The Spirit Martial

Spirit 06

"Welcome to Mainland Agartha!" the soldier said as he opened the door.

My eyes widened when I saw what the mainland looked like. There were many people everywhere. Ang lalaki ng buildings at may mga nagliliparang kotse at barko sa itaas. They even have dogs and cats too but the most peculiar thing I noticed is how the buildings were arranged. Napakadisiplinado ng mga tao dito. Wala talagang mga stalls na nakaharang sa daan hindi kagaya sa mundo ko dati. Pag sinabing no vendors allowed, mayroon pa rin. Nakakapanibago rito.

"Your Highness, I have come to get you," a man with a beard, maybe in his 30s approached us and he bowed to Kailani. I glanced at him and he smiled as if he saw his father. He tapped the man's shoulder and it stood back up. Niyakap niya ito at nagulat ako. Usually, royalties have this off attitude hindi ba?

"I told you to call me by my name Uncle Jacob," he said with a smile at bumitaw sa yakap.

"Pero driver lang po ako," he reasoned out.

"It doesn't matter," he replied at inayos niya ang suot nitong kwelyo. "Kumain ka na? It's been a year!" he added at napangiti na lang ang lalaki.

"Kumain na po," he answered at napatingin sa akin. Napalunok ako at napaatras ng konti. Anong gagawin niya sa akin? Pababalikin niya ba ako sa isla? Ihuhulog niya ba ako sa tubig? Wala naman akong planong saktan si Kailani kaya huwag naman sana.

"He's my new friend. He's from the island and we're compatible," Kailani said with a smile and his eyes widened.

"Compatible?! Ibig sabihin makakapasok ka na sa pangarap mong school?!" he exclaimed with a smile. Well, I did not expect that reaction. He looked more like a father rather than a driver. I wonder if there is a story behind this relationship.

"Opo! All this time, akala ko wala po talaga akong makikita pero nakita ko po siya!" he excitedly said. Right, I've been hearing the word compatible since we met. I didn't even understand its purpose.

"Um," singit ko at napatingin sila sa akin. "I'm sorry for asking this pero ... wala po talaga akong idea kung anong klaseng buhay itong pinasok ko ngayon? Sumama lang po talaga ako," I said with a calm voice but I'm literally panicking inside.

"It will be a long talk. I'll explain everything to you sa bahay," Kailani said and the driver went inside the carriage. How ironic, there are cars here pero carriage yung gamit namin?

Pumasok kaming dalawa sa carriage at tumakbo ito. I peeked through the windows and noticed how the people stood at the side of the streets, just standing- waiting for this carriage to pass by. Now that I notice that, I did see some cars above but I didn't see any cars in the streets. Kami lang ata.

"Where are the other carriages?" I asked at napatingin kay Kailani na nakatingin rin sa labas.

"Carriages aren't for all. In this land, carriages are for royal bloods. Sabi nga sa libro, horses are messengers and guardians of Gods kaya tanging mga royal blood lang ang pwedeng gumamit nito. It's quite unfair right?" he replied.

"So basically the streets here are for royalties who are in carriages?" I asked.

"Precisely." he replied at napatingin sa akin. "Although it changed now, carriages are for royalties and for the top 3 families," he added at kumunot ang noo ko.

"Top 3 families?" I asked.

"I'll explain the details later but yes, they exist. Your spirit is a plant poison, right?" he asked and I nodded. "According to books, it belonged to the weakest but rarest family- Botanica. Personally, I think the Botanica Family is not weak. How can a weak person apply poison and can do healing at the same time, right? Yet they describe it as weak. Such a shame." he said with a frown.

"Well, I think the book might be telling the truth. We can't attack like the others." I replied at ngumiti siya.

"They can if they will," he said. "You can use your vines to form objects you can use to attack," he added at natauhan ako. He's right. I've never done that but it's possible.

"You seem fond of our family. Is there any specific reason for that?" I asked.

"Nothing really," he replied at tumingin ulit sa labas. "I just find Botanica underrated. The rarest family that anyone could see and yet I have it as my compatible partner." he said at napangiti siya. Again with the word compatible, ano ba talagang meron diyan?

The carriage stop at bumukas ang pinto. Nagulat ako pero hindi ko pinahalata kasi lumabas na ng kusa si Kailani kaya wala akong choice kung hindi sumunod. My jaw dropped when I saw a huge house- or should I say mansion in front of me. I've never seen such big and spacious house before. Based on the designs, I can tell that it is inspired by Renaissance Period.

"I don't live in a castle but I live here," he said pero hindi na ako nag reklamo. This is more than enough!

