The Spirit Martial

Spirit 35

“Napatagal ka ata?” bungad ni Kailani sa akin nang pumasok ulit ako sa standby room namin.

“Yeah, napasarap ang kain,” sabi ko at umiwas ng tingin. Bwesit na Lor, hindi na tuloy ako makatingin ng tuloyan kay Kailani.

“Is something bothering you?” he asked at umiling ako. Okay, he looked completely fine at parang wala lang ang nagyari so I have to calm down. Tumabi ako sa kanya at humiga sa upoan. Isinandal ko ang mga paa ko sa paa niya kasi nakaupo siya sa kabilang dulo.

“Where are the others?” tanong ko.

“Outside,” sagot naman niya at binuksan ang librong hawak niya. Hindi ko iyon napansin kanina pero nagbabasa pala siya. I stared at him as his black cold eyes pierced on the book that he is holding. He looked serious and hot. I am being honest here. “What is it?” bigla niyang tanong at naaptingin sa akin.

“Nothing,” sabi ko at umiwas ng tingin at pumikit.

“Are you with Lor kanina?” he asked at tumango ako.

“How did you know?” I asked.

“Just a hunch. I smelled his scent from you,” he replied at agad akong napatingin sa kanya.

“You’re creepy,” sabi ko at ngumiti lang siya.

“So?” he asked sarcastically and I frowned.

Hindi ko namalayan na nakatulog na pala ako, nagising na lang ako nang napansin kong tinawag na ako ni Kailani. Bumangon naman kaagad ako at napatingin ako sa kanila.

“Are we at mainland?” tanong ko.

“No,” Gin said and the train suddenly moved like it was shaken.

“What’s heppening??” I asked.

“A Pandora’s box just opened nearby. We have to respond.” he replied.

“T-Teka nga lang! Another one opened? Paano ang mga tao?!” tanong ko.

“That’s why we have to respond, Cygnus,” he replied. “Alright, I’m giving orders!” he added at tumayo na kaming lahat. This is unexpected. Kulang pa kami sa tulog at magic molecules, this is insane! First day na first day pa ano ba!?

“Argo! Lor! Protect this train at all cost!” Gin shouted.

“Copy that,” Argo and Lor replied in chorus at tumakbo sila palabas. I saw them jumped outside the window to protect this train because the train has stopped.

“Kali! Nieve! Defeat all lower rank demons and rescue survivors!” Gin shouted again and they both nodded.

“We’ll get going then,” Kali replied at sumunod sila nina Argo. The went outside our room and they jumped out.

“How about us?” I asked.

“You’ll come with us,” Gin replied.

“We’ll hunt the boss, right?” Kailani asked and Tempest smirked.

“You guessed it right,” Tempest replied at napalunok ako. Muntik na nga akong natusta kanina tapos ito pa? Bugbug version two na ba ito?!

Naunang lumabas sina Gin at tumalon sa bintana. Syempre sumunod kami. The moment I went out, my eyes widened when I saw a thick smoke na hindi masyadong malayo. The city is burning. I glanced behind me and I saw Argo and Lor putting up thick barriers on the whole train. I glanced back in front at napangiti nalang ako nang makita ko si Nieve na nasa himpapawid extending his hands and putting up the fire down.

“You’re group is really something else,” biglang sabi ni Gin. “The more I wanted all of you to be part of my team,” he added with a smirk.

Napangiti nalang ako and I focused on what’s in front. We all landed on one of the house roof at nakita ko si Kali sa ibaba. The fire was all over but he didn’t mind. He kept on fighting until the survivors were able to run. I even saw him fight while holding a young girl who was crying. He was fast and flexible at the same time. He did not use any weapons at all, just his feet and hands and believe me, he was smiling as he was fighting. Nieve has prepared a way papunta sa train at agad naman itong linagyan ni Argo ng barrier para hindi makakaattake ang mgademons habang patakas ang mga tao. Lor, on the other hand was fighting off demons who were close to the train. He might seem sick and pale but he was fast and he can fly. Argo was also fighting demons but he was stepping on the barriers he just made since he can’t fly.

“Everyone is on fire right now huh?” Tempest said as he was watching the others fighting. “Why don’t we do our job?” he asked at napangiti kaming tatlo.

“Let’s go hunt some ugly boss then,” Gin said at hindi na kami nagdalawang isip na tumalon papunta sa direction kung saan nandoon ang pinakamalaking apoy. Of course, may mga nakasalubong rin naman kaming mga lower rank demons so we had to defeat them. Unfortunately, I don’t have any weapons with me right now since nakihiram lang naman ako sa nakita kong sword kanina. I have to find a weapon on our way there, to the boss.

“We’re close!” Gin shouted. “This is B Class Demon!” he added.

“Roger that!” sagot naman naming tatlo.

Kailani and I moved forward para nasa iisang line kaming apat. Last roof at makakarating na kami sa boss pero wala akong weapon. I glanced at them at may hawak na si Tempest na scythe habang si Kailani ay may apoy na sa kanyang mga kamay. Gin’s eyes glowed to prepare his stone magic. Then I guess I have to prepare mine too. I summoned up four vines galing sa likod ko just like a tail. We all landed on the last roof at sabay kaming tumalon papunta sa boss.

There we saw a huge demon with spikes at his back along with his tail. Nandoon rin ang mga Spirit Caster na pinagalitan kami kanina lang. The three of them are down and only one was standing- their captain. The captain looked so lost but I can see that he was not afraid of the demon, it’s more like he was afraid to lose his team.

