SUN'S BLADE (PHILMYTHO ROMANCE III)

CHAPTER III

It has been almost a week ever since I encountered Eugene and good thing that he didn’t bother coming back again after that evening. But if ever he attempted to disturb me for an instance, then I wouldn’t hesitate to report him to the police had he plan to come anywhere close to me or might as well blotter him for the better. And yet, thinking of all the processes that I will have to do just for that made me just yawn for it.

It's a typical morning and a casual routine for me to prepare for work. I have to finally be separated from my bed once again and head on to be ready before the clock strikes seven in the morning.

Among the very limited staff of La Sobelle, I must say that everyone would agree with me being the earliest bird of them all. I always come early every day and that has not been overcome by anyone among my officemates.

And as I was rummaging the dresser for a paddle brush, I accidentally bump my elbow into the file box beside it.  The impact wasn’t that much, yet it still fell off and caused a clutter I have to clean up.

It was such a nuisance that I wasn’t able to hold myself from saying, “How clumsy!”

I had to swiftly move and clean this mess or it’ll consume my preparation time for work. I can’t let my record be ruined just because I had to take long cleaning this mess. But little did I know that putting it back in order will take me so much time after seeing what’s inside the box.

It's the photos that were taken from our out-of-the-country trip to Monaco. It also has some souvenir keychains and photocards that we had purchase back there. Even our ticket stubs and travel folios. What a nuisance that I had to see this after what Eugene told me that night.

Strange. I don’t believe any words from him at all but I suddenly felt like there was an odd wind that blew across the thin hair of my skin and it made me suddenly pondered, what if Eugene was telling the truth?

Though I know Eugene is likely capable of telling the truth, especially with me, it’s just crazy how it became coincidental that this sudden reconnection with past memories just seems like it is giving me a sign that Thalia and Emalia are missing.

I quickly shook my head and withdraw the thought as the alarm of my phone reminds me it’s past seven already. As if triggered the alarm like a berserker, I rush to place everything back inside the box without securing it in place. I’ll just have to fix it when I get home later.

When I arrived at the front door of La Sobelle, I was surprised to see that it was closed. It was so stupid of me to actually set the alarm when it’s Saturday and there is no office work for us.

‘Goodness, Vina! You’re so stupid!’ I told myself as I slam my face on my palm.

I have completely forgotten that it is Saturday today, how dumb of me to forget to check the calendar first. My mind was so preoccupied with random things ever since I encountered Eugene again and it’s just funny how one interaction had me lost so much focus so quickly.

Since I don’t have any choice but to leave the place, my feet brought me to the mall to shop for personal kits. Had my spare time checking for new clothes at the department store and then finding myself watching a sci-fi film at the cinema all alone. I am very much used to this routine that at times I wonder if there will come a day when I would do something else out of my pale and boring routines.

Time flies by so quickly that when I arrived home, it was already pitch dark. The house is already lit, guess my parents are already inside. I wonder what did they prepared for supper though.

But as I was about to make my way for the front porch, I suddenly had an eerie vibe around me. It was as if I am being watch and my curiosity made me turn around only to see nothing but the trees and the vintage maroon Volkswagen parked before the green gate.

I decided to ignore it and made my way upstairs to leave my shopping bags and get some supper first. Yet, I nearly freak out the moment I opened my room’s door seeing not a ghost but Thalia inside. She looks so tired and weak with all the mud scattered on her skin and her hair is pretty messy.

Whatever happened to her?

And then suddenly, everything about her and what she did then just came back into me. I nearly got myself carried away when I shouldn’t. How dare she even show herself and even climb the window of my room?

“What are you doing here? This is trespassing! I could report you to the police.” I said as I tried to reach for my phone inside my bag.

But Thalia immediately holds me up and said, “Before you do that, please listen to me first. I risk not just my life so that I could have this moment to talk to you.”

I sneered as she sounded so pathetic, “Risk your face! Get lost, Thalia!”

“Divina, listen to me. I need to tell you something really important.”

“Oh really? I am not interested.” I said, turning my back against her.

I was supposed to head out when she suddenly uttered, “Emalia’s dead, Divina.” And that turned me around to look at her with a poker face.

“You heard it right, She’s dead.” Thalia even added.

It took me about five seconds to absorb what she said. Is she even speaking of the truth? Well, Thalia seems to be telling the truth with the way she looks. I have no idea what had she been through but she sounded pretty convincing, but still, I just can’t buy any of these just yet.

“You’re talking nonsense! How can she die?”

“That’s the reason why I am here to talk to you, Divina.”

“What does the need to talk to me have to do with Emalia’s death?”

“Because we can still save her.”

What the f**k? She just told me Emalia’s dead and now she’s saying we could save her? Has Thalia lost her mind? Well, it’s not a wonder, she appeared to be like she has lost it completely.

And it was as if she read into my thoughts that Thalia immediately said, “I know you’re thinking I must be crazy but trust me, I am telling the truth.”

“Get lost, Thalia! You have the nerve to come here after all this time of turning your back against me? You and Emalia? What makes you think I would be interested to listen to you?”

“I don’t have much time left, Divina. If I can’t talk to you now then it wouldn’t just be Emalia or me who’ll die next but also you and the rest of the people you hold dear. Much worst, the rest of mankind.”

“Have you hit your head that hard, Thalia? What have you been intaking really?”

“I am not in drugs, and I am completely normal. Let’s head outside and I’ll explain further.”

“No. I am not coming with you. Will you get out now?!”

“Just this once, Divina. Listen to me once and I promise to leave you after.”

