"It has been predetermined since the beginning of time, since the first human was introduced to the concept of sleep. Kailangan ng mundo ang Dreamcaster, iyon ang dahilan kung bakit nangyayari ito."
"So, you're saying that you knew this was going to happen? Unbelievable."
"You have a keen eye for the truth, old friend."
*
Inaamin na niya: naaapektuhan siya.
Even though she knew their interactions were going to end at some point, Cornelia never wished it would end on a bad note. Doble ang sakit kapag naiisip niyang sa ganito lang magtatapos ang lahat; na may sama ng loob ang taong natutunan na niyang pahalagahan sa maikling panahon.
But then again, maybe it's for the best.
For both of them.
'Ngayon, nasaan na ba ang lampara na sinasabi nila?'
The land beyond the gates is nothing more than a vast sea of random things that people discarded in their dreams. Nakalatag sa harapan nila ang malawak at itim na buhangin ng Black Desert, pero halos hindi na rin nila ito makita dahil nakabaon dito ang kung anu-anong mga bagay---mga lumang laruan, piraso ng bisikleta, kinakalawang na tren, abandonadong pirate ship, at marami pang iba na 'di na matuloy ni Cornelia.
It's as if they stumbled upon the official junkyard in the Land of Nightmares.
"Sigurado ka bang dito natin mahahanap ang lampara?"
Dave didn't even look at her. "May dahilan kung bakit isang 'alamat' ang genie sa lampara... because nobody ever proved the existence of that lamp in this graveyard of fragmented dreams."
At least that makes some sense.
Still, there was something depressing about this place. Para bang tuluyan nang iniwan ng kulay ang lugar na ito, leaving behind monotonous shades of black. Gloomy and threatening at the same time. Ang hirap isipin na nagmula sa mga kinalimutang panaginip ng tao ang mga bagay na 'to, those negative energies that are too fragile to be confined in nightmares or dream stones.
Habang tumatagal, napapansin niyang dumidilim na rin ang kalangitan sa itaas ng Black Desert.
Lumipas ang ilang oras ng paghahanap, pero wala pa rin silang makitang lampara.
She anxiously glanced at the Dreamcaster. The invisible clock is ticking. They don't have much time left.
"Paano kung---"
"Don't even think about it."
Tinalikuran ulit siya nito.
Cornelia curled her hands into fists. Wala na siyang magagawa kung ayaw na siya nitong pansinin, pero ibang usapan na kung buhay nila at buhay ng mga tao sa Waking World ang nakataya rito.
"Dave, ikaw na mismo nagsabi na walang pruweba sa existence ng lampara.. I'm not trying to be a pessimist right now, but we've been searching this place for hours!"
"Then don't be a pessimist," he retorted. "Dahil wala nang ibang paraan para makaalis sa dimensyong ito!"
Subtle, but it was there. Narinig ni Cornelia ang pag-aalinlangan sa boses nito na pinipilit niyang takpan ng galit. Hindi niya alam kung dapat ba siyang matakot o matawa. The fact that even the Dreamcaster is scared terrified her tenfold.
O baka naman ayaw lang nito sabihin sa kanya ang isa pang posibilidad na kumikiliti sa konsensiya niya?
"Sigurado ka bang ang lampara lang ang paraan para makabalik ka sa trabaho mo?" She smiled sadly before she could hold back. "Doesn't another option involve sacrificing me to save yourself? Tutal naman, mas mahalaga naman talaga ang buhay mo. You have work to do and I'm the one who dragged you here in the first place..."
"Elia, stop."
"Totoo naman, 'di ba? Hindi mo na kailangang isikreto sa'kin kung dito na pala ang magiging libingan ko."
"Tsk! Says the one who planned to poison me."
"Well, plans change overnight. It was a moment of weakness, pero wala akong intensyong gamitin sa'yo yun, Dave."
"Hard to believe that, Elia."
"Alam mong kailangan ng isang sakripisyo ang paggamit ng wish, 'di ba?"
Hindi kumibo si Dave.
"At alam nating dalawa na naaapektuhan ka ng mundong ito, na may posibilidad kang maging masama dahil sa negative energy ng Land of Nightmares. Bakit kailangan mong ilihim sa'kin? You don't need to act like the good guy anymore!"
"I'M NOT TRYING TO ACT LIKE THE GOOD GUY, DAMN IT!" He breathed heavily. "Ikaw lang naman ang naniniwala sa ilusyon na mabuti akong tao! Una sa lahat, hindi ako mabuti. Pangalawa, hindi ako tao."
He was frustrated and stressed, that much she could tell. His eyes inverted colors again, before quickly returning back to normal. Sinamaan siya nito ng tingin. A not-so-friendly reminder that he's not a mortal like her. For a moment, it felt like she didn't know him.
Hindi na namalayan ni Cornelia na nagbabadya na namang tumulo ang mga luha sa mata niya.
Nobody prepared her for this pain...
"Mukhang bad timing yata ang pagpunta ko."
*
Nanginginig pa rin ang mga kamay ni June.
And as the restlessness in Eastwood continued, he tried to still his hands. 'Just this once,' he urged himself. Dahil malakas ang pakiramdam niyang malaki ang nakasalalay sa bagay na hawak niya ngayon. Intuition? Maybe. What's ironic is, it's the same object he found under Cornelia's bed before when he was investigating her disappearance.
Tinitigan ni June ang kanyang repleksyon dito.
This time, the June who stared back at him was born from several weeks of restless nights, emotional breakdowns, and pushing himself to the limits just to save the girl he loved in secrecy for years.
'Hold on, just a little longer... Cornelia.'
With that, June walked out of his room filled with sketches of Cornelia and a note on top of his bed, carrying the silver lamp gleaming in his hand.
---
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...
