-chapter one-hundred-fourteen-

FINN

Bakit ko nga ba nakalimutan 'yon?

May connection palagi ang name ng city sa missions nito. Like the Magus City where we have to learn and execute our magic, or the City of Nightmares where we faced our own horrors. This city is associated with dreams but all we did was find magical stones, open a gate, and kill a giant?

And now this reflection of a boy with dazzling eyes. From all the images I can see in the ripples of water, it's the giant that's different. Because it- he was no longer made of stone, but of flesh.

Could the quest be wrong? It was only given by the villagers. We had to open the Dream Gate, wake the sleeping giant and kill its evil form—

"Finn!"

Naiwasan ko ang paparating na atake nang hatakin ako ni Eura papunta sa kaniya. She held up her flamethrower, firing a wide and bright flame towards the roaring giant. Napakurap-kurap ako't hinawakan ang kamay niya, saka ko pinababa ang weapon.

Kunot-noo niya akong nilingon. "Finn? Bakit mo ko- Anyway, bago pala ang lahat, sobrang kinabahan ako sa nangyari sa'yo kanina! Handa na kaya akong patayin si Sapphire nang malamang tinulak ka niya sa bangin, like excuse me lang ha, pero sino ba siya sa tingin niya para gawin 'yon sa'yo? Kaya ayokong kinukuha niya atensiyon mo no'ng una, eh! Akala ko nagseselos lang ako pero may basis din pala pagseselos ko dahil ahas ang babaeng 'yon pero, omg ha, may times din naman na—"

"Tangina, Eura. Tumahimik ka nga. Simple lang itatanong mo, pero ang dami mo pang satsat!" suway ni Louise sabay takip ng bibig niya.

Eura shot a heated glare at her friend and was about to make some reckless attack when Fern squeezed between them, pushing the two females aside. Sa likod niya ay nakikita kong inaatake ng dalawang lalaki ang higante para hindi sa'min matuon ang atensiyon nito. Their teamwork is still very poor, imbes na magtulungan, nagpapalakasan sila.

"Why did you stop Eura, Finn? What did you see in the lake?" sunod-sunod na tanong ni Fern.

I stared at her serious eyes. She really has a sharp attention to details. She also keeps her cool most of the time, at positibo ako na siya lang siguro ang matino sa grupo ni Kairo. Although she looks capable of planning someone's murder. Parang siya mastermind pero iba gagawa.

Hm. Siguro si Kairo alipin niya.

"A boy..."

Naguluhan man si Louise at Eura sa sagot ko ay agad itong nakuha ni Fern. Nilingon niya ang higante na kasalukuyang hinahampas sina Wes at kairo na parang lamok lang. She walked closer, glancing at the lake, and probably seeing the reflection of a boy rather than the giant.

"Kill the evil form and bring back the beautiful and kind god." mahinang sambit niya. "That was the quest... or the dream of these villagers?"

Tumango ako. I thought of that too.

"Huh?"

"Pwedeng salitang-tao, Fern?"

Sinulyapan ko ang dalawang babae sa tabi ko at nakatunganga lang sila sa'min. Their eyes and head looked so empty from here, na parang shell lang sila na nakatayo do'n at walang functioning brain.

Fern sighed, looking so stressed. "Ang quest natin ay hanapin ang higante. Papatayin ang evil form para bumalik ang beautiful and kind god nila."

"Oo nga, tapos?" Eura still looked dumb. "Papatayin nga natin."

"Not the giant. Its evil form."

"So hindi evil ang higante?" tanong ni Louise na kumakamot na sa ulo.

"The giant is the evil form. The boy is the god."

"Nasaan 'yong boy?" walang-muwang na tanong pa rin ni Eura.

Nagkatinginan kami ni Fern. Since I have no intention of telling a long explanation and she seemed so tired of her friends, tinulak na lang namin silang dalawa sa may lawa. Bumaba ang tingin nila sa tubig at sabay na nalaglag ang panga. Eura even had a dramatic gasp, covering her mouth with both palms and taking a step back. Napahawak naman si Louise sa noo at umaktong mahihimatay.

