Prologue
It's dark. Even if the sun is glaring high from the sky, you can't feel warmth. Contrary to the heat, you'll feel the coldness seeping in your body as no one was around. Only the eerie emptiness.
In the midst of a vast desert that covers the land farther than you can see with your naked eyes, someone was walking. Balot ito nang itim na balabal na sa tagal nang panahon ay naluma na at gutay-gutay. Natatakpan nito ang katawan na balot nang benda. Wala kang makikitang nakalabas na balat maliban na lang sa palibot nang mga mata. A pair of silver-gray eyes that looks cold. Pero sa kabila nang balot sa buong katawan ay halatang lalaki ito dahil na rin sa malaking bulto.
The man lifted his hand to cover his eyes, which he squinted as the wind blows carrying sands. A sandstorm will come kaya naman napagdesisyunan niyang bumalik. Inilibot muna niya ang kanyang paningin bago tumalikod.
Everything is lifeless. There is no living thing. Well, that is, if you won't count the being that suddenly burst out of the sand as the man turns his back.
The man, expecting what will happens, immediately pulled out the giant sword that was hanging from his back. It is a claymore that is more than half of his height. It is heavy but the man effortlessly swung it as if it weight nothing.
The blade clashed with one of the big fangs that were about pierced his body. Pero dahil sa lakas nang impact ay tumalsik papalayo ang lalaki.
'Graaaaah!'
The man maneuvered his body as he landed on his foot. Napaatras pa siya nang kaunti pero hindi niya inalis ang tingin sa nilalang na nasa harap niya, imaatungal at handa na namang sumugod.
"Tsk, pesky worm." Sabi nang lalaki at saka tumayo nang maayos bago hinanda ang sarili.
The monster, who understands what he said, cried in anger once more. It is a giant sandworm that has 30 feet long body. Ang pabilog nitong bunganga ay puno nang sampung hanay nang mahahaba at matutulis na mga ngipin. Once it swallow you, you'll be torn in pieces before you can even reach the stomach.
"Worm stew, it is." Sabi nang lalaki bago tumakbo pasalubong sa sandworm.
~~~
"Yuck!" Sabi nang lalaki bago nagmumog nang bibig upang mawala ang mapit na lasa na kumapit sa kanyang dila. He was about to spit it out pero nang maisip na kaunti na lang ang kanyang tubig ay nilunok na lang niya ito.
After the apocalypse more than a thousand years ago, the thriving human society collapsed. Monsters appeared, cutting down the human population day by day. By it history or culture, everything deteriorated to the point of closely to vanishing.
Now, everyone is busy surviving. Be it food, shelter, water, everything is luxury. You can't waste anything, even if it is a spoiled food or dirty water. You won't know when is the next time you'll get one.
Nang mawala na ang lasa sa dila ay tiningnan nang lalaki ang kaldero na naglalaman ng itim na likido. It is actually the blood of the sandworm he hunted na sinubukan niyang lutuin. But as he expected, it won't suit his taste.
"I should stick to the meat." Bulong niya sa sarili bago kinuha ang kaldero. Binitbit niya ito palabas at saka tinapon sa buhangin ang laman. As soon as the black, gooey liquid touched the sand ay may lumabas na usok. It's understandable since the sandworm's blood is acidic.
Matapos itapon ang kanyang niluto ay nag-angat nang tingin ang lalaki. In front of him is the carcass of the sandworm. There is a trail of blood dahil sa hinila niya lang ito patungo sa kanyang shelter. Wala na itong balat dahil kinuha na ito nang lalaki, maging ang ilan sa mga laman nito. All was left are the products that he doesn't know how to use.
'I should leave here soon. The smell of blood will attract the others.'
Tumalikod na ang lalaki at saka pumasok pabalik sa kanyang shelter. It is actually a lump of metal, as big as a minibus. The man personally made it from the scraps he manage to get. It was called a shelter dahil ganoon ang karaniwang tinitirhan nang mga tao ngayon, especially a nomad like him, but it is actually also used as a means of transportation. The shelter that the man made has six wheels. It has engines, each powered by electricity or cores.
Pagkapasok sa loob ay nagpunas muna nang kamay ang lalaki bago binuksan ang isang ref. He took out a meat, sandworm's meat, and washed it. Nang mahugasan na ay nagsimula na siyang lutuin ito. It doesn't sound good but contrary to the blood, sandworm's meat tastes good. It is tender and juicy. Sa katunayan, the meat is considered as a delicacy, rarely found outside the desert's market. Bukod sa mga disyerto mo lang makikita ang sandworms, it is also difficult to hunt.
After a few minutes of cooking and eating ay naglakad ang lalaki patungo sa isang board na nakadikit sa dingding. He opened a pinned map. It is the map where he is.
'Should I go to the oasis to get water? Or track the scavengers? The sandworm's meat will fetch a hefty price.'
After a few seconds of thinking ay nakapagdesisyon na ang lalaki.
"Track the scavengers, it is."
'It's time to see another humans.'
With the thought of meeting other humans, the man unintentionally remembered the memories that he treasures, but at the same time, haunts him. The day of the apocalypse.
BINABASA MO ANG
Surviving in the New World
FantasyIt's been more than a thousand years since the world changed. The civilization changed, people were gone, and the past became history. In the world that almost nothing is the same, will you be able to survive? ~~~ This is the book 2 of 'Return of t...
