Darkest Light

DL 2: White Dove

Now is the first day of  the class. Senior high na ako. Even sorcerers study. Kailangan naming na mag-blend in sa mga tao para mabuhay kami ng normal.

I'm currently studying here in Linway and I am Grade 12 Senior high.

I'm walking outside the school. Malaki kasi ang school namin kaya papunta pa lang sa gate ay ilang minutes na.

There are few people who are walking with me. I'm so early this day. Hindi naman ako excited pero maaga talaga akong pumapasok.

How should I describe myself? Hmmm... I'm tall, pale and hindi naman sa pagmamayabang but I know that I am extremely handsome.

Ulila na ako. My parents died during their war with Ruvekha. It is a guild for sorcerers whose beliefs and practices are completely different from us.

Hindi naman ganun kahirap ang buhay sa akin. I have lots of friends and I have our guild leader who is treating me as her own son.

Nakapasok na ako sa school. Dumeretso na kaagad ako sa hallway. Wala pang katao-tao sa school bukod sa janitors and guards.

While walking, I see a guy who is standing in the end of the hallway.

He's kinda creepy... I can't see his face clearly kasi malayo pa siya sa akin. Hindi siya gumagalaw. He is just staring at me.

I walk faster. Gusto ko siyang makita. Hindi ko maintindihan ang pakiramdam. It's so strange. I want to confirm if he is also a sorcerer and if he want to pick up a fight with me.

Nasa kalagitnaan na ako ng hallway so I can barely see his face.

Moreno siya, his lips are rosy pink, he's not tall but not short too and I can see his hair falls into his eyes.

Binilisan ko na ang lakad ko at bigla na lang...

"Hey Zion!"

Lumingon na lang ako because someone called my name.

I see Sandra and Wanda.

They are cousins. They are both beautiful and powerful. They are in the same level as me so it means that they are both S class sorcerers.

"Hey... Ang aga mo naman pumasok," Wanda said.

"Good morning, kayo rin ang aga niyo."

Sandra raised her eyebrow...

"Bakit yata nagmamadali ka kanina? What's the matter?" She asked.

"Hmmm... There's a guy who is staring at me in the end of this hallway."

"Where is he?" Wanda asked.

Tumingin na lang ako sa dulo ng hallway and the guy is not there.

"I think he vanished," I said.

"So, did you feel something about that guy? Is he a sorcerer too?" Sandra asked.

"I'm not sure. He is creepy and I can't explain the feeling, it's so strange," sabi ko na lang.

"Baka naman student lang siya at pinagti-tripan ka. Uso naman ang ganyan sa mga tao diba? Don't think too much, Zion. I think you're just a bit paranoid," Wanda said.

"Yeah... Ang mabuti pa, pumunta na tayo sa room natin. Look, anong oras na? Malapit na mag-start ang classes," Sandra said.

Oo nga, malapit na mag-start and klase at marami na ang students na pumapasok.

We just walked to our room at medyo malayo rin.

Pagdating namin ay marami na pala ang students sa loob. I know some of the students kasi classmates na rin namin sila last year.

There are few transferees and siguro naman makakapag-adjust ako dito sa mga bago 'kong classmates.

Magkakatapat lang ang mga table namin nila Sandra.

After a few minutes, dumating din ang prof namin. So, sigurado ako na introduce yourself na naman ito. Too cliché...

Isa-isa na silang nagpakilala. I don't have an interest about my classmates. I tend to be quiet. I don't have a close friend who is not a sorcerer. Mahirap na, baka mamaya may makaalam pa ng totoong ako.

People are always so scared about us. I believe that some people will understand and accept us pero kakaunti lang sila.

Sa social media nga, parang hindi sila mga tao kung maka-bash sa celebrities. Daig pa nila ang mga kalaban namin kung mag-away.

Maya-maya ay tumayo na ang nasa harapan ko at pumunta siya sa unahan.

Nagulat ako... He is the guy who is staring at me in the hallway.

"Hi everyone, I'm Vile Vortex. Hmmm... I'm so glad to meet all of you and I hope that we can all be friends," he said.

Maya-maya ay bumalik na siya sa table niya. Nakatayo lang siya at tinititigan niya ako.

I can clearly see his face now. I raised my eyebrow but he is just staring at me. This guy is completely weird. I'm sure na siya rin 'yung kanina.

