A Thousand-Year Old Prophecy

22: Missing

"Anastasia, did Hazel come there to meet you?"

Yan ang bungad na tanong sa kanya ni Alexandra sa Hologram video call.

Agad na natigilan si Nyssa dahil doon.

"What do you mean, Alexandra? Why would Hazel come to meet me here?"

"Nothing. It's just..."

"Alexandra, I left Hazel there, thinking she would be alright because you are there and also Father. Are you telling me na may nangyaring masama sa kanya?"

"No... no... It's just that..."

"Alexandra..."

The older lady sighed.

"She was missing for a few days now. I am not sure where to look anymore kaya naman nagbaka sakali akong pinuntahan ka niya."

"For a few days now..." Ulit ni Nyssa.

"Don't worry. I will look for her. I have already deployed people to search."

Nagkatinginan silang dalawa.

"Is it..."

"I am not sure, Anastasia."

Napahinga ng malalim si Nyssa. She knew it was Astra. Hindi niya kailangan ng ebidensya. She knew na may kinalaman ito sa pagkawala ng handmaid niya.

"I will contact you again."

Nyssa just nodded tapos ay nawala na yung hologram ni Alexandra.

"You better not do anything drastic." Banta sa kanya ni Raqie.

She remained inside the room habang kausap niya si Alexandra kaya naman narinig nito lahat ng pinag-usapan nila.

Napahinga lang ng malalim si Nyssa.

She's not sure about that.

***

"Where is Anastasia?"

That's the question na bumungad kay Toby when he opened the door because someone was knocking.

At hindi pa man siya nakakasagot ay bigla na lang pumasok si Raqie sa kwarto at hinanap doon si Anastasia.

"I don't know where she is.

"And Senior Raqie, I don't want to be rude but can't you just barge into someone else's room jist like that?"

"I need to see her, Toby. I am afraid she will do something stupid. Tch. That girl is really a pain in the ass."

"Stupid is her usually thing. But seeing you concern this much... Senior Raqie, are you saying that she might be doing something more stupid?"

Raqie clicked her fingers and pointed at him as if saying "Yes! You perfectly got it right there."

"Has it something to do about her sister's call this afternoon?"

Bago pa man makasagot si Raqie, someone else had also joined their conversation.

"Sister's call? Was it Alexandra? What was the call all about?"

Toby sighed as he and Raqie stared at Zaki who was standing on the door.

He had a feeling na kada may gagawing kaabnormalan tong si Anastasia ay maraming susugod na mga tao sa dorm nila. On the first place, how could that stupid girl manage to get this kind of concern for herself?

Once again, Toby sighed. As if he had an answer for that...

"Zaki, wag ka ng dumagdag pa, pwede? I believe you are more level headed than that lady. I will look for her and make sure she won't be in any trouble. And as for you, go back to your dorm, wait for the night call and sleep then. Ayoko na ng isa pang sakit sa ulo."

Then Raqie left the room and started roaming around the campus again to look for Anastasia.

Yung dalawang naiwan naman ay nagkatinginan.

Zaki opened his mouth to speak pero naunahan na siya ni Toby.

"I have no idea what had happened this afternoon. Ang alam ko lang, Raqie asked Anastasia to come with her because her sister was calling."

Zaki nodded slowly then an idea struck him.

"Thanks."

Then he left Toby who sighed and finally closed the door again. Lagot talaga sa kanya yung babaeng yun kapag bumalik na siya.

***

Meanwhile...

The night call was finally heard all over the campus, signalling the start of curfew.

Nyssa waited for another moments before finally standing up.

"It is time."

She planned to leave the campus in order to look for Hazel. Hindi niya kayang maatim na dahil sa kanya ay may mapapahamak.

The reason why she told her handmaiden to stay alive noong umalis siya para sa Central Cloud ay dahil alam niyang sa ginawa niya noong araw na iyon ay hindi matatahimik si Astra hanggang hindi nakakaganti sa kanya.

She knew this and she should have done better than just a mere word of precaution.

And to rectify what she could have done, she had decided to rescue her handmaiden whatever it might cost her.

Unfortunately, not everyone was in favor of her.

Maru suddenly jumped out of nowhere and landed on one of the top branches of the tree na pinagtataguan ni Nyssa.

"Maru, get back here. Aalis na tayo."

But the furball just didn't listen to her.

"Maru..."

Napahinga na lang ng malalim si Nyssa when the circle creature ignored her again. Saka siya nag-umpisang umakyat sa sanga na kinaroroonan ni Maru.

Well, it was indeed a great help that Anastasia was really used in climbing trees.

"Now. Wag ka ng pasaway, Maru. If we leave now, makakabalik agad tayo before the sun goes up later. Let's go."

Nyssa grabbed the hand of Maru. The circle thing started to protest.

"Kruuuuu... Kruuuu... Kruuuuu..."

Maru started to squeak and move violently against Nyssa's hand.

"Maru, shhhh! We will be caught if you continue doing that."

"Kruuuuu..."

At tinignan pa siya ng masama nito.

But Nyssa didn't mind being coercive right now. Most especially at nababagabag pa rin siya kapag naaalala niyang nasa delikadong sitwasyon si Hazel dahil sa kanya.

When Maru felt na buo na ang resolve ni Nyssa to rescue her maid, wala na siyang magawa kundi ang distract ito. She didn't expect Nyssa to be this forceful on behalf of some servant.

It wasn't wrong to be like that, yes. But if Nyssa leaves the campus now, she won't be able to come back.

And both of them still have some uses for this school.

Kaya naman Maru let Nyssa get the information she needed. She trusted na alam ni Nyssa ang kakayahan niya and if she saw what exactly she wanted to see, hindi siya basta basta susuong sa isang bagay na ikakapahamak niya.

With a stump of her feet, Maru let the void consume the whole existence of Nyssa.

Soon, both of them had disappeared in the dark forest of the Central Cloud.

***