⚜ CHAPTER 14 ⚜
THE library is sectioned according to different subjects and topics. Dahil doon ay mas mapapadaling hanapin ang kailangan mo. There's History Section, Combat Section, Latreíans' Anatomy Section, and bingo! The one I need, Wizardry Section.
"I'll take it from here, Milary."
"Sigurado ka? Okay ka na rito?"
"Yeah, I'm sure, thanks for your help."
"Sige, tawagin mo lang ako kung may kailangan ka."
She left as I immediately walked towards the Wizardry Section.
This library is undeniably cozy—it consists of red bricks, wood materials, stone walls, red carpet, and even a few fireplace—a perfect reading spot for every bookworm. May mga estudyante ring nasa loob at nagbabasa pero bilang lamang sila sa daliri.
Lumapit ako sa isang shelf at nagsimulang pasadahan ng tingin ang mga titulo ng libro.
I am in the Wizardry section. I believe this is the most likely section to publish an information about opening a portal.
The Practice of Levitation, How to Tame Using Spells, Best Spells for Offense, Best Spells for Defense, Must Read: Mastering Spells...
Naabot ko na ang dulo ng estante pero wala pa rin akong nabasang titulong may kinalaman sa portal o lagusan.
Lumipat ako sa susunod na hanay at pinagpatuloy ang paghahanap. Pero katulad ng kanina, bigo pa rin ako sa paghahanap. Hanggang sa may mamataan akong hindi naman konektado sa hinahanap ko, pero nakatawag sa aking pansin.
The Most Dangerous Spells
Without second thoughts, I immediately reached for that book and pulled it out. But to my surprise, it did something beyond my expectation of a simple book— it talked!
"Are you sure you want to read me?"
Sa gulat ay nabitawan ko ang libro. Nakalikha ng tunog ang pagbagsak n'on. Sa kabutihang palad, ako lang ang tao sa parteng ito.
I stared at the fallen book right beside my feet. Did that thing really talk or is my imagination just playing tricks with me?
Yumuko ako para abutin ang libro pero may iba nang kamay ang kumuha roon. Kaagad akong napatunghay sa nagmamay-ari ng kamay na 'yon.
It was a guy with red hair... and a red cape.
Umayos ako ng tayo, kasabay din ng kanyang pagtayo mula sa pagkakayuko.
"Mukhang nagulat ka ng librong 'to." He looked at me and smiled.
Dahil sa pagngiti niya ay napansin ko ang piercing sa kanyang pang-ibabang labi. Meron din siyang piercing sa kanyang pulang kilay, at sa gilid ng butas ng kanyang matangos na ilong.
The piercings suit him since he got the looks. Maputi rin ang balat niya. He looks exactly like those typical bad boys that a lot of girls swoon over.
"The most dangerous spells," he read the title. He grinned and looked at me again. "You wanna learn the most dangerous spells?"
Sandali akong hindi sumagot. Naintriga lang naman ako kaya inabot ko ang librong iyon.
Instead of answering him, binatuhan ko siya ng panibagong tanong na kanina pa bumabagabag sa akin.
"Talaga bang nagsalita ang librong 'yan?"
"Lahat ng libro rito nagsasalita."
Nabigla naman ako sa rebelasyong iyon.
"Paano nangyari iyon?" Hindi ko maiwasang tanong.
"Books here have souls. Nagsasalita sila pero hindi talaga pisikal na nagsasalita. It's like they have telepathy since they communicate through mind. That means, sa utak mo lang narinig ang boses na narinig mo kanina. Kung sino ang may hawak sa libro ang siya lang makakarinig ng kanilang boses."
Oh, wow. Maraming libro sa tirahan namin ni tiya Yda pero wala ni isa roon ang nagsasalita o may kaluluwa.
"Anyway, here you go." Inabot niya sa akin ang libro. "Alora, right?"
Inabot ko muna ang libro saka ako tumingin sa kanya at tumango. Of course, he knew me already.
Ngumiti siya ulit. Masyadong palangiti ang isang 'to.
"I'm Casimir."
"Nice meeting you, Casimir. Thank you for the information."
