IV: Bridges Burned But Never Broken
written last 2019.
31. Should you change your weapon, play first a song of your liking. The Iesus will resonate as you play. Play the music you tune in to when mending your broken heart. The monster was tough, but you are tougher. Remember, you are not alone in this fight.
32. When finished, the throb of the pendant will fade away. Put the flute inside the bag. It is now yours. But remember, you cannot bring it out during the battle should you choose not to use this weapon. If you switch your weapon during the fight, the former creature will reappear once again. Its ashes will build to its original form. This time, it will not spare to destroy you.
33. Pick up the sword. This sword is double-edged, and one strike of this weapon will turn your enemy into stone. Get ready, for the next monster is far more intimidating than the previous one. Breathe deep. You got this.
34. Admire the weapon. You’ll spot the words carved from each edge, “nusquam pons fractus consumptam*.” Read them out loud. The moment you do, the Iesus will shine a bright light.
* The bridge was burnt but never broken.
35. Lightning hits the foot of the bed, yet leaving it unharmed. Shield yourself from the blinding sight. This is the first strike of many. If you do not cover yourself, the force will make you blind, and the enemy will attack while you stand dazed, confused at the bright light.
36. Read the saying eleven more times. For each time you say it out loud, lightning will strike the same spot. Do not stop. If you do, the monster will stab you in the back with excruciating pain. Blood will drip as you realize the horrid mistake you have made. Do not pause until you have repeated the saying for twelve times.
37. The twelfth stroke will appear the strongest and the most blinding. The white light will obscure your vision. Cover your ears to block out the ringing sensation. Close your eyes and breathe deep. Breathe in and out for twelve times. If you do not follow this direction, you will walk in a white endless space, and the buzz will grow stronger, even when you crumble to your knees and beg it to stop.
38. Open your eyes. In front of you is a monster you know too well. Her arms are folded, while her nails are a bright shade of red extending to her thighs. Bright lightning still cracks at the tip of its fingers, but you recognize this creature enough to point your sword at it. The Iesus glows again, but this time the color it shows is a stain of yellow, the color of the sun.
39. Standing before you is a person who has been with you through most of your life, but has been stabbing you in the back. She beams at you, with her nails curling up, and you wince as you remember the screeching sound it makes. Her eyes hold a twinkle of mischief, but you’ve learned that those eyes are not innocent. Her hair remains long and in place, smooth and perfect, but you’re aware of the secrets that lie underneath the demeanor.
40. Your friend smiles endearingly, but you are not fooled. Your gaze stays distant and lifeless, and you have no ounce of love left for this person. You recall how a colleague told you of this rumor she has spread. That you are “a slut, your best friend said it with her own mouth.” After the confrontation, you cut off your connection with her. The bridge has burned. But you never let her stop haunting you.
41. You lift your weapon, and her smile falters. Her smile might show warmth, but the hidden snarl reveals otherwise. Her eyes light up at the problems you have confided in her countless of times, and she implies these are worth gossiping. Her hand crackles with lightning. She points at you, lightning emerging from her nails, and you deflect it with your sword. A loud clashing noise surfaces the moment you clash your sword with the white light, and the words you hear her speak echo through the clacks. “She’s a stuck-up pig who enjoys playing with dirt.”
42. Your anger surges as you listen to what she has said behind your back. Spilled secrets and mocked laughter give fuel to bitterness. Breathe hard. Control your rage. Raise your sword. Ready yourself for the next lightning strike. If you do not control your rage, she will use it to her advantage. She will hit you with lightning, and the force will shoot to the pendant, losing any chance of winning the battle.
43. Defend yourself against the twelve lightning strikes. Each time you defend yourself, take one step forward. She will not notice the slow advances you have been making, and surprise will catch her when you stand face to face. If you do not stride forward, she will continue to strike you until your arms will be too tired to raise your sword, and she will strike your heart. Lightning strikes are never comfortable. And lightning directed to the heart is worse.
44. Each crackle and each clash of the lightning and sword will open your wounds once more. Do not run to her with your rage. You will stumble, and she will blast you with lightning. Do not step back, even if you wobble. She will regard it as a sign of weakness, and she will continue to taunt you just as she had done years ago.
45. Once the twelve lightning attacks pass, her eyes will widen, surprised to see you near her. You will have the chance to express everything you wanted to say. All the hurt, betrayal, and rage, she will receive it from her own venom. The lightning on her fingers will dissolve. Whatever is on your mind, tell her. Hold her accountable for the emotions she has played. Sue her for the lies and gossips she has uttered behind your back. Each word rolling out of your tongue will be as if a sword from your back is being taken out. It will be painful, but you will live without the burden.
46. She will beg for your forgiveness. The beast will go on her knees, with her hands folded, her cries getting louder and desperate with each passing minute. Her nails have shrunk, to the point of being injured. Should you forgive, or should you hold your rage, it is up to you. Only do one thing. Raise the sword and plunge it to her chest. The betrayal of a friend will stab you in the back. Some friendships require bandages to heal. But some are not worth keeping alive for.
47. The monster will gradually turn to stone. Get your sword back, and shades of gray cement will come out of her heart and spread to her body. She will look at you with shock, changing into a sneer of contempt, but you have no care for what she thinks anymore. As she continues to harden, notice the beating of drums. It starts loud, turning softer and softer, until you can no longer hear it. Her blood is on your hands. Grab a towel from your bag and wipe the blood of your friend away. She does not deserve any sympathy.
48. Lightning will strike once more, bringing the bed back to its place and the rock disappearing from it. Clean your sword. It’s time to choose the next weapon.
49. The Iesus has stopped glowing yellow. Let the pendant pick this weapon for the next battle. You will find the weapon it has chosen when the jewelry glows with the glow of blue, the color the sea prides in.
50. The Iesus will glow as your hand wavers to the wand. Pick up the weapon. Your next monster will leave you shook, and you might fail. But remember, you have defeated two monsters. You will beat this one.
