Abyss Extra

Three

ILANA

Mephalia Academy's Core.

It is a square shaped artifact gifted to the founder hundreds of years ago while the academy is in building, wishing for its bright future.

Nothing is known about the core aside from it's use, not until less than 150 years ago when the core should have already exhausted its power.

Apparently, the core was an artifact crafted using an ancient blue dragon's heart and mana organ by a world famous master craftsman. It is said that the dragon himself pulled out his heart and mana organ to gift to his friend, the craftsman, and requested him to make it an artifact and give it to someone who needs it.

No one knows if this story is true or what but the fact that we all know is that the artifact, the core, is indeed made up of a dragon's heart and mana organ. Also from its supposed creation, it is assumed that it only has less that 500 years until it breaks.

"Currently, the core is still brimming with the dead dragon's mana. For that reason many, not only Lemegeton and other criminal groups, wants our core."

She then faced us once again. "Truth be told, this is a very confidential information only higher ups know, but after the last incident that occurred," She eyed me. "we all have to be careful and protect our core. For you students and the next generations."

A person sitting infront raised her hand to ask a question.

"Miss, if it was a confidential information as you've said, how did Lemegeton knew about it?" She asked.

"Hmm... We are currently running an investigation regarding that matter. I don't want to point fingers or speculate but ...." She paused and pressed her lips together tightly then inhaled deeply.

She clasped her hands. "Anyways, there will be a quiz next meeting about what we have discussed today so make sure everyone had taken down notes and review."

She might have not said it directly but we all know what she was about to say.

'There might be a traitor.'

After the classes ended, napag pasyahan kong pumunta sa cafeteria para bumili ng pagkain. Pagkarating ko don ay dumiretso ako sa mana generated vending machine.

'Thank you author dahil hindi mo ginawang complete historical ang setting ng Abyss kung hindi, mahihirapan ako lalong mag adapt dito.'

The novel Abyss's setting is in between the modern and historical, reality and fantasy. Kung sa mundo ko, maraming machineries ay powered by fuel or electricity, dito ay mana ang main source of energy.

Anything that is crafted by a craftsman using common materials, powered by mana and can be activated by a use of a certain command is called Magic Devices or simply 'devices'. Their main purpose is to help people's life easier and convenient. They can be used by normal people and magicians alike.

Kung ikukumpara ito sa totoo kong mundo, they are the appliances sa bahay, electronics, etc. Example ng magic devices ay ang projector device ng mga teacher ng academy at ang vending machine sa cafeteria. They were both powered by mana.

Ang mga Artifacts naman, gaya ng Mephalia Core at Glaucous' ring, ay gawa sa special materials. They can only be wield and used by Magicians and needed magic to activate. Their features, abilities or use vary from artifact to artifact. May iba't ibang klase ng artifact sa mundo pero super rare nito na once may nacraft na bagong artifact, pinagkakaguluhan ito ng lahat ng magicians sa buong mundo.

Paglabas ko ng cafeteria dala ang mga binili ko sa vending machine, natanaw ko sa malayo sina Radephon at Laridgus. May kasama silang dalawang lalaki na nakasuot ng puting uniform ng mage's association.

'Today's their interrogation for the incident with Lemegeton?'

Though they both don't have a hand in the incident that occurred, me, Ilana Morret is the daughter of their vassal family, was rather suspicious. Lemegeton infiltrated during the commotion I started when my power got out of control. Pwedeng dumiretso saakin ang Mage's association or kung sino mang nagko-conduct ng investigation pero dahil minor ako at vassal ng malaking pamilya, hindi yon pwede. They also took into account na kung sakali ngang I have a hand with the Lemegeton's infiltration, ang head family ang mas makikinabang dahil nga vassal lang kami. At ayon sa rule ng nobility dito, kasalanan ng head family kung ang vassals nila ay may nagawang mali dahil duty nila na i-manage ang mga ito.

Well whatever. Wala naman akong kinalaman don. Ang original Ilana ang may kagagawan ng commotion and hindi naman nabanggit sa novel na in-imbistigahan din si Ilana. Most likely the original course of events will happen dahil wala naman akong ginawa para mabago yon.

Naglakad ako papunta sa field kung nasaan ang ibang estudyante. Ang iba sakanila ay nagpapractice, ang iba ay nag aaral at ang iba ay kumakain na parang nagpipicnic lang sa park.

