scout ranger. "It would take an enormously amount of titanium mineral just to build such gigantic structure like this. The question is, where did the builders get these huge amount of titaniums before?"
He has a point.
"You have a point," Ele looked up to the great walls and metal gate in front of us. "This... is really fascinating."
"It's locked." Zharina observed the structure, too. "Maybe there's a lever that can open this gate?"
"Pa'no tayo makakapasok?" tanong ni Neil. Pinasadahan niya ng tingin ang tarangkahan. Hanggang sa napakamot-ulo na lamang siya. "Wala namang doorknob o kahit lock man lang ang gate na 'to. Pa'no natin 'to mabubuksan?"
The same question is in my head.
"Akyatin mo, Neil. Tutal sanay ka naman mag-akyat-bahay, 'di ba? WAHAHAHA!" Lakas ng tawa ni Genesis, ayan tuloy, nakotongan siya ni Neil.
"Seryoso kasi! Paano nga?!"
"Aba't malay ko sa inyo," sagot naman ni Suzy, saka siya tumayo sa gilid ng gate upang sumilong sa anino ng pader. "Basta ako, magpapahinga muna rito. Sobrang layo ng nilakad natin. Goodness! I felt like I got cramps. Keep it chill guys, let's have some rest first."
Umaktong magpapahinga muna si Suz. Tinukod niya ang kaniyang kamay sa surface ng wall. Ngunit, sa hindi inaasahan, ikinagulat niya nang biglang lumubog 'yung isang brick sa pader na hinawakan niya... As if she accidentally pressed a secret button.
At nang mangyari 'yon, bigla na lang yumanig ang lupa. Grugsh! A rough noise was heard, like two huge stones merging. The ground shook. Agad napakapit si Neil sa metal bars ng gate. Gano'n din sina Ele at Mr. Landers. Si Zharina naman ay tumakbo sa'kin at humawak sa'king braso. Genesis didn't move an inch, pero halatang nabigla rin siya sa paggalaw ng lupang kinatatayuan namin. Suzy, who was literally in shock after she unpurposedly pressed the wall's brick, remained standing with widened eyes. Okay... What the heck is going on?! While the little earthquake was still active, unti-unting lumitaw sa lupa, sa bandang harapan ng metal gate, ang isang parihabang bato. It was like a man-made rock with two meters wide, emerging up from the surface. Huminto sa pag-angat ang bato nang ito'y halos kasing taas na ng height ko. Tuluyang lumitaw ang kabuuan ng bato, saka ito huminto, kasabay ng pagtigil ng pagyanig ng lupa. Grugsh!
Can't lie, nanlaki ang mga mata ko, lalo na no'ng lumitaw sa harap ko ang batong 'yon. Lumapit sa'kin ang iba, nakakunot pa ang kanilang mga noo, tila'y nagtatakha habang pinagmamasdan ang naturang bato.
"Wow, you found a secret button and that... Uh... weird rocky-rectangle-thingy," Zharina told Suzy. "What's that for?"
"Eh ano namang ganap ng batong 'to?" tanong ni Neil. "Can it help us to open that gate?"
"Or a trap?" ani Gen.
"Well, let's see," ani Ele.
Lumapit ang aming club-leader sa harap ng malaki't parihabang bato. Gamit ang kaniyang palad, pinagpagan niya ang surface nito. Nang matanggal ang mga namumuong dumi, saka lang namin napagtanto na may mga nakaukit pala sa makinis na tekstura ng batong ito. Yes, another "engravings." And to our surprise, it was Greek writings again! Like what we have encountered before.
"Greek... Ulit?" pagpuna ni Genesis 'gaya ng aking iniisip.
"Yes, you're right, it's indeed Greek." Mr. Landers also knew the rock's engravings. No wonder.
Γριτιγς, θις ις θα σιβιλιζαετιον οφ Ατλαντεαν
Το εντερ, σικ φορ θα τρεσηυρ θατ ωας στολεν βαι θα λαιτ βυτ κεπτ βαι θα δαρκνες
"Eureka..." Neil turned his head on me. "You can read Greek, right? Basahin mo nga."
