Excelium III: End Point

Kabanata 18

Alen clutched the hem of his shirt as he stands stiff beside the known criminal. Nilalamig ang buong katawan niya habang pinapanatili ang mga mata sa sahig ng pasilyo. Hesitantly, he stole a few glances at the unconscious school nurse lying on the floor. Kahit na hindi ito eksperto sa larangan ng paglaban, every staff member of the academy is still an experienced fighter; they were trained to protect the students no matter their role. Yet the supposedly reliable adult is presently out cold by one hit to his abdomen. What can a weak-bodied boy like him do against Trois Oxen then?

Hinigpitan ni Alen ang pagkapit niya sa kaniyang damit habang pasimpleng sumusulyap sa dulo ng pasilyo. Ilang minuto na lamang ay maglalabasan na rin ang mga estudyante but he cannot rely on that mere fact alone, somehow, he has to do something. Yell maybe? Hoping a teacher would hear him and come to him in a matter of seconds? No, paniguradong bago pa may makarating ay wala na siyang hininga.

Alen never felt more frustrated about his helplessness. So frustrated that he didn't even notice the eerie stare of his source of anxiety.

"I hunted various kinds of birds for some years," kaagad na ibinalik ni Alen ang kaniyang mga mata sa sahig nang marinig ang boses ng kasama. Trois continued. "They're loud; chirping so annoyingly so I shot them, plucked their feathers, and sold them to the market. They were worth a few." Alen felt like he swallowed a pebble upon hearing those threatening words. Humigpit ang hawak niya sa dulo ng kaniyang damit but he paused with the next words. "But I guess a hatchling who can't even walk on its own can be spared, correct?" Alen's eyes widened in expectation.

Mabilis na tinango-tango ni Alen ang kaniyang ulo habang madiin na nakapikit ang kaniyang mga mata. Trois looked away. "Go."

Alen hesitated but eventually, he took a small step and another after a few seconds passed. Nang wala siyang maramdamang kahit na anong galaw mula sa kaniyang likuran, he swallowed and immediately ran. Pinakinggan lamang ni Trois ang papalayong mga yapak nito at nanatiling nakapako ang mga mata sa kaniyang harapan. "Been a while since I met a normal brat." he mutters.

Zai remained standing beside his bed. Tahimik lamang niyang pinagmamasdan ang nakabendaheng katawan nito. Before knocking the nurse out, he was forced to report Clay's condition. Dinala raw ito ng nasa disenteng kondisyon ang balat ngunit pagkalipas ng ilang oras ng pagkakaroon ng mataas na lagnat ay bigla na lamang nagsimulang masunog ang balat nito, particularly on his arms, chest, legs, and on his neck.

Kasalukuyan pa raw na pinag-aaralan ang kondisyon nito at ang drug na sanhi nito. Zai doesn't particularly care about the drug's components, what's more important is how to relieve its effects. "What a troublesome thing."

She was about to exit the door ngunit tumigil siya nang makita ang isang hairpin sa ibabaw ng drawer na katabi ng kama. If she remembers correctly, she gave it to him before the war began. Saglit itong tinitigan ni Zai bago niya ito tuluyang tinalikuran.