May hitsura din naman siya. There is no expression on his face while he is staring at me.

Maya-maya ay umupo na rin siya. I can't confront him kasi nasa harapan ko siya at nakatalikod siya sa akin. I don't understand this guy.

Tumingin ako kila Sandra at tinititigan din nila 'yung lalake. Mukha yatang napansin nila 'yung pagtitig sa akin ng lalakeng nasa harapan ko.

He is just reading a book. Mukha yatang busy siya kaya ayokong i-confront siya. Wala siyang interest sa ibang mga nagpapakilala.

After a few minutes, tinawag na ang pangalan ko kaya ako naman ang pumunta sa harapan.

"Hi everyone, I'm Zion Strauss," tipid 'kong sabi.

Tumingin ako sa lalakeng kanina pa ako tinititigan. He is holding a book but he stopped from reading. He is looking at me.

Sabi na nga eh, interesado ang isang 'to sa akin...

Babalik na sana ako sa upuan ko pero...

"Zion, say something about yourself," sabi ng prof.

I sigh...

"I'm a quiet person. I don't like weird people specially those strangers who are staring at me for no reason."

Nakatitig ako doon sa lalake. Umiwas siya ng tingin sa akin at yumuko siya.

Maybe, he got what I'm trying to say. Bumalik na lang ako sa table ko.

As far as I know, hindi ka naman tititigan ng isang tao kung wala siyang motibo sa'yo. Baka mamaya masamang sorcerer pala ang isang 'to. Well, there are 3 Saints here so ibig sabihin, wala siyang laban.

After our first subject, hinayaan na kami ng prof na mag-recess.

"Zion, mauna ka na sa canteen kung gusto mo. We're just gonna look for our friends," Wanda said.

I nodded... Umalis na sila Sandra. Naglakad na lang ako papunta sa canteen.

May mga friends kami na sorcerers kaya lang, nasa ibang strand sila kaya hindi namin classmate.

Baka maunahan kami sa canteen kung mamaya pa kami pupunta so I should go first.

While walking, napansin ko na nasa giliran ko pala 'yung lalake kanina. Kasabay ko siya na naglalakad.

It's the right time, I should confront him.

I walked faster and I blocked his way. Napatitig naman siya sa akin.

"Hmmm... Hi, what are you doing?" He asked.

Kumunot na lang ang noo ko. He asked innocently. He is acting so harmless and I hate it.

"You're the one who is staring at me in the hallway and kanina, tinititigan mo na naman ako. What's wrong with you? Do you have a problem with me?" I asked furiously.

Napatitig siya sa akin at parang nagtataka pa siya. Hindi ko mapigilan ang inis ko.

"I'm sorry... It won't happen again," he said.

"What do you want? Why are you doing it?"

"Hmmm... I don't know exactly. Please forgive me. I promise, I won't do it again."

Tumitig na lang ako sa kanya. He looks so nervous.

Huminga na lang ako ng malalim. Maybe, I'm too harsh and paranoid. Wala naman sigurong masamang intensyon ang isang 'to.

He looks so timid and weak...

"Hmmm... I'm Vile."

Inaabot niya ang kamay niya sa akin para makipag-shake hands. Baka naman gusto lang niya makipagkaibigan?

"I'm Zion..."

Hindi ako nakipag-shake hands sa kanya kasi medyo naiinis ako.

Parang nadismaya tuloy siya at binawi na lang niya ang kamay niya. Yumuko na lang siya sa bandang kanan at...

"I know, you are him," he said silently.

I saw him smiling a bit. Akala niya siguro hindi ko narinig ang sinabi niya. I'm a sorcerer so basically, almost all of us has stronger senses than mortal humans.

"What did you say?" I asked.

"Hmmm... I said, I know you. Natandaan ko ang name mo kanina."

I'm not convinced. Ang weird naman niya.

"I like your name. Zion means sky, heavenly or bliss," he said and he smiled at me.

Yeah... I know it. My name is the same as my magic. Bihira lang ang may alam ng meaning ng name ko. I'm quite impressed.

"So, what's the meaning of your name?" I asked.

Yumuko lang siya. Kumunot na lang ang noo ko dahil hindi siya sumagot.

"Zion..."

Lumingon ako at nakita ko na sila Sandra na kasama si Rex and Jared pati na rin si Dexter and Jester. They are all sorcerers like me.