Kahit hindi na iyon sabihin pa ni Neil, gano'n din naman ang gagawin ko. I'm determined to decode it. Nakipagtitigan lang ako sa malaking bato, kung sa'n nakaukit ang mga Griyegong letra. My eyes almost turn into slits as I try to understand the ancient writings.
Γριτιγς, θις ις θα σιβιλιζαετιον οφ Ατλαντεαν
Το εντερ, σικ φορ θα τρεσηυρ θατ ωας στολεν βαι θα λαιτ βυτ κεπτ βαι θα δαρκνες
"The first line says..." I stated, "Gritins... Um... this is the sibilizaetion oph Atlantean. Wait, tama ba ang pagkakaintindi ko? Ang sabi ay; Greetings. This is the civilization of Atlantean."
"Atlantean?!" medyo gulat na reaksyon ni Suzy, saka siya lumapit at inangkla niya ang kaniyang braso sa'kin. "Base sa mga nabasa ko, Atlantean ang tawag sa mga taong naninirahan sa isla ng Atlantis. Hindi ba, guys?"
"Yeah. You're right." Humakbang pasulong si Ele upang mas malapitang tignan ang bato sa'ming harapan. "So, that explains it."
"Explain what?" Zharina asked, frowning.
Ele tilted his head and stared onto the huge gate standing tall ahead of us. "That explains the answer about our question lately. Our predictions were right. We're standing in front of the famous lost city's entrance. The lost civilization of our world. The Atlantis."
Bingo! The words "Civilization of Atlantean" that were engraved to the stone's surface. That's it. That's the main clue!
"AYUN OH!" Neil fist-pumped the air. "Dang! So, our journey had been worthy! We found the Atlantis! WAHAHA! We made it, guys! Wuhooo!"
"Yeah, man! This deserves a celebration!" Genesis added. "Kapag ako nakabalik sa Pilipinas, ipagmamalaki ko talaga 'tong nadiskubre natin!"
"If only I have a camera, I want to picture this moment and brag to everyone on Earth that Atlantis isn't just a myth, it's a fact," Suzy said and smiled at me. "And we're so fortunate to discover it with our own eyes! Just... Look!"
"I agree." Zharina smiled back.
When everyone seemed delighted about proving that our theory was right, that this city is the "Atlantis," thus when Ele immediately interjected to ruin the happy atmosphere because... You know... That's Ele. The ultimate kill joy. It's in his blood.
"Save your happiness when we get out of this place..." our leader said. "...alive."
Dahil d'on, natahimik tuloy kaming lahat at napatitig na lamang kay Ele. His eyes were, as always, like the mid-winter. Very cold.
"Hindi pa oras ng kasiyahan," dagdag nito at seryosong humarap sa'min. "For now, we should focus on how to escape this darned island or else... We'll be trapped in here eternally. So, I'm asking you to please stay concentrated. I want to fly out of this place and return home. Don't we all want that?"
Of course we do. Tss.
Walang sumagot sa'min, nag-iwas rin ako ng tingin dahil mukhang mainit na ang ulo niya ngayon. Narinig ko rin ang sarili kong bumuntong-hininga.
"Eureka," Ele called my name.
"Huh?" Teka, bakit ako?
"Proceed reading," he referred to the engravings on the rectangular stone in front of us. Ay, oo nga pala. Tumango ako at muling nag-focus sa mga nakaukit sa malaking bato.
Το εντερ, σικ φορ θα τρεσηυρ θατ ωας στολεν βαι θα λαιτ βυτ κεπτ βαι θα δαρκνες
"The second line says," I re-read it. "To enter, sik phor tha treseur that was stolen bai tha lait but kept bai tha darknes."
"To enter... Seek for the treasure that was stolen by the light but kept by the darkness," Ele was quick enough to translate it. Nakahawak pa siya sa baba niya, malalim na nag-iisip.
Kahit ako ay napaisip din. What does it mean?
"A riddle," biglang sambit ni Mr. Landers t'saka ito humakbang palapit sa parihabang bato. "Based on what you said, those Greek words seemingly a riddle to solve. Don't you think?"
"Wait," Genesis interjected. "So, you're saying, to enter the city, we must first answer the riddle engraved on the stone?"
"Probably, yes?" I shrugged my shoulders. "Iyon ang nakasulat dito eh. Iyon din malamang ang dapat nating gawin."
