Alpha Omega

Journey

Ria's POV

Kinatok ko ang pinto ng kwarto ni Cesia. I think she overslept.

Nagulat ako nang bumukas ang pinto at nakita ko siyang nakatayo. Wala siyang dalang bag pero nakabihis na siya.

"I thought you weren't coming. Hahayaan sana kitang magpahinga." I tell her as she closes the door.

Binigyan niya ako ng matamis na ngiti. "Nah. Gusto kong sumama."

I smiled back at her.

She's really something else. Imbes na matulog, pinili niyang sumama sa'min. I mean, this is just a one-day mission afterall.

Kailangan lang naming gabayan ang mga refugees papunta dito sa Academy.

Saglit lang 'to... umm maybe?
Dahil may chances na maaamoy kami ng mga anak ni Gaia. It would be easier for us to detect because we're a large group.

We felt a gust of wind. I didn't even have to take a second look at tinignan si Chase na kalalabas lang ng kwarto niya at nasa sala na.

A few moments later, nagsilabasan na rin sila.

Sabay kaming tumungo sa harap ng Academy. We were greeted by a sunless sky and cold atmosphere. Ganito na palagi ang klima namin. Walang araw... mabibilang lang ang mga bituin... no breeze or wind to move my hair... no rain... no plants are growing... nothing is moving..

I sighed.

We're used to it already... at pag bumalik na ang daloy ng oras, sigurado akong mababaguhan kami.

Bumaba kami gamit ang levitating platform. As usual, may naghihintay na namang sasakyan pero ibang klase na ang mga ito.

"Isa lang?" reklamo ni Chase.

"We'll have to leave it anyways so it won't matter. Maglalakad lang naman tayo papunta dito." sabi ko sa kanya at unang pumasok.

Sumunod na rin yung iba. Chase was in the driver's seat at katabi niya sa front seat si Trev. Beside me are Seht and Thea. Nasa pinakalikuran sina Cesia, Kara, at Dio.

Insert na rin ang maliit na babaeng mahimbing ang tulog sa front seat. Galatea is sleeping on Trev's lap.

Surprisingly, hindi naman umangal si Trev.

I took my rest nang paandarin na ni Chase ang makina.

An hour later, tumigil ang sinasakyan namin sa harap ng mga tents na itinayo ng mga huntres for the refugees.

"You're early. Have you eaten breakfast?" sinalubong kami ni Heather paglabas namin. Kasingkulay ng mga mata niya ang buwan. Gayundin ang mga mata ng kapwa huntres niya.

Blessed by the moon goddess herself.

Tinignan ko ang relo na suot ko saka napailing. We were all required to wear watches with small barriers to keep track of time. But we'll have to reset this if time gets restored... hopefully.

"Umm... si Arah?" tanong ni Thea kay Heather as her eyes wander around the busy huntres.

"She's a few kilometers away from us. Sumama kasi siya sa roaming troops pero wag kang mag-alala, she's with our third-in-command." Heather assured her.

"Ah..." napatingin siya sa baba. Obviously, she was disappointed. Alam ko kung gaano niya namiss ng sobra ang kapatid niya.

We were on our way to eat when a boy stopped me. May hawak siyang pulang bulaklak na inabot niya sa'kin.