Sa oras na 'yon naisipan ng higante na ihagis ang katawan ni Kairo sa direksiyon namin.

I grimaced as he hit the walls of the cave, causing another tremble. Mahina siyang napamura nang dumaosdos sa sahig. Tutulungan ko na sana siya nang i-angat niya ang tingin sa higante. His eyes were unfamiliar. Mula noong unang pagkikita namin, I've never seen such dark and dangerous eyes directed at me, or somewhere in my direction. They were always soft, gentle, or teasing, with an edge of cunning threat. But never this murderly dangerous.

"Fucking bastard, that damn Wes." he spit the words like acid, slowly standing up.

Nag-away naman ba sila?

Hindi ko alam kung anong pumasok sa'kin pero humakbang ako palapit sa kaniya. His heated glare never ceased. He never did felt my presence until I spoke, "Kairo."

My voice was low and soft, trying the edges of deep water in case of a silent danger. Pero agad din namang nawala ang galit sa mukha niya nang marinig ako. Nang magtama ang paningin namin, malumanay na ang mata niya.

"Kitten," he smiled. "Don't worry. I'm alright. But what happened to my friends?"

"The quest." itinuro ko ang lawa. "Figured it out."

"Hmm."

He hummed, walking closer to me. We both glanced at the giant when we heard Wes' loud curse. Sasabihin ko na sanang tulungan niya si Wes pero napansin kong kanina niya pa pinagmamasdan ang mukha ko, kaya nang humarap ako sa kaniya, ngumiti siya't tinapik ang pisngi ko.

"Alright, then. Just call us if you already have the answer. Tutulungan ko lang ang isang 'yon... Dahil kaibigan mo siya." with a soft tap on my cheek, he left to help Wes.

Kaibigan mo siya... I do hope they can be friends, though. They looked like they wanted to be.

I turned to Eura and Louise, finding them still stuck in their surprised phase. Nakaluhod na silang dalawa sa lupa ngayon, with Eura teary-eyed and Louise clutching her heart. Nilapitan ko si Fern na mukhang pagod na pagod na talaga sa kanila.

"What happened?"

She rolled her eyes. "The usual drama."

"Anong the usual drama ka diyan, Fern?! Sinasabi mo bang ang higante na kanina ko pa inaatake ay ang gwapong lalaki na ito?! Hindi ako marupok pero kaya kong lumuhod at magpatapak ngayon sa kaniya-"

"Gaga! Marupok ka!" Louise screamed, slapping Eura's arm. "Pero, diyos ko! Ang gwapo, my gosh! Trip ko mga babae ngayon, pero buti na lang at bi ako kaya may lugar ka sa puso ko!"

"Cheating ka, Louise! Doon ka sa crush mong si Anna!"

"Doon ka din kay Gavin, 'ngina mo!"

Parang nabuhusan ng malamig na tubig ang dalawa at agad akong nilingon. Fern just muttered a low curse, slapping her forehead. I tilted my head at their wide eyes and terrified expression.

"W-Wala kang narinig, 'di ba Finn?" hindi ko nasagot si Eura dahil hindi ko alam anong tinutukoy niya. "H-Hindi ko crush si Gavin, okay! Wala akong pakialam sa taong 'yon! Kung papapiliin ako sa kaniya at sa lamok, siguradong doon ako sa may muscle- este sumisipsip ng dugo!"

Napanguso ako. "Why?"

Gwapo naman si Gavin tapos maalaga. Ba't ayaw niya sa bestfriend ko? He will be brokenhearted if he ever hears this.

"W-Wala lang! Wala akong crush, 'no!"

"Diba 'pag wala kang crush, automatic gusto mo si Kairo?"  ani Louise.

"What?! Eura, eww, I don't want or like you!" sigaw ni Kairo pagkatapos i-activate ang Underworld niya.

Narinig niya pa pala? Nagiging matalas talaga ang pandinig ng tao basta tsismis.

"I see. So you're attracted to someone else rather than—"

Akmang susugurin na ni Kairo si Wes sa sinabi nito nang ihagis ko ang kunai sa banda nila. It cut through the distance between them, landing and exploding on the giant's hand that was about to attack them. Napaatras ang higante at naningkit ang mata ko nang makita ang nasa may dibdib nito.

