The Eternal in Abyss

Chapter 36: Of the Future

PARIS CANVER'S Point of View

Si Theon ang gumising sa amin nang pasikat na ang araw. Like what we promised to do, sa gubat kami sunod na naghanap kay Kasdeya. I doubt that we'll actually find her here since it's too close to Acropolis, but we just need to look around the area if she left anything, even a buried clue, based on what Aithne told us.

Wala na rin kami sa orphanage nang magising kami. Theon was already surveying the area while we're still sleeping, para na rin hindi kami nakapwesto sa iisang lugar lang.

After what happened with the empousai, we need to become more careful.

It took us a whole day, but when we finally covered the entire area, turning every stone and fallen leaf we could, wala pa rin kaming nahanap.

I guess she didn't hide anything here either.

Nang matapos kami, we ended up with no new clues other than what we already gained from the orphanage.

"What do we do now? We reached another dead end." Tanong ni Reinn habang nakatingin sa labas ng sasakyan. She watch the buildings pass by as we make a move away from the forest parts of the area.

"Can't we use the other leads? Baka p'wede tayong makahanap ng ibang lokasyon base sa nakuha natin sa orphanage." I suggest while looking at Theon.

Tahimik lang siyang nagd-drive habang seryosong nakatingin sa daan. One hand is on the steering wheel, while the other arm is resting on the window.

"If worse comes to worse, we can just contact the Commander." Tumingin rin si Dwayne sakaniya. "But it's up to you, Theon."

He nods, "Let's lie low for now. We can't continue searching for her if more monsters show up."

"Saan tayo pupunta?" Tanong ko.

Biglang tumigil ang sasakyan. "Here."

Tumingin ako sa kabila kong side, at umawang ang labi ko sa nakita.

We're in front of a run-down hotel— even run-down feels like an understatement. Mas malapit pa ito sa salitang inabandona at horror house.

"Are we staying here?" Tanong ko. There's nothing out of the ordinary, expect for the fact that the hotel itself looks like it's been defeated by the winds of time. The wood and steel no longer shines, but there's still beauty in the patterns of rust and moss slowly devouring the edges of the walls.

Maybe for a regular child of beauty, this would be the most hideous and disgusting thing they'll ever see... but I disagree. There's something so strangely enchanting in renewal and change when there is also destruction.

"No offense," Rinig kong sambit ni Dwayne. Lahat sila ay nakatingin rin sa hotel. "But the Acropolis has connection and money. Bawal bang sa mas magandang hotel nalang tayo pumunta? Isang tingin palang parang magkakasakit na ako."

Theon sighs. "Don't be picky, we're only staying for a while. I need a place to work without any people."

"Work for what?" Naaasar na tanong ni Reinn.

"Organize our intel." Tanging sagot ng katabi ko bago buksan ang kaniyang pinto. Natawa ako dahil sa pagbuntong hininga ng tatlo sa likod na tila labag sa loob nilang tumapak sa hotel.

Binuksan ko na rin ang aking pinto. "Come on guys, malay niyo masaya sa loob."

"Easy for you to say, you find everything pretty." Reinn hisses at me. "Even random shit like this. Ang weird niyong lahat."

Siya ang sunod na lumabas para sundan na si Theon. Napakurap ako. Ikaw pa talaga ang nagsalita.

Lumabas na rin kami ng sasakyan para hindi nila kami maiwanan. Pumasok kami sa loob ng hotel, at katulad ng gusto ni Theon, wala ngang katao-tao rito maliban sa receptionist.