Siegfried

Chapter 11

I was

Frightened

By a ghost

Haunting me,

Until I found out

It was you.

- Unknown

Chapter Eleven

Risk life and limb

"You let her out, what are you even thinking?"

Dinig kong sigaw ni Lyon mula sa labas ng tinutuluyan kong silid, kausap nito si Siege.

Madaling araw na ng matapos ang kasiyahan at nandito lang ako sa isang hindi pamilyar na silid, binabantayan ni Daelan na mariing nakatitig sa'kin at parang hindi pa kumukurap.

Elric is sitting on the bed while Felix and Aiken are sitting on the sofa and Daelan is just standing while his arms are crossed.

"And what are you thinking that you let me watched her?" Mariing sabi ni Siege. "Why am I the only one who always guard her?"

Elric hold my hand and squeezed it, tumikhim si Daelan.

"God!" Felix mumbled then he buried his hands in his hair. "Lyon sounds like a mother and Siege acting like her f*****g daughter."

"I can hear you." Sabay na sigaw ng dalawa sa labas.

"Dumbass" Siege added.

Napasentido na lang ako.

"You knew that I might kill her---"

"So, you let her out... What if Griffin get her or the other nightwalkers? You know that it's dangerous outside."

"But they didn't." Siege spat. "She's safe being with those bloodsucking night-fuckers than to be with me."

"Siguro pigilan nyo na sila." Bulong ko, ayaw kong magkagulo ang magkapatid dahil sa'kin.

Aiken shrugged his shoulders. "Hayaan mo na sila."

Napaikot ako ng mata, aktong tatayo pero natigil ako ng magsalita ulit si Lyon.

"Damn it, Siege, don't tell me you want them to take her?"

Nanghihinang napaupo ako sa kama, ilang minuto bago ulit nagsalita si Siege.

"What if I said yes... What are you going to do? Huh?"

My lips parted. Parang may kung anong pumiga sa puso ko at hindi ako makahinga ng maayos.

"Your bluffing." Lyon blurted doubtfully.

Siege let out a lifeless laugh. "You know I'm not, Lyon. And what if I don't want to bring back the sun?"

Humarang si Elric sa harap ni Daelan ng aktong lalabas ang huli, Daelan's clenching his fist like he's annoyed to whatever Siege was saying. Tumayo si Aiken at lumapit kay Daelan saka ito tinapik at may ibinulong.

"We're not sure if the sun can't affect us, so why would we even bring it back? It's better to be like this, Lyon... To be in the dark. No matter how you deny it, we deny it... We're all monsters, beasts... And beasts stay in darkness."

Narinig ko ang papalayong yabag na siguradong si Siege at isang malakas na suntok sa pader na siguradong gawa ni Lyon.

Humalukipkip ako.

"Don't mind him " Elric said pertaining to Siege.

"He's not thinking straight." ani Daelan.

Bumagsak ang tingin ko sa aking mga kamay. Isa lang ang sigurado ako, Siege wants me dead. He hates me and I don't know why. Maling inakala kong ito si Mr. Stonesifer. He tried to helped me at the devil's lair and maybe he's planning on killing me.

"So much for a f*****g birthday, eh?"

Napaangat ang tingin ko kay Felix.

"B-Birthday?"

"Yeah! It's Lyon's birthday." Aiken answered.

"It's actually yesterday 'coz it's already five am in twenty-sixth." Elric utter while looking at his phone.

Bumagsak ang balikat ko, mamaya ay babatiin ko ito.

"Damn, he's now twenty three f*****g years old" Felix chuckled.

"He's seven hundred ninety nine." Aiken corrected.

Felix roll his eyes. "Yeah, literally, but no one will gonna f*****g believe that he's 797."

Napapitlag ako ng umupo sa tabi ko si Daelan, bahagya pa akong umusog na mukhang napansin nya dahil sa pagkunot ng kanyang noo.

"This past few weeks, we've been contacting, dealing with the leaders of nightwalkers and mortals." Pauna ni Daelan. "Then we found out that Griffin's been ruling the nightwalkers in south America so we made a deal with him."

