Deathbound [Published Under Cloak Pop Fiction]

45. The Last Reunion

Seeing his face, his smile that reached his teary eyes crashed my heart into pieces. One of the reasons why I wanted to live --can be-- one of the victims of annihilation. Ang sakit isipin na ang lalaking pinatanggol at pinaglaban ako ay mawawala nang dahil saakin. He's gonna die -and that is because of me. 

How could I do this to Alec? How can a love that supposedly celebrated, a reason why we get heart.  It pains me so much realizing that my wish of him being there where I should be would never happen. 

I am really a deathbound. The people around me, aware or unaware, die. Isang katotohanang masaklap. 

Now I am trapped in a maze where every turning point is a dead end with a mark of sorrow on it. 

"Alison!" Nananabik ang tono ng boses niyang lumapit saakin.  I felt Levi's hands set me free as Alec came closer. The next thing I remember was his warm embrace around me. Humalik ito sa buhok ko saka mas hinigpitan ang yakap saakin. " I missed you so much my love."

"I miss you too." Napapikit ako saka sumandal sa dibdib ng lalaki. Hindi ko siya kayang titigan. Tumatagos ang sakit sa dibdib ko kapag naiisip ko kung anong posibleng mangyari saaming dalawa ni Alec. "I'm just praying this would be over now. Ang dami kong naiisip na plano para saatin."

Napangiti ako sa tinuran ng lalaki. Levi was watching us but he remained silent from a corner. Nagpanggap itong nakatanaw sa labas ng gusali ng Claremur. 

Bigla akong napalingon sa lalaki. Nagtama ang aming panigin. I saw the same amount of love in his eyes -unchanging. Hindi nito alam ang tungkol sa annihilation ng Delta. I wished I could tell him. "I miss you too.  I just hope this will end soon." 

Magsasalita pa sana si Alec nang marinig namin ang boses ni prinsesa Kristel mula sa di kalayuan. Naglalakad ito palapit, "Alec, the army is ready."

Gulat akong napatingin sa prinsesa. Nang wala akong mahanap na sagot sa mukha nito ay bumalik ang tingin ko kay Alec. He looked terribly worried. Tumango-tango ito habang blanko ang ang titig sa sahig. "The army. Yeah."

Lumapit saamin ang prinsesa. Napalingon ito kay Levi na nagulat din sa narinig. Nang ilang pulgada na lang ang layo nito ay saka ito nagsalita, "I bet you have not told her the crisis. So, allow me to tell her what was going on around Claremur since the day she's gone."

"Princess, I mean I could t-" Alec's words were cut.

"Allison, Bartsville is a few miles away from here for the quarterly clash." Tinaasan ako nito ng kilay. Her looked never changed. Masungit pa rin ito. "Bartsville has destroyed all the weak kingdoms in Delta. Before they get to defeat Claremur, the second strongest kingdom, they need our army for a sure win. Now they're coming to burn us down into ashes. What is your next move?"

Tila sunod-sunod na pasabog ang mga salitang sinabi ng prinsesa. Kanina'y puno ng sakit ang nararamdaman ko. Pagkatapos ay pinuno ng pangamba ang dibdib ko. Bartsville is going to destroy the kingdom I once loved. My safest place. Our unscathed refuge. 

In a snap, I set aside all the issues that was bothering me. I wanted to protect Claremur once and for all. "How much time do we have?"

"Twenty hours Alison." Sagot ni Alec. 

Napatingin ako kay Levi na tahimik pa rin sa isang sulok. Nang mahalata nito ang katahimikan sa loob ng silid na 'yon ay saka ito humarap saamin. He was not surprised upon seeing as all looking at him. 

"So mister stranger? I heard you're a former ally of Bartsville but that was because you were spying on them for Allison's sake. You know the kingdom's strategy, their weaknesses and their flaws.  What are you gonna suggest?" Princess Kristel asked intently. Pinasadahan nito ng tingin si Levi mula ulo hanggang paa. 

