Chapter 4: Cardinal, City of Eupharsa

The young lady prepared an iced coffee and macarons on the table. The two of them sitting in front of me.

“Ano bang sadya mo rito, hija?” she starts talking as she offered me their food.

Kinuha ko naman ito at tinikman. Wow! It is delicious! Nagme-melt ito sa dila ko, at hindi ko mawari kong ano ang flavor at lasa nito dahil klase-klaseng dessert ang natitikman ko rito habang nginunguya ko ito! Grabe!

Nilunok ko muna ang kinakain ko saka ko binaling ang aking atensiyon sa babae. “I was just wondering if—” she cut me in mid-sentence.

“Ano? Hindi kita maintindihan hija,” she muttered with her narrowed eyes.  Hindi ko alam ang aking sasabihin. Hindi ba sila nakakaintindi ng Ingles? Kaya pala kulang nalang mahulog ang ulo ng bata kanina sa kakatabingi habang nagsasalita ako, hindi pala sila nakakaintindi ng lengguwaheng ‘to.

That child could’ve told me earlier! Tsk.

“Uh, ang sabi ko po... ano po bang klaseng lugar ‘to?” I asked the lady politely.  Nakita ko naman kung paano  siya natigilan sa pagngunguya ng pagkain niya, saka tumingin ito sa akin na para bang ako ang ipapalit niya sa nginunguya niya ngayon.

Napalunok nalang ako ng sarili kong laway sa aking naisip. Shocks. Sana nama’y hindi!

“Hind mo ba alam kung nasaan ka, hija?” she rebutted me with a question as well.

Ugh! Come on, Fia, think about something that can make the lady tell what kind of world you’ve entered! I am not that smart but an idea suddenly pops into my mind.

“Hindi ko po alam, ate e. Basta pagkagising ko po andito nako sa lugar ninyo,” I lied, picking another piece of macarons on the plate. Wala nang hiya-hiya rito. Nagugutom ako.

“Nakalimutan ko po lahat. Hindi ko na naaalala ang wangis ng aking mga magulang, pati na rin kung ano ang mukha ng aming bahay. Tila yata may masasamang nilalang ang lumusob sa aming bahay at tinangkaan kaming lahat, saka kinuha ang aming memorya gamit ng kanilang kapangyarihan upang kami’y hindi na makabalik sa aming mahal na tahanan!” Para akong abnormal na nagsasalita sa harapan nilang dalawa. Hawak-hawak ang macaroons na kulay dilaw ay ginawa ko iyong parang instrumento, saka parang sumasayaw ako ng doxology sa harapan nila habang nagku-kuwento ng kasinungalingan.

I saw how the lady changes her expression into a mourning one, while the child besides her rolled her eyes. Pasimple ko nga ring inirapan ang batang ‘to kaya hindi siya makapaniwalang napatingin sa akin.

Akala niya siguro hindi ako pumapatol sa bata. Pfft...

“Ikaw ba ay nakabangga at nabagok ang iyong ulo upang makalimot sa iyong kinagisnan?” she asked curiously. I did not say a thing, I just nodded at her while chewing my delicious macarons.

Hays. Buti naman ay naniwala!

I saw the woman sit firmly like she was going to tell a very long story. Pinagbagan naman niya ang kaniyang mga kamay, at tumimgin sa akin ng diritso.

She heaved a sigh before she utter a word. “Sa ngayon ay aking ibubuod ang nangyari sa atin dito noon...” panimula niyang sambit at tumikhim muna ng saglit bago nagpatuloy.

“Tayo ay isang alipin lamang ng mga mabababang nilalang, na siyang naghasik ng lagim, at nagpagutom sa atin isang libong taon nang nakakalipas. Sila ay walang ginawa kung hindi ang gamitin ang ating kapangyarihan para sa kanilang pangsariling kinakailangan,” pagpapatuloy nito sa kaniyan sinabi.

