Afianna's POV
18...19...20...21...22...
I counted as I sliced the monster right in front of me.
Napabuntong hininga ako.
Tila walang katapusan ang ginagawa kong paglaban sa lahat dahil sa parami nang parami ang kanilang bilang.
I am currently fighting serpent wolves, they are monsters that have the body of a wolf, eyes like those of a cat, and a tail of a venomous snake that can kill any person in just a bite.
I can only hear their growling, howling, and the hissing of their tails. I can see hunger in their eyes, and also their saliva drooling right at me.
But I don't have much time stalling for time here.
Naramdaman ko ang pagtalon ng isang wolf sa aking likuran ngunit bago pa man sya makalapit sa akin, I caught it using water bubbles and suffocate it until it died.
Sabay-sabay na sumugod sa akin ang limang serpent wolves while their snake tails were spitting venoms at my direction. Venomous spits rained down on me as they attacked me using their claws and sharp fangs.
Without any more seconds wasted, I let it rain with water arrows straight down to my opponents. I summoned a giant wave that causes the monsters to drown and die on the spot. They were unable to escape and fight back as they struggle to breathe under the water.
Nang matapos ang labang ito, I was bewildered to see the land I am in. It is a barren land. I can see dead trees and an abandoned mine infront of me.
I was unable to look at my surroundings earlier because right after I teleported, I was greeted with gnarling and growling hungry wolves while baring their fangs as they stare at me like I'm some delicious prey.
Habang naglalakad patungo sa abandonadong minahan, inalala ko ang mga nangyari kanina sa dimension na aking ginawa bago pa ako napunta rito.
I was sitting on the roof as I silently gaze at my surroundings. All four season forest have their own village and settlers having their daily life. I looked at Kylo as I saw him gliding over and under the clouds as he happily chirped. There are also fairies and dwarves on my lawn doing their works such as basket weaving and crafting tools needed for this dimension.
I heaved a sigh as I looked at the sky. Things are making me worried. Even though I am powerful enough to pulverized the world, I am still a young lady who worries a lot about the upcoming events that is inevitable to happen. My days here seems like the calm right before the storm.
For the second time I sigh.
"What's with the long face, my dear?"
Nilingon ko ang nagsalita at hindi na nagulat nang makita ko si Andromeda na may dalang isang flower crown na gawa sa rosemary flower atsaka white carnation that complements each other well.
She is wearing a light yellow long tube gown and a thin laced cape dripped around her shoulders. She is also wearing a thin gold chains with a ruby on her forehead while her light brown hair is in half-moon style. And just like the other days, she is not wearing any footwear just golden laces encircling her legs. A Goddess. She really is a Goddess with her ethereal beauty and celestial aura.
She gently put on the flower crown on my head as she genuinely smile at me.
"I know you can do it, my dear." she spoke with her soothing voice. "There is a special reason why I chose you of all people who wished to be like you are now. And, I believe in you." she added as she gently caress my back.
"Thank you." I genuinely smiled at her as she hug me tenderly.
"Now go, your leveling exam is not yet over." She said as she slightly pushes me away. "I will be waiting for you." She said and slowly faded away. And I was transported here inside the battlefield.
Andromeda seems not busy as she keeps on visiting me lately.
I sigh as I walk through the entrance of the mine. Sa lalim ng aking iniisip, hindi ko namalayan na nasa pinaka loob na pala ako ng kweba. Sobrang dilim dito at halos wala kang makita ni isang liwanag.
I cannot just summon a light as everything of my movement is monitored by the school. Gumawa ako ng ilang bula ng tubig at pinalutang ito kahit saan. Dahil may mumunting liwanag na nanggagaling dito, medyo naaninag ko na ang loob ng kweba.
I'm at the dead end of the cave. Sobrang lawak nito at tila isang pugad ng malaking halimaw dahil sa mga hugis nito. May mga iilan ding mga buto ng hayop at tao na nakatambak sa isang sulok ng kweba.
'Seems like a big monster has been living here for decades.' I thought as I roam around the place searching for clues what might the monster be.
Hindi ko pa natapos libutin ang buong kweba ng bumukas ang kisami nito at pumasok ang isang malaki at sobrang itim na dragon bitbit ang dalawang manticore sa mga paa nito. Ang manticore are may mukha ng tao, katawan ng leon, at buntot ng nakakalason.
