「 P A R T I : A C r o o k e d L i f e 」
KORRIM PROVINCE
THE BOYS HALTED from walking. Téo casted a meaningful glance at Ren then at the stall manned by a fat lady. That's the signal. The latter bit his lip and gave a subtle nod before taking a deep breath. Nandito na naman tayo...
The stall was particularly crowded in comparison to the other stores at the marketplace of the town of Darin. Isang tolda iyon na may dalawang nakalatag na mesa kung saan nakapatong ang mga parol - mga parihabang pormang gawa sa patpat na kawayang kinumutan ng iba't-ibang kulay ng papel. They were of different sizes and designs but were similar in one aspect: they easily burned.
Ren's heart pounded.
He traced the lanterns with a regretful look. Nararamdaman kaya ng mga ito kung anong mangyayari sa mga susunod na sandali? Were they aware of the atrocious fate they had, in contrast to the oblivion of the lady in charge? Tenga sa tenga ang ngiti nito habang bibong-bibong inaaliw ang mga taong nakapaligid sa tindahan, mapa-mamimili man o mga naroroon lamang upang tumanod. Who gave him the liberty to sever that joy?
Ren's breaths were as loud as the drumming in his chest. Images of flames in a fiery dance flashed before his vision. It raged. It devoured everything. People would be terrified. A lot would be hurt. Who was he to cause such great damage?
He closed his eyes and clenched his fists.
"Ano pang hinihintay mo, Ren?" pabulong na asik ni Téo na noon ay nasa gilid na niya. A breath got caught in his throat for a second before he avoided the older boy's gaze.
"Ang daming tao kuya..." Ren whispered, his body turned towards Téo but his eyes were pinned on the ground, "paano kung magkagulo? Paano kung may masaktan? Sa iba na lang tayo..."
Téo exhaled and pulled him a few paces away from the stall. Ren winced as the older boy clutched his arms, the areas around the grip losing color. "That's why I'm here, Ren. Wala ka bang tiwala sa kakayanan ko?" Téo shook Ren's body, "Ilang beses na natin 'tong nagawa. It's not like this is the first time all over again! Get yourself together or you'll get us caught. Mamili ka."
"Hindi naman sa ganon, Kuya-"
"Then, pull your self together!" Téo hissed, brows going into a tight knit. "O tungkol na naman ba 'to sa konsensiya mo?" Ren bit his lip.
"That guilt won't keep us alive, Ren. Ilang beses ko nang sinabi sa 'yo. This is the only way we get to stay alive without killing other people. Wala tayo sa posisyon para makisimpatiya sa ibang tao. You have to toughen up. Huwag mong hayaang kontrolin ka ng emosyon mo."
Doon lang siya binitiwan ng nakatatanda. Ren panted, releasing the breath he didn't knew he held. His heart kept on pounding on the same speed his eyes blinked in daze.
Kuya Téo reached for his arms again, gentler this time. "I'm ...sorry, Ren. Nadala lang ako ng emosyon. Nag-aalala lang ako para sa 'yo. I am fine with being beaten up lest we fail to provide enough aurums to Sir Hugo. Pero ayaw kong pati ikaw, saktan nila. I could not bear to see you being stomped on."
Ren's breathing relaxed at the same rate as how his heart calmed down.
Téo smiled. "Sabihan mo 'ko kapag handa ka na. Take your time, Ren," anito bago maglakad pabalik sa tindahan.
Ren inhaled then blew the air out through his mouth. Tama si Kuya Téo. His fate was twisted in itself; hindi na dapat pang gawing komplikado ang lahat. The only thing that mattered was that they needed to earn enough aurums, the currency used throughout the archipelago of Zorith.
He walked towards the stall, jaw clenched and hands balled into fists. His steps were heavy as though he was dragging himself, but no matter, he reached the store in no time. Téo casted a smile at him. Ren nodded.
The lady was still talking. The oil lamps hanging in one of the structural beams of the tent illuminated her plump face, her smile still in the same ear-to-ear length. Ren swallowed. I'm sorry...
The boy closed his eyes, his breath resonating through his head as his mind separated from the external environment. Unti-unting humina ang boses ng tindera at ng mga mamimili, hanggang sa tuluyan siyang nabalot ng katahimikan. He stood in the middle of nowhere. It was pure darkness.
