The Grimoire

Chapter 50: Fractured Destiny

VERMILLION

We arrived safely at Zarona. Of course, the river returned to normal, and the citizens were happy. Hindi ako sure kung nawala ang curse kay nimus but seeing him, smiling at us as we were walking back, it made me think that we did. This is one hell of a journey. A lot of things have happened. 

Alam kong pagod kaming lahat kay ni-isa sa amin ay walang nagsalita pa at dumeritso sa kwarto. Napabuntog hininga lamang ako at napahiga kaagad sa higaan.

"Hmm," I sighed at napatingin ako sa bintana na medyo malayo sa higaan ko. I noticed that one of the windows were unlocked. I'm pretty sure I locked it before I went out though. I squinted my eyes to see it clearly and I nervously grinned. "Now, this isn't good," I whispered.

Bumangon ako at humarap ako sa bintana. Dahan-dahan akong naglakad at hinawakan ko ang lock. I was surprised to see a drop from above at sunod-sunod na nga ito. Ah, it's raining. I stood by the window as I gripped the lock harder. My gaze was fixed on the relentless downpour outside. Something is wrong here. The rhythmic tap of raindrops against the windowpane echoed through the room, creating a disquieting soundtrack to my unease. The gray light filtering through the clouds casted a muted ambiance, enveloping the room in a somber hue that mirrored my uneasiness.

It was weird enough to see one of my windows unlocked and a sudden rain, but to think that the next thing that happened was a power outage, hmm this is... well, not really good. Now, something is really strange here. There is no way a sin could do something like this. I locked my windows at tumalikod ako, and yes, the room was dim. I was lucky enough to have a set of candles on top of my bedside table, so I hurriedly walked towards it. I was about to light the candle, kaso kusa itong umilaw kaya napatigil ako.

The flickering candle on the table struggled to compete with the gloom that permeated the atmosphere. The distant thunder rumbled, mirroring the turbulence in my chest. Each flash of lightning illuminated the room. The raindrops raced down the glass, creating a blurred, distorted view outside—a reflection of the uncertainty that gripped my mind. As the rain intensified, so did the knot in my stomach. The sound of rain, usually a comforting lullaby, now felt like an ominous drumbeat, heightening my sense of vulnerability. The room, filled with the pattering of rain and the occasional distant thunderclap, seemed to conspire against me, amplifying my uneasiness.

A sudden chill swept through the room. I shivered, instinctively aware that the atmosphere had shifted. My gaze darted back towards the window, searching for a sign of the threat that lurked in the shadows. The distorted play of light from lightning and shadow became a dance of uncertainty and doubts.  A chill ran down to my spine, an involuntary reaction to the unsettling combination of the cold, damp air and the unspoken threat that lurked beyond the room's boundaries.

I had no choice but to smile nervously as I slowly turned back to my bed where I felt a malevolent power which had the intention of killing me at this point. Whether I'm inside his illusion or he's inside Zarona, it doesn't matter. I'm trapped, but this time, I'm trapped alone.

"Yo," he greeted as his voice cut through the noise of thunderclaps and raindrops.

"I thought you'd wait for me, ba't ka nandito?" I asked. "To steal the grimoires?" I asked again.

"Nah," he replied. He took a piece of paper from his pocket, and he handed it to me. I don't see any signs of magic from it, kaya tinanggap ko naman ito pero syempre, hindi pa rin ako kumpyansa. "I came here to hand you this. I figured out na paano ako maghihintay kung hindi mo naman alam kung nasaan ako," he added.