"Finn, kitten, I was just joking! Hindi kami nag-aaway!" Kairo even had his hands raised.

Inignora ko siya. I was more focused on the giant behind him. Tama ba ang nakita ko? Were those shaped holes in the giant's chest, a vacant space that can be filled with a stone?

Siguro... hindi literal na killing ang ibig sabihin ng quest.

"Ayan kasi't nag-aaway pa kayo e dapat niyong patayin 'yang higante- ay hindi pala! Tanga ka talaga, Kairo!"

"What the fuck, Eura?! Ano na naman ang ginawa ko?"

"Huwag mong patayin!"

"We're distracting it, damn! Kami mapapatay dito kung tatayo lang kami-! Hoy, Wes, saan ka pupunta- Fuck! Don't leave me out here?"

My focus was ruined when Wes suddenly entered my line of vision. Behind him, Kairo was spouting profanities at having to distract the giant himself.

"There are five spots. And the shape... it's similar to the stones used in the gate." ani Wes.

"So maybe killing the giant isn't really the quest. We just have to discard of this form. Ibabalik natin siya sa pagiging tao." dagdag ni Fern.

I nodded. "A curse."

"But if it's a curse, kailangan nating mahanap ang gumawa para masira ito. Someone from the village, perhaps?"

Napaisip ako sa sinabi ni Wes. Sa gilid namin ay ramdam ko naman ang pagtunganga nina Eura at Louise sa'min. Putla ang mga mukha nila at nakaawang ang bibig.

"A-Anong pinagsasabi niyo?"

"Someone help Kairo on distracting the giant while one of us leaves and contacts Dierran. The opening of the cave is a bit too far, pero kakayanin naman namin dito-"

Pinutol ko ang sasabihin ni Fern. "Shortcut. Down there." sabay turo ko sa dulo ng kuweba.

Wes had a knowing look. "That's where you arrived, Sparrow?"

Tumango ako.

"I'll go." ani Fern. "Let those two gaping females be the distraction and I'll go explain what happened here."

"Hoy grabe ka, Fern, medyo nahurt kami na hindi kami napili ha!" reklamo ni Eura.

"Kung ikaw papapuntahin ko, aabutan tayo ng siyam-siyam dahil baka ikuwento mo pa life story mo bago sabihin ang sitwasyon dito. Kung si Louise naman... hindi niya gets anong nangyayari."

"Alam ko kaya na ang giant at ang lalaki ay iisa!" hinintay namin kung may idadagdag pa pero nag-peace sign lang siya. "'Yon lang, hehe. Sorry I don't english well."

"Okay, okay. Umalis ka na. Tulungan niyo si Kairo do'n." pagtataboy ni Fern.

"Sungit mo talaga, Fern! Pasalamat ka mahal kita!"

Eura groaned, dragging Louise away. "Ruler na lang talaga ang straight ngayon!"

"Napapaliko din 'yon! Meter stick, hindi!"

"May foldable!"

Their shouts turned to angry whispers when the giant felt their presence. Aalis na din sana si Fern sa lugar nang pigilan ko siya. Right now, we're just assuming things. Fern will find out if someone in the village made a curse, while we will stay here and make other solutions. In case na hindi tama ang unang assumption namin, then we have an alternative.

"Find out if we can get the stones."

Natagalan bago siya sumagot. "Alright. You'll use them on the giant?"

"We can try." Wes answered for me. "There should be a reason for those holes. And it can be another way of breaking the curse... if there ever is one."

Tumango si Fern. "Alright then."

Doon nga dumaan si Fern. Hindi na kami nakatulong kina Kairo dahil ayaw akong patayuin ni Wes. He made me sit in one of the clear rocks, handing me a healing potion and using his water magic to soothe some wounds.

Pinagmasdan ko ang kabuuan ng kuweba. "The cave..."

The giant sat up when the gate opened. The giant woke up when the cave was found. The giant was caged inside this cave and the lake showed his true reflection. Tapos... tapos sana turtle na lang ako na palangoy-langoy sa tubig. Para hindi na mamroblema kung kaya ko pa bang mabuhay next city.

