Chapter 16

hydra
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Umaga na at halos lahat kami ay hindi natulog dahil sa nangyaring pag-atake ng Exorcists. After Agnes’ defeat, she was saved by Garan and they escaped from the camp.
 
“Cies yvri kai,” Adrielle chanted and her hybrid form was released. She returned to her original appearance as well as her gentle smile.
 
Lumapit si Adrielle kay Lorgan at halos lahat ng Divians ay tumakbo papunta sa kanya.
 
“Seriously Lorgan, don’t let them turn this paradise into some unpleasant place,” she complained.

“Sorry, Lady,” said Lorgan. “I was careless.”

“I’m glad you guys are all safe,” sabi niya sa Divians habang nakangiti at karamihan ng mga bata ay umiiyak na.
 
Nakahinga naman ako nang maluwag matapos ‘yon and at the same time ay doon ko naramdaman ang panghihina ng katawan ko dahil sa paggamit ko kay Phoebe. Well, at least I didn’t faint this time.
 
Bigla ko namang naramdaman ang kamay ni Ryleigh sa noo ko.
 
“You’re hot,” he commented. “Because of your guardian?”

“Perharps,” sagot ko habang nakapikit.
 
Bigla kong naalala ang nangyari noong tinawag ko si Phoebe kanina. She used my life force to stay in this dimension. That meant my strength was still not enough for me to use her comfortably. It was frustrating but I wish I could fight with her without running out of stamina or fainting.
 
“Reika, isn’t it?”
 
Napadilat naman ako nang marinig ko ang boses ni Adrielle. Ryleigh and I got off Bob’s shoulders and he returned in the spirit dimension.
 
“Y-yes, Miss Adrielle.”

“The blue phoenix is yours, right?”

“O-opo,” I stammered, still intimidated and scared of her.

​“Why do I feel like you’re scared of me?” 
 
Because I was.
 
“Anyway, thanks to you that I managed to arrive on time. But be careful. You almost lost your life.”

“Y-yeah.”

“Now both of you,” sabay tingin niya kay Ryleigh pabalik sa akin. “Come with me. We’re going back to Hydra.”
 
Pagkatapos niyang sabihin ‘yon ay lumakad siya palayo sa amin at doon lang nagsink-in sa akin ang sinabi niya. Nagkatinginan pa kami ni Ryleigh para i-confirm na tama nga ang rinig namin.
 
“D-did she say Hydra?” tanong ko kay Ryleigh.

“I think so.”
 
Bakit kami sasama pabalik sa kanya sa Hydra?
 
***
 
Nandito kami ngayon sa Main Cabin at hindi ko kinakaya ang presence ng mga kasama ko rito. Ni hindi ko nga alam kung bakit ako nandito ngayon. Lexi, Ryleigh, Yano, Lycus, Lorgan and Adrielle all sat around the huge table in the middle of the cabin.
 
“So that’s your real purpose here,” sabi ni Lorgan habang nakatingin kay Adrielle na ngayon ay kalmadong umiinom ng tsaa.

“Yes, and it seems like their claims are right.”

“Pero anong kailangan nila sa kanila?” sabay tingin sa amin ni Lorgan at lalo lang akong kinabahan.

“I don’t know the whole story but I think it has something to do with some prophecies.”
 
Pagkabanggit ni Adrielle sa salitang ‘yon ay nagkatinginan kami ni Lexi at alam kong parehas kami ng naisip—ang prophecy na binaggit ng Mama niya sa amin.
 
“Astrid deduced that the Exorcists might attack this Camp at night,” sabi ni Adrielle. “Ariah also said you two are involved in a prophecy,” sabay tingin niya sa amin ni Lexi.

“S-sort of,” sagot ni Lexi habang nakatingin lang sa mesa. “My mother told us about it.”

“Anyway, you four are going with me to Hydra,” she said.

“Um, why do we have to go there?” tanong ni Yano.

“I don’t know. It’s their order.”

“But—”

“Let’s go,” sabi niya habang nakangiti at napatigil kaming lahat. Even Lorgan leaned back when Adrielle smiled and stood up.
 
Dahil wala naman kaming magagawa ay sumunod kaming apat sa kanya palabas. We followed her until we arrived at her praevala which was parked beside the lake. Sumakay kaming lima at pagpasok ko sa loob ay agad akong namangha sa laki ng space.
 
“Mistress,” the woman on the driver’s seat greeted.

“Bring us to Hydra,” Adrielle commanded.
 
Umupo kami sa bandang likod habang si Adrielle ay nasa unahan. Pagkaupong-pagkaupo ko ay nakaramdam agad ako ng antok. Hindi pa pala ako natutulog simula kahapon at idagdag pa ang panghihina ng buong katawan ko dahil kay Phoebe.
 
Kapipikit ko lang pero napadilat agad ako nang may naramdaman akong bumagsak sa balikat ko. Pagtingin ko, nakasandal na ang ulo ni Ryleigh sa akin. Sa kabilang side ay nakatulog na rin sina Yano at Lexi. Wow. Hindi ko akalaing ganun din sila kapagod dahil sa mga nangyari.
 
Bigla ko namang narinig ang mahinang pagtawa ni Adrielle kaya napatingin ako sa unahan.
 
“You should sleep, too,” she said. “The trip is still long.”
 
Upon hearing her voice, my eyes became heavy and I drifted off to sleep.
 
