6 Chapter Five: Knight Chess Piece

Chapter Five: Knight Chess Piece

"What are you doing! run!" I came back from reality ng sigawan niya ulit ako, he clenched his jaw while holding the forcefield.

Iginalaw ko ulit ang katawan ko at pinilit kong tumayo kahit ramdam ko na ang sakit. Sino ba naman kasi nagsabing gawin kong action genre ang buhay ko ngayon. "Hey are you even listening! My force was about to wear off! Hurry Up!" He shouted again kaya humarap kaagad ako sa kanya.

"I am trying! I think I dislocated my ankle!" Sigaw ko rito ng maramdaman ko ang hapdi at kirot sa paa ko. "What the?!" He shouted back kaya napapikit nalang ako. His voice is too sharp kaya ang sakit sa tono ng boses niya kada sumisigaw sya.

I tried to slide myself away from this chaos but everytime na tumatama ang paa ko sa sahig ay napapangiwi naman ako sa sakit. Geez, I can't do this. This is not what I signed for!

"Can't hold it any longer! Kei help me here!" Sigaw niya sa kawalan, I don't know kung sino ang tinawag niya but he kept shouting this name Kei while here I am struggling to stand up. I whined when I couldn't do anything but to feel the pain that stings me.

"I can't hold it anymore!" Ngiwi niyang sabi habang pumapadausdos na rin ang paa niya paurong dahil patuloy parin sa pag wasak ang troll sa force field na ginagawa niya.

Unti-unti na syang napapaatras sa pagtulak ng Troll ng may sumunggab nalang bigla sa troll dahilan para mapatigil ito sa ginagawa niyang pagsira sa forcefield.

I saw a big wolf grabbing ang biting the troll's neck. The troll tried to sway him from biting his neck, gamit ang hawak-hawak nitong wooden bat at pinilit ng troll ihampas ito sa asong lobo na pilit syang kinakagat sa kaliwang leeg niya but the wolf was too fast and shifted to the other side of his neck kaya ang nahampas ng troll ay ang kanyang sarili, causing him to out balance himself and fell to the rough ground.

He growled ng mahulog sya sa semento at mabilis na kinagat ng asong lobo ang bawat vital veins nito sa katawan hanggang sa hindi na ito nakagalaw. He devoured the whole body of the troll in no time.

I sat in stunned disbelief. What am I looking at? The wolf fur was covered of blood as he approaches the man in front of me that was too busy touching his knees while gasping for air as if he lost a lot of energy. Saglit na napatingin sa gawi ko ang wolf na pumatay sa troll and I saw his eyes; its light brown eyes were looking at me.

Don't tell me na lalapain niya ito?! Naghanap ako ng kahit anong maihahagis ko at hindi ako nabigo dahil may maliliit na bato malapit sa'kin kaya padausdos ko itong kinuha at wala nang patumpik tumpik na ibinato ito sa asong lobo na papalapit sa lalaking nagligtas sa akin.

"Hoy takbo!" Sigaw ko sa lalaki na humahangos pa habang pumupulot naman ako ng mga bato at kahoy sa tabi ko at pilit inihahagis ito sa asong lobo na papalapit na sa kanya.

The wolf growled at me when he saw the stones and sticks that I keep throwing at him. Oh no! And now I put myself as a bait. I keep throwing stones and sticks at the wolf and his gazed turn at me, dahan dahan syang naglakad papalapit sa akin na parang lalapain ako in no time.

"Get away from me! You stinky dog! Get away!" Sigaw ko rito habang patuloy parin ako sa pagbato sa kanya ng mga napupulot ko, mas lalo kong narinig ang ungol niya kaya mas nakaramdam ako ng kaba at mas nagulat pa ko ng isang talon lang niya ay nasa harap ko na sya.

I can't find a courage to scream or even move myself away from this danger and all I could see is the mesmerizing light brown colored eyes of this wolf. I was stunned in my seat while praying in my mind to let him spare my life.

