The library is not here anymore.
Hindi niya mapigilang mapatitig sa bahay na nasa harapan niya ngayon. A now loud tavern with lights and people coming in and out everywhere was before a very ancient library full of books and knowledge that for years of being summoned back to the living, was his haven.
Napabuntong hininga siya at tumalikod na bago pa may makakita sa kaniya na nakatitig na para bang namumulubi. Hindi nakakapagtaka na baka may iba na nakaisip na sa kaniya bilang gano'n; sira-sira ang puting damit na suot niya, madumi ang kaniyang buhok at mahaba na halos natatakpan na ang kaniyang mukha, at alam niya na pagod na pagod ang ekspresyon ng kaniyang mukha ngayon.
He is disappointed, but not entirely surprised. The world evolves, after all. Marahil ay medyo mahihirapan lang siya na mag-hanap ng clues ngayon.
He wander almost aimlessly, the ancient library now a tavern always the only place that he could first spent the night, ngunit ngayong wala na ito ay wala na rin siyang ibang lugar na mapagtutuluyan.
Maybe...
Wala na rin ang abandonadong gusali na lagi niyang sunod na tinutuluyan sa tuwing wala siyang mahanap na libreng lugar na puwede niyang tirhan pagkatapos sa library. Napalitan na ito ng dikit-dikit na mga establisyimento.
Napabuntong hininga siya at muling naglakad papalayo. The world changed so much for a short amount of time. After saving those humans from those monsters (what did they called it? A Valgerot? Last time he remembered Valgerots are the new small species found in the northern desert of Elantris, and now it's as big as a dragon?) and defeating their mastermind (Weak. So weak. Became unconscious in one single strike. Did humans undergone a second magical purging?), ang una niyang tinanong ay ang taon kung nasaan siya ngayon. Hindi niya malaman kung bakit gulat na gulat sila habang nakatingin sa kaniya; madalas ay natatakot o nandidiri sa kaniya ang mga nakakasalubong niya dahil sa kaniyang itsura, ngunit nasagot naman nila ang kaniyang tanong bago nagmamadaling dinala sa pagamutan ang isang lalaki na nakahiga sa sahig at punong-puno ng dugo.
Fifty years in the future since his last summon. Well, it could have been worse. It could have been much further, and the further he is the more dangerous the world will be, and the less likely he will complete his mission.
Atleast mukhang hindi naman sobrang nabago ang mundo ngayon.
Pagkatapos din ng pagligtas niya sa mga knights na iyon (or are they really knights?) ay umalis na siya upang libutin ang bagong mundo, ngunit nagsisi rin siya dahil ngayon ay wala na siyang mapagtanungan kung saan puwedeng makitulog dahil wala namang gustong kumausap sa kaniya sa takot sa kaniyang mukha.
He cannot help but sigh once again while entering a small alley. The sun is falling fast, and the moon is already making its appearance in the distance, and yet he does not have a place to stay.
Sleeping on the streets was the worst possible feeling ever, and one that he always hoped to avoid whenever he was resurrected.
Hindi pa siya nakakailang hakbang papasok ng maliit na eskinita nang lumakas ang kaniyang senses at hindi niya namalayan na kusang gumalaw ang kaniyang mga kamay upang saluhin ang babaeng nahulog mula sa madilim na parte ng eskinita sa kaniyang kaliwa.
He took a step backward, surprised by the sudden weight in his arms. The girl is petite, short, and has long red hair. Chubby cheeks, wide doe eyes, and a small figure. A kid.
"Okay ka lang ba?" Hindi niya mapigilang itanong nang makita niya ang takot sa mga mata nito.
The girl suddenly step back hastily while fumbling for her knife in her pocket, her gold eyes flashing with anger. "Who are you?! Kasama ka rin nila 'no?! You won't get anything from me, you bastard!"
He immediately stepped backward when the girl started attacking her. She tried to slash him, waving her knife like it was the biggest and heaviest thing that she ever holds, then tried to stab him.
"Hey! Hey!" Tinaas niya ang dalawang kamay niya na para bang sumusuko. "Hindi ko alam kung ano ang sinasabi mo! I swear I'm not one of...of... anything!" Obviously the girl was attacked, and she thought he's one of her attacker. And he is too tired to even think about that deeply.
"You won't fool me, asshole! All of you and your little bastards will go to hell!" At muli siya nitong sinubukang saksakin, na agad din naman niyang iniwasan.
Ngayon lang din niya napansin ang dugo na umaagos sa ulo nito at ang damit nito na may bahid ng dugo at gusot-gusot. Sinubukan niyang hawakan ang kamay ng babae at patigilin ito, ngunit mabilis din ang dalaga at nakakaiwas sa lahat ng galaw niya.
A flash of light in the dark behind the kid, and he immediately fastened the movement of his hand, clasped the girl by her shoulder and pushed her out of the way.
Mabilis niya ring hinablot sa hangin ang kutsilyo na lumipad papunta sa pwesto ng dalaga kanina.
"Ooh, you have great reflexes." Isang lalaki ang nagpakita mula sa madilim na bahagi ng eskinita. Nakangisi ito at maraming nakadikit na kutsilyo sa damit. "You found a little savior, did ya, brat?"
"Savior? But..." Tumingin sa kaniya ang dalaga nang may malalaking mga mata. Her eyes drawn with realization. "But..." Ulit niya, ngunit pagod na ngumiti lamang ng binata at napahimas sa kaniyang batok.
"What is a goddamn faithful citizen of this kingdom doing here in the unforsaken alleys?" The guy tilted his head like he was curious, but then shook it immediately. "Never mind. You look like part of the unforsaken alleys yourself, poor and neglected by the so-called King." At napatawa ito nang malakas. His laugh is hard and rough, with spits getting out of his mouth.
