A Dragon's Plight (ONGOING)

CHAPTER 19

I couldn't help but agree with the saying that only those you consider friends can betray you. The bigger your trust in them, the more betrayed you'll feel.

'Yun marahil ang dahilan kung bakit pakiramdam ko ay hindi ko magagawang patawarin si Freya sa ginawa niyang kataksilan. Hindi ako nagagalit para sa sarili ko. I'm furious with her because it is Rigo who will be most affected by her betrayal.

When I regained consciousness, I found myself lying on a cold floor tightly bound in chains. With both hands behind my back. Hindi lang paa't kamay ko ang nakakadena dahil buong katawan ko ay binabalot ng makakapal na kadena na nakaankla sa sementong pader ng kwartong pinagkulungan sakin. Sa sobrang higpit ng pagkakatali sakin, hindi ako makagalaw. I could only wriggle back and forth like a worm. My mouth wasn't gagged. That means they're not worried about me calling for help. Shouting would be useless.

I was in a room I didn't recognize. A room that has no windows and no furniture in it. Probably so I couldn't use anything to escape. If only the chains around me were normal ones, I could've easily used my dragon strength to break free. But anticipating the power of our kind, each links are imbued with an overwhelming amount of black magic.

I tried using my telepathic link with Rigo to ask for help, but my system was still swimming with whatever drugs I inhaled that made my mind groggy and my vision a bit blurry.

I ceased my feeble attempt when I heard movement outside the door. Hinintay kong makita muli si Freya pero iba ang pumasok sa silid.

"Gising na pala ang bihag. Kanina ka pa namin hinihintay magkamalay. It's a bit rude to kill someone unconscious, you know." Clarisse sarcastically called out by the door.

I refrained from answering her taunts to make her feel ignored. I wanted to goad her into revealing all their plans. I was curious as to how she persuaded Freya to hand me to them.

Every member of the Dragonian Army are closely linked to Rigo mentally and emotionally. Because of that connection, he has an insight to Freya's state of mind. He would have sensed that she wasn't loyal to him and his army. How did Freya get around that dilemma? No amount of acting in this world would have blinded Rigo to Freya' treachery and yet, she was able to pull this off.

Mahinang natawa si Clarisse. "Hindi ka man magsalita diyan, may ideya pa rin ako sa tumatakbo diyan sa isip mo. Your every thought is written in your face." She squatted in front of me. "You're wondering how you got here, right? Seeing the surprise in your face when I came in, you must be wondering where Freya is. Are you worried about her? You shouldn't be. Dahil sa kanya kaya nandito ka ngayon. At siya din ang magdadala kay Rigo dito. If he was only agreeable, I would have kept him alive as my husband and father of my children while having him and his powers under my family's control. Pero masyado siyang loyal sa'yo kaya nagbago ang mga plano namin. He would have to die now so we can harness the powers of the draconis corde. That's how the legend goes, right? Only those who can defeat the almighty dragon with the draconis corde can possess its power." Dahan-dahan siyang tumayo.

"You don't know what you're talking about. Hindi niyo basta-basta matatalo si Rigo at ang Dragonian Army." Nanggigigil kong sabi.

Napailing siya. "Don't you know that he'll do anything to save you? I'm pretty sure that includes sacrificing his life for yours." She smirked.

I looked at her with disgust and horror in my expression. "How could you do that to him? You were with him for years! You acted so in love with him! Was that all an act? Pano mo magagawang pagbalakan siya nang masama?!" Hindi ko mapigilang sigawan siya.

Her expression suddenly changed. Her smug smirk turned to angry scowls. "That's exactly why I'm like this!" She shouted back. "I loved him for years pero kahit kailan hindi niya sinuklian 'yun. Everyone knows I was his girl pero bawat segundo na kasama ko siya, pinaparamdam niya sakin na ikaw pa rin ang mahal niya!" She turned away from me and took a deep breath. She was calmer when she faced me again. "This is just his punishment for not loving me back." She said before leaving the room.

