Chapter 9

return
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Everything happened so fast that I couldn’t follow his movements. The next thing I knew, Bridgette was already shrieking from pain.
 
“Y-You’ll pay for this!” she screamed as her half-guardian form was released. Vultos returned to his original form and blood was dripping from its right wing, as well as Bridgette’s right arm.
 
“Vultos, nes-sa! Fayza, sal-ve!”
 
Vultos disappeared and another guardian came into view: a huge, black bird with a scarlet throat pouch. Before Ryleigh could act, the guardian was already zooming past him, leaving him dumbfounded.
 
“Damn it, they escaped,” he muttered under his breath.
 
His guardian glided toward my direction and I still couldn’t believe I got to see a dragon, a mythical creature just like Phoebe. Its features were serpent-like, golden scales covering its entirety and flames shaped like spikes encrusted on its spine.
 
“W-what kind of bird was that?” tanong ko nang mawala na sina Bridgette sa paningin namin.

“A frigatebird,” he answered. “One of the fastest flying species.”
 
Bigla namang dumilim ang paningin ko at naramdaman ko ang pagkawala ng lakas ng katawan ko. My body collapsed on Phoebe's back and I couldn't move anymore.
 
“Hey, are you okay?” Ryleigh asked, a hint of worry in his voice.
 
My eyes were already too heavy, and I knew Phoebe was already slowly disintegrating into her spirit particles. I couldn't keep her form anymore. 
 
“Oh shit."
 
Naramdaman ko ang pagkahulog ko pero saglit lamang 'yon. I felt someone carrying me,, saving me from the fall. I tried opening my eyes and I saw Ryleigh, albeit hazy, looking at me.
 
"You're okay now," he said.

"T-thank you . . ." 

"Hold tight," he ordered as he hugged me. "Gon doesn't like the ground. We're going to jump." 
 
I wanted to complain but I was too tired to even think. I already left my life to him. 
 
“Gon, nes-sa! Bob, sal-ve!”
 
I felt the gravity pulling us downward, but it was faster this time. I didn't know how long we stayed in the air, a few seconds or maybe a minute, but the next thing I knew, something hit us and it slowed down our fall. That was when I realized, Bob, his grizzly bear guardian, caught us and the three of us fell through the canopy of trees.
 
My whole body ached, and my mind was screaming in pain. The moment I took a breath, I slipped out of my consciousness.  
 
***
 
I woke up to the noise around me and I immediately felt a throbbing pain on my right cheek.
 
“She’s awake,” a voice said and when I opened my eyes, I saw Ryleigh and Yano sitting beside my bed. Pagtingin ko sa kaliwa ay nakahiga rin sa kabilang kama si Lexi at wala pa rin siyang malay. Agad akong napaupo pero nakaramdam ako ng hilo kaya napahawak ako sa ulo ko.
 
“Nabigla ang katawan mo sa lahat ng nangyari kanina kaya h’wag ka munang gumalaw,” sabi ni Master na nasa may bandang paanan ko pala.
 
“I’m glad you’re okay now, Rei.”
 
My body tensed upon hearing that voice. Nilibot ko ang paningin ko at agad kong nakita si Tito Leon malapit sa kama ni Lexi.
 
“T-tito Leon!” 
 
He smiled at me but I could see the worry in his eyes. Pilit kong inalala ang mga nangyari. I remembered passing out after Ryleigh caught me. Nasaan kami? Nasa building pa rin ba kami ni Gavin?
 
Tito Leon stood up and he looked at Master and Gavin. The two nodded at him and they glanced at our direction.
 
“Magpahinga ka muna, Rei,” sabi ni Tito Leon. “Don’t worry about Lexi. She’s fine. She just needs some rest.”
 
Pagkatapos niyang sabihin ‘yon ay lumabas silang tatlo sa kwarto.
 
“Thank you for saving Lexi,” sabi ko kay Yano. I was glad he was there.

