Tower of Zion

Chapter 17

Raziel Raffia Lunwood’s Pov

I know that there are a lot of shortcuts that we could use to lessen the time of our journey but I didn’t know that most of them actually save us more time.

Like the second shortcut that Azu said.

From 17th floor to 25th floor within ten hours is a real deal.

“Do we have equipment if ever I decided to suggest the second shortcut?” I asked him and he immediately nodded.

“Mukhang alam ni Zuri kung paano ka mag-isip kaya sinabihan na niya ako ahead of time na ihanda ang ilang gamit na dadalhin natin para kung sakaling magdesisyon ka nang simulan ang pag-akyat.,” sabi niya.

“What about the third?” I asked. “Where would it take us?”

“40th.”

Mas lalo pang nanlaki ang mga mata ko. “Really?”

“But the terrain is much more dangerous than the other one so I preferred not using that shortcut,” sabi niya. “And the fourth shortcut will bring us directly on the 50th floor and that would be a suicide terrain.”

“How did you know all of that shortcut?”

“I am a scientist and it is my job to discover something that nobody still can’t find,” paliwanag niya. “Nang mapadpad ako sa 15th floor ay agad na akong nag-isip ng ibang mapagkakaabalahan. At ang paghahanap ng mga shortcut ang isa doon.”

“Can you show me all of those shortcuts?”

Kumunot ang noo niya. “Why?”

“I just want to know what will be the right shortcut that we can use.” Hinawakan ko na ang kamay niya. “Let’s go. Lead the way.”

Bakas ang pagdadalawang-isip sa kanyang mga mata at hindi na ako nagtataka doon dahil malaki ang posibilidad na ikinuwento ako ni Zuri sa kanya. At iyon ang pinagbabasehan niya para pakisamahan ako.

“Don’t worry,” sabi ko. “I will not suggest the suicide terrain if that is what bottering you. And Like what I said before, I will do everything to make everyone safe.”

“Are you sure?”

Tumango ako. “But that doesn’t mean that I will not choose the easy way so I need to see it for myself. I don’t want to lose any chances we have in our hands to keep ourselves distance from the archangel.”

Bumuntong hininga siya. “Fine,” sagot niya. “But I will only show you the first three shortcuts since that is the only terrain where we have a higher chance of living if we tried to use that.”

“You are not going to show me the fourth one?”

Umiling sya. “Like what I said, it is too dangerous and it will be a suicide to use it without a proper equipment,” paliwanag niya. “Besides, Masyadong malayo ang fourth shortcut kaya magsasayang lang tayo ng oras kung pupunta pa tayo doon.”

Napanguso nalang ako. “Fine. Let’s go.”

Nagsimula na kaming maglakad papunta sa unang shortcut.

“Ahm,” aniya. “Zuri told me about your friends.”

“He did?”

Tumango siya. “And I was actually with him when he accidentally met those three girls on the 19th floor.”

“Hmm,” Hindi ko alam kung ano ba ang dapat kong sabihin.

Sa totoo lang kasi ay ayokong pag-usapan ang tungkol doon. Lalo lang akong nag-aalala sa tatlong iyon.

Pero ayoko din naman siyang patigilin dahil alam kong wala siyang masamang intensyon sa pagbanggit nito.

“Pwede mo bang sabihin sa akin kung hanggang saang palapag na ang narating mo?” tanong ko pagkuwa’y tumingin sa kanya.

Nauuna kasi akong maglakad sa kanya at hawak ko pa din ang kamay niya nang sa gayon ay hindi kami magkahiwalay sa pupuntahan namin.

“Me?” Itinuro niya ang sarili. “I already reached the 50th floor?”

“50th?” Tumango siya. “Is it safe there?”

“Like what Zuri told you, the 17th floor to 20th floor is safe,” aniya. “But the rest of the floors are filled with Erian lurking in every part of each floor. But there are still floors that they don’t reach so I am guessing that they are the one who built the shortcuts around each floor.”