"This is majestic," I said as I looked around. Huge trees. Many workers are around. Colorful flowers. Gigantic fountains. Just wow. As expected from a royalty.

The carriage went on at naiwan kaming dalawa. Nauna siyang mag lakad kaya sumunod kaagad ako kasi pag nawala ako dito, ewan ko ba kung mahahanap ko pa ang exit. Napakalaki ng bahay na ito. Pumasok kami sa baha at sinalubong kami ng mga maids at butlers. Hindi lang iyan, the grand staircase was mesmerizing. I've read this once in manga and in books pero makita ito ng harap-harapan? Grabe na ito.

Sinundan ko lang talaga siyang maglakad kahit maraming rooms na ang dinadaanan namin. Tumigil kami sa isang malaking pinto and he pushed it. When it opened, bumungad sa akin ang napakalaking kwarto na puno ng mga golden ornaments at ang laki ng higaan. Kasya ata dalawang pamilya doon.  The door shut at umupo siya sa bakanteng upuan kaya umupo na rin ako sa upuan na nasa harap niya lang. I glanced back at the bed and saw a painting above it. It must be him. Kailani wearing some royal clothes with a small crown. It suits him.

"So," he said at napatingin ako sa kanya. "Ask some questions and I'll answer them with complete details," he added.

"Okay, um, about the partner that you mentioned? What do you mean by that? Hindi ka ba makakapasok sa school kapag wala?" I asked.

"Nice question," he said at bigla niyang ipinatong ang paa niya sa mesa na nasa harap namin. "Oak Hills Casters Institute is where most Spirit Casters attend school. Kahit mula sa ibang bansa, pumupunta sila dito despite of having the curse in out country. Madali lang naman makapasok doon kaso nga lang, they accept students as duos. Basically, two people with compatible magic is a must to pass the first test. The following tests will be individual at para makapasok sa school, kailangan nilang pumasa dalawa sa individual tests. After a specific duo will pass, the school will assign them to classrooms basing on intellect and mana." he added and I nodded. Now this is getting interesting. "Mediocre class, the class with low intellect and mana as they say. Average class, the class who have both in average numbers and the most respected room, the Elite- the class that has both mana and intellect more than an average number." he added.

"Paano kapag sa individual test hindi sila pareho? Kunyari ako mediocre lang kinaya ko tapos ikaw average," I asked

"Well, some calculations are needed to do that at ang school na ang bahala sa mga ganyan," he replied and I nodded.

"How about classes? When we met,you mentioned how our classes are the same or I'm higher?" I asked at ngumiti siya.

"You have such a good memory, I like that," he replied and he took a cookie from his table and bit it. "Spirit casters are divided into 6 classes depending on mana. Starting from the lowest, we have D-class and followed by C, B, A, S and the strongest of them all, the SS-class. Sa buong mundo, dalawa na lang ang natitira and one of them is the Principal of the school that we're going to," he added at napalunok ako.

"So we're compatible because we might have the same class?" I asked and he nodded.

"Mahirap maghanap ng ka-compatible sa class ko. When we say compatibility, dapat kasi same class or isa ay mas mataas pero okay lang as long as magkasundo ang spirits. Also, age is also a factor. I'm around 20s so dapat ganon rin ang magiging partner ko," he answered. Kaya pala. That's why he looked so happy when he found out we're compatible.

"And what class are you?" I asked habang kinuha ang nakahandang tea sa mesa and took a sip on it.

"Class A, close to S," he replied at natapon ko yung nainom ko sa mukha niya.

Did he just say close to S?! Then what class am I supposed to be if we're compatible?!

"Wow, salamat sa paligo mo Cygnus," he said and that's when I realized what I've done. Agad akong napatayo at naghanap ng pwedeng pampunas. He raised his hand as if he was telling me to stop kaya napaupo ako.

"It's fine," he said at tumayo siya. Bigla niyang hinubad ang suot niya at sinampay sa kabilang upuan. "So, let's continue talking," he said and I frowned.

"Nakahubad ka pa, Your Highness." I said sarcastically.

"I know, pareho lang naman tayong lalaki dito kaya okay lang." he said at bigla siyang ngumiti. "Unless interesado ka sa mga lalaki rin kaya hindi ka komportable," he teased.

Hindi ako nagdalawang isip na kinuha ang tasa at itinapon sa kanya ang loob na tea kaya mas nabasa siya. Walang royalty royalty dito.

"So, let's continue talking, shall we?" I asked sarcastically ang he frowned habang pinapahiran niya ang mukha niya gamit ang hinubad na damit na sinampay niya kanina lang.

"Ayaw mong makita akong galit, Cygnus," he warned and I gave him a smile.

"Show me, Your Highness" I replied with a grin.