Team Alpha

Chapter 19

'Muirgen the Great'

XIN

"Wake up, Muirgen." Feeling light-headed, I tried to open my eyes. Tumingin-tingin agad ako sa paligid nung makarinig ako ng pagragasa ng tubig. I shook my head, but I was still feeling dizzy at mabigat ang katawan ko.

"It's amazing, isn't it? She's not even a pure dragon, and yet she looks like one." Tumingin agad ako sa babaeng nagsalita sa gilid ko at dun ko lang nalaman na ang liit niya palang tingnan mula dito. And just then, I realized. I was still in my dragon form. The professor, Mandora, greeted me with a smile.

Tumingin ako sa lalaking nasa tabi niya na nakatingin lang sa akin. He was also a red-head at nakita kong sumisilip ang tattoo niya sa leeg kahit nakaturtle-neck na siya.

"She's just a lab rat." Tumingin naman ako sa babaeng kararating lang at tiningnan ako habang nakahalukipkip siya. The other guy just hissed at her as a warning.

"Wow, she looks just like Muirgen." I narrowed my eyes at the kid who was approaching. They're all red-heads. Tiningnan ko siya at dahil nakasleeve-less siya ay nakita kong may dragon tattoo siya sa balikat. I think they all have tattoos. "That's because she is Muirgen." Mandora said. Tiningnan ko lang sila at wala man lang akong masabi.

Maybe because if I open my mouth, I'll be breathing fire again.

"Mom, Muirgen's already dead for like.. so many years ago." Kunot-noong sabi nung bata sa kanya at tsaka tiningnan ako. This Muirgen that they're referring to, was the first female dragon. Nakinig lang ako sa kanila habang pinapakalma ko ang sarili ko.

"Well, it's time for you to believe in reincarnation, Ash." Nakangiting sabi ni Mandora sa kanya at ginulo ang buhok nito. Napapikit nalang ako nung makaramdaman na naman ako ng pagkahilo at hanggang sa tuluyan na akong bumagsak. Umatras agad sila pero naramdaman kong may sumalo sa ulo ko para hindi ito bumagsak.

Mandora was holding my dragon head, which I know was heavy. But she's holding it as if it's so light. Lumapit narin ang iba sa kanya at tinulungan siyang iayos ang pagkakahiga ko. I don't know what's going on. I feel so dizzy.

"Mandora! Give me back my sister!" Kumunot agad ang noo ko nung marinig ko ang boses ni Walter at ng iba. And even though I was too dizzy, I lifted my head to look at them pero hinawakan nung bata ang ulo ko at hinaplos ito.

"'Wag mong pilitin, Ms. Muirgen. Just sleep." Aniya at hinaplos-haplos muli ang mukha ko. Ash had a fiery touch, but it was soothing me. Hindi ko na nalaman kung anong nangyari pa at tuluyan nang nagdilim ang paningin ko.

I came back to my consciousness when I felt that my body went back to the way it is. Tumingin agad ako sa malaking overcoat na nakatakip sa katawan ko at naamoy ko agad ang pabangong meron ito. It was Jun's. Agad kong sinuot ang overcoat at tinakpan ang sarili ko. I was naked. Damn.

"A dragon's blood is accompanied by fire."Kumunot agad ang noo ko nung marinig ko ang usapan nila sa labas.

"The reason why Jun would create fire was because he's been drinking Xin's blood. A dragon's blood." Pagpapatuloy nila kaya tumingin-tingin agad ako sa paligid at nalaman kong wala parin ako sa dorm. I was still in an unknown place. A house that was dark, rocky and dark again.

Fire was lit in the corners. There were candles. And there was a painting. Dahan-dahan akong tumayo at tiningnan ang painting. It was a dragon. Tumingin agad ako sa dulo ng painting at dun ko nabasa ang pangalan nito.