Chapter 24

protect
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I didn't know where I got the confidence to fight her. All I knew was I had to protect Lexi at all cost.
 
Seeing her hybrid forms might've scared me if I were facing her with my normal self but right now, her appearance didn't even faze me. Somehow, I felt stronger and determined to take her down. Maybe merging with Phoebe made me untroubled by the situation.
 
"What a bold thing to say, impudent kid." Serena regained her composure and looked at me with distaste. "Do you think you'll win with only using your half-guardian form?" she asked.
 
I looked at her hybrid form where her guardians became her weapons. The snake morphed into a reptilian whip in her left hand and in her right was a trident but instead of metallic spears on the end, the horns of her triceratops guardian were mounted. Her clothes also changed into a long dress with slits up to her hips on both sides.
 
Bigla naman akong nakaramdam ng pagkahina at parang unti-unting nauubos ang lakas ko. Hindi rin ako makahinga nang maayos.
 
Damn it. Naiinis ako dahil sa kahinaan ko. Kahit nagte-training ako ay hindi ko pa rin magawang ma-kontrol nang maayos si Phoebe. Hindi pa rin kaya ng katawan ko ang lakas niya. Was I even improving?
 
A menacing smile formed in Serena's lips and I shivered at her expression. The next thing I knew, she was already on her attack mode.
 
"Seems like your time is up, kid," she whispered to me and my instincts took over. 
 
She managed to injure my right arm using her trident but I didn’t feel any pain. On the other hand, she screamed in agony as blue flames burned her left arm. Phoebe’s flames made my wound disappear in an instant. However, Serena’s whip got my left hand and she pulled it at her direction. Her brute strength surprised me and it felt like she was tugging me without any effort.
 
I was about to fly away from her but that would put Lexi in danger. I needed to stay in this position to protect her. She must have seen my hesitation as she smiled at me mockingly.
 
“I told you, protecting someone won’t make you stronger and you’re just delaying your deaths,” she scoffed. “I’m quite amazed that you have a mythical guardian that can heal your wounds but it’s disappointing because its Divian isn’t worthy of its powers.” She chuckled as she looked at me in pity. “I’m an Exorcist and my job is to exterminate your guardians. Let’s see if you can protect them both.”
 
She tugged her whip again and my strength wasn’t enough to counter it. My arm was turning green and I knew that the poison from the whip had already entered my body. I was also reaching my limit but I would do anything to keep her away from Lexi and Phoebe.
 
And there was only one way to do that.
 
She pointed her trident at me while pulling me closer. Pinikit ko ang mga mata ko noong ilang metro na lang ang layo ko sa kanya. Strange. I was on the verge of death but I felt at peace. Bigla akong napangiti at naalala ko sina Mama at Papa. Siguro ganito ang naramdaman nila noong niligtas nila ang Capital mula sa Exorcists ilang taon na ang nakakalipas.
 
Protecting someone might not make us stronger, but it could make you do things beyond your abilities. It takes courage to protect someone and, in that sense, it makes you strong.
 
“Now, face your punishment!” she shouted but I remained calm.
 
“Phoebe, your first priority is Lexi. Heal and protect her,” I said inside my mind and I heard Phoebe’s screech. I could feel that she was complaining and I hated using my guardians as tools but this time, I needed to. “Phoebe, this is an order.”
 
I opened my eyes and braced myself.
 
“Phoebe, cies kai!” I chanted. Her spirit particles scattered and at the same time, Serena’s trident came face to face with me. Phoebe’s flame enveloped Lexi and seeing that made this move worth it.
 
I was about to embrace my death but then a loud, thunderous growl stopped Serena’s action. Suddenly, we were surrounded by blazing fire. Pagkakita ko no’n ay isa lang ang naisip ko.
 
Si Papa.
 
Napatingin ako sa paligid para hanapin siya at ang guardian niyang si Flarion. They were the only ones I know that could produce this intense heat. I desperately scanned the surroundings, hoping that I could see them, but there was nobody aside from us.
 
Nagulat na lang ako sa malakas na pagsigaw ni Serena. When I turned at her direction, she was already engulfed in a column of fire.
 
“S-stop it!” she shrieked as she tried to extinguish the fire. “Curse you!”

“A chimera’s fire is eternal,” he said. “It can never be stopped.”
 
Nang marinig ko ang boses na ‘yon ay parang lumubog ang puso ko. Agad kong tiningnan ang pinanggalingan ng boses at nang makita ko siya ay hindi ko na napigilan ang emosyon ko. Tuluy-tuloy na tumulo ang luha ko.
 