The demon’s tail was already attacking that captain and I almost panicked but Gin extended his hand.

“Cygnus, you know what to do,” he signalled. “We’ll cover you,” he added at napatingin ako kay Kailani.

“Protect them,” he said and his eyes turned gold. “That’s an order,” he added and I smiled nervously. Ah, what is this feeling? This is not love- this is excitement.

My four vines took the captain and the other three and I landed in front of the demon. I raised up my vines para hindi masaktan silang apat habang ako ay pinigilan ang mabigat na tail ng demonyong ito. I stopped it using my other vines and I was moved 4 meters backward bago ko pa napigilan ang tail niya. My tail was torn but I was safe. I looked up and they were safe too wearing surprised expressions. Good.

The demon roared and took his tail away. Kailani landed beside me and Gin landed on the left roof while Tempest landed on the right roof.

“We’ll defeat that,” Gin said at tumango kami.

I glanced up to my vines at nakatingin silang lahat sa akin.

“Hold on tight,” I said with a smile at napahawak kaagad sila.

“This demon is weak and slow in offense but it’s defense is strong, we have to find the weakness,” Tempest said.

“Weakness? Like that pearl?” Kailani asked as he pointed a small pearl on the demon’s chest. Hindi ito masyadong nakikita kaya paano nakita ni Kailani iyon.

“H-How did you …” di ko matapos na tanong. He pointed at his nose and smirked.

“Just a hunch,” he replied. He’s really something else.

Naunang umattake si Tempest dala-dala ang scythe niya. He jumped so high at muntik na siyang maabot ng demon pero buti nalang at nakailag siya. He tried to s***h the pearl but his tail immediately stopped it. Nagulat ako nang ngumiti si Tempest. Why?

The next thing I knew, his tail cracked and broke into pieces. JUST HOW STRONG WAS THAT?! Hindi lang iyon, even the houses on that direction splited. Napalunok ako at napangiti na may kasamang nerbyos. What in the world is he? Kailani suddenly ran forward and his golden flames turned into blue. He jumped and kicked its face- at first, walang nangyari but a couple of seconds later, the face cracked.

I noticed that the demon’s hands was about them kaya tumakbo ako palapit and I grabbed them using my vines. I was relieved when my timing was right at hindi nga sila nakuha.

“Nice catch,” Tempest said.

I glanced behind me and I saw Gin running towards me. I don’t know why but I just feel like I should do something so I bent down and covered my back with vines. He stepped on my back and used it as a base para makatalon ng mataas- enough jump to grab that pearl. 

“Get it! Gin!!” I shouted ant he was able to grab it. My eyes widened when it’s body started flowing with lava pero nandoon si Gin. I was about to grab him but then an arrow hit beside Gin and the lava froze down. Napatingin kami sa itaas and we saw Nieve holding bow and arrows made of ice.

“Nice back up,” Gin mumbled and took the pearl. Hindi ako nag dalawang isip na kunin siya gamit ang vines ko. I raised them up habang ako ay nanatili lamang sa ibaba. I can’t believe I’m holding seven people right now.

I jumped backward and the fire around us started to fade because of Nieve’s presence. The demon froze in front of us. Nagulat ako nang naging bato ito kaya napatingin ako kay Gin. He was just looking at it at napailing ako dahil sa hanga. That’s an S Class Spirit Caster huh. The demon turned into stone and it cracked. The next thing we knew, it broke into pieces.

The sun started to appear because the Pandora’s Box just closed at kitang-kita naman ang damage sa buong city. I put them down sa likoran ko at napatingin ako sa likod. Kailani gave me a thumbs up so I also gave him one with a smile.

Gin grabbed Kailani and Tempest papunta sa akin. Nagulat na lang ako nang may tumalon sa tabi ko, it was Argo, Lor, Nieve and Kali. Gin grabbed us all and he tapped our heads. He tapped our heads and believe me, all of us were stunned but I know we were all happy he did that. Napatingin ako kay Argo, even him- he looked surprised and even hid his faint smile.

“Good job, team,” Gin said and my heart started beating so fast. Napahawak ako sa dibdib ko. I want to this kind of stuff again - with the same team. I glanced at Gin and he was smiling like he was a proud older brother. Napahigpit ang hawak ko sa dibdib ko. I’m happy. I’m really happy right now.

Napatigil kami nang may tumawag sa amin. Lumingon kaming lahat and it was the four Spirit Casters who bullied us.

“Cygnus, heal them,” Gin ordered kaya agad naman akong lumapit sa kanila at pinalibot ko ang vines sa katawan nila. The white flower in my vines glowed as a sign that it was healing.

“T-Thank you,” the captain said at napatingin siya sa paligid. “How about the people?!” he panicked.

“Everyone’s safe,” Kali replied. “No one died,” he added.

The captain and his team just smiled at us and bowed at us as I sign of respect and gratitude. It was on my expectations pero hindi ko iniexpect na mag ginawa silang blood compact sa isa’t isa na pagsisilbihan nila kaming lahat. I mean, they will serve the palace but they will follow our orders too. We declined it but they forced themselves kaya wala kaming nagawa.

In the end, the four of them helped the people fix their houses and getting them food to it. We bid our goodbyes to everyone at pumasok kami sa train. Bago pa man kami makapasok, my eyes widened. The people, from the train or outside was saluting at us and it gave me goosebumps.

Napahawak ulit ako sa dibdib ko sabay ngiti.

“What a view,” I whispered.

In my entire life, this is the best view I’ve ever seen.