'Til Our Next Eclipse

XV

⚜ CHAPTER 15 ⚜

TULOY-tuloy lang ako sa paglalakad patungo sa silangang bahagi ng paaralan. Buo na ang desisyon ko. I will talk to him. Pinagdadasal ko na lang na sana madali lang kausap ang lalakeng iyon.

Ang problema ay hindi ko alam ang idadahilan ko sa kanya. Of course, I can't just order him to take me to the forbidden library. That would be too suspicious.

Perhaps I'll just ask him to tour me around? Then, I'll ask him to go and bring me to the most interesting place in the academy, maybe through that scheme I could eventually mention the forbidden library in a subtle way.

But with that, wouldn't I be too 'feeling close'? I'm basically asking him a favor, which people who are merely acquaintances don't usually do.

Maybe I should befriend him first? Or should I rather head back to come up with a thorough plan first?

Pero ngayon pa ba ako aatras? Kasalukuyan ko nang tinatahak ang isang field na nagtatawid patungong silangan.

This field seems to be a training ground. Meron kasing iba't-ibang klase ng sandata sa isang pwesto, at mga obstacle course sa isa namang pwesto.

There are also students scattered everywhere, minding their own business. I've noticed that all of them are wearing a red cape. Siguro ay hindi nalalayo rito ang silid ng mga nasa Red division.

Habang pinagmamasdan ko sila ay bigla akong napatigil sa paglalakad. I observed the students one by one, and god, how dumb am I to just notice it now?

Ilang beses akong kumurap para kompormahin ang nakikita, pero hindi talaga nagkakamali ang mga mata ko. All the students' faces are the same! Tila iisang tao lang silang lahat. They all have a face of a girl with short light brown hair.

How the hell?

Sa pagkabigla ko ay bigla silang humarap sa akin, all at once!

I froze as a mischievous grin slowly registered on their face.

Slowly, they approached my direction. While I remained hesitant whether to run or to merely not give a damn. Until, it was already too late to run, they have already formed a circle around me. Unfortunately, just by the looks of their grin, they're up to something bad.

Nanatiling nakakunot ang noo ko habang nakatingin sa kanila. Ano bang nangyayari?

Naalerto ako nang sabay-sabay silang sumugod sa akin! All their right fists are aiming to punch me!

I look for an escape but the only way out is through above, so either I jump really high or I fly, which I both cannot do... unless I'll look for a support.

Mahina akong napamura. Wala akong mapagpipilian kundi harapin ang mga sumusugod. Malapit na sila sa akin. Kung hindi ko ito aaksyunan ay paniguradong magkakalasog-lasog ang katawan ko.

And so, my eyes did its thing. I observed the time, distance, and speed of their movement, before calculating everything in my head.

Bingo.

I faced the east, and waited for the right timing.

Three...

I positioned and readied my stance in an attack position.

I clicked my tongue in annoyance. Wala pa akong first day sa klase pero mukhang masasangkot agad ako sa gulo.

Two...

I focused on their fast movements, making sure their speed aren't changing. Dahil isang maling kalkulasyon ko lang ay magiging isang malaking pagkakamali na.