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CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Hall of Achievers
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YELENA TAYLOR
We arrived.
We rode in the carriage for hours and then entered the grounds of Enchant Academy. Nang pumasok kami sa loob, nag-si-tinginan sa amin ang mga estudyante at nagbubulungan. Mukhang alam na nang buong school kung ano ang ginawa namin.
Nasa gilid ko si Aqualyne nang ngumiti siya sa 'kin. "Don't worry, Yelena."
Nagtungo kami sa left-wing kung nasaan ang office ni Headmistress Amaris. Nakaharang do'n ang eagle na tinawag ni Claude na Galvi no'n. Inutusan siya ni Law na buksan ang pinto ngunit hindi niya ito ginawa.
Law repeated himself, but the result remained the same.
"Baka wala si headmistress," sabi ni Cyclone sabay ngiti ng malaki.
Sinamaan siya ng tingin ni Law kaya't natahimik siya at napayakap kay Flint na iritang-irita sa kanya.
We also thought that the headmistress may not be around. Until we overheard an argument from inside. Nagsisigawan sila kaya't naririnig namin sa labas. Boses 'yon nina Aunt Lucia at Headmistress Amaris.
"Ilang araw mo na akong iniiwasan, Amaris! Wala ka bang plano na sabihin sa akin kung bakit mo pinapunta si Yelena sa mundong ito nang walang pahintulot ko?"
Napatingin ang High-ranked students at si Aqualyne sa akin nang narinig nila ang pangalan ko at mukhang ako ang pinag-uusapan.
"Oh, please! Wala akong dapat i-explain sa'yo! Ginawa ko lang kung ano ang tama para sa akin! Ikaw dapat ang mag-explain kung bakit mo kinukulong si Yelena! The girl is talented and capable of great things!"
"Alam ko 'yon pero naisip mo ba na hindi siya magiging ligtas dito? 'Wag mo kong pangunahan dahil ako ang ina niya!"
"Ano bang kinakatakot mo? Matutunton din siya ni Lord Sephtis at wala ka nang magagawa do'n kahit ikulong mo siya! Ikaw nga ang ina! But there's no way I'm going to let Yelena live as cowardly as you do! Kung nandito siya, hindi niya hahayaan na ikulong mo si Yelena at kung ano ang mga kaya niyang gawin!"
Biglang bumukas ang pinto kaya't napitigil sa Aunt Lucia at Headmistress sa pagtatalo nang makita nila kami. Both of them were surprised.
"How long have you been standing there?" tanong ni Headmistress. Tumingin siya kay Law na may takot sa kanyang mga mata. "If—"
"Quite a long time. But there's nothing to worry, I assure you mom," sagot ni Law.
Worry about what?
Napahawak si Headmistress sa kanyang ulo habang si Auntie nama'y huminga ng malalim.
"Go in your dorms. We'll discuss your punishment later. Now!" Headmistress ordered with stern voice.
Nag-bow kaming lahat at tahimik na lumabas ng office. Bago pa sinara ni Galvi ang pinto, nagtagpo ang tingin namin ni Aunt Lucia. I was right. She was hiding something from me. I could tell from her eyes.
Nang makalayo-layo kami, tumabi sa akin si Cyclone, "Mommy mo si tita— I mean si Ma'am Hyverdale?!"
"Teka, kung gano'n pinsan mo si Gray? Bakit Taylor apelyido mo? Sino tatay mo? Mortal ba?" sunod-sunod na tanong ni Flint sabay tabi sa akin sa kabila. Bale napapagitnaan ako ng kambal.
"Hindi niyo alam?" tanong ni Claude sabay iling. Napailing ang kambal.
It looks like Aunt Lucia never told Gray that I am adopted. She is, in fact, my foster mother and has adopted me legally. But that's all I know. She never told me how I ended up with her and who my parents were or what happened to them. I don't even know where my last name 'Taylor' came from.
I just called her 'Aunt Lucia' even though she insists on being called 'Mom' because I considered her more of a guardian. I'd only call that to my real mother who gave birth to me. Aunt Lucia may have a valid reason why she hid that I'm adopted, so I will play along for her sake.
Pero hindi lang 'yon ang nasa isip ko, ano ang tinatago niya sa akin? Pakiramdam ko na marami siyang tinatago na sikreto tungkol sa aking pagkatao. I find it unfair. Sa lahat ng tao, dapat ako mismo ang nakakaalam kung saan ako nagmula at kung sino ako. Pero parang pinagkakait niya 'yon sa akin.
That's my goal why I came to Animus anyway. To unravel her secrets and know who I really am.
Bumaling ang isip ko sa binanggit ni Headmistress kanina. Tungkol do'n sa matutunton daw ako ni Lord Sephtis kahit ikulong pa ako ni auntie. I wonder what is it all about.
"Who's Lord Sephtis?"
Napatigil sila sa paglalakad sa tanong ko. Nagkatinginan muna sila bago naisipang sagutin ang tanong ko.
"Lord Sephtis is the vilest and most powerful magic user in all Animus. He is the current King of Lystozia. A close and independent kingdom that does not live harmoniously with other kingdoms. They never interacted with them because of a rift that happened in the past. Even in Enchant Academy, there's no single Lystozian who studies here," sagot ni North.
