Frontier Horizon

Chapter XLVI: Night One (Part I)

Y Z R A

Kahit malalim na ang gabi't malamig na ang simoy ng hangin, walang humpay pa rin sa pagpatak ang aking dugo at pawis. Nais ko man magtayo ng maliit na kampo upang doon muna mamahinga ay hindi ko magawa dahil sa kada pagkakataon na ako'y titigil sa aking paglalakbay, may mga cannibal na kukuhanin ang oportunidad at sisimulan akong atakihin.

Wala pang isang araw nang simulan ko ang misyon na ito pero hindi na kinakaya ng katawan ko ang hirap na aking dinadanas. Kahit gaano pa katindi ang pagsasanay na pinagdaan ko noon, kusa nang bumibigay ang aking sarili. Ngunit hindi na nakakapagtaka.

I've been walking non-stop for hours, without consuming any food, just water. I'm heavily wounded—haven't broken any bones yet—but the scratches I have received from hordes of cannibals I have fought are still bleeding. But that's not all. I'm also carrying two bags that are filled with my supplies.

Masasabi kong isang himala lang na buhay pa ako hanggang ngayon.

Kahit gaano pa kasama ang turing sa akin ng aking ama, sa tingin ko'y hindi siya ang nagbalak at nagpresinta sa Pantheon na ipadala ako sa misyon na ito. Mataas ang ranggo ko sa organisasyon. Kung si Arima man ang pipiliin niyang tagapagmana, magiging isang rehente pa rin ako. I'm still an important piece in his chessboard.

Inilibot ko ang aking tingin sa madilim na damuhang aking kinaroroonan. Due to fatigue, my vision is getting blurry. Unti-unti na akong nahihirapang mapansin ang maliliit na galaw.

Isang ngiti ang gumuhit sa aking labi. Mukhang sa araw na ito matatapos lahat ng aking pagdudusa. Iyon nga lang, mawawala ako sa mundong ito nang mag-isa. Hindi ko man lang magagawang makapagpaalam.

I was about to fall on my knees when someone grabbed my shoulder. Agad kong nilingon kung sino ang umalalay sa akin.

"Stay with me, Yzra. I got you," wika niya gamit ang kaniyang malumanay na boses. Mula sa kaniyang dala-dalang bagahe, inilabas niya ang isang maliit na boteng naglalaman ng maliliit na mga kapsula. Kumuha siya ng isang kapsula at inilapit ito sa aking bibig. "Take this."

Hindi naman ako nagmatigas pa at ininom ang gamot na binigay niya sa akin. Based on its taste, I can confirm that the medicine she gave me is a heilen capsule—the same medicine I took after the SEDRIMO incident and the same medicine that my father and my uncle decided to limit the supply, for they believed that by doing that, we won't be making dangerous decisions again.

"What are you doing here, mother?" I asked her while helping myself to stand up. Tinanggal ko ang pagkakaalalay niya sa akin at bahagyang dumistansya. "Alam ba ni dad na nandito kayo? Alam ba ng Pantheon na nandito kayo?" sunud-sunod kong tanong sa kaniya.

"That doesn't matter, anak—"

"It does, mother. This is a perilous mission and with my current state right now, I can't protect you. Ayoko nang maulit ang nangyari noon sa Mafia Pantheon." Habang sinasabi ko iyon ay nagtila isang pelikula ang aking alaala noong araw na 'yon at bumalik sa aking isipan.

I was only five years old back then. We, the Alvarezes, visited the Mafia Pantheon for the ranking (which only happens every two decades). Walking through the corridors, I held my mom's hand tightly, for I was afraid of other mafiosi. We're about to rejoin my father and my sister when I witnessed something with the corner of my eyes.

From afar, a man wearing a black suit approached the eldest daughter of Beauregard Ansatsu and took her with him by force. Being a naive child I was, I let go of my mother's hand and ran after the culprit. My mother had no choice, but to follow me.

After a long chase, we're too late to notice that it was a trap orchestrated by Cerberus, a defunct organization as of today. We got surrounded. And since I was young back then, I can't help but watch my mother fought their whole organization in order to protect me and the heiress of Ansatsu.

