Chapter 68: Swamp

The bright light continued to blur. I was drifting into an abyss with my faint heartbeat. My breathing was rigid. I was in pain all over my body with a shearing sound in my ears as if I was about to burst. I knew I was dying at any moment. I was coughing on my own blood, and its metallic taste felt like it was poison—slowly reaping my little strength. As the wind embraced my skin, I felt fresh tears gliding down my cheeks.

My life began to fade, memories flashing before my eyes. I remembered my grandparents and our little old museum, how my grandmother, with her gentle hand on my shoulder, showed me the dusted antique mirror when I was still a small, innocent girl. I remembered how my small hands wiped the dust and how I looked fascinated at my own reflection.

And then I saw Claret sitting in front of me with tears in her eyes, helplessly asking for help. An adorable little child with her sweet smile and even the handsome grandfathers appeared.

Finally, I saw my mirror again, recalling the first time I entered it with Tobias's desperate water tentacles and the coldness of it on my skin. I remembered the way my body familiarly drifted as I sank deeper into this world, the ridiculous money fluttering in the air, the mist, the sound of flowing water, the way I was caught in his arms, and how I almost melted with those green coral eyes.

The mirror accepted me.

I am a woman of the prophecy.

As I continued to drift losing myself into a deeper sleep, I saw a shadow— a blue shadow of a woman, in front of me. Her slender form, the familiar blue light illuminating her frame, the swirling of her long hair, and the gentle touch of her hand brought a sense of calm despite the idea that I was about to take my last breath.

"Kezalli . . ." she whispered, almost touching the tip of her nose with mine.

I knew that the blue fire had already left this world, but she assured me, us, that even without her physical guidance, she had left her lingering power that would help us until the end of this battle.

"Paumanhin kung sa ganitong paraan ako pumasok sa salamin. Alam kong delikado ang paarang ito na kahit si Claret ay hindi sang-ayon."

"You stupid girl," malamig na sagot ng asul na apoy.

Tumawa ako sa aking isipan. "I am. I had been making foolish decisions since I entered this world. I grew up in the human world and mistakes have been part of my life."

Hindi nagsalita ang asul na apoy. Nanatili ito nakalutang sa harapan ko habang patuloy bumabagsak ang katawan ko. We were still inches apart as if I was facing my own mirror seeing my reflection.

"I wasn't trying to kill myself, maybe hurt a little? But Freya was desperate to kill me. Hindi ko inaasahan ang nangyari. She was willing to sacrifice her own life just to bring me with her. I planned to injure myself and force my way to the mirror, so the mirror would save me. But this happened, I almost got killed in the process."

Nagpatuloy ako sa pagsasalita.

"The mirror will protect me just like how the mirror protected Astrid from the calamity in the human world. I know that it's a mistake— to make this kind of risky plan, but you chose me as one of the goddesses of the prophecy, not because I was perfect, but because I have this heart that could take the risk."

Hindi ko man nakikita ang hitsura ng asul na apoy dahil pawang asul na anino lang ito, hindi ko alam kung bakit tila nakita ko iyong ngumiti.

As the voice of the blue fire and its blue form lingered, I didn't notice how slowly— my almost dead body was regaining its sharp senses. Banayad na ang paghinga ko, tila unti-unting nawawala ang sakit sa buong katawan ko at tumigil na ako sa pag-ubo ng sariling dugo.

"I summoned you here, Kezalli. She needs your help."

Iyon lang ang huling narinig ko mula sa asul na apoy bago ako nagpatuloy sa pagbulusok. Tumigil sa pagsunod sa akin ang asul na apoy habang patuloy ako sa pagbaba, inangat ko ang isang kamay ko na tila magagawa ko siyang hilahin at samahan ako, ngunit nang inakala ko na tuluyan na itong maglalaho ay muli itong humabol sa akin at tuluyan nang yumakap sa kabuuan ko.

That sudden warmth— as if her gentle embrace made my eyelids heavy. "Sleep now, Kezalli. Regain your strength, you and Claret fight to win."