Nakita niya mula sa gilid ng kaniyang mga mata kung paano humigpit ang hawak ng dalaga sa kutsilyo nito na para bang natatakot itong bitawan.
"Look, innocent citizen, just hand over the girl and we can get this over with. You look like you could use more money and food; we could provide you that." Mas lumawak ang ngisi nito. His knife reflected in the moonlight when he started playing it. "In exchange for the girl of course."
"'We'?" He asks in a monotone and neutral tone. The girl tightens her grip on the knife again it's a wonder her hand is not bleeding. The girl shows no emotion, but her eyes reflect that she is expecting him to betray her, try to hand her over, and her fighting until the inch of her life.
Nag-iba ulit siya ng tingin.
"Yes! The Three Swords! The greatest Gang in the whole Kingdom. Malaki ang grupo namin at nakakaabot din sa ibang kaharian. No worries that we could provide you with everything." Diin ng lalaki. His smirk is borderline smug now like he is already expecting him to hand over the girl any second now.
Nakita niya mula sa gilid ng kaniyang mga mata ang paunti-unting pag-atras ng dalaga.
"The Three Swords?" Tanong niyang muli.
The guy's eyes flash in annoyance. "Bakit ba ang dami mong tanong? Just give me the goddamn girl, dammit." Sinubukan niyang hablutin ang babae, ngunit mabilis niyang madiin na hinawakan ang braso nito.
The guy whined in pain, at wala pang ilang minuto ay napaluhod na ito sa sakit.
"I am asking you." Simple niyang sagot at mas lalong diniinan ang hawak sa braso ng lalaki.
The guy screamed in pain breathlessly one last time, his eyes rolling backward, then slumping on the cold pavement.
Napatitig siya sa kaniyang mga kamay. "I never meant to do that..." Does it mean that he became even stronger by just extracting a small amount of his strength and yet making a grown and big man twice his size become unconscious in such a short amount of time? Or did humans became even more weak?
He does not want to know. He does not even allow himself to dwell on it even more deeper. I only have one goal, one mission, and that's all there is to my resurrection.
"Hey...um...mister?" Napagitla siya sa maliit na boses na nanggagaling sa batang babae na kaniyang niligtas.
The girl already lowered her knife, safely hidden in her pocket, and now fidgeting on her feet.
"Thank you." Narinig niyang sambit nito sa maliit na boses. She even lowered her head and enclose her fists while saying that, a sign of gratitude.
Isinantabi muna niya ang lahat ng nasa isip niya bago tuluyang humarap sa batang babae at ginaya ang galaw nito. "You're welcome." Hindi na niya alam kung ano pa ang dapat niyang sabihin sa ganitong sitwasyon. More often than not, whenever he was resurrected, there is always a situation wherein he needs to help the life of a person. It is irritating on how much he was struck with the irony of that.
After all, he does not have much of a saving people complexity. He always hates that.
Tumalikod na siya at nag-simulang maglakad papalayo. Sisimulan na sana niyang isipin kung saang abandonadong gusali siya matutulog muna nang sumigaw ang batang babae, "Wait!"
Dahan-dahan siyang humarap muli rito. "Yes?" He drawled out, already dreading his tiredness and weariness.
The girl shifted from one foot to another once again, looking down at it, then raised her head like she was already determined about something. "Gusto mo bang...makitulog muna saamin?"
Napakurap-kurap siya, hindi makapaniwala sa kaniyang narinig. Gusto siyang...patuluyin ng batang ito sa kanila? Kahit hindi pa sila masyadong magkakilala? Ni hindi nga nito alam ang kaniyang pangalan!
"Well...your parents will be mad." Hindi niya mapigilang ipuna.
"I do not have a parent." Rinig niyang bulong nito. "And I only have a sister." Then she flushed. "Don't worry, she's a Mage and a Vice Captain at that. She can protect us if ever those bastards try to find us. At...mukhang malakas ka naman. Kaya mo naman siguro patumbahin ang lahat ng aatake saatin." Pinag-krus niya ang kaniyang braso at nag-iwas ng tingin. Her cheeks are bright red and her expression are haughty like a child who refused to accept a toy even though she wants it.
He tried to think it over. First of all, wala siyang matutuluyan ngayong gabi. At totoo na ayaw niya talagang matulog sa tabi-tabi. Naranasan na niya ito nang isang beses, at ayaw na niya itong maulit muli. This is already an opportunity for him—just for tonight, of course, since tomorrow he needs to start his mission.
The girl seems to see the hesitation in his face, and said, "Don't worry, papayag 'yon si Ate na makitulog ka muna saamin ngayong gabi. And besides, you look like do not have a house or some foods. I should be the one to be hesitant to you. Hmp." At nirolyo nito ang kaniyang mga mata, ngunit halata ang pula ng kaniyang mga pisngi.
Mukhang wala naman din siyang mapagpipilian. At ngayong gabi lang naman. Ngayong gabi lang talaga. "Alright. Lead the way."
"Wait!" Tinigil siya sa paglalakad nang nakalahad na kamay ng batang babae. "I am Faye. Faye Larmanton. You?"
He stared at her.
"Syempre kailangan ko malaman ang pangalan mo bago kita ipakilala sa kapatid ko! Hindi siya nagpapapasok ng estranghero sa bahay namin!" She flips her hair then stared right back at him.
Bumuntong hininga siya. Ayaw niya sanang malaman ng kahit na sino sa mundo at panahon na ito ang pangalan niya, ngunit ayaw niya ring manirahan sa lansangan.
"Yin." He finally said. "Yin Somarena."