Chapter 19: Mansion

I heard a faint voice calling my name from behind the cold, iron bars. Startled, I turned around and saw a man peering at me through the shadows. Sa una ay nakangiti pa siya, pero matapos ang ilang segundo ay naglaho rin 'yon.

"I thought you were Lord Oscar," he said in a low and hopeless voice. "May bagong bihag na naman ba?"

Despite the relief I felt upon realizing he didn't recognize me, I couldn't shake off the anticipation in his voice as he called my name. The eagerness in his voice made me wonder what he wanted from me.

"Just accept it at this point," I heard another voice from a different cell. "Inabando na tayo ni Lord Oscar. Hindi na tayo babalikan no'n!"

"No." Madiin na umiling ang lalaki bago napayuko. Humigpit ang pagkakahawak niya sa bakal. "I still believe that he will come back to save us."

"Save us?" Humalakhak ang lalaki sa kabilang selda. "Siguro ay kung si Lord Brixton baka may pag-asa pa. Oscar Cardinal has always been known to be the weakest among them all. He cannot save anything."

"But he's our leader—"

"Give it up. He doesn't care about us."

"Baka may rason kaya bigla siyang nawala."

I didn't notice I was already tearing up until I felt the tear on my cheek. Suminghap ako at tumalikod na sa kanila. For some reason, that hurt me more.

"Sino ba talaga ang kinakampihan mo?" dinig kong tanong ng lalaki. "Hindi ba nakulong ka rin naman dito dahil kay Lord Oscar? Umasa ka rin naman na babalik siya!"

"That's right," he sighed, his voice heavy with disappointment. "And I regret it now. I regret joining the resistance to oppose the current administration for Lord Oscar. He failed me."

Hindi na rin ako nagtagal sa loob dahil wala roon ang hinahanap ko. Dirediretso lang akong lumabas at nilagpasan ang mga kawal.

"Hoy! Saan ka pupunta?" tanong ng kasama kong nagbabantay.

Wala akong planong humarap kung hindi lang may humawak sa braso ko. Natigilan ako sa paglalakad. Nanatili akong nakatalikod at pilit na pinapakalma ang sarili.

"It's okay. It's me."

Humarap ako kay Chris. Seryoso ang mukha niya kaya hindi ko alam kung may maganda ba siyang balita. Sinenyasan niya akong sumunod sa kanya na ginawa ko naman.

"Wala siya sa kulungan," sabi ko habang nakabuntot pa rin sa kanya. "Did you find anything?"

He still failed to give me an update. Mabilis ang paglalakad namin at kung magpapatuloy kami ay baka may makahalata na sa amin.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Let's abort this mission for now."

Natigilan ako sa paglalakad. Gano'n din siya. Saka siya humarap sa akin.

"What do you mean abort this mission?" kunot-noo kong tanong habang madiin na nakatingin sa kanya. "Kung wala ring nangyari sa paghahanap mo, wala pang isang oras. We still have time."

"I will explain everything to you once we get out of this place," he said, still not answering any of my questions. "Bilin din ito ni Brienne na naghihintay na sa labas."

"Give me more minute—"

"We already found him, Oscar."

Sa halip na matuwa ay mas lalo akong naguluhan. If they really found him, why were they acting that it was some bad news?

"Where's he?" I asked.

Tila nayamot pa siya sa tanong ko.

"You cannot save him anymore—"

"Why?"

"Because..." He shook his head. "He didn't want us to save him. Kumampi na siya kay Lord Wenson. Hindi na namin siya napilit pang sumama sa amin."

My lips parted. What? That didn't make sense.

"Did you tell him I was looking for him?"

Perhaps he was thinking they were still our enemies. Kung hindi nila nasabing hinahanap ko siya, may posibilidad na hindi talaga siya sasama sa kanila.

"Take me to him," I ordered. "Maybe I can convince him. Maybe he was just scared of getting caught and getting in trouble. I want to talk to him myself."

"Fuck!" he cursed. "Okay. Follow me."

I nodded. Mas mabilis kaming naglakad ngayon. Hindi ako nanininiwalang kakampi si Callum sa kalaban. He didn't even want to linger around here for too long. I just knew Lord Wenson was behind this.

