Chapter 6

voice
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It had been a week.
 
Isang lingo pa lang ang nakakalipas simula nang magsimula ang bago naming regimen pero pakiramdam ko ay ilang taon na namin ‘tong ginagawa. She had really embodied her moniker as the Amazon Divian.
 
“Ten seconds!” she yelled from the other side of the lake.
 
I could see the aquainas around me giggling, as if they were enjoying our struggle.
 
Master said we could only spend two minutes in the lake to recuperate but that would not be enough for us to fully recover our lost stamina.
 
“Tortos.”
 
Tortos moved from his resting position in the middle of the lake, causing waves that carried us ashore. Ayaw ko pa sanang umahon dahil nanghihina pa rin ang katawan ko pero nakisali rin ang aquainas at halos tumilapon kami mula sa tubig papunta sa lupa.
 
Lexi grunted. “Ang sakit no’n ha!” she yelled at the water and the aquainas snickered.

“Now, do another two laps then call your first and second guardians,” Master ordered.
 
We had been doing this for a week after that incident. Lexi and I had to run around the lake twice and then summon our first guardian afterwards. Summoning them after sprinting for several minutes was as hard as calling our second guardians. I almost collapsed on our first try but I saw my improvement after several days. She also taught us some defensive and offensive movements, which resulted in bruises and cuts on our bodies.
 
Lexi and I ran around the lake as we tried to catch our breaths. Ang nakakainis pa, sinusundan kami ng aquainas mula sa tubig at pinagtatawanan kami. We couldn’t see them well before because of their transparent bodies but our eyes got used to them. There were times that I was tempted to catch them because they always play tricks on us but I knew that would just backfire on me. Isa pa, masyado silang mabilis lumangoy. 
 
After some time ay natapos na rin namin ang dalawang laps at tumayo kami sa harapan ni Master habang hinihingal.
 
“Now summon your first and second guardians,” she said.

“Charlie, Smith, sal-ve.”

​“Jerry, Carlos, sal-ve.”
 
Jerry, Charlie, Smith and Carlos materialized in front of us, and at the same time, Lexi and I fell on our knees. It felt like a huge boulder was dropped on my back, consuming our stamina much faster, but at least, we didn’t pass out. However, after a few minutes, our guardians slowly disintegrated into spirit particles and that meant we didn’t have enough stamina to sustain their physical forms.
 
“Good,” Master remarked as Lexi and I collapsed on the ground, breathless. “Your guardians managed to stay here for three minutes despite your depleted stamina. Lily, sal-ve!”
 
Lily picked us up and soared above the lake. We were still a bit high when she dropped us and I had to remained focused and vigilant, especially around these mischievous aquainas.
 
“Rei,” bungad ni Lexi nang umahon ang mukha namin mula sa tubig. “Gisingin moa ko kapag nakatulog ako, please. Hindi ko na kaya.”

“Actually, ako rin . . .”
 
That moment, we knew we were going to drown once we let our guard down but we chose to drift to sleep despite the risk.
 
***
 
“Es freit mich sie, ich han liip! Mwe kontan fe konesana siz menen ku zibana!”
 
It felt like my strength were being pulled out of my body. My vision was hazy and it was getting hard to breathe. I was grasping the wooden tablet tightly as it illuminated. Words appeared from it but I couldn’t read them. Spirit particles were gathering in front of me but I couldn’t see its form. The light was blinding me and I was close to losing my consciousness. 
 
That was when I realized I couldn’t summon this guardian.
 
“Reika, you can do it.”

“She’s yours now.”
 
My heart sank upon hearing those familiar voices. Pagtingin ko sa gitna ng liwanag ay nandoon sina Mama at Papa—they were smiling at me. I couldn’t hear what they were saying anymore and I didn’t care. I just wanted to hug them again. To be with them again. But I couldn’t. It felt like the spirit particles were consuming my stamina and life force all at once.
 
“Mama . . . Papa . . .” I sobbed.
 
“No, Reika!” another familiar voice said. As I turned around, I saw Tita Aina but before I could say anything, my body was already falling to the ground. I was losing my strength and consciousness, but I still forced myself to look at the light, hoping that my parents would still be there.
 