***
 
Nagising ako nang maramdaman kong huminto ang praevala. Pagdilat ko, gising na silang tatlo at palabas na sina Adrielle. Lumabas din kaming apat at habang pababa kami ay minasahe ko ang balikat at batok ko dahil sa pangangawit pero napahinto ako nang makita ko kung nasaan kami.
 
“Oh my Divans,” I whispered in awe.

“Welcome to Hydra,” Adrielle said.
 
Hydra looked like a palace with four towers on both sides, covered with stones that glistened like scales in the blazing sun. It was enclosed within walls painted in white, each block sculpted with intricate details. Suddenly, I felt insignificant because of the size of this place.
 
Bumukas ang malaking pinto at lalo lang akong namangha nang pumasok kami sa loob. The interior was covered in white and cream colors, the floors were all marbled and the staircases ornamented in raveled mahogany pieces. The hallway was bedecked with statues of different animals ranging from ordinary to mythical and it felt creepy because they looked real.
 
“These statues were made to commemorate the previous Spirit Masters and their guardians, if that’s what you want to ask,” sabay lingon sa amin ni Adrielle habang nakangiti. “Oh and by the way, huwag na huwag kayong hihiwalay sa akin hangga’t ‘di pa tayo nakakarating sa Divine Hall. This place is larger than you think it is.”
 
I mentally noted her statement and we followed her immediately but my mind was still on the lined statues. Ilang Spirit Masters na kaya ang nagdaan bago ang Spirit Masters ngayon? Sobrang daming statues dito at hindi ko pa natatanaw ang dulo ng hallway.
 
‘Reika.’
 
Hearing that voice made me flinch. It was that voice again and these days, I was hearing it frequently. Napalingon ako at nagbakasakaling may makita pero tanging ang statues lang ang nandoon. Pagtingin ko sa unahan ay napatigil ako dahil bigla silang nawala.
 
Suddenly, I was alone.
 
“L-Lexi?” I called and it echoed emptily through the hallway.
 
My heart raced after realizing I was lost. Kasasabi pa lang sa amin ni Adrielle na huwag hihiwalay sa kanya pero heto ako ngayon at mag-isa na.
 
Pinagpatuloy ko na lang ang paglalakad kahit na natatakot na ako. I followed the line of statues but it felt like they were shifting their positions, or maybe I was getting paranoid.
 
Napahinto naman ako nang may madaanan akong pinto sa kaliwang side ko. I carefully opened the door to ask anyone for direction and I almost cursed when I was welcomed with another hallway. Isinara ko kaagad ang pinto dahil baka lalo lang akong maligaw kung pumasok ako ro’n pero pagtalikod ko ay wala na ang statues at napunta ako sa panibagong hallway.
 
I trudged along the way and I found another door. Pagbukas ko ay sumalubong sa akin ang isang malaking kwarto na may wall of vines. Then I realized it was a huge indoor maze.
 
If I could just summon Phoebe without having a problem, I could easily fly over this maze but I held that idea at the back of my head. Pumasok ako ro’n at ilang beses din akong napunda sa dead-ends. Hindi ko na rin alam kung ilang minuto o oras na ang lumipas at ngayon ay hindi na ako makalabas.
 
I wanted to get out of this place already.
 
“Oh no. Not again,” bulong ko sa sarili ko nang makita ko ang panibagong dead-end.
 
Napasandal na lang ako dahil pagod na ako sa kakalakad at nawawalan na ako ng pag-asa na makalabas dito pero bigla akong napatayo nang may naramdaman akong kakaiba. I heard a scratching noise somewhere and it was getting nearer until I felt something behind me.
 
“J-Jerry, sal-ve!” sigaw ko at lumitaw si Jerry sa likuran ko. I heard him growl and the creature behind of us hissed.
 
It was a cat. A huge cat.
 
Its body was covered in white furs but its head had gray and silver streaks. Its eyes were crystal blue, just like Adrielle’s fox. But what surprised me the most was its size. Halos magkasinglaki lang sila ni Jerry.
 
The cat hissed angrily and I was getting ready to fight it when I felt another presence around.
 
“Felina, cessante,” a voice said and the cat went quiet. 
 
Hinanap ko ang pinanggalingan ng boses at nakita ko ang isang lalaki na nakaupo sa itaas ng maze sa bandang kanan ko. Just like the cat, he had blue eyes and those enhanced his silky blonde hair. He looked like around my age but I wasn’t that sure. Adrielle looked young, too, but she was around Master’s age.
 
“Who are you?” tanong niya.

“R-Reika,” I answered. “Um, actually, I was with Miss Adrielle but I got lost,” I shyly confessed.

“I can see that,” sabi niya pa kaya lalo akong nahiya.
 
He suddenly jumped from the top of the maze and landed beside the cat. Naglakad siya kasama ang pusa papunta sa direksyon ko pero nilagpasan niya lang ako.
 
“Follow me,” sabi niya kaya napalingon ako sa kanya.

“H-ha?”

“I said follow me,” he repeated. “I’m going to the Divine Hall, too.”
 
Tinuloy naman niya ang paglalakad niya at doon lang nagsink-in ang sinabi niya. I hurriedly followed him along with Jerry when I realized what he just said. Wait, don’t tell me . . .
 
“W-who are you?” tanong ko. “Are you, perhaps, a . . .”

​“I’m Henric,” he said, an amused expression pasted on his face. “And yes, I’m a Spirit Master.”

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