A Tribian Tale

29. Snow Dust

"No one's going to be an abyssal demon, kid." 

Sabay-sabay kaming napalingon sa nagsalitang si sir Ferns na nasa wooden gate na ng cottage garden. His serene face, now almost flinching, shifts from me to Oswin. He tries to control his breathing and maintains the established power above his shoulders but I can notice his growing agitation is starting to crash it. 

Lahat kami'y napatayo para salubungin ang head ng camp deadlock. 

"Sir Ferns," mabilis na tumakbo palapit sa kanya sina Mauvi, Regina at Martha gayundin si Lux. Ginulo pa ng head of the camp ang buhok ni Mauvi bago ito muling bumaling saamin.

Now we're all gathered inside the cottage garden while The Drift impatiently observes beyond the rectangular railing. Marahil ay  hinihintay ng mga ito ang pahintulot ni sir Ferns bago kami hatiin sa tatlong grupo. 

Our head of the camp clears his throat. Then he speaks, "There will be a still hour today. No one knows the exact time except Lyka Millar who at the moment is held captive by the dark sorcerers."

"Is she the girl who was colored to be gray-black during last year's coterie? Tapos hindi na siya bumalik?" Myra remembers. 

"Balita ko bumalik siya sa Saban kung saan siya lumaki. I did not know na nadukot pala siya ng mga itim," komento naman ni Zeri. 

"Lyka is a rare focus. An advanced talent compared to other seers. The dark sorcerers or the blacks as most students call them might have discovered her rare talent. With her abduction and all the things that happened back at the mountain, the council and the Trinity decided to have everything guarded."

"Are we the target?" Hindi ko na napigilang tanungin si sir Ferns. Mukhang iyon din naman kasi ang patutunguhan ng pinupunto nito. Mas maigi nang sa kaniya ko mismo marinig. 

"I cannot deny nor confirm that, Stella. Everybody is a target on a still hour." 

"Sir Ferns, y-you mean hindi tayo safe sa oras na 'yon?"

"Only seers and us deadlocks are not affected by the time freeze. The Trinity, prime guards, elite forces, squads who are non-seers and non-deadlock and even fortresses and shields can't do anything beyond the still hour's power." 

"Everybody is an open target," Oswin blurts out. "So, what's the sense of having those bigheads guarding us?"

"They have snow dust. The academy provost decided to give snow dust to the prime guards and the working squads for protection." Matiyaga sa pagsagot sa mga katanungan si sir Ferns. Ilang beses ko itong nahuling bumubuntong hininga. Marahil ay para maibsan ang tensyon sa dibdib nito. He's always been this balmy. Maybe because he's the head of our camp and he wants to show genuine and fair leadership. 

"What's snow dust?" I ask.

Kusang sumagot si Myra, "Those are specks of collected and restored snow in a small magical vial. The flakes only fall during the lunar eclipse. They're rare... and limited. Ilang dekada nang hindi nagkakasabay ang lunar eclipse at ang pag-ulan ng snow dust."

"The blacks are allergic to snow dust. It's like wolfsbane to the werewolves and silver to the bloodsuckers. Snow dust ang kahinaan ng mga dark sorcerers. A single speck of dust can kill one black," pagpapatuloy ni sir Ferns. Muli nitong inilibot ang tingin saaming siyam. 

The way he looks at us makes me feel like he's a family that will protect us with his life. Naroon ang takot sa mga mata nito. Marahil ay takot na baka pagkatapos ng still hour, isa o higit pa saamin ang magaya kay Sandro Aragon. Ramdam ko ang nilalaman ng dibdib nito. Nawalan na ito ng estudyante noon, ngayon ay may posibilidad na mangyari ulit ito. 

Sometimes I ask how he manages to pull everything together even if the consequences are trying to pull his guts apart. How does he remain serene in the midst of these trials? How does he maintain his perfect disposition even after losing younger kin, Sandro Aragon?

