Lumina Academy: The Golden Hope (Realm Series #1)

Chapter 13: Another Supreme Guardian

Chapter 13: Another Supreme Guardian
 
It’s been one week at medyo maayos na ako while Gen is fully recovered. Unti-unti na ring bumabalik ang lakas niya habang ako naman ay baka matatagalan pa. Right now, we have to visit nurse Mara for our check up. Isang linggo rin kaming nagtiis sa lasa ng gamot pero tila magtatagal pa ang pagtitiis ko.
 
But unlike the past week, parang nanlalmbot pa ako, lalo naman no’ng pinuwersa ko ang sarili ko sa pakikipag-laban sa demons. But I am alright now, however, the black magic is still in my body pero kaunti na lamang ay tuluyan na ‘tong mawawala. That’s why we have to go to infirmary to have check up.
 
Kaya ko naman ng maglakad ng hindi hinihingal. It’s just that, Mimi and Nana forbids me to use any kind of power. Kaya rin pangsamantalang hindi namin kasama sina Tati at ang magkapatid ngayon para daw tuluyan na akong maka-recover like Gen. I felt like I am an ordinary human right now because I can’t use my power but it’s not a problem with me.
 
The academy’s anniversary was cancelled because of what happened kaya hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin alam ng lahat na nandito na si Mimi at Nana. It was cancelled because they found out that there are demons lurking around the academy—waiting to devour every students here kaya inuna nilang puksain ang mga ‘to bago iselebra ang anibersaryo ng akademya.
 
Good thing that their boss—the high rank demon died kaya mga nanghina sila. According to their investigation, the academy’s barrier wasn’t strong anymore. Nanghihina na ang barrier kaya nagawang nakapasok ng demons sa loob at kapag hindi ito nasulusyunan ay manganganib ang bawat estudyante. They are also using a powerful black magic that’s why the academy didn’t found out about them.
 
The demons concealed their presence and hide while waiting for the big boss’ order. Habang ang pinaka-boss nila ay sumanib sa isa sa mga Betas and I forgot that Betas’ name. The big boss wanted to control the most powerful students here in the academy and that’s the prince of fire but it wasn’t successful because I am feeling hero—bida-bida lang, gano’n.
 
Napatingin naman kaming pareho ni Gen sa mga Deltas na patungo sa isa sa mga kaharian at hindi ko alam kung ano ang pakay nila do’n. Kahit si Gen ay hindi rin alam. Isang linggo ng walang pasok at ngayon lang nag-resume ang klase pero hindi pa rin kami pinapasok ni nurse Mara.
 
Nakarating kami sa infirmary at kaagad na hinanap si nurse Mara. Ngunit hindi namin inaasahan na makasasalubong namin ang Alphas. Napatigil kaming pareho habang nakaharap sa isa’t isa. I don’t know what to do or what kaya siniko ko si Gen ng mahina ngunit na pansin pa rin nila ‘yon at lahat sila ay napalingon sa akin ngunit si Gen lang ang pinansin ko.
 
Pasimple ko pang nginuso ang Alphas na nakatitig lang sa amin at tila wala silang balak na magpatuloy. Gen look at me at nilakihan pa ang mata niya. We’re changing glances dahil pareho kaming hindi alam ang gagawin. After the demon incident, ngayon lang namin sila nakita ulit.
 
“Lara! Ingrid!”
 
Tila nakahinga naman kami ng maluwag ng marinig namin ang boses ni nurse Mara kaya mabilis namin siyang nilingon sa kanang bahagi namin. She was approaching us kaya hinarap namin siya. We smiled at her as she smiled back at me and Gen. Huminto siya sa harapan namin bago niya nilingon kung na saan ang Alphas.
 
“Oh, you’re still here!” Nurse Mara said kaya napalingon din kami sa Alphas.
 
“We’re just passing by, nurse Mara,” hindi ko kilala ang may ari ng boses—basta ang mahalaga, alam kong isa siya sa mga Alphas.
 
“I see, Arielle,” nurse Mara said. “Please excuse us with my patients,” she politely said before mentioning us to follow her. Mabilis naman naming pinasadahan ng tingin ang Alphas bago sumunod kay nurse Mara at habang naglalakad ay ramdam ko ang tingin nila. “How’s the new potions that I gave you?” We heard nurse Mara asked.
 
“Awful,” I and Gen answered in unison.
 
