CHAPTER FOURTEEN
FURIES & SURRIELS
"How are you?" Napabalikwas ako ng bangon matapos marinig ang boses ng isang babae.
I blink my eyes multiple times, letting it adjust in the bright radiance of light escaping through the open windows. Wait! Where am I? Ilang minuto akong natulala bago ko pa narealize na nasa infirmary nanaman ako. 'Tsaka ko naman naalala 'yung nagtanong sa akin, nakaupo siya sa upuan na katapat ng bintana.
Napatitig ako sa maganda niyang mukha, "M-miss Isolde.. bakit po kayo.." Hindi ko na naituloy pa ang nais sabihin ng makita ang benda niya sa braso. Bigla naman akong na guilty dahil sa nangyari, I know I'm the cause of that bruise at lalong hindi ko mapapatawad ang sarili ko kapag may nangyaring masama sa kanya.. o sa kahit sino ng dahil lang sa kapabayaan ko. Because I'm awfully weak, even though I got through all that painful training, I have come to believe that I didn't achieve anything. I didn't change at all.
"I'm sorry about what happened. If I just arrived sooner you wouldn't have been severed by that fury, pasensya na talaga. And you shouldn't worry yourself anymore, after all it's not your fault." Lumingon siya sa akin at kahit papaano ay gumaan ang loob ko dahil sa sinabi niya. Pero bigla naman akong nagtaka dahil sa nabanggit niya, what's a fury? Yun ba 'yung dalawang lalaki na umatake sa akin? Marahil 'yon nga, at isa pa — his ability was poison, sigurado ako don.
Ilang minuto akong natahimik, nagiisip kung dapat ba akong magsalita. "They told me something about a monster.. that they have to kill me." I played with my fingers to ease my fear. Kinikilabutan pa rin ako sa dalawang lalaking umatake sa akin, those two. I can't sense any light from them.. as if they are already lifeless, of course it is part of my ability — to recognize light in every living creatures.
This time, Miss Isolde turned her head towards my direction, as if observing my reaction. "Liesel, those creatures that attacked you are Furies — they were once Surriels, like us, who has souls and life." Bigla naman siyang napatigil at napatingin sa labas ng bintana.
I have never heard anything about those Furies. But Surriels.. yeah I know that very well, since 'we' being an almost human-like creature except that we have a Magus or ability in our hands are generally called as Surriels. At hindi talaga kami tao, we are different compared to them, we are much more superior in physical ability basis.
We can be killed by blades of great swords but it is an honor to die by wielding courage in our palms, pero mas malaki ang posibilidad naming mamatay sa kalungkutan.. if our bodies cannot contain the weigh of sorrow and grief we will wither and soon die in a more painful way.
"K-kung ganon patay na po sila?" Kunot noo kong tanong sa babae.
"A part of them, no." Pumikit siya at tumingala bago tumingin muli sa akin. "Most of them, yes. Their souls was taken away from them.. making those Furies unable to feel anything but rage and a great appetite for destruction — may it be other's lives or home. Anything that can be destroyed." Napalunok naman ako matapos marinig 'yon. Was that even possible? A body without a soul. Pero.. they are still a living person, if they can breathe and move.
Then it hit me.. that's why their hands are cold and they are so pale but undeniably good looking, perhaps it is true that the real monsters doesn't look like a monster. At ngayong naalala ko nanaman 'yon ay hindi ko mapigilang ma curious kung bakit ako tinawag nung lalaking nakangiti na monster, unlike them, I'm sure I was born a Surriel, even though I have never meet my parents. Ayaw ko namang magtanong ulit kay Miss Isolde dahil halata namang iniiwasan niya ang tanong ko. Pero bakit kaya?
"Don't think about unnecessary things it'll just cause you headache. For now, just focus on your studies. And by the way.. you should get going now, six hours kang nakatulog at mamaya lang ay magsisimula na ang klase." Natauhan naman ako ng magsalita siya ulit. Bumangon na ako kaagad dahil halata naman sa tono niya na pinapaalis niya na ako.
