The Orphic Secret

Chapter 36

TOMB

"His own safe haven might be you, Four," Illeasalis said with twinkling eyes.

I actually winced because of that. Mukha siyang bata, pero kung mag-isip akala mo mas matanda— well, technically, she is nga pala. Her body stopped aging at thirteen. The same thing goes for the other ten, that's why they look youthful. Kaya rin siguro ang ganda ko.

"Wala ka bang nararamdamang bahid ni Zero rito?" tanong ni Caster. I raised one eyebrow and tried reaching Zero with my brain.

"Bakit? Miss mo na ako?" tanong niya sa loob ng utak ko. Napapikit ako at umiling nalang.

"Nas'an ka ba? Nakakastress nang isipin kung nas'an ka," sagot ko pero hindi ko 'yan sinabi nang malakas. Syempre, duh.

I heard him chuckle inside my head, it vibrated over my chest too. Luh. Napatingin sa'kin ang iba dahil sa tagal kong hindi sumagot. I raised my hand as a sign of 'Wait lang, ha.'

"I told you. Hindi ko rin alam kung nas'an ako. Kung nas'an ka man, 'yon lang ang lugar na alam ko," sagot niya. Ano ba yan, walang kwenta.

I sighed, "Then where is your safe haven? Sabi nila doon ka raw maaaring matagpuan."

Tumalikod na ako sa kanila dahil hanggang ngayon ay nakatingin sila sa'kin. Lumayo pa ako sa kanila para mas lalo akong mapanatag. Nakakailang talaga 'pag pinapanood nila galaw ko.

"Illeasalis already told you. You are my safe haven." Hindi pa siya nakakatapos magsalita ay malakas na akong umubo. Nasamid pa nga ako at hinampas-hampas ko ang dibdib ko. It sounds different hearing it personally from him!

"Pasensya na pala kung inakala kong hindi totoo ang ibang tao. But at least you managed to wake everyone up," pampalubag-loob niyang sabi sa'kin. Muntik ko nang ilabas ang dila ko pare belat-an siya.

"I was wrong to assume things, and think bad to the Orphic Administration. My memories were badly mixed up that time," dagdag niya pa.

"Huwag mong iligaw ang topic, Zero. Hindi kita buhayin d'yan, eh. Paano nga kita mahahanap?" tanong ko na naman sa utak ko. Panigurado namang mapapakinggan niya 'yan.

"Four?" tawag sa'kin ni Sir Ephraim. "You good?"

Napatango naman ako, "Yeah! Me goods!"

"You were the one who made this connection to be honest. Sinasabi ko nga sa'yo, ikaw lang ang nakakaalam."

"E' wala nga akong alam!" I covered my mouth immediately when I realized I shouted it out loud. Awtomatikong napalingon sa'kin ang lahat. I closed my mind.

I feel so pressured, and I am not even used to this. Masyado akong nabibigla, pero alam kong hindi puwedeng hindi ako kumilos o mag-isip.

I look around in this haven, and realized that these peculiars' lives are in my hands— and I need to do this.
O' espiritu ni Aurora Calytrix, sumapi ka nawa sa'kin!

"Find your tomb, Four," the wind whispered. A soft hum played along in my head. Tomb? Where my corpse as Aurora Calytrix is?

Nagliwanag naman ang mata ko nang mapagtantong tama ang binulong sa'kin ng hangin. If Zero's safe haven is me, then he must be frozen near my tomb!

"Alam ko na kung nas'an!" sigaw ko. Mas lalo namang natuon ang atensyon nila sa'kin. Some even moved forward to me.

"Nas'an?!" sabay-sabay nilang tugon.

"Ayun," sagot ko sabay turo sa langit. Natawa naman ako nang malakas nang sabay-sabay nga silang tumingin d'on, kahit nga si Kuya na bulag, bigla nalang tumingin sa taas. As if naman makikita niya!

"Wala naman, ah," inis na wika ni Chastille. The others looked at me with deadly glares too.

Humagikhik ako lalo. "Uto-uto kasi," sambit ko at bumingisngis.

They all shooked their head disappointingly. May ibang tinalikuran na ako. Adara looked at me closely, siya na ngayon ang pinaka-naiinis. Napalunok naman ako nang lumapit siya sa'kin.

"Stop playing games, Four," she sternly said. Natigilan ako lalo sa susunod niyang sinabi.

"Nine's life is also with your hands. The more he spends life here in the mortal realm, the more he weakens. You need to finish this, and give life to the realm," halos bulong niyang wika sa'kin.

My eyes bore into her serious ones. Nagsimula namang magkaroon ng takot sa mata ko... Nine can die if I fail to create the dimension in time?

"B-bakit naman siya—" naputol ang itatanong ko nang marahas na naman niya akong sabihan.

"That doesn't matter, Four! What matters is that you finish this as soon as possible. Please. Stop being stubborn now, Rory." Mas lalo akong hindi nakaimik dahil sa huling pangungusap na sinabi niya.

Stop being stubborn, Rory. Napapikit naman ako nang maalala ang memorya kung s'an iniwan ko sila para lang sagipin si Zero. That was really stubborn, but who knew it would be the right decision?

Napabuntung-hininga ako. This is really the time to get serious.

"Bring us to Aurora Calytrix's tomb," wika ko. Nang imulat ko ang mata ko'y hindi pa sila naka-responde agad.

"Zero's safe haven is I, so his body must be close to where my past self was. Her tomb—"

"We are forbidden to enter tombs," singit agad ni Nicolas.

Inilingan ko naman siya, "But it is where we can find Zero, and we have to do this. We should not waste time." Napatingin pa ako kay Kuya Nine nang sabihin ko 'yon.

Umikot na ako para sumakay sa kotse. Binaba ko ang bintana nang mapansing hindi pa sila sumasakay, "Ano na? Alam niyo naman kung nas'an 'di ba?"

The ten nodded. Then why aren't they going in the car?

"Oh, tara na!" sigaw ko.

"Aurora Calytrix's tomb is here, Four. Hindi na natin kailangan lumayo pa," pigil sa'kin ni Kuya. Oh! Medyo napahiya ako sa pagsakay agad sa kotse, ah.

I smiled awkwardly and got off the car again. "Okay, so pwede niyo ba kaming i-lead papunta sa tomb?"

They nodded. "Pero kapag naman pumupunta kami r'on. Wala kaming nakikitang katawan ni Zero," Kiyoshi said.

Napaisip naman ako, then why did the wind suddenly whispered 'tomb' to me?

"Maaari rin namang ikaw lang ang makakakita sa katawan ni Zero, Four," ani Tamonjie. "Because of the 'connection.' Sa tingin ko lang naman."

I nodded, but before I could respond again, a massive explosion happened before me. I panicked and immediately looked at the orbs. I panicked more when I saw no orbs around anymore— like it completely vanished.

What?! Hindi pwedeng mawala ang orbs!

"Don't worry about the orbs, Four." Napasinghap naman ako nang marinig 'yon. It was Seraphin, who was afloat and above. "They are in good hands."

"Kami na ang bahala rito. Hanapin mo na muna si Zero. Go to the direction towards the moon," aniya bago muling mawala sa paningin ko. Nanginig naman ako nang makaramdam ng matinding lamig.

Tumingala ako at hinanap na ang buwan. Tumakbo na ako bago pa ako madawit sa labanan. I should trust them for now, and do my duty.

Zero, please be here.

The Orphic Secret
By lostmortals
Plagiarism is a crime.

Thank you for reading!