A Dragon's Plight (ONGOING)

Chapter 21

I thought the fight was over. I've put down my guard because it was already clear that Clarisse was now on her own.

"Sa tingin niyo ba dito na lang matatapos ang lahat? Sa tingin niyo hahayaan ko kayong masaya habang ako nalulunod sa inggit dahil magkasama na kayo ulit?"

Rigo changed back into human and sighed. He didn't love Clarisse the way a boyfriend loves the girl he's committed to and he feels guilty about it. Pakiramdam niya kasalanan niya na nagkakaganyan si Clarisse. I could feel everything that he is thinking and feeling through our bond. And with that comes understanding. Clarisse may have been mean to me all this years, but she was a friend to Rigo. He wouldn't be able to fight her with all his strength because he knows that outcome would result in her demise. And he won't be able to live with the blood of his friend on his hands.

Ayoko man na lapitan niya si Clarisse dahil sa takot ko sa p'wede nitong gawin sa kanya, hinayaan ko lang si Rigo nang humakbang siya palapit kay Clarisse para pakiusapan ito.

"Alam kong may kasalanan ako sa'yo, Clarisse, at alam kong imposibleng mapatawad mo pa ko. Pero hindi ko na mababago 'yung mga nangyari na. You know how hard I tried to feel something for you. Sinubukan kong kalimutan si Lia dahil ayaw kong pahirapan lang siya lalo ng konseho at ni Daddy. And you witnessed how miserably I failed."

I could hear the agony in his voice as he reminisced the years that has passed. Judging by Clarisse' expression, she could hear it as well. She too was immersed in remembering everything that they went through.

Nang pumikit si Clarisse at nagsimulang umiyak, mas lumapit si Rigo sa kanya para aluin. Mahigpit na niyakap ni Clarisse si Rigo. Both her arms going around Rigo, with one of her palms leveled with Rigo's heart. When that palm started exuding a black light, I realised what was happening.

Rigo and I underestimated Clarisse' selfishness. Akala namin pareho na magagawa niya pang magpatawad pero nagkamali kami. And that mistake might just cost Rigo his life.

Clarisse used her pent-up bitterness and rage and casted one last spell. A spell that would sacrifice the life of the one who uttered it. A spell that would be difficult to break because it is powered with despair. I knew that even my fire wouldn't work this time.

Mabilis kong tinakbo ang distansya sa pagitan namin para paghiwalayin ang dalawa. Nang tumumba si Clarisse at hindi na bumangon pa, I realised that her spell has already claimed her life, which also means it was finished. A life wasted because of being unable to accept that her love wasn't reciprocated.

I turned Rigo to lie on his back and saw the dark aura of the spell starting to take hold of his heart. I just couldn't let it end like this. Sa oras na lamunin ng kadiliman ang draconis corde, hudyat na ng katapusan ng buong lahi namin. Rigo wouldn't be able to fight his way out of the spell with only half of the dragon's heart with him.

Rigo held my hand in a tight grip. "You have to claim my heart. Take both halves of the draconis corde and live for our race, Lia." He urged me.

Umiiyak na napailing ako. I simply couldn't end his life. Kapag nawala siya, I don't think I'd be strong enough to become the leader of all dragons. I just didn't have it in me to endure a life without him. Nung namatay ang mga magulang ko at iniwan niya ko, nagawa kong magpatuloy mabuhay sa kabila ng mga pasakit na natanggap ko dahil alam kong nandiyan pa rin siya. We were still living in the same planet and under the same sky. Hindi ko man siya nakakasama o nakakausap, kontento na ko na makita siya mula sa malayo.

When I tried to imagine how bleak life would be without him, I sobbed in despair. Pinilit kong pigilan ang pagalpas ng mga luha ko at nilunok muli ang hagulgol. I have to be strong for him this last time. I have to do something so he may live. For our race to prosper, Rigo must be the one to lead them.

Nilapat ko ang isang kamay ko sa dibdib niya habang ang isa naman ay nakakuyom sa dibdib ko. I remembered what Kuya Alaric taught me about how my will is connected to the draconis corde beating inside me. With every power I possessed, I willed my half of the draconis corde to be one with the half that was slowly being engulfed in dark magic inside Rigo.

By forming the draconis corde as a whole, it would have enough power to fight Clarisse' dark spell. Hindi nga lang ako sigurado kung ano ang mangyayari sa oras na mawala sakin ang kalahati ko. No one in our past reincarnations has combined their halves of the draconis corde because of the unproven belief that losing one's half of the heart means losing their lives.

Kung totoo man na ganun nga ang mangyayari, I would consider the loss of my life justified kapag nagawa nitong iligtas si Rigo mula sa kamatayan. There wasn't anything that was more important for me than Rigo being alive and well.

Nang mapansin ko na unti-unting nawawala ang balot ng kadiliman sa dibdib ni Rigo, napangiti ako sa kabila ng matinding panghihina na naramdaman ko. I could feel my heartbeat getting slower and weaker. Before letting myself succumb to unconsciousness, I willed Rigo to open his eyes so I can tell him how I feel for him.

Confusion was evident in his gaze when he opened his eyes and looked at me. I smiled at him and let my feelings out. "Mahal na mahal na mahal kita. I'm glad I get to love you again in this lifetime."

Hindi ko na narinig pa ang sagot niya sa kawalan ng malay.

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