chapter 3
934 Words
CHAPTER THREE
Nang dumilat ako, agad akong napapikit ulit. Ang liwanag! Pero hindi sunlight—parang glow ng moonlight na filtered sa kulay lilang ulap. I slowly opened my eyes, this time sanay na sa ilaw.
I was lying on a... velvet couch? In the middle of a gothic mansion? HUH? Did I just teleport sa set ng Wednesday Addams?
Tumingin ako sa paligid. Kumakabog pa rin ang dibdib ko. Saan ‘to? At nasaan na ‘yung—
"Ayan, gising ka na."
Napalingon ako. There he was. Si Prince Aldridge. Still wearing that “I’m-too-sexy-for-this-immortal-world” outfit. Nakaupo sa isang mataas na silya, parang trono. Naka-cross legs pa. Very composed. Very... intimidating.
Pero siyempre, hindi ako nagpatalo.
"Okay. Una sa lahat—WHAT. THE. HECK. JUST. HAPPENED?!"
Napataas ang isang kilay niya. “You fainted. Dramatically.”
“Hindi ko choice ‘yun! Ikaw kaya biglang sumulpot from nowhere, binuhat ako parang bride, tapos ngayon—ano ‘to, honeymoon suite?!” sabay tayo ko sa couch, pero napa-upo ulit ako agad. Biglang nahilo. Great.
Naglakad siya papalapit sa akin. Dahan-dahan. Parang may sariling background music.
“You are now in Duskrealm... my domain. A place only those with awakened blood may enter.”
“Wow. Ang drama. Duskrealm. May WiFi ba dito?”
He blinked. “Wi-what?”
“Never mind,” buntong-hininga ko. “Okay, real talk—anong kailangan mo sa’kin? At bakit ako? ‘Di ba puwede na lang si Jolina? She’s very available and friendly.”
Umupo siya sa coffee table sa harap ko. Napaka-chill ng aura niya, pero may kakaiba sa mata niya—parang puno ng centuries ng lungkot... at tsismis.
“Colleen, you are not just a random girl. You are the last living descendant of the Blood Weavers—guardians of the Crimson Seal. Your grandmother was one of them... but she chose to disappear and raise her family far from this realm.”
“Wait wait wait—GRANDMA?! Si Lola?!”
Tumango siya. “Your blood sings with ancient power. When your blood touched the sealed page, the pact reawakened.”
“So... anong next? Kailangan ko bang makipag-baranggayan sa mga aswang?”
He looked serious. “You must help me reclaim the Crimson Throne.”
“Hold up. Throne? As in... maghahari ka?!”
“Yes.”
“So... gusto mong maging king?”
“Yes.”
“Gamit ang tulong ng isang... frustrated actress na semi-fluent lang sa Filipino?”
“Yes.” bored niyang sagot
Napahagalpak ako ng tawa.
“HAHAHA! Wait lang, this is rich! Bampira ka nga talaga. Kasi gusto mong isugal ang undead reign mo sa isang... gaya ko? Kulang na lang mag-vlog ako ng ‘Hey guys, so today I’m gonna help a vampire prince overthrow his dark realm!’”
Pero di siya natawa. He just stared at me. Blankly
And then, very softly, he said, “Colleen... you’re the only one left who can unlock the seal. Without you... the other clans will rise. The world as you know it—your world—will fall.”
Biglang natahimik ako.
Shet.
May plot nga talaga ‘to.
"What if i don't want to?"
Pagkasabi ko nun ay bigla nalang siyang nasa harapan ko.
"I'll kill you then"
Napalunok naman ako kase dahil sobrang lapit ng mukha namain sa isa-isat isa ito yata yung time na we breath desame air na tinatawag.
Bigla akong natameme. I mean, sino ba namang hindi? One second we were in a Twilight-meets-w*****d banter, next thing you know, boom—death threat.
“Joke lang... right?” pilit kong tawa, kahit parang wala nang moisture ‘yung lalamunan ko.
Tumingin siya sa akin nang dire-diretso. Emotionless. Intense. Borderline sociopathic.
“I do not joke about survival.”
Okay. So. Hindi nga joke.
“Alam mo,” tumayo ako, kahit nanginginig pa rin ang tuhod ko, “hindi mo kailangan daanin sa ganyan. Hindi ko rin naman trip na magka-apocalyptic war dahil lang sa ancient blood pact keneme nayan .”
He stepped closer, eyes narrowing. “Then prove it. Accept your lineage.”
“Accept?! Hindi nga ako sure kung buhay pa ‘yung kalan namin sa bahay tapos ngayon sinasabi mong ako na ang last descendant ng kung sinong blood-blood guardian?!”
“Blood Weavers,” he corrected calmly.
“Oh sorry, Blood Weavers. Sounds like a death metal band.”
Hindi siya ngumiti. Natural.
Napahinga ako nang malalim. Okay, Colleen. Think. Kailangan mong maging logical, matapang, at charming. Basically, dapat kang maging bida.
“Alright,” sabi ko, tinutok sa kanya ang daliri ko na parang nanay sa pasaway na anak. “If you want my help, we do this my way. Wala nang carrying-carrying like a bride. No more creepy death threats. At higit sa lahat, may WiFi dapat.”
“...WiFi again?” Kumunot ang noo niya.
“Diyos ko,” napailing ako, “You’re lucky you’re hot.”
Napatingin siya sa akin, bahagyang nagtaka. “Hot? Am I burning?”
I facepalmed. “Oh lord, this is going to be a long undead alliance.”
Tahimik siya saglit. Then finally, he said, “Deal. But remember, Colleen... in Duskrealm, everyone wants your blood. Not just me.”
Napatingin ako sa kanya. “I’m sorry, what now?!”
He walked away, back to his gothic throne. Then snapped his fingers.
BOOM.
The walls shifted. The shadows moved. A huge mirror-like portal opened behind him, swirling with crimson fog and flickering lightning.
And then he smirked, just a little.
“Welcome to the war, Blood Weaver.”
- Writer
