(Mika)
"Why are you living in this place if you have a giant house?"
"Some places are better than others, places hold such memories... And that place has too many memories that could inflict so much pain so we decided to leave and try to move on..."
"Yet it seems like you never moved on, so why not return to that place?"
"Why don't you just find someone else to scare?"
"No can't do, you are the best suitable for my offer. Once you grow more powerful you can finally revive me!"
"I won't do it!"
"Trust me kid, malapit na. I just need to wait for your power to grow, you can't stop me. Even if you can, I'll take your family before you even succeed-"
"Lumayas ka! Don't you dare touch my family-"
"Anak? Binabangungot ka nanaman ba?!"
"Ayos lang po ako ma."
"Sige, umayos ka ng higa para hindi ka bangungutin ulit."
"Don't you dare touch my family!"
"Do not worry, I won't unless you try to get rid of me!".....
*****
Arius's P.O.V
"Argh!!!" Sigaw ko sabay hagis ng folder sa sahig ng sala.
I've been through so many places to find a job pero puro agents ng Bureau of Crafts Management ang mga humaharang saakin, persuading me to join the organization!
It's been a week passed and yuon lang ang nangyayari saakin everyday.
"No luck?" Bungad ng naka tapis na nilalang, galing banyo.
"I thought tutulungan mo ako? You forced me to leave my life behind dahil sa lintik na pagbabanta mo-"
"Shh! I am helping you... Join BCM, they can help you grow your Craft!" Sumulpot nanaman siya biglaan sa tabi ko, putting is fingers in my lips.
"If you said that you are what you are, a Knight that was so powerful in your time... Bakit ko pa kailangang maging member ng BCM? I thought you were powerful and knowledgeable Knight?!" Tulak ko sa kaniya palayo.
I can't stand this monster, I only know a little about him yet it feels like he knows me thoroughly... Is it a good choice to work with a Millennium Soul?!
"I am powerful and all-knowing, I am a Knight that possesses powerful sorcery known to humanity. But letting you be trained under that organization is a better choice than training you myself. Our agreement only focuses on me keeping you safe from the threats of forces that want your Craft while you help me have a long-lasting human body so that I can still have my Craft!" Ngiti niya bago umupo sa couch.
*Sigh*
"And also you agreed to let me study your Craft-" He added.
"Why are you so interested in my Craft anyway? What does make it so different from any other Necro that has the same Art as mine?!" Irita kong sigaw.
"Remember the day we first met? In the grave of your father, the barrier you set was so difficult to dispel. And I've never had any trouble dispelling millions of barriers throughout the centuries I roamed this world as a wandering soul. Now you get me? Necros throughout the unwritten history never heard of this type of barrier-making skill, now... What makes you different from other Necros?" He explained.
That spell was specially created to keep wandering spirits away from the targeted area, my father created that spell and passed it on to me. I figured to use that to keep his fragment- the remaining energies of his mana on his corpse from other Necros who knew him. I can't risk letting others use my father's Craft for their gain. Namuhay kaming tahimik at pananatiliin ko ito kahit sa kamatayan niya!
"Your Craft is so unique and hard to comprehend- complex and something mysterious. That makes you one in a million, a very rare Dark User. And that's why I want to revive the title of King into you-" He added.
"I told you, no! Wala akong balak maging King of Dark Arts, iba na ang panahon ngayon. I will not waste the efforts of my ancestors just for a garbage title!" Putol ko sa kaniya bago pumasok sa loob ng aking kuwarto.
If it wasn't for the Era of Kings, us Dark users wouldn't be able to live peacefully with the Light users. But having the Era of Kings won't just produce a good outcome, the other Kings feared the King of Dark Arts once they finally figured out what we are capable of. They deemed Dark users as children of Demons before, like how humans see people with Gifts as children of Demons. I'm glad I wasn't born at that time with this Art!
*Sigh!* Higa ko sa kama.
It's an exhausting week, kailangan ko pa palang bumili ng mga appliances. I already bought things like personal use, food, and clothing in the past few days. I am slowly getting used to this place, nakapag adjust na rin ako.
If only I could get rid of that monster then I could be at ease!
"Kress? Huwag na huwag kang lalabas ng hindi nagpapaalam!" Sigaw ko ng marinig ang katok sa pintuan ng aking kuwarto.
Bumukas naman ito at naramdaman ko nalamang na pumasok siya sa aking katawan.
Tumingin naman ako sa aking reflection sa sliding glass door ng balcony, umiilaw ang aking noo na may magic circle kung saan pumasok ang kaluluwang binigyan ko ng katawan.
