Chapter 3

A COUPLE of minutes passed, Terah and Chet were bound to go. She had no choice but to go with him. He was the only one who knew the locations of the dreambenders’ bodies.

They were in a jungle and it felt like all the bugs were crawling on her skin. In the distance, the birds were singing. 

They must really know what she was feeling right now ‘cause it felt like they were singing a sad song. Just for her. Especially delivered. Now she was a Very Important Person. VIP 

"Can't you wish that we are now in your place? It’s a dream right? You can do whatever you want."

"Who’s the fool that told you that?"

"Nobody. A guess." That would be her. 

"Then you are wrong. This is somewhat the real world except we are all in spiritual form. Whatever happens here will also happen in your physical form. If you die here, you will also die there." She gulped.

It was really a bad idea. She should have not come to this place. She should have not responded to his call, his hum. 

Then what? Will you go back to your boring life? Books. Study. House. Internet. Take care of your siblings? Just a cycle, an unending one. 

“Our enemy. Who are they?”

Really, Terah? How come they are your enemy now? Do not stick your nose in anyone's business.

“They came from the only living vampire, Frederico. He called his creations, Barbak. Nobody knows how he made them, or how they came into life. One thing is for sure. They feed on the energy of every living creature turning them into dust.”

“This Frederico man. How did he become an enemy to your clan?”

He looked at me. “Hatred, Terah. That hatred towards the men who killed his brother keeps him going that he couldn’t differentiate the innocents from the killer. As long as they are living in Hancia, you will always be the target of his minions. Nobody could escape from his wrath.”

She looked at the ground.

How did that man look? 

Would so much hatred like that exist? Hatred that could destroy this so-called Hancia? How about the innocents? The infants? The newborns? “I’m sorry. I’m sorry that you are living in this kind of world. I wish I could do something for your clan.”

“There’s nothing to be sorry about. You are sharing the same dilemma in your world.”

Chet signalled his hand to stop and scanned the surroundings. 

“What’s the matter?” she whispered. She couldn’t see any unusual things. 

He gave her a sword. “Be careful. We are surrounded. Here. You will need it.”

With shaking hands, she grabbed it. “I-I don’t know how to use this thing. I-I don’t want to kill someone.”

He put both of his fingers on her shoulders and slightly shook her. “That thing? They will kill you, without hesitation. Now, choose. Kill or be killed?”

She let out a long breath. “I-I don’t know.”

The air suddenly changed and she felt a dark presence surrounding them. Please, please. Let her survive this.

From the shadows, the monsters showed themselves. They were just waiting. Waiting for them to let their guard down.

She took a step back and bumped at Chet. 

She lifted her eyes and met his gaze. “Do what you want to do if you want to survive.” 

He charged. 

She caught her breath on the beauty of his movements. It was like he was the wind itself.

“Gerrr…” 

She snapped.

One monster was going in her direction. She pointed her sword. “Don’t come any closer.” She tried to steady her sword to no avail. Dammit! Why couldn’t her body just do what she wanted it to do?

“You won’t kill it by just looking at it,” Chet shouted while fighting at the monsters.  

She panicked. “I-I know! Don’t mind me.” How will she kill that thing?  Terah should have registered for the summer judo class. 

The monster charged and she used her instincts. She lifted her sword and swayed it. It nearly hit the monster. It looked at her with hatred and moved forward.

Oh gosh. Oh gosh.

Will she truly fight them? No choice then.

She moved her sword forward and met the monster. It turned into dust. Another one came and she just moved her sword like the one that she saw on tv but this was hard. And the weight of the sword was killing her.

A single sweat dropped on her forehead. She was panting but Chet was still fighting with some of the monsters.

At the corner of her eyes, another was moving towards her and it was too late for her to move.

A cry escaped from her lips when it touched her. It was draining all of her energies. 

She stumbled forward. Darkness was slowly embracing her. She couldn’t even lift her sword now.

Is this her end? When she was at the point of giving up, the monster turned into dust. Chet was on her side.

“Are you okay?” he asked, his brows furrowed.

Why does he always smell so good?

She tried to lift her body. He helped her. “Just a scratch,” she whispered.

“If I’m not fast enough, you’re dead,” he said matter of factly. 

“Yeah, yeah. No need to remind me, Mister.”

“Look at you. You don’t even have the energy but you use that ample energy to make me mad.”

This guy is going crazy. “You’re delusional. I’m okay now. No need to have another drama. This is not a taping.”

She stopped dead upon looking at a big rock with a monument of a winged man. "What's that?"

"That is where our body lies. Let's go."

Like a hungry dog that saw food for the first time, he ran and left her. She had no choice but to follow the man. This will be the end. She will awaken. This will be over. She won't talk to any man again in her life. Not even that vampire. 

Dust enveloped in the air. There were cobwebs on the ceiling of the house and she couldn't even fathom the nightmares the occupants had undergone. 

Dead bodies...no. Unconscious bodies were lying on the cold ground waiting to be awakened. But one man will have that day. 

"Where’s your body?"

"Just wait."