Natawa naman si nurse Mara dahil sa sagot namin bago kami tumahimik. May binigay siyang bago naming iinuming gamot at mas gugustuhin ko na lang ang una niyang binigay kaysa yung bago! Mas malala ang atake ng pangalawa, walang halong biro! Kung alam ko lang talaga na ganito ang iinumin kong gamot, sana hindi na ako nagbida-bida!
 
Nurse Mara started checking us at sabi niya ay epektibo naman ang gamot na binigay niya sa amin. Dalawang araw na namin ‘yon tine-take at maganda naman daw ang resulta, ‘yon nga lang, mapanakit ang gamot na binigay niya. Kung hindi lang kami pinilit ni Lia at Tati na inumin ‘yon ay talaga hindi namin iinumin ang gamot na ‘yon, eh!
 
Bakit kasi kailangan pang gano’n ang lasa ng gamot na ‘yon?!
 
“Just like what I am always advising you… you rest and drink your medicine. Even how awful it tastes, you have to drink it,” then she looks at me. “Especially you, Lara. Even your power is fighting the black magic, you still have to drink your medicine for you to regain back your strength,” I only nodded at nurse Mara bago niya ulit kami binigyan ng isang set ng gamot.
 
Kaagad naman kaming umuwi at dahil tanghalian na at wala naman kaming niluto ni Gen ay sa cafeteria kami kumain—pero nagbago ang isip namin at nagluto na lang. Nahihiya daw kasi siya at ewan ko kung bakit. Oh, baka nahihiya sa crush niya? Hmmm… wala namang klase ang Betas dahil may aftershock pa ang nangyari sa kanila.
 
***
 
I am in the guardians’ realm again.
 
Sino namang guardian ko ang nag-summon na sa akin dito? There are many reasons why they will summon me here but I don’t know which one. I look around at this paradise place until I saw from afar that someone was coming—it was Aslan!
 
“Aslan!” I run towards and hug him when I got near him.
 
Pareho kaming natawa bago ko siya binitawan. He’s in normal form—just like an ordinary lion but his size is different from them. Magkasingtangkad lamang kami but when he sat down, he’s no towering over me.
 
“How are you, my dear?” His deep voice lingered in my ears.
 
I smiled at him first while looking into his calm face. “I am now fine—Gen and I are already fine. We just have to rest to regain our strength,” I answered and he smiled a little.
 
“That’s good to hear…” he look far away before he continued talking. “But you know how dangerous it is, right?” He asked calmly while not looking at me.
 
He’s talking about what happened—sa ginawa kong pagsalo ng black magic na dapat sa prinsepe ng apoy ito tatama. “Yes… but you also know my reason, Aslan,” I answered before I sigh. I also look away before smiling—a kind of smile that even I don’t know the meaning of.
 
I heard him laugh a bit kaya mabilis akong napatingin sa kaniya at napanguso. “I don’t think if it’s about everyone’s safety that’s why you sacrificed yourself or it’s because you don’t want him to be hurt,” he said—clearly teasing me. Lalo naman siyang natawa dahil sa itsura ko kaya hindi ko mapigilang samaan siya ng tingin. “Which one your reason, my dear?” He asked after he sobered up from laughing while still teasing me.
 
“Aslan!” He laughed again kaya napanguso na lamang ako.
 
“What? It’s just a harmless question. Why can’t you answer it?” He asked again while now smirking at me.
 
Nginusuan ko lang siya at hindi na siya sinagot pa. “Did you just summoned me here to tease me?” Nakasimangot kong tanong na ikinatawa na naman niya.
 
Happy yarn?
 
“Hmmm… you could say that,” he answered and I can help but stomp my feet on the ground. “Okay, let’s get to our real business here,” he said when he stopped laughing. He cleared his throat while still looking at me. “I know that you and Ingrid still haven’t regained your strength yet but I have to give you a mission…” I got intrigued because of what I heard from him.
 
A mission?
 
“What… mission?” I asked while frowning.
 
He became serious at bigla namang tumibok ng mabilis ang puso ko. “As you can see, your guardians are seven—which are us. Ajax, Zephyr, Sarafina, Penelope, Nixie, Arang, and I…” he look away again before I saw his soft smile. “There is a reason why we became your guardians… we became your guardian for a reason and that’s what the deities’ wants…” I frown because of what he said.
 
“Why… the deities want you to be my guardians?” I asked while feeling honored because they are the deities themselves!
 
His smile remains before looking back at me. “You will know that reason soon, for now, we have to prioritize something,” he answered and I look at him flatly which made him chuckle.
 
“Hindi mo na lang sana sinabi… hindi ako makakatulog niyan,” saad ko bago ngumuso sa kaniya na ikina-tawa na naman.
 
