Down System

Chapter 35

ALEERA VERNIZE

"He really did say the truth, eh?"

I was chewing my food when Namika spoke. I was in her mansion, having dinner with her while telling her what had happened in the academy.

When I asked Ferno if he truly died, he answered yes, surprisingly. I thought he would deny it since the first time he brought out the topic about it, he asked me: "What if I didn't really die?"

Still thinking of our conversation, my brows creased also with the thought of his strange behavior towards me. I didn't know why, but since he showed up, he treated me differently compared to before.

"Namika," I called out to the old woman, who was also on the table, drinking water. "Do you think Ferno is true with what he shows and speaks to me?"

"Do you doubt him?"

I nodded. "He's kind, I know, but something wrong is really going on."

"Of course, there is something wrong. Be used to it. From now on, many changes will come."

"But going back to your question... yes, I don't believe him now. Perhaps he is also acting fake like me."

I knew Ferno did die, but I asked him the question to test his honesty to me. Besides, Namika told me everything. But since he was not my friend in this matter, all that I said and acted to him were all lies.

And, what if that young boy was also faking everything to me? What if he also knew everything about me, so he was trying to trick me?

I have many what-ifs, and I could not answer them all by myself. I could not read minds, but I could see emotions. However, I wasn't sure about Ferno, since I found him hard to understand.

"He's not faking anything to you, Aleera," the old woman said, which made my eyes widened.

"Really? How did you say so?"

Namika stood and went to the window. "His Master Gandor don't know you're alive. He doesn't know you, and that's why he has no reason to tell Ferno what's going on," she mouthed.

"So, you mean, no one of the two know about our plan for the future? They didn't know that we're going to stand against them?"

The old woman nodded and went back to the table. "They didn't know you're resurrected, after all."

My eyes grew even bigger, finding out that Namika was aware of my resurrection. For how many months of being with her, I did my best to hide it from her; little did I know that she already knew about that thing. But, how? Was it just because she could see the future, or there was a more valid reason for that?

I swallowed my saliva as the old woman looked directly at my eyes while chewing her food. For some time, quietness ruled over between us two. I didn't know if I would continue talking about my resurrection or just segue.

However, there was something in Namika's look that was pushing me to continue the topic, and so, I said,

"How did you know about it?"

"About what?"

"My resurrection."

The old woman was only about to speak when the telephone rang. She walked towards it and answered the call. While talking with the other line, she stared at me with her creased brow.

No matter how badly I would like to ask her what was the matter, I could not, since the conversation took too long before it ended. I only gave her the question when she came back to her seat, but still with her worried face.

"The robot," she said, "it isn't in your house."

I looked at her in disbelief. "What? Where the hell did that annoying robot go, then?"

"Your parents are asking me if you are with me, but since I didn't know where the robot went, I just said I didn't see you."

"Goodness. That robot is bringing me to danger. Surely, Mommy and Daddy will get mad at me again. My image to them will be ruined even more." I sighed. "I promised them I won't go anywhere any more without their permission, but that robot..." I clenched my fist and groaned.

"Don't you worry, alright? Gotta do something with this."

"How?"

"Come with me." Namika stood and proceeded outside her kitchen. She steered me going to the room from the second deck.

When we finally arrived there, she took out a crystal ball from inside her big table and put it on the desk. She closed her eyes and started whirling her palm around it that made the ball shined and glitter.

I took a seat beside her and just watched her do the whatsoever thing. Besides, I might distract her if I talked.

A minute after lighting the crystal, my face showed up inside it. I knew it wasn't me, but the robot that was wandering around a dark, mysterious place.

"What is she doing there?" I asked the old woman as she put down her hands and placed them on the table.

"She seemed lost," Namika said without looking at me. "Maybe she tried exiting the window until she came there. But, wait, I think I know this place."

"Good! Then we can go there, can't we?"

"No, it's too dangerous there."

"If that's the case, then we must get her now before it's too late. Did you just forget? I am the image of her. How she handles herself will affect my reputation."

"No worries, there's another way to get rid of her there."

A glimmer of delight played in the corner of my eyes. "What is it? C'mon, let's do it now."

"I'll turn off the machine for her to get unconscious, then I'll use my magic for her to disappear there."

"Is there something I can do to help you?"

The old woman nodded. "Be quiet so I could concentrate well. Failure of focus is also a failure of this task."

I zippered my mouth since that. I didn't even move from my chair, just watching Namika turned off the machine and played with her magic and potions.

It was minutes of waiting before the old woman could finally accomplish her task. She gave me a wide smile, informing me that the robot had already vanished in the area.

"By the way," I mouthed, "what do you call that place? It seems scary, or is it just me who got goosebumps?"

With just a first look, my hair had risen. Seriously, it was creeping there. Black smoke almost covered the face of the robot. Numerous trees were there, but having no leaves, just pure stems.

"That place," Namika uttered, "is called Figan."