He growled in front of me causing a much air to strucks into my face and it made my eyes close in fear. Oh please, gusto ko pa mabuhay. Kanina pa may nagtatangka sa buhay ko.

"Kei, stop that." I heard a voice of a guy so I peak from one of my eyes and saw the guy from earlier na dahan-dahang lumapit sa wolf ng walang pag aalinlangan at tinapik-tapik pa ang katawan nito. "She's injured." Muling sabi ng lalaki but the wolf just growled at him pero umusog din papalayo sa akin.

At halos magulantang ako ng makakita ako ng usok mula sa werewolf na 'to and in a second ay naging tao sya but I immediately closed my eyes when I saw him naked! But swear, I did not see anything since the smoke or fog or whatever they called it, covered his whole body, I just assume that he is all naked because I did not see any form of clothes in the upper part of his body.

"But she threw stone at me and even called me a stinky dog! This girl! I'm gonna kill her!"

"Stop it Kei, hindi 'to oras para dyan."

"Here, suotin mo bilis." I did not know kung sino ang nagsalita but as I remember, galing 'to sa lalaking tumulong sakin at gumawa ng force field. "Tss, why do I have to bite that stale troll? I think I need to vomit for a while."

"Because that is what it is." Patuloy parin sila sa pag uusap while here I am, closing my eyes and cup my face under my palm.

"Are you okay?" Naramdaman ko nalang ang isang kamay na humawak sakin kaya napitlag ako sa kinauupuan ko at tsaka ko idinilat ang mga mata ko. I also assure na may damit na ang kasama niya and it did not dissapoint me dahil nakadamit na sya ng makita ko.

He looked at me with his deathly glare and he formed his mouth upward and shrug his head, don't tell me na yung wolf kanina ay yung taong to? "Yes, so don't worry and sorry for yelling at you." Tumingin na ako sa lalaking nasa harap ko, can he read my mind para sagutin niya ako? Where in a world am I? Nasa fantasy ba ako?

I heard him chuckled at lumapit na sakin. "What are you doing Dexter? We have no time for this." Tanong ng lalaking naging werewolf kani-kanina lang. Muli akong tumingin sa kanya at walang emosyon na syang nagbalik ng tingin sa akin, his eyes are cold kaya nag iwas kaagad ako ng tingin.

"You said that you have sprained your ankle, may I see it?" Mahinahong tanong ng lalaki sa harap ko.

Tumango ako sa kanya dahil hindi ko na rin naman alam ang gagawin ko dahil sa sakit ng paa ko. Dahan dahan niya tong hinawakan ng maingat at napangiwi nalang ako ng maramdaman ko ang kirot ng sinubukan niyang galawin ito. I bite my lip so hard because of the sting that jolted my whole body, I never knew na ganto pala kasakit ma sprained, I never had one in my entire life that's why.

"This might hurt a little bit but it will heal you soon, are you ready?" Nagulat nalang ako ng sabihin niya 'yon, does he mean imamassage niya ang paa ko pabalik? I heard sa mga na s-sprained na volleyball player na napapanuod ko, sobrang sakit daw nun. "Don't worry hindi s'ya masakit and hindi ka makakalakad kung hindi ko sya ibabalik sa dati." I looked at him and bit my lip and nodded in agreement.

He just smiled and that is my que para ipikit ang mga mata ko dahil for sure sakit lang ang mararamdaman ko.

"What a drama queen." Narinig ko pang sabi ng lalaking nag anyong wolf pero hindi na ako nagtangkang tignan sya dahil baka mainis lang ako. "Don't punch me, okay?" Sabi pa ng lalaking may hawak ng paa ko, I just nodded.

And there he is, carefully lifting my feet and I think matutuklap ko na ang labi ko sa pagkagat ko ng maramdaman ko ang sakit. I felt his hand touching it, for a second, I felt the pain but in no time, I no longer feel anything. Nararamdaman ko lang ang paghawak niya sa paa ko at wala nang iba.

