Chapter 46: The Tunnels

The moment his lips parted from my wrist, still with my other hand on his cheek, all I did was watch him. "Thank you."

Mas lalong umawang ang bibig ni Kreios at higit siyang napatitig sa akin nang marinig iyon sa akin. "Huh? I should be—"

Umiling ako sa kanya. Ngayon ay marahan ko nang inihawak ang dalawang kamay ko sa pisngi niya habang kapwa nakapatong doon ang magaan niyang kamay.

"I know that we did not have a good start... we're a complete mess and had our different priorities, but here we are right now, in our own mission."

Tipid na ngumiti si Kreios, ipinikit niya ang kanyang mga mata at mas humilig siya sa mga kamay ko. "Of course. I promised to join you— my promises to you will never be broken. Now..."

When he tilted his head, offering his neck, I shook my head. "Kreios, I am fine."

Nauna na akong tumayo sa kanya, hawak pa rin ang mga kamay niya at bahagya na siyang hinila patayo.

"Are you sure?"

I nodded.

Ngayon ay kapwa na kami humarap sa napakaraming daan sa paligid namin. All were tunnels of darkness with unknown paths.

"Just tell me which path, Harper. I will always walk by your side."

"Can you light each tunnel?"

Tumango si Kreios sa sinabi ko. Hindi man niya binibitawan ang kaliwang kamay ko, gamit ang isa pa niyang kamay, naglabas siya ng mga buhangin na tila mga ginto. The illuminated grains of sand floating in the air went in every entrance of the dark tunnels in front of us, giving us a glimpse of the paths.

Hinayaan ako ni Kreios na maglakad sa bawat bukana ng mga daan na nakapaligid sa amin na hindi binibitawan ang aking kamay. He knew when to be playful, funny or pretending to be a foolish one. Now he was calm, collected and gentler.

Nakaikot na kami ni Kreios sa bawat bukana na may kauting liwanag mula sa mga buhangin. Pansin ko na tila pare-pareho lang ang mga iyon. Pinakiramdaman ko kung may kakaibang presensiya ba na naghihintay sa bawat daan ngunit wala akong maramdaman.

If Danna and Father went into this place, how did they locate the right path?

Ngayo'y nasa gitna na kaming muli ni Kreios kung saan ay may bilog na simbolo sa aming tinatapakan.

"Kreios... I have been wondering," hindi ko agad tinapos ang sasabihin ko at humarap ako sa kanya.

"Usually... Father appears in everyone's dream. He always had an encounter with our mates and he's leaving something very important that would help our mission."

He blinked. "What do you mean?"

"Did you happen to meet Father before and he gave you something?"

Mariin kong pinagmasdan si Kreios. Pinagmasdan ko ang reaksyon niya pero ang tanging napansin ko lang ay ang pagkunot ng noo niya at pag-iling niya sa akin.

"I can't remember any. I am sorry."

"Are you sure?"

"Harper, your father is a known king. I don't think I can forget something with his involvement. And do you think if he happened to find me before he will not report me to my grandfather?"

Napatitig lang ako kay Kreios. Father might be righteous, but he was never against adventure. Nakasisigurado ako na kung nangyari man na nakita siya ni ama ng mga panahong pinaghahanap siya ni Leon, mananatiling tahimik si ama.

Sa halip na sumagot kay Kreios tungkol sa paniniwala niya kay ama ay humarap na akong muli sa mga lagusan.

"Let's head there." Itinuro ko iyong nasa unahan namin.

Lahat ng buhangin na lumulutang na harapan ng ibang lagusan ay nagtungo sa daang pinili ko. The floating grains of sand turned into the shape of lantern. Kreios allowed it to float in front of us.

Hindi niya binitawan ang kamay ko nang sabay kaming humakbang patungo roon.

I thought in our first few steps we would be welcomed by unknown attacks, but it was like a usual tunnel with an endless stretch of darkness. Our footsteps echoed slowly against the crushed stones beneath us.

"What would you do if something happened to us? Like Finn and Kalla? Isn't it cruel and selfish for us to fight for Finn's life even without any assurance that we'll bring Kalla's life?"

