The Grimoire

Chapter 38: Magic traps

KEL

Tangina niyo, ba't ako ginawa niyong pa-in!

"Argh!" sigaw ko nang may naapakan akong madulas. I couldn't help but slid through the muddy land and my body landed on it. Saktong-sakto naman na tumuklaw rin ang viper sa harapan ko- at kung hindi ako nadulas, sigurado akong patay na ako ngayon. Napatingin ako sa gilid at kitang-kita ko ang pagbaba ng isa pa nitong ulo para tuklawin ako. Dali-dali akong gumapang sa maputik na daan palayo. Nang tumuklaw ulit ang pangalawa nitong ulo, saktong-sakto ulit na nadulas naman ako at this time, mukha ko na ang tumama sa putik.

"Kel's here!" I heard Evie shouted. "Phew, I thought I lost him. Buti buhay pa-" putol niyang sabi nang makita akong nakahandusay sa putik. "...siya," she continued softly.

"Buo pa ba siya?" Leo asked and he paused when he saw me. "O-O-Oh..." he said. "Oh, that's-"

"Attakehin niyo naman, maaawa kayo!" sigaw ko habang inaalis ang putik sa mukha ko. Napalingon ako sa likoran and I saw Evie's ribbon stopping the viper's heads from biting me. I heard another set of footsteps from a far and I saw Cairo. He stopped in his tracks when he saw me, and it took him a couple of minutes to process what was going on. "Ano? Magtititigan na lang ba tayo rito?!" reklamo ko at pilit kong tumayo. Dumating naman si Vermillion na may hawak na bulaklak na sapagkakaalam ko ay nagtataglay ng isang malakas na poison. The most poisonous plant, Oleander.

Biglang nakawala ang viper sa likoran ko kaya wala akong nagawa kung hindi umiling at napatakbo ako ulit. I am confident with my long-range attacks pero- ba't naman ganito?! Ang laki ng pwede kong maitulong sa ganitong labanan eh!

"Please hurry up!" I pleaded as I ran away, papunta sa tuktuk ng bundok. I also came across another set of eggs na iniwasan ko na talaga at baka dumami pa sila. I know they can attack this viper instantly, or even kill it pero bakit parang... bakit parang wala silang ginagawa?

The viper moved its head, and I had no choice but to jump upwards para maiwasan ito. I used that time to look behind me, and the viper's second head was already there. I clenched my teeth as I landed on the first viper's scales. I jumped once again at naiwasan ko ulit ang tuklaw ng pangalawang ulo.

My eyes widened when I saw Cairo and the others, doing nothing. Cairo was standing on a tree branch while watching me fight. Evie was fixing her hair, while Leo was cleaning his shoes kasi naapakan niya ang putik kanina. Lastly, I turned to Vermillion, and she looked like she didn't have any plan to save me as well. She was also sitting on a tree branch across Cairo. Are they trying to kill-

Vermillion gave me a specific smile that gave me a hint of what was going on.

Are they trying to test me? Right now? In this muddy forest?? With this fucking viper?

"Come on, Kel. You're better than this!" sigaw ni Leo. What am I supposed to do? Hindi niyo ako tinutulongan!  "Should I go and help-"

"Stay there," Cairo said. "He can do it," he added. JUST AS WHAT I THOUGHT. Kasasabi niya lang  kanina na patayin ito gamit ang sariling laso, hindi naman niya nabanggit na ako pala dapat gagawa. I have a lot of questions, but I think it's better to get rid of tihs giant two-headd viper first before anything else. 

I took a deep breath, and I ran without hesitation. I grew up in a town surrounded by forest kaya masasabi kong parang forte ko na rin ito. Alam kong nakasunod sa akin ang viper kaya hindi na ako lumingon pa. I continued to run, jump, and evaded its attacks habang ako ay paitaas ng bundok. I can feel that the pressure was changing and so is the direction of the air. At this point, nilakasan ko na ang loob ko at tumigil ako sa itaas ng isang malaking puno. Lumingon ako and I unexpectedly saw the viper's mouth.