“Silly…” he sighs before looking somewhere again. “Don’t you know that we’re originally eight?” He said and my eyes widened. He smile like he was reminiscing something. “We supposed to be eight—your guardians supposed to be eight but before we could even turn to be your guardians… he just vanishes…” he sighs heavily and I can feel his sadness.
 
Nalulungkot siya… kaya naman hindi ko rin mapigilang malungkot at niyakap siya. Narinig ko naman ang pagtawa niya ng mahina bago ibinaba ang ulo—his way to hug me back. Aslan is the calmness guardian that I have next to Ajax. You can not see any emotion in him but calmness. That’s why seeing him like this, I know that he’s deeply sad and… hurt.
 
They are good friends…
 
This is the first that I have heard that they are supposed to be eight… I wonder why did he vanish. “Is the mission that you will give me is connected with him…?” I softly asked before I felt him nod. Dahil sa sagot niya ay napabitaw ako sa kaniya at tinignan siya ng nagtataka.
 
“We can not revive him anymore… only the goddess of hope can do that,” lalo akong nagtaka dahil sa sinabi na. Goddess of hope…? He smiled at me. “Before he vanished, he told us that one day, we will feel his weapon… it will just appear somewhere,” saad niya at tila nakuha ko na ang gusto niyang iparating.
 
“You want me to look for that weapon?” I asked and he nodded.
 
“We would feel it—I could feel his weapon somewhere but I can’t point out where,” aniya kaya napaisip naman ako.
 
My guardians—every guardian has their own weapons that they will gift to their summoner. They will train them to wield their weapons before it will be officially theirs. There is a process claiming your guardians, same does with the weapon that your guardians will give you and I’ve done that a long time ago.
 
“How can I find it? I mean, how can I determine if it is his weapon or not?” Nagtataka akong tanong.
 
Wala naman akong kakayahan na malaman lahat, ‘no! They are maybe my guardians and I can maybe use their powers too but just how can I do that?! Will he describe it or what? Wala bang picture? Pero naman ko naman hahanapin? Eh, ang laki ng lugar na ‘to!
 
“Relax, dear…” he smiled unknowingly kaya lalong kumunot ang nuo ko. “You will know whether it is his weapon or not… and maybe we can feel his weapon nearby but we will never point out where it was,” mas lalo akong nataka. Hindi pa kasi niya ako diretsohin, eh! “It is only you who can find it…” saad niya habang nakangiti pa rin ng makahulugan.
 
“How can I do that?” I asked at hindi ko talaga nahahanap kung paano ko ‘yon magagawa.
 
“Simple…” I waited until he spoke again. “Because you are Lorelei…”
 
***
 
I don’t know… as long as I can remember, we are all peacefully sleeping because that’s the side effect of the medicine that we took. Pero ngayon, namalayan ko na lamang na tumatakbo kami—no, I was being drag by Tati, Lia, at Gen! I don’t know where we are heading to and I can’t even protest because it is three versus one!
 
I noticed that we are all wearing black suit while our hair is in different styles. They are all braided but different styles—ang kay Gen ay nakahati sa dalawa at naka-braid, habang isa naman at buo ang kay Tati at ako ang naiiba sa kanila dahil nakalugay lamang ang mahaba kong buhok.
 
Pare-parehas kami ng suot pero hindi ko talaga alam kung saan kami pupunta! “Saan ba tayo pupunta?!” Gabi na kaya ang tahimik ng akademya dahil na rin sa wala namang ganap.
 
There are patrollers but I know that Tati used her power again and Lia stayed in her form kahit pwede naman daw siyang lumaki katulad na lamang ng kay Tati but she chose to stay that way. I am still confused and I am demanding an answer right away!
 
Merlia was beside me and she was the one who answered me. “We’re going to Dark Valley, Lars. We have to save someone,” nagtaka ako dahil sa sinabi niya.
 
Tumigil kami sa tapat ng isang malaking puno kaya hinarap ko si Merlia at tinanong siya. “Who?” I look at Tati when I saw that there’s white mist coming out from her hands habang nakatutok sa katawan ng puno.
 
“The Deltas were attacked by rebellions earlier and they abducted half of them. It is their revenge because of what we did to the demons that we killed. For sure, in no one, they will kill those poor students,” she explained at napa-hinga na lamang ako ng malalim.
 
Hindi na ako nagsalita pa at tumingin na lamang kay Tati ngunit tila gusto ko na lamang umatras ng may lumitaw sa tawan ng puno. A black hole—a portal. Teka, ‘wag nilang sasabihin sa aking papasok kami diyan?!
 