I don't kung bakit nandito ang dalawang uri ng nilalang na yan kung itong battelfield na ito ay waring ilusyon lamang. Hindi kailanman makakaya ng ilang mages ang paggawa ng isang dragon lalo na ito ay sobrang itim pa.
Sabi sa akin ni Magma noon, never will there be any illusions of dragons even for the next centuries. Sa kadahlanang ang mga dragon ay maituturing mga dyos na nakatira sa mundong ito. It just a plain blasphemy pagnagkataon.
But the real question is, is this truly an illusion battlefield?
Nawala ako sa aking pag-iisip nang maramdaman ang nakakamatay na titig ng dragon.
Tumingin lamang ako sa kanyang mga mata at ganon lang din ang kanyang ginawa sa akin at kalaunay hindi niya ako pinansin at ipinagpatuloy ang ginagawang pagkain sa kanyang mga bihag.
Seems like he will just ignore me kahit anong gawin ko rito.
I roam around his cave and finding nothing but a pila of rocks and a pile of bones. Tila walang ibang pinagkakaabalahan ang dragon na ito kundi ang kumain.
I heaved a sigh and faced him. He is still busy chewing and licking his nails unbothered by my presence.
"Why did you bring me here?" I took up the courage to speak nang mapagtanto kong hindi ito magsasalita.
He stares at me. Deep, intense, and seems like he is reading my inner soul.
"What do you need from me?" Instead of answering my question, he throw another question. His voice is dark and hoarse and mighty. A mythical creature indeed.
Vanilla's POV
Helloo!!
It's been awhile everyone. Hehe
Nandito pala ako ngayon sa tabi ng ilog at kaharap ang isang troll. Maliit siya, kulay dilaw ang kanyang balahibo at katamtaman lamang ang kanyang pagkakayumanggi na balat. Atsaka kumakalahati lamang ang kanyang laki at tangkad sa akin.
"Kailangan mong sagutan ang aking mga katanungan kung gusto mong dumaan sa aking tulay." may galit itong boses na hindi bagay sa kanyang cute kaanyuan.
"Hehehe." I giggled. Hindi ko mapigilan ang aking sarili at napahagikhik na lamang habang nanonood sa kanyang magsalita. He looks so cute yet fierce at the same time.
"Ano ang nakakatawa sa aking sinabi, pangit?" Galit ang tono nito habang siya ay nakapamewang.
'Ang sama naman ng ugali nito. Hindi ako pangit.' I pouted.
"Nothing. Continue with your instructions." I smiled widely at him at hindi na pinagtuonan ng pansin ang kanyang itinawag sa akin.
"May anim akong mga katanungan sa iyo na kailangan mo masagot ng tama. Kung ikaw ay magkamali, doon ka kukunin sa ibaba." Sabi niya pa at itinuro ang nagraragasang ilog 300 meters underneath us.
Napalunok ako.
I definitely don't want to fall.
"First Question." Tinitigan niya ako ng maigi habang siya ay nakapamewang pa rin. "I speak without a mouth and hears without ears. I have no body but I come alive with the winds. What am I?"
I tilted my head by his question. No, it is not a question. It is more like a riddle.
"Ang dali naman niyan." Sabi ko.
Ngunit isang matalas na titig lamang ang aking natanggap mula sa kanya at kunot-noo.
Umayos ako ng tayo at sumagot. "An echo."
Tila na dismaya ang kanyang ekspresyon nang ito'y aking masagutan. Parang gusto naman niya yata akong mahulog sa ilog.
Tsk tsk. Sadly, he chose the wrong opponent.
"Second Question. Ito ay mas mahirap sa aking unang katanungan, pangit kaya maghanda ka. I have cities, but no houses. I have mountains, but no trees. I have water, but no fish. What am I?"
I smiled widely as I let him feel that I know the answer without thinking much to it.
"Obviously, it's a map." I showed him my smug look and again, he looks so disappointed.
Tsk tsk.
"Third Question." mas tumalim ang kanyang titig na tila ito ay gusto na akong patayin. "I am laced twice in eternity and always within sight. What could I be?"
mas dumilim ang kanyang aura at sumama ang kanyang tingin. Shocks. Tila kakatayin niya na ako nang hindi pa natatapos ang larong ito.
