Tale 16
Retribution
"They must be crazy! Kapag nakarating ito kay Lady Amara, they're dead!" inis na saad ni Lyra.. Ang Level 4 Expert mula sa 1st Division na nagFacilitate ng Alchemic Trial of Fire noon nina Amara.
"Master said we must not interfere. This is an issue of the second division." Saad ng kaibigan nya na si Ally., isang Level 4 Expert ng 1st Division.
"Big news! The third and fifth Elders are back with Lady Amara, Sir Lyndon and Lady Ayla!" announce ng isa.. Kasalukuyan silang nasa Common Pavillion, isang lugar sa guild kung saan nagtitipon-tipon ang mga guildmembers mula sa ibat-ibang divisions. This place is created to make sure that everyone in the guild is acquinted with each other despite being in different divisions.
Agad napatayo ang lahat. Pati na din si Lyra..
"Lyra saan ka pupunta?" tanong ni Ally
"Kailangan malaman ni Lady Amara ang nangyari kay Aurio!" Tugon ni Lyra at mabilis na tumakbo kasama ang iba pang mga alchemists ng guild.
Samantala, pagkababa pa lamang nina Amara sa kalesa ay agad silang pinagkaguluhan ng lahat..
"Welcome back!"
"Lady Amara! My love!!"
"Welcome back Lady Amara!"
"Sir Lyndon!!!"
"Kyaaaaah!"
Hindi pinansin ni Amara ang lahat ng ito. Sa totoo lang ay nagtataka sya kung bakit wala ang pinakamalakas na boses na madalas isinisigaw ang kanyang pangalan, ang boses ni Aurio.
"Masters, I will return to the first division." Paalam ni Amara
Agad siniko ni Ayla si Lyndon.. "Bilisan mo! Ayain mo syang sumabay sayo!"
"W-what?" Tanong ng binata
"Tsk.. Sis have a lot of admirers, kapag hindi ka pa kumilos, mauunahan ka nila!" Ayla
Kumunot ang noo ni Lyndon. Hinahangaan nya si Amara, pero masyado itong out of reach at hindi nya naisip ni minsan na pormahan ito. Ayla is a different story, after spending some time with her, he instantly fell. Pero hindi sya makapaniwalang manhid ito to the point na ipagtutulakan sya nito sa ibang babae.. He's speechless.
"Lady Amara! Lady Amara!" isang 13 years old na lalaki ang pilit nakipagsiksikan sa mga tao.
"Lulu!" bati ni Ayla dito, kasama nya ito sa 2nd Division.
Agad ring nakilala ni Amara ang batang lalaki. Ito si Lulu ng second division. Kasabay nya itong nakapasok sa guild noon.
"Lady Amara! There's trouble!" Lulu
"Lady Amara!" it was Khalil of the 3rd division this time, kasabay din sya ni Amara na nakapasok sa guild noon. Kasama nya si Senica na nabibilang din sa 3rd division. Tumingin ito sa 3rd elder.." Master Flint please help us!"
"Lady Amara! Aurio's in trouble!" Even Rexis of the fifth division butted in.. "Master Roland! Its good that you're here! Please help!"
"Aurio??" nagtatakang tanong ni Amara.. "What happened to him?"
"He was kicked out of the guild!" it was Lyra who butt in in the conversation..
"Kicked out?" nagtataka si Master Flint
"What? Why?" tanong ni Ayla. Of course she knew him as well. Aurio is famous in the second division because he is acquinted with Lady Amara of the first division.
"Didn't he just passed the second level of the Alchemic Trial of Fire before we left??" tanong ni Amara
"Yes.. And the second Elder was elated to discover his talent. It was rare for someone who just entered the guild recently to passed the second level after staying in the guild for just a while." Paliwanag ni Khalil
"You're an exception of course." Sabay sabay nilang saad kay Amara
"Anyway, the others werent happy for him." Lulu
"That moron tried the third level of the trial. He failed miserably." Lyra
"The second elder was not angry, just disappointed." Senica
"But something terrible happened after that!" Rexis
"Master Silvan's Fire Controlling Treasure was stolen by someone, and the members of the second division who's jealous of Aurio framed him!" sumbong ni Lulu.. He tried his best to clear Aurio's name. But the second elder wont believe him. He's just a Level 1 Expert, while the others were Level 3s and Level 4s.