Hindi lumingon sa akin si Kreios pero nanatili kaming naglalakad.

"Those vampires who chose to live without their mates are the most powerful ones. Queen Talisha, my father... Aunt Danna, and even Serena's mate. You're asking me if you're selfish and cruel? Maybe. You're all aware of Finn's decision, much of his reaction after he opened his eyes again, but you're still trying to wake him up with the sadness waiting for him. Not that I don't want to pursue this journey— and any God knows how I am willing to jump on the tallest cliff just to be with you, but I hope you'll try to understand your brother too."

Natigil ako sa paglalakad at napayuko ako. Kreios was right.

"S-Should I give up?"

He sighed. "I am not telling you to give up, Harper. Maybe you can use the water somewhere else."

"And let my brother inside that block of ice until all the women from the prophecy appeared in this world? Can they really revive Kalla? Now that she doesn't have a body? Now that she gave it up and used her remaining power to mark my brother to remind her existence?"

Hindi ko na napigilan ang mga luha ko. It was Queen Leticia who told us that Kalla gave up. The white bird on Finn's chest was Kalla. She imprinted him on her memories.

Umiiling na ako sa harap ni Kreios. "I don't want to give him up. I am sure that all of my siblings don't want to give him up."

I bit my lower lip. "Kahit kailan hindi lumaban si Finn. He was so weak that all of his life his power controlled him. Nasanay kaming magkakapatid na siyang lumalaban para sa kanya. Then Kalla came and she took that responsibility from us, it was their love that lit up the load for Finn, it was Kalla who held his hands, so he did not get consumed by his cursed power. Maybe this time... even if it's impossible, maybe Finn would try to fight back on his own, and maybe later... after so many years, a miracle will happen..."

"Hush," kinabig na ako ni Kreios at marahan niya akong niyakap. Ramdam ko ang halik niya sa ibabaw ng ulo ko.

"You know what's my answer to your second question? What would I do if something like that happened to me? I'd not say that I wouldn't attempt to kill my own life, desperate to follow you wherever you are, but a little word from my sister would make me stay, not because I could bear the life without you, but because she'd remind me that thousands of creatures are going to suffer too, after all, I am a king right now."

I sobbed on his chest. "I didn't expect that I'd hear that from you."

Tinanggal ni Kreios ang pagkakayakap niya sa akin. Sinapo niya ang magkabilang pisngi ko at sinalubong niya ang mga mata ko. "And please, don't make me ever experience it, Harper. Don't make me think that every man in our family doesn't deserve to be happy with our mate."

Kumirot ang dibdib ko nang pumasok sa isipan ko ang imahe ni Leon at Sullivan. Both men who lives hundreds of years without their mates.

I nodded at him. "I will never leave you alone in this world, Kreios."

Ngumiti siya. "Good. Because if you don't want another known evil king in Mudelior, you have to live. I'd rather be known as the foolish dramatic king in Ancient Quillper than a brokenhearted tyrant or bitter almost naked evil queen."

Sa halip na luha ay natawa na ako sa sinasabi ni Kreios. "Are you trying to criticize your father and your sister?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "Let's say we have these unique titles in Mudelior, and it has been entertainment in Nemetio Spiran."

But beyond those known titles was the sadness of their family that they had been trying to conceal in the eyes of the public.

Kreios and I continued to walk as we followed the floating lantern sand until we reached the dead end. Kapwa kami nagkatitigan dalawa sa sumalubong sa amin. We were expecting that we'd see another place or another obstacle, or probably sand hounds that would make this journey complicated but it was just a common dead end.

Huminga ako nang malalim at mas lumapit ako sa nasa harapan ko. It was a huge wall. I tried to touch it and feel if there was beyond it, but I couldn't feel any.

Was this a trick?

"Should I break it?"

Umiling si Kreios. "We don't want to let the creatures outside feel that there's something below them."

Tumango na lang ako sa sinabi niya.

"I think we should check the other tunnels."

"Yes."

He offered his hand again and I accepted it.

