88 GATES-Return of the Fallen

}•05

◎⊙◎

His lengthy eyelashes flew open, dramatically that it gave him a blurry view of an area of the room that appeared to have been the ceiling. It didn’t take up so much time before he could realize it. “Ugh!” he moaned as he closed his eyes hard sensing the pain in his head. The memories were brought back. He could hear explosions and screams. Some of those were from the war that had happened earlier and . . . the other one was from the medieval war—chaotic, violent and much morbid.

     Feeling that the flashbacks were done, he opened his eyes again. He wandered it through the room, slowly that it finally landed on a sleeping woman on his chest. Her wavy hair aesthetically laid on it. Some of the strands reached his neck. He gasped for air and swallowed it. He loved the aroma, the scent her hair was giving. But who was she? Bakit ito natutulog sa dibdib niya? And more importantly, bakit siya nasa loob ng isang silid?

     He tried to remember and he succeeded. He was in Rare World. Everyone was sent to a journey to save Zoidion from destruction. He might have known that the woman was a Rare Blood as well.

     Celestial Spirit Aries already found his energy though it might not be enough for him to get back to Zoidion. He thought it would only be enough to find the others. He had to find them to finally go home. But as he was thinking deeply, he realized they would need Summoners. He sighed. Kailangan nila sina Zyke at Racchina . . . at ang Anointed. He sighed again realizing how long the journey would take. Sa tingin niya’y napakalaki ng mundong ito. Hindi niya alam kung saan magsisimula.

     In a few more seconds, Spirit Aries heard her moaned, a sign that she’s waking up. He didn’t know what to do. He couldn’t just introduce himself as someone who came from afar, who welded magic and all. Siguradong hindi ito maniniwala. And worse, sasabihin pa nitong baliw siya.

     He closed his eyes. He wanted to escape as soon as possible. And to do that, he would have to play dead, as if someone who hadn’t waken up yet.

•

Ariesa felt her body throbbing. It must have been from the long hours she spent uncomfortably sleeping on his chest. Her head ached as well. At nang maalala niya ang nangyari kagabi bago siya mahimatay ay agad niyang sinunggaban ng tingin ang kanang kamay. It was still there. The Aries mark was still on her hand so identical with his. She tried to rub it, hoping it would disappear but it wouldn’t. She needed water, maybe.

     She glanced down at him with a fearful eyes. Something’s not right with him. Alam ni Ariesa ‘yon. And whoever he might be, she knew he’s dragging her up to his mess. And to think that he’s a stranger, her uncertainty of housing him was getting high.

     But for now, she’d have to leave. Iiwanan muna niya ito sa bahay at magpapatawag na lang ng mag-aasikaso sa kaniya. Sa ngayo’y may klase pa siyang papasukan.

•

“Ano nga ulit ang tawag nito?” Racchina asked while her mouth was full. She lifted the triangular food in the air, waiting for his response. Ilang oras na silang palakad-lakad sa gilid ng kalsada. If they would estimate it, it could have been . . . forever. Simula nang ituro ng compass and daan ay nagsimula na silang maglakad nang walang hinto. Alam iyon ng kanilang mga katawan. They were already tired but still ignored it. “Hoy!” Racchina called the inattentive Zyke while still chewing down the food into pieces. Busy ito sa kakatingin sa compass na tila ba’y wala itong planong sagutin siya. “Ano nga ‘to ulit!” she syllabicated hard, that’s when he noticed.