Sumeryoso ang mukha ni Claude. "Lord Sephtis almost succeeded wiping Fantasia off the map 17 years ago. He killed King Harold, my grandfather. He also killed my parents at that time as they try to save me. Lord Sephtis is also responsible for the disappearance of Prince Edward's body and also Princess Selena and their daughter's death."
"Princess Selena's daughter became the Forgotten Princess. Well, she died very young and Fantasia tried to avoid talking about the war 17 years ago, so she got forgotten through time," dagdag ni Gray.
" Other than that, Lystozia cannot be underestimated. They became powerful as Lord Sephtis rose to power. They even have strong generals. The Seven Gates of Deadly Sins." Lumingon si North sa aking direksyon. "Catalina, the Peacock Spirit of Pride, is one of them."
"The higher-ups are worried because of Lystozia's silence. They don't know what they are planning. Bukod pa do'n, may galit si Lord Sephtis kay Aunt Lucia. Walang nakakaalam kung bakit," bulong ni Aqualyne sa akin.
"Stop feeding her with negative information about our world. She just came here in Animus and she's no used to everything yet." Tumingin si Law sa akin at ngumiti. "Don't worry about that matter."
Nang makaabot na kami sa dorm, naghiwalay na kami ng daan nang pumunta sila sa left wing kung nasaan ang boys dorm habang kami ni Aqualyne, nasa right wing.
"Nice meeting you, Yelena!" sabi ni Aqualyne sabay ngiti bago niya isara ang pinto ng dorm niya.
I went ahead and went inside my dorm. Nang makapasok ako sa room ko, agad kong binagsak ang katawan ko sa malambot na kama. Naramdaman ko ang pagod at sakit sa mga injuries na natamo ko nang nilabanan ko si Catalina. Well, I did not expect that I'd be given a chance to fight with Lystozia's general.
Napabalik ako sa imahe nang umalis kami sa Bertha City. Paulit-ulit nila kaming pinasalamatan sa tulong namin. They even insisted on giving us medals even though we tried to tell them it's alright.
Kinuha ko ang medal sa bulsa at nilagay sa shelf na nasa tabi ng higaan ko.
Naalala ko ulit ang ngiti ni Hilda. She told me to visit her again when the vacation comes on. Siyempre wala akong nagawa kundi pumayag.
I was lost in my thoughts until I finally fell asleep.
♔
Maaga ulit akong nagising kaya't nagtungo ako sa library para sa libre kong oras.
I walked through the shelves, finding an interesting book to read. Until I found a spacious area. Binasa ko ang sign na nasa taas.
'Hall of Achievers'
Pumasok ako sa loob at bumungad sa akin ang mga portraits ng iba't-ibang mga estudyante ng Enchant Academy. There are divided by the time they studied here and which level.
May map ng Enchant Academy malapit sa entrance. It seems the Enchant Academy is bigger than I thought. There is another building which is for Elementary Students and the students who already graduated high school and are now studying a specific area. Hindi pwedeng pumunta sa ibang buildings at ang tanging nagkokonekta lamang sa tatlong buildings ay ang library na 'to. May kanya-kanya ding entrance sa bawat building kaya't hindi ko masyadong nakikita ang mga students na nasa ibang lebel.
I explored the hall as it showed me the excellent students who studied here. After a long walk, I finally came across some familiar faces.
Sa Elementary Level Hall, nakita ko ang portrait nina Hunter at North.
In Hunter's portrait, he was still a young boy at that time, with his typical face. His eyes were sharp even then which makes me think that his name suits him well. Binasa ko ang nasa baba:
Prince Hunter Andre Hawthorne of Verania
Jack of all Trades
Magic: Dark magic
A prodigy in using magic and holds vast knowledge in magic and its nature; the most powerful in his grade. He also excels in academics and sports.
He was already the most powerful even in elementary years. Even though he's a jerk, I'm impressed at his achievements.
Lumipat ako sa portrait ni North. He was wearing glasses in his portrait but his angelic smile remained as if nothing changed in this present time.
North Hartford of Mirandelle
Prodigy of Advanced Magic
Magic: Ice Magic, Reflection
The top student who excelled in academics. He has gained advanced knowledge of magic and be able to master Dyogeia Technique despite his young age; provided a role model image in his peers.
I see. Magkapareho sila ni Adri na na-master ang Dyogeia Technique. The technique where you master two magic, as Adri explained. Naglibot-libot ako sa ibang mga section out of curiosity. Nang dumating ako sa High-school Level, nakita ko ang portrait ni Aunt Lucia.
Princess Lucia of Aquiea
The Potions Prodigy
Magic: Negation
She got the highest remark in Potions where she showed knowledge about the area and had invented some herself.
Nakita ko rin ang portraits ni Headmistress Amaris na dating Student Council President at si Ms. Rina na tinawag na Combat Strategist.
Tumawag nang pansin sa akin ang portrait ni Prince Edward of Aquiea. He graduated the same year as Ms. Rina at nabanggit din siya ni Claude. Princess Selena's husband. At isa siya sa mga pinatay ni Lord Sephtis.
He struck some resemblance to the man I met in Bertha City before. The one who saved me from the cyclopes who claimed to be as old as my parents. Edric.
Umiling ako at nagpatuloy.
Naglakad-lakad pa ako sa edge ng hall habang tininitingnan ang ibang mga achievers.
Until I found Princess Selena's portrait.