SA KABILANG banda, matapos siguruhin ni Amiko na tulog na ang prinsesa ay tinungo niya ang sariling silid. To be honest, she really needed to contemplate on a few startling and quite disturbing issues. Pero sa dinami-rami ng mga issues na iyon, hindi niya alam kung ano nga ba ang dapat na unahin niyang intindihin.
Amiko took put out the marble crest that Kourin handed out earlier. Nakatitiyak siya na walang ideya ang prinsesa sa ibig sabihin ng simbolong nakaukit sa marble na iyon. But she was also sure that it wouldn't take Kourin long enough to figure out the truth.
Kilala ni Amiko si Kourin, lalong-lalo na ang kakayahan ng prinsesa. For a 17-year-old leader of the remaining Shinomiya clan members and followers, masasabi niyang darating ang panahon at katatakutan na ang kakayahang iyon. Of course, she would never allow that to happen. Her title as the Blue Shadow of the 12 Knights of the Sky meant much more than just a name to be feared and respected.
At handa si Amiko na patunayan iyon sa lahat ng magtatangkang saktan ang prinsesa.
Napalingon si Amiko sa pinagmulan ng tinig na iyon. Isang babae ang nakita niyang nakatayo sa pinto ng kanyang silid at nakangiti sa kanya. "Miss Arisa!"
"You look preoccupied. Is there something bothering you?" Lumapit si Arisa kay Amiko at naupo sa gilid ng kama.
For Amiko, it was no use hiding the truth. For one, this woman saved her life before. Iyon ang isang rason kung bakit nanatili ang katapatan niya sa Shinomiya clan. She sighed and showed Arisa the marble crest she was holding. "Theron gave me a grave warning ー one that would turn everything into chaos if we don't take it seriously."
"A warning? About what?"
Hindi na nagdalawang-isip si Amiko na ipakita guardian niya ang dalawang dagger na nasa pangangalaga niya. Both daggers were etched with the same symbol.
"They're starting to move again. This time, not just by themselves. Someone's definitely aiding them from the shadows," pagsisimula ni Amiko.
"Amiko, you're not saying ー" Sa pananaw ni Arisa, imposible ang naiisip niyang conclusion sa sinabi ni Amiko. Pero kung titingnan niya ang simbolo sa dalawang daggers, at kapag naiisip niya kung saan nakuha iyon ng dalaga, wala na nga sigurong imposible sa naiisip niyang konklusyon. "If I can recall, there are only 27 remaining members on that group right after the attack."
"Pero maraming puwedeng mangyari sa grupong iyon in the span of two years na nandito tayo sa Pilipinas, Miss Arisa. Pero kung ganito na hanggang dito ay natunton na nila tayo, lalo na ang prinsesa, don't you thinkー"
"An all-out attack will only cause an even greater mess than the ones we put ourselves into two years ago, Amiko," singit ni Arisa na nagpatahimik naman kay Amiko. "Hindi na natin kakayanin kung sakaling kalabanin natin sila na tayo lang. We need to prepare for the true war that we're about to face with them."
Pero sa totoo lang, may katanungan na hanggang sa mga sandaling iyon ay patuloy na naglalaro sa isipan ni Arisa. Why in the world did Lady Kourin choose the Philippines as the Shrouded Flowers' refuge site after the attack? Ano ang meron sa bansang kinatatayuan nila para magdesisyon si Kourin nang ganoon? Was there a special reason? Even Lady Mari didn't object to her younger sister's decision to relocate.
"I wonder if Aya knew Lady Kourin's reason to choose this country to relocate," naisatinig ni Arisa sa mahinang tinig na narinig pa rin ni Amiko.
Kumunot ang noo ng Blue Shadow sa sinabing iyon ni Arisa. "How would Aya know something like that?"
"I don't know. Madalas na updated pa ang babaeng iyon kaysa sa atin na malapit lang kay Lady Kourin?"
Well, Amiko had to agree on that one. Gaya na lang ng mga nangyari kanina lang kay Kourin. Theron and Aya knew the danger that Kourin was about to face in the next coming days. Samantalang sila na tumatayong guardians ng prinsesa ay tila wala man lang nalalamang kung ano man patungkol dito.
"As for Lady Kourin's reason to choose this country, I think I can give an answer to that," mayamaya ay saad ni Amiko at inilapag niya sa isang maliit na mesa sa silid na iyon ang dalawang dagger at pati na rin ang marble crest. "She was looking for someone ー an important person that she said was the ultimate key for us to end all this once and for all."
"The ultimate key? May ideya ka ba kung sino iyon?"
To Arisa's dismay, Amiko shook her head. "And even if I do, I wouldn't be able to do anything to find out more about it. Pero kung may ideya na rin si Aya sa mga pinaggagagawa ni Lady Kourin, I guess I could ask her about it."
"I doubt if Aya would deliberately give us the information, though. Alam mo naman kung paano magtago ng sikreto ang babaeng iyon."
Napatango na lang si Amiko. Higit kanino man, isa siya sa nakakaalam ng tungkol kay Aya Yukimura.
"This is seriously getting way off course," Arisa mumbled as she sighed. Could it be that the princess was on a mission herself?
Pero ano naman kaya iyon? If that was the case, why didn't the princess mention anything about it to any of the Knights?
"Don't think about it for now, Miss Arisa. Ang kailangan nating pagtuunan ng pansin ngayon ay ang naging pagsugod sa amin ni Lady Kourin kanina. The arrow shot towards us truly meant something."
Kumunot ang noo ni Arisa sa narinig. "Arrow?"
Tumango si Amiko at walang alinlangang ipinaliwanag niya sa Azuraya clan princess ang mga pangyayari. Idinagdag na rin niya ang sinabi ni Shiro sa kanya tungkol sa kaparehong palaso na 'di umano ay muntik nang tumama rito. At the end of her explanation, she saw Arisa's stricken expression.
"Are you okay, Miss Arisa?"
Arisa let out a ragged sigh as she closed her eyes. "This can't be good... Mukhang alam na ng isa sa kanila ang tungkol sa prinsesa. I only know one person who could've used that arrow to send us a message."
"Ano? Pero... sino naman iyon?" And the feeling of dread formed at the back of Amiko's mind upon recalling the dagger she pulled from the tree. "How could they possibly have known the truth?"
"If only we have a clue on how to locate them..." Kinuyom ni Arisa ang kamao niya habang naiisip niya ang mga posibleng mangyari, lalo na ang nilalang na tiyak niyang makakapagdala ng napakalaking panganib para kay Kourin. "That person must not tell Zeus about the truth or he'll definitely be sorry."
May paraan pa ba para tuluyan nilang matapos ang gulong iyon na hindi na nadadamay pa si Kourin? They had to do everything they could to stop it before it could get worse.
They had to make it happen ー one way or another.
But would fate allow them to have it their way?
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