LUCY
Mabilis akong lumabas sa dorm room ko after I arrived at White Empire. Mula sa kinaroroonan ko ay rinig na rinig ko ang mga ingay ng mga studyante na nagmumula sa South Wing. Their shouts and cries are unbearable. Ang mga studyanteng nakakasalubong ko ay mga tumatakbo rin, karamihan sa kanila ay may mga inaalalayang stuyanteng may mga galos.
I ran as fast as I can at habang papalapit ako sa sentro ng gulo ay palakas ng palakas ang mga ingay, parami ng parami ang mga studyanteng nakakasalubong ko na nagkakagulo.
I'm confused, utterly puzzled. What happened? Umatake baa ng Dark Land?
Halos mapatalon ako sa gulat dahil sa ingay na ginawa ng pagbagsak ng isang pader ng building malapit sa'kin.
Napatigil ako sa pagtakbo nang makarating ako sa pinagmumulan ng gulo. The whole place is chaotic. Rattling students are everywhere and most of them are injured. Ang mga puno ay nakatumba na, mga imprastraktura na nagiba.
Hindi nakatakas sa paningin ko ang mga tingin ng mga studyante, staff at mga guro na napapatingin sa gawi ko. All of them are glaring at me like I did something bad. They all looked at me with disgusted and full of hatred.
Puno pa rin ako ng pagkalito habang pinagmamasdan silang lahat. Nalilito sa mga titig nila, sa mga nangyayari.
Why the fuck are they looking at me like that? What did I do wrong? May nagawa ba ako? Are they mad at me because I wasn't present when this chaos happened?
Natigilan ako nang maalala ko ang sinabi ng lalaki kanina. Margarret... that bitch! Anong ginawa niya?!
Muli ako naglakad para hanapin sila Annya sa gitna ng kaguluhang ito. Habang naglalakad ako ay sinasalubong ko ang mga galit nilang titig sa'kin, kulang na lang ay pagtulungan nila akong ilibing sa lupang nilalakaran ko.
Buong field ng South ay magulo, matao at maingay. Malaki ang buong field at napapalibutan ito ng mga building na ngayon ay sira na halos.
That son of a bitch, what did she do?
Napahinto ako sa paglalakad nang makita ko mula sa malayo ang mga puting tela na may tinatakpan. I gaped when I realized that those are bodies. Hindi pa ako nakakabawi sa gulat nang marinig ko ang mga sigawan ng mga tao malayo sa'kin na sinundan ng ingay mula sa bumagsak na malaking bahagi ng gusali na sinundan ulit ng mga sigawan. Mga tili, sigaw at iyak ng lahat.
Nilingon ko ang pinagbagsakan at mula sa kinatatayuan ko ay kitang-kita ko ang mga studyante at mga guro na natatarantang inilalabas ang mga duguan mula sa bumagsak na building. Lahat sila ay tulong-tulong na inilalabas ang mag taong nasa loob ng bumagsak na building. All of them are in haste.
The scene is horrifying. This whole situation is fucking horrifying. Anong nangyari noong wala ako? I was just away for hours? Paanong nauwi sa ganitong gulo ang lahat? Anong ginawa ni Margarret?
"You bitch!" napalingon ako sa pinanggalingan ng pamilyar na boses.
"The boldness of you to show yourself to us!" galit na sigaw ni Dara habang naglalakad papalapit sa akin. Puno ng pagtataka ko siyang tinitigan habang pinapanood siyang pinipigilan nila Annya, they tried to stop her but she still managed to walk towards me.
"Anong nangya—" I was taken aback when she slapped me so fucking hard that I almost lost my balance.
Shit. Napapikit ako dahil sa pamamanhid na naramdaman. Lumikha ng malakas ng ingay ang pagdapo ng palad niya sa pisngi ko na nasisiguro kong narinig ng mga studyante at guro na malapit sa amin.
The unbearable sound of her slapped silenced everyone. Galit ko siyang nilingon nang maibalanse ko ang sarili ko, the pain is still there and I can feel its stinging pain.
"What the fuck?!" She scoffed and look at me insultingly.
"Ikaw pa ang may ganang magalit ngayon?!"
