The Eternal in Abyss

Chapter 7: Announcement

KASDEYA ARGYROS' Point of View

The lines of graphite on the paper is a form of premonition. Hindi ko pinapansin ang aking paligid habang nakatitig sa aking sketchbook. My eyes don't move, like they're seeing a different dimension or timeline. Ang mga kamay ko lamang ang gumagalaw para bumuo ng imahe sa papel.

My concentration doesn't break even if the person in front of me is screaming his head off.

"This is a bad idea, Kasdeya!"

Kanina pa pabulong ang mga sigaw niya dahil hindi niya p'wedeng lakasan ang kaniyang boses. It's the middle of the night and everyone's asleep inside their rooms. Pag hindi siya mananahimik, mabubuking kami.

But he still finds some way to tell me how much he hates my decision.

"You're going crazy!" Bulalas pa niya sa harapan ko. "You're going to Greece to meet the Fates? Tanga ka ba?"

I sigh. Well, there goes my concentration.

Nagtaas ako ng tingin kay Aries at tumango bilang sagot. He's been staring and pacing around my room while I sketch another dream. Mula kanina, ramdam ko ang pagtitig niya na tila tatagos sa aking kaluluwa.

Sanay na ako sakaniya. Aries has intense eyes that are different from others. A creepy kind of different. It always look like he wants to drive a knife to your chest— Or start a massacre.

He groans at my nonchalant response. I can see the frustrated scrunch of his nose and the slight darkening of his eyes. Umangat ang isang dulo ng labi ko. He's cute when he's mad, like a barking chihuahua with no teeth.

Naglakad siya palapit sa'kin. "Do you even know what you're doing?" He whisper-shouts directly at my face. "This is suicide, Kasdeya!"

"Shut your mouth." Utos ko bago huminga ng malalim. Tumayo ako mula sa aking kama at naglakad patungo sa couch na nasa gitna ng kwarto.

"Bakit mo ba kailangan 'tong gawin?" Tanong pa niya, disregarding my order.

I walk pass Aries as I cross towards the other side of my room, and he just looks at me before plopping on my bed. Nilapag ko ang aking sketchpad at lapis sa malambot na sofa.

Tumingin muli ako sakaniya. "I'll be fine. I wasn't the Argeia of Ouroboros for nothing." Kibit balikat ko habang nakatingin sa aking drawing.

Nakabukas pa rin ang sketchbook nang binagsak ko ito sa sofa. The image I was sketching isn't finish yet, but the whole picture is already clear under the dim lights.

An image of a man I have never met before. Matanda na ito, yung tipong malapit nang maging abo dahil sa matinding edad. He has greying skin, as courtesy of my shading, but it's the only thing you can see under the layers of his clothes and the black cloak above his head.

Maliban sa mga mata niyang diretsong nakatingin sa akin, ang kaniyang mukha ay natatabunan nung cloak. The only reason why I know he's old is because of his overly wrinkled skin. I know it's a man because... I heard him speak in my dream.

Sa panaginip ko, napapalibutan siya ng maitim na usok. The world is covered by a backdrop of black walls. I can't see pass the darkness, like it's made to imprison me rather than the lack of light.

Isang salita lang ang sinabi niya, ngunit sobrang hina nito. He repeatedly chants it under his breath, until the word finally registers.

"Dream."

That's all he said before I woke up this afternoon.

Bumalik sa kasalukuyan nang gumalaw si Aries. I see him lay down on my bed with a loud 'Plop!' kaya sakaniya ko uli tinuon ang aking atensyon.