Gusto ko pa sanang itanong sa kanya kung nasaan si Astrid at kung ano ang ibig sabihin niya na siya ang tumawag sa akin sa loob ng salamin, ngunit higit nang bumigat ang talukap ng aking mga mata hanggang sa tuluyan ko na iyong ipikit.

***

"Do you think she is really a fairy?"

"She might have a drop of blood of a fairy! How can she literally communicate with us so easily? And her body seems to absorb fairy aura too easy!"

"Isn't Prince Rosh like that as well?"

"He is a Prince of Nature! We are garden fairies! Of course, we will like him and his presence! But he is not a fae!"

Everyone gasped. Sabay-sabay rin silang umiling na tila na-eskandalo silang lahat sa salitang iyon. "Prince Rosh has fangs! And he will behead us if he hears this! He loves his fangs, ayaw niya raw ng ears natin na long."

"There is only one thing long from Prince Rosh!"

Kung kanina ay takot ang namamayani sa kanila, ngayon naman ay naghahagikgikan ang mga maliliit na diwata habang pinag-uusapan si Rosh.

Napangiwi na ako.

Nasilipan na kaya ng mga ito si Rosh? Hindi imposible.

Madalas naman kasi ay ang mga magkakatid ang usapan nila. How spoiled Princess Marah but so beautiful, Pryor being the bully, how they afraid of King Tobias, and how they admired and giggled every time they talked about Rosh.

Kapwa sila nakaupo sa maliliit na bulaklak, kaya agad silang naalarma nang may biglang anino ang siyang nagpakita mula sa likuran nila.

They awkwardly smiled at me as they looked over their shoulders. Nakapamaywang ako habang nakaangat ang isang kilay. "Were you talking about me?"

"Aren't you a fairy, Kezalli?"

My lips prodded. I sat on an Indian seat, tilted my head, and tried to remember how my grandparents introduced my parents. "I don't know. I grew up with my grandparents. Hindi naman sila mga diwata."

"They never mentioned your parents?"

"Hindi ko na sila inabutan. They're dead. Hindi ko na matandaan ang naging dahilan nina lolo't lola noon sa pagkamatay nila. I didn't think much of it when I was in the human world. I was too busy surviving." I forced laughter.

Umiyak silang lahat kaya nagliparan sila sa akin at yumakap sa iba't ibang parte ng katawan ko.

I love it when I am with these silly pixies. I was right all along, Tobias could have found someone else as my friend in Deltora, but he allowed me to enjoy the company of these pixies even if he hated some of their ways because he knew I didn't have any experience of playing . . . thinking about love, gossips, and dresses.

"Aren't you curious about your parents?"

Tipid akong ngumiti. "Sometimes, but if you were right about them being fairies, then I have to thank them for giving me this helpful blood that I might use in the future. I'd like to help King Tobias as much as I can because I love him so much!"

"Aww!" they said in unison.

"Kaya huwag kayo masyadong makukulit. Ayokong sumakit ang ulo ni Tobias, magagalit din ako sa inyo."

"But King Tobias, just like Prince Pryor is hardheaded! It will not hurt giving him a few headaches," they giggled.

I pouted my lips. "King Tobias might have a hard head, but I have a poor heart, my heart might have hurt first before his head so please don't make everything difficult for my king, alright?"

"Aww!" they said again.

Mas humilig ang mga ulo nila habang pinagmamasdan nila ako na in love na in love kay Tobias. Because who wouldn't be? Iyong buhol palang ng kasuotan niya na laging malapit nang matanggal nakaka-in love na.

Niyakap ko ang mga binti ko at mas hinilig ko ang pisngi ko sa mga tuhod. "I love the king so much . . ."

"He shouldn't hurt you then or else we will resign!"

Napangiwi ako. "Resign from what? Aalis kayo Deltora?"

"We will not make dresses for Prince Rosh!"

"Oh, nadamay pa si Rosh."

In the end, the garden was filled with our laughter as we waited for the arrival of the other fairies carrying some strands of hair.

"The weapon will be completed soon!"

I smiled, giving them all my weapons— arrows, metal rings, and even my brown bag. "Thank you!"

