Chapter 51: Jar

Nanatili akong nakayuko habang pinagmamasdan ang pinagsama-samang mga buhangin sa pagitan ng aking mga kamay.

I'd seen Kreios use his ability a lot of times, in combats, protection, and as a sign of his power, but it felt so different right now. His sands were swirling— creating its own hurricane in our hands, and its grain glowed in gold and in other different colors, illuminating in my cheeks.

I felt butterflies in my stomach as the whispers of the sands spinning in our hands sounded like a song— a lullaby I thought only I could give.

I was still young when I first saw the jar and chose it because it was attractive to my eyes. Even though I had an inkling that could be used just like how the other relics helped my siblings, still the feeling was so overwhelming that I was lost for words.

Hindi rin nagtagal ay lumapit na rin sa amin ang magkapatid na Le'Vamuievos at dumungaw sa mga kamay namin ni Kreios.

"You should have told us earlier. Tch, nabasa tuloy ako," Pryor complained.

"I volunteered. Kayong dalawa ni Rosh ay nanguna sa akin," ngiwing sagot ni Kreios.

Marahang yumuko si Rosh at pinagmamasdan niya iyong banga na nabubuo sa buhangin. Nakahawak ang isang kamay niya sa kanyang baba. "This can be a good business in Deltora."

"Pottery? We don't have someone in Deltora with the same ability—" natigil si Pryor nang tumayo nang tuwid si Rosh.

"We don't need another vampire. We have magicians from Fevia Attero. I am trying to hire some. My mate's pets might have the ability to—"

Kreios rolled his eyes. "Stop exploiting magicians from Fevia Attero, Rosh."

Bumuntonghininga na lang ako at pinagpatuloy ko ang panunuod sa pagbuo ng banga.

"When did he give this to you? You told me that you never met him," I looked at Kreios accusingly.

He smiled awkwardly. "To be honest, our meeting isn't something that I think would help us, and I did not recognize him. I just had a hunch that it was him."

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko sa kanya.

"Huh?" sabay iyong magkapatid na Le'Vamuievos.

Kahit ako ay hindi makapaniwala. How couldn't he recognize my father? It was him who told me that he wouldn't forget an encounter if it was with my father.

"I don't understand, Kreios. How didn't you recognize him? He's purposely meeting his children's mate to leave a clue."

When I thought I already knew how Father moved in his game, giving us clues through our mates and the relics that would lead us the way, he purposely hid his identity when it was Kreios.

"Maybe he was telling you the truth, and King Thaddeus hid his identity in purpose," sabi ni Rosh na siyang nasa isip ko.

"Maybe his encounter with King Thaddeus is something he was too ashamed, so he tried to purposely forget—" unti-unting humina iyong boses ni Pryor hanggang sa hindi na niya iyon ituloy nang tila matauhan siya sa ibig sabihin ng mga sinasabi niya.

"Damn it," he whispered.

"Like you?" sabay na sabi nina Rosh at Kreios.

Napailing na lang ako.

"You mentioned a jar. I don't remember King Thaddeus giving me a jar."

Pinagkrus ni Rosh ang kanyang mga braso bago sumilip sa likuran. "It's draining. How long will it take to form that jar?"

"Malapit na."

Higit na bumilis ang mga buhangin hanggang sa unti-unti na nitong buoin ang pamilyar na banga. It was a golden jar with one handle, it had an imprinted symbol of circular vines, small flowers and three smaller circles inside.

Nang tuluyan na itong nabuo ay kapwa na kami tumango ni Kreios sa isa't isa. Bago pa man ako humarap sa naiigang tubig sa ibaba ay naroon na sa harapan namin si Rosh.

"Come, maybe this time I can help you."

With Prince Rosh's wave of his hand, a small plant sprouted from the ground until it slowly grew with its vines swirling and hugging each other until it created a huge trunk, to the branches and spread hundreds of stems covering the entire cave of its wide meadows.

It was just a blink of an eye— yet it felt as though the tree had been there with its green leaves falling between my eyes. I was left in awe and fascinated that in this place— an almost graveyard. Prince Rosh Alistair Le'Vamueivos created a gigantic tree— a symbol of life.

Hindi lang ako kundi pati na rin sina Kreios at Pryor ay napatingala sa biglang ginawang iyon ni Rosh.

Lumingon sa akin si Rosh at tipid siyang ngumiti sa akin. Nang akala ko'y inalalahad niya ang kamay niya sa akin ay sumulyap lang siya sa punong ginawa niya. Tipid niyang ipinitik ang kanyang mga daliri at sa isang iglap ay muling nagkaroon nang gumagapang na halamang ugat mula sa mataas na sanga ng puno.

