Grizelda

Napapikit ako dahil sa naramdaman kong pagtagos namin sa portal. Ilang sandali lang ay nawala din ang pakiramdam na yun at sa tingin ko ay narito na kami sa tinatawag nilang magical town.

I opened my eyes slowly. I thought there is some fairies flying around, birds singing, women wearing some medieval gowns, men with swords, beautiful skies and clouds but no. This is not what i thought.

Tinignan ko ang paligid. This is just like an ordinary town. Katulad din ng sa mortal. Houses, shops, and cars. The only different is the sky, it's red.

"Disappointing, eh?" Ngayon ko lang naalala na may kasama nga pala akong pumasok dito. Napansin kong nakahawak padin siya sa kamay ko kaya agad ko itong tinanggal.

"This is the magical town? This is just like the town in mortal world. Well, except the red sky." I said.

"I told yah. It's not magical anymore." He said. "And for your information, we are still in the mortal world. We didn't go to another realm." Napakunot ang noo niya saakin at napatawa.

I raised my eyebrow to him. "Are you playing with me?"

Napatigil naman siya at pilit na sineryoso ang mukha. "I'm not." He took a deep breath. "Okay. Ask me questions, but! i will only answer what i know and what you need to know... for now."

Humarap ako sakanya. I crossed my arms. Magsasalita na sana ko pero napansin kong andaming pumapasok sa portal. Napakunot ang noo ko.

"Why is there—" yeah, he cut me off.

"Oh they are new comers, like you. I forgot that this day is the day that the portal is open for a people like us who have magics, abilities and too many questions in their mind."

"So you're saying that the portal will be closed?"

"Yep after sundown."

"Then, i can't go back?"

"There is no going back once you enter that portal. You need to win the war first and then you can choose if you wanna go back or stay here."

What the hell? Shit. Tahimik na ako sa labas na to bakit pa kasi ako pumasok dito?

"You know what, it's more fun to talk at the Luna's diner."

Magsasalita pa sana ako pero agad na niya akong hinila.

"I can walk. No need to drag me." Sabi ko at binitaw ang kamay ko sakanya.

"Okay, i'm sorry."

Sinundan ko nalang kung saan siya papunta. Habang naglalakad ay tumitingin ako sa paligid. Totoo nga, katulad lang din ito sa labas, parang ordinaryo lang.

but my feels don't lie.

I can feel the magic in this town.

Nakarating na kami sa sinasabi niya na Luna's Diner. I rolled my eyes. "Bakit kailangan sa restaurant pa?"

"I'm hungry." Sagot niya at pumasok na. Sumunod naman ako. Hindi ganun kadami ang tao pero sapat pa rin para mapayuko ako dahil sa mga tingin nila.

It's not that i'm shy. It's just, i'm not comfortable, kahit na alam kong black ang buhok ko at parehas kulay ng mga mata ko ngayon pero di parin nawawala sa isip ko na hindi ganito ang tunay kong itsura, and that's why i'm not comfortable when someone stares at me.

Umupo kami sa bakanteng upuan, itong kasama ko naman, i don't know his name ay nagtaas ng kamay at tumawag ng waiter.

"2 order of lasagna, and 2 blueberry milkshake." He said.

"I'm not hungry and i don't have money." I said to him.

Umalis na ang waiter at tumingin siya saakin. "Who says it's for you?"

Napanganga ako sa sagot niya. Oh really?? He's really pissing me off now.

"Look. I'm not here to spend time with you." Napahinto ako at tinignan siya. "Stranger." I sigh. "I'm here to have an answers. To know who i am, okay? so if you don't know anything, please tell me who knows." Seryosong sabi ko sakanya.

"I know. Calm down, okay? I already told you. You can ask questions."

"But after i ate."

Umayos ako nang upo. Sa labas ako nakatingin dahil nab-bwisit na ako sa pang-asar niyang mukha. He's eating and he's really playing with me.

Napapikit ako nang mariin nang marinig ko pa siyang dumighay at pagkatapos ay tumawa pa. "Haay. Sarap." Narinig ko pang sabi niya. Kalahating oras na ata siyang kumakain at hindi na ako makapaghintay. Makapaghintay na durugin siya.

"Are you sure, you're not hungry?" Pangatlong tanong na niya ata natanong yan.

Humarap ako sakanya. "Are you finish?" Mataray kong tanong.

He smiled. "Yep. It's your turn." Napatingin ako sa inusog niyang plate na mayroong lasagna na inorder niya. Napataas ang isang kilay ko sakanya. "I can hear your tummy."

"I waste my 30 minutes and you just ate 1 order of lasagna?" Napipikon kong sabi.

He shrugged his shoulders. "I ate for 15 minutes and i spend the other 15 minutes staring at you." He smirk. "You didn't notice? Eh?"

That's it. Tumayo ako at pinalo ang dalawang kamay ko sa lamesa at tinignan siya ng seryoso. "I don't have time to play with you." Tinignan ko siya ng diretso sa mga mata. I can see clearly his luminous emerald eyes.