"Master Froy of the first division decided not to meddle. Everyone knows that Master Silvan of the second division have a terrible temper." Lyra
"We tried asking for the fourth Elder's help, but since we are not part of his division, he wont help out. It will be troublesome to meddle with second division, that's what the fourth elder said!" sumbong ni Senica
"Master I know it's none of our business. But can you please help Aurio? He is innocent." Tanong ni Khalil sa third Elder, si Master Flint.
"Master you're always on the side of justice, can you please help Aurio?" tanong din ni Rexis kay Master Roland
"Sir Lyndon you are very influencial in the guild. Please help us out." Nahihiyang saad ni Lyra kay Lyndon. She's a huge fan of him.
"Lady Ayla, please help me convince our master! Aurio is really innocent!" Lulu
"Of course!" Ayla
"Lady Amara! You will help us right?" tanong nila
"Of course, he's my friend after all." Casual na saad ni Amara. A flame of anger is dancing within her eyes.
Napalunok naman ang dalawang Master. Hindi pa nakakarating sa guild ang mga nangyari sa Bloodmoon Alchemy Guild sapagkat hindi nais ni Amara na ipaalam sa iba ang balita. Of course, her believers would do as she wish. As for Master Donovan, he wouldn't flaunt his defeat to the world would he? And so, only the two Masters, Lyndon and Ayla knows how monstrous Amara truly is.
"Condolence to the Second Elder." Saad ni Master Flint at agad sumang-ayon si Master Roland.
***
Mabilis na kumalat sa buong guild ang pagbisita ni Amara sa 2nd Division.
"What brought the infamous genius of the first division to this old man's humble place?" nakangiting tanong ng second elder, he was there when Amara passed the Trial of Fire with flying colors. Of course he have a very possitive opinion about her.
"It's about Aurio of the 2nd Division. I heard you kicked him out of the guild. I would like to hear what evidence made you so confident to kicked him out." Kalmadong tanong ni Amara
"Aurio??" nagtatakang tanong ng second elder.. "Well, my disciples Kylie and Mina saw him sneaking out of my laboratory during the night when my Fire Controlling Treasure was stolen. Some of the alchemists of my division said that Kylie would not lie about something like that."
"And you just believe them?" tanong ni Amara
"Yes.. Why not? Kylie is a level 5 Expert. She's allowed to practice pill refining in my lab. She can freely use my Fire Controlling Treasure so there is no need to steal it. Aurio is just a Level 2, he don't have the same priveledge so it's normal that he have that kind of motives. Kylie and Mina witnessed everything.." Tugon ng Second Elder
"Witnesses huh?" Saad ni Eclipse
"Lady Amara, isnt Kylie and Mina the two alchemists that you met at the main building?" Lyra
"Si Kylie yung naakaagaw mo sa job offer ng Bloodmoon Alchemy Guild." Khalil
Nagbuntong hininga si Amara.. "Time to beat up people."
Agad sumunod ang lahat sa kanya.
"You almost meet our creator good brother. You did a good job by shifting the blame.." saad ni Master Flint sabay pat sa balikat ng second elder.
"What are you talking about?" nagtatakang tugon nito
Ibinahagi ng 3rd at 5th Elder ang nalalaman nila.. Agad kinilabutan sa takot ang second elder.
"No matter what Lady Amara do to avenge her friend, we should not meddle." Payo ni Master Roland
Agad namang sumang-ayon ang dalawa.
Samantala, sa Common Pavillion, makikitang masayang nagtatawanan sina Kylie, Mina at iba pa nilang kaibigan sa 2nd Division.
"Oh? Look who's back?" nakangising bati ni Kylie kay Amara
"Kylie! What have you done?" tanong ni Ayla
Hindi sya pinansin ni Kylie... "Amara did you like my surprise? I bet you're really pissed off right now? Hahaha."
Hindi sya pinansin ni Amara.. Sa halip, bumaling ang mga mata nito kay Mina.. "It was your idea right?"
Natigilan si Mina... Paano nito nalaman?
"Hey! I'm talking to you!" sabat ni Kylie
Amara glance at her.. "Shut up. Im already visualizing a duct tape over your mouth."
"......."
"You must be wondering how I figured it out right?" tanong ni Amara kay Mina
Hindi nakatugon si Mina.. Saan sya nagkamali? Paano nalaman ni Amara?
"First of all, this girl is not smart enough to come up with such a plan." Saad ni Amara saka casual na itinuro si Kylie.
