A Thousand-Year Old Prophecy

66: Toby's Concern 2

"A technique can only be evil if it is used for evil."

Jin's father said.

In that moment, Nyssa looked at Jin's father in different light. For someone who worked in government and had a high rank, this old man seemed to be open-minded. No wonder, Jin could look at things in deeper sense.

"Indeed, Papa." Jin agreed with a smile.

"This technique, though, had been lost for a long time. I heard a lot of people attempted to seek that. Even the best treasure hunters did it. However, none of them were lucky.

"So how come a young lady like you had that technique?"

Jin's father talked to her directly.

"I..." Nyssa saw the interest with everyone's eyes. Of course, these lads were also curious. But they knew well Nyssa wouldn't tell them a secret like that.

Unfortunately, she couldn't tell them that she had acquired the technique from her past life.

"I am sorry. That... I cannot tell you."

The old man laughed. "Of course, of course. Great treasures are not easy to obtain. Therefore, the hows should be hidden too. Don't worry, I perfectly understand." He even waved his hand in dismissal.

However, it was the four gentlemen who had disappointment in their faces. The old man saw them and he just laughed again.

"Ah... But it seems like I am not the one you have rejected but these lads."

Nyssa couldn't help shaking her head. These guys...

***

That night, Nyssa was awoken by a nightmare. It was the same scene when she was attacked by Moira and Yuan.

Hinihingal pa siya at pawis na pawis habang nakaupo sa kama. Her body was also shaking badly.

In her dreams, Moira was able to get her mental capabilities. Afterwards, it was Yuan who had taken her life using a blade.

Napapikit si Nyssa as she remembered.

She knew it happened for real. In alternate world, Moira and Yuan really did kill Anastasia.

And seeing these things in her dreams now, really gave her a scare. Sa totoo lang kasi, that night, she was really very close to the doors of death. It actually wasn't clear to her yet how she survived.

Toby and the rest said they saw a blinding light covering her before she suddenly disappeared.

When she woke up naman, nasa loob na siya ng void.

Nyssa did a deep breathing exercise to calm her nerves. After a while, she stood up, grabbed her cloak and went outside.

Little did she know, Toby had seen her struggles from the moment she started mumbling in her dreams.

***

The next morning, Toby, Khalil and Adam finally had to go home.

Of course, someone was hesitant to leave Nyssa. But Jin's place could accommodate her than theirs.

Toby and Adam's family were quite big and they  lived in one compound. They were already crowded and not very well off. Gustuhin man ni Toby na isama na lang sa kanila si Nyssa but he doubted if Nyssa would be comfortable with that kind of environment. After all, she was still a lady from a noble family in Eastern Island.

During their recruitment day in Central Cloud, Toby had seen how huge the Meng residence was. Surely, for someone who was raised in that place, it would be hard to stay in too crowded one.

He thought that last night while Nyssa was out after waking up from nightmare. Muntik na nga rin niyang kausapin ang dalaga. But as soon as he realized this, he hesitated a lot.

"When are you going back?" Nyssa asked Toby habang tinutulungan niyang itali ang ilan sa mga gamit doon sa carriage. Her question made Toby snapped out from his thoughts and focused again to what he was doing.

"Two weeks..."

"Will that be enough? Masyado kayong matagal na hindi nakita ng pamilya niyo, I wonder if two weeks will be enough?"

Toby raised an eyebrow. "And what about three days time with your family?"

He was talking about the days Nyssa spent in Meng Residence before they set off here.

Nyssa touched her nose and looked away. "Well, it was required. Otherwise, if I had stayed longer, baka hindi na ako nakasama sa inyo ngayon."

"Surely, you will miss them so much from now on. Unlike when we were in Central Cloud, we no longer have an after-test homecoming. This time, it is different."

"I have a way to communicate with them anyway."

Toby couldn't help feeling that Nyssa was very distant to her family. Last year, she refused to went home too. Of course, she had issue with Zaki at that time and he believed she wanted to prevent encountering any troubles with him, but still...

Nyssa felt Toby's curious eyes beside her. But she just ignored him. As she finished tying the last box on the carriage, she faced Toby and gave him a smile.

"Be careful on the way home." She even tapped his arms.

"You should be the one being careful, though."

"Eh?"

Toby sighed. Then he took a vial from his pocket.

"These pills... They can help you sleep deeply at night. Take these..." Then put the vial of small pills on her hand.

Nyssa was stunned. Sleeping pills? But why was he giving these to her?

Then realization dawned on her.

Obviously, Toby knew she was having nightmares at night.

"Thank you."

"Also, don't be too trusting to the people around you. Some of them... Some of them are wolves in sheeps' clothing."

Nangunot ang noo ni Nyssa dahil sa babala na iyon.

"What do you mean?"

"Toby is just kidding." It was Adam who interrupted their talk. "Be at ease here. It's unlikely for Jin to let you be endangered under his care."

"Who is under the care of that guy? I can take care of self no." Nyssa took offense. Syempre, hindi naman siya sobrang hina na nilalang para protektahan ng maigi ni Jin. Besides, she wasn't his subordinate. She was his equal. Yun ang napagkasunduan nila bago sila maging allies. And for two years now, ganun naman ang trato sa kanya ng mga ito. But now...

She wondered what had changed.

Was it because she was under his residence roof?

If that the case, then in sense, she was really under his care.

With that thought, she was suddenly at ease.

***