Habang nakatulala ay biglang nagsalita si Gen ng pautal-utal. “A-Ah… Titiana? S-Sure ka bang diyan tayo p-papasok?” Ramdam ko ang kaba niya habang ngtatanong. Mukhang ayaw niya ring pumasok sa portal na ‘yan katulad ko.
 
Not again…
 
“This is the only way, ladies,” she answered hanggang sa namalayan na lamang namin na nasa loob na kami.
 
Impit namang napatili si Gen habang ako ay pinipigilan ko ang sarili na mapatili. I closed my eyes while stopping myself from vomiting. Why this have to be like this?! I waited until I no longer feel dizzy and when I opened my eyes, napaupo na lamang kaming pareho ni Gen.
 
Naiiyak ako—kami ni Gen at pareho pang napahawak sa ulo. As far as I can remember, I am just sleeping then now, this?! Wala ba talagang ibang paraan para mapuntahan ang lugar na ‘to?
 
“Hinding-hindi na talaga ako papasok sa portal!” Saad ni Gen na nakaupo sa tabi ko.
 
“You’ll get used to it someday, Ing,” Tati said and chuckled.
 
Bumuntong-hininga naman ako bago napailing. Maya-maya pa ay tumayo na ako ng mawala na ang hilo ko bago inilibot ang paningin sa paligid. This is place is nothing but darkness. There are trees but they look like skeletons for me. This place is shouting danger, even the cold breeze telling me that. For sure, there are lots of monsters everywhere here.
 
I am afraid of darkness… but my fear has to space here right now. We have to help someone… we have to save the Deltas that were abducted by the rebellions. Dapat na kaming kumilos bago pa mahuli ang lahat.
 
“Hey, stand up, Ingrid,” rinig kong sabi ni Titiana kay Gen kaya napatingin ako sa kanila.
 
Natawa naman ako dahil pilit na tinatayo ni Titiana si Gen at si Gen naman ay ayaw pang tumayo. Mabilis akong naka-recover pero si Gen ay hindi pa pero wala kaming panahon para magtagal pa dito.
 
“Ah, gano’n? Ayaw mong tumayo, ha?” Sabi ni Titiana gamit ang nagbabantang tono na kaagad naman ikinatayo ni Gen.
 
“Iiiiiihh! Nahihilo pa ako, iiiih!” Maktol niya at ngumuso pa.
 
“Do you need my help, Ing?” It was Merlia na nasa balikat ko na ngayon.
 
Tumango naman si Gen kaya naman lumipad patungo si Lia sa kaniya. While they are doing their business, I faced Tati na malayo ang tingin. “Do we have any plans?” I asked before looking at my surroundings.
 
This is my first time stepping my feet here in Dark Valley. Naririnig ko lang ang kwento ng lugar na ‘to kina Mimi at Nana. This place is where the rebellions reside and also many kinds of monsters that are under the god of darkness’ care. This place is totally dangerous.
 
“We don’t have any exact plan, Lars. We just have to help and save Deltas,” tumango-tango naman ako dahil sa sagot niya.
 
“Where’s their dungeon?” I asked again and I saw that Gen and Lia are done.
 
“There kingdom is in the left wing while their dungeon is in the right wing and we will got there,” hindi na ako sumagot o nagtanong pa hanggang sa maging handa na ang lahat.
 
“How can we bring back the strong barrier of the academy?” Gen asked while we are walking carefully.
 
Baka may ahas dito!
 
“Faculty members, the royalties, and councils can make another barrier for the academy but it wasn’t strong as the original one. The original one will only be strengthened again once the chosen leader of the deities came back,” she answered, and Gen and I both frown while Lia is on my shoulder.
 
“Is that… Mimi?” I asked reluctantly.
 
She nodded at me and said, “Yes, she is. She may be in the academy now but there’s still a process to strengthen the barrier and she needed the help of the other chosen leader of every institution,” she explained at natahimik naman ako.
 
Aren’t they the kings and queens?
 
I breathe heavily and just focus on walking. Whatever the reason why Mimi hasn’t made a move to strengthen the barrier, only she knows her reason. All I have to do is to support her no matter what happens.
 
Ngunit habang naglalakad kami ay may naramdaman kaming isang presenya—hindi presensya ng isang imortal kung ‘di isang nilalang—a monster? “Be alert. Don’t let your guards down,” wika ko sa dalawa, and with that, may sumugod sa aming dalawang minotaur na naglalakihan.
 
