Tantei High (Erityian Tribes, #1) | Published under Pop Fiction

Chapter 55 - Eerie Feeling

Your mother is a Shinigami, but your father, is not.

I was already expecting to hear that my mother was, indeed, a Shinigami but I was caught off-guard by the last half of his statement. I thought he'd also be a Shinigami since all of us were pureblood. In addition, I was already used to the fact that he was dead since that was what my mother told be before.

At ngayon, nandito si Darwin sa tabi ko at sinasabing hindi niya raw hahayaan na makuha ako ni Rin. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang balak ni Rin sa akin pero alam kong mapapahamak si Darwin dahil sa akin.

"Bakit? Bakit mo 'to ginagawa? Mapapahamak ka lang," sabi ko habang nakayuko. Naramdaman ko naman yung pagbuntong-hininga ni Darwin.

"I honestly don't know," sagot niya. "But maybe because I grew up with normal people that I am disgusted by my tribe's principles."

"Shinigami rin ang parents mo 'di ba? Hindi ba sila—"

"Rainie. Wala na tayong oras para pag-usapan ang bagay na yan," tapos bigla niya akong hinatak. "Kailangan mo nang umalis dito."

Pagtingin ko sa paligid ay nandito na ulit kami sa gubat.

"Lumayo ka na—"

"No," mariin kong sagot kaya tumingin si Darwin sa akin habang nakakunot ang noo.

"Rainie, makinig ka—"

"Darwin, makinig ka rin!" sigaw ko. "I don't want to run away anymore. Nandito ang mga taong mahalaga sa akin. Nandito ang mga taong gusto kong protektahan. Wala na akong pakialam kung anumang balak sa akin ni Rin. I want to stay here. I want to fight. So please, don't tell me to run away just to be alone again."

"We'll protect her."

Nagulat ako nang may narinig akong nagsalita sa may likuran ko kaya tiningnan ko kaagad sila. Hiro, Akane, Ken, Reiji and Riye were there.

"Nasabi na sa amin ni Hiro kung anong plano ni Rin," sabi ni Akane habang nakatingin kay Darwin.

Teka, alam ni Hiro ang plano ni Rin?

"You're a Shinigami so I don't trust you," Akane said. "I hate your tribe. You kill people without any hesitation and guilt."

"I know. I don't like meddling with Senshins, too." Bigla namang tumalikod si Darwin. "Rainie, if that's your decision, then I won't stop you."

"But I think you're an exception," biglang sabi ni Akane kaya napahinto si Darwin. "Thank you for saving Akemi."

Darwin didn't look back but he nodded his head and started walking away from us. That's right, Darwin. Hindi mo kailangang isakripisyo ang sarili mo para sa akin. Ayokong mapahamak ka. Mas mabuti na sigurong hayaan mo na lang akong lumaban. That way, hindi ka mapapahamak at hindi ka magiging traitor sa tribe mo.

'Thank you, Rainie. I know you're worried but I will also protect you in my own ways.'

Magsasalita na sana ako pero bigla naman siyang nawala. He must have returned to the Black Dimension.

Napatingin ulit ako sa kanilang lima at ngumiti na lang pero agad 'yon nawala nang may maramdaman ako sa likuran namin. I raised my bow as I told them to get away from there and released three arrows toward their direction. Three Shinigamis appeared where they were a second ago and the arrows pierced their throats.

I knew it. That was why Darwin could also appear and disappear a while ago. In this area, Shinigamis could freely use Black Dimension.

It would be harder to fight against them if they could utilize the Black Dimension with their attacks. If only we could also use something to . . . wait. No. I could also use the Black Dimension. Because I have a Shinigami blood.

Kinilabutan naman ako nang maisip ko 'yon dahil paniguradong mas maraming Shinigami ro'n. Isa pa, hindi naman ako sanay at hindi ko rin alam kung paano mag-navigate sa loob no'n.

Naramdaman ko na naman ang pag-open ng Black Dimension malapit sa akin kaya sinummon ko ang spear ko at saktong may lumitaw na Shinigami sa harapan ko kaya sumugod agad ako sa kanya. Pero may naramdaman rin ako sa likuran ko.

"I got your back," Hiro suddenly said as the Shinigami behind me collapsed.

We were getting tired because of them using that dimension. Para namang may nag-click sa utak ko. What if we do that?

"Hiro, back me up," I said while summoning my bows and arrows.

"Okay."

It seemed like he already read my mind and knew my plan.

Two Shinigamis appeared and I released two arrows toward their direction but they opened the Black Dimension to escape. I felt the opening of the Black Dimension on my left and Hiro positioned himself to cover me. I saw the two Shinigamis so I fired two arrows again but the Black Dimension opened. My concentration heightened and I felt the burning sensation coursing through my body. I willed the Black Dimension to remain open and my arrows went through it. My knees buckled as the body of the Shinigamis fell to the ground.

I knew it. It was impossible to summon our weapons inside the Black Dimension but I could create a path where these weapons could travel through it.

"Are you okay?" tanong ni Hiro.

"Y-Yeah."

It seemed like the six of us finally knew how to deal with the Black Dimension.. Riye and Reiji utilized their sixth senses to fight with the Shinigamis who weren't inside it. On the other hand, Akane and Ken could hear and smell the faint yet distinct sound and scent of that dimension.

Nang halos wala nang sumusugod sa amin ay muli kaming tumakbo papunta sa pusod ng gubat. This time, we were more alert since Shinigamis could appear anytime, but all of us suddenly halted.

"Did you feel that?" tanong ni Ken at kahit walang sumagot sa amin ay alam kong pare-pareho kami ng naramdaman.

It was an eerie feeling. It was as if a force was trying to push us away from the forest. That was the same feeling I felt when I looked at Rin in her eyes.

Bigla ko namang naramdaman ang pag-open ng Black Dimension sa gawing kanan kaya napatingin ako ro'n.

"This is great. Ikaw na mismo ang lumalapit sa kanya."

Sarah appeared in front of us and I gasped when I didn't see Ma'am Michiko anywhere.

"N-asaan si Ma'am Michiko?"

Ngumiti lang siya akin at lalo akong kinabahan dahil baka kung ano na ang nangyari sa kanya pero may biglang nalaglag sa pagitan namin kaya napaatras kaming anim. The impact produce smoke and the ground was ruptured. Wait, this seemed familiar.

"You bitch! Who told you to run away? You can't escape from me!"

Biglang sinugod ni Ma'am Michiko si Sarah habang hawak niya ang dalawang baril at dalawang swords. And I didn't know if I was just hallucinating but it seemed like she was continuously summoning weapons and they were floating around her.

Ginamit namin ang oras na 'yon para makalayo kay Sarah at tumakbo kami papunta sa pusod ng gubat. It was getting creepier but I didn't stop. Shinigamis kept on appearing around us but I lost my concentration when I saw her.

About 200 meters away from us, I finally saw my mother.

***