Chapter 71: Behind Her Back

When I entered my mirror and was welcomed by this world named Nemetio Spiran, even with the stories that my grandparents had told me, still, the moment I stepped foot in this place, everything was foreign to me. Not just because of the beauty that my eyes could see, the histories and beliefs that I could hear, but also the responsibilities that seemed too unreasonable for someone who wasn't born in this world.

There was in the back of my mind a thought that everything was just a magical dream, a world that my mind had created, convincing myself that I wasn't that evil girl who grew up with blood on her hands, deaths in her eyes, and darkness in her every step, but that girl, as everyone's hero—an escape that my own mind had created from the real darkness of my world. Darkness—the only thing I knew written for my destiny.

It took me so long to realize that I wasn't in a dream. Everything was not an escape after my bruised and wounded body collapsed on my old, rotten bed as the creaking sound of the wooden ceiling echoed, the shouting of my neighbors and breaking glasses, the smell of smoke, and the squeaking of the running rats on the floor ringing in my ears where everything seemed so loud, but as my eyes closed slowly with my labored breathing, everything started to muffle, giving the back of my mind thought of a new world that would accept me.

Now that I had accepted my fate in Nemetio Spiran, I couldn't deny the fear in my heart. What if I woke up and wasn't in Tobias' bed? What if there were no green eyes to greet me and no Water Kingdom to embrace me? I am so afraid that maybe in the blink of an eye, everything will vanish, and I'll wake up in that rotten hell again.

But now was different because there was one woman who might not have witnessed how I suffered for years, yet she had been with me in both worlds, a constant companion, a friend, a glimpse of hope, and a sliver of light—convincing me that I had truly crossed from the world of darkness to this world I once thought impossible.

When I first saw her lotus, I couldn't properly describe how my heart felt so full yet with a familiar ache, as if everything were surreal and fleeting. Even from our distance, I felt like there was a warm string pulling me toward her. But now that we were inches apart, with my trembling hands cupping her cheeks and my forehead pressed to hers, I couldn't be happier.

Because at last, I finally reached her.

"Hello there, Astrid. I am here to get you."

Biglang bumalik sa mga alaala ko ang mga panahon na una kaming nagkita ni Claret. Ganito rin ba ang pakiramdam niya nang makita niya ako? Halos hindi ko na maintindihan ang saya at hindi pagkapaniwala sa nakikita ko.

Suddenly everything Claret and I shared in the past flashed back inside my mind. It was when Claret knelt in front of me and held my bruised little hands as she looked at me with tears in her eyes, I was still young back then and she had words I couldn't understand but her face looked relieved, happy, and at the same time sad. And I couldn't do anything about it but just looked at her, confused.

Ilang beses kong narinig ang malambing na boses ni Claret noong bata pa ako at kung paano niya hawakan ang mga kamay ko. At sa tuwing ginagawa niya iyon gumagaan ang puso ko. Claret was a stranger to me but the warmth of her voice, the way her soft hands held me, and those hugs, made me feel that I had a sister for a swift moment. Maybe because of the sound of her voice, or maybe because of her angelic face, but now that I could finally understand everything— it's our connection, the fate tied between us, and the prophecy destined for us together.

At ngayon na nasa pareho akong sitwasyon— ako bilang itinakdang babae na handa nang sumundo at ipakilala ang sarili sa isa pang itinakdang babae, sa kabila nang nakapikit niyang mga mata, nararamdaman kaya ako ni Astrid sa mga oras na ito?

As I stayed inside that circular floating water with Astrid, I felt that it was slowly draining. Nagsimula na akong muling magmulat at pansin ko na naiiga na ang tubig na umabot na sa mga balikat namin ni Astrid. Huminga na ako nang malalim at mas inihanda ko na ang sarili ko.

Mas kinabig ko na si Astrid at mariin na siyang niyakap dahil sa sandaling maubos ang tubig ay babagsak kami. Tumingin muna ako sa itaas.

My wand was still busy creating a circular shield that would protect us against the constant attack of those gigantic plants around us. I took a deep breath when the water reached our waists. My arms tightened more when it continued to drift, and when the water was about to vanish as it reached my toes, I had already anticipated an instant fall.

Mariin na akong napapikit at mas dumiin ang mga braso ko kay Astrid. I positioned myself that would receive much pain that Astrid when we landed on the floor. Kaya inaasahan ko na na masasaktan talaga ako pero nang sandaling tumama ang likuran ko sa sahig, nagulat na lang ako nang kapwa tumalbog ang katawan namin dahil malambot pala iyong sahig ng lotus.

Saglit akong natulala sa aking pagkakahiga sa pangyayaring iyon.

Maybe my body was used to pain and I had already expected to feel it again, and now that I was welcomed by an expected comfort, it was hard to believe it.

"Get up, get up, Kezalli!" sabi ko sa sarili ko.

Pushing myself up with my palms pressed on the floor, I wiped the sweat from my forehead with one of my arms. I laughed at myself before I looked at Astrid, still sleeping. She was now sleeping on her side, her legs slightly curled, her long brown hair like cobwebs on the softness of the floor, and she might look pale but it didn't hinder anyone's eyes from seeing how beautiful she was. Her long eyelashes, well-shaped nose and lips, and even her curves in this thin white dress were screaming how perfect she was.

"Like a goddess..."

