Caballero

Caballero Twelve

Kyzo's P.O.V

I confidently entered the elevator as if excited about where I was going.

After stealing four chess pieces, my confidence lifted up. I feel like a warrior ready to tumble into a battle. I hope this is a sign of victory tonight.

"Feeling great, Sir?"

Napalingon ako sa Auxiliar.

I smiled, "Yes."

"That's a great attitude, Sir. Hope you didn't have a hard time stealing the chess pieces you needed," he said then pressed the elevator button.

I shrugged, "We could say I sweat a bit but I think I was lucky that the victim is a careless player."

At first, it was hard for me because I am not comfortable doing it. Kailangan kong planuhin ang bawat kilos ko para maging successful ang mission ko, pero hindi ko inaasahan ang naging kapabayaan ng lalaki at umalis sa kwarto niya nang gano'n-gano'n lang.

Lumabas kami ng elevator nang marating ang floor ng game area. Nang tumapat kami sa pinto, nilingon ko ang Auxiliar at dinukot sa coat ko ang inihandang envelop kanina.

"Can you do me a favor?"

"Of course, Sir."

Inabot ko sa Auxiliar ang dalawang envelop na naglalaman ng pera.

"Can you please give this to the two housekeepers who cleaned the 28th floor earlier? Tell them it's a thank-you gift for cleaning the floor and they did a great job."

Kung hindi dahil sa mga housekeeper, hindi ko magagawa ang plano ko at dapat lang na bigyan ko sila ng incentive. Also, I felt sorry for them dahil nadamay sila sa plano ko.

"Okay, Sir. I'll personally give this to them."

"Thank you."

He bowed, "Good luck with your game, Sir."

I nodded.

Pumasok ako sa game area at inobserbahan ang paligid. As usual, may kaniya-kaniyang pwesto ang mga player sa loob ng game area habang naghihintay na magsimula ang laro. The game hasn't started but I already sensed that some of the players are not in a good mood. Well, it's just one out of two possible reasons, either they're on the verge of losing in the game or they lost some of their chess pieces.

Napakibit-balikat nalang ako at tinuloy ang pagmasid sa paligid, pero nakaramdam ako nang panghihinayang nang hindi ko makita sa paligid si Raqueen. Siya lang kasi ang kilala ko rito.

Until my eyes saw the double door slowly opening at halos ikaluwa ng mga mata ko ang nakita at nakilala ang taong nakasuot ng maskara papasok sa game area.

I felt like my heart was about to explode when I saw my father entering the game area accompanied by an Auxiliar.

Oh, shoot! Bakit nandito si Papa?

Instinctively, I looked around for a place to hide.

Huminto ang paningin ko sa game room kung saan ay may pumasok na referee. Agad na pinuntahan ko iyon at pumasok sa loob ng game room.

Sa kaalamang nandito sa game area si Papa ay sapat na iyon para manginig ako sa takot at kaba.

"S-sir, bakit po kayo nandito?" gulat na tanong ng referee. "Hintayin po ninyo na magsimula ang game bago po kayo pumasok sa game room."

Nilingon ko ang referee at kabadong ngumiti, "Just for a minute, please?"

"Hindi po p'wede, Sir. Kailangan niyo po na lumabas."

"Please. Just one minute. Lalabas din ako. Promise."

The referee's facial expression became serious, "Hangga't hindi po nagsisimula ang game, hindi po kayo p'wedeng manatili rito, Sir. At kung hindi po kayo aalis, I will confiscate your Tablero de ahedres and you will be grounded in your hotel room for one week."

What the heck?! Bakit ang hirap pakiusapan ng referee na ito?!

I pursed my lips in hopelessness and started nervously tapping my left foot on the floor. I don't know what to do and where to hide.

Huminga ako nang malalim at sumilip sa labas ng game room.

I saw my father talking with one of the Dieciseis.

"Sir, lalabas po ba kayo o kukunin ko ang Tablero de ahedres niyo?"