“Don’t mention it,” he responded while adjusting his glasses, which got crooked and cracked after catching Lexi.

I glanced at Ryleigh. “Um, thank you, too, for saving me,” I murmured.

“Yeah, right. And thank you for damaging my sword,” he retorted.
 
His sword was on the table near my bed and it was covered in nicks. I felt guilty after using it without his permission.
 
“S-sorry.”
 
He ignored my apology and just looked away from me. I wanted to say sorry again but Yano suddenly asked a question.
 
“Hey, who’s that Leon?”

“Ah. He’s Lexi’s father.”

“I know that. I mean, what is he? His presence is too intimidating and I could feel he’s in the same league, or maybe even higher than both our masters.”
 
Bigla naman kaming napatigil nang gumalaw si Lexi. Her eyes fluttered open and I had to keep my emotions in control. I choked back my tears and smiled at her.
 
“Lexi,” I called.

“Rei . . .” mahina niyang sagot. “Where are we?”

“149th floor, guest room,” sagot naman ni Yano.

“Oh, no,” she said as a horrified expression came to her face.

“Bakit? Lexi?” I asked in worry.

“Y-your eyeglasses!” sigaw niya sabay turo kay Yano.
 
Hindi ko alam kung maiinis ako o matatawa na lang dahil sa ginawa niya. Her obssession with glasses could be a little annoying sometimes.
 
“Oh, you’re awake.”
 
Sabay-sabay naman kaming napatingin sa pintuan nang marinig namin ang boses ni Master. Pumasok ulit silang tatlo at halos lumuwa ang mga mata ni Lexi nang makita niya si Tito Leon.
 
“P-papa?! Why are you here?!”

“Aba, bakit parang ayaw mo akong makita?”

​“H-ha? H-hindi naman. I was just surprised.”
 
Master smirked after hearing their conversation and he elbowed Tito Leon.
 
“Seems like your daughter doesn’t want to see you.”

He glared at her. “What are you telling them, Ariah?”
 
Master said she trained with my mother, along with Tito Leon under the same teacher. Somehow, it felt comforting that they were here with me.
 
“But why are you really here?” tanong ni Lexi sa kanya.

“I was about to visit you in Ariah’s place but I was informed that you two are here in the center of the Capital.”
 
I suddenly remembered Bridgette’s words when they attempted to abduct Lexi a while ago.
 
“You’re the daughter of that guy,” I said and that caught their attention. “That was what the Exorcist said when they carried her off. Do you have any connection with them, Tito?”
 
Their faces turned grim and they must have known something.
 
“Yes,” he replied. “But you don’t need to know that anymore.”
 
He turned his back on us and my skin tingled as soon as I felt his overwhelming presence.
 
“Ariah, Gavin, kayo na ang magsabi sa kanila,” he added. “I need to talk to him.”

“Yes,” they both answered.
 
Pagkaalis niya ay agad na humarap sa amin sina Master at Gavin.
 
“The four of you will go to the Divine Camp,” Master suddenly announced and we just stared at them in disbelief.

“W-what?”

“I already talked to Adrielle,” Gavin said. “They are already expecting you there.”

“Why?” Ryleigh asked angrily.

“We can’t train and supervise you anymore,” sagot naman ni Gavin.

Master looked at me and Lexi. “We’re going back to Hydra. We are needed there. Now, go home and bring your things here. We have to hurry.”
 
Muling lumabas sina Master at Gavin at naiwan kaming tahimik sa loob ng kwarto.
 
“What’s Hydra?” tanong ni Lexi.

“The headquarters of the Spirit Masters and the Divine General,” sagot ni Yano. “But after what happened seven years ago, the Spirit Masters opted to live in their own places. Ngayon na lang ulit sila bumalik doon.”

“W-wait, if only Spirit Masters are allowed to go back there . . .” my voice faltered but Ryleigh confirmed my hunch. 

​“Yes. She must be returning as a Spirit Master.”

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