Pahimakas: The Survival Game

Episode 1: Castle

Aliasar Vicario’s POV

“Darn it! Stupid, good-for-nothing rocks!” I screamed in annoyance walking through clusters and rows of slippery rocks.

I don’t know how the h*ck I arrived here and even why the stupidest reason am I here!!! The only thing I think of at this moment is how the fudge am I gonna return to my place. That’s my priority right now but how the h*ck should I do that when all I see were trees, rocks, water, trees, water, endless trees!!!

It’s been hours since the sun set, and darkness was now occupying the sky. The sound of irritating crickets and this annoying flowing water fills my ears which adds up to the annoyance I feel. This is just crazy!

I continued to trek down, following the river, hoping to find something useful. Who knows? Maybe I could find myself a mansion. Oh, yes, a good old mansion in the middle of the forest! Nice delusion, Aliasar.

As my feet shove pebbles I step on, a voice out from somewhere close is what suddenly lingers with the wind blowing past me.

“Naeyak kasin ay en mankankanta. San damun di udan ay eyak manes-esa. Enggana ed wani yan eyak man namnama.”

It’s a woman’s voice. An open type of vocal cord captivating my ears the way she sings so heartfelt. Slowly and quietly, I tried following that enchanting voice. And it grew louder and clearer as I approach closer.

“San panag-isem mo yan kasin ay mailak. Amok metlang ay engganas kaman nina. San riknak adak pulos maibaga. Tan sik-ay nilayad ko, sik-a laeng di gapo.”

There… In the middle of the calm flowing water, a woman with black pixie hair was soaking her whole body. Her eyes are closed whilst her lips move as she sings.

“Ay inagew minasdem udan di eyak sedsed-en. Et ikarkararag ko ta kasin tan man-ila. Ta bareng esay tyempo enta kasin pan-ilaan. San udan. Man-ila ta sin udan.”

Her face was so serene and meek like a helpless cub. Eyebrows soft angled and ears pointed like elves. Her nose was small and cute yet straight, and her lips were so red like blood. Wait, is this woman a vampire?

“Wahh!” I screamed when something hardly struck one of the branches of the tree I was standing behind, the branch that was just beside my face!

The thing was cold and solid, on from this second on, I knew it was a dagger though I have not seen it yet. It’s a sharp, deadly dagger! Am I going to die? Am I? I’m dead!!!

“Show yourself, p*****t,” the creature delivered in an emotionless tone that sent chills down my spine.

I couldn’t move, as if I was frozen by that terrifying voice of her. And when I turned my head towards the river, I saw her eyelids suddenly open! Her eyes were blue… scary blue!

“Who are you?” she asked so austerely.

There was nothing I replied but to stare back at her. Geez, this woman got the face of a kitten but keeps a tiger’s attitude. Scaryyy.

“Talk now or never, creature,” she threatened with another dagger in her hand already pointed at me and would surely dig into my throat the second she release it.

“I-I’ll talk. I’ll talk,” I answered stammering while I slowly step out of my hiding place.

“What are you doing here?”

“N-Nothing,” I replied not only my head shaking sideways but also my voice. “I-I’m just p-passing by—argh!”

And again, a thing was shot toward me. Good thing it wasn’t a dagger but a rock, a medium-sized rock that hit my thigh and made me kneel on the ground in pain!

“The lie was read in your eyes,” she coldly said and was now walking away from the water when I looked at her.

“Y-You? What are you—” I was about to ask her but another thing hit my forehead, thank goodness it was just a pebble! “Aww! Are you even aware you’re hurting me?!”

“Eyes. Close them or lose them,” she said as she stops when the water level was nearly at her chest.

“Tch,” I scowled, looking away and closing my eyes. “You’re not even that beautiful. Why would I peek at you? Tch, arrogant woman.”

For a few seconds, I remained looking away and eyes closed. Until the woman’s voice again resonated. “Need space to stay for the night?”

“A-Are you talking to me?” I hesitatingly asked.

