The Blood Maiden

Chapter 21 | Bloodsong

Elaire's POV

Kumibot-kibot ang aking mata habang pinapanood ang dalawang sundalo na namilipit at nagsisigaw sa sakit. Both of them lay on their own sacrificial table— the tables weren't called that but they did look like they're being sacrificed to the dark.

Sinunod ko lang ang direksyon na binigay sa'kin ni Admiral Sienna at nandito na ako ngayon sa kweba kung saan ginaganap ang trial of blood. Nasa hulihan ako ng pila ng mga sundalong nag-apply sa order.

Isang sundalo ang nakita kong umalis mula sa pila, nanlalaki ang mga mata, at tumungo palabas ng kweba. Mayamaya'y sumunod ang isa pang sundalo na umalis nang namimigat ang magkabilang balikat at nakabagsak ang paningin.

"Tsk." I heard the soldier in front of me snicker. "Mga duwag."

But I didn't think that the soldiers who backed out from the trial were cowards at all. I actually thought they were smart. Alam nilang hindi nila kakayanin 'yong trial kaya pinili nilang huwag isugal ang kapangyarihan o buhay nila. They chose to be safe than sorry, an ideal decision for when risking everything.

Muli akong tumuon sa dulo ng kweba.

The two soldiers have stopped screaming in pain and were unconscious. One was barely breathing while the other...

He's dead, nahinuha ko nang makitang hindi gumagalaw ang dibdib nito.

Both bodies were carried away by other soldiers and more applicants left the line.

Two men stood overseeing the trial. The commander, Admiral Bane, and a spellcaster who used magic to clean the bloody tables before calling the next pair of applicants.

Upon closer inspection, the bleeding tables were made of rough stone, and they had small canals where blood could travel. The trial was simple, really, dapat ka munang maupo sa isa sa mga mesa at gamit ang crystal knife na ibibigay ng spellcaster, kailangan mong hiwain nang napakalalim ang magkabilang braso mo, mula pulsuhan patungo sa kung saan bumabaluktot 'yong siko.

You lie down on the table afterwards, and suffer, as the table drains your blood just before it's very last drop. I believe you'll be in terrible pain while bleeding, dahil lahat ng mga sundalong nagdurugo sa mesa ay nagsisigaw at umiiyak, habang nakahiga sa kumakapal nilang dugo.

Eventually, it was my turn and the soldier in front of me's.

Dinaanan ko ng tingin ang Admiral na minasdan ang pag-akyat ko sa mesa. Umupo ako nang nakatuwid ang mga binti at tinanggap ang kutsilyo na inabot ng spellcaster.

It was an obsidian knife, capable of wounding skin with just a light touch.

"You may begin bleeding," tugon ng spellcaster.

Diniin ko ang talim sa aking pulsuhan at hihiwain na sana 'yong balat ko nang mapaurong ako dahil sa pagtalsik ng dugo ng sundalong kasabay ko.

I turned to him, eyes blank, and watched him continuously stab his arms instead of slicing it open.

When he had stabbed himself enough, tumirik 'yong mga mata niya at ilang segundo siyang naghingalo bago mabigat na bumagsak ang kanyang likod sa mesa, nakalaylay ang isang braso na nagkapunit-punit ang balat.

Why do I have a feeling na nandito lang siya para ma-experience 'yong trial at hindi para pumasa?

Sighing, I dug the tip of my blade under my wrist. At first, I felt an itch, a pinch, that soon worsened into a strange feeling— not a sharp pain but rather a dull, pulsating cold. Shallow cuts hurt but a deep slice of the skin didn't. Instead of hurting, it felt. It felt very unpleasant, na parang sinisigaw ng katawan kong may maling nangyari rito— na maling naramdaman ng aking kalamnan ang labas ng balat.