"What?!" Kylie
"Second, if you're going to be two-faced, at least make one of them pretty." Amara
Nagsalubong ang mga kilay ni Mina.
"You think you're IQ is enough to scheme against me? You want to anger me by kicking Aurio out of the guild. Then you want me to blame your friend so you wont have to dirty your hands to get rid of her. Killing two birds with one stone? Huh! Pathetic." Amara
"So what?!" sigaw ni Mina.. "You think you can do whatever you want just because you're a genius?! What about people like me who's born with average talents? Are we meant to just accept our fate?"
"Average talents? You are just using that as an excuse to make you feel better. The truth is you just don't work hard enough. You waste your time thinking how to get rid of others. You're just jealous." Amara
"You don't know what it feels like because you're a genius! You don't have to work hard, you had it easy!" Mina
"Easy?" gustong matawa ni Amara.. Ilang libong taon ang iginugol nya para maabot ang level nya ngayon. Easy? How is that easy?
"Do you know where you were wrong? Your solution. If you are born with an average talent, you don't do evil, you work hard to improve yourself." Amara
"Easy for you to say!" Mina
"I know someone born with talent. She was blessed by the heavens. But despite that, she worked hard. She was very diligent with her trainings. She strived to do better. She pursued power to do good things. She wanted to be stronger to protect her friends and those she loves. She saved the world." Saad ni Amara.
"Someone like you who only knows how to do bad things even to your friends, no wonder the gods made you an average person. Otherwise, you would have brought menace to this world." Dagdag pa ni Amara
"You!" inis na sigaw ni Mina
"Stop insulting her!" sabat ni Kylie
"And you. You're really someone with no brain. Some retarded people was dropped on the head when they were a baby, but you were probably thrown at the wall, got ran over, slammed into concrete, and hit by a baseball bat after you were born. Well, I cant blame your parents." Buntong hininga ni Amara
"Amara you're going too far!" Galit na bulyaw ni Kylie
"Why? Don't you think it's unfair that you're allowed to be stupid but Im not allowed to point it out?" Amara
"Grrrr.." Kylie
"You have a backstabbing friend that you keep defending, if not an idiot, then what are you?" Amara
"You're only good at insulting others.." Kylie
"Of course. My favorite hobby is insulting people like you." Amara
"Tsk.. You're truly nasty!" Kylie
"So what? I don't care even if you call me the most evil being to ever exist. But if you ever touch my friends, then be prepared to face retribution." Amara
"You think we're afraid of you?" Mina
Bumaling ang mga mata Amara sa babae.. "You should be. Since you inspire my inner serial killer."
Napalunok ang babae.. Pakiramdam nya isang sinaunang halimaw ang nakatitig sa kanya ngayon.
"I-I just did that because I don't like you." Kinakabahang paliwanag ni Mina
"You don't like me. F*ck off. Problem solved. You didn't have to dragged Aurio into this." Amara
"I-Im really sorry.." kinakabahang saad ni Mina.. Ito ang unang pagkakataon na natakot sya sa isang tao.. Ramdam nya ang pag-agos ng malagkit na pawis sa likod nya.
"Then clean up this mess. I don't want to see your face ever again. Are we clear?" Banta ni Amara
"Y-yes.." kinakabahang tugon ni Mina saka tumakbo papalayo
This time nabaling naman ang mga mata ni Amara kay Kylie.. Biglang pinanlamigan ang babae.
"What? Are you waiting for me to sent you flying away?" Amara
Agad tumakbo ang babae kasunod ang mga kaibigan nito.
"Calm down.. Breath in, breath out." Saad ng isang pulang ibon na bigla na lang lumitaw sa balikat ni Amara.
"It's been a long time since I felt this angry." Kalmadong tugon ni Amara.. There is fury dancing on her eyes.
"It's really rare for you to pick up a little friend. Oh well, I will look for him and bring him back." Amuse na saad ni Damnable saka lumipad papalayo.
Nilingon ni Amara sina Ayla, Lyndon, Lyra at iba pa.. Wala sa sariling napahakbang patalikod ang lahat.
"Thank you." Saad ni Amara
Hindi sila nakapagsalita hanggang sa makaalis ito.
Pakiramdam nila ay isang mapanganib na halimaw ang babae.
A wolf in sheep's clothing.
A monster with a skin of a human being.
~~~~~~~