"We have Brittany with an unlimited shield; but we can't just depend on the kid's shield forever. We need to conceptualize. Use all the alius that we have and kill them before they get us." Levi mentioned. Napasandal ito sa window frame na nasa likuran.

"Do you have a plan?" Alec asked Levi. 

"I have; but we need Sheryl's strategy and the rest of the channels." Kalmadong ang naging tugon ni Levi. 

Humarap si Alec kay Levi, leaving me with the princess by my side. "So what do we do next Levi?"

Levi released a sigh. Mukhang nabasa nito ang reaksyon ni Alec at ng prinsesa. We need him for this battle. Atleast if he didn't want the annihilation to happen, he would do everything to protect the kingdom where his loved ones live. Sigurado akong gagawin niya 'yon. 

Hindi nagsalita ang lalaki. Nakatingin ito saakin habang umiikot sa ere ang kanang palad nito. He was opening a portal. I knew it. Isang black hole ang nabuo out of nowhere. Nang hawiin niya ang bilog na portal na 'yon ay lumaki ang espasyo ng black hole. Umatras ito ng ilang hakbang. Pagkatapos ay gulat na lumabas mula sa portal sina Reid, Quattro, ang kambal, si Allen at si Charles. 

Namangha si prinsesa Kristel sa kakayahan ni Levi. Kulang na lang ay pumalakpak ito. "Brilliant!" bulalas nito habang nakatingin sa mga kasamahan kong kakalabas lamang sa portal na ginawa ni Levi. 

Levi closed the black tunnel. Everyone who recently arrived realized it was Levi who brought them to Claremur one hundred times faster. Kasunod no'n ay ang pagdating nina Sheryl at Souk.

All the more, a familiar look startled me. My adrenaline rush came in again nang makita ko si Dark Rose na nasa likuran ni Sheryl. Pero parang may kakaiba sa babae, mas maaliwalas at mas maamo ang mukha nito. Nginitian ako nito na parang matagal na kaming magkakilala. As my gazed hitched with her stare, I suddenly felt the connection that binds us. She's one of my channels. 

"She's White Rose Allison," Sheryl introduced the familiar girl. "When you killed Carima, Gena came to life. Matagal na siyang nakatago sa ilalim ng anino ni Dark Rose. She's the original rose, and she's harmless."

Kumaway si Gena, the white rose. Naramdaman din siguro nito ang pising nagbubuklod saaming dalawa. Tumango ako at ngumiti. Hindi ko alam na aabot ako sa puntong makokompleto ko ang limang channels. But is it worth it kahit na sa likod ng pagkakabuo namin ay ang kamatayan ng mga non-alius? Ang kamatayan ni Alec?

 Napawi pansamantala ang pangamba ko nang dumating ang mag-asawang sina Rambu at Rita na buhat-buhat sina Brit at Zia.   Pakiramdam ko'y sa bulto-bultong pasakit na nasa dibdib ko'y biglang nagkaroon ng espasyo para sa di maipintang tuwa na nararamdaman ko. 

Walang kapantay na galak ang umusbong sa puso ko nang makita ko ang mga nakangiting bata habang papalapit saakin. Halos magkasabay nilang tinawag ang pangalan ko nang makita ako. Mabilis akong lumapit at niyakap silang pareho. Muli, sumagi sa isip ko na ang mga batang alius ang dahilan ko kung bakit ko gustong bumalik sa Alpha. I promised Ivy that I should come back. Hinihintay nila ako doon. I will go back with the kids and the other alius. Sana makabalik ako kasama ang iba pa.  

The kids ran to Levi after receiving my warm hugs. Maluha-luhang sinalubong nig lalaki ang mga bata. Lumuhod ito sa sahig saka sinalo ng magkasabay sina Brit at Zia gamit ang mga bisig nito. He effortlessly carried the two and hugged them tight. His smile was priceless. 

The princess did not care the reunion that was going on. Hindi na ito nakatiis at muling nagsalita. "Now that we have you all here," panimula ni prinsesa Kristel, "let us get to the planning. Let us defend Claremur together." 

###