Chapter 11

sleepless
​

Hindi ako makatulog.
 
Lexi was already sleeping deeply. Bumangon na lang ako dahil tatlong oras na yata akong nakapikit lang pero hindi naman ako inaantok. 
 
Lumabas ako sa cabin at napatigil ako nang makita ko ang paligid. The moon lit the lake and it felt like I was in Master’s place again. Mabagal akong naglakad at tiningnan ang kabuuan ng Divine Camp. I sat near the lake and just watched the ripples on the surface caused by the aquainas swimming around.  Napansin ko naman na napatigil sa paggalaw ang isang aquaina at nakatingin lang siya sa akin. Its full black eyes were welling with tears and my heart suddenly felt heavy. I wanted to console it. I wanted to say that it would be okay. I extended my arm to reach it but someone grabbed me from behind.
 
“Don’t.”
 
My urge to reach the aquaina dissipated and when I turned around, I saw Ryleigh holding my right arm. Doon ko na-realize na halos malaglag na ako sa lake kaya hinila niya ako palayo. When I looked back at the water, the aquaina was already gone.
 
“They can heal your wounds and induce sleep but they can also feel your emotions, especially primal feelings: love, anger and fear,” he explained as he sat right next to me.
 
That was why I always remember my parents whenever I’m about to pass out in the lake. I never thought aquainas had that kind of ability.
 
I stole a glance at him and he was staring vacantly at the moon. He always looked confident yet tonight, his expression seemed peaceful yet yearning for something that he couldn’t have anymore. It felt like I was looking at a different person.
 
Bigla ko namang naalala ang sinabi ni Yano kahapon. He said he couldn’t sleep at night. I wonder why?
 
“Bakit hindi ka pa natutulog?” tanong ko.

“I don’t sleep at night,” he replied.

“Why?”
 
We were silent for a few seconds. Sabagay, hindi naman kami ganoon ka-close para sabihin sa akin ang dahilan. But I was curious.
 
“Patay na ba ang mga magulang mo?”
 
I was caught off-guard by his question. Without any hint of hesitation and in the middle of silence, he asked it. Ito ang unang beses na may nagtanong sa akin nang diretso tungkol sa parents ko. I thought I would get offended, but somehow, I found myself nodding.
 
“I thought so,” he commented.

“How did you know?” tanong ko habang nakatingin sa kanya.

“You looked like her,” he said as he stared at my face. “You look like your mother.”
 
Mentioning that word made it harder to breathe. It felt like the air inside my lungs was getting sucked. His words linger in my head but it didn’t sink in.
 
“Y-you know her?”
 
I was answered with silence. A painful and deafening silence. Pero nang bumukas ang bibig niya ay hinanda ko ang sarili ko sa pwede kong marinig.
 
“She saved me during the Havoc,” he said, memories started flashing in my head.
 
It was my 10th birthday. The day I last saw them. I tried holding back my tears but my eyes betrayed me. Tears fell silently on my face and I was thankful that he didn’t say anything. Ilang minuto kaming tahimik at unti-unti na rin akong kumalma. I wiped my tears and looked at him.
 
“Can you tell me more about her?” I requested. “N-nakita mo rin ba ang Papa ko?”
 
Kahit na alam kong masasaktan lang ako, gusto kong malaman ang nangyari sa kanila noong Havoc. He was about to say something when I suddenly felt a chill. Napatayo kami pareho at paglingon namin ay nakita namin si Lorgan na naglalakad papunta rito.
 
“I thought I told you a while ago that you need to rest?” he said and his presence was making it hard to breathe.
 
“I don’t sleep at night,” casual na sabi ni Ryleigh.

Lorgan nodded as if he realized something. “I see. You’re the boy with the unusual sleeping time, according to Gavin.” Bigla naman siyang tumingin sa akin. “And you?”

My shoulder tensed. “I . . . I can’t sleep. I’m sorry if I couldn’t follow your order.”
 
