Night of Waterfalls (Venom Series 2)

Chapter 69

Chapter 69: Dancing Flowers

"Astrid!"

I had lost count of how many times I called her name in the vastness of this swamp. All I could hear was my own voice, the sound of the moving water as I continued to row, and the creaking of the enormous plants above me as if one of those would crash into my improvised petal boat.

I looked up, grimaced, and blinked with the sudden flash of my imagination. The slow movement of my petal boat and the momentary shadows on my cheek from the shades of those gigantic flowers gave me a sudden relief. 

There was a sun but no wind at all?! It was scorching hot and damn blinding!

How was it possible to feel the movement of these massive plants without even feeling the wind? I kept wiping the sweat from my forehead with my arm. The humidity was suffocating. And the silence was deafening.

Tiniis ko na lang ang init at muli akong humarap sa unahan.

"Right! Astrid! Do you hear me? This is Kezalli!"

I closed my eyes, wondering if this was the best way to get her attention. How should I introduce myself to her? Was she aware of the stories of the prophecy? Did she grow up with the idea of us, or was it all as vague for her as it was for Claret? What if she had no idea at all? 

Bigla kong naalala iyong sinabi sa akin ni Claret tungkol sa kanya. She tried to come near her in the human world, pero tinarayan lang daw siya. Kung ganoon na siya kay Claret na sobrang ganda, ano na lang ang sasabihin niya sa katulad ko?

I looked down and grimaced with my own sight. I might have been dressed like a performer, but it was now filled with dirt. Ikaw ba naman ang bumagsak sa tubig na kulay brown? Kinapa ko rin ang buhok ko. The pixies took care of it but now it was all sticky and disgusting.

Baka sa sandaling makita ako ni Astrid ay paghinalaan niya akong nababaliw o 'di kaya ay isang kalaban.  

How I wished I could have that kind of spell like Claret, she could literally dress up like those pixies, but I knew that my power was more inclined toward weapons. Nagagawa ko lang gamitin iyon kapag may armas ako. And if I tried to use spells like how Claret used it with her blue power, it should be with my intense emotions. I couldn't control it the way I wanted to.

I sighed. I should give up the idea that I'd master my green light just like how Claret expertly drew it in thin air. I'd stick with my weapons and green light embracing it.

Pinagpatuloy ko ang pagsagwan habang lumilinga sa paligid. Pare-pareho lang ang nakikita ko, maduming tubig at napakaraming matataas na bulaklak at payat na puno. 

As someone who grew up and survived the dark side of the human world alone, having this journey in this strangely looking place wasn't too much for me. I used to wander through places no one would expect a woman like me to explore. I have always been an adventurer, driven by my love for discovering history, the past, and the artifacts that tell its story.

Siguro ay dahil iyon ang tumatak sa akin noong bata pa ako. How at a young age, I was exposed to the idea that it was important to preserve archaeological things— the print of the past. I knew that I shouldn't feel the excitement right now with the idea that my mate might have suffered for this sudden decision, but just like what the blue fire had told me, she summoned me.

I am still wondering about her words, but for now, I know that I should find her— Astrid.

"Astrid! This is Kezalli! I came from the human world as well! Can you hear me?! Your fiancé—" natigilan ako. "Fiancé na ba dapat?" I shook my head.