Ever After

XXX. Eight

Deafening silence surrounded the four of us while sitting in a round table. The only noise you can here is the buzzling bees flying around the flowers and the birds singing in their nests.

The sky is clear and the atmosphere is calm. But behind the calming nature, we all know deep inside that anytime, a storm might come.

"So, now what?" Ashley broke the silence. We are all staring at the twelve kingdom's symbols in the table. Five symbols under the red circle, and three under the white one.

"Lima ang kaharian nila at tatlo lang ang sa atin. They are more powerful." Ethan said.

"What if we tell the other kingdoms to help us? Seven over five."

But instead of responding to me, they just looked at me as if I said something ridiculous.

"Why?"

"Have you forgotten that the dark kingdom is just myth for everyone? They wouldn't believe us." Ashley replied.

"Tsaka malabong maniwala sila dahil ang linis ng reputasyon ng bawat kaharian. No one will expect that they wanna conquer the world," dagdag ni Ethan.

"The Everland is in a calming peace for almost a century. Who would imagine that a raging storm will about to destroy it," saad ni Nickolas at bahagyang tumawa.

"Pero come think of it, bakit sila nagpakilala sa atin gayong alam nila na gagawa tayo ng paraan para hindi matuloy ang balak nila?" Ashley asked while sipping a coffee.

"Maybe, they are planning something? And we are part of their plans?" I said. They all looked at me like I pointed out something. Napatakip nalang ako ng bibig nang marealise ang sinabi ko.

"If that's the case, kailangan natin silang unahan." Nickolas said that made everyone nod.

They started talking about the plan. Of what we are going to do once the enemy made their move.

Hindi alintana ang maiingay na huni ng mga insekto at malamig na simoy ng hangin sa gitna ng hardin ng Wilhem.

I looked at each of them. They are all determined to save their world. They are willing to do everything. But me?

"Eerah, know your limits. Do your mission and go back to your world!"

Naalala ko ang mga sinabi ng gabay ng kasalukuyan. No, I will fight with them.

But the present has a point. I can just ignore everything and focus on my mission. Besides, I'm not really belong here. Darating ang araw na aalis din ako.

Babalik ulit si Victoria at walang makakaalam na nag-exist ako. The time will come, I will also be forgotten like Victoria.

But unlike her, I wouldn't be remembered again.

* * *

A week passed but the dark kingdom seems so quiet. They didn't make any move after they introduced themselves. Sa klase, normal lang ang pakikitungo nila sa amin like nothing really happened.

I am walking in the lively street of the market. Napapahinto ang mga tindera sa pagsigaw at pagtawag ng mga mamimili sa tuwing dumaraan ako kasama ang isang tagapagsilbi at apat na kawal.

Sino ba naman kasi ang hindi kapag makakita ka ng isang babaeng nakagown sa gitna ng maingay, mainit, malansang amoy sa pamilihan?

Kakagaling lang namin sa bahay ng kawani ng kalakalan. Geez, naalala ko na naman yung muntik na pagsaksak sa akin dito. Kaya kapag may tinderang nag-aalok sa akin ng kahit ano, hindi ko na pinapansin. Malay ko bang gilitan nila ako bigla.