When a Filipino got Isekai'd with a twist!
Volume 2 Pinoy Isekai!
"Only I can summon those!"
Chapter 19 : in Losing Game!
The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and wildflowers, a stark contrast to the chaos she had just escaped. Serena's heart raced as she tried to piece together the fragments of her memory. The battle, Grath, Lariel, Keriel—everything felt like a distant nightmare.
She pushed herself up, wincing as pain shot through her limbs. The hut was small but cozy, with a flickering fire in the center that cast dancing shadows on the walls. A woven mat made of leaves and vines served as her bed, and a few crude wooden shelves held various herbs and potions.
"Where am I?" she repeated, her voice hoarse.
As she stood, the door creaked open, and a figure stepped inside. It was an elderly woman, her hair a cascade of silver, her eyes sharp and wise. She wore a simple tunic adorned with symbols of nature, and her presence radiated a calming energy.
The elderly woman's eyes locked onto Serena, and a warm smile spread across her face. "Ah, child, you're awake. I've been tending to your wounds. You're safe now." Her voice was soothing, like a gentle breeze on a summer day.
Serena's gaze lingered on the woman, trying to place her. There was something familiar about her, but Serena's memories remained hazy. "Who are you?" Serena asked, her voice still hoarse.
The woman chuckled, her eyes crinkling at the corners. "My name is Anastasia. I've lived in these woods for many years, tending to the plants and animals. You're a warrior, I sense. You've been through a great ordeal."
Serena's eyes widened as Anastasia approached her, her hands weaving intricate patterns in the air. "Let me help you," Anastasia said, her fingers brushing against Serena's temples.
A surge of energy flowed through Serena, and her memories began to resurface. Images of Grath, Lariel, and Keriel flashed through her mind, followed by the chaos of battle. Serena's eyes snapped open, and she stumbled backward, her heart racing.
Anastasia's hands grasped Serena's shoulders, steadying her. "Easy, child. You're safe here. The woods are full of dangers, but this hut is protected. You'll be safe until you're strong enough to face whatever comes next."
Serena's gaze met Anastasia's, searching for answers. "What do you know of what's happening outside these woods?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Anastasia's expression turned grave. "I know the balance is shifting. A demon army is gathering, and the land is trembling. But I also sense that you have a role to play in this, Serena. A role that could determine the fate of many."
As Anastasia spoke, Serena felt a spark within her ignite. She knew she had to find her way, to uncover the truth and face whatever lay ahead. With Anastasia's guidance, perhaps she could find the strength to do so.
Serena's determination surged, and she tried to stand up, but a searing pain shot through her legs, making her wince. She collapsed back onto the woven mat, gritting her teeth.
"I need to get to the kings," Serena said, her voice firm despite the pain. "I have to report about the demon army's new summon. They're manipulating the situation to restart the war early. I won't let that happen."
Anastasia's eyes filled with concern as she gently pressed Serena's shoulders, urging her to lie back down. "You're in no condition to travel, child. Your injuries are severe. You need rest and healing."
Serena's frustration boiled over, but she knew Anastasia was right. She couldn't even stand, let alone ride a horse or walk long distances. "Where am I?" Serena asked, trying to think strategically. "Which kingdom is this? Is it still under the rule of the Eldrid Kingdom or...?"
Anastasia's expression turned thoughtful, and she hesitated before answering. "You are in the borderlands of the Eldrid Kingdom, near the Wysteria Province. This area has been... somewhat isolated from the rest of the kingdom due to its remote location."
Serena's mind whirled with the information. The Wysteria Province was known for its skilled warriors and healers. If she could get to the capital, she might be able to warn the kings and prevent another war. But first, she needed to heal.
Serena's eyes searched Anastasia's face, her mind racing with questions. "How did I get here? How did I end up in this hut?"
Anastasia's expression softened, and she gently stroked Serena's hair. "We found you by the river, child. You were half-drowned, battered, and bruised. Our scouts brought you here, and I've been tending to your wounds ever since."
The river. The memory came flooding back, like a tidal wave crashing against the shore. Serena's eyes widened as she recalled Keriel's desperate face, her eyes locked onto hers as she pushed her into the river. "Go!" Keriel had shouted, dashing forward toward the chameleon, buying time for Serena to escape.