She haughtily chuckled. “Who else should I talk to? Is there any other person in front of me other than you?”

Her footsteps thud and the sound of clanging metals were what I heard next. “So, can I open my eyes now? Or are you pointing a sword at me this time?”

And again, she laughed gaily. “How did you know?” she said which made my eyes open wide, sensing a cold thin metal by my neck! I was just joking but what the fu—?!

“Wandering sh*t, do I look like a criminal to you? Why do you always greet me with weapons?!” I cried, closing my eyes and wailing like a kid while my knees were on the ground and my hands now raised up.

Hearing that, the woman just chuckled as she took back the sword and slid it to a wooden thing around her waist which I suppose was the container. I turned to look and found her fully dressed up in a faded green dress.

The kind of long dress women in ancient times wear. Cotton and seems unwashed for a decade. What can I say? Her dress looks rough and inflexible—wait. Don’t tell me that’s armor.

“What are you doing?” A question from her.

It was for me to realize that I’m only a few inches away from her. And out of my curiosity, my finger pokes her dress testing if it was really armor. “What are you? A bandit?” I asked, confirming it was as hard as stone, indeed an armor.

She gave no answer so I continued to press and jab her clothing. ‘Woah, this is amazing.’

“Are you done?”

I innocently raised both my brows and met her piercing gaze. “What are you? A bandit?” I again asked, repeating the question.

But she rolled her eyes and slapped my hand off her, walking past me as she intentionally bumped into my shoulder. I raised my right brow and scoffed at her arrogance. ‘What does she think she is? A mighty swordsman? Dream on! First of all, she’s just five foot tall!’

“Hey!” I called, walking fast enough to catch up. “Where are you going?”

“You? Where are you going?” she retorted without even looking at me.

“Hey, I asked you first. Could you answer a question as simple as that?”

“No, unless it’s something with sense,” she said, walking normal-paced through the deep forest.

My forehead creased. “Are you saying that asking you is nonsense?”

“No. Your question’s nonsense.”

“Ha?”

“Tss,” she simply reacted and sped up walking which I have to run after.

“Hey! I’m talking to you!” But she didn’t even bother listening or stopped walking at least. ‘Gosh, this woman is so ill-mannered.’ “Ey! I’m asking you, Woman!”

And still, she didn’t respond. She was walking nonstop which I continuously followed. “Woman!”

Unexpectedly, she did stop and turned to throw a sharp stare at me. “You’re the noisiest man I’ve ever met, are you aware of that?”

“Not until you told me I was,” I replied sarcastically before dropping that same question I knew would completely annoy her. “Where are you going?”

But my expectation burst when she responded so calmly yet sardonically mocking.

“If you’re not dumb to rely on just my answer to your question, you probably would predict where I’m going just by observing the way we took.”

In that instance… At that answer of hers… I just realized where we are right now. And it’s a place I never expected to see.

“Happy at what you’re seeing?” the woman scoffed as she steps aside, causing me to see the full view of what was in front of us.

It’s a castle. A huge, enormous castle so dark and eerie. Surrounded by thick, melancholic fog and dead trees accompanied by boulders of rocks placed all around. A scenario I only see in horror movies, and I’m sure this castle’s the home for horrifying creatures!

“No wonder you’re like that. Is this your house?”

“Huh?” The woman’s forehead furrowed as she looks at me which I replied with a hoarse laugh.

I’m right, this woman belongs to that castle. Bwahahaha.

“That’s the Laxon’s prison, you i***t. Creatures that turned berserk were in there waiting for a snack.”

I raised my brow. “So?”

“They pay gold for food,” she scoffed and out of a sudden, she grabbed my neck firmly enough to lose my balance.

“H-Hey! What berserk creatures—ouch! Oi, what food?” I asked panicking but the woman drags me forcefully down the rocky hill. “What are you planning to do, Woman?! Hey, I warn you. Don’t you dare eat me or else I’ll—Wahh!!!”