HERIN's POV
Two days ago. The first day of the Aetherion Festival.
Kakarating lang namin sa naturang bayan ng Aetherion Kingdom dahil sa isang utos mula sa kaharian namin. We are from the kingdom of the remaining sky island of the Southern Territory, Nimbus Kingdom.
And today is the festival of Aetherion Kingdom.
"MAY NATITIRANG TICKET PA! BILI NA KAYO NITO SA HALAGANG 20 BRONZE COINS! MURA NA!"
"Is there a magic show later?" Maiden asked.
Arcane shrugged while looking around. Hindi namin napansin na ang dami niya palang hawak na pagkain. Since when did he bought all that? "I think so. Maybe at the later hour of this day. Should we buy a ticket?"
Ember also looked around. "Ang dinig ko ay magagaling ang mga aether-user sa kaharian na ito." kinuha niya ang isang pagkain ni Arcane na hinayaan lang siya. "What do you think, Herin?" lingon niya sa akin bago kumain.
Tumingin din ako sa paligid at kunot na kunot ang aking noo. Hindi ako sanay sa maingay na paligid kaya may kaunting pagtataka ako sa mga kasama ko kung bakit kalmado lang sila. We have to be silent all the time back in our kingdom.
"Nah. I'm good. Kayo na lang." tumingin ako sa aking kanan at may napansin.
There are two people gaping at the scene. Hindi naman sila kapansin-pansin lalo na sa kanilang kasuotan na tanging lumang cloak lamang. Pero may naramdaman akong kakaiba sa hangin na pumapalibot sa kanila.
Our Master always told us that we should be wary about those people who emits strange energy.
Lumiwanag ng kaunti ang aking mata para tignan kung isa ba silang aether-user. Naningkit ang aking mata. There is a faint aura. Nawala rin naman ang pagliwanag ng aking mata at inobserbahan sila. Weak aether-users won't be able to notice right away that they are suppressing their aura to leak.
Sumeryoso ang aking mukha. People who do that are up to no good. Nanlaki ang aking mata nang may isang bagay na parang lumabas mula sa gilid ng ulo nung babae. Naningkit ang aking mata at napakurap. My eyes widened when I saw little wings and pointy ears.
That characteristic...!
"No way..." hindi makapaniwala kong bulong.
Isa lang ang nilalang ang may ganoong itsura. "But...I'm not yet sure. Is it really possible?" bulong ko na naman sa aking sarili.
Kumabog ng malakas ang aking puso at pinagpawisan ako ng malamig sa aking batok. Ibinalik ko ang tingin sa dalawang taong iyon at palihim silang minanmanan. I have to confirm it myself.
And I was right. Sinundan ko sila at tinakasan ang aking mga kasama. I can't disclose this information to them yet.
So that little twerp...is really a fairy?
Nagtago ako sa punong sinasandalan ko at napatulala. "That means..." nag-angat ako ng tingin at tumingala sa kalangitan. Ikinuyom ko ang aking kamao at pinigilang lumandas ang luha mula sa pamamasa ng aking mata. I clenched my jaw and I tightly closed my eyes. "Finally...Finally..."
I have to bring the Ravena to our side. Even if it means I have to eliminate the Queen of Fairies.
My members were all looking for me when the sun starts setting. Luckily, there were still remaining tickets for that magic show so I bought tickets for us. Sa huli ay nadismaya lang sila dahil hindi iyon ang aming inaasahan. I also felt dismayed thinking that if watching that silly magic show would give us a glimpse of what aether-users here are capable of. Showing tricks that even a newborn from our kingdom can do? Masyado yatang mataas ang tingin naman sa kaharian na ito.
The next morning, it was a lucky chance to encounter the Queen of Fairies. It seems that it got weakened due to some unknown reasons that's why it was easy to capture her. Pero hindi pa rin maipagkakaila ang intimidasyon na naramdaman ko mula sa kanya. Despite being weakened, her presence itself is enough to suffocate me.
If our Master hadn't trained us, I would die on the spot with this overwhelming presence and energy.
I barely survived even if I was the one who was restricting her movements. It was difficult to keep a straight face.
I am still weak. But next time, for sure, that will never happen again.
Now is the day where I can finally meet the Ravena.
Nakangiti ako magdamag at hindi makapaghintay. Isa lamang kaming panauhin sa akademya na ito pero kinakailangan pa rin naming pumasok sa mga klase nila. Sa kadahilanang makakatulong ito sa kanila para kung sakaling magustuhan namin ang pamamalakad at sistema ng pag-aaral dito ay maaaring bumaba ang mga nasa Nimbus Kingdom para maging estudyante sa paaralang ito.
Nimbus people are prideful. But if they want to be stronger than anybody else, they have to set aside that pride and adapt to new environments.
"The time has come." Ember uttered.
Lumabas na kami ng silid at dumiretso sa field. I was notified by the Ravena yesterday that she will meet us right away. "Ang dali naman niyang utuin." nang-uuyam na komento ni Maiden. "You only asked her to meet us here in the Academy and she immediately agreed?" she continued.
Hinawakan ko ang aking leeg kung saan nandoon ang marka ng reyna ng mga diwata. Hindi nila alam ang kondisyon na pinasok ko kaya ganyan ang kanilang mga komento at opinyon. "This is not her time. She needs to adjust first." sabi ko at tumingin sa gate ng Academy. "Don't underestimate her. If this was her time," tumigil ako at nilingon silang tatlo. "...agreeing to my invitation already means war." seryoso kong sabi. Nagkaroon ng kaunting tensyon kaya ngumiti ako. "But we are not meeting her to wage war. It's a negotiation." makahulugan kong sabi at tinalikuran na sila.