I cried when I realized that she was right. Rigo would indeed offer his life in exchange for mine. He would knowingly walk into a trap if he thinks it's the only way to save me. If I simply will myself to end my existence in this lifetime like I did in my past life, it still wouldn't give Rigo the power to defeat our enemies because my half of our power would stay with my soul.

I sobbed even more when I thought of the only way to save him and our kind. Why did this life turn out just like the previous one? Is this really the end game for Rigo and me in all our lives? Will we be separated once again for the sake of the preservation of our species?

Saglit na napahinto ako sa pagtangis nang muling bumukas ang pinto. May dalawang lalaki na nagtulak sa isang duguang Freya malapit sa kinahihigaan ko sa sahig. Sa kabila ng galit ko sa kanya, hindi ko naiwasang maawa sa kalagayan niya. Hindi siya nakagapos na katulad ko pero 'yun ay dahil hindi na siya makakilos kahit kaunti sa bugbog na sinapit niya.

Umisod ako ng kaunti palapit sa kanya para gisingin ang diwa niya. She needs to get out of here alive to warn Rigo. I also need a living thing to serve as a temporary vessel so I could give back half of the draconis corde to Rigo.

She wouldn't be able to possess the power for a long time because her body, even in dragon form, isn't powerful enough to hold onto the draconis corde. Only dragons with massive spiritual energy - energy used in magics, black or white magic, has the ability to suppress the ill effects of the dragon's heart on the body. In the Drahonian Army, only two other dragons are capable of being a vessel, Kuya Alaric and Tita Selina. Pero dahil si Freya lang ang mapapasahan ko, I would  need to use magic to change the draconis corde into a form that Freya could accept for a short period.

I tried to use my powers to heal the worst of Freya's wound. I was a bit surprised when it worked. It seems as if the room we were in could only prevent me from contacting Rigo but I was free to use my magic.

When she was well enough to wake up, she started sobbing uncontrollably. Paulit-ulit din siyang humingi ng tawad. "Ipinangako ni Clarisse na hindi masasaktan si Rigo pero nagsinungaling lang siya. Niloko lang nila ko. Naniwala ako nung sinabi niyang mahal niya si Rigo pero ang draconis corde lang pala ang habol niya. Patawarin mo ko, Lia."

Saglit na nabuhay ang galit ko pero pilit ko itong isinasantabi. Hindi makakatulong kung sisisihin ko siya sa kalagayan namin. "Tumahan ka na. Kung talagang nagsisisi ka, kailangan mo kong tulungan sa plano ko para mailigtas si Rigo." Pabulong na sabi ko para walang ibang makarinig.

I quickly told her my plans. She shook her head in confusion. "Paano mo ililipat sakin ang isang bagay na pagmamay-ari ng iba? Narinig ko kayong nag-uusap sa kwarto mo pagkatapos mabihag nila Callixto si Rigo at tinanong mo sa kanya kung bakit hindi niya sinabi sa Dragonian Army ang totoo na siya ang tunay na nagmamay-ari ng draconis corde."

My eyes widened when I surmised that Freya thought I stole Rigo's title. "He was the dragon in the legends that possessed the draconis corde and its power. But in our first lives together, he shared it with me along with his love and loyalty. Minabuti naming 'wag nang ipaalam ang buong istorya dahil iniiwasan namin na mapahamak kami pareho."

Muli na naman siyang naiyak. "Ngayon ko lang naintindihan lahat. Pinangunahan ako ng inggit at selos kaya nagawa kitang ibigay kay Clarisse. I thought I was doing my duty in protecting Rigo by eliminating you." Pinunasan niya muna ang kanyang luha bago nagsalita ulit. "Hindi ako pumapayag sa plano mo dahil hindi kita iiwan dito para magpaka-martyr. Hindi p'wedeng ako lang ang makakaligtas. Kahit anong mangyari, ibabalik kita kay Rigo." She announced with determination.

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