Weirdos I: The Crystal Monster

Chapter 50: Foreshadow

Emerald is famous not only for its Weirdo Course or Magical Mayhem but also from its annual change in decorations which depends on the current celebration. That's why everyone was surprised when the whole school's decoration became spooky with its Halloween theme.

Floating candles filled the hallways. Cobwebs and creepy jack-o'-lanterns were placed in every nook and cranny of all the classrooms. And a swarm of bats will swoop down on you every now and then as you walk along the hallways.

"I wonder why they weren't able to change the decorations yesterday?" Jack asked as we walked through a hallway full of floating jack-o'-lanterns.

"Dunno. But I heard that the headmistress herself is the one who started this tradition," sagot naman ni Faye.

"You know the headmistress..." Jack said with a sigh. "I think she's a bit crazy... Well, all our teachers are a bit crazy..."

Nakarating na rin kami sa room namin para sa History of Magic. Professor Pelez was already waiting for us inside.

"Here we go again with the one hour eulogy," sabi ni Jack sabay salampak sa mesa niya.

Professor Pelez stood up the moment that the bell rang. He slapped the board and a timeline suddenly appeared on it.

"We've already covered the ancient history of magic during the first term. That's why for this term, we are going to advance a bit towards the dark age of Philippine magical history- the 20th and 21st centuries. But we are not going to focus on the general events of that specific timeline. The spotlight belongs to a person named Alfredo Claveria Mangubat-"

"And who the hell is that?" Jack whispered.

"-the eighth holder of the Prime Elemental. He lived during the era of the greatest decline in the progress of magic in this country."

"What the fu-?! Wait, sorry. What?" gulat na tanong ni Jack.

Even some of our classmates muttered to each other. Kahit sina Jack at RB eh napatitig din sa 'kin bigla.

"But sir, excuse me, I learned from high school that the Prime Elemental is only a fictional weirdness. There are elemental hybrids but there has never been any elemental weirdo that can control all five elements," sabi naman ni Aliyah.

Well, about that, kaming lima lang sa grupo namin ang nakakaalam ng totoo kong weirdness. Ang alam kasi ng mga kaklase ko ay hybrid elemental lang ako at hindi Prime Elemental. The headmistress insisted that we should keep my true weirdness a secret for as long as possible.

"I am not saying that the Prime Elemental is a real weirdness, Ms. Intal. We are only basing our discussion on the records and accounts from that time. Sinasabi dito sa libro na si Alfredo Mangubat mismo ang nagsabi na siya ang ika-walong humahawak ng weirdness na iyon kaya paniniwalaan natin ang sinabi niya. But like what I have said earlier, I do not deny nor confirm the existence of the Prime Elemental..."

Sa unang pagkakataon ay nakikinig na ang lahat ng mga kaklase ko sa bawat sinasabi ni Professor Pelez.

"I know that you are all familiar with the two world wars that happened during the early 20th century. History branded those wars as the bloodiest events that happened to mankind. And Alfredo Mangubat played a very important role especially during the World War II..."

"Hindi ba kayo nagtataka kung bakit hindi sinukuan ng Amerika ang Pilipinas nung mga panahon na 'yun? Hindi ba kayo nagtataka kung bakit sinalba ng Amerika ang bansang ito mula sa mga Hapon? Si Alfredo Mangubat ang sagot sa mga tanong na iyon."

"Alfredo Mangubat was a young lad during the World War II. He wanted to join the military to fight for this country but his family forbid him from doing so. In addition, they have also forbidden him from using his powers against anyone," paliwanag ni Professor Pelez.