The two vines from the branch were not the usual green vines, rather they had a few decorations of little flowers until I finally realized what was he doing— a swing!

"There. You don't need to jump."

The swing moved on its own and it stopped behind me. Marahan kong inihawak ang isang kamay ko habang dahan-dahan akong umupo roon. Huminga ako nang malalim, sinalubong ang mga mata ni Rosh, mariing hinawakan ang banga gamit ang dalawang kamay ko at ngumiti sa kanya.

"Thank you, Prince Rosh."

And just like how he took every greeting, Prince Rosh bowed his head perfectly with one of his hands on his chest. "It's a pleasure."

I glanced at Kreios, and he nodded and smiled at me.

Nang unti-unti na akong ibinababa ng duyan mula sa malaking puno na gawa ni Rosh, bigla na lamang akong nakarinig ng ingay ng ibon. Tumingala ako sa pinanggalingan ko habang unti-unting bumababa ang duyan, tanging sina Kreios at Rosh na lang ang nakadungaw roon at pinanunuod ko.

A black raven flew and descended with my swing. Hindi nito ako iniwan habang patuloy akong bumababa sa tubig.

With the help of the swing, I didn't need to touch the water with my whole body. Siguro ay ito rin ang kinatatakutan nina Kreios at Rosh na sa sandaling muli akong lamunin ng tubig ay may higit pa itong ipakita sa akin at hindi ko na kayanin.

And they might have discovered that among us— it was me who was destined to take the water.

Habang nakaupo ako sa duyan ay nakahawak na ang isang kamay ko sa halamang ugat na siyang mistulang tali ng duyan. Si Pryor naman ay lumilipad sa harapan ko at kaunti na lang ay sasayad na siya sa tubig.

"Be careful, Pryor," I warned him.

He just quaked at me. Wala akong kakayahang makaintindi ng lengguwahe ng mga ibon pero tila naintindihan ko ang isinagot sa akin ni Pryor. "Bilisan mo at nabasa na ako kanina pa."

Unti-unti ko nang ibinaba iyong banga at inilapat ko na iyon sa tubig. Mariin na ang hawak ko sa halamang ugat habang kagat ko ang pang-ibabang labi ko. Ramdam ko ang tindi ng kaba sa dibdib ko.

This should work. Wala na akong naiisip na paraan kung paano kami kukuha ng tubig.

Huminga ako nang malalim at halos mapapikit ako nang marinig ko ang ingay ng tubig habang dahan-dahan akong sumasalok. At nang maramdaman ko na bumigat na ang banga ay agad akong bumuga ng hangin.

Inangat ko ang banga at agad ko iyong niyakap sa dibdib ko. Nakailang dasal yata ako sa isip ko bago ako unti-unting yumuko roon para makita kung may lamang tubig at nang tuluyan ko nang makumpirma na mayroon ang banga ay napatingala na ako.

"I got it! The jar has a water!"

I heard the squeal of triumph of the huge raven in front of me. I even saw Kreios and Rosh's fists in the air.

"Take her, Rosh!" utos ni Kreois.

Yakap ng isang braso ko ang banga habang mariin akong nakahawak sa halamang ugat habang hinihila na ako ng kapangyarihan ni Rosh. Akala ko ay mauuna na sa akin si Pryor pero kung gaano kabagal ang duyan sa pag-angat ay ganoon din ang pagaspas ng kanyang mga pakpak.

Sinalubong ako ng yakap ni Kreios nang sandaling makarating ako sa lupa. Pryor quickly transformed himself into his original form, took his shirt on the ground and started dressing up.

Pero agad rin naagaw ang atensyon namin nang higit na may umingay sa ibaba. Kapwa kami dumungaw roon at unti-unti nan gang nauubos ang tubig roon at naiiga na itong muli.

"So, this place isn't the Holy Land, but a place where the women summoned the water to experience its power," mahinang sabi ko.

Hindi nagsalita ang tatlong lalaki dahil kapwa lang sila nakatanaw doon sa nauubos na tubig.

"Are you aware that there's a known Fountain of Youth in Asta Wellingzon?" tanong ni Rosh.

"It's the place of Uncle Tiffon. There's no way that we don't know that, Rosh. Sinabi rin ito ni Tavion. He used to guard that place because of its power similar to Holy Water."

"It can cure and revive? Eternal life?" muling tanong ni Rosh.

