Will Of A Deity

55| Exploring The Unexplored

The Next Day
Unknown Time
Island
Merina Lilienne Amelia Neris

We woke up as soon as the sun rise. Randam ko ang pagkapaga ng mata ko dahil sa kakaiyak kagabi. Hindi rin ako masyadong nakatulog kaya medyo sabog ako.

"Merina, are you okay?" Raiver asked.

"I'm fine," sabi ko at umiwas ng tingin.

Maya-maya dumating si Ace. Hindi siya bumalik kagabi at ngayong umaga lang siya ulit nagpakita. Gusto ko siyang tanungin kung saan siya nanggaling. Pero pagkatapos ng nangyari kagabi ay parang ayaw ko na lang magsalita. Aaminin kong medyo nagtatampo ako sa sinabi niya kagabi. Pero sino ba naman ako para magtampo? Gaya nga ng sabi niya, I don't know him. I only knew him recently when he met in the academy. There's nothing in between us aside from that. And I'm a fool to think that there is.

"Princess," I heard him call. Pinilit kong hindi magpa-apekto at hinarap siya. Nagtagal ang tingin niya sa mga paga kong mata ngunit wala siyang sinabi tungkol doon. "May I see the condition of your tail?"

"Doktor ka na rin pala ngayon," Raiver scoffed.

"No, but I might know what we can do about it." Umismid lang si Raiver sa sinabi ni Ace.

"Bakit naman?" tanong ko. He was taken aback by my tone but still went on.

"I'm only checking if it is still suitable for you to swim with its condition."

Merlia, don't give in. He's only asking because I might burden them if I swim with an injured tail. That's it. There's no need to read between the lines.

Pumayag na lang ako. Ace did check on my tail. I don't really know if he's really checking it or just staring at it.

"Scanning complete," he said after a while of staring at it. "Base on my analysis, I'm afraid you can't go back the ocean with the condition of your tail. The wound has the tendency to expand and go deeper if you continue to use it. I recommend that you receive treatment first." How does he do that? And how am I not doubting everything that he said?

"That's funny," Raiver scoffed. "Saan naman tayo hahanap ng treatment na yan sa islang ito?"

He's right. There's seems to be no one in this island except us. All that's left here is a ghost town and an unexplored forest.

"Don't worry, I know a place. And it might even help us in finding the Cordelia." Ace said, which surprised me.

"Saglit lang ha!" Raiver cut him off. "Bakit parang sumasakto naman masyado yang lahat ng alam mo?" Nang-iintrigang tanong niya. "Hindi kaya..." he smirked. "Ikaw talaga ang kumuha ng Cordelia."

Nalipat ang tingin ko kay Ace sa sinabi niya. Tahimik lang naman ito at walang kaemo-emosyon na nakatingin sa kaniya.

"Think about it, Merlia." Raiver continued. "Nanggaling na rin sa iyo na hindi mo siya makita bago mawala ang Cordelia. At sa halos ilang centuries na nasa Ayanis ang Cordelia ni minsan hindi nawala ito, ngayon lang." He suspected.

"A-Ace...?" Tiningnan ko siya pero hindi nagbago ang ekspresyon niya. I don't want to entertain the thought of Ace being an enemy. But now that I think about it, I don't know Ace's intentions. What if...this is it. I would definitely feel...hurt and betrayed. And I don't like that. So I silently wish that it's not true.