The Reign of the Outlander

Chapter 12: Unable To Remember

"Have you seen how powerful she was?"

"Yeah, I did. I think we all did. Am I right?"

"But it seems suspicious to me. She was not in her right mind when she releases that powers. I think she was controlled."

"Whatever. I don't think she's fit to be in the academy. She'll never be one of us."

"I guess, you're right."

Lune was just listening to the gossips he heard inside the class. His eyes were closed, but his ears were opened to hear those unappreciative words from the other students. It infuriates him, but he'd rather stay quiet. He doesn't want to argue with the foolishness they have in mind about Altalune.

Well, some of it can be taken as a point, but others were nonsensical for him. He knew Altalune better than any of the classmates he has inside the classroom.

"Everyone! Back to your seat."

Professor Whizka arrived on time and all students immediately arranged themselves and returned to their seats.

"How is everybody doing this past few days? Are you all sleeping soundly?" Whizka opened the topic with a genuine smile formed on her lips. "Yes, Rika?"

A girl on the back, second to the last row, raised her hand. "Will Altalune enter as one of us here in Mahika Academy?"

Whizka did not expect that kind of question from Rika. She paused for a moment then smiled at her. "Well, I'd like each one of you to answer my question sincerely, and truthfully. Do you want her to be your classmate?"

The class is disturbed by the sudden question Whizka raised in front of them. Each one of them looks at their seatmate. Decision-making is way too hard for them as a student. After all, Whizka only wanted to hear from her students if they would agree to have Altalune enter the academy.

"Yes, Rika. You raised your hands again. What is your opinion?"

The thirteen years old girl, with curly blond hair, stood up and answered wholeheartedly Whizka's question. "I do agree to have her enter the academy."

"Why is that so?" Alebun suddenly interrupted Rika's answer.

"She has all the ability to be one of us. She has superpowers. Didn't all of us see how powerful she is? Don't you agree?" she was staring at other classmates, trying to persuade one of them to agree to her statement.

"All of us did. Right?" Alebun stands up. He was also convincing another classmate on her side. "We all saw how powerful she was back there. But it was not her. Someone inside her body controlled her."

"But we were saved," Altalune whose eyes were still close suddenly intervened with Alebun's assertion.

Students began nodding and agreed to Lune and Rika's words, while a few of them just couldn't state their viewpoints. Whizka was listening, weighing each of her student's judgment.

"That's your opinion. And that's because you have been staying with her for a long time. Right, Lune?" Elia, the cold-hearted one, joined the conversation. He wanted to irritate Lune. It was more like teasing him since all of them saw how he appeared in front of the girl and saved her from falling on the ground.

"That's not what we are talking about, Elia!" Lune tried to calm himself. Even his way of answering Elia's intentions was relaxed.

"Enough!" Whizka stepped out and stop them from moving to the next level of hurting each other through words. "Your opinion matters. And I would like to accept that."

All eyes were on her. Watching and listening to her next words. Elia and Alebun sat down, as well as Rika and Lune. "I thank you for wanting Altalune to be one of yours in Mahika. Whether you accept her or not, that still depends on the Headmaster of this academe. I have no power to provide you the correct answer to your question. I am the Chief Head, but the decision still lies with the Headmaster. You all understand what I was trying to convey, right?"

"Yes." All of them said in chorus.

The conversation lasted for thirty minutes and the bell suddenly rang. Whizka did not realize that her time in front of the students was eaten by those arguments, and opinions she heard from them. She just dismisses the class and went out of the room. "See you at the next session, class. Farewell."

After Whizka left the room, tensions between Elia and Lune began, but the latter stood up and leave the room. Lune doesn't want to waste his time talking to such rubbish conversation with Elia or Alebun. Elia tried to stop him, but Alebun holds his arms, shaking her head, as a sign of disagreement with what he has in mind.

Lune was walking the hallway straight to the main door, leaving the premises. After getting out, he immediately runs in the direction of the forest where Amaris and Altalune were staying. Slowly, Lune is now able to enhance one of his skills and that is to run at a speed of light, about 70 miles per hour, faster than that of a Cheetah. He arrived in front of the doorstep of Amaris' house, then entered inside.

"You're just in time, Lune. Altalune just woke up minutes ago. Come!"

Lune smiled upon seeing her smiling at him. He sat beside Amaris whose feeding her with a porridge. The smell seems awful and Lune suddenly pinches his nose. Altalune saw him and chuckled.

"Why don't you try eating the porridge mother Amaris has made for me, Lune?" she tried teasing him, but he shook his head. Amaris offered him a bowl of porridge, teasing him even more.

"No, I'm fine. I think Altalune needs more of that, Amaris."

"All right."

"So, how are you, Altalune? You remembered anything from what happened three or four days ago?" his eyes were on her, trying to check her condition and memories. Amaris stops feeding her and gave her a glass of water.

"I can't recall what happened, Lune," she answered with disappointment.

"That's fine. Didn't you realize that you have inborn powers?" he made a follow-up, looking at Amaris and her both.

"Well, that's what Amaris has told me. But, sorry, I can't remember anything. I tried, but there's nothing inside my memory. All I remembered was seeing the professors protecting the students, and Amaris shielding me in front of those ugly monsters. That's all I can remember."

Amaris and Lune stared at each other. The latter shook her head, while Lune heaves a sigh and faces Altalune. "That's okay, Altalune. You don't need to remember anything. What's important is you are safe. And we can run freely in the wild again. I can run faster than a Cheetah now, Altalune."

After hearing the good news, Lune brightens Altalune's mood. She smiled and congratulated him for unlocking one of his strengths. "At last, you're able to unleash some of your ability, Lune. I am happy for you."

Amaris and Lune smiled in front of her to cheer her up. But, deep inside her, she saw the disappointment in her eyes.

...

In The Land of Impyerno

5,000 feet below sea level

"What brings you and your companion here, Buswang? How did you die?"

Buswang and his comrade were facing the sentence in front of the head of all evil monsters in the Land of Impyerno. They anticipated it, and they have no choice, but to bow in front of Leviathan, the great ruler of the Underworld.

"We were killed by a powerful girl, master." His hands were trembling, and his companion was hiding behind his back.

"You failed to absorb their powers in Mahika Academy? Such lame ugly monsters are you! You all deserve to die in the boiling waters of the Underworld!"

Buswang saw Leviathan raised his left hand releasing a giant scythe, and all of them shivered in fear.

"Please, master. Give us another chance. Help us capture all Hiwagans inside Mahika Academy. Please, master. I beg you!"

Buswang and the rest were bowing several times in front of Leviathan, trying to persuade him. The requests were tempting for Leviathan and after hearing them beg for another chance, he gives them one more opportunity to redeem themselves from humiliation.

"I'll give you another chance, but this time, you and your comrade must follow my orders. Before that, I have to punish first all of you for disappointing me. Skeletons, bring all of them to the Land of Restless!"

Buswang and his companion are suddenly captured by skeletons and immediately thrown into the Land of Restless where they have to work nonstop. He knew the place because he was once a worker who never stops digging underground.

"I'll have someone to fetch you there, Buswang. I'll find a way first to let you all enter Mahika Academy again."

Buswang heard Leviathan's scary voice, laughing outrageously, and evilly while waiting for his entire body to fall into the Land of Restless. Without Leviathan's signal, he and his companion cannot leave the Restless Land.