CHAPTER 3- STRANGER II

CRISIONTEL

I patiently waited outside. Chill'n while blowing dandelions on the air and plucking many petals just to entertain myself. But can't help it, boredom sagged my eyelid and I'm about to take a nap. But it can't. I don't like to lay down. But my butt is itchy. Sitting for a minute straight without doing anything is waste of time. Its uncomfortable. I rose up to my seat to check if he's still alive or been captured by those criminal.

As I was about to find the edge of the doors opening. This is a good place to became my hideout. But then the door slid open and saw him carrying an unconscious man on his beef muscles. And the other one are lying its stomach on his shoulders. His clothes tore up but has no trace of a single scratch on his body. Gosh his good. Good lord.

"So what happen?" I ask with excite with a spark on my eyes. Like i was revering him. I thought his just a big dump guy.

"They ain't the one I was looking for kid. Such a waste of time but I have stretch some muscle and its a good practice inside"said he and leave me jaw drop. He passed me and sat down under the apple tree with my shantal. He reach on the picture and they both look at it.

I touch the pulse of the criminal and they're just unconscious. I rushed inside and the group unconscious men lying on the ground and the place is all a mess. "Gosh didn't imagine this criminal suffers a lot from the hands of that stranger"-i muttered. This proves that this man is dangerous. I put my fingers on their radial pulse and they're still alive. Gladly he didn't killed one of them. Bait naman. Sadly hindi sila mga highest rank criminal. But a lowkey type of criminal.

I rushed out immediately of the cave and told him to wait for me to come back as soon as I reported it to the soldiers to arrest the criminals before they got away.

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I was away for about a minute. I'm parch because of running nonstop and held on my knees to catch my breath and pointed the hideout. I saw him sleeping with shantal under the shaded apple trees. I brought myself the soldier patrol and the criminals were sent to the dungeon for good and they payed me a bags of cash after. I wave goodbye with such a smile of success to them. Astute that's how I like about myself. I'm bragging again and i love it. Haha

Lumapit ako sa matandang lalake and his sleeping too deep. Shantal is on his chest.

I left them again and buy some food for us. At sakto naman at gising na silang dalawa at inabot ko agad ang malaking letson na manok at bilis na iyon nilamon. After that we continued at the town and heard chattering indistinctly. We rushed to find what was the commotion and I can't see because of the people infront of me. They're so tall and others from the back are standing on their tip toe. He can't see too. He hauled me up like a kitten and something meets my eyes. Its the fat woman I saw back in the tavern.

"Its the fat lady"

"What?"

"Parang siya yung tabachoy na nakita ko sa tavern the other day?"

I saw a smirked on his lips. And we followed the lady riding on a big luxurious carriage and her men is walking beside to secure her inside.

It was about an hour and we reached her mansion, she owns a big land and have so many workers and maids. I just passed by and saw some ladies rushing for their lives outside and they even step on my toes without apologizing. Salamat sa pag apak ako na mag adjust.

"Why did we follow her to her home? Oh.. now i get it. You didn't told me your actually looking for your juliet all along? Such a romantic man... well i'll get my cash and get away from here. And forgot this ever happen" may hinalungkat siya sa buksa niya at kinuha ko iyon and bowed at him " Geez thank you. Congratulations to your wedding, see you Mr."

I began to walk away and he grab me by my collar to stop me. "Lemme go!"

I narrowed my eyes at him with a sour look. His reading something on a dirty crumpled paper and I tried to get away from his grip but it was useless

"YOUR IN FOR THE JOB!"

"Huh?" The only word came out on my mouth. Inabot ko ang papel na binabasa niya at natameme ako sabay kunot noo ng tingin sa kanya. "The answer is no--" di ako natapos ng lagyan niya ng sako at ulo ko at ramdam ko ang pagbuhat niya at ang tiyan ko nasa balikat niya. I can't move his too fast and quick enough to tied up my both hands like a pro.

I shouted and bang his head pero ako ang nasaktan sa ginawa ko. I saw a light and heard crowds murmuring around me and even felt hands touching me. He put me down on a chair and as he rid the sack on my head I gave him a dirty look. I struggle to pull my hands on the rope but it's to tight. Ang galing ng kupal.

The narrowed my eyes on the darkened room. No painting, no designed, Nothing but it didn't bothers me. Pinanliitan ko lang siya ng mata and roam my eyes on the people around him looking at me and gossiping. Like I said his an actual enemy of mine. Geez didn't knew I was about to die today.

"We have our perfect puppet"

"Puppet?!" Sigaw ko sa sobrang inis at nabigla naman sila. I stilled on my spot and finding away to escape the place. Its like an old cellar. I even smell the alcohol. The ambience of this place creeps me. "How dare you kidnapping a homeless child and made me a puppet?! I'll had you arrested if I ever get out of here!" i'm sitting like a boss and crossing my legs on my knees. Chill'n like a villain. Raising my eyebrows and demanding an answer.

"Listen kid. I have along voyage and searching for sin's of glaceal and we can use you to find them"

"Use me? I'm more like. I work solo mio people. I had my own business to do, why can't you just find another one ey? You've got the wrong person and you even left my shantal-"

"Oh your chicken. She's eating with my friend zep"

I sighed in relief seeing shantal is fine. I saw someone was about to touch me but I surprise her. Hinawakan ko agad ang kamay niya at binawi niya agad. I ask them to let me go. But they didnt listen, but rather ignore me.