"He actually refused but to our shock, bigla na lang syang lumitaw dito kaya wala kaming nagawa kundi ikulong ka sa armory." Dugtong ni Aiken.

Napatango ako, naiintindihan na sila.

"Why are you contacting and dealing with the leaders of nightwalkers and mortals?" I asked.

"Even though it's f*****g impossible, we want to bring back everything." Felix replied.

"In exchanged of what? Alam kong hindi sila basta-basta papayag."

"Yes! We know that" Elric nodded. "To all mortals, we promised them to bring back the sun... And to nightwalkers, well, we promised them their..." Nagkamot ito ng ulo. "Their food."

I raised a brow. "And food you mean... Human blood?

Daelan shrugged. "If human population extinct then what will gonna happen to all nightwalkers?"

Napatango ulit ako. Somehow, they have a point. Both parties will surely gain.

"But please, promise me that you will tell me all your plans. Ayaw kong ako ang huling nakakaalam ng lahat, ayaw kong manghula at magmukhang tanga. If you want me to trust you all then trust me too."

Nakakaintinding tumango naman sila.

"Hey!" Lumapit ako kay Lyon, nasa balkonahe ito at nagpapahangin. The climate in Lublin changed, maalinsangan na. Side effects siguro ng ilang buwang kadiliman.

"Hey to you too!"

I cleared my throat. "Belated happy birthday."

Gulat syang napatingin sa'kin.

I roll and widened my eyes then pouted.

He chuckled. "They told you."

"Just Felix." Pagtatama ko. "Sorry, wala akong regalo."

Tinitigan nya ako. "It's okay, makita lang kitang masaya at magaan ang loob sa'min... That's more than a gift to me."

Kumabog ang dibdib ko't mabilis na nag-iwas ng tingin. Mahinang tinampal ang pisnging nag-iinit na para bang maaalis iyon.

"I promised you, Frances... We will bring back the sun and after that, lalayo na kami sayo. Hinding-hindi mo na kami makikita."

Lumipad ang tingin ko sa kanya, parang gusto ko syang pigilan. Huwag pumayag. Tumanggi.

But this what you want, Frances, right?

Tinitigan ko ang larawan kung nasaan silang lahat. Alam kong may hindi pa sila inaaamin sa'kin, may itinatago sila at ayaw nila iyong malaman ko.

Nang gabing iyon sa Sebastian tomb, we're all ten. Me, Harry, Bea, Avi, Luther, Aella, Lyre, Ylona, Hans, and Justin.

At siyam silang natira. Siege, Lyon, Daelan, Felix, Aiken and Elric. Sino sa mga nasa larawang ito ang tatlo? Sino sa kanila ang kasama nila Lyon sa Sebastian tomb?

Isa sa mga kaibigan ko para sa kanila. I know my instincts, and it's telling me that they're all nine buried in that Sebastian tomb.

I am silently walking in the direction of the library while holding a tablet that Elric gave to me, it has a map of the whole Lauthyrinth. The towers, dungeons, secret chambers, lahat ay nasa mapa. And I'm the red dot there.

I just wish that they're not spying on me.

Inilapag ko sa mesa ang tablet ng makapasok sa library at tiningnan ang mga libro at kabinet hanggang sa mapunta ako sa harap ng mga rebulto. It's obvious that they suffered, their hands were tied and looks like they're refusing to whatever their parents want them to do.

Ang paligid ng glass ay metal at may mga nakaukit doon. Celtic language, sign's and symbol's were engraved there.

Mahina kong binasa ang nakaukit sa padlock at sa gulat ko ay bumukas ang salamin kasabay ng biglang paghangin ng malakas.

Napaatras ako ng magsimulang mag-c***k ang mga rebulto, ang mga alikabok ay sumasama sa hangin ang iba'y bumabagsak sa kanilang paahan.

"Oh! God! No, no, no!"

Natutop ko na lang ang bibig habang walang tigil sa pagkabog ang puso ko.