"Just don't make any commotion," Chris reminded me as I followed him. "Mag-isa lang siya nung nahanap namin siya. I'm not sure this time. Hindi natin siya lalapitan kapag may iba siyang kasama."

"I understand."

Nung napadaan kami sa Mansion ay bigla kong naalala ang mga naiwan kong gamit. If what Chris said was true and I couldn't convince Callum anymore, I need to make sure I get my things before we leave.

"Can you wait here for a moment? May kukunin lang ako sa loob," sambit ko kay Chris.

He looked at me in disbelief.

"Sa loob ng Mansion?" hindi makapaniwalang tanong niya.

I nodded. "May sikreto akong daan sa rooftop. Do you want to come? Mabilis lang 'to."

He sighed. "I will stay here and be your lookout. Go, now!"

Mabilis akong kumilos. I went to my secret spot where I could climb onto the rooftop of the Mansion effortlessly. Nung nasa taas na ako ay gumapang ako papunta sa maliit na pintuan. I jumped there and landed behind my bookshelves.

Nadatnan kong magulo ang kwarto ko. It was clear they had ransacked my room and left it in shambles. My books and other stuff were scattered on the floor. Nakabukas ang cabinet ko at mga drawers. It was a complete mess.

I was worried that they found my secret drawer where I kept all my important stuff. Pagkabukas ko no'n ay nakahinga ako nang maluwag. Hindi nila ito nakita. Kumuha ako ng bag saka nilagay roon ang mga libro.

Tapos na ako at handa nang umalis ngunit naramdaman kong may mga matang nakamasid sa akin. Sinabit ko na sa likod ko ang bag.

"So the rumors are true. You have returned."

Humarap ako kay Lord Wenson. He was standing in the doorway with a glass of wine. He stood unbothered, even though I might jump from the balcony and escape. It was either that he didn't care, or simply that he was sure that there would be no way for me to escape.

"Why are you sneaking into your room?" he asked, sipping his wine. "Hindi ka naman kriminal, Oscar. You can still enter this clan without sneaking."

Nanatili lang akong nakatayo. Kung tama ako ay napapaligiran na nila ako. Wala na akong mapupuntahan.

"You can still be a Nightfall, but..." he smirked at me. "Just a Nightfall."

Humigpit ang pagkakahawak ko sa bag ko. It was embarassing that I couldn't utter a word. Para akong walang boses at takot na magsalita.

"Nothing special. Just a vampire who needs shelter," he said as he walked inside, maintaining our distance. "Iyon lang ang maiaalok ko sa 'yo."

"What have you done?" I finally mustered to say the words I had been thinking all this time.

"What have I done?" Huminga siya nang malalim saka muling uminom ng alak. "I revived Nightfall Clan. I revived the clan you left withered."

Kumuyom ang mga kamay ko. Pero bumukas din ang mga 'yon nung makita kung sino ang mga dumating.

"You found yourself a new friend, huh?" tumawa si Lord Wenson.

"Fuck," Chris cursed. Sinubukan niyang kumawala sa pagkakahawak ni Callum ngunit hindi niya nagawa.

"I think that's the cycle of life." Lord Wenson sat on my bed with his shoes on. Saka niya tinapon sa kama ko ang natitirang laman ng kanyang baso. "You have to lose a friend to gain a new one."

"Callum..." I called his name.

"Ikukulong ko na ba ang lalaking 'to?" tanong ni Callum kay Lord Wenson. "Gusto kong tumulong para hanapin ang babaeng kasama nila."

"No. Stay here," Lord Wenson casually said. "Didn't you miss your old friend? It's been a while since you two met each other."

Callum looked at me for the first time. "Friends don't abandon each other."

"I didn't abandon you—"

"Your friends did!" he insisted. "Ikaw lang ang niligtas ni Brienne nung gabing 'yon. I waited for her to come back and save me as well. She didn't."

"I was unconscious—"

"Siguro nga wala kang alam," malungkot niyang sambit. "Wala kang malay no'n. Pero hindi no'n mababago na inabandona ako ni Brienne. At kung kaibigan pa rin ang turing mo sa kanya matapos no'n, ibig lang sabihin no'n na hindi kaibigan ang turing mo sa akin."