They went to the deepest corner of the house. She was getting colder as the night passed by. It felt like she was in a haunted horror house.

What horror could she discover? She experienced a lot in the past hours. 

"Just tell me you didn't find your body. No need to be shy."

"Who's shy? Look." He pointed at the corner. 

A gasp escaped from her lips. A few feet away from her was the lifeless body of Chet. But what's horrifying was the sword on his chest.

"Are you dead?"

"Seemed like they found my body and made sure I would suffer when I awakened."

"What will happen when you wake up?"

"I will wake my comrades and you. That’s a promise, Terah." She will cling to that promise.

"That's not what I am asking. What will happen to you?"

"I will feel the mortal wound. If I am lucky, I will be alive for a couple of hours before I will truly leave this place. Will you do it?"

She shook her head. She couldn't. 

How could she if it means killing Chet in the process? And why does he have to be okay with this? Was he acting okay just because she was here? Was he embarrassed? But who could laugh on this kind of serious matter? Nobody. Nobody has the right.

He grabbed her arms and slightly shook her.

"Do it, Terah. It's the only way I could free them. I am the only one with the ability."

"It will kill you!"

"Why does it matter to you? For you, I was just a nuisance. Think about it. If you do this?

 I will never bother you again in your dream."

"You think I am that desperate to get rid of you? You. Are. Wrong!" 

"And you think I wanted to die like this? I have so many things I want to accomplish. To rule our clan. To get powerful and get our revenge and...to be friends with you." A tear escaped from her.

"Is that what you want?" He nodded. 

"Do it." She inhaled the air. 

No choice, Terah. He will help you get back. 

She went to his body and kneeled. Okay. She can do it. She will kiss him like an ordinary kiss. 

Her grandmother told her a kiss was one of the ways to transfer the energy from another being. She lowered her head slowly. Like a slow motion in a TV, her lips met his.

She could feel her energy transferring to him. And she couldn't break away. It was like two hands gripped her, caging her to him. And then suddenly...he responded with a kiss. 

His hands moved and travelled on her shoulders slowly massaging it. A whimper escaped from her when he broke the kiss. But to her relief, he kissed her neck. Without even realizing it, her hands did their own job and felt all the muscles of his body until she felt the sword.

She froze. It felt like she was thrown a pail of cold water. 

She scampered away catching her breath.

Gosh, gosh, gosh. 

She really kissed him? As in kissed him? What would he think of her now? That she was an easy to get girl? That she would get any way of kissing him? 

Ugh. Kill me now. 

"Why did you do that?" she asked. 

Did he see her red cheeks? She was sure that she looked like a tomato right now.

Stupid, Terah.

"Like what? Kiss you? I was just practicing if I still could use my kissing skills in kissing." Grabbing anything her hands got, she nearly threw it at him when she saw his condition. He was deathly pale. 

"You okay?" He coughed. Blood. In an instant, she was on his side. No matter where she looked, he was always covered in blood. Blood was flowing on his side. "Did they know this?"

"Apparently not. We thought our body was hidden safe. We were wrong."

"What will you do?"

"Same plan. Awaken them and you." He will surely die. 

"For your information. Before you could do it. You are dead."

"Thank you for your concern," he said with sarcasms. "I can die in peace." She slapped his chest. Hard. He squinted. 

"Here's the thing. Will you promise me you will do whatever it takes for my physical body to wake up?"

"That's what I am planning to do."

"Good. Listen. I will give you another chance. I am asking you to keep your promise."

He nodded.

She will do it. She will heal him even though there's no guarantee she will awaken. Compared to her, a lot of people were waiting for his return. She breathed and closed her eyes.

"What are you planning to do?"

"Helping you live. There's no guarantee I will survive but you have to keep your promise. It's the only thing I want to ask from you."

"You won't survive? Then don't do it. I will live."

"Says the chicken who can fly. Listen, Chet. Just be thankful I am doing this charity."

"For what price?"

"Charity doesn't have a price. Now shut up. I am trying to focus here." She felt his hands on her. She refused to back down. 

"Don’t."

"Yes."

She shut him out and focused on the task. This will be her first time healing a man from another world. Her grandmother warned her from this but her stubbornness would always win. All for charity.

They came from a line of Healers and whoever has them on them on their side will be invincible. No matter how deep the injury, they can heal it. 

Now was the time to thank her genes.

She called the earth elements and asked for their help. 

The air crackled. 

They are responding.

Slowly, they went inside Chet's body and repaired his wound as well as the tissues. They went even to the deepest of his body until he was safe. Thank you, she whispered. 

Suddenly, the magic, that's what she always called it whenever she healed someone secretly, went back to the earth. She sagged.

"You okay, Terah?" She opened her eyes and was met by a pair of chocolate brown eyes. 

She smiled. "It’s your turn to fulfil your promise, Chet. I could die like this."

"You can't die, you hear me?"

How I wish it could be simple. All my energies are drained from the walks until healing him. She could barely lift her hand. 

"Your promise, Chet."

He squeezed her hands. "I will. I promised."

"T-that's good," she said before she took her last breath.