Mula sa likuran niya ay kitang-kita ko na pinipigilan siya ni Eveyth na sugurin ako.
"Dara stop."
"No! She killed our friend, she killed a lot of innocent people! You're a murderer!"
Hindi na ako nakapagsalita sa mga pinagsasabi niya dahil sa pagtataka.
I'm a what?
What did I do?
Maraming estudyante ngayon ang nakatingin samin, mga nanonood at puno ng galit akong tinitingnan and all I can do is just look them back with pure confusion.
Walang namutawing mga salita sa bibig ko, tanging mga titig na puno ng pagkalito lang ang kaya kong ibato sa kanila.
Did Margarret started this mess while using my face, my identity?
Another slap woke me up. Halos mawalan ako ng ulirat sa lakas ng sampal sa'kin. Nilingon ko ang may ari ng palad at halos gumuho ang mundo ko nang salubungin ko ang galit na mga titig ni Tiffany.
Wait... hindi ako ang nasa likod nito...
"W-what..." I tried to mutter a words but I can't articulate any. I am in daze and confused. Gusto kong sabihin sa kanila na hindi ako ang may pakana nito pero ayaw makisama ng bibig at dila ko.
"Sobra ka na." puno ng galit niyang saad. Hindi man sigaw pero ang tatlong salitang yun ay may diin at puno ng galit at poot.
"You're not like this Lucy, what happened to you? Lumaki ba ulo mo sa kapangyarihang meron ka kaya hahamakin mo na lang ang mas mababa sayo? Wake up bitch, the world won't revolve around you just because your powerful and higher than us."
"I... don't know—"
"Mayka was right, what she's saying was right at hindi yun matanggap ng mataas mong ego! You killed her, not just her but all innocent people who witnessed Mayka's death! Oh wait! Hindi lang pala yung mga witness!" Itinuro niya ang mga nagbagsakang gusali. "Ang mga taong casualty rin ng kagagahan mo! You're a murderer. How low can you get just to prove you're higher than us?"
"Tiffany stop!" sigaw ni Eveyth.
"No! White Land accepted you wholeheartedly at ito ang ipapalit mo sa amin? You hid your Dark magic for what reason?! May pinaplano ka ba? The war is coming, are you planning to sell us out? Wala kang tiwala samin kaya mo tinago ang paglabas ng itim mong mahika?!" sunod-sunod niyang pang aakusa.
"If not for Mayka hindi sana namin malalaman na lumabas na pala ang itim mong mahika, you hid it so well and now you fucking used it against her, against us! Tinanggap ka namin ng buo despite of you being a Walter and this is what we get from accepting you? Killing us all just because you snapped?! Dahil sa naapakan namin ang ego mong mas marupok pa sa inaanay na kahoy?! Fuck you for using your dark magic on us?!"
"Tiffany wait let me—"
"I guess Walter is Walter huh... Kahit anong linis namin sayo, kahit pa bihisan ka namin, madumi ka parin. You filthy Walter, sabagay lahat naman kayo pinanganak ng masama, it's your fucking nature right? Kahit anong labang gawin basahan pa rin."
"Hindi ka na sana namin pinasok sa mundong to. You ungrateful bitch. And now you're acting so confused..." she then started mimicking me.
"Holy shit? What happened? Hindi ako ang may gawa nito. I am innocent—blah blah blah blah. Sinong mauuto mo diyan? We all witnessed what you did, wala ng mauuto sa maskara mo, wala ng mauuto sa pag aarteng inosente mo."
"No... it's not me. It was Margarret."
She scoffed and mocked me. "See? Told you!" sigaw niya sa mga nandito.
"Blaming someone? Using the Dark Land's princess as your escape goat?"
Napatingin ako kay Annya nang sabihin niya yun. Puno ng gulat ko siyang tiningnan, pati siya huhusgahan din ako?
"What Lucy? Cat got your tongue? We all know that you have a bad temper pero 'di naman namin aakalain na ganito kalala. We knew you hate Mayka and the other transferees but that doesn't give you the right to kill her and involve innocent people." puno ng galit niyang saad. Her eye are blazing with hatred, anger and disbelief.