He furrowed his forehead and looked straight at me. A few seconds later, he smiled and started chuckling. Nagkatinginan kami ni Ryleigh at pareho kaming confused sa nangyari. He looked like a mad man.
 
“This is more interesting than I thought,” he noted. “Since you’re already here, why don’t we start our training? Follow me.”
 
Tumalikod siya sa amin at nagsimulang maglakad. Agad naman kaming napasunod ni Ryleigh sa kanya. We went to the training area and he stood on the log posts that were almost as tall as us, swiftly shifting his balance from one post to another without any effort.
 
“How many guardians do you have?” he asked.

“Two.”

“Three.”

“Can you summon them?”

“Yes,” sagot ni Ryleigh.

“Only the first two,” I said. “The third one was recently Marked so I couldn’t control her yet.”

“Is that your main guardian?”

“Yes.”
 
I suddenly felt sad and disappointed in myself. Phoebe was my main guardian yet I couldn’t call her without getting exhausted after a couple of minutes.
 
“That means you’re still weak to handle her.”
 
His words stung a bit but that was the truth. I was weak but I wanted to be strong. Strong enough to protect the people I care about. I didn’t want to feel the pain of losing someone I treasure again.
 
“I know,” I answered and he grinned in return.

“At least I can see the determination in your eyes.”
 
Bigla namang nagliwanag ang paligid niya. Spirit particles gathered around him and without even saying the incantation, his guardians materialized beside him.
 
“These are my twin guardians, Romulus and Remus.”
 
Standing and howling on either side of him were two wolves—one black and one white.
 
“Your strength reflects to your guardians,” Lorgan remarked. “I’m sure your previous masters told you about this. You need to improve your physical, mental and even emotional strengths if you want your guardians to be strong.”
 
“What exactly do we need to do?” Ryleigh asked, his face clearly showing excitement.

“Simple,” he replied. “You just need to run away from me and my guardians.”

“R-run?”

“Yes, run. You can use your guardians and this camp for all I care. The only goal is to steer clear of me.”

“And what if nahuli nila kami?” I followed up and for a second, I thought I saw pair of pointed teeth when he smiled.

“Romulus and Remus do not fear humans but they see them as a threat. And when they are threatened, they attack with no mercy. So don’t underestimate my guardians.”
 
He said it so casually na parang ‘yon ang normal na nangyayari kapag pinapagawa niya ‘yon kina Romulus at Remus. Alam ko rin na kailangan ko nang lumayo pero parang na-glue na ang paa ko sa lupa. His guardians were too intimidating.
 
C’mon Reika, move! I told myself but their gazes were too petrifying.
 
“Run!”
 
Nakagalaw lang ako nang hinatak ako ni Ryleigh palayo sa log posts. Pero hindi pa kami nakakalayo ay narinig ko na ang pagtakbo nina Remus at Remulus. When I glanced back, they were already chasing us in full speed.
 
When they are threatened, they attack with no mercy.
 
Adrenaline took over me and I immediately called Carlos, almost at the same time with Ryleigh, while we were running away from them.
 
“Bob, sal-ve!”

​“Carlos, sal-ve!”
 
Carlos materialized in front of me and I hopped on him as he zoomed passed everything. I saw Ryleigh getting on the back of his bear but my focus shifted on the white wolf who was continuously chasing us.
 
One hour. I ed to get away from this wolf for one hour. Last time Carlos only maintained his physical form for fifteen minutes. I could summon Jerry or even Phoebe afterwards, but I wasn’t sure if I would have enough stamina to do that. Right now, I needed to think of a plan aside from running away.
 
‘Get stronger.’
 
Muntik na akong malaglag sa likod ni Carlos nang muli kong marinig ang boses ng babaen sa isip ko. Again. Just like in my dreams. But after hearing that, a surge of motivation rippled through my body.

---

<< Chapter 10

Chapter 12 >>

---