But they already disappeared. Instead, an unfamiliar girl stood in their place.
 
“S-sino ka?” I tried asking but my words were inaudible.

​“This is not yet the right time.”
 
The light enveloped her whole body and my consciousness slipped away.
 
***
 
My eyes fluttered open and I had to get up to catch my breath. My body was trembling terribly and it took me a few minutes to finally calm down.
 
Matagal na panahon na ang nakalipas nang huli kong mapanaginipan ‘yon at ngayon ay nauulit na naman. I had been dreaming the time I tried Marking my third guardian since then but this was the first time an unfamiliar girl appeared. Who was that?
 
Inikot ko naman ang paningin ko at na-realize kong nandito ako ngayon sa kwarto. Lexi was still asleep. The last thing I could remember was Lily dropping us in the lake and . . . oh great. Nakatulog kami. Those damn aquainas.
 
It was just three in the morning but I couldn’t sleep anymore. Tuluyan na akong tumayo at dahan-dahang lumabas ng kwarto hanggang sa lumabas na ako ng bahay.
 
It was still dark but the soft glow of the moon and stars made the lake looked magical. Lumapit ako sa lake at mukhang kalmado ang aquainas ngayon. I sat on the edge and watched the bright sky.
 
Bigla na lang tumulo ang luha ko dahil naalala ko sina Mama at Papa. It’s been years since they passed away but it felt like everything just happened yesterday. I could still remember their last words to me, their last expressions and the things I should have said to them that day.
 
Kaya hindi rin ako nakitira kina Lexi kahit na nag-insist sila noon ay dahil naiinggit ako sa kanya. She still had her family. Something I didn’t have anymore.
 
“You miss them?”
 
Nagulat naman ako nang bigla kong narinig ang boses ni Master kaya napalingon ako. She gave me a quick smile and sat beside me. I hurriedly wiped my tears and pretended to watch the aquainas in the lake. We were silent for several minutes but it was the kind that comforts me.
 
“Hindi ko talaga akalaing may anak sila,” she said, breaking the silence. “Now I know kung bakit nawala ng halos isang taon si Kass dati. Ramon said the Divine General gave her a difficult mission. It turned out she was pregnant with you that time.”
 
I didn’t know what to say or react. It was a bit saddening, knowing that my parents kept me from their world, but I’m sure they had their reasons.
 
“I really respect them,” she continued. “Your parents and Leon helped me a lot. They were great as mentors and friends. I hope you and Lexi will follow their footsteps.”
 
Pagkatapos niyang sabihin ‘yon ay agad din siyang tumayo at sinundan ko siya ng tingin hanggang sa tuluyan na siyang makapasok sa bahay.
 
A smile escaped my lips and it felt like a huge thorn was pulled out of my chest. In the end, I decided to train since I wouldn’t be able to sleep anyway.
 
“Carlos, sal-ve!”
 
Carlos roared as he came into view. I approached him and carefully got to his back. It was such a huge achievement because I could already control him. Dati, natatakot ako tuwing sasakay ako sa kanya, lalo na at minsan ko lang siya gamitin. But as Master would always say, we should summon our guardians as much as possible to familiarize them in this dimension and to have a much deeper connection with them as their Divian.
 
Carlos ran freely around the lake and I had to hold him tightly or I would fall. His speed made my stomach churn and it felt like the wind had thousand needles piercing through my skin.
 
“Slow down! Slow down, Carlos!” sigaw ko at mukhang naintindihan naman niya dahil medyo bumagal ang pagtakbo niya.
 
When I looked at the lake, the aquainas were already looking at us and it seemed like we disturbed their peace. However, they suddenly swam to the other side of the lake and I felt Carlos’ body vibrating, making a guttural sound, as if he was sensing an enemy. He stopped moving and looked around, hunting for whatever it was.
 
“Leave this place. Please.”
 
Napalingon ako nang may marinig akong boses ng babae pero wala akong makitang kahit sino. Carlos roared at a certain direction and a chill went down my spine when I saw what made him and the aquainas rattled.
 
A crow, almost the size of Charlie, stared at our direction with its menacing red eyes, and it felt like a harbinger of something ominous.

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