"Hindi ako yun! I didn't kill her and those people! Si Margarret yun!"
I heard them all scoffed.
"What did she do? Nagpanggap na ikaw at nagsimulang manggulo dito?" puno ng sarkasmong tanong ni Dara na mabilis kong sinang ayunan. I nodded.
"Inatake niya ako sa bahay namin and then I blacked out. I woke up in the middle of a forest and then—"
"Sinong maniniwala sayo?" napahinto ako sa pagsasalita ng biglang magsalita si Dara.
Her words stopped me from defending myself, her mocking voice, their stares stopped me. Isa-isa kong tiningnan ang mga kaibigan ko, sila Annya, sila Mirko. I looked at them one by one at sa klase ng tingin na binibigay nila sa'kin ang tuluyang nagpaguho ng mundo ko, tuluyang nag pawala ng pag-asang may maniniwala sa'kin.
"Believe me... hindi ako yun." I pleaded.
"We saw what we saw." Yurika said.
Nilingon ko siya.
"You're an impostor." I breathe.
"You're a fake." ulit ko at sinigurado kong rinig na nila ako, ng mga taong nasa paligid ko. Sunod-sunod na bulungan ang narinig ko mula sa mga taong nakatingin sa amin.
Sunod kong nilingon si Ivan at puno ng pang aakusang tinuro.
"Trydor ka."
Sunod kong tinuro si Marru.
"Peke ka." mariin kong saad bago ko tinapunan ng tingin ang lahat na nakatitig sa akin na para bang nawawala na ako sa tamang huwisyo. They all looked at me like I'm a mad man.
"May trydor dito! They set me up! Ivan is one of the traitors! Yurika and Marru are fake, nasa poder ng Dark Land ang totoong Yurika!" I shouted and I can hear desperation on my voice.
I wanted to clear my name. I did not do this.
"They all set me up! Hindi ako ang pumatay kun'di si Margarret, ginawa nila to para sirain ako and I don't know siguro para gantihan ako? I don't know!" I desperately shouted trying to convinced them and make them believe me.
"Ivan is a traitor. I saw it! They abducted Yurika!"
I pointed my fingers again at Ivan who's looking at me with void emotions.
"You're a traitor! You think you can pull me down this way?! No—"
Isang sampal ang nagpahinto sa'kin... sampal mula kay Tiffany.
"Will you stop pointing fingers?! You're nonsense Lucy! What you're saying are nonsense! Stop putting blame to others! Aminin mo na lang ang lahat! We saw what you did with our own eyes!"
"No! Nagsasabi ako ng totoo! Trydor si Ivan at impostor si Yurika at Marru! Can't you see it?!"
Tinapunan ko ng tingin ang mga studyante at gurong nakatingin sa amin.
"Open your eyes! These are the impostors and traitors of White Land!" sigaw ko habang nakaturo kila Ivan, Yurika at Marru.
"You're not making any sense!" sigaw ni Cyrus na nagpatigil sa'kin.
I was taken aback by his shout. This is the first time he shouted, he's a goofy kind of person, a light hearted one but now... all I can see is a Cyrus looking at me full of disappointment.
"Wag mong iputan si Yurika." mariin niyang saad, hinawakan ni Yurika ang braso niya para pakalmahin siya. Gusto kong tumawa sa ginawa ng pekeng Yurika kay Cyrus.
Can't Cyrus see it nor feel that Yurika beside him is an impostor?
Tinitigan ko so Cyrus sa mata.
"Kung kilala mo si Yurika alam mo ang sinasabi ko."
"Stop Lucy, they are not your scapegoat. Alam mo kung ano dapat ang scapegoat mo?"
Nilingon ko si Tiffany dahil sa sinabi niya.
"You being a Walter, it explains it all." she continued.
"Kahit palakihin ka ng maayos, nanalaytay pa rin sa dugo mo ang kasamaan. Walter are born evil. All of you are a curse, a curse to our mankind. Kahit anong linis, bihis, masama at madumi ka pa rin and it fucking took us so long to realize that."
River of tears flooded my cheeks. Kumurap ako ng maraming beses habang sinusubukang intindihin ang pinangagalingan ng galit nila.