Bumagsak ang mga balikat ko. Ang akala ko ay napikot lang siya ni Lord Wenson. However, hearing his reasons made sense as to why he didn't even want to come with us. He felt abandoned and neglected.

"How was it, Oscar?" he asked, bitterness evident in his voice. "How was it to live in a dream after you left me in a nightmare?"

"I'm sorry..." That's all I could say.

"We can still be friends," he smiled. "Leave your new friends and come back to me. Handa naman akong patawarin ka. I just felt betrayed by the vampires whom you consider friends."

Alam kong malaki ang kasalanan ko sa kanya. Ngunit kapag pinili ko siya, mas lalabo ang posibilidad na mabalik ko sa dating ayos ang lahat. However, declining his offer could mean losing him forever.

"Just accept the fact that that dynasty of Cardinals has passed and gone, Oscar," said Lord Wenson. "The only thing you can do now is accept it and live without it."

"What do you think, Chris?" I asked.

Kumunot ang noo niya habang nakatingin sa akin.

"What?" he asked.

"Malaki ang galit mo sa mga Cardinals, hindi ba? We had led the chaos in our world for a long time. Maraming nasaktan at nawala dahil sa amin. Accepting this fate also means accepting our defeat. This is what you want, right? For the Cardinals to be gone forever."

"Yes," diretso niyang sagot.

Mas lumawak ang ngiti ni Lord Wenson.

"I will never forgive your family for what they have done to our world. However, I will never forgive you even more if you abandon the mess you created. A Cardinal started all of this, so it's only right for a Cardinal to end it. You are the only Cardinal who can do it, Lord Oscar Cardinal," he said.

"That's bullshit!" Lord Wenson exclaimed as the glass of wine shattered in his grip. His face contorted in anger as he glared at me, his eyes filled with a fierce intensity. "Matagal nang tapos ang paghahariharian ng mga Cardinal. It's all on me now!"

Panandaliang lumiwanag ang paligid kasabay ng malakas na pagsabog sa labas. Matapos no'n ay sigawan ng mga kawal na nagsasabing may paglusob.

Nang humarap ay nakahandusay na si Callum at wala nang malay. Binuhat siya ni Chris at lumapit sa akin. May mga kawal pang humarang sa pintuan pero lahat sila ay biglang tumumba at nawalan din ng malay. Sa likod nila ay nakatayo si Brienne.

"Tara na!" sigaw ni Brienne.

Bago kami umalis ay bumaling ako ulit kay Lord Wenson. Nakatingin lang siya sa akin pero ramdam ko ang pangangalaiti niya sa galit.

"Ito na ang huling pagkakataon na makikita mo akong tumatakbo paalis ng lugar na ito," nakangiti kong sambit sa kanya.

Lumapit na rin ako kina Brienne at Chris. Ilang sandali pa ay naglaho na kami roon. Bumagsak kaming lahat sa damuhan.

We were silent for a moment. Lahat kami ay nakahiga lang at nakatingin sa mga sanga ng puno sa itaas. Narinig ko ang mahinang pagtawa ni Chris.

"Ikaw ba ang gumawa ng pagsabog, Bri?" dinig kong tanong ni Chris.

Ako ang unang bumangon. Una kong hinanap si Callum. Wala pa rin siyang malay. Pagkabaling ko kay Brienne ay nakapikit ang mga mata niya. Akala ko ay nagpapahinga lang siya.

"Brienne?" tinapik siya ni Chris. "Shit."

Mabilis na nilapitan ko si Brienne. Hinawakan ko ang leeg niya para suriin ang kanyang pulso.

"Is she okay?" Chris asked.

"She just fell asleep."

"Good."

Chris got up and carried Brienne in his arms.

"Kaibigan mo naman 'yan, ikaw na lang magbuhat," tukoy niya kay Callum. "Sana lang ay hindi makarating kay Lord Caezar ang ginawa natin."

Binuhat ko na rin si Callum. Saka na kami nag-umpisang maglakad.

"Sa tingin mo ba ayos lang bang pagsamahin ang dalawang 'to?" natatawang tanong ni Chris.

I sighed. "Mahihirapan tayo."

"Panibagong problema 'to. Paano natin sila mapagbabati?"

I just shrugged and laughed.