"That's not the real color of your eyes." Napatigil ako sa sinabi niya. Dali akong umayos ng tayo at tinalikuran siya.

"I'm done." Sabi ko at naglakad na sana palabas ng diner ngunit may humarang saakin na babae.

She's not that old. Black hair, fair skin and yellow eyes.

"You didn't ate your order. Isn't delicious?" She said with a sad eyes. Oh c'mon!

"I didn't order. He did." Sabi ko at tinuro si stranger na prenteng nakaupo at nakatingin saamin.

"Aunt Luna!" Sigaw niya at lumapit saamin. Napansin ko naman ang saya ng tinawag niyang luna. Is she the owner of this diner?

Nagyakapan silang dalawa pagkatapos ay humarap saakin. "She's the owner and the cook." He said.

"I'm Luna. You can call me Aunt Luna too." She said with a smile.

Tinignan ko lang sila at hindi nagsalita. I don't know if it's safe to say my name. Damn. Bilang nga lang siguro ang nakakaalam sa pangalan ko dahil hindi talaga ako mahilig magsabi ng pangalan.

Iniwas ko ang tingin sakanila. "I need to go."

"She's new. Siguro ay naninibago pa, hehe." Narinig kong sabi ni stranger at pekeng tumawa pa.

"What's her name?"

"Uhm sundan ko na po yun baka mawala pa, mahirap na delikado pa naman dito. Thank you Aunt Luna! Promise masarap po yung lasagna!" Sigaw nito habang nagmamadaling sumunod saakin. Napaikot ang mata ko at lumabas na sa diner.

"Milady! It's dangerous here." Rinig kong sigaw nito habang palapit saakin.

"Don't care." Malamig na sabi ko. Nauubusan na talaga ako ng pasensya sakanya. There is a lot of new comers here, i'm sure that there is also a lot that can help me find what i'm looking for.

Maraming tao ang nagkakalat. Yung iba ay papunta sa mga store at ang iba ay papunta sa hindi ko alam kung saan basta ay may mga kasama silang mga weirdo na tao.

Napapansin ko ang iba ay parang katulad din sa mortal. Nakasimpleng kasuotan lang ngunit ang iba ay mahahalatang galing sa ibang lugar dahil sa mahahabang damit at mga diyamante nilang suot. Ang iba ang pang warrior ang kasuotan.

But there is something i noticed.. There is so many sad faces. Napansin ko ang pagkabalisa nila, yung para bang nawalan na ng pag-asa.

Napabuntong hininga ako. Hindi ko alam kung saan ako mag-uumpisa.

"This town is dying." Napatigil ako nang magsalita itong katabi ko. "Uh no... This town is already dead." Inilipat niya ang tingin saakin. "When a 2 wicked witches arrived."

"This town was made for.. Uhm... who have abilities, magics and don't have a home, don't know who they are..." Iniwas niya ang tingin saakin habang sinasabi ang mga ito. I noticed that he's not comfortable saying those things, because it's me. People just like me, no home, no family, and don't know who really are.

An Orphan.

"Orphan." I said.

"Yeah. This town are not really like this. But because of the witches, this amazing and beautiful town becomes dangerous and...weak." He said. "They're once a believer. They believed in magics, in victory and hope. They're happy, and strong. But all of that banished because of the witches, they turned our people, weak. Like there is no hope for them, for us. They don't even believe in magic anymore." Hindi ko alam ang gagawin ko. I can see the anger and pain in his eyes. Napansin ko rin ang pagkuyom ng kamao niya.

"And believing in magic is the key to win every war. To win from the witches." He continued.

"How did they do it? Why suddenly they don't believe anymore?" I asked.

"They casted a terrifying curse. A dark curse. So the people will forget who are they, and the magic."

"Why? Why would they do a such thing?"

"They want power. They want our magic, all of them. So they can rule. So they can rule to every strong ang powerful worlds. Because believe it or not, some orphan really have a strong magic that can destroy the witches."

"That's madness." I said.

"Wanna know more madness?" He looked at me. "Every once in a month, there is war. You noticed the red sky? that means, the war is near, and when that red turns black... that's the start of the war."

"Wanna know more, more madness?" He asked. Lumakad siya palapit saakin. And now he's close to me but i didn't even moved. "That war is between humans and dragons...." Bulong niya saakin habang nakatitig sa mga mata ko. Hindi ako makahinga ng maayos dahil sa sobrang lapit niya saakin. Bigla din akong kinabahan. I don't know if it's because he's so close to me or because of what i heard.

"This town is cursed. And we can't do anything about it. This is hell." He said still looking at me. Damn this stranger, Sinasabi niya saakin kung gaano kasama ang town na ito while flirting with me. He smirk, at ayun ang pinagtaka ko. "By the way, I'm Killian, milady."

And he blacked out.

***
A/n

Please imagine killian in british accent kapag nag eenglish. Wala lang ganun pag imagine ko eh HAHAHA.