Frontier Horizon

Chapter XXXII: Descendants

"I'M REALLY glad that the four of you will join me today," wika ni Libby sa mga kasama habang tinatahak nila ang pasilyo ng mataong kantina.

"Noong nakaraan ay wala rin si Kathnyce kaya hindi na nakakapagtakang wala siya ngayon. Ngunit si Niana, nasaan siya?" tanong ni Lora nang sila'y makaupong lima sa nahanap nilang malinis at bakanteng mahabang mesa.

"Well, believe me or not, Kathnyce listens better to Niana, so I told her to tell Kathnyce all the details regarding our plan," sagot naman ni Libby habang nilalabas mula sa kaniyang bag ang baon na pan-seared salmon na may kasamang kale and apple salad.

"Ako na ang bibili ng pagkain natin. Anong sa inyo?" tanong ni Cyllan sa tatlong dalagang kaniyang binabantayan. Napahawak naman sa kaniyang baba si Lora at napaisip.

"I'm craving for wangyu beef, but obviously, they don't serve it here since it's too expensive for them," ani Lora habang tinitingnan ang nakapaskil na menu sa 'di kalayuan. "Ooh, they're serving tempura and sushi today! I guess I can live with that."

"I'll have steak and mashed potatoes," tipid na sagot naman ni Yzra sa binata.

"Shawarma at fries sa akin, salamat!" nakangiting tugon naman ni Arima.

"Got it. How 'bout your drinks?" tanong muli ni Cyllan sa tatlo na sabay-sabay naman nitong sinagot.

"I'll have root beer."

"Root beer."

"Root beer, please."

Matapos marinig ang sagot ng tatlo ay lumisan na si Cyllan patungo sa counter kung saan nakahain ang mga pagkain na nasa menu. Sinundan naman siya ni Libby ng tingin.

"He's such a gentleman, isn't he?"

"Let's start discussing more important things," saad ni Lora at inabot kay Libby ang hiniram nilang makalumang libro. "Here's your book. Thank you for lending it to us."

"You're done reading it?!" gulat na gulat na tanong ni Libby. Ang kaniyang bibig ay napanganga at kita sa kaniyang mga nanlalaking mata na hindi siya makapaniwala.

"I actually enjoyed reading this book, so I finished it fast. Go ahead, you can take it back," pagpapaliwanag ni Lora at mas nilapit kay Libby ang aklat. Nag-aalangan man, kinuha na rin ni Libby ang libro pabalik.

"What did you find out?" biglang singit ni Yzra na kanina pa nanahimik sa isang tabi. Malawak namang ngumiti sa kaniya si Lora.

"You're smiling from ear to ear... You did find something, didn't you?" ani naman ni Arima. Nabuhayan ang kaniyang mukha at nabalot ito ng pagkamangha para sa kaniyang pinsan.

"You're really a Bourbon! I wish I had your brains," kumento naman ni Libby at napapalakpak sa tuwa.

"Sa totoo lang, wala pa 'tong kasiguraduhan. I just connected the dots and see if it will form something interesting, and it did! Though you might find it ridiculous later."

"Spill it."

"Dorothy was aware that Ashanti distributed her characteristics to the two groups of people she's favorable of before disappearing," panimula ni Lora.

"Those were the villagers and the members of the tribe if I'm not mistaken," singit naman ni Arima.

"Correct! And we're all well-informed that those were us, the mafias, and the cannibals. According to Dorothy, Ashanti gave the villagers their unique colors of hair and eyes, whilst the members of the tribe got her exotic skin color, blue. She also gifted the villagers with intelligence and the cannibals with superstrength," pagpapatuloy ni Lora.

"Let me guess. She's also the one who gave us the Curtain Fall and Keres' Blood?" tanong ni Libby habang tinitirintas ang kaniyang kulay pulang mahabang buhok. Sinagot naman siya ni Lora ng isang tango.

"But Dorothy was the one who named it though. Anyways, as I was saying, Ashanti gave all her deity characteristics to us. So, here's the thing. Paano kung ang dahilan ng pagtatago ni Ashanti ay dahil tuluyan na siyang naging tao?"

"And because she gave us her deity characteristics, her appearance changed! Kaya maging ang kapatid niyang si Shantrini ay hindi siya magawang mahanap ay dahil hindi rin siya makilala nito!" Arima exclaimed excitedly.

"That still doesn't solve our problem. Her transformation happened hundreds of years ago. Kung totoo ngang tuluyan na siyang naging tao, ang ibig sabihin lang noon ay matagal na rin siyang patay," mungkahi ni Yzra, dahilan upang maudlot ang kasiyahan ng kaniyang nakakatandang kapatid na si Arima.

"Wow, that's the longest thing I've heard you said!" Tila isang ina si Libby na sobrang nagagalak sa unang pagsasalita ng kaniyang supling. Napailing na lamang si Yzra at binalewala ang kumento ng dalagang kanilang kasama.

"Of course I know that, Yzra. Who said we'll be looking for Ashanti anyways? The real plan here is to find Ashanti's descendants. Who knows? Shantrini might stop her evil plan after learning and meeting her sister's descendants. After all, her scheme will affect them also," pagpapaliwanag ni Lora. Panandalian namang napatigil sa pag-aayos ng kaniyang sarili si Libby.

"Paano naman natin gagawin 'yon?" takang tanong ni Libby sa tagapagmana ng Bourbon. Bakas sa kaniyang mukha ang pag-aalala at pagkabahala.

"I'm actually hoping you have a picture of Ashanti. Dahil kapag mayroon ka noon, madali na lang akong makakahanap ng mga impormasyon."

"Oh my gosh! We're in luck! I actually have a picture of her!" Sa sobrang galak ay hindi na nakontrol ni Libby ang lakas ng kaniyang boses. Nahihiya siyang ngumiti nang mapansin marami ang nakatingin sa kaniya.

"You're really unbelievable, Libby! Now I'm really curious about how and where did you get those kind of stuff," nakangiting sabi ni Lora. Nagkibit-balikat naman si Libby.

"I can't tell you. That's a top secret of our organization," sagot ni Libby, dahilan upang matawa silang tatlo nila Arima at Lora.

"You seem like you're having fun. Do you want me to give you a girls time?" tanong ni Cyllan nang siya'y makabalik. Hawak-hawak niya ang tray na naglalaman ng mga pagkain na pinabili ng tatlong dalaga.

"Sit down, marquess," utos ni Yzra sa binata kaya wala itong ibang nagawa kung hindi umupo sa kaniyang puwesto kanina. "Lora will recap everything for you. Listen carefully."

"What? Bakit ako? Arima, you do it!"

"Huh? Bakit mo sa akin pinapasa? Ikaw ang nakakaalam ng buong detalye, ikaw na ang magpaliwanag sa kaniya."

"Let's continue that later, okay? Let's eat, I'm starving! Baka pumangit na ako nito."

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June 30, 2020 UPDATE
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