"Kress?" Sambit ko sa kaniyang ngalan.
*Dingdong*
Nabaling naman ang aking attention sa bukas kong pintuan, there's somebody ringing my doorbell, and Kress is not responding.
"Sandali lang!" Sigaw ko ng paulit ulit pang tumunog ang doorbell.
It must be a BCM agent, these stupid people, ilang beses ko ba sila kailangang itaboy ang mga ito?!
"What?!" Sigaw ko pagkabukas ng aking pinto.
Natigilan naman ako ng makitang yung lalaki last week na aking kapitbahay ang nasa pintuan ko.
"He- hello neighbor... Pizza?" Kabadong saad nito.
"S- sorry, please come in." Hawak ko sa aking sentido.
He reluctantly came inside, dahan dahan ko namang sinara ang pintuan at huminga ng maluwag bago sumunod sa sala.
"I'm really sorry, I just had a bad day... Upo ka." Yaya ko sa kaniya sa nagiisang furniture set sa sala, ang coffee table.
"Ayos lang, anyway, binilhan kita ng pagkain para i-welcome sa neighborhood, na late ngalang ako ng isang linggo dahil busy sa work." Ngiti niya habang binubuklat ang pizza box sa coffee table, may milk teas pa siyang kasama.
"T- thanks, but you don't have to." Titig ko sa iba't ibang klaseng slices ng pizza sa iisang box.
"Hindi ko kase alam kung anong prefer mong klase ng pizza at milk tea kaya pinilit kong ilagay nila ang lahat ng klaseng pizza meron sila..." Nahihiyang saad nito.
"Thanks, Rei? Is it Rei?"
"Reimon yes, pero pwede mo naman akong tawaging Rei." Reimond
"Your name is kinda similar to this person I know, I can't call you Rei." Nasabi ko nalang dahil parehas sila ng nickname ni kuya Reigan.
"*Chuckle* And you're Arius..." Tawa niya.
"What type of police are you?" Pagbabago ko ng topic, now I have to entertain this guest.
Well, it's a good thing na may iba naman akong makausap, what is it about this person that made Kress silent?
"I'm not a police, pero oo parang ganun na nga..." Tawa pa niya.
"Then why are you wearing their uniform?" Turo ko sa suot niyang police uniform.
"Hindi pa ba naipapaliwanag sa iyo ng Unit Captain mo?" Ngiti niyang tanong.
"Unit Capta- you mean a Bureau of Crap Management?!" Bigla kong tayo ng ma realize ang ibig niyang sabihin.
"Crafts Management yes, anong Unit Class ka? Intel, Frontline, Force, or Investigation?" Reimon
"What makes you think na tinanggap ko na ang offer nila? Are you sent here by the organization?!"
"I mean, you live here. So automatic na in-assume kong isa kang Craftsman agent ng BCM." Kagat niya sa isang slice ng pizza.
I remembered naman na may iilang agent ng BCM ang nagtatrabaho sa building na ito.
"Isn't this a residential building-"
"Yes, para sa mga agents ng BCM. So anong Unit Class ka nga?" Sipsip niya sa kaniyang inumin.
Now I feel dumber than this person who tried to fit an entire assembled table on a small door...
"So everyone here is a Mage?"
"A Craftsman? Oo?" Hanggang ngayon ay nagtataka parin siya sa reaction ko.
He explained me na lahat ng residents dito ay nagtatrabaho sa BCM dahil BCM mismo ang may ari nito, he expected that I already knew everything here dahil nabalitaan niyang direct recruit ako mula sa isang kilalang Mayor- tito Samuel Geneta, our Mayor back in province.
"So... Wala ka pang Unit?" Reimon
"How many times do I have to say na wala akong balak tanggapin ang recruitment nyo, I have other plans here."
"That's weird, bakit ikaw ang hinahabol ng organization? Normally any living creature with a Gift, dreams on becoming one of our Agents, bakit ikaw parang walang interest sa BCM?" Kagat niya sa huling slice ng pizza.
Sinipsip ko nalang ang aking milk tea at nanahimik.
Bureau of Crafts Management is a very well-known international organization, every Magical Entity wants to be part of it because, in the whole of Unwritten History, this influential and powerful organization was made by the King of Divine Master, the King of Light and Divine Arts/Magic.
That's all I know.
"Kung ano man iyang dahilan mo, hindi ko na pipilitin pang malaman. Anyway... C- can I get your number p- para we can still get in touch, I want to be friends with you!" Saad ni Reimon na nagpablik saakin sa reality.
"Sorry, I don't have a phone."
"Huh?" Reimon.....