Chapter 10
-- HARI --
Second General
The years of training with my father inside the forest of Parsua Sartorias taught me a lot of things. The every swung of his sword, the sudden sharpness of his eyes, his uncalculated movements, attacks, words, and endless lessons didn't just strengthen my physical power, but also my mind and determination to move forward.
"I will never leave this world without you being the best king this world could ever have..."
My father and I were sitting at the riverbank as we wiped the dirt on our swords. My hands hung for a moment, and my eyes veered at him.
"You are, father... you are the best king that this world could ever have."
He dropped his towel and placed it on his lap. He crumpled my hair with the familiar smile on his face. "Not until you were born."
I suddenly felt the heat on my face. Hindi ko alam kung saan kinukuha ni ama ang mataas niyang tiwala sa akin. Yes, I had disarmed him once and gave him a shallow cut on his cheek, but it never followed.
Sometimes, when I think about it, I bitterly see it as pure luck. Though, I would never loudly admit it.
I averted my eyes away from him, and I continued shinning my sword. Zen was already sleeping under the shadow of the big tree, and we were just waiting for him to wake up.
"But I learned something today, father." I said without looking at him.
"And what is that?"
"You just introduced me to the best general I could have, though, he's a little bit stubborn. Mapagtitiyagaan ko na rin naman."
He laughed. "But he's loyal... he will guard your back even if it cost his life."
My lips curved. "Yes..."
My years of training with Zen and father kept me away from worries, expectations, and pressure. Iyon naman talaga ang gustong iparamdam sa akin ni ama, na sa kabila na nakaatang sa aking responsibilidad, nais niyang ipadama sa akin na hindi ako nag-iisa.
With my brother's existence, Zen.
But my father didn't stop to make me feel the warmth and happiness as my throne brought to me by destiny continued to come near my reach.
Lumilipas ang panahon at nadadagdagan ang mga bampirang handang tumayo, hindi lang sa likuran ko, kundi sa tabi ko.
"And we will have another one here..." Father said.
Kapwa kami wala nang damit pang-itaas ni Zen dahil napupuno na ng dumi ang kasuotan namin. We let our white, now brown, royal pants to be the only clothes we have.
Kapwa umawang ang bibig namin ni Zen nang sumilip mula sa likuran ng binti ni ama si Lily.
"Hello, brothers..."
Sabay nag-angat ang tingin namin ni Zen kay ama. "S-She's still too young, father."
"Yes..." dagdag ko.
"Baka umiyak lang iyan." Nakangiwing sabi ni Zen.
"I will not cry!" sigaw ni Lily.
"Father will attack you. Nangulit ka siguro na gusto mong sumama." Naiiling na sabi ni Zen. Namula ang ilong ni Lily.
"Why would father attack me?"
"Father, she can't." Seryosong sabi ko.
"She's persistent. Iyak siya nang iyak kanina. Your mother is..." father gently scratched his right cheek by his forefinger.
Hindi na kami nagkipagtalo ni Zen nang sabihin iyon ni ama. He's afraid of our mother. Hindi na siguro tumatahan talaga si Lily, nagalit si ina at wala nang nagawa si ama.
"Alright. Go to your brothers, Lily. They are your allies."
"And you're going to attack me?"
"No. Why would I attack my princess? Just your brothers." Lily clapped her hands. Nagmadali siyang tumakbo sa amin ni Zen.
Nakapagmaywang si Zen habang nakangiwing nakatungo sa kanya, habang ako'y nag-iisip nan ang maaari naming gawin ngayon makakatulong namin si Lily at ang kapangyarihan niya.
We can't just instruct her to do complicated attacks. Pero alam kong isinama siya rito ni ama para hindi lang manggulo sa amin ni Zen.
"Iyakin..."
Umirap sa kanya si Lily at humawak siya sa madumi kong pantalon.
"I'll distance myself first. Have your meeting, my children..." bigla akong naasar kay ama. Lagi niyang iyong sinasabi pero nakikinig naman siya.
He's eavesdropping, not to cheat but to laugh at us. Kapwa na kami naupo ni Zen at pinaggitnaan namin si Lily na inaakalang naglalaro na kaming tatlo.
