The Song of Teardrops (Van Doren Series #3)

Chapter Thirty-two

The Cave and The Forest

Pinagmasdan ko si Draven ng walang emosyong ipinapakita sa kanya. Nakahiga na siya ngayon sa mga hita ko at patuloy pa ring nanghihina. Nararamdaman ko rin patuloy na pagkalat ng sumpa sa kanyang katawan. Huminga ako ng malalim bago mariing hinawakan ang kamay niya.

His eyes are now glinting with tears while still looking up to me.  He didn't say anything after what I said. Ilang beses lang siyang napakurap hanggang sa tuluyan ng lumabas ang mga luha niya.

I sighed and closed my eyes. I unleashed a part of my power again to shield us from what's happening around us. Ginamit ko na rin ang natitirang lakas ko para bawasan ang sakit na nararamdaman niya dulot ng sumpa. I can no longer remove it, but I can help him endure it with less pain. Once this process is over, I will also lose my remaining strength to be here in this time. I will have no choice but to return to the present, or else I will also find my death here.

The forest around us disappeared when water from the ground started to cover us. I swayed my hand on the air until it formed into a barrier hovering us. Binalik ko ang hawak ko sa kamay niya nang hindi ko na naramdaman si Erandil at ang iba pa sa paligid.

"The pain will soon disappear... once the process is done." I said plainly.

"T-Thalia..."

"This will be the last time you'll see me. After this, you will live many lifetimes... I hope you survive the wars you're yet to face. I hope you will remember pieces of your past. I hope you won't feel sad and alone." 

"Thalia..." he just kept calling my name as if pleading for something. Bakas sa mga mata niya ang paghihirap. Nararamdaman ko rin ang paninigas ng katawan niya na para bang kasalukuyang gumagalaw ang mga buto niya sa katawan. Tinitigan ko lang siya at nagpatuloy sa pagsasalita. 

"Now I know why I've met you here again," I murmured. "It's because you gave me your destiny. You trusted me with your life... And in my heart, I knew I wanted to see you again. It was me who decided this, Draven. I brought myself here for a reason..." I gasped for air. "You were Cassius' apprentice. You already knew him when Empires still existed. You were born and raised inside an empire... You only became a knight when Axiom was built after The Fall..." I said out of realization. "You probably met her. You probably met Astraea before..."

"W-Why..." he breathed out the word confusedly. "W-Why did you come for me here?" 

Umiling-iling ako. "I did not come for you here. I came here for the Van Dorens... and to hide my identity." I held his hand tighter. "But I stayed because of you." 

I lift my other hand and slowly wipe the tears that are falling from his eyes. "In the future, I wasn't ready when you died. Pero ngayon... sapat na sakin ang pansamantalang pagsasama natin rito sa nakaraan."

"Patawad kung wala na akong may mababago sa kapalaran ninyo. I tried to bring the Queen to stop this from happening. Sinubukan ko... Sinubukan ko pero mangyayari pa rin ang nangyari sayo... Napunta sayo ang isang sumpa."

Napakurap siya at mas lalo pang lumuha. Napakagat ako sa ibabang labi at hindi na rin napigilan ang sariling mga luha sa pagpatak. Pinagmasdan ko ang mga mata niyang unti-unti ng nagbabago ng kulay. Nawawala na ang dating kulay nito at unti-unti ng nagiging kulay pula. It's the eyes that I remembered and loved. Nyx's eyes are slowly forming in Draven's.

Humugot ako ng hininga bago mariing ipinikit ang mga mata para pigilan ang mga luha ko. I slowly let go of his hands, but when I slip it away, Draven just took it back and hold on to me more firmly. Napasinghap ako. Hinayaan kong humawak siya sakin nang ilang segundo pa hanggang sa mga kamay na niya mismo ang kumalas. Mapakla akong ngumiti bago yumuko sa kanya.