"Everything for our Queen!"

***

Nagising ako sa magaang panaginip na iyon. Akala ko nga ay sa hardin ng mga diwata ako naroon dahil sa pagbangon ko ay natagpuan ko lang naman ang sarili ko sa pamilyar na hitsura ng bulaklak.

I was inside of a big pink flower— a tulip. But unlike the inside of the fairy's magical flower space, everything was bare. Walang kagamitan sa loob ng bulaklak kundi malambot na sahig lamang.

Nang tuluyan na akong makatayo ay higit kong pinakiramdaman ang sarili ko. Pinagmasdan ko ang mga palad ko, kinapa ko ang dibdib ko at huminga nang malalim nang ilang beses.

I was fine— good as brand new. Ngunit ang tanong, ilang araw ang ginugol ko sa loob ng halaman na ito? Ipinilig ko ang ulo ko at naghanap ako ng daan palabas ng bulaklak, tila nabasa naman nito ang isip ko kaya kusa itong nabuksan.

One of the petals of the tulip slowly pulled down, giving me an exit— a familiar slide. Mabagal ang lakad ko patungo sa bukana ng bulaklak at handa na sana akong tumalon doon, or probably slide on it just like how I used to when I stopped.

Did I just turn into a small one again or this place was literally filled with giant flowers?

Unlike the gardens in Parsua Deltora, with a gazebo, an aisle, different flowers, and fluttering butterflies— a literal place of colors and fairies, seeing the vastness of this place with its unusual scenery made me want to step back.

"What is this place? Saan ko hahanapin dito si Astrid?"

Because I was welcomed by a swamp— as if I were in the middle of the rainforest. It was not just bland colored tulips but there were trees— thin trees. May mga kulay naman ang mga bulaklak at puno ngunit tila ang lamlam at lungkot ng mga ito.

Ngayon ko napagtanto na ang taas pala ng tulip na kinatatayuan ko. At paano ako maghahanap kay Astrid? I had to find a damn boat.

Saan ako makahahanap ng bangka sa lugar na ito?

Napangiwi ako nang sumilip ako sa ibaba dahil hindi malinaw ang tubig. Paano na lang kung mayroong halimaw sa ilalim ng tubig?

I thought I'd see paradise inside this mirror, but I didn't expect that this place would be like an abandoned rainforest as if animals chose to leave this place as their natural habitat.

Hindi man lang ako makaramdam ng hangin, hindi gumagalaw ang tubig sa ibaba, at wala man lang akong makitang maliit na insekto, ibon o hayop sa paligid.

As if this place was about to die as well— to crumble.

I gasped, realizing what the blue fire had told me. She summoned me here inside. Ito ba ang dahilan? Since she could no longer maintain the power inside the mirror, she could no longer protect Astrid, or any of us inside.

I bit my lower lip and looked down. Should I take Astrid outside? I only promised Rosh that I'd try to speak with her, know her situation . . . but I never imagined that I could possibly bring her outside.

I might have threatened the enemies but as a woman from the prophecy, even Claret . . . we knew that Astrid was safer here. Halos sabunutan ko na ang sarili ko.

Huminga akong muli nang malalim, hinila ko ang isang piraso ng tulip hanggang sa tuluyan na iyong matanggal.

I positioned it near the entrance and placed one of my legs on it as I pushed myself, and before I knew it, I was shouting while sliding down.

I have to hurry.

In the end, I fell off the huge petal and I soaked myself in the brown water. Iritable kong isinampay ang braso ko sa petal, bumuga nang nainom na tubig bago ko isinampa ang binti ko.

Nakailang mura ako. But adventures had been part of my life. Sanay na rin akong gumulong sa mga putikan.

"Prince Rosh, if hindi ka lang love ni Tobias! I will not try to find your mate! But I love everyone that my mates love," I rolled my eyes. "Well except Pryor."

I propped myself on the huge petal, took a long wooden branch floating on the water, and started rowing on the water.

"Astrid! Hello! Can you hear me?!" my voice echoed repeatedly in the vastness of this hollow place.