Chapter 4

Lumabas ako sa office. Inisip ko muna kung saan siya pumunta kasi nung lumabas ako ay tahimik na. I asked myself, saan ko kaya siya pwedeng pumunta sa mga oras na ito? Biglang may nagsalita.

"She's probably in the Old Enchanted Tree."

Nilingon ko kung saan nanggaling ang boses na iyon and found out it was Demen Universe.

"Samahan na kitang hanapin at kausapin siya." Tugon niya. Ningitian ko siya at tumango. Sabay kaming naglakad patunggo doob. Old Enchanted Tree is in the other side of the academy at malayo-layo ito ng konti kaya we still have time to talk and I still have time to ask Demen Universe about something that bothers me.

"Demen Universe, can I ask something?" tanong ko.

"Spill."

"Bakit ngayon lang naisipan na kunin ang susi ng Corpse City, eh halos 17 years na mula nung nakuha ito ng mga Croatianian?" I asked kasi hindi ito nasabi sa amin.

"It is because hinintay namin na tumuntong ka sa tamang edad. Ito kasi talaga iyon. The key of the city is given to the eldest daughter of the king and dahil siya nga iyon, sa kanya napunta. But then again, yun nga ang nangyari. She fell in love, she lost the key, her powers and she was betrayed by the one she loves, and he died. In the book of fate, pwede pang maibalik ang susi na iyon. The Heart of the Demen, which is the eldest child of the eldest son of the king, ay may karapatan ulit na hawakan ito so that means na siya lang din ang makakakuha nito. And that is you. Ikaw ang nakatadhana na kunin ang susi. Unfortunately, nalaman ito ng kalaban at agad na pinahanap ka, we kept you as a secret. Ang hindi alam ng kalaban ay isa kang kalahating Dementian lamang at kalahating tao, they never knew kung sino ang pinakasalan ni Demen Erik kaya hindi ka nila nahanap as the security of the kingdom increases dahil sa nangyari. In the book of fate, sixteen years old is the minimum age of a warrior. And you are sixteen." Paliwanag niya.

So, may konting kaalaman na ako about doon but hindi pa rin ako satisfied. Let us go back to the Old Enchanted Tree. What's good about that tree? Hindi lang basta puno iyon dahil nilalabas nito ang tunay na nararamdaman mo, ang tunay na nasa puso mo when you touch this. We reached the Old Enchanted Tree pero wala siya dito kaya umupo muna kami saglit.

"Why did Demen Anne walked away?" I asked.

"Kasi, she doesn't want anyone to see her being weak again. When you really observe her, she doesn't look into anyone's eyes kasi alam niyang may makakabasa sa kanya, she doesn't show that much emotion kasi ayaw niyang ipakita ang lahat, she was too hard to herself dahil ayaw niyang maulit ang pagkakamali niya. Hindi niya pa rin ito matatanggap, tila ba parang nabubuhay pa rin siya sa nakaraan. As what she did earlier, nagwalk out siya, nasaktan ako dahil hindi na siya yung kapatid na used to be pinakaclose ko sa lahat. I knew she was in love with that guy, from the start I knew she was. But tinago ko because I wanted her to be happy, I saw her how happy she was. I don't want to ruin their connection because that is what I am tending to do. I must ruin the connection of Croatiania and Dementia at kahit kailan ay hindi ito dapat magkaisa. But I broke the rule and let them have their connection. Para na ring kasalanan ko na nawala ang nasa kanya. Kaya nasasaktan ako na nakikita siyang ganyan. Seeing her living in the past makes me regret everything. Na sana I followed the rule at pinutol ang connection nila, na sana I saved her from misery, na sana hindi ko siya hinayaang makain ng pag-ibig. Love is a bitch, totally a bitch. Love ruins everything. Kaya nga when you will love a person be ready to lose everything you have. She thought she was ready, but she never knew everything means everything." Mahaba niyang sabi habang humihikbi sa iyak. Sasagot na sana ako but then again may biglang nagsalita sa likod.