He walked towards somewhere. He did not know the exact path he was taking, yet his steps were certain as his feet took him to a particular place. It was as if he walked through a long tunnel void of light; and as he paced further, a faint glow came into view. Gradually, it became vibrant, scarlet light illuminating Ren's vision. As if a moth to a flame, the boy came closer until he got to the source of the light.
The red gem floated in the air, Ren's face reflecting its glow. It warmed up the atmosphere, sweat threatening to ndrip from the boy's forehead. He took a breath and reached his hand out towards the source of the light.
A wave of energy surged through his body when his finger tips touched the gem. It began on his head and traveled down through his neck. It split into two, separating into both his shoulders. His arms tingled as the warmth swam through his veins. It traced the lines of his palms; and finally, it reached the ends of his fingers. He opened his eyes, the arcane now active.
Ibinaling niya ang tingin sa mga lamparang de-langis na nakasabit sa tolda. The flames on their wicks were crimson butterflies, flapping their wings in unsynchronized yet graceful manner.
Restraining his hands from making big gestures, Ren willed the arcane to reach out to the fire in one of the lamps. As though a part of his body, it stretch out towards the object. Unti-unting nadagdagan ang mahinay na init habang lumalapit sa lampara ang enerhiyang nagmula sa kaniya. Kaunti pa...
Kinagat niya ang pang-ibabang labi at kinuyom ang mga kamao. He locked his eyes on the small flame and pushed the arcane more. It circled the glass body of the lamp, Ren keeping his focus as it searched for an entry. The energy swirled for a seconds before it found the vents on the top part of the lighting device.
As if picking a fruit from a tree, he held the fire. He strained the arcane, tightening his grip as much as he could. Beads of sweat formed on his creased forehead. He clenched his fists; yet, the flames still managed to slip through his weak grasp. Ilang bahagi lamang ng apoy ang natira sa kaniyang hawak.
His breaths were heavy through his clenched teeth. Hindi na niya kaya pang ulitin ang proseso mula sa simula. Baka kahit gaano kaliit na baga ay hindi na niya magawa pang abutin. The small part of the fire he held was enough. It would do the job. So, he pulled it out from the lamp.
What he was able to retrieve was a button-sized nugget of ember. It was too small that no one took notice as it staggered out of the glass through the vent. The ember levitated like a firefly in the night.
Ren gathered more energy, the warmth enveloping him increasing. Sweat dripped down his face. Without breaking eye contact, he yanked the ember with the arcane. As if pulled by a massive force of gravity, the ember crashed downward, landing on the defenseless paper lanterns.
Sa ilang sandali, unti-unting kinain ng baga ang dinapuan nito. Ilang saglit pa ang lumipas at tuluyan nang nagliyab ang manipis na mga papel. Mabilis na kumalat ang apoy sa mga nakalatag na parol. The lady's eyes widened. She ran to the fire, trying to stop it, but the flames licked the long sleeve of her robe. People gasped. Some shrieked for help. Ngunit walang nakapigil sa paglaki ng apoy. Napaatras ang tindera. She tumbled and fell. The flames reached the lamps, heating up until they exploded. The glass shattered. Ren gasped, his widely opened eyes reflected the blazing inferno before him. His knees wobbled and he tumbled backward.
A high pitched sound etched a line in his ears. It resonated to every corner of his skull, drowing what was minutes ago, a deafening cry of panic. People still ran before him, their mouths still opened wide as they screamed; but the world was an apocalyptic theater play on mute. The ringing was way too resonant.
The flames stretched towards him like the waves of the ocean did to the shoreline. The heat distorted every figure around him; smoke clouded them. It reached his lungs in no time. He coughed. It pierced his eyes. He wept. It obscured his vision. The world melted like a candle lit through the night. It disintegrated. It dripped to the ground. When it rebuilt itself, he was in a different place and time.
***
FLAMES ENGULFED THE wheat field. Halos masubsob si Ren sa paghatak sa kaniya ng kuyang si Danjiel. He winced as they ran through the hardened mud. They raced against the fuming fire. There was not a single thought in the boy's head but to save themselves from being devoured by the inferno. Kumaripas sila sa gitna ng mga trigo. Nevermind that the plants grazed their skin. Nevermind how the wheat crackled as they burned behind them.