Tumango ako sa kanya.

"It's the place where we're supposed to go after the Entertainment District," dagdag ni Kreios.

"We assumed that this place could be connected to Asta Wellingzon," mahinang sabi ko.

"Do you think it's connected? After what we had witnessed?" tanong ni Pryor.

Natigilan ako.

Bakit biglang nagtanong sa akin nang ganito ang magkapatid na ito?

"Tell me honestly.... Did you really come here before our promise, Rosh? Or you, and your brother has other business—" hindi ko na itinuloy ang sasabihin ko at ilang beses akong humakbang paatras.

Agad iniharang ni Kreios ang kanyang sarili sa akin. Mariin kong niyakap ang banga na hawak ko.

"You know that in my every mission, I have my own purpose, but worry not, Gazellian. I will not take your holy water," Rosh waved his hand dismissively.

Bumuntonghininga si Pryor. "We are here because we also need information. We have the Sea of Eronia. It's our kingdom's flesh-eating sea. Just like your mysterious cave that turns out to be connected to Fevia Attero."

Kumunot ang noo ko. "And?"

Nagkibit balikat si Rosh. "Based on my observation, the sea might have been blessed, or someone summoned once the holy water in it, but the difference... maybe there might be remnants of water, and the holy water that was not returned turned into a curse."

Umawang ang bibig ko sa sinabi ni Rosh. "That's why I am asking you about the Fountain of Youth in Asta Wellingzon."

Natigilan ako sa sinabi niya.

I thought the water could be connected— this place under the Entertainment District, and the fountain under the tomb in Asta Wellingzon.

Pilit kong inalala ang sinabi sa akin ni Tavion tungkol sa Asta Wellingzon. It was first known as the lost fountain of youth. Hinanap niya iyon kasama ang ekspedisyon ni Uncle Tiffon, hanggang sa madiskubre nilang naroon lang iyon sa ilalim ng libingan sa Asta Wellingzon.

"The known fountain of youth... he called it the devil's fountain. Dahil hindi ito totoong nakakabuhay ng patay na. It gives life to another, once someone sacrifices another life, and there's no way Tavion acknowledges it... or anyone from the world once Uncle Tiffon gained his power and authority," mahinang sabi ko.

"That means... it was cursed as well, and that place had remnants of the holy water that did not return," dagdag ni Kreios.

Muli akong lumingon sa tubig na ngayon ay kakaunti na lamang. "Someone from Asta Wellingzon... and in Deltora tried to abuse the power of the Holy Water and it backfired and turned it into a cursed place," sabi ko bago gumala ang tingin ko sa kanilang tatlo.

Namayani ang katahimikan sa pagitan namin.

"That means we don't need to go to Asta Wellingzon, Harper. It will not take us to the Holy Land. It's just a place where someone summoned the water like you," sabi ni Kreios.

"And you already have the Holy Water," sabi ni Pryor.

Lahat kami ay napatitig sa hawak kong banga.

Rosh smirked. "Now, let's all think, or probably next time, about where King Thaddeus took that sand that can be formed as a jar and can hold a powerful water that can turn into a curse?"

Humakbang papalapit si Pryor at sumilip sa banga. "This jar is simply carrying the water as if it didn't taint a sea or a known fountain."

Tipid akong ngumiti sa kanilang dalawa. "He's my father after all."

Pryor and Rosh sighed. "Indeed."

"Now, shall we leave this place so we can take care of the rest?" sabi ni Kreios.

Sabay-sabay kaming tumango sa kanya at kapwa na kami tumingala sa sumisiwang na liwanag sa itaas dahil sa mga gumagapang na sanga.

I took a deep breath. "Let's surprise them."

"Maybe I'll take the other route."

Bago pa man makapagpalit anyo si Pryor ay agad nang may yumakap na halamang ugat sa amin. Agad akong kinabig ni Kreios dahilan kung bakit magkasama kami sa iisang ugat.

"Maybe you should try to introduce her first to me, brother, alright?"

Hinayaan ko na lang dalhin kami ng halamang ugat ni Rosh habang nakatuon ang noo ko sa dibdib ni Kreios. "Thank you. I have the holy water now."

Hindi sumagot sa akin si Kreios at humalik siya sa ibabaw ng ulo ko. "Everything for you."

Eksaktong lumingon yata sa amin si Rosh na nauna. "Come on, look ahead. Mababangga kayo."

I laughed. "Thank you for coming today, Rosh."

He didn't look back, but he simply replied. "Anytime."