Kabanata 1

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Hi! I just want to inform you guys that the first five chapters will be lengthy. So have fun!

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Kabanata 1
Turning Point

"Happy 18th Birthday to me," I said to myself dully.

I spent six years of my birthdays alone. I won't even bother to prepare something special to eat. I mean, what for? Mag-isa lang naman ako dito. I have no one to celebrate with.

Ever since Aleah died, I toughen myself up. Tuloy-tuloy pa rin ako sa pagtatrain ng martial arts, man-portable guns and bow/crossbows. I even practice swordsmanship. By myself. Honestly, I don't understand why I need to be trained in mastering this varied types of fighting skills. Kapag tinatanong ko naman si Aleah, she gives me ambiguous answers.

I've been in this island for eighteen years already. I was basically raised here and spent my whole life. But Aleah said that I wasn't born here; that she was not my biological mom. But one thing's for sure: my family was odd. Ang sabi niya sa akin, she's a loyal servant of my family. Not long after I was born, the whole clan was ambushed and unfortunately, everyone fell into their demise. Except for Aleah and I, of course, because she was able to flee with me as per my family's order.

And for that, I find it odd. I mean, clan? The hell? May clan kami? I asked Aleah about that and she said that our clan was born to be fighters. See? Sinong hindi magtataka diba? When I asked her why, she just always shrugs.

Now that she's long gone, a large void in me was left in confusion.

I rose from my bed. It's morning already; the sun found its way through my windows and spill across my room's wooden floor. Lumabas ako para maligo. Yes, outside. There is a river beside the house. Ito lang ang source of water na malapit dito kaya dito na ako naliligo at naglalaba. Well, with Aleah nung buhay pa siya. After taking a cold, shivering bath (super lamig ng tubig), I went inside to cook breakfast. I caught a hefty amount of fish kahapon so... time to grill it.

It took me several minutes to fully grill the fish. I ate in silence. Well, it was always been like this for six years already. Buti pa nung kasama ko si Aleah, she always celebrates my birthday kahit na fish lang ang ulam namin palagi.

After eating, I tidy up the table and washed my plate. I'm so freakin' bored so I decided to clean the house. The house was tiny and is made out of woods; it has 2 small bedrooms, mini-sala and mini-kitchen. It's a one-storey house. I started with the kitchen.

Linis dito, linis doon.

An hour already had passed, and the sala, kitchen and my room was as neat as new. I went inside Aleah's room to clean it. The truth is, this is my first time entering her room after she passed away. I don't know why, I just couldn't bring myself here. I was sweeping below her bed when I accidentally hit something. Something hard. I got curious so I sat down and reached for that something I just hit.

It was a box.

Suddenly, I remember what Aleah told me before she passed away.

"When you arrive at our house, go to my room and find my box that was hidden below my bed. But do not open it yet not until you turn eighteen. You have to keep it safe no matter what. Remember to follow what I wrote, understand?"

I covered my wide-opened mouth with my both hands, flabbergasted. How could I possibly forget that?! I reproached myself. I immediately opened the dusty box. And there, I saw, was a bag, a necklace with a silver bullet pendant, a toy crossbow, a revolver, a knife and a rolled paper. I reached for the bag first and quickly opened it.

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