Cornelia has no idea if the Oasis defies the laws of time, too.
Noong una, nabibilang pa niya ang paglipas ng bawat segundo at bawat minuto, hanggang sa hindi na niya namalayan kung nasaan na siya sa bilang. The blinding light of the sun slowly intensified as if it were reaching midday. Although the heat wasn't scorching her skin yet (miraculously), Cornelia felt her mouth run dry.
'Kung hindi ako mamamatay sa pagod, baka sa uhaw naman ako matuluyan!'
She hung her head low, not minding the strands sticking to her face. Ni wala na rin siyang pakialam sa paglagas ng bulaklak sa ulo niya, watching the cornelia petals fall, succumb to their fate to the gray sand below her. The thought of a certain Dreamcaster made her want to curse in frustration.
"At talagang iniwan na niya ako? Tsk! I can't die like this. Ang dami ko pang gustong gawin."
Cornelia closed her eyes, wishing not for the first time, that this is all just a figment of her imagination.
"Until now, I can't comprehend how you humans still manage to think about your stupid dreams even when death is already standing in front of you."
Mabilis na nag-angat ng tingin si Cornelia nang marinig ang boses niya. To her shock, another tomato was hurled towards her. She angled her head to the side, anticipating the rotten blow that never came. Sa kanyang pasasalamat (at pagkainis), agad itong nasalo ni Dave.
He twirled the tomato on the tip of his index finger before tossing it away.
"Thanks for waiting."
What the hell?
"INIWAN MO 'KO RITO!"
"Correction," Dave started undoing her ties. "Binili kita. Medyo natagalan lang akong kumbinsihin ang mangangalakal na 'yon, but since a man is a man, we settled everything with a bottle of beer and a few silver coins."
Hindi alam ni Cornelia kung dapat ba niyang ikabahala pa lalo ang ideyang nakipag-"negotiate" pa si Dave para sa kalayaan niya. To hell with this! Matapos ang pang-iiwan nito sa ere kanina, Cornelia knew she couldn't put her faith in him. But ironically, between him and that nasty old merchant, 'di hamak na mas kampante naman siya kay Dave.
Sadly.
"At saan naman tayo pupunta?" She asked after having her limbs free. She rubbed the sore places and covered her face with the cloth. Hindi niya aaminin sa isang 'to na nahihirapan siyang maglakad matapos ang ilang oras ng pangangalay sa pwesto niya kanina.
Kung napansin man ito ni Dave, he chose to completely ignore it and led the way.
"Black Desert. Alamat man o hindi, that genie is our only hope to get out of this hell," he said.
Hindi na umimik si Cornelia. Doon lang niya napansin ang bitbit nitong carpet.
"Is that a magic carpet?"
Dave laughed at the suggestion. Maya-maya pa, nang makalabas na sila sa barrier ng palm trees, agad siyang huminto at binuklat ang carpet. Cornelia stopped beside him and peeked at its oddly woven designs. Mukhang luma na ito at kupas na ang ilang bahagi, naghihimulmol na rin ang mga dulo nito. It looks like this carpet had seen better days, but why does Dave have it?
"This isn't a magic carpet, it's a map of the Land of Nightmares."
"Saan mo nakuha 'yan?"
"Di mo na kailangang malaman. Ang mahalaga, makakalabas na tayo rito nang 'di naliligaw."
Tinitigang maigi ng dalaga ang carpet, at doon niya napagtantong nakahabi rito ang ilang pamilyar na landscapes.
The Oasis was woven into it complete with palm trees and tents. Hindi niya mabasa ang nakasulat, pero mukhang alam naman ni Dave ang ginagawa niya. Ilang sandali pa, he pointed a spot marked by black rocks and a scorpion-decorated gate at the far end of the carpet.
"Dito tayo pupunta."
---
BINABASA MO ANG
✔ Dreamcaster
Fantasy"I am a Dreamcaster." "But you don't have any dreams?" "Does it matter?" He challenged. She glared back. "It does." After his mentor's retirement, tuluyan nang pinandigan ni Dave ang kanyang mga responsibilidad bilang isang Dreamcaster. As someone w...