The current had dragged Serena away, tumbling her through the water like a rag doll. She remembered the sensation of being helpless, of being at the mercy of the river's fury.
But it was the image that followed that made her heart constrict with pain and grief. Keriel's head spinning through the air, her eyes wide with shock and terror, as the chameleon's jaws closed around her neck. The creature's wide grin, its eyes gleaming with malevolence, as it hissed, "Your next!"
Serena's breath caught in her throat, and she felt a sob building inside her. She tried to push it back, but it was too late. Tears streamed down her face as she mourned the loss of her friend, her ally, the one person who had stood by her side through thick and thin.
Serena's chest tightened. A whisper of doubt crept into her thoughts, as unwanted as it was. Could I have saved her? The image of Keriel's desperate face before the chameleon lunged haunted her. Was I too slow? Too weak?
She gritted her teeth, forcing the thought away. Keriel had chosen to protect her. Wasting that sacrifice with self-pity would only dishonor her memory.
Anastasia's arms wrapped around her, holding her close as she wept. "Shh, child, it's okay. You're safe now. Cry out your pain, your grief. You're not alone."
Serena's voice trembled with urgency. "I... need to inform the four heroes about this. They need to hear about the chameleon's plans to create a dispute with all the allied nations to weaken us!"
Anastasia's expression was somber, her eyes filled with a deep sadness. "I think they can't hear you this time," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Serena's brow furrowed in concern. "Why? Is there something happening to them?" she asked, her voice laced with worry.
Anastasia's words dropped like a hammer blow, shattering Serena's hopes. "You'd been asleep for weeks, so you don't know what happened in the past days. They were accused of killing the champions of the allied nations."
Serena's eyes widened in horror as Anastasia continued, her voice relentless. "The nations sent their forces to capture them, but the heroes fought back. They managed to hold their own for a while, but the forces were too numerous, too strong. They were forced to flee, but one of them stayed behind to buy the others time."
Anastasia's words hung in the air like a guillotine, ready to fall and sever all hope. "And that one... ended up held captive by the royal knight, Yingston. He's to be executed within five days from now."
Serena's eyes felt like they were about to burst from their sockets, her mind reeling from the weight of Anastasia's words. The heroes, the very people she had trusted to save the world, were on the brink of destruction. The thought was suffocating, crushing her beneath its unyielding weight.
"No," Serena whispered, her voice barely audible. "This can't be happening. Not now, not when we need them most."
Anastasia's face was a mask of sorrow, her eyes filled with a deep empathy. "I'm so sorry, Serena. It seems like the world is conspiring against us."
The room fell silent, the only sound the heavy breathing of the two women. The weight of their situation hung in the air, a palpable force that threatened to consume them whole. Serena felt like she was drowning in a sea of despair, with no lifeline in sight.
Serena's eyes locked onto Anastasia's, a desperate plea burning within them. "There are still those who can help us," she said, her voice trembling with urgency. "Princess Lyra and her grandfather, King Eldrin of the Elvin kingdom. They're beyond the chameleon's influence, I'm sure of it. We can trust them."
Anastasia's expression softened, and she nodded slowly. "I'll send word to the Elvin kingdom immediately," she said, her voice filled with determination.
Serena grasped Anastasia's hands, her grip tight with desperation. "Please, you have to make them understand. The chameleon's plans, the demon army, the heroes being hunted... it's all connected. If we don't act now, it'll be too late. The world will be plunged into darkness, and we'll be powerless to stop it."
Anastasia's eyes filled with a deep understanding, and she nodded again. "I'll make sure they know, Serena. I'll make sure they understand the gravity of the situation. We'll do everything in our power to help the heroes, to overturn the chameleon's plans."
Serena's face contorted with emotion, tears streaming down her cheeks as she begged, "Please, Anastasia, you have to hurry. Every minute counts. The heroes are running out of time, and if we don't act now... if we don't act now, they'll be lost forever."
Anastasia's face was set with determination, her eyes burning with a fierce resolve. "I'll send the message now, Serena. I'll make sure the Elvin kingdom knows what's at stake. We'll do everything we can to save the heroes, to save the world."
Serena's grip on Anastasia's hands tightened, her voice barely above a whisper. "Thank you, Anastasia. Thank you for believing me, for trusting me. I'm counting on you, on the Elvin kingdom. We're running out of time, and I'm running out of hope."