"What's wrong, mom?" I worriedly asked as she fell. I was about to examine her when my father came to the scene with Arima, who was very lost and confused.

"Don't touch your mother!"

"It was never your fault, Yzra."

"My unborn little brother was killed in that confrontation." Napabuga na lang ako ng hangin habang pinipigilan ko ang aking mga luha na kumawala mula sa aking mga mata. Hindi ako puwedeng umiyak, hindi ako puwedeng magluksa.

Bahagyang napatigil ang aking ina sa mga salitang aking binitawan. "Your father and I agreed not to tell either you or Arima about that."

"I heard it from the esquire." Nakita ko ang pagkuyom ng kaniyang mga kamay.

"You avenged him." Nilagay niya ang kaniyang kamay sa aking balikat. "You did it four years ago. You killed those mafiosi. You made them suffer on the last day of their lives. Your black parade did avenge him." Tiningnan niya ako diretso sa aking mga mata. Ang kaniyang tingin ay puno ng katapatan.

Marahan akong umiling-iling. "I still didn't get to protect you or him."

"The same goes to me. Kaya hindi ko na hahayaang mangyari iyon ulit. I won't lose another child." Ibinaba niya ang kaniyang pagkakahawak mula sa aking balikat papunta sa aking braso. Masuri niyang tiningnan ang aking mga sugat na unti-unti nang natutuyo't gumagaling. "Kumain ka na ba?" nakangiting tanong niya sa akin na sinagot ko ng iling.

"Why don't you prepare our tent while I take care of the cannibals?" utos niya sa akin at nilabas ang isang katana mula sa kaniyang bagahe.

"Are. . . Are you sure you don't need my help?" tanong ko sa aking ina na may pag-aalangan. Mas lalong lumawak ang ngiti niya sa akin.

"I got this, but thank you, anak." From her luggage, she pulled out a sheathed katana. I blinked once. . . twice. . . thrice. I was completely taken a back. Hindi ko inaasahang lalabanan ng aking ina ang mga cannibal gamit ang isang espada.

Every time I hear a slash, I can't help but paused what I'm doing for a second and observed the fight that was happening. The cannibals were helpless against my mother. They tried catching her off guard with their jumps, on the other hand, their cores are exposed and vulnerable; making it easier for her to thrust them with her katana.

The cannibals tried to attack her with their claws too, but to no avail. With just three slashes, they were torn from limb to limb. Is this the Sherry Art Technique that Eden used to tell me during my childhood?

After seeing my mother defeated five cannibals effortlessly, the other cannibals decided to fall back. Mukhang hindi na namin sila magiging problema pansamantala.

"Shall we eat dinner?" tanong sa akin ng aking ina at binalik sa kaluban ang kaniyang katana na duguan. Umupo siya sa harap ng tent at nagsimulang gumawa ng apoy gamit ang ilang dahon at sangang mapupulot sa damuhan.

Matapos mapagtagumpayan ang pagsisindi ng apoy, kumuha siya ng dalawang lata mula sa kaniyang bagahe. Itinapat niya ito sa apoy upang simulang painitin.

"I hope you're okay with tomato soup. Ito lang kasi ang nagawa kong dalhin sa pagmamadali ko," nahihiya niyang wika at bahagya pang napakamot sa kaniyang ulo.

"I don't mind, mother."

"Balita ko kasi kay Eli, mahusay ka raw magluto. Nag-aalala lang ako baka hindi mo matipuhan ang lasa." Hindi ko alam ang isasagot ko kaya nanatili na lamang akong tahimik. Napahawak na lang ako sa aking dibdib na unti-unting nag-iinit. I'm being overwhelmed by my emotions. This is not a good sign.

"Can I ask you a question, mother?" Inipon ko lahat ng aking lakas ng loob upang bitawan ang isang pangungusap na iyon.

"Of course, anak. Go ahead, ask away," sagot naman niya habang tinitikman ang tomato soup na kaniyang iniinit. "Hmm. . . it's not bad but it's not that good either."

"Why are you suddenly doing this?"

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Thank you for reading Frontier Horizon! Please don't be shy to leave a comment if you enjoy this chapter. I love to know what do you think about every update.

APRIL 17, 2022

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