ALIRA: The Lost Soul

Chapter 4: Illusion or Portal?

I have been walking for a couple of hours already. Nagsimula na ring humapdi ang aking mga paa mula sa paltos dulot ng suot kong sapatos na halos hindi na magkasya sakin. I can buy a new one but I don't think I need it as I train outside barefooted most of the time. You can imagine how rough and calloused my feet are. But I'm not some kind of princess to be conscious about it. As long as I'm clean and presentable, I'm good.

Saglit muna akong tumigil nang mamataan ko na ang rotang daanan ng transportasyon ng mga mamayan ng Comwel. Malayo pa ito sa mismong bukana ng bayan ng Ostera malapit sa Capital, kung nasaan nakatirik ang matayog na kastilyo na sentro ng Monlaz, ngunit mapapansin mo na ang konkretong daan na hinaharangan  ng bakod na kahoy sa magkabilang gilid.

Sigh. This is it. I'll be finally revealing myself to this wicked world. Once I come out of these bushes wala nang atrasan to. I'll refrain showing any of my abilities unless needed dahil kailangan kong mag-ingat.

I haven't been to the Capital for a few months already that's why I hope my clumsiness will spare me the troubles.

Muli akong bumuntong-hininga bago hinawi ang nagtataasang talahib. I looked around before making myself visible and marched my way to the nearby trees hovering the road.

I noticed how peaceful the place is, at wala ni isang dumadaan sa mga oras na iyon. Which is wierd. Nausea started to take over me as I gripped on my knapsack tightly. Sa loob nito ang aking maliit na punyal upang maging handa sa kung ano mang mangyayari.

Sa sandaling tumapak ako sa d kalakihang daan ay tila biglang nag-iba ang paligid. I blinked and blinked to make sure I am not imagining things.

I noticed people just coming at each side of the road out of the blue like what must've happened to me. Hindi ko ito inaasahan. Though I've pretty much have known the Capital as I go there whenever I can, everything was still normal except for cases where magic, potions, enchantments are needed. Kaya medyo natatanga pa rin ako kapag personal ko itong nasasaksihan o nararanasan.

This is the first time I used this road of Ostera to go to the Capital kaya hindi ko inaasahan ang tila portal na aking dinaanan. O baka ilusyon lang talaga ang tahimik na daan na aking nakita kanina? It can also be some kind of barrier. Weird. 

Thankfully, everybody seems unfazed. Normal lamang na naglalakad ang karamihan sa mga ito, nakaalalay sa kariton na hila-hila ng mga kabayo. So, there's still parts of Ostera that's like this huh. Ano pa nga bang aasahan ko. The upper class became even more privileged, while lower class stayed at the bottom. What more for commoners. Sigh.

"Stop right there."

Napalingon naman ako sa nagsalita at nakitang nakaharap ito sakin.

I pointed myself but the guy didn't respond. I first noticed the Knight's armor he is wearing, but there's no sword or any weapon on his side. 
Nakatitig lamang ito sakin at sa aking harapan. Napataas ang aking kilay dahil sa reaksiyon nito.

Dahil mukhang wala itong balak sumagot ay tinalikuran ko ito. I was about to make a step when the surroundings changed again.

I'm now a step away from an unending darkness, standing next to a cliff. Kahit hindi ko makita ay rinig ko ang tila kumukulong tunog mula sa ibaba at ang mainit na singaw nito. Am I near a crater now? Kanina lang ay matiwasay akong naglalakad, paano ako napunta sa lugar na ito?

Nagsimula akong maalarma nang may humigit sa aking braso at isang nakakahilong sensasyon ang muntik nang bumuwal sa akin. Napahawak ako sa kung sino man bago sinapo ang aking ulo dulot ng matinding hilo. I closed my eyes tightly and gulped to stopped the urge to vomit.

"Do you want to kill me?"

Hilong tanong ko sa taong nasa aking harapan. I opened my eyes and saw him looking directly at me kaya kinabahan ako.

l prepared myself to vanish in hindsight in case may mangyari o gawing masama ang tao sa aking harapan.

I didn't notice I was holding unto his arm for support kaya naman ay agad kong ibinaba ang aking kamay kahit hindi pa ako makatayo ng maayos. Daig ko pa ata yung nakainom ng ilang bote ng alak dahil sa hilo.

"Are you damn foolish or just plain stupid? How did you came here when a simple illusion tricked you like that? Kung hindi kita naabutan ay malamang natusta kana sa baba."

I blinked a couple of times to process what he said. May mukhang maipagmamalaki sana kaso ang sama ng ugali.

"Ano sa tingin mo? Kasalanan ko pa talaga? Eh naglalakad lang naman ako nang matiwasay then out of nowhere napunta na ako sa lugar na to. Now tell me, where the heck am I?"
Pilosopo kong saad. 

He gave me a smug and judging look na nagpa-inis sakin. Bigla itong naglabas ng gintong espada na hindi ko mawari kung saan nanggaling at itinapat sa aking leeg. Is he a weapon summoner? Napalunok ako dahil tila may bumikig sa aking lalamunan.

"You're in a freaking battle arena, idiot. I don't know if this is a little game of yours, but I'm a bit bored too. Should I just play along?"
Namamangha nitong saad.

The fuck is he talking about?

~~~~~~~~~~
I'll provide a simple map of the entire Monlaz soon.