"I hope they're doing fine outside."

"You mean your team?"

"Our team."

Umangat ang sulok ng mga labi niya. "They are your team. We should hire them as your official warriors after this journey. Now you have Juniper and those women on your side. My, I have a very beautiful, powerful queen. I couldn't ask for me."

"How about Livius?"

Nawala ang ngisi ni Kreios sa katanungan kong iyon. "He was your friend."

"He was also your friend. Isn't he your first love?"

I blinked. "Huh?"

He rolled his eyes. "Come on, don't you think I'll not find more information about my mate even if I was absent in Sartorias? Sa tingin mo ba ay ang long hair na iyon lang ang kilala kong nagkagusto sa 'yo?"

"Huh? King Tobias never liked me romantically."

"Whatever."

He was being childish again, but I chose to ignore it and focused on our topic. "Yes, we shouldn't trust him. Anyone related to Atlas. We don't want another Freya in a group, but..."

Dumiin ang hawak ni Kreios sa kamay niya. "Don't worry, I'll be the one to kill him if he happens to do something that will put us in danger."

Saglit akong napatitig sa kanya. "But what if he's trying to—"

"It's his choice, Harper."

Hindi ko na alam ang sasabihin ko. If Livius was trying to help us in disguise as someone who hated his ex-friends, didn't he know the risk of it? Walang pinipiling buhay si Atlas. Para sa kanya ay si Veda lang ang mahalaga.

Hindi rin kami nagtagal doon ni Kreios at sinubukan namin pasukin ang bawat lagusan, at katulad ng nauna ay ganoon din ang siyang sumalubong sa amin. Each tunnel had its own dead end. Sa huli ay bumalik lang kami ni Kreios sa gitna kung saan ay may bilog na simbolo sa aming mga paanan.

"Don't you think we need a ritual? This is like a ceremonial circle."

"Usually if we have this ceremonial circle, we only spill our blood," sabi ni Kreios.

Mas yumuko ako at pinagmasdan iyon. I should at least have felt the presence of blood and found a stain or smelled it. Vampires have sharp senses that we identify if blood is spilled in certain areas.

"Kreios, can you smell blood on it?"

Napailing siya.

"Kung sa lugar na ito rin galing sina ama, at iyon ang siyang ginawa nila ni Danna, we should at least find their traces."

Lumuhod na si Kreios sa lupa at marahan niyang pinaglandas ang kamay niya roon sa mga simbolo.

"If not blood maybe body sweat?"

"What?"

Kreios casually shrugged his shoulders. "Vampire sex is also a ceremony. Maybe their sweats together—"

"Shut up, Doyle."

"I am not asking you to make love with me here, I am just stating a possibility. We can't dance on this symbol, cast a spell, or anything that a priestess can—" unti-unti akong napalingon kay Kreios na may nanlalaking mga mata.

"Y-You were right. No one can cast a spell or anything that a priestess can do just like the other women who were first offered in this place."

"A-And?"

"This place was designed for commoners— to those women without power. That's why we never felt power, spell, or anything unusual. Let's get inside again, Kreios."

My steps were hurried when I went inside one of the tunnels and when we reached the dead end, I pointed at the wall. "Kreios, kindly bring your sand in front of it."

Nang sandaling higit na magliwanag ang pader na iyon, kusa na akong napatakip sa aking bibig at muling naglandas ang mga luha sa pisngi ko.

This place that I thought was the Holy Land was a different place— an escape route for every sacrificed woman for hundreds of years.

The dead end had names of women from different years. When I closed my eyes, flashes of different women in red dresses with small stones in their hands were writing their names with tears and smiles in their eyes.

I am alive – Eurica

I am saved – Dahlia

Thank you, whoever you are – Belinda

There were lots of names and short messages from different hands of every woman from the Entertainment District.

My lips trembled as I looked at Kreios. "F-Father made this place..."

Kreios eyes mellowed. His hands were in his pockets as he looked around. "You know what's even fascinating, your father dug these tunnels with his bare hands— without power, a spell that would risk its safety for the offered women... talk about the real king of the century."