Nilingon ko ang referee. Kita ko sa kaniyang ekspresyon ang kaseryosohan. Mabigat na napabuntong-hininga ako, "Okay. I will leave."

Wala akong nagawa at nakayukong lumabas ng game room. Agad na sumiksik ako sa dulong bahagi ng game area na nakita ko kung saan ay malamlam ang ilaw at malayo sa stage.

I look like a kid playing hide and seek.

Makailang beses na sumusulyap ako sa gawi ni Papa kasama ang Dieciseis.

I heaved a sigh and faced the wall. Idinikit ko ang aking noo sa wall habang pinaglalaruan ang handle ng Tablero de ahedres at nag-isip kung bakit nandito si Papa.

Galing ba si Papa sa KArs Manufacturing? Does my mother know that my father hasn't come home yet? O baka umalis sa bahay si Papa kung kailan mahimbing na ang tulog nang lahat?

I scoffed when I remembered. How come I forgot about it?

Friday, yeah. Tuwing Friday ay lagi ko siyang nakikita na pumapasok dito sa hotel noong sinusundan ko siya.

Isinandal ko ang aking likod sa pader. Sinundan ko nang tingin ang pag-akyat ng Dieciseis sa stage kasama si Papa. Tumayo sila sa stage habang si Papa ay lumapit sa podium.

"Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention for a moment, please?" My father's baritone voice makes everyone turn their gaze at him, including me. "In one week, we will be having a rank-up. The players who have successfully changed the color of their ten chess pieces will have the chance to compete with one of the Dieciseis. If someone defeated a Dieciseis, you will be welcomed by us and marked with the symbol of the Brotherhood. But! If someone loses to a Dieciseis, you need to surrender your Tablero de ahedres, the Valknut mask and leave the hotel peacefully." He said with a smile. But I know, as his son, it's not his genuine smile. "Good luck, everyone! You may now go to your respective rooms."

Sa pagbaba ng Dieciseis sa stage ay tila CCTV na sinusundan ng mga mata ko ang kilos ni Papa. He has that aura of a king who conquered the world, kaya lahat ng empleyado ng KArS manufacturing ay intimidated sa kaniya.

"If I changed the color of my ten chess pieces, I'll choose to play with that man and beat him."

Napatingin ako sa dalawang kalalakihan na nakatayo sa kaliwang banda ko. They look young yet they dress like old men.

"Who?" Tanong ng lalaking katabi niya.

"The man who announced about the rank up."

"Really? I think he's one of the top players from them. You can't beat him."

"Of course, I can! Top players are not always on the top, you know. They could be the worst player in the game. And I will make sure he'll have the taste of the pain of defeat."

Napataas ako ng kilay sa narinig.

Is he talking about my father?

Nakaramdam ako nang pagkairita dahil sa kayabangan niya.

Too confident, huh? As if he has proved something to say it. I bet he will be escorted to hell in just one minute after playing with my father. But, I just hope that he loses all the chess pieces that he has, para hindi niya makalaro si Papa.

Ni minsan ay hindi ko pa nakikita o nararanasan na makalaban si Papa sa chess pero ramdam kong magaling siya, kaya walang duda na naging miyembro siya ng Brotherhood at naging isa sa Dieciseis. And the way he smiled earlier, that's the first time I saw the other side of him.

Umalis ako sa pagkakasandal at tinignan ang mayabang na lalaki. Tinawag ko ang pansin nila sa pagtikhim ko. The arrogant man arched his brows.

"Gentlemen, arrogance won't lift you on top. Why don't you go to your game room instead of dreaming your own nightmare?" I shrugged my shoulders and left them looking pissed.

I looked at my Tablero de ahedres and searched for my game room. I heaved a sigh as I sat on the chair inside of the game room. We started placing our chess pieces on the digital Tablero de ahedres.