"Hm?" Wes roamed his eyes around the place. "What's with the... Do you think the cave is the curse? What do you want us to do, Sparrow? Blow it up?"

I stared at Wes. His way of reading my thoughts is really amazing. Hindi na masungit ulit ang mukha nito dahil nakangiti na siya ngayon. Siguro nagbibiro siya nang sabihin niyang ipasabog ang kuweba pero hindi naman ako nagjo-joke.

Kaya tumango ako.

"But how do we blow it up?"

"Combined ultimates."

He studied me, narrowing his eyes. "You can't use your magic, Sparrow. I don't want you fainting when we lost you a while ago."

Ah... noong nahulog ba ako? Nag-alala siguro sila nang mawala ako.

"'Di mo na 'ko iniwasan?"

Wes stiffened, averting his gaze. Nilapit ko ang mukha sa kaniya kaya mas lalo siyang lumayo. A Wes with this nervous and anxious expression is quite new and fun. Nakakarelate na ako kay Eura at Dierran 'pag binibiro nila sina Kairo at Wes.

"Ba't ka pala umiwas?" I tilted my head, pointing to myself. "Did something wrong?"

Mariin na pumikit si Wes. "No, Sparrow. It's more like I did something wrong."

Eh? May nagawang masama na pala si Wes? I gave him a questioning look when our eyes met.

"Kung hindi mo naalala, that's alright. But I just want to tell you, I'm sorry."

Hindi ko alam kung bakit siya nagso-sorry pero tumango na lang ako at ngumiti. Ibinalik ko ang atensiyon sa higante habang pinipilit na tumayo. The wounds have already closed, thanks to the potion, but the slight pain remains.

Pinagmasdan ko ang tila nagwawalang higante. If he was a god, what made him become a giant? What made the beautiful man cover himself in stones, hiding in this mountain and attacking anyone when he wakes up? Or was it a curse similar to the Beauty and Beast tale, but instead of a beast, a giant made of stone?

Lumapit ako sa lawa. The turtles peeked out to stare at me when I dipped my hands on the cold water.

"Anong gagawin mo-"

Wes cut himself off when I splashed the water towards the giant. Kahit sina Eura na abala sa pagtakbo ay napahinto dahil tumigil na rin ang higante at unti-unti akong nilingon.

When we were face to face, tinapunan ko ulit ito ng tubig.

"Um, Finn... alam mo ang cute cute mo ngayon pero hindi ito ang tamang oras para makipaglaro tayo sa kalaban."

"Hindi nga siya kalaban, Eura, 'di ba!"

Naningkit ang mata ko nang lumiwanag ang mga parte na nawisikan ng tubig. I tried to splash the water again but the giant bolted towards me, like a beast frenzied and uncaged. Hihilain sana ako ni Wes pagilid pero naunahan ko na siya. I pushed him out of the way before sliding underneath the giant. The section where the lake water hit burned through the stone.

The cave shook when the giant barged through the walls. Nilingon ko si Wes at sinenyasan siya na gamitin ang ultimate. He nodded, guessing my thoughts like he always does, and turning to the three Reaper Oaths behind.

"Ready your ultimates everyone! We'll blow the cave up." he paused. "Uh, but not you Kairo. Your magic won't do any good."

"Fuck you."

Humigit ako ng malalim na hininga nang umamba ulit ang higante papunta sa'kin. I heard them calling my name when I made no move to avoid the giant.

I made eye contact with Wes. I hope he knows what I'm planning, even if I'm doing this impulsively. And I'm trusting them to fire their ultimates at the perfect time, so this sacrifice of mine won't be a waste.

"Finley, move!" I don't know if that was the first time that Kairo called me by my full name.

But I didn't move.

I waited until the giant arrived in front of me, in the perfect position to squash me dead. Narinig ko ang pagutos ni Wes kay Eura at Louise at ang maingay na pagrereklamo nila dahil nando'n pa ako. Then when I felt the incoming bursts of energy, and before the giant could completely kill me, I stepped back into the lake.

And fell.

-chapter end-