Excelium III: End Point

Kabanata 15

Zai's bare feet are creating faint clicking noises against the moist bricked floor. Every cell she passes by, she receives abhorrent gazes from the eyes behind those cold bars yet she never returned their stares once. Nanatiling diretso ang kaniyang tingin habang suot ang madalas na ekspresyon.

Only when she recognized a familiar person, her prideful orbs glided to the side. Her gray eyes were met with brownish gold irises of a seated man in one dark prison cell, who was silently responding to her direct observation as well. A moment was all it needed to confirm the person's identity.

Garo's teeth gnashed against each other. "You..." His glare became more hostile. "As promised eight years ago, my service requires payment. Don't back down on your words now, Hevrion."

Zai showed no reaction and completely went past him. Garo's sharp eyes closed after Zai was out of sight. Mariin niyang ikinuyom ang kaniyang kamay at nagtangis ang kaniyang panga. Nang buksan nito ang mga mata, his hostility changed into an eerie sensation.

[Eight years ago; before the havoc in the Capital began]

"Nandito ka lang pala," Garo's hand stopped from peeling the banana's rind upon hearing the voice of the peachy-pink haired boy from his back. He looked over his shoulders to him with a sharp warning, yet he doesn't know whether the guy is dense or simply an idiot who can't recognize such threat. Walang hiya nitong itinaas ang palda ng suot na uniporme at pinaypayan ang mga hita. "Sa lahat ng lugar na pwede mong puntahan, talagang sa tuktok pa ng pinakamataas na tore ng palasyo."

Ibinalik ni Garo ang kaniyang mga mata sa hawak na saging at pinagpatuloy ang pagbabalat nito. "Did you tell that woman what I ordered you to say?" Hindi na nito hinintay ang sagot nito at kinagatan na lamang ang prutas. "If you did, then I have no use of conversing with a midget."

"Yeah I did," Garo stopped chewing when Shane's carefree tone suddenly had a hint of humor. Ipinagpatuloy ng binata ang kaniyang mga salita. "Zai gave you a reply."

Sitting on the tower's parapet wall, Garo can vividly feel the cold wind passing by and yet his back was chilly for a different reason. Muling inangat ni Garo ang saging sa kaniyang bibig at ito'y kinagatan muli. "My words didn't require a response."

"Yes, but to also tell you, Zai said she has no spare time to give to a being who has no significant value even in eight years' time." Mabilis na binigyan ng masamang tingin ni Garo ang binata. In reponse, Shane raised his hands. "I'm merely delivering her words, good sir. Bata pa ako at may pag-asa pa ang kinabukasan."

Garo clicked his tongue and tossed the unfinished food to the trees beneath. "If that's all, then get the hell out--"

"But you are not entirely insignificant, she said." Marahan na ibinaba ni Shane ang kaniyang mga kamay habang isang ngiti ang naglalaro sa kaniyang mga labi. His eyes playfully stared at the back of the man who's clearly waiting for his next words. "Months ago, Zai declared in front of Westernia's king and council members that she'll gather ten people but we arrived here with one missing person."