"What can you do with your smoke, sister?" tanong ni Zen.
"I can lift myself a little now, remember?" she said happily. Saglit kaming nagkatitigan ni Zen.
"Anything else?" I asked.
"I can make shapes with my smoke." And she made a star, sun, moon, animals, butterflies and a lot more.
"Wow... very useful weapon..." ani ni Zen.
"We can't ask Lily to attack, Zen. She'll be behind us. You will guard our backs. There are monsters that might attack us while we're still busy with father. Alright? Protect us with your stars, sun, moon or anything else with your smoke. I know you can do it, Lily, right?" Her eyes sparkled.
"Of course!"
I looked at Zen sarcastically. He gasped. "H-Huwag mo 'kong irapan, Dastan!"
I didn't talk back to him. Instead, I stood immediately and faced our father. Tumayo na rin Zen na sa kanya na rin nakaharap.
Lily's arrival inside our battlefield was a new challenge. Maybe he's really afraid with our mother, but King Thaddeus, our father, did not have his title if he is not cunning, wicked, and strategist without moving any reason at all.
Ilang taon na kaming magkatulong ni Zen laban kay ama, pero hindi pa rin namin siya matamaan. My father and his great power are really amazing.
Mabilis kaming naghiwalay ni Zen at kapwa kami umatake sa magkabilang posisyon. I heard Lily cheering for my name while bashing Zen.
Pinili kong tumalon ng mataas at umatake mula roon, habang si Zen naman ay nasa lupa. We loved to corner our father and gave him a little space to move, but we're always ending up flying away on different branches of the trees.
If not sword fights and power, we have our fists and arms. Nakailang suntok at sipa na kami ni Zen sa kanya pero nagagawa niya kaming salagin ng sabay. Halinhinan lamang kami ni Zen ng pag-atras sa tuwing natatamaan kami sa dibdib, tiyan at sa ibang parte ng katawan.
Mabibigat ang hingal namin ni Zen habang kapwa kami nakahawak sa aming mga hita upang suportahan ang aming pagtayo. Our sweats were dripping on land. Ilang pawis na kaya namin ni Zen ang nalaglag dito?
Nang hugutin ni ama ang kanyang espada, kapwa naalarma kami ni Zen. Mabilis kong inilabas ang espada ko gamit ang aking dugo, habang si Zen naman ay gawa sa yelo.
But this time, our father copied our trick. Ginapangan ako ng kaba nang magkaroon ng bilog sa pagitan namin ni Zen. We're damn trapped!
It was like a blurred circle. Sa sandaling lumapat iyong balat namin ni Zen, para kaming malalapnos. This was the first time that father used it!
Hindi ko na naririnig ang pagsigaw ni Lily sa likuran namin.
Habang tumatagal ay ramdam ko ang mas pagliit ng bilog sa palibot namin ni Zen. Mas tumulo ang pawis ko habang mahigpit ang pagkakahawak ko sa aking espada. But what made us startle was the sudden blurredness of our father's image, until a sudden presence appeared right beside him.
He's got a double!
"Wow..." humahangang sabi ni Zen.
"He's an enemy! Zen, let's advance!"
Kapag nauna silang umatake mas maiipit kami at mapapaso kami sa bilog. Kahit nanghihina na kami dahil sa unang engkwentro namin kay ama, ibinuhos namin ni Zen ang lahat upang bigyan ng pwersa ang bawat hampas ng aming espada.
But our father and his replica's strength were always too powerful for us. Habang nakikipagpalitan kami ng hampas ng espada sa kanya, unti-unti na kaming umaatras ni Zen.
I could feel the burning heat on my back. Shit.
"S-Stop it!"
Kapwa kami napalingon ni Zen kay Lily na lumapit na sa may bilog. I suddenly remembered the young Zen, when father joined him in my training for the first time. Though, Lily's hand were both hesitant and shaking.
I knew that she's trying to lift us and save from the circle. Pero masyado pa siyang mahina. She can't save us both. Kailangan niyang pumili sa amin ni Zen.