"Hmmm... Nandiyan na ang friends mo. I should go."

Naglakad na palayo si Vile at mukha yatang nagmamadali siya. He looks so shy and ewan parang pa-inosente na weird.

"Mukha yatang may bago kang friend," Jester said.

"No... He's just my weirdo classmate," I said.

"Akala ko naman nakikipagkaibigan ka na sa mga tao," mahinang sabi ni Rex.

"Never... Well, gutom na ako kaya pumunta na tayo sa canteen," I said firmly.

Pumunta na kami sa canteen. My friends are quite powerful but not like me or Sandra and Wanda. We are using different types of magic.

After ng recess ay bumalik na kami sa mga rooms namin. It's the first day of classes so puro introduce yourself kada prof. I'm so bored here in school.

After the classes, Nagsama-sama ulit kaming magkakaibigan. We are here at the rooftop of our school. We need a private place if we want to discuss some things.

"Sa Saturday, kailangan na nating mag-training ulit. I can feel that Ruvekha has greater sorcerers now. We can't afford to lose if they are going to start a war," Sandra said.

"Yeah... They won't stop until they rule the world. We should train harder to exceed our limits. We should make our powers stronger," Wanda said.

"Kung pwede nga lang, maging S class na rin kayong lahat para mas malakas ang guild natin," I said.

"Kaso hindi pa kami capable para sa level niyo. It will take some time for us. We're powerful but not like the three of you," Rex said.

"Kaya nga sasanayin namin kayo to enhance your powers," I said.

It's hard to train sorcerers. We need to train harder. Alam ko na marami kaming makakalaban. Ruvekha is like a time bomb. Lalabas lang sila kapag alam nila na napapantayan na nila kami.

Nagulat kami at bigla na lang sumigaw si Wanda.

"Sandra! Are you ok?"

Sandra's eyes turned into sky blue and it is glowing. It looks like she is shivering in fear.

She started talking in hoarse voice.

"Tears and blood will fall,

He's a friend but also a foe.

Everywhere he goes, darkness follows.

Merged by both light and darkness

He is an angel that is completely harmless

But he can be a devil who's totally heartless

His power surpassed all of his kind

Demigod of darkness, all of us will bind

Love will absolutely make him blind

He is a powerful ally but also an enemy

Accused by envy and jealousy

Destined to die helplessly..."

After a few seconds, bumalik na rin sa dati ang mga mata ni Sandra. She looks drained and exhausted.

"What happened?" She asked.

"Well, you just stated a prophecy," Wanda said.

"Huh? Prophecy about what?"

Mukha yatang wala siyang matandaan. She is like this everytime that she will state a prophecy.

"It's about a demigod. You didn't tell us clearly if he's a friend or a foe," I said.

Nagkatinginan na lang kaming lahat. We never see a demigod before. It's a very powerful sorcerer in books and legends of sorcerers.

"Kinakabahan ako, paano kung kalaban siya? Ano na ang mangyayari sa atin?" Tanong ni Jester.

"We need to tell this prophecy to Ms. Elena," Rex said.

Maya-maya ay bigla na lang kaming nakarinig ng mga gamit na nalaglag sa may hagdan.

"What the... may tao! May nanunuod sa atin!" Sigaw ni Wanda.

Tumakbo kaming lahat papunta sa hagdan at mayroon ngang student na tumatakbo pababa.

"Hanapin niyo siya! Hindi siya pwedeng makatakas!" Sigaw ko.

Binilisan namin ang paghabol sa lalake at nakababa kami sa corridor.

Parang nawala bigla kung sino man ang hinahabol namin.

"Maghiwa-hiwalay tayo..." Wanda said silently.

Umalis na silang lahat para maghanap. I walked slowly at the corridor.

After a few minutes, nakarinig ako ng pinto na sumara so I ran into it.

Nagmadali akong buksan ang pinto but I didn't see anyone here.

Nagulat ako at bigla na lang may lumipad na puting kalapati palabas ng bintana.

The white dove flew away. I can't fly to follow it because there are so many students who will see me.

"Zion, did you find him?"

Lumingon ako at nandito na sila Wanda. Mukhang wala silang nakita.

"It's a sorcerer, may iba nang nakakaalam ng prophecy," I said while clenching my fists