Thalia sounded so desperate. I wonder what was so urgent that she had to plead this much to tell me something.

“Why can’t you just say it here?”

“Your room won’t be able to handle it I’m telling you.”

I really don’t get whatever she meant about it but I don’t want to risk what she is about to say or do inside my room either. And so, I agreed.

Thalia and I head outside, she prefers using the windows once more than the stairs, saying she doesn’t want my parents to see her looking like that. I didn’t even mind, either way, I don’t want her to see my parents looking like a lunatic beggar.

I headed outside without letting my parents notice me as I trance for the backyard where Thalia and I will meet. I wonder why did she choose to have the backyard. It’s just a plane grass field here. And it’s a bit far from the house which is a bit creepier. Just any case Thalia attempted something odd, I have my pepper spray with me ready within my side pocket for her.

“Whatever you are going to say just make it quick. I don’t want my dinner being spoiled waiting for me.” I told her the moment I reach the backyard.

Thalia just sighs. And then she said, “Emalia is dead but we can still retrieve her soul.”

I really don’t want to buy her statements, but if I just play along maybe she’ll get over it eventually. “Retrieving her soul? Wai—wait, how did Emalia die? Who killed her?”

“She died saving us. She used the pearl embedded inside her to shield us against Aman Sinaya and it cost her her life. But it isn’t late for us to take back her soul. If we could defeat Sidapa, we could retrieve back her soul.”

Thalia has been mentioning names I have no idea who they are but she sounded as if she’d seen them and find them dreadful to encounter. I can see through her eyes that she is madly serious about every single word she’s telling me and yet, here I am still not absorbing every bit of it.

“What do we have to do to retrieve Emalia’s soul?” I came up to ask but not going to buy her answer. I just want to make her believe I am giving my interest when I am not.

Thalia handed over a piece of papyrus type of paper in my hand and said, “We need to find this. Only you could wield this one, Divina. Each of us; me, Emalia, and now you have a role to play in this upcoming battle. And we need to be complete to be able to win against our enemies.”

She has completely f****d it. I am about to burst into laughter but I have to hold myself back. I never thought Thalia will eventually become a lunatic. Just whatever did that Stefano did to her?

“I know everything I said is still too hard to believe. Allow me to redeem myself, Divina. Perhaps if I show you this then you’ll start believing me.” She suddenly added while taking out a piece of red dice inside her jacket’s pocket.

What can a piece of dice prove?

And then, the dice swiftly glowed as it beams at me before the light hit the wall as it reflects a scene that exactly previews what Thalia had just told me. It was how Emalia died.  I can’t believe this. Thalia is indeed telling the truth.

How can I be such a poker face until now? Have I become so numb that even after knowing the truth that my friend died, here I still am trying to validate my emotion first than their situation?

Hearing all of these made me instantly become serious about asking Thalia, “How do we save Emalia?”

“I suppose you believe me now. Well then, the first thing is for you to find the divine weapon forged by the supreme God. It’s the last of the two divine kampilan that could destroy any forms of power may it be living or an object.” Thalia said as he looks closely into the red moonstone that has now subsided its glow to normal.

“And then?”

“Then you will have to use it to defeat Sidapa, only when he is defeated will he release Emalia’s soul.”

“Why me? I am incapable of fighting. I don’t have any idea how to even hold any weapon!”

“You will learn because you’re the wielder of the sun’s blade. but first, we need to secure the weapon before the enemy does.”

“How? Or where do we start looking?”

“Well—” but before she could even say it, Thalia paused as she looks around sending off that anxious stare around us as if she has been anticipating something or someone too frightening to ignore.

“What’s wrong?” I asked as I am, as well, scared what’s up so suddenly.

“Divina…” Thalia immediately run to me and held my hands, “Run now. Run and don’t look back, please look for the kampilan. I beg you.”

“Wai—wait. What’s going on?” I protested as she suddenly become so rush about pushing to go.

“Go now, Divina. You are my last hope—our last hope. Just go.” Thalia answered as she pushed me to run along.

I did so what she asks but instead of going home. I run towards an abandoned Nipa hut where we used as a resting place during daybreak. And from a distance, I tried observing why Thalia sent me away so suddenly.

What I saw shocked the hell out of me. Few seconds close to a minute after I left, Thalia has been swiftly surrounded by creepy-looking mud monsters similar to gnomes trying to consume her underneath as she still tries to struggle free and fights them with the moonstone she possesses. Yet in the end, the more she destroys them all the more they regenerate and multiply. In the end, Thalia was left consumed by the gnomes while here I am watching it.

I feel so useless. In the end, despite my treatment with her, Thalia still sacrificed herself for my safety. But for what? Because she believes I am her last hope? Their last hope? That’s ridiculously pathetic since I couldn’t even help her at least now. Thalia has unexplainable powers and I don’t have them yet she still gets to be defeated. So, what more can a mere person like I do who doesn’t possess anything but a belief that I can help them?

I am still in shock while I feel my hands and feet shaking when I fell off the wooden floor of the Nipa hut.  For some unexplainable reason, a part of me struggled to rise and get away from the area before the gnomes could even notice me.

And as I reach for the front porch of our house again, my knees finally surrender as I rested my weight on the tall post. This time, I tried to control the tears from wanting to jump off my eyes. But my lids betrayed my will as I finally look into the papyrus that Exhibits an ancient canvass of a golden kampilan that Thalia has been telling me to find.

I really don’t wish to do this but f**k this backlash of emotion and memories with them that resides within me. Now, where on earth shall I start looking for this?

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