"Come on, I can stand here for long. Save Dastan first." Malakas na sabi ni Zen. I couldn't see his eyes, but I knew that he's already expecting that Lily will save me first.
No one favors the second prince, iyon ang laging iniisip ni Zen. But we always favor him, bagay na hindi niya napapansin.
I did my best to save myself away from the burning circle, para makita ni Lily na mas kailangang iligtas si Zen. Pero katulad ko ay ganoon din ang ginawa ni Zen. We advanced together.
Kapwa kami tumalon ni Zen mula sa ere upang umatake sa dalawang imahe ni ama. Pero hindi kami hinayaan ni ama na magpatuloy sa pag-atake namin, he and his replica made an air jump to give us a counter-attack.
They easily disarmed and gave us a big blow on stomach, tinamaan din kami ng malakas na hampas sa mga batok namin na halos akalain ko na mawawalan na ako ng malay.
I thought I would lose my consciousness, pero nang dumapo ang likuran ko sa bilog dahil sa pagbagsak ko, lalo akong nagising sa tindi ng sakit. Halos sabay kaming napasigaw ni Zen dahil doon.
Our father and his replica landed without scratch. Kapwa na kami nakaluhod ni Zen habang pilit na tumatayo. I could feel Lily's smoke embracing me and Zen' body, pero hindi kami ni magawang maangat.
She's sobbing. "Lift them up! Lift them up!"
"Go, save Zen first, Lily..."
"No. I am fine! Save Dastan first!"
Nang mas lumakas ang yabag ni ama papalapit sa amin, mas lalong lumakas ang pag-iyak ni Lily. Kapwa na kami napapailing ni Zen, she can't lift us up together.
Kapwa na kami natatakpan ni Zen ng dalawang anino ni ama. Umuulan na ng mura sa isip ko.
"Lily, I said save Zen—"
Nag-angat na ng espada si ama at ang kanyang replica. "S-Stop it, father!"
Una'y inakala kong nagawang magpakawala ng usok ni Lily upang yakapin at protektahan kami ni Zen mula kay ama. But our little sister made the unexpected attack.
Dahil ang kanyang mga usok na inakala naming makagagawa lang ng iba't ibang hugis ay nagkaroon ng matinding pwersa, dahilan kung bakit tumilapon ang katawan ni ama sa puno at maglaho ang kanyang replica.
Nawala ang bilog sa paligid namin ni Zen habang nanatili kaming nakaawang ang bibig at nakaluhod, kapwa nakatulala sa katawan ni ama na nakasandal na sa puno.
"That is..." usal ni Zen. Hindi niya na masundan ang sasabihin niya. Kahit ako na ilang taon na ang nakalipas ng madaplisan si ama ay hindi makapaniwala sa aking nakita.
"You are hurting my brothers, father! I will tell this to mother!" sigaw ni Lily bago siya pumagitna sa amin ni Zen na hanggang ngayon ay tulala.
Maging si ama ay nanatiling nakaupo roon sa ilalim ng puno. He didn't look hurt, but he's really surprised.
"Paano iyon?" nanlalamyang tanong ni Zen nang kapwa na kami makaupo sa lupa. Lily's on my side while checking my wounds.
Humilig ako sa kanya at bumulong. "Go to Zen, he's a jealous idiot."
Ngumisi si Lily at lumapit nga siya kay Zen para tingnan ang sugat niya. Zen looked at me irritatingly. He heard me.
Sa huli sabay rin kaming ngumisi at itinaas ang kilay kay ama na naglalakad na papalapit sa amin. Alam kong masaya rin katulad ko si Zen.
Because our sister, Lily, didn't choose between us. Una man siyang lumapit sa akin ngayon, sa bingit ng totoong sitwasyon, wala siyang pinili at mas matimbang sa amin ni Zen.
She saved us both by attacking our father.
Our father tried to pat Lily's head, but Lily rolled her eyes on him. "I will tell this to mother!"
And then, laughter overwhelmed the whole forest of Parsua Sartorias.
My father introduced my second general, who's dedicated not just for me... but also to my first general.
I couldn't imagine my life without these silly generals.