"Every magic vial of snow dust has ten to fifteen specks. Each squad member wears them as pendants. You are divided into three groups." Sir Ferns takes deep breathing. Tila hindi ito komportable sa sitwasyon. It must be so hard for him to lecture on the snow dust which could have saved the younger Aragon. Then he continues, " Sa oras na tumigil ang oras, kailangang mailabas niyo ang mga specks ng snow dust mula sa vial. Each one must keep two specs on your palms. The blacks are fast-moving demons. In a millisecond, they'll try to come close to you once the still hour begins." 

Napalunok ako. Sa pagkakalarawan ni sir Ferns sa mga blacks ay mukhang nasa panganib nga ang lahat. Hearing everything about it makes my blood run cold. nakabaon na sa lupa ang kalahati ng katawan namin. Pakiramdam ko'y umaaligid na ang mga kalaban at hinihintay ang still hour anumang oras. 

It's a matter of milliseconds. A do or die. 

"Everybody, go to your squad leaders. I  wish you all to be safe. Conserva." Itinapat ni sir Ferns ang naka-krus na palad nito sa magkabilang dibdib. Iyon ang kumpas na nangangahulugang ang kaayusan at kaluwalhatian ay sumaamin. 

Sama-samang naglakad patungo sa isang sulok sina Mauvi, Zeri at Faey ganondin sina Regina, Lux, at Martha. Nakatingin naman pareho sina Chase at Fabian sa gawi ko. Nauna nang naglakad si Myra kasunod si Oswin. 

Bago ako tuluyang makalayo sa head of the camp ay muli akong nitong tinawag. Nagkasalubong ang aming paningin. Natatanaw nito ang hilakbot sa mga mata ko at nakikita ko din ang takot nito. Naglakat ito palapit saakin. Siguro ay sensitibo ang sasabihin nito kaya mas mabuting ako lang ang makarinig. 

"Sir Ferns," mahina kong usal. 

He sighs then begins, "Chase and Fabian will protect you at all cost, but if something happens to Myra and Oswin, never leave their hands empty. The two boys will make sure you are surrounded by specks of snow dust but this is no longer only about you as a vessel. This is about the deadlocks in danger."

"We're really the target..." Napamaang ako. Bigla kong nilingon sina Myra at Oswin na nag-aasaran na naman. Nadagdagan ang bigat sa dibdib ko. Pakiramdam ko'y mas naging kumplikado ang sitwasyon. Two of my friends are in real danger. Sa pagkakasabi ni sir Ferns, mukhang malaki ang posibilidad na magaya sina Oswin at Myra kay Sandro Aragon. 

"Huwag na huwag kang lalayo sa kanila, Stella. Sandro was taken last year, dahil walang vessel na nakapaligid sa kanya at hindi alam ng buong council at ng academy ang tungkol sa still hour at sa snow dust. Now that we know all of these, it will be a total murder on my part if I let it happen the second time." Napapikit si sir Ferns. The pain is consuming his composure. Then he continues, "The history I would never wish to be repeated. Only you can stop it from happening. Again." 

"What if I fail?" sa basag na tinig, nasambit ng bibig ko. 

"It will never be taken against you," tumingala ito. Bumuhos ang lungkot sa mukha nito. Napansin ko ang pangingilid ng luha sa mga mata nito pero nagawa niya iyong pigiling umagos. "But atleast try, Stella. Please?"

Tumango ako. Halos hindi ako makagalaw sa nangyayari. I gather my fists into strong knuckles. Then, trying to calm myself, I walk towards Myra, Oswin, Fabian, and Chase.  

The still hour is upon us. It's scary. It's even scarier not knowing the uncertainty of the event is real. 

Now I have to come face to face with this fear. Confront it. Defy it. 

I have no choice. This is my faith. Our faith. 

###

How's this story so far? Leave your comments. Hihihi. Konting motivation lang for me! ❤🖤❤