May nabasa akong munting kaguluhan sa kanilang mukha bago ako tumalikod.
That's to be expected. Ang alam lang nila ay nagkaharap kaming dalawa ni Ravena.
My members are giggling and being carefree while we are nearing the gate of the academy. And here I am, having cold sweats while plastering a smile hiding my nervousness.
"The nerve of making my Master wait." natigilan kaming lahat. Tumingin kami sa lugar na pinanggagalingan ng boses na iyon at nakita ang isang lalaki. He is wearing a commoner clothes. Nakatungtong siya sa sanga ng isang puno at matalim ang matang nakatingin sa amin.
Naningkit ang aking mata. "At sino ka naman?"
"Impressive. Good thing I slept last night. I was able to remember that one-winged angel you mentioned." bumaba ang tingin namin sa babaeng lumabas sa kanyang pinagtataguan sa likod ng isang puno na siyang tinutungtungan din nung lalaki. "Mukhang hindi niya nabanggit sa inyo ang isa sa disipolo ko. Seige is a human and she hates humans. Hindi na nakakapagtaka na wala siyang binanggit patungkol sa kanya."
Kumuyom ang kamao ko at nabawasan ang ngiti ko. "Ravena.."
"That's her?" taas-kilay na bulalas ni Maiden. "Our Master always praised her majestic beauty. Ano 'to? Eh mas maganda pa si Master kaysa sa kanya." she scoffed.
"Shut your mouth, Maiden. Kanina pa iyang bunganga mo." sinamaan ko siya ng tingin at kumunot lang ang kanyang noo. "She is our Master's Master. You have to respect her."
"Respect is earned, Herin." she rolled her eyes and I just glared her even more.
"Is this how she trained you? What a disappointment." nang-uuyam na sabi nung lalaking nagngangalang Seige.
"Tama ka naman." hindi ko maiwasang mapalunok nang magsalita si Ravena. Nakatuon ang tingin niya kay Maiden na matapang nitong sinalubong. "Respect is earned. And I also don't have respect to all of you." ibinaling niya ang tingin sa akin. "Saan nagpunta si Rhaiva?" malumanay ang kanyang pananalita pero hindi ako magpapalinlang.
Looks can always be deceiving and if I make a mistake...Who knows? Baka lumipad na lang ang ulo ko sa kung saan.
"Rhaiva?" Ember and Arcane exclaimed.
Ngumiti ako kahit pa kinakabahan na ako. "Alam mo kung saan. Bakit mo pa tinatanong?" tinignan niya lang ako. "I didn't ask you to come here at the academy just to answer you a question you already know, right?"
Pinaningkitan niya ako ng mata. "Hindi ibig sabihin na nagpasya si Rhaiva na tumungo doon ay palalampasin ko na ang ginawa mo." humakbang siya papalapit sa amin at ngayon ay nasinagan ng papalubog na araw ang kanyang mukha. "Are you waging a war, disciple of Elysiana?" malamig niyang tanong.
Her voice sent shivers down to my spine but I kept a straight face. "...No." huminga ako ng malalim. "I am here to make a deal."
"What makes you think that I will entertain your idea?" nang-uuyam niyang sabi.
Tinitigan ko siya bago magsalita. "Elysiana, our Master...she is currently imprisoned at the remaining sky island of the Eastern Territory."
"....At gusto niyong iligtas ko siya?" tumingin siya sa malayo. "The last thing I remembered of her..." ibinalik niya ang tingin sa akin. "...she betrayed me." may dumaang emosyon sa kanyang mata na hindi ko mabasa. "Until I figured out why she betrayed me, your negotiation will have to wait."
That's when I can't finally hold a straight face. Kumunot ang noo ko. "Anong ibig mong sabihin? Master never betrayed you...!"
Bumaba iyong lalaking nagngangalang Seige at tumingin sa amin. "You see...my Master and I have incomplete memories." seryoso nitong sabi. Nanlaki ang aking mata. "Hangga't hindi pa bumabalik ang aming buong memorya ay wala kaming maibibigay na sagot sa inyo."
Ember gasped. "That can't be..."
Akala ko ay magiging madali na maisama siya sa amin pabalik sa Nimbus. Ravena has an incomplete memories!? Damn it!
"Our Master betraying her Master? Imposible." naibulalas na lang ni Arcane.
"So, you are basically useless." napatingin kaming lahat kay Maiden. Namamasa ang kanyang mata kahit kunot na kunot ang kanyang noo.
Doon nagsalubong ang kilay ni Ravena. "Hindi mo ako nirerespeto pero naghahangad kayo ng tulong ko?" ngumiti siya at tumawa ng mahina. "Silly human. If not for your Master, I would have sliced your tongue to keep you from talking again." nagliwanag ang kanyang mata at sumabog ang itinatago nitong aura. Napaluhod kami at hindi namin iyon inaasahan.
"Trespassers and a violent aura." tinignan namin ang bagong dating at tumiim ang bagang ko.
Rune!
Sa hindi maipaliwanag na dahilan ay agarang nawala ang aura na inilalabas ni Ravena. Tinignan ko siya at titig na titig siya kay Rune.
"The two of you..." Rune looked at Ravena and Seige. "You are coming with us to the Dean's Office."