“Hanggang sa isang araw, may isang tumindig na kasapi natin, natalo ang kasamaan, at sa wakas nakamit natin ang kalayang ating hinahangad habang tayo pa ay pinapahirapan ng mga mortal na ‘yon. Gamit ang ating mga kakayahan sila ay ating naubos, at nabura silang lahat sa mundong pinamumuhayan natin ngayon, at kung may makita man kaming naririto pa... pinapaslang namin ito sa pamamagitan ng paggagarote sa kanila sa harap ng kaharian ng Cardinal, kung saan do’n nila kami pinahirapan at minaliit noon.” I gulped few times while she was telling that story.

They think humans are now extinct.

Isa ba itong mundo ng mga engkanto? They are not immortals? Oh, wait, ‘di ba ang mga engkanto ay mga immortal din? Am I right or wrong?

I should find my way out here before it’s too late. Like, hello?! Did you hear what that woman said? Whenever they see mortals wandering in their word, they might not sleep until it was killed.

Ngumiti naman ako ng pilit habang kinakain ang huling macaroons sa aking harapan.

“Iyon ay kahindik-hindik na pangyayari,” wala sa sarili kong usal habang pumikit-pikit pa.

I will just finish my treats before I go. Masasayang lang ‘yong masasarap na macaroons kung hindi ko ito uubosin.

“I need to—oh right,” I stopped talking when I realized that they will never understand me if I continue speaking in English.

I saw how the child raise her left brow while looking at me. Attitude talaga e ‘no? Yakapin ko siya sa leeg nonstop e!

Sinamaan ko nalang ito ng tingin at ibinaling na ang aking atensiyon sa mabait na ina nito.

“Ang ibig ko pong sabihin ay kailangan ko na pong umalis, baka hinahanap na po ako sa amin.” I just saw how the woman knitted her forehead. Oh crap, I am just bringing myself into a trap.

“Hindi ba sabi mo, pumunta ka rito upang magtanong ng direksyon patungo sa iyong tahanan?” she asked. Tumayo naman ito ng hinay-hinay, kaya nalunok ko agad ang macaroons na kinakain ko.

I saw how the little lady shook her head in disappointment. Okay, fine! I know I am not good at making excuses, silly girl who knows only but clicking her tongue!

I just rolled my eyes at that child, and her mouth form an ‘o’ in shock.

“Ma, pabayaan mo na ‘yan siya, malaki na ‘yan, at kaya na niya ang kan’yang sarili,” ang kaniyang sabi sa ina niya. “Ang laki-laki na pero ‘di pa kayang maghanap ng direksyon, ano ‘yan, isang taong gulang lang?” dinig kong dagdag na bulong ng bata.

Now it’s my turn to form a letter ‘o’ in shock. Wow, that girl is annoying. Kung hindi ka lang bata susssss!

“Binibini, nais ko sanang malaman ang iyong ngalan bago ka lumisan sa aming lugar,” the woman asked me politely. I just smiled and spill my name to her.

“Ako po si Fiamiolle, kinagagalak ko po na kayo ay makilala. Maraming salamat din po sa maliit pero napakasarap na inihanda niyo sa akin!” My smile was ear to ear.

Nakita ko naman siyang ngumiti rin ng napakalawak. Damn! She’s so pretty!

As I held the doorknob and walk out, I bid my farewell and thanked her once again.

When I am outside, I just witness again the wonderful scenery that I never saw in my entire life until now. Oh before that, I almost forgot that I need to go home as fast as I can! Because if I’m not... Ohhh! I can’t even imagine it! Maybe they will burn me into pieces if they know that I am a human, or worst freeze me to death.

Naglakad-lakad ako habang may nakakasalobong na hindi ko kakilala. They all just smiled at me and bowed, so I did the same too. May respeto naman ako sa kanila, kahit na alam kong pupugutan nila ako ng ulo kapag nalaman nila na isa akong mortal.

Mabilis ko namang inihakbang ang aking mga paa. Dang! Nasaan na ba ‘yong maliit na daang tinahak namin kanina ng mag-ina?!

Nilingon-lingon ko naman ang kapaligiran ko. I suddenly stopped when I saw something fascinating. I thought Carl is the only one that caught my attention by his looks, not until I met this one guy who is standing at the center of a fountain. I mean, he is at the top of the fountain! For Pete’s sake, what is he doing there?!