I blew out my cheeks when the cracking sounds stop and chuckled. Aktong isasara ang salamin pero bigla ulit iyong bumukas na para bang may nagtulak at nakarinig ako ng tawanan.

Nagsitaasan ang balahibo ko sa sobrang pagkakilabot.

My eyes widened when all the books starts to fall and the wind become stronger that my hair and clothes moves with it.

Tumakbo ako sa direksyon ng pinto pero biglang may humarang sa daraanan ko. It was like a white shadow, I can feel it's coldness, it's strange and scary aura.

Inilapit nya ang mukha sa'kin dahilan para mapasigaw ako at tumakbo ng mabilis hanggang makalabas at mabilis kong isinara ang pinto, sumandal ako doon habang humahangos.

"Frances!" sigaw ni Lyon.

Napatingin ako dito, kasunod nito ang iba.

"What did you do?" Siege asked me, there's a warning in his voice.

Napapitlag ako ng hawakan ni Felix ang braso ko.

"f**k!" he cursed while staring at my arms.

Ganon din ang ginawa ni Aiken.

"You have been marked." Daelan raked with disdain.

Kumunot ang noo ko sa sinabi nito.

"What do you mean---" lumipad lahat ng sasabihin ko ng mapatingin sa braso ko, mayron doong mga pulang marka ng mga kamay.

"You opened it." Elric looked at me accusingly.

"Of course she f*****g opened it." Felix ratify.

I blink with feigned innocence.

"Did we warned you about not to touch anything in this place coz all the stuff's here are cursed, Frances?" Aiken groaned in irritation.

"They marked you... They will hunt you forever." Lyon said.

Mas nakadagdag iyon sa takot ko.

"I'm calling Azalea." Ani Aiken at lumayo sa'min.

Napayakap ako sa sarili ko.

"A-Are t-they ghost?" I asked breathlessly.

"They are just soul's." Lyon answered.

"And they are soul eaters." Siege added like he's scaring me, he's hooded eyes deeply looking at me as if he's reading whatever I'm thinking and feeling.

Muntikan na akong matumba buti at napahawak ako sa braso ni Siege, ito kasi ang nasa harap ko at malapit sa'kin. I don't know if it's a good idea to hold him like this pero hindi na ako makaatras lalo pa na parang umaapoy ang braso ko, nanunuot sa balat at parang pumapasok sa laman.

He instantly step towards me and held both of my arm. Even Daelan and Lyon, napahawak din sila sa braso ko. Si Felix at Elric naman ay napalapit sa'kin.

"s**t, Frances!" Daelan cursed.

Napaangat ang tingin ko sa kisame kasabay ng pagsigaw ko ng malakas. Mas humigpit ang kapit ko sa braso ni Siege at alam kong bumabaon na ang kuko ko sa kanya pero wala akong narinig na reklamo sa kanya o kahit magpakita man lamang sya na nasasaktan.

Nang magsimula akong manginig ay naramdaman kong umangat ako. Napatingin ako kay Siege, he's carrying me.

"Make sure that the library is properly closed." sigaw ni Lyon.

He run faster until we reached a room. Inilapag nya ako sa kama, si Daelan naman ay may inilapag na palanggana sa tabi ko at sinimulang punasan ni Elric ang braso ko.

I tried my best not to shout in shame or to moved in exaggeration but I can't hold it anymore. I can't explain the pain but I can feel it, nanunuot ang sakit sa loob ko. Ang init, parang sinusunog ang mga nasa loob ng katawan ko.

Naaninag ko si Lyon na nakapamewang habang nakatanaw sa'kin, ganon din si Daelan. Ang pinagkaiba lang ay palakad-lakad ang huli at hindi mapakali. Si Elric ay sinusubukang palamigin ang mga braso ko habang si Siege na nakaupo lang sa paahan ko.

"Tell me about t-them... Please." I said, diverting their attention.

"They are our relatives." Siege drawled.

I grip at the bedsheet, I slammed my eyes shut and hummed in pain. "A-Am I going to d-die?"

"No," Lyon groaned. "What your feeling right now is that mark is slowly eating your soul until... Your soul is gone."

