Shadows Of A Silverharth [COMPLETED]

Chapter 68: Otso, Eighth Link

Ester's POV

Kanina pa ako palakad-lakad sa palibot ng kukungang ito. Hindi ko maiwasang mag-alala kay Heaven at Reen. Sumisikip na ang paghinga ko dahil sa sobrang pag-aalala. I keep on biting my lips at pinapaulit-ulit ang mga salitang 'sana ayos lang sila' sa isip ko.

"Papunta na sila Rathro dito," napamulat ng mata si Masked Mistress mula sa pagmemeditate nang banggitin niya ito.

"ANO!" nanginig ang buong sistema ko dahil sa narinig. Nagsitayuan ang balahibo ko at nakadama ako ng panlalamig. "Masked Mistress, ano na'ng gagawin natin?"

"We have to get out of here." Hinawakan ni Masked Mistress ang bakal na rehas. She remained calm like she always do; ibang-iba sa nadarama ko ngayon.

"Pero paano!"

"I-iyan ang hindi ko rin alam," saad niya kasabay nang pagbitaw niya sa rehas na tila siya'y nawalan na ng pag-asa.

"Tiyak mamamatay tayo rito kapag naabutan tayo ni Rathro!" Palakas nang palakas ang tibok ng puso ko at namumuo na rin ang butil ng pawis sa noo ko.

"Don't panic, Ester. Hindi ka rin makakapag-isip nang mabuti sa ganyang sitwasyon."

I tried to calm my breath as what Masked Mistress advised until it became stable. "Now what? We can't surely rely on our raw strength. We only have our signus but it is sealed by a sealing magic of this cel..."

"I said don't panic." she interrupted. "Wait... Your signus! That's right! Your signus can get us out of here!"

Nasalubong ang dalawang kilay ko. "Anong ibig mong...?"

"Come to think of it, Ester. Base sa kinwento mo sa akin, your links seemed to appear when you needed them....I mean, your links were created because you needed them, don't you think?"

Napaatras ako sa sulok as the memories of my past rummaged in my mind. Papa told me about my first link. Uno appeared when I was a baby. I was hungry but I couldn't speak so Uno was created to show what I wanted to show through illusions. My first link was created because I needed her.

My second link, Dos, was created because I  needed to comfort myself from the death of my pet. When I had to heal someone, Tres was created. When I needed to help my parents fight with monsters, Quatro was created. I needed to find out the truth about my signus, that was why Singko appeared. It was Sais who eased my emotions and pain from the death of my family. Then there was Siete who was accidentally created, but she has the ability to control gravity maybe because of how pressured and down I felt when she was created.

"Do you also think this makes sense? I am sure those were not just coincidences." Masked Mistress uttered. Maari ngang tama siya pero ano ang gagawin ko?

"Uh! Ummm...hindi pa rin ako sigurado! But if it really does, anong gagawin ko?"

"Emotions, Ester," Masked Mistress emphasized.

My sleeping links are always there. They are just waiting for what ability they are going to manifest. They manifest ability based on what I desire and what I truly need. And my desires are the products of my emotions. "What should I feel?" tanong ko sa sarili ko at hindi ko inaasahang maririnig ito ni Masked Mistress.

"See Ester? Pati ikaw ay nalilito na rin sa nararamdaman mo. Unti-unti mo nang nakakalimutan kung sino ka. Just be yourself. Feel the truth!" Tila nabuhusan ako ng malamig na tubig sa sinabi ni Masked Mistress. Tila sinapak ako ng katotohanan dahil sa mga salitang iyon.