The Grimoire

Chapter 19: The Daredevil

"Oh, no, no, teka lang Cai-"

At iyon na nga, hindi ko na siya napigilan. The sunrays na pa-wala na began to gather on his arms as he run towards Kel. The sunrays then turned into a light magic that made a unique armor on his arms. Madali siyang nakalusot sa nakaharang sa harap ni Kel dahil sa lakas niya. The others were thrown away at agad itong sinundan nina Leo at Evie. Cairo grabbed Kel's collar and for the second time, he stepped on his bows- at well, it broke.

"Why the hell were you doing?" I heard Cairo asked coldly habang ako ay tumatakbo papunta sa kanila para pigilan siya. Kel was too stunned to talk but I saw his eyes widened when he saw our team's emblem na nakamarka sa uniform ni Cairo. The emblem of the team is always wielded by the leader. I saw how his jaw started to drop at sa halip na matakot siya kay Cairo, he slowly glanced at my direction.

"Is he...."

"Our Captain? Yes," sabi ko kaagad at hindi ko na siya pinatapos sa pagsasalita. I tackled Cairo's shoulders at napabitaw siya kay Kel. "It's a misunderstanding, Cairo. He wasn't really doing dirty stuff. He was just looking for our team's emblem," I explained. Cairo doesn't look so happy, and his brows began to furrow. "He is not an enemy," I added at kumalma siya ng konti. Leo and Evie stopped as well, and they teleported behind Cairo.

"Akala ko inaano ka na," sabi ni Evie at tinitigan niya si Kel. "Is he okay? Kanina niya pa tinititigan ang emblem natin," she said at sabay kaming lahat napatinign kay Kel. His eyes were locked into our emblem. His usual droopy eyes changed into something else. It seemed like his eyes were a lot brighter as if he found something interesting- as if he found his hope somehow.

"I have a ship," bigla niyang sabi. "I can take you to the mist," he added, and Cairo got interested.

"May sasakyan na kami bukas. There is no need for you to help," he explained. "And well, I guess I apologize for the misunderstanding," he added without sincerity.

"No one would want to go there. Kahit ilang gold coins pa ang ibabayad mo, walang papayag," Kel insisted.

"Why would I accept a stranger's offer?" Cairo asked with his one brow raising. He looked like he doesn't trust Kel at all.

"I've been there," he said and my eyes widened. Is he lying?

"You've been there?" Leo asked. "Everyone can say that though. It's not that big deal," he added.

"Baka sinsabi mo lang iyan kasi gusto mong sumama?" Evie asked.

"Kel, tama na!" rinig naming sigaw mula sa iba niyang kasamahan na may mga sugat pa dahil sa pag attake kanina. "Stop going in there. Ilang beses ka na naming sinasabihan!" reklamo niya at hinablot niya ang kamay ni Kel. He was a couple of years older than us. "Pasensya na po sa abala," sabi pa niya at inilayo niya si Kel sa amin habang si Kel ay sumisigaw pa rin na siya ang maghahatid namin doon. Personally, I don't really mind but something is telling me that I should at least believe some of his alibis, or are those real alibis?

"Prove it," sabi ko at napatigil ang taong nakahawak kay Kel at napatingin sa akin na halatang nag-aalala. He seemed like he was telling me to stop adding fuel to the fire which is kind of interesting- kasi baka nga, nakapunta na siya sa mist. "Say something that would prove your statements," I added. Kel hesitated at napatingin siya sa taong nakahawak sa kaniya. Napalunok siya at tumingin ulit siya sa amin.

"I was with my father. We both went to the mist pero sa entrance lang ako, hindi ako pumasok. He gave me a small boat to go back but I went in for a couple of minutes before I started to paddle away," he explained. "The mist you see is not a normal mist. It is a mist made by something who is guarding that territory. I saw it. I saw how the mist came out from its tentacles as it was sleeping," he added, and I saw Cairo tilted his head.