“T-tito,” I sobbed and my body collapsed on the ground.
 
Tito Leon appeared while riding Largus. She carried my limp body and left me beside Lexi. Worry and rage flashed on her eyes and I couldn’t help but sob in pain.
 
“Largus, protect them,” sabi ni Tito at hinarangan naman kami ni Largus. Phoebe did the same.
 
He walked toward Serena’s direction, half of her body was burned from Largus’ flames. Nang makita niya si Tito Leon ay biglang nagbago ang expression niya. She looked horrified.
 
“Y-you’re . . .” she stammered as she stepped back in fear. “You’re Beast.”

“Right now, I am not Beast nor a Spirit Master,” Tito Leon said. “I’m a father.”
 
An ear-piercing cry silenced the forest. Napatakip ako sa bibig ko nang makita ko ang nangyari at napahawak ako kay Lexi nang biglang yumanig ang lupa.
 
Tito Leon made a hole in Serena’s body by just a single punch. Her body remained motionless and his action made the ground tremble.
 
“That’s for hurting my daughters,” she mentioned and I got overwhelmed by my emotions. My daughters. “A man’s fist should always be used against a man, but when I see you hurting my family, you deserve to be hit, even if you’re a woman.”
 
Naglakad siya papunta sa amin at nagsimula nang manlabo ang paningin ko. Maybe because of exhaustion or shock, or maybe both. But as my body collapsed, I still managed to smile because of what I had heard. My parents might not be with me anymore, but I still have my other family.
 
***
 
“Reika. Reika, wake up.”
 
I woke up after hearing that girl’s voice but I got disoriented when I saw the white ceiling and walls. I tried remembering what happened and bolted up as I yelled Lexi’s name. 
 
“You’re not allowed to leave this bed.” Hindi ako tuluyang nakabangon dahil may daliri na nagtulak sa noo ko kaya naman napahiga ulit ako. “That’s the doctor’s order.”

“Ryleigh?”
 
He heaved a sigh as he shook his head.
 
Medyo magulo pa ang isip ko pero ang huli kong natatandaan ay si Lexi. I needed to see her. Babangon na sana ulit ako pero tinulak na naman niya ako gamit ang daliri niya kaya sinamaan ko siya ng tingin.
 
“No,” mariin niyang sabi.

“Pero si Lex—”

“She’s fine. Nagpapahinga na rin siya sa kwarto niya. Huwag kang mag-alala, nandoon si Yano para bantayan siya.”
 
Nakahinga naman ako nang maluwag nung marinig ko ‘yon. Unti-unti ko ring naalala ang mga nangyari bago ako mawalan ng malay at hindi ko alam kung totoo ba ang iba o hallucinations ko lang. Napatigil naman ako sa pag-iisip nang makita kong nakatitig sa akin si Ryleigh habang nakakunot ang noo.
 
“B-bakit?”
 
Wow. This tension was uncomfortable.
 
“Every time I see you, you always pass out. I wonder why?”
 
Hindi ko alam kung inosente ba ang pagtatanong niya o hindi pero sa pandinig ko, it was the latter. Was he implying that I’m weak?
 
Biglaan akong bumangon at siya naman ang napaatras. I stared at him as I crossed my arms over my chest. 
 
“So sinasabi mo bang mahina ako kaya hindi ko kayang i-maintain ang stamina ko?”
He gave me a confused look. “What? I didn’t mean—”

“You’re implying it, Mister.”

“Look, I’m just—”

“Fine,” I grumbled. “Ikaw na ang malakas. Ikaw na ang kayang kontrolin ang lahat ng guardians niya. Ikaw na ang hindi nahihimatay—hey!”
 
Nagulat ako nang bigla niyang hawakan ang magkabilang balikat ko at tinulak pahiga sa kama. I was silenced by his intense gaze.
 
“Listen,” he softly said. “I’m not saying you’re weak. You are not. What I’m trying to say is that your losing consciousness too frequent, and that’s odd.”
 
Bigla na naman akong nakaramdam ng lungkot at inggit. Sa tuwing magte-training kaming apat, napapansin kong nag-i-improve sila at kaya na nilang patagalin ang guardians nila rito, samantalang ako, palagi na lang nawawalan ng malay matapos ko silang i-summon. I felt bad for getting jealous of them but I couldn’t help it.
 