"My pleasure," Sumandal ito sa shelf nang patagilid 'saka humalukipkip. "So, you love reading, huh?"
Mukhang hahaba pa ang usapan namin na siyang hindi ko hangarin. I still have stuff to do but it'd be rude to just shoo him away.
"More like learning, I love learning new things."
"And you want to learn about the most dangerous spells?" He let out a boyish grin. Hindi ko alam kung nang-aasar ba ang ngiti niya o sadyang ganoon lang talaga siya ngumiti. Akala mo laging may masamang balak.
"Kind of," I shrugged.
Agreeing would be a better resort than admitting that I'm actually looking for a book about portals.
"Hmm... Do you know there's a book about forbidden spells? It's much better and much more interesting than the dangerous spells written on that book."
That caught my attention.
Forbidden spells? Maaaring doon nakalagay ang tungkol sa mga portals! Thinking about it, learning to make a portal isn't recommended to students, since a lot may actually abuse that ability.
Well, as for me, you can't really call my plan 'abuse', I swear I'll just use it once.
"Really? Where can I find it?"
"I told you. It's a book of forbidden spells, so the book itself is also forbidden. We can't access it. It's hidden in the forbidden library, where only chosen students can access."
No, that could be my way out. I have to find that book.
"Who are the chosen students?"
"The students of Gold Division, the so-called royalties and supremecies."
Parang biglang umurong ang determinasyon ko. It's the students with gold capes, the bunch of entitled people.
"Kung may kaibigan o kakilala ka roon ay mapapadali ang pagpasok mo sa forbidden library. But knowing those dogmatic beings, they don't do friends with lower levels."
Mukhang may galit siya sa mga taong iyon, but that's no longer my business.
"So ang tanong, may kakilala ka ba sa kanila?"
Hindi ako nakasagot sa tanong niya.
Kakilala?
I know one... And I've known him for years.
But heck, we're not even friends for me to ask him a favor.
I sighed. "Wala."
Binalik ko ang librong hawak sa pinagkuhaan ko.
"Then wala kang pag-asa."
Nakataas ang isang kilay ko siyang hinarap. "Bakit ikaw, meron?"
"Wait 'til my level gets higher, I'll be in the Gold Division." Kampyansang wika nito.
Nadako ang tingin ko sa kapa niyang kulay pula. Right, one more step higher and he'll be in the Gold Division.
"Goodluck for that then. I gotta go."
Tumalikod na ako at aalis na sana nang pigilan niya ako sa braso. Nakakunot noo akong lumingon sa kanya.
Sinalubong ako ng mukha niyang puno na ng kaseryosohan, malayo sa kaninang hindi nawawalan ng ngiti.
"I need to warn you, Alora. I strongly believe you will be their next guest."
"Next guest?"
Hindi ko alam kung dapat ko bang ikabahala ang pag-iiba niya ng emosyon.
"You see, gumawa ng grupo ang may mga pinakamatataas na lebel sa Red Division. Those people tend to test newbies and transferees for fun, which includes you, by the way."
"At paano ka naman nakasisigurong bibiktimahin nila ako?"
"Because you found a celestial stone. That made everyone think you hold a great amount of power. I'm sure they are challenged by your achievement and that will make them challenge you into a battle."
"Ahh, I get it. If the Gold division has god complex, the Red division has superiority complex. Okay, noted, thank you for the information."
Magugulat pa ba ako? All they care about here is their power and ego.
"Please take this seriously, Alora. I just want you to be ready just in case." Mukha naman siyang sinsero.
The side of my lip twitched in annoyance. Panibagong gulo na naman ba? Nadadagdagan lang ang kagustuhan kong umalis sa paaralang ito. The more I need to find that forbidden book of spells.
Nang hindi nagsasalita, tumalikod na ako kay Casimir at nagsimula nang maglakad paalis.
"Wait! Where are you going?"
Sandali lang akong napatigil sa paglalakad. Napahinga ako nang malalim. Sa huli ay pinili ko na lang na hindi siya sagutin at nagpatuloy na lamang sa paglalakad.
I'm going to the East Wing. I have no other choice. I need to have an access to that forbidden library. And to do that... I'll be needing Zalestine's help.
I have to find him.