Shipwrecked Hearts

Navigare 104

Bumuhos ang malakas na pag-ulan habang si Kira ay nakayakap sa bangkay ni Maximo. She was begging for Him to bring him back. She begged and begged, but the only response was the angry roar of the thunder that caused the waves to vibrate.

"Kira..." Tawag ni Charles sa kanyang reyna, ngunit tila nawala ang lahat ng tao sa paningin ni Kira. Ang tanging iniisip niya lang ay si Maximo.

"Maximo, paano ang ating mga anak? Didn't you want to have quadruplets? I promise, I will bear you quadruplets! Just please, just live and don't leave!" Kira cried.

Kira's cries echoed into the heart of the pirates. They've lost the sense of fighting, what's the use of fighting? What good will it be to have more lives and blood be shed and wasted? Who are they fighting for? Pareho nang patay ang kanilang pinakapinuno, wala na sina Kid at Maximo. The war is over.

With all the dropped swords and the sorrows that lingered in the cold air, biglang nagkaroon ng tunog ng bomba. Bumalik sa riyalidad si Kira dahil doon. Tiningnan nila kung saan nanggaling ang pagsabog at doon, nakita nila ang isa sa mga malalaking barko na lumulubog. Mula sa malayo, mayroong mga malalaking barko na lumalayag palapit sa kanila.

"Shit. The Imperial Navy."

Kira sensed danger coming towards her and her fellow pirates. "Imperial Navy?"

"Besides the Sea Brigands, we also have another enemy, the common enemy of pirates, the Imperial Navy. They are the force of the Central Government. Hindi ko alam kung paano nila nalaman kung nasaan tayo. And to be here with such big force, it seems like they knew this war between us and the Sea Brigands will happen."

Wala sa tamang pag-iisip si Kira. Hindi na niya alam ang kanyang gagawin. In fact, she could careless anymore what would happen to her or everyone. The only man she ever loved is dead, what is her purpose now that her purpose is gone and cold?

"Kira, we cannot fight against the Imperial Navy. Even if we have a big force, lahat ng pirata ay pagod dahil sa giyera na nangyari. Kailangan nating tumakas." Saad ni Charles.

"Hindi ko iiwan si Maximo!" Iyak ni Kira.

"You have to. Kira, he's gone. The least thing you can do is to save yourself."

"No!" Matigas na sagot ni Kira. "I'm better off dead too!"

"What about the life in your womb?!" Charles asked. Hindi nakaimik si Kira, doon lang siya natauhan, Sunod-sunod na putok ng mga kanyon ang muling rumagasa na tila mga ulan, marami nang mga barko ng mga pirata ang lumubog. Other pirates already sailed their ships to the opposite direction of the Imperial Navy, trying to escape and save their lives.

"Kailangan na nating iwan ang barko. We have a small boat docked at the bottom of this ship. We use that to escape."

Mahigpit na hinawakan ni Kira ang malamig na kamay ni Maximo, "take him..."

"He will only slow us down, Kira. The less burden, the faster the boat can go."

"Then I'll stay." Kira insisted. "If Maximo is not coming with us, I won't come! The same is with Pearl! I... I want to give them a proper burial."

"The sea is where they've always belonged, Kira. There is no need to bury them when the sea is right here." Charles reasoned. "Kailangan na nating umalis!"

Kasabay nito ay may isang bala ng kanyon ng kalaban na dumapo sa sahig ng barko kung nasaan sila Kira, yumanig ang sahig at tila nagkaroon ng malakas na paglindol. Hindi na nakatiis pa si Charles at hinawakan niya ang kamay ni Kira, "huwag nang matigas ang ulo, Kira!" He sounded frustrated. "Don't make Maximo's death in vain! The least thing you can do is live!" Kasabay nito, hinila niya si Kira papunta sa maliit na bangka kung saan naroon na ang iba pang mga pirata.