"It was never your fault. Stop regretting." Sambit ni Demen Anne. Tumayo si Demen Universe at humarap sa kanya so I did the same, too. "I broke the rule!" sagot niya. "We both broke the rule. But you broke the rule because of me, all because of me." She answered as she started to cry.

"I just wanted to make you happy." Tugon niya. "I just wanted myself to be happy and never thought of you. That was my fault." Kontra niya.

"Can you two please stop! Wala dito ang may kasalanan because none of you will know what would happen." Sigaw ko sa kanilang dalawa.

"I knew what would happen." Mahinang sambit ni Demen Anne. "Wait, what? Then why did you still continue what you did?" naguguluhan kong sabi. "Kasi kung hindi, wala ka sana dito." And that when she said that, I broke down into tears. I was speechless. I never knew that she knew I wouldn't be here if she chose to save herself. Now may alam ko na ang mga nangyayari sa likod ng lahat, all I have to do is to return to them what they sacrificed for me.

"Tell me everything." mahinang sambit ko.

"I knew what would happen. I can see the future in a span of a hundred years, but the future can be changed kung may isang bagay akong gagawin sa present na magcocontradict sa mangyayari sa future. Pero hindi ko alam na ganito kalala ang mangyayari. I didn't know I would lose my powers nor the key. Pero alam kong kailangan akong magsakripisyo pero hindi ko lubos naisip ito ang kinalabasan. I'm sorry." luhaan pero deretso niyang sabi.

"Why? Anong nakita mo bago mo pa baguhin ang kasalukuyan para hindi mangyari ang hinaharap?" nagtatakang tanong ko.

"Croatiania ruling Dementia, taking over Humans, killing Demens and half Dementians. Iyon ang nakita ko. Natakot ako, kasi nakita ko kung paano nila kami ibinagsak kaya wala akong pinagsabihan at ikinimkim ko sa sarili ko ang nakita ko. When I first met Eeyone, the Croa who I fell in love with, the first son of the first daughter of King Croa, I can't predict him. He has the same powers as Universe, he can block his mind, soul and feelings. But I saw him in my predictions before I met him, pero huli na nung napansin ko iyon. I told him my predictions pero doon na nag-iba ang lahat. He said he truly loved me, he stopped using his powers, sabi niya na kaya niyang isakripisyo ang pagiging Croa just to have me, sinabi niya sa akin lahat ng mga plano nila, pero it was too late. Nadakip siya, ginamit ng mga Croa si Eeyone para ibigay ko ang susi ng Corpse City. Nalaman ng buong pamilya ang tungkol dito pero sinabi kong ako na ang bahala, na tatawag lang ako ng tulong kung hindi ko na kaya. Matagal akong nag-isip, then I remembered my predictions. Corpse City was not in it kaya akala ko iyon ang magpapabago sa hinaharap, ang pagsuko ko ng bayang iyon. I came to Croatiania with Erik and Ian, naging mahirap ang pagpunta namin sa kinaroroonan ni Eeyone. When we arrived there, naghihintay na pala ang buong angkan ng Croa. Binigay ko ang susi in exchange of Eeyone's freedom. Pero nung kinuha nila ang susi, they released Eeyone, nagkausap kami, sabi niya umalis na kami doon pero nagmatigas ako. Sinabi niya muna na mahal niya ako bago siya pinatay, sa kamay ng sarili niyang ama. Kaya nagalit ako, sumugod ako sa hari. Pero wala akong nagawa, he snatched my powers. Paggising ko nalang nasa Dementia na ako. Erik and Ian won't tell me kung anong nangyari nung nakuha nila ang mahika ko at pagkatapos kong mawalan ng malay."

Wala nang mga salitang lumalabas sa ang labi at tanging hikbi lamang. Agad namin nilapitan at pinakalma si Demen Anne.