I rushed my way towards him without knowing that this world is not the same as our world.

“Hey! Youuu— oh,” Huli na ng ma-realize kong nasa ibang mundo pala ako, at lahat ng kababalaghang nangyayari rito ay normal lang sa kanila. Oh God! That’s right, Fia! You’re not in your world silly a*s!

He looked in my direction with his knitted brows, then suddenly he appears in front of me! What?! How did he freaking do that?

“Anong maipaglilingkod ko sa iyo, binibini?” magalang nitong pagbati sa ‘kin na siyang ikinakaba ko. I mean, I don’t know, but I felt something rumbling on my stomach, and my heart just pumping so loud like I can hear it outside my body!

“Uh-ehh, I was— I was just— uhmm...”  What’s happening?! Why the heck I am stuttering in front of this guy? Dahil ba guwapong-guwapo ako sa kaniya, or talantod lang talaga ako kapag nakakita ng guwapo? Hays.

“Oh, you can speak this kind of language?” he asked, shocked on what he was just witnessed. Even I was shocked.  He can speak English! Hindi katulad ng mag-ina kanina.

“Yes! I can, barely, hahaha.” I said and faked my laugh. Lol, this is awkward.

Nakita ko naman siyang ngumiti. Oh woww! Napakaguwapo! Saan ba siya pinaglihi?

“Malimit lang din ang mga natutunan ko sa wikang iyan. Sa totoo nga, hindi kami pinapayagan ng eskwela na magsalita ng ganyang wika,” mataas niyang paliwanag sa ‘kin. Well, not bad, he is talkative even if we just met. Akalain mo ‘yon, may nakausap akong guwapong nilalang dito.

“Ako nga pala si Rhenouis. Puwede mo rin akong tawaging Rhen! Nagagalak akong makilala ka!” magiliw na pagpapakilala niya, at saka inalok ang kaniyang kamay sa ‘king harapan.

It is okay if I will tell him my real name or not? There are many circumstances if he knows my name, what if someone caught me being a mortal, and I am on the run or hiding, then he might know where is my location. You know, this is not the world I know, this is the world that you can’t expect what will happen next because of its wonder. However, he told me his real name, so I will reconsider this one.

“Fiamiolle,” I simply said, and we shook our hands. After that he bid his farewell to me, leaving me behind in this garden.

Napa-face palm naman ko nang malala kong sinabi ko rin pala ang pangalan ko sa mag-ina kanina. Great! Now, I can’t hide my identity right now.

Napapadyak nalang ako sa inis at sinabunotan ang aking sarili dahil sa katangahang ginawa ko ngayong araw.

Like, what I am supposed to do in this world?! How can I go back to our world without them noticing that I am not one of them?! Should I go back to the forest? Or just— hays. Whatever. Why can I just time travel to the past and stop entering this world? Oh! That’s right!

I jumped for joy when I finally realized that. Such a brilliant idea Wait? Where can I find an immortal who has that supernatural power?

Wala nga akong kakilala rito, tatlo pa lang, ‘yong isa naman bubuwit na ma-attitude. Saan lupalop ko ba hahanapin ang imortal na may ganoong abilidad?!

Nasapo ko nalang ang noo ko dahil sa frustration. Hays, ang malas ko talaga.

Nakalumbaba nalang ako rito sa gilid.

I decided to roam my eyes around, looking at the whole garden. I just realized that it is already evening. The fireflies that do not look like one are wandering around the garden. The two moons are shining like a sun in the morning, and a million stars are sparkling so brightly. I was stunned by the view that served my eyes. This evening that I witnessed is more coruscating than I ever glanced before.

“It’s astonishing,” I muttered as I solidify at my spot...

Wait...

H-Hey! I am literally frozen on my spot! I can’t move my whole body for Pete’s sake! I dawdled my eyes around because that’s the only part of my body that can move, then I saw a group of people including Rhen. My left eye twitched when I saw that angelic face. Tsk! If only I know that he is not as kind as his face was, I’d never approached him in this garden!

Appearance fools you, huh?

“Nandito siya, Ginang.”

fin.