"Seek for the treasure that was stolen by the light but kept by the darkness," pag-uulit ni Zharina sa sinabi ko habang nagta-tap ng kaniyang baba. "That riddle seems familiar."
"For me, too," Suzy exclaimed. "I think I heard that riddle before."
Seek for the treasure that was stolen by the light but kept by the darkness.
"Star."
Napalingon kami kay Ele nang bigla siyang magsalita. May bahid ng pagtataka ang aming mga mukha.
Then he repeated, "Stars. That's the answer to the riddle. Treasure that was stolen or can't be seen by light or by day, and kept in the darkness or only can be seen at nights. It's definitely stars, right? I guess I've heard it from a Nickelodeon cartoon? Jimmy Neutron, perhaps?"
Kalmado lang at napaka-cool ng pagpapaliwanag ni Ele. Tila ba'y hindi siya nahirapan sa pag-iisip ng sagot na 'yon. He's really a genius. But... Wait, nanonood siya ng Jimmy Neutron?
"Exactly." Mr. Landers snapped his fingers. "Stars is the answer!"
"Pero," pagsingit ko sa usapan habang nakakunot ang noo. "Ano namang kinalaman ng stars sa entrance ng syudad na 'to?"
And right on cue, bigla na lang nagsalita si Neil. "Guys! I think I spotted something helpful."
Nabaling ang atensyon namin sa kaniya. Nakita naming naglakad si Neil palapit sa gilid ng gate, kung sa'n nakatayo ang napakatayog na pader na gawa sa bricks. Sinundan lang ng aming mga mata ang kinikilos ni Neil, hanggang sa siya'y lumuhod at may tinuro sa ibabang parte ng pader.
"Hali kayo! Tignan niyo 'to!" at nag-aya pa siya.
Nagkatinginan naman kaming anim. Kahit medyo nag-aalangan, sinunod na lang namin ang sinabi ni Neil. Lumapit kami sa kaniya at sinilip namin kung ano ang mayroon doon.
"Look."
Neil pointed out the lower corner of the wall. Sa sulok na 'yon ng wall, mayroong isang ordinaryong brick. Isang brick kasama ng iba pang bricks na bumubuo sa pader. Ngunit may kakaiba sa brick na tinuro ni Neil na wala ang iba. Ang brick na iyon ay animo'y inuktan ng hugis "star" sa surface nito. Malinaw na malinaw at madetalye ang pagkakaukit ng "star" sa brick, tila'y pinasadya itong ilagay doon.
"A star..." Wala sa sariling naibulong ko.
It is indeed a star!
"So, what if that brick had a star on it? Ano naman ngayon ang ganap niyan?" Suzy questioned.
Hindi sumagot si Neil, but instead, hinakawan niya ang brick na may nakaukit na star. And by that, Neil forcedly pushed that certain brick until it was pressed inside the wall's surface. Lumubog ang brick, and right on cue... Grugsh!
A noise of emerging rough surfaces was heard, followed by a sharp sound of metals in motion. Unexpectedly, the metal barrier of the city's gate slowly slid downward. Literal kaming nawindang nang unti-unting gumalaw ang metal na tarangkhan hanggang sa ito'y tuluyang bumukas. The entrance had been unlocked! Oh my gosh... FINALLY!
Nagkatinginan kaming pito. Mababakas ang gulat at excitement sa'ming mga expression. I can't deny it. Dang! I'm sooo looking forward to this adventure!
"Nice one, bro!" Ngumisi si Genesis kay Neil. "Minsan ma'y pakinabang ka rin pala e, ano?"
Ngumisi na lang din si Neil, saka tuwid na tumayo. "Ladies first," he even gestured his hand for the three of us, girls, to be the first to enter the open gate.
Haha! Pa-gentleman ang loko.
At ayun na nga, naunang humakbang papasok ng tarangkhan ay kaming tatlo nila Suzy at Zharina. Then the boys: Neil, Genesis, Ele, and Mr. Landers followed behind. As we took our first step inside the lost city, a long ancient cemented bridge greeted us. The bridge that'll lead us to see the interior of the Atlantis. The bridge that'll lead us to unravel more of the city's mysteries.
This is it. This is TOTALLY it!
Welcome! To the lost city of Atlantis!