“What do they look like?” tanong ko pa. “I mean, the Erian?”

“Oh,” he said. “Hindi ka pa nga pala nakakita ng mga tulad nila.”

“I only heard about them in a book but they don’t have any photos in it so I am guessing that the tower doesn't want everyone to know their appearance.”

“Ang laki nila ay doble ng atin,” kwento niya. “They have dark skin and white long hair. And they also have two mouths.”

“Eh?”

“One is here.” Itinuro niya ang bibig. “This is what they are using to communicate. The other one is here.” Itinuro naman niya ang kanyang dibdib. “This is what they are using to eat.”

“And they only eat humans?”

Nagkibit-balikat siya. “I might have seen them but I haven't had a face to face encounter with them. Hangga’t maaaari ay mas pinipili kong iwasan sila dahil wala akong masyadong impormasyon tungkol sa lahi nila.”

“Then, mayroon pa ding posibilidad na hindi sila kumakain ng tao,” sabi ko. “Matagal na panahon din naman ang lumipas bago sila magsimulang humiling ng sakripisyo sa tatay ko, hindi ba?”

“It is possible but like what I said, there is no evidence in that claim so the Tower Government is still very wary of them instead of making contracts and establishing communication.”

Right, may point siya.

Instead of thinking of a way to defeat and exterminate all Erians, we should just have to think of a way to co-exist with them.

Instead of using our blood to kill Erians, why not use it to make a deal with them that will benefit both of the parties.

But sad to say, hindi iyon ang gustong mangyari ng mga tao.

Gusto nilang mabawi ang mundong ito sa mga Erian. Gusto nilang tapusin ang pamumuno nito gamit ang dahas.

At hindi ko naman sila masisisi dahil ang mga tao nga naman ang unang naninirahan sa mundong ito. Kaya natural lang na isipin nilang sila ang dapat mamuno dito.

Pero iyon ang higit na nagpapagulo ng sitwasyon sa pagitan ng mga tao at Erian.

“How I wish there was another way to live.” Bumuntong hininga ako. “Something where both species will live the way they want without harming each other.”

“You know that this world is not that fair,” sabi niya. “That is the nature of humans so don’t think that you will have a different life beside what you have right now.”

Hindi na ako nagsalita pa hanggang makarating kami sa unang shortcut na tinutukoy niya.

The stairs that will lead us directly on the 19th floor.

“It is all stairs,” sabi ni Azu habang tinutukoy ang isang entrance na nasa harap namin. “Most of it is just elevated stairs. But the others are the straight stairs that you need to climb. We don’t need any equipment and it is safe for us to use this.”

“Tanging mga safe floors lang ang malalampasan natin,” sabi ko. “Yes, makakatipid tayo sa oras at mapapalayo ang distansya natin sa mga Archangel pero puro panganib na ang sasalubong sa atin pagkatapos noon.”

Bumuntong hininga siya. “To be honest, I also don’t recommend this one.” aniya. “This shortcut is not hidden from the Tower Government so they will soon use it once they reach this floor.”

“So?” Tinasan ko siya ng kilay. “What shortcut do you recommend?”

“The third one.”

“The one that will bring us directly to the 40th floor?” sabi ko. “Akala ko ba ay hindi mo sina-suggest ang isang iyon?”

“We have equipment for that and the 40th floor is one of the safe floors that I know,” sabi niya. “Makakatipid tayo ng higit na maraming oras para makalayo sa Arcangel and we might stumble to your friends.”

Kumunot ang noo ko. “My friends?”

Tumango siya. “Maybe you don’t know it but they are capable of surviving any kind of challenge they face so I am sure that right now, they are still alive and you will be able to see them soon.”

“Are you saying that--”

Umiling siya. “I am not saying this to comfort you. Like I said, I also met them before and I can assure you, they will survive.”

Bumuntong hininga ako. “Fine,” sabi ko. “Then, let me see the third shortcut that you are talking about so we can start planning what to do next.”