Hindi ko muna iisipin na nasa paligid lang si Papa ngayon, dapat na mag-focus ako sa laro. Now that I have the complete set, I have to protect and play it wisely. Hindi p'wedeng maulit ang pagnanakaw na ginawa ko kanina.

"Let's start with you, Caballero." The referee looked at me and I nodded for him to start my clock.

I moved my king's pawn two squares forward and the referee stopped my time. He started the timer of my opponent and did the same move I did.

Dominating the center squares of the chessboard controls the movement of each chess piece. More importantly, the king piece needs to be in a safe place to avoid being checkmated.

The referee starts my clock again.

Seryosong tinignan ko ang chess pieces na may kaniya-kaniyang pinoprotektahan. My red king was in the G2, protected by a rook and a bishop.

Sa paglalaro namin sa loob ng tatlong minuto, napansin ko ang moves ng kalaban ko na tila gusto nitong tapusin ang laro sa stalemate. I felt irritated by that, because if a stalemate happens, we have to play again and it just wastes our three-minute game.

"Draw by stalemate," announced by the referee.

Sinasabi ko na nga ba!

Napatingin ako sa kalaban ko ngunit napakunot noo ako nang makitang ngumisi siya.

What was that? Is he toying with me? Pinlano niya siguro ito para sayangin ang oras naming dalawa.

"Players, please arrange your sets again."

Sinunod namin ang utos ng referee at binalik sa pwesto ang mga chess piece.

"You may now move again your piece, Caballero," imporma ng referee at pinindot ang digital clock ko.

Tinignan ko ang kalaban ko at nasa labi pa rin niya ang ngisi na nagdudulot sa akin ng iritasyon.

Gusto niyang makipaglaro? Then I'll give him the consequences of pissing me off and wasting my time.

Inalis ko sa D2 papunta sa D4 ang red pawn ko.

"Shades." banggit ng referee sa codename ng kalaban ko bilang hudyat na igalaw ang isa sa kaniyang chess piece.

When he moved his queen's pawn one square forward, the referee stopped his digital clock, hinintay kong pindutin ng referee ang timer ko bago nilabas sa G1 ang knight ko papunta sa F3.

Every time the referee stops my opponent's clock, I immediately move my piece. Shades wants to delay our game, as if he's not thinking about the clock while toying with me. Nakatingin lamang siya sa mukha ko pagkatapos kong mag-move ng chess piece.

If that's what he wants, hahayaan ko nalang na maubos ang oras niya at mawalan ng tyansa na maigalaw pa ang chess pieces niya.

Makalipas ang tatlong minuto...

"Caballero wins!" Announced by the referee.

My plan worked!

I smiled widely and shrugged my shoulder when I met Shades' eyes.

"Shades, please pick a draw," utos ng referee sa kaniya.

Bumunot siya sa draw at binigay ang piece na mawawala sa kaniya.

Bumaling sa akin ang referee, "Caballero."

Kumuha ako ng isang draw at lumabas na isang rook ko ang papalitan ng kulay. I handed my red rook to the referee, and using his small key, it turns into white. Ibinalik ng referee sa akin ang white rook ko.

"Congratulations, Caballero."

"Thank you."

Niligpit ko ang chess pieces ko at humanda sa paglabas. But before I stepped out, nilingon ko ang referee.

"May I ask?"

He smiled and nodded, "Of course. What is it?"

"The Dieciseis who announced about the rank up earlier, may I know what is his code name?" tukoy ko kay Papa.

The referee smiled, "He's Armor, the smartest player of Dieciseis."

Napatango-tango ako sa kaniyang sagot. "Has he lost a game before?"

"Yeah. One time."

"By who?" takang tanong ko.

"King Eagle, the dangerous player of Dieciseis."

Pagkatapos kong makipag-usap sa referee ay lumabas ako ng game room na malalim ang iniisip.

Si Papa lamang ang nakita kong lalaki kanina sa Dieciseis. Ibig sabihin ay hindi nila kasama si King Eagle kanina.

Then, who and where is King Eagle?