"Fourth Question. I promise, I offend, I direct, and I fight. What am I?"
"A hand." I answered as quickly as possible.
"Fifth Question. The person who makes it and the person who buys it have no use for it and the person who uses it never sees it or feels it. What is it?"
Seems like his question is getting dark.
"A coffin." Sabi ko. "Wala bang mahirap na tanong para sa akin, hmmm? Little troll?" dagdag ko pa ngunit agad ko itong pinagsisihan nang magliyab ang kanyang mga balahibo at paunti-unti itong lumaki.
"Little troll?" I said almost like a whisper while seeing his gigantic transformation. For the nth time, I gulped.
Kung kanina ay sobrang cute ng kanyang kaanyuan, ngayon ay natatakot na akong tignan sya. From a cute little troll turned into a gigantic angry monster.
Shit.
"Last Question." His voice turned into a fearsome, dark monster voice that sent shivers down to my spines. His eyes are flaming with anger as he looked at me with so much hostility.
"I am always near, but never far.
I am always around, but never seen.
I am often avoided, but I always catch up.
I am everyone's finale fate.
What.. Am.. I?"
His voice is threatening as I slowly step back.
"Death." my voice is quivering as I look at him with so much fear. I don't want to fall down.
Shit.
Ilang segundo ang lumipas ngunit kahit isa sa amin ay hindi gumalaw at nagsalita. Tanging paghinga, pagpintig ng aking puso, at ragasa lamang ng ilog ang aking naririnig mula sa oras na ito.
'We'll he let me pass? Or will he throw me to the river?' I thought, anxiously.
'Ang bibig mo kasi Vanilla ehh. Ayan tuloy. Gosh.'
Tila nakuhanan ng tinik ang aking lalamunan nang makita kong paunti-unti lumiit ang kanyang katawan.
"Ako ay hindi natutuwa sa iyong pagkapanalo, walang modo na babae. At mas lalong hindj ako natutuwa sa iyang itinawag sa akin. Ngunit, dahil nanalo ka, ikaw ay maaari ng dumaan sa aking ginawang tulay."
I was so relieved by what he said. Agad akong nagpasalamat at tinakbo ang kabilang dulo ng tulay.
Yoko ng makaharap yon. Katakot. Huhu.
Third Person's POV
Within the 11 hours of the battle of survival, a lot of students were eliminated. Somewhere heavily injured and some are traumatised. A lot happened, they were either eaten by a giant crocodile or fallen from the troll bridge unable to answer the question. Some were also barely hanging on such as Grace whose mana is running low, like Gelo and Yeshua whose fighting for their dear lives as they fought together against a giant serpent, or like Carmen whose panting and gasping for air as she hides from the phantom reaper who keeps on pursuing her for how many hours now.
Everyone is fighting for their dear lives as they struggle for survival against the uncertainty of this battlefield.
Afianna, Gemini, Ken, Lance, and Hailey are resting while keeping on guards as they know they are still inside the battlefield.
Napatigil ang lahat at napatingala sa kalangitan nang mapansin ang mga numerong nagpakita sa kanila. Ito ay nagbibilang pababa at ang lahat na naiwan ay alam kung para saan ito.
15...
14...
13...
12...
11...
Lahat ng naiwan ay napahinga ng malalim at tila nabawasan ang tinik sa lalamunan nang makitang paunti-unti nang nauubusan ng oras.
10...
9...
8...
7...
6...
Though some of them are relieved, some are still fighting, hiding and running.
5...
4...
Napapikit ang lahat.
3...
2...
1...
"THAT'S THE END OF THE BATTLE OF SURVIVAL!" the voice of the host boomed around the arena as soon as the survivors were safely transported back to safety.
"CONGRATULATIONS FOR ALL OF THE SURVIVORS!!"
Lahat ay naghiyawan, natutuwa sa lahat ng mga nakapasa sa stage na ito, at nagagalak para sa kanilang mga iniidolo.
All survivors who was injured were quickly taken to the healers and immediately healed them. Those who are just tired are just sitting or standing in beside each other as they wait for further instructions.
"Dear Survivors, you may take a rest for today and later at the midnight will be the start of a new stage. Again, congratulations and may luck still be with you."
Everyone shouted, yelled, and chanted for the survivors.