Halos hindi ko matanggal ang pagkakatitig ko sa kanya. I had seen her in pictures plastered in every mirror frame in every children's shelter, but she looked human in those pictures, not just because of her haircut or how she dressed, but maybe because of how she radiated in those pictures.

Unlike now... even with her pale skin and closed eyes, she looked so surreal and mystical, as if my hands would pass through if I tried to touch her.

In the human world, anak mayaman.

Natawa ako sa iniisip ko. Kung hindi ako nagkakamali sa naalala ko ay anak talaga ng mayaman sa mundo ng mga tao si Astrid. She graduated from a good school, working in a known company, and participated in different events as one of the guest speakers. She had a beautiful life in the human world.

But what I remembered much about her in her every picture posted on every shelter was her tied hair, how despite the activities, games, and program every time she visited, even with her exhausted face joining all of it, she looked so beautiful and genuinely smiling.

Bihira lang maglugay ng buhok si Astrid at hindi rin siya masyadong nagpapahaba ng buhok, lagi lang sa may balikat o makalampas nang kaunti roon. Now she looked even prettier with her long hair, like a goddess.

"That word literally suits her, right, Prince Rosh?" tanong ko na tila naririnig ko ng prinsipe.

It took me long enough to remember that promise. Siguro ko lang ito ginagawa para kay Tobias na mahal na mahal ang kapatid niya, hindi para kay Rosh na handang tumulong sa lahat ng mga babaeng nahihirapan sa mundong ito, hindi rin para sa hinaharap ng bawat itinakdang babae sa salamin, kundi para na rin sa akin.

Astrid might not have known me or even my existence, but with her pictures, she was my constant reminder that I was a human. Freya failed to cover me with full darkness because Goddess Eda sent me traces of her daughter.

"Thank you . . ." I whispered.

Hinawakan ko ang kamay ni Astrid. "Thank you for helping me during those years, now, allow me to help you."

I caressed the back of my hand on her left cheek, she felt so cold. I took her wrist and felt her heartbeat. It was faint but I knew that she was alive.

"Are you dreaming right now? Can you hear my voice?" I asked her.

Wala akong natanggap na sagot, tipid lang akong ngumiti sa kanya bago ko siya bitawan. Huminga ako nang malalim.

Nanatili pa rin akong nakalugmok sa sahig ng lotus, nakatuwid ang mga hita na bahagyang nakabukaka habang nakatingala sa kalangitan na ngayon ay napupuno ng berdeng liwanag. Nasa likuran ang mga kamay kong nakaalalay sa akin.

"Now I have to think of a way to find our way back while avoiding these plants from attacking us— or probably me," lumingon akong muli kay Astrid.

"Baka hindi sila pumayag at agawin ka nila sa akin. You can't imagine how hard it was for me to reach here," natatawang sabi ko.

In my whole life, I have experienced my adventures alone. Hindi rin iilang beses na hinayaan ako ni Tobias na higit na kilalanin ang sarili ko at tahakin mag-isa ang bawat desisyon ko.

I am so blessed that this world gave me not just a very handsome mate, but someone who was caring, loving, and very understanding.

"I have to bring you home. I promise Rosh, I promise Tobias . . . and I can't give Zen another nightmare. I have to survive . . . and Claret is waiting for us," biglang bumalik sa alaala ko nang sandaling nahuhulog na ako.

How Tobias chased me . . . how Zen and Rosh surged together with their hands and power extended, and how Blair and Seth left their post to save me.

Hindi ko na naman mapigilan ang luha ko. Hindi ko na mapigilan ang lahat ng emosyon ko nang sandaling makita ko si Astrid.

Because it wasn't just Rosh . . . but every one of us was waiting for her.

Ilang minuto rin siguro akong tulala sa kalangitan habang pinagmamasdan ang umuulang berdeng liwanag bago ako nagpasyang magsimulang kumilos.

"We should go."

This time, I carried Astrid on my back. I placed both of her arms on my shoulder, and I allowed her cheek to press my neck. I held both of her thighs to support her weight behind me. As someone who had experienced different jobs in the human world, putting something on my back wasn't new to me. Aside from that, Astrid was like a feather. I have to hurry and at least allow her mate to bite her or share his blood. Her heartbeat was so faint, and I couldn't help but get scared.

"Just hang in there, Astrid. We will leave this place."

I looked up again, wondering if I could summon my wand again and if we could ride on it.

I shook my head. I haven't tried sharing my wand with anyone. Baka bigla kaming mahulog ni Astrid at agad siyang maagaw sa akin. But how I could possibly row a boat petal, fight those gigantic monsters, and protect Astrid at the same time? Shit.

The power of my wand and its full potential is always based when I have it with my hands, with my focus and real control. Ngayon, ang higit kong atensyon ay na kay Astrid at sa paghahanap kung nasaan iyong lagusan palabas ng salamin na ito.

Ipinikit ko muli ang aking mga mata.

"Blue fire . . ."

"Blue fire . . ."

Ilang beses kong tinawag ang asul na apoy habang buhat si Astrid sa gitna ng bulaklak na iyon ngunit wala na akong maramdaman na presensiya niya. Sumikip bigla ang dibdib ko kasabay nang mapait na ngiti sa mga labi ko. Just like what Claret had told me, we are the last women from the prophecy— we are on our own.

Huminga ako nang malalim, humigpit ang hawak ko kay Astrid na natutulog sa likuran ko at tumingala ako sa kalangitan.

"Strip this lotus. Astrid and I have to go."