Chapter 12

Carlos continued running away from the white wolf as I desperately tried to think of ways to outrun it completely before I deplete my stamina. I could use Phoebe to stay in the air but I would probably get exhausted after a few minutes. I wanted to show them that Carlos was strong by attacking but Master wasn't able to teach us that yet.
 
But an incantation lingered inside my head. Something I had heard from Tito Leon before. 
 
“Carlos, infremo!”
 
Carlos immediately halted and turned around to face the wolf. I could feel the vibration of his lungs and a guttural growl came out of his mouth, until it sounded like a thunderous roar. The white wolf bared his fangs but it got paralyzed for a while. I glanced at Lorgan's direction and saw him wince. Agad namang tumakbo palayo si Carlos at umakyat sa isang puno na may mababang branches.
 
I could clearly hear my heart pounding against my chest and it felt like I'd pass out any second. Carlos was still purring and I caressed his neck and ears because somehow, it felt like he told me what to do.
 
Kung hindi nag-appear sa isip ko ang incantation ay paniguradong tumatakbo pa rin kami hanggang ngayon. His intimidation, as what Tito Leon called it, was effective against the wolf and Lorgan.  
 
“Thank you. Good job, Carlos.” 
 
Napatingin naman ako sa direksyon ni Ryleigh at Bob habang hinahabol sila ng black wolf. Bob halted and used his hindlegs to stand.
 
“Dankana!” sigaw ni Ryleigh.
 
Bob swung his forearm, forming spirit particles that resembled a claw, and it travelled toward the wolf with an outstanding speed. It reached the wolf's body and it howled as its front right leg collapsed. Ryleigh immediately ran away after attacking and went to the woods. 
 
Tumingin ulit ako sa direksyon ni Lorgan at nakatayo pa rin siya sa log post pero hindi ko na makita ang expression niya dahil madilim at malayo kami sa kanya. 
 
Ilang minuto pa ang lumipas ay nakita kong unti-unti nang nakakagalaw ang white wolf sa pwesto niya. It was looking around, trying to find us. I wasn't sure if I could keep Carlos' form since I could feel my body slowly losing its strength. Compared before, he stayed way longer in this dimension. I was glad Master trained our stamina.
 
I saw the white wolf looked at our direction and at the same time, Carlos jumped off the branch. Tumakbo siya palayo sa wolf at kahit masakit sa balat at paningin ang lamig ng hangin ay ininda ko ‘yon para makita ang paligid. We were already inside the woods and I saw a few silvanias along the way.
 
I wanted Carlos to calm down since it would be bad if the silvanias felt they were threatened but he was way too fast. 
 
Inalala ko ang incantation na sinabi ni Master noong pinakalma niya si Lio nang sinummon siya ni Lexi dati.
 
“Carlos, fal-de!”
 
Carlos slowed down and finally stopped a meter before a silvania. However, their expressions had already changed. They didn't look like calm children anymore. They felt they were in danger and we were what caused that. 
 
The ground trembled and Carlos immediately fled that place. Bumalik siya sa direksyon ng Camp pero nagulat ako nang makakasalubong na namin ang wolf. He howled so loud it sent shivers down my spine.
 
But Carlos was faster. He ran without stopping and he managed to leave the wolf behind.
 
Nakalabas kami sa gubat at nakabalik kami sa Camp pero hanggang dito ay ramdam pa rin ang earthquake na ginawa ng silvanias kanina.
 
“What the heck is happening?”
 
Ryleigh and Bob appeared in front of us. Napatingin naman ako sa paligid at natanaw ko ang black wolf na hindi gumagalaw roon sa harap ng lake. 
 
“Nabulabog namin ang ilang silvanias doon sa gubat and then this happened.”

He frowned. "It would be hard to calm them down in this kind of situation."
 
The trembling made me feel dizzy. We were too occupied with the silvanias that we didn't see the wolves circling around us already. But something was different. Their eyes glowed red and their howls pierced through my ears and head.
 
I heard Ryleigh grunted. Even Carlos and Bob growled in pain. It hurt me looking at Carlos like that so I sent him back to the spirit dimension.  
 
“C-Carlos, nes-sa!” I chanted. Carlos’ spirit particles dissipated and I fell on the ground.

“Why did you—?!” Hindi na niya naituloy ang sasabihin niya dahil bigla siyang sinunggaban ng black and white wolves pero pinrotektahan siya ni Bob. He tossed Ryleigh toward me and he blocked us from the wolves’ attacks.

“Bob! Nes-sa!”
 
Agad na nawala si Bob pagkasigaw ni Ryleigh and I’m sure, naintindihan na niya ang ginawa ko kanina. I know that guardians are used for battles but I don’t want them to get hurt because of me. I was still undeserving. I didn't want them to risk their lives just to protect mine. 
 
“Flying guardians . . .” Ryleigh muttered.

“H-Ha?”

“We need them to stall time—” Halos pareho kaming napatigil nang sa amin na nakatingin ang wolves habang nakalabas ang canine teeth nila. “Now. We need to call them now!”
 
Hindi na ako nagdalawang-isip dahil ramdam ko rin ang panganib na kinalalagyan namin. We called our main guardians at the same time.
 
“Phoebe, sal-ve!”

​“Kon, sal-ve!”
 
And in that instant, the strength left in my body was reduced to nothing and I almost blacked out. Phoebe materialized in front of me but Kon appeared above us. Naalala kong hindi nga pala niya gustong mag-stay sa ground. 
 
“Kon, so-hai!” he called but his guardian didn’t respond. I guess I had no choice.

​“Phoebe . . .”
 
Agad namang tumingin si Phoebe sa akin at lumapit pero bigla sumugod sa amin ang dalawang wolf. I grabbed Ryleigh's arm and pulled him toward Phoebe's direction. I reached for her neck but before I could climb onto her back, she flew away and soared in the sky.  
 
I groaned as I was pulled by Ryleigh's weight. Pakiramdam ko mahahati ang katawan ko. Hindi ko na alam kung sigaw ko o sigaw ni Ryleigh na ang naririnig ko hanggang sa unti-unti nang nawawala ang lakas ng mga braso ko at napabitiw ako kay Phoebe. 
 
Naramdaman ko ang paghulog namin ni Ryleigh pero hindi pa rin siya bumibitiw sa kamay ko. Naramdaman ko rin na gumalaw siya sa ere kaya pinilit kong idilat ang mga mata ko at nakita kong ako na ang inaalalayan niya ngayon. Phoebe disintegrated into spirit particles and I was glad we managed to get away from the wolves even if it was just for a few seconds.
 
Thank you, Phoebe.
 
“We're not done yet,” Ryleigh whispered and he pulled me closer to him. "Kon!" he called and his guardian glided toward our direction.
 
Kusang pumikit ang mga mata ko dahil sa sobrang pagod at dala na rin ng matagal na pag-summon kay Carlos pati na ang pagtawag kay Phoebe. 
 
I felt Ryleigh's hand tightened on my back and his breathing on my right ear. 
 
“Lagi na lang ba kitang sasaluhin?”
 
And those were the last words I heard before my consciousness slipped away.

---

<< Chapter 11

Chapter 13 >>

---