"And you'll be soulless." Elric whispered.

Nakarinig ako ng bulungan at yabag na papalapit saka may humawak sa kamay ko. My lashes swept up and I blinked when I saw Felix holding my hand.

"And trust me, soulless sucks... You can't feel anything, it's better to die than to be soulless."

My eyes flickered with tears.

"Damn it, I'm going to turn her." Daelan declared.

"No!" Elric stand and faced him, blocking his way.

"We will find another way, Daelan." Lyon retorted sharply.

Binitawan ni Felix ang kamay ko saka hinarap sila. "Daelan was right, Lyon... There's no other way and you know it, Azalea's not here and if ever she arrive here... Frances' soul is gone already."

"Then what huh? Oras na maging bampira sya, may kasiguraduhan ba tayong magiging ligtas sya sa marka?" May paghahamong tanong ni Elric.

Mariin akong napapikit ng magpatuloy sila sa pagtatalo, dumagdag pa si Aiken na gusto rin akong gawing bampira.

I can't and I won't. I'd rather be soulless or die than to be a bloodsucking vampire.

I looked at them, they're still fighting about it. I glanced at Siege, he's silently sitting there. Mukhang malalim ang iniisip, bahagyang nakayuko at ang siko ay nakapatong sa hita. I'm curious of what he's thinking, why he's face is that dark and emotionless. Am I going to be like that if ever I become like them or to be soulless?

But I don't want to know.

"Kill me." I gushed. There's nothing left of me in this world anyway, my family is gone. I don't have anyone so might as well die.

"Are you crazy, Frances?" Aiken bellowed wrathfully.

"Yes, she is," Lyon bawled "If you're going to die then the whole world will be in dark forever."

"Get out of my way, Elric." Daelan growled at him. "I'm going to turn her."

Magsasalita pa sana ako pero biglang may humawak sa kamay ko, I looked at Siege with disbelief and confusion. Both of his hands cupped my hands.

"What are you doing, Siege?" Elric chided.

"Y'all acting like a kid and it looks like I'm the only one using my brain here that's why I'm doing what I think the best solution to all your problems." Siege said nonchalantly.

"You're going to do it?" Lyon asked, asking the obvious.

"What is it?" Si Aiken na mukhang hindi alam ang sinasabi ni Lyon.

Si Elric ang sumagot. "He's going to take the mark."

"No, Siege, that's like f*****g dangerous." Ngumuwi sa'kin si Felix. "No hard feelings, honey."

"Can y'all shut the f**k up because I can't concentrate." Siege snapped at them.

Sinubukan kong agawin ang kamay ko sa pagkakahawak nito pero masyadong mahigpit ito at malakas.

May babalang tiningnan nya ako na tila ba hindi nagustuhan ang ginawa ko.

"You might kill her, Siege." Daelan warned.

He ignore him, he's just staring at my eyes hanggang sa mapasigaw ulit ako dahil mas lumala ang sakit na nararamdaman ko.

"f**k, let her go." Daelan demanded angrily, pinaghalong pangamba at takot ang nasa boses nito.

Pinigilan sya ni Lyon ng aktong lalapit sa'min.

"He know what he's doing."

Napabaling-baling ako sa higaan na mas malala pa sa taong ini-exorcist. Napapaos na ako sa kakasigaw at pinagpapawisan na ako ng malapot. Then Siege let me go and the excruciating pain is gone. The mark is also gone.

Hinihingal kong iminulat ang mata ko, pawis na pawis. Nagsilapitan sila sa'kin.

Elric hug me. "You're okay now."

Tumayo si Siege.

I want to thank him but he starts walking at the door. My lips parted, gusto ko syang tawagin lalo pa ng makita ko syang muntikan ng matumba pero walang boses na lumalabas sa bibig ko. Nakasunod lang ang tingin ko sa kanya hanggang sa tuluyan na syang makalabas.

Nagkatinginan sila ng makarinig ng kalabog kasunod ng malakas na sigaw na tila ba hirap na hirap. Tumakbo sila palabas.

Then I heard Lyon's voice shouted.

"Siege!"