Chapter 13

survival
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Ugh. My head hurt so bad.
 
Napadilat ako nang naramdaman ko ang pagtama ng araw sa mukha ko. 
 
“You’re awake. Good.”
 
Ryleigh's face greeted me and I realized I was lying on his lap while he leaned against a tree. I tried getting up but I felt dizzy. Bigla naman niyang hinawakan ang noo ko at marahang itinulak kaya napahiga ulit ako sa kanya.
 
“You need to rest," sabi niya sa akin pero sa ibang direksyon siya nakatingin.
 
Bigla ko namang naalala lahat ng nangyari kanina. The last thing I remembered was him holding me tightly so I wouldn’t fall from Kon.
 
“Lagi na lang ba kitang sasaluhin?”
 
Okay. Did he really say that? Or that was just my own thought?
 
I pushed back those thoughts to the corner of my mind. Dahil nakahawak pa rin siya sa noo ko at nire-restrict niya ang pagbangon ko ay tumingin na lang ako sa direksyon na tinitingnan niya . . . at napanganga ako nang makita ko kung ano ang nangyayari.
 
“What the . . .”

“He’s doing the same thing he did to us.”
 
His wolves were chasing the Divians back and forth and some of them already fell to the ground, sustained some injuries and lost consciousness. I scanned the Divians and saw Lexi, Yano and Lycus, and they were pretty much standing out. They were able to evade the wolves but I could see Lexi's exhaustion on her face.  
 
“Did we pass his test?” tanong ko bigla.

“No.” I could hear a hint of bitterness in his voice.

“I thought so. Ilang minuto kang tumagal? I think I only lasted for about thirty five minutes.”

“Forty eight minutes,” he replied.
 
Wow. Nakatagal pa siya ng ilang minuto matapos kong mawalan ng malay? Wait. Was I with him during that time? Hindi kaya ako ang dahilan kung bakit hindi siya nakaabot ng isang oras? Dahil ba naging pabigat ako?
 
“The hell with that expression?” he said and I didn't realize he was staring at me. “Don't tell me you're blaming yourself?"
 
Ugh. He read my expression well.
 
“W-well, sort of. I mean . . .”

“That has nothing to do with you. His guardians are really strong and I ran out of stamina.”
 
Tumahimik ako after that at pinanood ko na lang ulit mula rito ang Divians na patuloy na tumatakas kina Romulus at Remus. Suddenly, I remembered our conversation before all those chasing.
 
“Hey.” He looked at me and raised his brow. "Pwede bang malaman kung . . . kung anong nangyari kina Mama at Papa?”
 
Pinigilan ko ang luha na nagbabadyang tumulo sa mga mata ko. Saying those words hurt me so much but I wanted to know what happened to them. Sabi niya, niligtas daw siya ni Mama during the Havoc. His expression hardened and I could feel his body getting tensed.  
 
“My family was residing in Ridan Village at the outskirts of the Capital and several Exorcists attacked the villagers during the night where most of us were sleeping and vulnerable," pagsisimula niya. "Those who survived the attack had no choice but to go to the Capital. But we didn’t know that the Capital was also under attack. I thought I was going to die by the hands of an Exorcist but suddenly, a woman killed him and saved me from death.”
 
His expression turned darker.
 
“When I first saw you, I immediately remembered her." 
 
We were silent right after that. I think I know now why he couldn't sleep at night. Maybe it brings back memories from his past that he doesn’t want to remember.
 
“What? Hey! Why the heck are you crying?”

“H-Ha?"
 
I didn't know I was crying so I immediately wiped the tears off my eyes and cheeks. “I-I’m j-just relieved. Masaya lang ako . . . because my parents didn’t die in vain.”
 
For seven years, iniisip ko kung ano ba talagang nangyari sa kanila. Ang alam ko lang ay namatay sila sa Havoc kasama ng ilang Divians, Exorcists and even ordinary citizens. Pero ngayon, gumaan ang pakiramdam ko dahil nalaman ko na may natulungan sila. And I’m sure, marami pa silang natulungan.
 
“Anong pinag-uusapan n'yo?”
 
Napasigaw ako nang biglang may mukha akong nakita sa pagitan namin ni Ryleigh. Lycus was hanging upside down from the tree branch. 
 