"It's okay now, pwede ka nang maglakad." I heard him say kaya dinilat ko kaagad ang mga mata ko and there he was, smiling at me. Tinignan ko na ang paa kong nasa sahig at dahan dahan itong hinawakan at ginalaw. Wow! Nawala nga mismo ang sakit.

"Wow..." Only those words came out of me, I was left astonished. I immediately looked at him. "How did you do it?" takang tanong ko sa kanya. Tumayo na din sya and he offered his hand so I accepted it at tumayo na rin.

"It's my peculiarity and I also healed your scratches and wounds." He pointed at my arms at tama sya. Nawala nga lahat ng gasgas na mayron ako. I can't believe it, seeing this kind of magic in front of me with my own eyes are unbelievable.

"So, it was real?" Wala sa sarili kong sabi habang tinitignan ko ang sarili kong wala nang galos ni isa at ginalaw-galaw ko pa ang paa ko pero wala nang sakit galing dito. Agad akong tumingin sa kanya at hinawakan ang mga kamay niya.

"Thank you, Salamat talaga." I can't contain my happiness and sincerity dahil sa tuwa ko.

"Stop the drama." Nawala kaagad ang ngiti ko ng magsalita ang katabi niya at kita ko ang masungit nitong tingin sakin, umangat naman ang gilid ng labi ko habang nakatingin sa kanya. "Dex, we need to go. Here's the last piece that I saw from the troll."

May hinagis syang piraso ng chess at nakita kong Knight iyon, the guy who helped me catched it. "Oh! Same tayo na Knight ah!" Masaya niyang sabi sa kasama niya habang winawagayway niya ang Knight chess piece niya sa harap ng kasama niya. Nakita ko ang napaka antipatikong lalaki na may kinuha sa bulsa niya at bumungad dito ang isang chess piece. The Knight.

"Let's go Dex, our mission here is done." Walang emosyon niyang sabi rito at bigla nalang niyang hinagis ang Knight sa harap niya and it created a big portal in front of him. Tumingin muna sya sa kasama niya at tumango at bago sya tuluyang nakapasok sa loob, I saw how he coldy stared at me. It makes me shiver for a second because of that at tuluyan na syang nawala sa paningin ko.

I am now looking at the man who helped me. Gaya ng ginawa ng lalaking werewolf kanina, hinagis nalang din niya bigla ang chess piece niyang Knight and a portal was made in front of him. Muli syang tumingin sa akin bago tuluyang pumasok sa portal.

"Your name?" tanong niya habang wala ako sa sarili ko kaya nagulat nalang ako ng inoffer niya ang kamay niya sa harap ko, I looked at him.

"Selene." Tipid na sagot ko habang nakikipag kamay sa kanya. "Dexter." Pakilala niya kaya nginitian ko nalang sya. Nagbitaw na kami ng kamay matapos naming makilala ang isa't isa.

"Anyway, I saw a chess piece under the lagoon, sa bandang north iyon hindi kalayuan dito, that was supposed to be mine that's why papunta sana ako roon but I already have mine..." he pointed at the portal. "Anyway, there is no danger there, only mermaids were protecting the place but be safe now this time, okay?" Mahabang paalala niya sakin sabay turo sa gawi kung saan ako galing kanina.

Wait parang may nakalimutan ako. "Si Shara!" I snapped out when I blurt out her name. Nakita ko pang tumingin sya sakin sa huling pagkakataon bago tuluyang naglaho sa harap ko.

Why did I forget Shara. I must be too preoccupied earlier dahil sa paghabol sa akin ng troll. Tumayo na ako at naglakad para pumunta kay Shara at sa Lagoon, nadaanan ko pa ang troll na napatay na and I saw how he slowly vanished into the thin air.

Mabilis akong tumakbo kung saan ko iniwan si Shara kanina but I never saw her. I remember that I left her here dahil sa palatandaan ng puno na to at sa mga sanga na nasa taas niya. I looked around.

"Shara!" I shouted but no one answered. Where is she? Mas lalo akong kinabahan sa idea na baka may nangyaring masama sa kanya but I shake it off, no wala. Stop over thinking Selene.