I'm their friend for fuck's sake. They should know me better than anyone. No matter how short tempered I am, alam dapat nila na di ko kayang mandamay at pumatay ng inosente. How can they say those words to me like I'm not their friend?
I inhaled deeply. Wala na akong makita, everything went blurry because of the tears coming out from my eyes. Their words hurt me, it fucking hurts me. Hindi ba nila ako kilala? I can't do anything horrible like this, I already learned my mistakes when I snapped at Margarret long time ago.
Hindi ko na mabilang kung ilang beses akong huminga ng malalim habang pinapakalma ang sarili.
I'm fine, Lucy you're fine... You're not a bad person. I'm not.
Why are they judging me so harshly na parang wala kaming pinagsamahan? Na parang hindi ako mahalaga sa kanila? Am I even important to them? Why can they just believe me? Kahit ang pakinggan man lang...
"Hindi ako yun." ulit ko habang umiiyak.
"I didn't kill them."
"Sabihin mo yan sa pamilya ng lahat ng taong pinatay mo." puno ng sarkasmong saad ni Annya.
An explosion caught all our attention. It was so loud that I almost went deaf.
"Dark users are here! They're coming!" sigaw ng isang studyante. Sunod-sunod na pagsabog ang narinig ko, hindi lang sa Academy kundi pati sa ibang distrito.
Puno ng galit akong tiningnan ng mga taong nandito. Lahat ay nagkakagulo na but I remained on my spot as I watched them panicking. Hindi ko alam kung ano ng nangyayari, hindi ko na alam ang gagawin ko, I just remained on my spot watching them fighting. I can't hear anything, tila paraang nag slow-mo lahat, wala akong naririnig na ingay mula sa kanila, their screams are silent to me.
Hindi ko alam kung gaano na ako katagal na nakatayo habang pinapanood sila until I was brought back from my trance.
Explosion after explosion. I was taken aback when an explosion happened near me. Para akong nagising mula sa isang masamang panaginip, nagising sa realidad. Maglalakad na sana ako papalapit sa mga Dark user para tumulong nang bigla akong hindi makagalaw.
Napatingin ako sa paa ko na ngayon ay di ko maigalaw. It went stiff and I can't control it.
What the fuck? Inikot ko ang tingin ko sa buong paligid para hanapin ang taong pumipigil sa'kin pero sobrang gulo ng mga nangyayari para mahanap ko kung sino mang anak ni hudas ang pumipigil sa'kin.
I tried all my best to moved and use all my abilities to get out from my spot but I always failed.
"What now Lucy?!" rinig kong sigaw sa'kin.
"Are you just gonna stand there and watch us?! Heartless!"
Nasa kalagitnaan ako ng pagpupumilit umalis sa enerhiyang pumipigil sa'kin sa pag galaw ng paa ko nang isang babae ang sumulpot sa harapan ko, ilang metro ang distansya sa'kin.
She's wearing a colorful bright long dress contrast to the chaos right now. Nakalugay ang mahabang itim niyang buhok na ngayon ay tinatangay ng hangin. She resembles me of someone, someone that I've longing to kill wholeheartedly since earlier.
"I came here to give my thanks personally." she calmly said.
"You're the queen." I pointed out. "Of Dark Land." Even without a tiara I can feel it, plus she resembles of Margarret.
She chuckled and it added my annoyance.
"Where's my curtsy?" she playfully asked. Tinaasan ko siya ng kulay.
"I don't bow down to anyone. You fucking killed my parent, so why would I fucking respect you?"
Muli siyang tumawa na nagpainis sa'kin.
"I'm not here to relive some memories honey, I came here to say my thanks." kumunot ang noo ko sa sinabi niya.
Instead of feeding my confusion she smiled at me. Isang dragon ang lumapag sa tabi niya and she gracefully climb up to the dragon and then they fly high.
"Thank you for letting us enter to your beloved land Princess! Don't worry we will rule both lands together as I promised!" she shouted and then vanished right after.
What did she say? I let them what? Anong pinagsasabi niya?
"So you fucking sold us?!" rinig kong sigaw nila and then it hit me, it hit me so hard to realize the Queen's intention of showing up.