Both were panting by the time they reached safety. Saka lamang nila natanaw nang tuluyan ang nagliliyab na bukirin. They blinked, mouth ajar. Patuloy pa rin sa pagkalat ang nagngangalit na apoy. It traveled faster than the rhythm of their pounding hearts, spreading quicker than their gasps.
"Kailangan nating umalis dito," ten-year old Danjiel whispered, the gravity of the situation sinking into his mind, "Ren, halika na. Bago pa may makakita sa atin." He grabbed the hand of his seven-year old brother and ran away from the blazing field.
"Kuya... Bakit nasunog ang bukid? Saka paano tayo napadpad doon?" seven-year old Ren asked when they reached home.
"Makinig ka sa akin, Ren..." Kuya Danjiel - who lay beside him on the sleeping mat - whispered, looking into his eyes. "Nandito lang tayo sa bahay buong gabi. Natutulog lang tayo. Hindi tayo pumunta sa bukid. Hindi ikaw ang nagsimula ng apoy. Kapag nalaman nila kung anong nangyari ngayong gabi, malalagot tayong dalawa. Naiintindihan mo ba 'ko?"
"Bakit tayo magsisinungaling kuya?" The boy's forehead creased, "may ginawa ba tayong hindi maganda? Sabi nina mama, masama daw ang magsinungaling..."
Silence.
Ren turned and blinked at the underside of the roof. Bumalik sa kaniyang ala-ala ang nagliliyab na bukid. Was it still burning as they left it? Paano kung masunog lahat ng tanim? Anong kakainin ng mga tao? His heart pounded.
"Kuya..."
"Hm?"
"Masama ba tayo?"
***
SOMEONE SHOOK HIS body. "Get yourself together!" Téo scowled. Kaagad siyang nabalik sa kasalukuyan. The stall still burned. People were still in panic. "Tumayo ka na riyan!"
He did as told, shaking his head to gather his wits. Umatras siya papalayo sa nagniningas na mga apoy.
Téo remained, though. He pulled out a glass vial from his pocket. He did not bother to pull the cork out and threw the glass container with all his might against the ground. It shattered into pieces, the water forming a tiny puddle. He quickly sought the gem in his mind and activated the arcane.
In contrast to Ren who was a flamecaster, Téo was a waterweaver. He reached for the liquid on the ground, his grip much firmer than Ren's. The puddle levitated and shapeshifted into a spear, leaving not a trace on the spot it used to occupy. Unti-unting umangat ang bola ng tubig hanggang sa lebel ng kaniyang dibdib. It rotated like a planet made of water in between his hands.
Téo accessed the arcane, a bigger tide of energy surging through his veins. He reached out to the element in front him. Expand, he commanded. The arcane flowed out of his palms and into the liquid sphere. Beads of sweat formed in his forehead. His breathing became heavier. Ren did not budge. He wasn't at all worried. Téo must strain himself for a more convincing ploy. Everything that he'd do was part of their performance.
Unti-unting pinaghiwalay ng binata ang mga kamay. As more arcane leaked from his palms, the water ball grew in size. People stopped running about and stared at the hero that was Ren's companion.
"There are three variables in this act," said Téo months ago in their room at the empty barrel, "the stage. Hindi ito literal. Tumutukoy ang entablado sa taong bibiktimahin at ililigtas natin..."
Ren sought for the figure of the plump lady who was in charge of the burning stall. Nasa gilid na ito ngayon, marahil ay tinulungan ng mga nakatanod na tao. She sat on the ground, witnessing how the flames devoured her business. Tears were dripping down her cheeks as she clasped her mouth.
Nag-iwas ng tingin ang binata.
"...ang mga aktor," Téo pointed at Ren then to himself, "ikaw at ako..."
Ren watched as the sphere kept on enlarging and spinning in between Téo's hands. Nakaunat na ngayon ang magkabila niyang mga braso at umaagos na ang pawis sa kaniyang mukha. His back was as drenched with sweat, tunic sticking on to his skin.
"...at ang mga manonood."
People gasped as blood dripped out of Téo's nose. Ren bit his lip as worry began creeping through him. Ngunit hindi niya pinigilan ang nakatatandang lalaki. He stared at the burning stall, illuminating Téo's ball of water. They could not let the flames completely devour the tent. That would be too cruel.
Nagpalipat-lipat ang tingin ni Ren sa apoy at sa tubig. The anticipation killed him as the flames grew an inch each moment like how it did on the wheat fields in his memory. He bit the inside of one of his cheeks.