“What the hell are you doing here?" tanong ni Ryleigh. Parang kanina lang ay kasama siya ro'n sa mga hinahabol nina Romulus at Remus. Ni hindi ko nga naramdaman ang presence niya at kung kailan siya pumunta rito.
 
“I’ve been chased by Remus and Romulus since I was young. Masyadong pabor sa akin ang training na ‘to kaya nag-quit na ako,” he said as his body swung on the branch.  
 
Tumalon siya mula sa puno at tumayo sa harapan namin habang inaayos ang pagkakatali ng buhok niya.
 
“But seriously speaking, you guys did a good job. ‘Di ko akalaing makakatagal kayo sa kanya,” sabay tingin niya kay Lorgan.

“But we still failed his test,” sagot naman ni Ryleigh.
 
We looked at the Divians and nobody lasted for an hour. Siguro kung hindi nag-quit si Lycus ay magagawa niyang tumagal nang isang oras. Sina Yano at Lexi naman ay nakasandal at nagpapahinga sa tabi ng isang puno. They became Lorgan's main targets after the younger Divians passed out.  
 
“Divians, assemble!” biglang sigaw ni Lorgan kaya kahit inaantok at medyo nanghihina pa ako ay agad akong tumayo. Everybody did the same. Ryeigh, Lycus and I went to Yano and Lexi's direction. 

​“Walanghiya, akala ko mamamatay na ako kanina,” sabi niya habang hinihingal. “Ang hirap pa namang panatilihin ng form ni Smith. Naubos ang lakas ko dahil sa kanya.”
 
Lexi summoned Smith, her white stallion, a while ago. Si Smith ang ginamit niyang guardian kanina dahil ipinagbawal daw ni Lorgan ang paggamit sa flying-type guardians. Siguro dahil na rin sa nangyari sa amin kanina. Sabagay, that would be a huge disadvantage for his wolves.  
 
“I only lasted for forty-three minutes,” Yano said as he removed his glasses that was already beyond repair. 

“As expected, nobody could last that long" Lorgan proudly said and I saw Ryleigh and Yano getting offended. "I'll give three hours to rest. You should eat your lunch, too. However, I told the cooks not to give you anything."  
 
Tumingin siya kay Lycus at agad namang tumabi si Lycus sa kanya.  
 
“As Divians, we should know how to use our resources,” panimula ni Lycus. “Since we're in the forest, you can use your guardians to help you get ingredients. Once you collected enough for yourself, you can give it to the cooks." 
 
Nagbulung-bulungan ang Divians nang marinig nila ‘yon habang kami ni Lexi ay nagkatinginan. Normal naman na sa amin ang kumuha ng makakain sa gubat dahil galing kami sa isang baryo na napapaligiran din ng gubat.
 
“Jerry, sal-ve.”
 
Jerry materialized in front of me and I suddenly noticed his sudden growth. Parang mas lumaki pa siya kumpara noong huli ko siyang tinawag.
 
“Lexi, let’s go.” Hinatak ko si Lexi at pinaupo ko siya sa likod ni Jerry. Doon ko na-confirm na talagang lumaki nga si Jerry. Dati kasi ay ako lang ang nakakasakay sa kanya pero ngayon, kasya na kaming dalawa ni Lexi sa likuran niya.

​“Bob, sal-ve.” Napatingin ako sa gilid namin at nakita ko ang pag-appear ni Bob. Hinawakan niya sina Ryleigh at Yano at pareho niyang inilagay sa likuran niya. Bigla namang lumingon si Ryleigh at ngumiti siya nang nakakaloko, and after that ay tumakbo na papunta sa gubat si Bob.
 
Was that a challenge?
 
“Ano pang hinihintay ninyo?” sabi bigla ni Lycus habang nakatingin sa Divians. “Kung hindi kayo kikilos, mauubusan kayo ng oras at pagkain.”
 
Doon ko na-realize kung bakit ngumiti si Ryleigh. They wanted to be the first to collect resources! Inunahan nila kami!
 
“Go, Jerry!” sigaw ko at agad namang tumakbo si Jerry papuntang gubat.
 
Suddenly, I heard someone chuckling. It was the same voice again. It felt like she had been watching me for quite some time now.
 
Observing.
Watching.
Waiting for the right moment.

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