She framed me up! She's putting all the blame on me! Someone let them enter White Land and they are using me as their scape-fucking-goat!
Putangina mukha ba akong kambing?!
"Walter nga naman! You are all born evil! You should all rot in hell!"
"Don't believe her!" sigaw ko but no one listened. Patuloy sila sa pagsigaw, pang hahamak at pang aakusa sa'kin. They all continued throwing insults on me while I'm here standing helpless.
I'm tired and exhausted. I can't do anything to get out from the force holding me no matter what I do so I just let it. pero kahit na hindi ko maigalaw ang paa ko ay ginagawa ko pa rin lahat makatulong lang sa kanila. I used my powers and abilities to attack Dark users as I am standing, stuck in my place.
They all continue fighting and throw insults on me as I help them dodge some attacks. It hurts to hear their words, to see my situation, to watch some of the student died.
Explosion after explosion, death after death, screams and cries. Hindi ko na alam kung gaano na katagal ang laban, I'm exhausted, so fucking tired, tired from their words from their insults. Insults after insults. I helped them and then receive their mocks at the same time.
I tried to defend myself from their words when I saw a chance but no one dared to listen, not even tried.
"You're a fucking murderer!"
"A traitor!"
"She killed them! She even killed her friend! Merciless!"
"Murderer!"
"Stop the façade Princess! You're busted!"
"She has a Walter blood what do you expect?! You can't expect rainbows and flowers from them!"
Napahinto ako sa pag-atake nang marinig ko ang mga salitang lumabas sa mga bibig nila, mga salitang sobrang pamilyar sa pandinig ko na para bang narinig ko na rati pa.
"She's a Nakahara what do you expect?! They are all born evil, a cursed to both world!"
"A murderer like her should not live!"
"Kill her!"
"You don't belong here! Tangina mo!"
Isa-isa kong pinagmasadan ang mga taong nakikipaglaban sa harapan ko. Hindi ko na namalayan ang luhang kanina pa lumalabas at dumadaosdos sa pisngi ko. I am crying the whole time, mula pa kanina.
Hindi na ako gumalaw pa as the pain started to sink in. Physical pain from the fight, emotional pain from their words, from their never-ending accusations. Sumisikip na ang dibdib ko sa sobrang sakit, this unbearable pain is eating me up, silencing me.
No matter how many times I plead, I defend, I helped, they will all not believe me. Paniniwalaan nila kung anong gusto nilang papaniwalaan. They are already blinded by what they've witnessed, they saw what they saw right?— their words not mine.
Tama na.
"Fall back!" sigaw ng isang Dark user nang makita ang mga ibang paparating pang kawal mula sa 3rd District.
They all shouted fall back consecutively and a minutes after, they all vanished, each and every one of them.
Silence wrapped the whole place, the only sound we can hear are the sound from the falling debris of the buildings. Sunod-sunod na nagsidatingan ang mga White user na mula sa 3rd district, probably people from the defense.
I tried to move a muscle and to my utter surprise, I did. Naigagalaw ko na ang paa ko, nakakaalis na ako sa kinatatayuan ko.
I let out a hallow laugh soon as I realized that those fuckers, probably the Queen of Dark Land kept me rooted on my place to make me look like the bad guy and I did look like one, kanina pa. They planned this, they fucking planned this thoroughly.
I never saw this coming. Putangina ginawa akong kambing ng mga hayop.
My laugh echoed na mas lalong nagpatahimik sa lugar. Tumigil lang ako sa pag tawa nang mapansing lahat sila nakatingin sa'kin.
Now I really looked like the bad guy.
"You have the audacity to laugh?!" rinig kong sigaw ng isang babae. Hinanap siya ng mga mata ko and I found Yurika looking at me full of disgust.
And she had the boldness to act like Yurika?
They want me to look like the bad guy? Fine. What's the point of defending myself when no one bothers to listen anyway? Masakit na ang lalamunan ko, paos na ang boses ko. I can't prove my innocence with this kind of people.
I smiled at Yurika and I saw her gasped.
"Sorry... bawal ba tumawa?"
I'll act like the bad guy then.