Mage Weavers ✓

Chapter 44: Heart-Wrenched

/44/
Heart-Wrenched

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MY KNEES trembled along with my shaky, shallow breaths.

Bitin at halos hindi na lumalabas ang hininga mula sa bibig ko habang nakatingin sa katawan ni Gabryle na nakahandusay na ngayon sa sahig.

My arms were still out and extended to the air as if I could still catch him — as if I could still save him.

Hindi na ako makagalaw. Para akong naestatwa sa pwesto ko, bukas ang bibig at nagbabakasakaling panaginip lang ang lahat. Sa bawat segundong lumilipas ay mas lalo lang lumalakas at umiikli ang pag-hinga ko at unti-unti na ring lumalabas ang mga luha sa aking mga mata.

"G-Gabe..." My lower lip trembled. His name came out like a hushed whisper.

Isang patak ng luha. Pangalawa. Pangatlo. Hindi ko na maramdaman ang pulso ko sa sobrang bigat ng pakiramdam. It was as if each of my heartstrings were slowly being ripped one by one.

"G-Gabryle!" Sigaw ko na ngayon. Agad kong tinanggal ang korona sa aking ulo at ibinato ito sa sahig para makagalaw ng maayos. Marahas kong pinipilit na ialis ang mga paa ko mula sa yelong nakabalot dito — but all my attempts were futile. The ugliest tears were now rushing down my face non-stop as I struggled to get out of it.

"GABE DON'T YOU DARE DIE ON ME." I screamed, twisting and turning from my position and bellowing out in pain.

Ngunit kahit anong sigaw ko ay hindi gumagalaw ang binata mula sa kaniyang pwesto. Ni paghinga o pag-angat ng dibdib ay hindi ko na makita sa kaniya.

He was as still as the dead tree back in Winthrop's backyard.

"D-Don't you dare fucking leave me." I cried out in pain, now kneeling down despite the painful position I was in because of the ice that covered my feet. I tried to stretch my limbs as much as I could, crawling down on the floor and reaching for him.

Because of this, I could feel some of the sharp edges of the ice sharply sear my skin. I let out another howl of pain as I grasped onto Gabryle's arm.

"YOU KILLED HIM!" Pagwawala ko as I pointed at Winthrop, mortified. "YOU KILLED THE ONLY LIFELINE I HAD LEFT!"

With a deep roar of anguish, agad akong nag-wala at nilabas lahat ng galit at sakit na namumuo sa kalooban ko.

The visible devastation led to something that I couldn't understand. Bigla kong nararamdaman ang pag-iiba ng katawan ko. Para bang mas lalo ako naging malakas — as if I had gotten far too powerful and far too uncontrollable for anyone...

...even for myself.

The rage in my screams and the anger burning inside me were deadly and all-too powerful at the same time as I felt a sudden energy release from within. Dahil dito ay biglang nabasag ang yelong bumabalot sa aking paa; making me break free from Winthrop's icy chains.

At the same time, my wrath had triggered some kind of switch that turned off my control over my friends, at agad silang nakahinga mula sa pagkaka-tigil ko sa kanila. All of them gasped out in deep breaths, eyes wide open at the sight of my rage, and at the unmoving frame of Gabryle's body.

Kahit si Victoria na nakakulong kanina sa pader gamit ang mga ice shards ni Winthrop ay nakalaya mula sa bitag nang masira ko ang mga yelong nakapaligid sa kaniya. As soon as she fell to the floor, agad na tumakbo ang dalaga papunta kay Eionne na patuloy pa ring dinudugo.

"GABRYLE!!" I heard Haisley shout in horror at the realization of our leader's unconsciousness, at agad naman akong lumuhod sa malamig na sahig, kinakapa ang katawan ni Gabryle.