Dugo-dugo pa ang kamay nito at mukhang nagugutom na. Bigla namang sumugod sa akin ang isa at ang isa naman ay kila Gen at Titiana. Lumipad sa kung saan si Merlia habang ako naman ay nilabas ang weapons na binigay sa akin ng guardians ko. A weapon that changing into different weapon every time I please and want.
 
Tinaas ng minotaur ang kamay niya at kakalmutin na sana ako pero nakaiwas ako. Iwas lang ako ng iwas hanggang sa sumigaw ang minotaur sa inis dahil hindi niya ako mahabol, pero ang sigaw niyang iyon ay dahilan upang sumakit ang tenga ko.
 
Did Titiana forget that Gen and I still need to rest?!
 
Dahil sa pagsigaw nito ay siya namang nabulabog ang mga natutulog na uwak. The minotaur attack me again and when I look at him, may dala itong malaking puno at naghanda na siyang ihampas sa akin kaya inihanda ko naman ang espada ko then I sliced it in the air and golden light came out and it is coming to the minotaur’s direction.
 
Nahati sa dalawa ang katawan niya kasama ang punong hawak niya kanina at bigla na lang ito naging abo at inilipad ng hangin. Napatingin naman ako sa dalawa at katatapos lang din nilang mapatay ang minotaur. Medyo hinihingal ako at buti na lamang at hindi gano’n kalakas ang nakalaban namin.
 
“Let’s go. Baka may sumugod na naman sa atin,” pagyaya ni Titiana kaya lumakad na kami ulit.
 
Lia came back to sitting in my shoulder and good thing that she’s fine—we are all fine. Habang naglalakad ay pinakikiramdaman namin ang paligid at maya-maya pa ay huminto sa paglalakad si Titiana kaya napahinto din kami. Nang ilibot ko ang paningin ko ay nakikita ko sa malayo ang palasyo ng mga rebellion.
 
Two minotaurs are enough!
 
“What’s the matter, Titiana?” Rinig kong tanong ni Gen.
 
“There are numbers of armies… even monsters,” Tati answered and I nodded.
 
From where we’re we could see a lot of rebellions and monsters na nagbabantay sa kanilang kaharian. And when I turn my eyes in the right wing, gano’n din kaya bumuntong-hininga na lamang ako. I can’t believe that there are numbers of elementalists that became rebellions.
 
“We should finish this job in silence,” I said and they nodded.
 
We couldn’t alert these enemies or else, we will end up in their dungeon too. Buti nga at bukod sa minotaur na nakaharap namin ay wala na kaming ibang nakasalubong pa. Wala rin kaming maramdaman na kalaban na malapit sa amin kaya hindi pa kami nahuhuli.
 
“Remember, this is their territory… we have to be careful,” Tati reminded us and we all nodded.
 
Mabilis ang aming galaw—we are like assassins or ninjas or whatever. We did our best not to alert the enemies until we reached the dungeon. Ang kailangan lang naming gawin ay ang makapasok sa loob. We hide are presence kaya hindi pa nila kami natutuklasan.
 
“How can we enter if the guards are all alert?” Bulong ni Gen habang pinagmamasdan ang mga kalaban.
 
“Simple…” we both look at Lia and we saw her smiling in my shoulder. Hindi siya pwedeng lumipad dahil nagliliwanag siya lalo at baka mapansin pa siya ng mga kalaban. She’s sitting in my shoulder and she’s using my hair to hide herself.
 
“How?” We asked in unison.
 
Hindi siya sumagot at bigla na lamang pina-ikot ang kamay sa ere—sa tapat ng mga nagbabantay at ang maliit niyang kamay ay mayroong lumalabas na gold glittery mist—her pixie dust. Tumingin naman kami sa mga nagbabantay at napansin naming natigilan sila at sabay-sabay pang napahawak sa kanilang mga ulo na tila nahihilo.
 
“What the…” hindi matuloy ni Gen ang sasabihin habang nakatingin siya sa mga kalaban.
 
“They are feeling dizzy—like they are drunk, so, let’s go before it’s too late,” Lia said kaya naman mabilis kaming gumalaw papasok sa loob.
 
Even the guards inside are affected with Lia’s power kaya madali namin silang natakasan. We run without sounds and we are just following Titiana. Hindi na ginamit ni Lia ang kaniyang kapangyarihan kaya sa tuwing mayroong mga kawal ay nagtatago kami.
 
Merlia has this hidden power, huh?
 
***