Serena nodded, but something about Anastasia's tone—or maybe the fleeting flicker in her eyes—lingered in her thoughts. For a moment, the elderly woman seemed... distant, like her mind wandered somewhere deeper. Then it was gone, replaced again by the nurturing warmth. Serena blinked, unsure if she imagined it.
"Thank you," she murmured. But a quiet question lodged in the back of her mind: Who exactly are you, Anastasia?
Princess Lyra stood at the window of her chambers, gazing out at the clear blue sky. The sun was shining brightly, casting a warm glow over the lush gardens below. The gentle breeze carried the sweet scent of blooming flowers, a stark contrast to the turmoil brewing in Lyra's heart.
"How are you now, Kieth?" Lyra whispered, her voice barely audible. "I think you're having multiple women there. I wish you were here with us." Her eyes clouded with tears as she thought of the heroes who had gone to investigate the strange occurrences. "I think if you were here, you wouldn't let them die," she murmurs under her breath her voice cracking with emotion.
Her hand drifted over the edge of the desk, resting on a small carved token—a smooth piece of obsidian in the shape of a feather. Sir Aleric had given it to her after their first victory together. She clenched it tightly now, as if willing the strength of that memory to bring him back.
"Sir Aleric, Keriel, Lariel, and Grath... I know you'd blame yourself if you knew about their deaths."
Lyra's gaze drifted back to the sky, her mind racing with doubts. "And I don't believe that Josh and the others could kill innocent people, and the very people who stood beside them. I know someone is behind this," she said, her voice filled with conviction.
Just then, a knock at the door broke the silence. "Come in," Lyra said, without looking away from the window.
The door creaked open, and her grandfather, King Eldrin, stepped closer to her. His soft voice was like a balm to her soul. "My dear, please don't beat yourself like this. Don't blame yourself for not being able to help them that time. If you were there, maybe you'd be one of the dead too. So don't be like this."
Lyra turned her eyes back to the window, watching as clouds slowly crept over the sun, dimming the light. The sky itself seemed to mourn. She reached for a half-unfurled map on the table nearby. Faded ink traced out allied territories, and her fingers stopped over a circle she had drawn days ago—"Last Known Location: Josh and Chris."
Lyra's eyes she saw the concern etched on his face. She knew he was trying to comfort her, but the pain of losing her friends still lingered, a heavy weight in her heart.
The room was dimly lit, with only a few rays of sunlight filtering through the window. The walls were adorned with intricate tapestries, and the furniture was ornate, but Lyra barely noticed. Her mind was elsewhere, lost in thoughts of what could have been.
As she turned back to the window, the sky seemed to darken, as if the very clouds were mourning the loss of the heroes. Lyra's heart ached, and she knew she had to do something, to find out the truth behind their deaths and bring justice to those responsible.
Lyra's face contorted in anguish as she felt the weight of her helplessness bearing down on her. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she thought of her friends, the heroes who had always stood by her side, and now they were scattered, hunted, and one of them was about to meet a cruel fate.
"If only I could do something," she whispered, her voice shaking with despair. "If only I could help them." But she knew she was just a princess, limited by her station and her power. She couldn't even protect the people she cared about.
The thought of Josh and the others, forced to flee for their lives, accused of a crime they didn't commit, was almost too much to bear. And Chris, dear Chris, who had stayed behind to buy his friends time, now faced execution in just a few days.
Lyra's sobs grew louder, more desperate. "If Kieth was here, he knew what to do!" she cried, her heart aching with longing. "I know he'd do everything to prove that the others were innocent. He'd find a way to save them, to clear their names."
She collapsed onto a nearby chair, her body shaking with sobs. Her grandfather, King Eldrin, tried to comfort her, but even his words of wisdom and comfort couldn't ease the pain that had taken hold of her heart.
In that moment, Lyra felt like she was losing everything: her friends, her heroes, her sense of security. The world seemed to be spinning out of control, and she was powerless to stop it. All she could do was cry, and hope that somehow, someway, her friends would be saved.
Lyra wiped her eyes, straightened in her chair, and drew a shaky breath.
"I can't sit here and do nothing," she whispered. "Even if they chain me to this palace, I'll find a way to reach them. I swear it. I'll find the truth... or die trying."
To be continued....