Discovering Summerland

Chapter 13

Price of the Truth
Jerastus 6, 2196

"We've arrived."

The moment my eyes wandered around Merhey, I felt something weird. It's like I'm back to the land of Fall— but somehow different too. The darkness wasn't something caused by the lack of light; instead, it seemed like countless phantoms and shadows were lurking around. A sense of death coming by you anytime was what made this place similar to Fall. I can't help but be wary and anxious.

"Hindi ko talaga gusto ang atmosphere rito," saad ni Aeryn at bahagya akong napahinga nang maluwag nang malamang hindi lang ako ang nakaramdam ng kakaibang awra. Wala sa sarili ko pang naitaas ang kanang kamay ko upang mas pakiramdaman ang paligid, at napasinghap nalang ako nang marinig na may mga panang naghahabulan patungo sa'min.

My hands swung, and I instinctively built ice particles in the air to stop the arrows mid-air. I'm not quite sure if freezing the arrows would cause it to stop, but it might drop or go slower. At least, the others would be able to evade the attacks. My eyes widened when an arrow stopped just an inch from me. It was frozen, and when I glanced at others, I saw them evading the other arrows that were missed by my power.

No one was hurt. I'm relieved.

Napatawa naman si Lucifuge nang sarkastiko, ngunit pansin kong pinigilan niyang maglabas ng kapangyarihan. Instead, he summoned something... a soul or a spirit? Hindi ko sigurado. Mukha 'yong translucent na lobo. The wolf, or whatever creature it is, jumped into the air and leaped as if it's stepping on something though there were none.

Lucifuge, then, jumped on a big branch of a tree where he stood firm. His midnight-black hair fluttered as the shine of the silver moon embraced his shadows, enchantingly showcasing his chiseled body. Tila ba naramdaman niya ang titig ko sa kaniya kaya't mula sa pagmamasid niya'y naka-kunot noo siyang napasilip sa'kin. O baka naman assuming lang ako't may gusto lang siyang iparating sa'kin?

It turns out to be the latter. His eyes were squinting at the opposite side, then he looks back to me. Hindi ko makuha ang gusto niyang iparating, ngunit tumingin nalang din ako sa direksyon ng tinitingnan niya. Dahil sa abilidad kong makakita sa dilim, napansin kong may mga taong nakatayo rin sa mga puno.

Napalunok ako't 'di alam ang gagawin. At this times, I think it would be better to trust Lucifuge... pero ano pa ba ang gusto niyang iparating kanina?

Oh... Suddenly, I realized that they were aiming their weapons only at me. Since Adrius is the family of truth, could it be that they immediately recognized me as a Soulless? Hindi ko sigurado kung tama ba itong ginagawa ko, but I took steps forward.

Indeed, their aims followed every step of mine. Tinaas ko ang aking mga kamay bilang hudyat na wala akong balak na masama. Naririnig ko na ang malalakas na bigkas ng isipan ng mga kasama ko. "Ano'ng ginagawa niya?" Jax's thought resonated in my ears. Gan'on din naman ang iniisip ng iba, nalilito at 'di maintindihan ang mga aksyon ko. Gladly, Lucifuge has calmed them down. Hindi ko naman nakita kung pa'no... narinig ko lang ang isang kaisipan ni Aeryn. "I should trust Lucifuge."

The more steps I took forward, the more tumult noises came to my mind. It was coming from the people of Merhey. However, one mind was silent— almost too quiet that I thought he wasn't there. Kaya naman, halos napatalon ako nang magsalita siya sa'king utak.

"Looking for my thoughts, Vampire?" Hindi lang ang biglaan niyang pakikipag-usap ang nakapagpatigil sa'kin, pati na rin ang kaniyang inihayag. Pa'no niya nalaman ang katagang iyon? Ang vampire? That was what I was called in the scene that the book showed me.

"Huwag kang mag-alala. Hindi ko naman nalalaman ang laman ng utak mo. It's just that I happen to know a lot of things unknown in this world. Would you like to come with me?" The man asked.