“Reika! Ryleigh! Come with—oh.”
 
Nagulat naman kami nang biglang bumukas ang pinto ng kwarto ko at pumasok sina Master at Gavin. Nagkatinginan kami ni Ryleigh at agad niyang tinanggal ang kamay niya sa braso ko at umupo kaming pareho sa kama. Nung nakita ko ang expression ni Master at Gavin ay nilinaw ko kaagad ang naabutan nila.
 
“I-it’s not like what you think!”

“It’s not like what you think.”
 
Nagkatinginan ulit kami dahil sabay kaming nagsalita at narinig namin ang pagtawa ni Master.
 
“We aren’t thinking about anything, though. Right?” sabi niya sabay siko kay Gavin at tumango lang siya. Ugh, these two! Kung pwede lang samaan ng tingin ang Spirit Masters nang walang mangyayaring masama sa akin ay kanina ko pa ginawa.

“Anyway, you two, come with us,” Gavin ordered and they immediately went outside. Bago pa namin maintindihan ang nangyayari ay sumunod kaagad kami ni Ryleigh sa kanila.
 
Tahimik lang kaming naglalakad at pinapakinggan ang pag-uusap nila tungkol sa nangyayari sa Capital at sa villages na nakapalibot doon hanggang sa makarating kami sa tapat ng isang pinto. We followed them inside and my mouth hung open as rows of shelves decorated the room. Nagkalat din ang domusaes sa iba’t ibang bahagi ng kwarto pero nang makita nila kami ay agad silang nagtago.
 
“You’re finally here.”
 
Napunta naman ang atensyon ko sa pinanggalingan ng boses at pagtingin ko sa gitna ay nakaupo sa desk si Astrid. Her violet hair and eyes highlighted her presence more.
 
She stood up and walked toward our direction. Gavin and Master stepped aside and she stopped in front of me.
 
Among the female Spirit Masters, she was the one who gave off a strict and disciplinarian vibe. During the Spirit Masters’ meeting, she was the only one who kept Adrielle and Master under control, despite the fact that those two were dauntless and aggressive.
 
Bigla naman niyang hinatak pababa ang damit ko sa bandang balikat. I was about to complain but I felt something odd when her skin touched mine.
 
“Notas kai,” she chanted and I felt a tingling sensation at the back of my left shoulder.
 
Master, Gavin and Ryleigh shared the same surprised and fascinated expressions. I was about to ask them but Astrid pulled me in front of a full-length mirror. Hinarap niya ang likod ko sa salamin at may nakita akong symbols and letters na nakamarka roon.
 
“A-ano ‘to?” tanong ko at naguluhan ako dahil wala naman akong ganoon dati. Anong ginawa niya?

“I knew it,” she muttered as she looked at Gavin and Master.

“Reika, we noticed that you weren’t improving significantly during the training,” Master said. “No. You have improved but it’s too gradual. You also seem to lose your consciousness once you reach your stamina limit and sometimes, you are forced to use your life force. Being the daughter of two Spirit Masters, your strength is quite below your supposed level. I thought it’s just because of the psychological effect of losing your parents but Gavin said it might be because of another problem.”

​“That’s why we asked Astrid for advice,” dagdag ni Gavin. “We told her your situation and she said you might be affected by some seal or incantation.”
 
After that ay tumingin ulit kaming lahat kay Astrid. Kahit na gulung-gulo na ang isip ko ay pinilit kong kumalma dahil gusto kong malaman kung ano ang nangyayari sa akin.
 
“These symbols are from a powerful seal,” Astrid explained. “If your situation is caused by an incantation, I would refer you to Adrielle since that is her expertise. But since this is a type of seal, I might be able to help you.”
 
Nilipat niya ang tingin niya sa mga libro at may isang domusae na lumapit sa kanya na may dalang libro. The domusae opened the book and showed her a certain page where a seal similar to mine was drawn.
 
“This is a Limiter Seal,” she said. “They said previous Spirit Masters use this to control their overwhelming power. It limits their strength, stamina and power. I’m sure that your parents are the ones who activated this seal but I don’t know why.”
 
She gently touched the mark on the back of my shoulder and my skin tingled.
 
“Since it affects your abilities as a Divian, I’m going to deactivate this seal.”
 
Spirit particles gathered around her hand and for a second, I was frightened. I didn’t know what I should expect or what could happen.
 
“Now, let’s unleash your true potential,” she said and she started chanting.

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