They want me to work with them. Tatlo sila na pumapalibot sakin sa loob at parang siya lang ang natatanging may katandaan ang itsura. Naglalaro ang iba ng baraha at yung iba naman nagchechess. The place stinks and dirty. How can they last on this place looking like this.

A girl same as my age rose up and open the curtain and saw a lot of images and there's a red thread connecting all of the picture and from the very top I saw the image of a king sitting on his throne.

"We are the virtues" pagpapakilala niya

" IDGAF people don't care" I was cackling when they stared at me for being offended "Virtues? Funny name. Mukha kayong makasalanan" padederetso ko na sambit na kinatahimik nila habang ako patawa tawa lang "If i were you people send me back. I work with money. No money then well... i'll be outside and get the hell out of here. I have some bussiness to do you see. Homeless girl must survive in this city"

"Jaiko why d'you bring her here. She doesn't even cooperating and she's being a pain in the neck" reklamo ng babae habang ako naghihintay na lalabas sa mabahong lugar.

"She's perfect. She's astray and knews escavan well than others. With her help. No one suspect as strangers in their place"

"You have a point. But look at her. She looks like a lunatic. She ain't worthy to keep" binulong pa niya ang huli niyang sinabi pero tanga parin narinig ko.

Its a good thing they call me lunatic but didnt actually knew i hunt the city alone. "We must find that Sinner's fox"

"What?!"

"We ain't asking you kid"

Kuya jaiko thought of something in his mind. "But looks like that sinner doesn't trust anyone. It works alone y'all"

I overheard their conversation and they planned to catch me. Para daw sumama sa grupo nila. Medyo napahanga ako sa sarili ko dahil kilala nila ako. Ganon pala ako kagaling. Their virtues and at may kasama silang makasalanan. Kaloka. Ano bang ginagawa ng mga taong ito sa buhay nila. "So am i gonna get out of here?"

"No, not yet find us the sinner bounty knight fox"

"What? That sinners kill everyone with crimes. And what if she'll kill me--"

"She? So she's a woman"

Oh no. Tanga tanga ka crisiontel you just failed!!

"Okay noted" kuya jaiko post a paper on the board and its a drawing of me. Kaso di ako natuwa kase nagmukha akong kalabasa sa drawing nila. "The sinner is a woman"

"WOMAN? No i don't remember saying something like that. I didn't said its a woman"

"You said she"

"did I? And if I did maybe one day I'll accidentally be able to know it's gender. To find that he has a snake down there- "

"listen Kid. This is serious. We ain't joking around" said the girl

This girl are deafening and annoying I hate arguing with her. If i'll explain she won't get my point. Dalawa lang sila nung matandang lalake na nag aargue sakin tahimik lang yung isa. Napansin ko talaga sa grupo na may maingay may tahimik naman.

"Well its your problem not mine"

"Get out!"

"Thank you. I was waiting for you to say that. Come shantal we're going back - shantal, uhh shantal!" I wrinkled my eyebrows at her and she didn't move a muscle. She stump her foot. Saying that she'll stay. Nainis talaga ako at inuntog ang ulo ko sa pader. "Shantal you'll pay for disobeying me... and so when fo we start?" I change my mind after at natulala lang sila sakin.

I trust my shantal for her decision. She once save me when i was on the woods and a venomous serpent almost bit me. But then luckily she was there to save me that day. God really has a perfect timing on everything and shantal is a blessing. Even after I escaped that orphanage life. She's still on my side.

"Welcome to the group of virtue..."

"Satan" don't simply call me one. I'm not pure, i'm a stinky sinner here " kidding you must tell me your name because your the one who kidnapped me in the first place.."

"This is jaiko. His our big kuya. I'm jedalion and this one is zephylie the three of us will be your companion the others will have their way around the moordum"

Parang 'J' ang mga naririnig ko sa kanila. Baka tawagin nila akong jisionthel. Ugh. "Crisionthel at your service" pagpapakilala ko sa kanila "And i have one question. Why do you call yourself a virtues?"

"Don't you see kid. There's a myths says that there's a goddess bound to protect us. But as her anger grew over for her sister. She's spread the seven sins into our world. And that's why were here to stop them. We were the knights of goddess fhiti"

"Geez People, that's a folk stories is a just a story. Its just a silly myths" can imagine i just became part of this lunatic people caging their selves on a dusty cellar and putting some details on the board with the king of westeria on it.

"Kid. If you think this is all nonsense then get out. We don't need you. Mauubusan ako ng pasensya"

"My pleasure ba-bye. And by the way you people are stupid. Shantal kung ayaw mong sumama sakin then its okay. I can live on my own" i left the cellar and the hallway is dim. I keep walking on a tunnel like place and i saw a lot of rats on the way saw a staircase up and theres a door.

Pagkabukas ko ng pinto napapikit ako sa liwanag na bumungad sakin at natulala lang ako dahil nasa kalagitnaan ng gubat ang lugar na malapit sa cliff. May waterfall din sa harap ko and the river is so big. Didnt knew I came here to take a bath and theres a people living in here. Naghuhubad pa naman akong naliligo minsan. Tangna bahala na di lang nila siguro ako nakikilala at halata naman.

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