Oculus of Time

Unmoving

Ria's POV

'I have engraved in your memories what I want you to find...'

Kasabay ko si Chase na pumasok sa ospital. Ito ang ospital sa ibabaw ng templo ni Mnemosyne.

'Remember it, Ria...'

"What the hell do you want me to remember..." Bumubulong-bulong ako sa sarili habang tinitignan ang kabuuan ng ospital.

There were patients, doctors, nurses... and like every other hospitals in the city, they're all busy.

Nilingon ko si Chase. "You told me Seht is a doctor here."

Tumango siya. "Mmm. Naaksidente yung pillar ni Thea, nanay niya, at dito dinala."

"So dito rin sila unang nagkita ni Seht?" usisa ko na tinanguan niya ulit.

"I keep seeing this place in my dreams..." Hinayaan ko ang aking mga paa na dalhin ako kung saan. "This place... and you... all of you-"

Napahinto ako. "Do you know what this place is?"

Tinapunan ako ni Chase ng tamad na tingin. "Malamang, ospital."

Napasimangot ako. "No. What I mean is, isn't this place familiar to you?"

Inilibot niya ang kanyang paningin. "Di naman. Bakit?"

"Chase..." mahina kong tugon. "This was where your mom was admitted."

"Imposible." sagot niya. "Ibang ospital 'yon. Hindi ganito-"

"The original hospital burned down a few years ago." pagpapaalala ko sa kanya. "That's why everything looks new."

"Paano mo nalaman lahat ng yan?" His voice was filled intense curiosity.

"I didn't know." Dahan-dahang bumaba ang aking tingin sa kanyang paanan. "I just remember..."

"Ano pa ang naaalala mo?" aniya.

Bahagyang bumukas ang aking bibig, ngunit walang lumabas na salita. Pinigilan ko kasi ang sarili ko na ibahagi sa kanya lahat ng naaalala ko.

Lalo na kung sino ang may kapakana ng apoy na siyang dahilan ng pagkawala ng nanay niya.

Oo, alam kong dapat niyang malaman 'yon, pero huwag muna sa ngayon.

"My grandmother was also brought here." I gave him a bitter smile. "And this was where I decided to find my Dad."

"I didn't find him first, though." Bittersweet memories filled my mind, of how I discovered the Academy. "I found the Academy, instead."

Saka lang nagparamdam si Ares sa'kin pagkarating ko sa Academy... and when I learned that he is the God of War, I started cursing him, blaming him for everything I went through.

"Hindi ko nga pala alam kung paano ka nakarating sa Academy." He held his hands on his back and started walking beside me.

Napangiti ako at sumabay sa kanya sa paglalakad. "Every soldier writes a letter before going to war, that will be then given to the family when he or she dies."

"My mom wrote one." Hindi katulad noon, hindi na gaanong masakit para sa'kin ang pag-usapan si Mama. "But it wasn't a letter. She wrote directions. Directions for me to follow after she's gone."

Hindi na nga gaanong masakit para sa'kin, pero hindi ko pa rin kayang isipin siya nang pangmatagalan.

"That's it." saad ko. "That's all I can tell you."