Nilagpasan ko ang open field at umakyat sa burol sa west side ng field kung saan may roong malaking puno. May ibang estudyante doon na natutulog or kumakain din. Umupo ako sa damuhan at inilabas ang notes ko. Hindi pa ako tapos na ireview ang notes ni Ilana noong nakaraang school year kaya tuwing break time ay binabasa ko ito.

IT'S PAST 5pm. Palubog na ang araw at kakaunti nalang ang mga estudyante sa open field. Ako nalang din mag isa dito sa hill. Naghintay pa ako ng 10 minutes bago sinuri muli ang paligid para masiguro na wala nang tao.

Nang matiyak ko na wala nang tao sa vicinity, tumayo ako. I raised my head and looked at the top of the big tree.

I have another reason kung bakit napagdesisyunan kong magpalipas ng oras dito.

As Miss Mia had said earlier in class, Mephalia as an institution for young aspiring mages needs enormous amout of natural mana to accommodate their needs. Aside sa core, may isa pang nagbibigay ng malaking porsyento ng mana sa academy grounds

The Terra Tree.

Walang nakakaalam kung anong klase ng puno ang malaking puno sa taas ng hill sa loob ng academy. Many scholars and magicians tried to look for it but to no avail. Pinangalanan nalang itong Terra Tree, named after the Absolute Creator's representative of this world. It is also said that this tree is older than the academy and the kingdom itself. In short, this tree is an ancient tree.

Akala ng lahat, tinawag itong Terra tree to honor the Absolute Creator's representative pero hindi nila alam na may mas malalim pang dahilan.

Terra Efreale Aether de Venta.

That is the Absolute Creator's representative's official name. Ayon sa myth, Terra is a being born from the power of the Creator that leaked out during the creation of everything. Masasabing si Terra ang kauna unahang creation ng Creator at ang pinakamalakas sa lahat.

Terra in the myth was said to have androgynous appearance. They are so beautiful and possess both masculinity and femininity.

Since the Absolute Creator cannot intervene with this reality because of the rule the Creator themself created, Terra was appointed as a representative. All the Creator's messages, command, teachings and knowledge are delivered to humans and other beings through Terra. Terra also was the one who regulates the world from causality by the Creator's order.

Terra is a very important being of this world.

But... One day, Terra disappeared. They did not communicate with humans or delivered the Creator's message. Everyone thought that the Creator abandoned them and pulled out Terra from the world. Then, time had passed by and a revelation was found ingraved in Terra's throne at the end of the world.

[ The world continue to be biased and unbalanced. Powerful beings continue to be more powerful. Weak beings continue to weaken. The Absolute Creator cannot intervene but I can. I'm not part of causality for I am an irregularity. To assist the loved beings by the Creator, I, Terra Efreale Aether de Venta, offer my power and life. ]

Historians, scholars, magicians, priests, --basically everyone knowledgeable joined to decipher this revelation. Many millennia had passed until it was completely deciphered.

According to the revelation, Terra sacrifice themself for the humans to help them become powerful. The powerful beings refers to magical beasts and demons who have high affinity to Aether, the ancient power, and only few humans can wield. The deciphered revelation answered the question regarding the mysterious energy that humans felt years after Terra's disappearance.

In other words, Terra died and their power was scattered and became the mana that we all know.

That is the story about Terra.

Now back to the tree, it was called Terra because like Terra, it also gives mana.

This tree, as it gets old and nearing its death, it emmits enormous amount of mana.

Terra sacrificed themself to give power to powerless humans. This tree, as it nears its end continue to give the students mana to become powerful. They have the same principle so it was bestowed the noble name of Terra.

TIME CHECK, 5:32 pm. 3 minutes before the allotted time.

Hindi gaya ng ibang estudyante, hindi ako nanatili dito sa ilalim ng malaking puno para sa mana na inilalabas nito. I have another objective. Besides, I don't need more mana o pataasin pa ang mana level ko. Namo-mroblema na nga ako sa mataas na level ng mana ko tas patataasin ko pa?

5:34:55 pm, 5 seconds left.

5 .... 4 ..... 3 .... 2 ....

Nakakasilaw na liwanag ang bumulag saakin pang patak ng 5:35pm. Nanggagaling ang liwanag sa malaking puno na nasa harapan ko.

Sigurado ako na sa liwanag nito, napansin na ito ng lahat ng tao sa academy.

Napaluhod ako sa lupa at napasapo sa dibdib ko kung nasaan ang puso at mana organ ko.