I still not give up and looked for her. She must be here dahil dito ko lang sya iniwan. "Are you looking for the girl with a short hair?" Hinanap ko kaagad ang nagsalita and there I saw a girl standing in one of the branch trees near me. Umupo pa sya doon na parang normal nalang sa kanya ang ginagawa niya.

"I saw her destroying that tree." Turo niya sa isang puno at tama sya, the tree was cut into half. "I think may nakuha s'yang chess piece dyan and she vanished after." Paliwanag niya tsaka ngumiti sa akin, I saw in her hand na mayron na syang hawak hawak na chess peice, it was a Queen.

She smiled for the last time bago ako iwan at pumasok sa Portal niya. So nauna na palang nakahanap sa akin si Shara, that's good for her lalo na at hindi ok ang lagay niya ngayon but why it seems na ang dali-daling makahanap ng iba ng chess piece.

"I better get hurry or I will not complete this mission and get stuck here." I heave sighed while talking to myself.

Naglakad na ako papunta sa lagoon na sinasabi ni Dexter kanina at hindi naman ito kalayuan sa pwesto namin kanina ni Shara. Halos mamangha ako ng makakita ng Lagoon na may matataas na bato at napapalibutan ito ng lumot ng mga dahon.

This place is a sight for a Lagoon. Napansin ko naman na tahimik sa buong paligid at mukang walang tao na paparating. I wonder kung saan yung chess piece na sinasabi ni Dexter kanina.

I tried to look around, sa mga bushes rito, mga puno at sa mga bulaklak sa paligid but I did not find any chess piece. Totoo kaya yung sinasabi niya sakin na mayron dito? I did not give up to look for what I am seeking for.

What if nasa mismong Lagoon talaga ang chess piece? But sa ilalim nito? How can I get it?

Lumapit ako paunti-unti sa Lagoon. This Hide and Seek chess piece edition is way too hard. Kung kanina may chess piece na nasa troll at doon sa punong sinira ni Shara, then bakit naman hindi magkakaroon sa Lagoon na to?

I step forward to the Lagoon ng may biglang lumabas nalang roon dahilan para mapausog ulit ako pabalik.

"You cannot enter here!" nagulat ako ng may tatlong sirena nga ang nasa lagoon, they seem to be naked dahil wala man lang bra o pantakip sa upper part na bahagi ng kanilang katawan, good thing dahil babae ako.

"Who are you to disturb our home!" sigaw ng isa na may golden hair and a crown above her. They have gills at the side of their jaws. "I am looking for something, someone told me that this Lagoon have one." Sagot ko sa kanila.

Nagkunot lang sila ng noo habang nakatingin sa akin and the other one with a brown hair hiss at me. "There is no such thing here! Get out now!" she flaps her tails that cause the water to splash over me.

"But they say na mayron daw dito, I don't know kung saan but I'm eager to get it." Madiin na sabi ko sa kanila dahil pakiramdam ko ay nandito talaga ang hinahanap ko and a stone at the middle took my attention.

Malaking bato sya na may nakaukit ditong symbol at parang ceramics pa ang itsura nito dahil sa nakakaakit nitong kulay, looked like an emerald stone. Madiin na tumingin lang sa akin ang tatlong mermaids habang nagpapaikot ikot sa Lagoon na to.

"If you want the chess piece then come here with us." Aya naman ng isang serena na nasa gitna kanina, I saw how she raised her mouth and made a playful smile. Kumunot naman ang noo kong tumingin sa kanila. "The chess piece is within the Emerald stone." Tinuro niya ang malaking bato na nasa kabilang dulo ng lagoon na to.

"Kunin mo na ang kailangan mo, lumangoy ka kasama namin." Anyaya ng isa na nakangiti sa akin. I tried to step forward at ng nakatapak na ang paa ko sa tubig ng lagoon and they keep flapping their tails while laughing, nababasa naman ako sa ginagawa nila kaya hinarang ko ang mga braso ko.