Téo poured all of the arcane into the element he wielded. The more dramatic the next moments would be, the higher the chances of success was. Arcanists - people who harnessed the four elements - had a limited amount of the arcane in them which varied depending on practice and experience. Sa sandaling marating ang hangganan ng kaniyang arcane, manghihina ang isang arcanist.
That information was, of course, a factor taken into account in Téo's plan.
Siniguro ng binata na narating niya ang hangganan ng kaniyang arcane. The diameter of the sphere of water grew into a child's height. His nose bled profusely, the crimson liquid almost reaching his chin. Tumingala siya upang pigilan ang pagtulo nito. He closed his eyes and at last, poured every bit of the arcane out. With all his might, he pushed the water ball onto the burning tent. The recoil threw him. Napaluhod siya dahil sa panghihina.
Samantala, naglaho ang kung anong puwersang humuhulmang bola sa tubig nang marating nito ang nagliliyab na tindahan. The sphere broke and the liquid immediately crashed down as if someone opened a vertical dam. The flames gave a final hiss as they dissipated, smoke clouding the area.
Kaagad na nilapitan ni Ren si Téo. The sorry state of the guy wasn't how he usually ended up in their shcemes. He never bled as much as he did today. Was it because he spaced out earlier? Dahil ba kinailangan pa siyang ibalik ni Kuya Téo sa kasalukuyan kaya tuluyang lumaki ang apoy at kinailangan nitong gamitin lahat ng arcane na meron siya? Tears welled Ren's eyes up.
Habang tangan si Téo, tiningnan ni Ren ang paligid. Through the cloud of smoke, the plump lady in charge of the store crawl towards the smoldering store. Her cries had reduced into sobs as she searched for salvageable lanterns. The ear-to-ear smile she had was long gone as if it was also burnt during the fire.
"Y-you did well, Ren..." Téo fainted.
"Kuya!" Ren cried as he caught the older boy. Namutawing muli ang mga hagulgol ng binata, nakapako sa sahig ang mga mata. How could he raise his head after everything he did? His chin chattered as he gasped. Kinagat niya ang pang-ibabang labi upang pigilan ang panginginig.
"S-sorry, kuya..." The words were nothing but air when they left his throat. He strained to lift his hand. Marahan niyang pinunasan ang dugo sa mukha ni Téo, he bit his lips tighter as a series of bellows threatened to break out. The blood stained the sleeve of his tunic but that wasn't of any importance. His shoulders shook.
"K-kasama mo ba siya?"
Ren turned. Napasinok siya sa presensiya ng tindera, she had a pouch with her. He looked back down. "Opo..."
"Magiging ayos lang ba siya?" the lady asked, her voice nasal after all the crying. She knealt down to level herself with Ren and Téo.
"K-kailangan lang po niyang magpahinga. He just ... strained himself. N-nasagad po ang arcane." Ren swallowed and sniffed. He held back sobs but couldn't stop the tears from escaping his eyes. "D-dadalhin ko na lang po siya sa pagamutan para makapagpahinga."
"You musn't be distracted, Ren..." Téo said back in the Empty Barrel, "...hindi magiging maganda ang palabas kung hindi ito matatapos nang maayos. You have to keep your character and play the role well. Kung hindi, wala tayong makukuhang aurums."
Ren's tears, however, weren't for show. It did not matter. At the end of the day, all of what they did was for the aurums. Swindling was how they survived until now. Yet, he found himself asking, is my survival worth deceiving these people?
"Ito," the lady stretched her hand, offering the pouch of aurums as Téo foresaw. He was never wrong. "Tanggapin mo bilang pasasalamat ko sa inyo."
Pasasalamat. Ren hiccuped. The stall was still smoking. Ash piled up and bamboo turned black. How would the lady get back up from there? Paano, gayong natupok na ang karamihan sa kaniyang mga tinda?
Yet, she thought of thanking these boys. She thought of rewarding them. Oblivion failed anyone. It turned people into fools and made them easy subjects of deceit.
Binitiwan ni Ren ang mga hagulgol. Inabot niya ang supot ng aurums at hinawakan ang kamay ng ginang. "Maraming salamat po... Maraming salamat po..." He bowed repeatedly, his tears landing on the lady's hands.
"Kuya..." his younger voice echoed in his head, "masama ba 'ko?"