"Oh, are you afraid of water?" the other one mocked me while giving me a silly smile. The brown hair siren and the other one circled around the mermaid with a crown.

"Come on, get the chess piece at the Emerald stone." She was trying to lure me but I feel that there is something wrong with them and with that emerald stone.

"Ayaw mo ba? Sinasabi na nga namin sayo kung saan mo kukunin ang kailangan mo and now, wala kang ginagawa?" the other mermaid tried to mock me but I never fell for that.

Something is really wrong between these mermaids at sa mga sinasabi niya. Napansin ko naman na nagtatawanan na sila, kaya I step forward to the Lagoon at natigilan sila sa ginagawa nila, tumingin sila sa ginawa ko kaya tinignan ko rin sila pabalik. I looked at the mermaid that was in the middle, I smiled at her at bigla nalang nanlaki ang mga mata niya.

Umikot ang dalawang kasama niya sa kanya at dumiretso sa harap upang harangan ang kasama nilang may korona.

They tried to cover it up. Wala sa batong iyon ang chess piece na hinahanap ko dahil kung nandoon lang iyon, kanina pa nila binabantayan ang lugar na iyon at dapat hindi nila basta'basta sinasabi kung nasaan nakalagay ang chess piece. And of course, I never mentioned to them na chess piece ang hinahap ko but they already said the word. 'Chess piece'.

"Come on, kunin mo na ang hinahanap mo." She said trying to lure me again. I am not letting them trick me that easily. "Alam mo kung wala kang balak na kunin ang kailangan mo makakaalis ka na." Tamad na sabi naman ng sirenang naka pusod, she's now swimming sideways and trying to give me a smirk.

"There is no piece of chess at that stone." Mariin kong sabi sa kanila kaya napatigil naman sila sa ginagawa nila at tumingin sa akin. "It's impossible na doon lang basta basta ilalagay ang chess piece, that stone at the middle is attracting and anyone who tries to looked for the chess piece, iisipin nilang naroon iyon, it's quite too obvious to be the hiding spot of what we are looking for."

"Really?" taas na kilay ng isang sirena sakin kaya tinanguan ko lang sya. "Then where do you assume the chess piece are kung wala sa batong iyon." Mataray na tanong naman sa akin ng babaeng may pusod.

Ngumiti ako sa kanilang tatlo at tumingin. "It was in her crown." Tinuro ko ang buhok ng isa sa kanila, the one who had blonde hair and wearing a crown, sabay sabay silang nahinto at tumingin sa gawi ko. "You two keep encricling around her, when I tried to make a move to go to that stone, the two of you never leave her side and besides..." I stopped and curved a smile in my face.

"I never mentioned that I am looking for a chess piece but you, you already assume that I am looking for it, na para bang iyon nga ang hinahanap ko at siguradong sigurado ka. Isa pa, masyadong nakausli ang ulo ng Knight sa buhok mo."

Napansin niya kaagad ang sinabi ko kaya tinignan ito ng isa sa mga kasama niya. "What on earth Maya, bakit hindi mo natago ng maigi yan sa ulo mo." She nags at her; I was right all along.

"Malay ko ba na magalaw sya sa ulo ko, Ikaw kaya mag suot at magtago." Asar na sagot naman niya sa kasama niya at nag talo na silang dalawa. I have no time para sa game nila kaya pumagitna na muna ako sa usapan nila.

"Now that I really found the piece, can I have it?" singit ko sa kanila kaya natigil sila at tumingin sa akin.

"Well, Congratulations in finding it but it is not easy as you think little girl."

Napairap nalang ako ng sabihin niya iyon, talaga bang pahihirapan nila ako? "Then ano pa? I already found it."

"Yes, but first, you have to answer our riddle." Suggest naman ng isa na color brown and buhok. I arc my eyebrow to them. Bakit ba pahirapan kumuha ng chess piece sa mga sirenang 'to but I have no choice. Kung gusto ko makuha 'yon then I have to answer their question.

"Game." I que them.

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