The Spirit Martial

Spirit 55

The professor is now silently checking our scarlet stone along with some school authorities. The class was silent at medyo awkward kasi ramdam nain ang pagtingin ng ibang kaklase sa amin. Hindi ko naman sasabihin that Kali went overboard kasi totoo naman lahat ng sinabi niya. In fact, I was grateful that he spoke in behalf of us. Hindi lahat ng captain ganon. Napaisip ko tuloy nang una ko nakilala si Kali sa kastilyo. At first he was rude pero nang makilala ko siya, it surprised me. He’s actually soft and caring. Kung ano man ang nakikita ng mga tao sa panglabas niyang anyo? Hindi iyon totoo. He’s not a cold prince, he’s just a prince who protects her team with his beloved brother and partner on it. Ako? Well, ako talaga ang totoong extra dito.

“Kali,” I called at tumingin siya sa akin. “You good?” tanong ko at tumango naman siya.

“I was frustrated, I’m sorry. Parang ang yabang ko kanina,” he said and he sighed.

“Mayabang o hindi, eh tama naman,” Kailani replied at bigla siyang ngumiti. “I never knew you’d care for me, brother,” he teased and Kali’s face turned red. Umiwas na siya ng tingin ang Kailani chuckled. I wonder if Kailani heard Kali called him Kuya. I bet he’ll be so happy to hear it.

“The scarlet stone,” one of the authorities said at naptingin ang lahat sa kanila. “is the original one.” he added. “Please report to the Principal’s Office,” he added again at napatingin sa aming apat. This authority is a strong one- stronger than Gin and others. An S Class Spirit Caster?

Tumayo si Kali kaya tumayo kami. Naunang naglakad ang authorities at sumunod kaming apat. Unlike the professor earlier, these three has the vibe na hindi namin dapat sila basta-basta nalang kausapin.Honsetly, hindi sila approachable. Napatigil kaming apat kasi tumigil silang tatlo. Napatingin ako sa paligid kasi akala ko nakarating na kami pero wala pa naman.

“Prince Kali of mainland, right?” the man who was walking at the center asked at humarap sa amin. Humarap naman kaagad ang dalawa niyang kasama at tinignan si Kali. “Narinig ko na may sinabi kang hindi maganda sa buong klase kanina,” he added at kumunot ang noo niya. “We are not at the castle, we’re at school- huwag mo palakihin ng masyado ang ulo mo. Scaring professors like that is not a good reputation, young Prince,” he added again. I knew it- he’s a strict one.

“Scaring the professors?” Kailani asked at bigla siyang tumawa.

“Yes, Prince Kailani,” he replied.

“I believe it wasn’t our fault that he’s scared,” sagot ni Kailani.

“I doubt about that. Gusto niyo bang masira ang reputasiyon niyo?” he asked. “Well, wala naman problema kung masisira ang reputasyon mo kasi sira naman talaga ang sayo, disowned Prince.” he said with a smirk at parang gusto ko siyang gulpihin.

“Are you a royalty?” I asked.

“I am and I do not talk to people like you na nakaahon lang dahil royalty ang partners nila so shut up, kid,” he replied at tumingin siya kay Nieve. “Don’t you even dare talking to me too, snow kid,” he added at bakas sa mukha ni Kali ang galit.

“What the hell is your problem?” Kali asked as he clenched his fist. He was about to charge pero hinawakan ni Nieve ang kamay niya.

“May sinabi ba akong mali?” he asked.

“Alam mo kung anong mali?” I asked at tumingin siya sa akin. “Presensya mo dito,” I added and his eyes changed.

He was about to attack me kaso nagulat ako sa nangyari. Kailani was in fornt of me with flames in his body. Nieve was holding a sword na nakatutok sa isa niyang kasama. Kali held the other one’s collar and the most surprising part is: Gin and Tempest in fron of Kailani habang hinahawakan ang kamay ng lalaki kanina. A protective barrier suddenly appeared at napalingon ako. I saw Argo and Lor. Woah, what the hell is happening here?! Bakit nandito lahat?

“I was concerned why you guys are late, it turned out that these piece of trash handled you- an S Class Rank Spirit Caster who can’t even collect a single scarlet stone.” Gin said coldly. “Hindi ka ba nahihiya? Some random kids achieved this mission habang nasa inyo ang mission na ito, walang nangyari?” he added. Oh, that’s why he was frustrated at us. They’re stronger pero hindi nila nakita ang stone? How pity.

“I am not supposed to say this but I think hurting the Spirit Martial’s son is not something you should do,” Tempest said.

Bumitaw na sina Gin at Tempest while Nieve and Kali moved backward already. Damn, I did not expect that. 

“We’ll take them to the office. You can go ahead,” Gin said and he smirked. “Sir,” he emphasized at umalis na silang tatlo.

“What was that all about?” Lor asked and the barrier deactivated.

“I’m not sure actually, parang ang laki lang ng galit nila sa amin,” I replied and I sighed.

“They actually had that mission pero hindi talaga sila pumunta sa Gambier. They brought fake stone kaya nang malaman nila na nakompleto niyo, they volunteered to test that stone kasi akala nila fake rin iyon.” Gin replied and signalled us to walk with him kaya sumunod kami.

“Thanks for protecting me though,” I said at biglang tumigil si Gin. Lumingon siya sa direction ko and he tapped my head with a smile. Every time he does this makes my heart flutter- it’s like I have an older brother.

“No problem,” he replied at nagpatuloy na siya sa paglakad.

After a couple of minutes, nakarating kami sa office. He knocked on the door at pumasok kami. The principal was there, reading some documents at naaptigil kami nang makita kami. Napatingin ako sa gilid and I saw two unfamiliar faces but they were looking at us with anger. Sino na naman ito? Ano ba?! Magnet ba kami ng mga taong may masasamang loob?!

“Hex? Hugo?” Lor exclaimed. Oh, these are their other members. Dominant Swest huh?

“The principal called us too, right Hugo?” a guy with long black hair asked.

“Yeah,” the guy with a spiky red hair answered.

“Is this about the Mahika Tournament?” Kali asked.

“I think so Your Highness.” Hex replied at tumayo siya. “I’m afraid both of our teams will be in one mission,” he added with a sarcastic smile.

“That’s unfortunate then,” Kali replied with a sigh na ikinagulat ko. Bakit niya sinabi iyon?!

“W-Well,” Hex replied habang naging hilaw ang mga ngiti niya. “I guess,” he added.

“Hindi ko kayo pinatawag dito para diyan,” the principal said kaya tumayo na si Hugo at tumabi na sa amin. I glanced at each of our sides- sampo kami rito at ipapadala kami sa isang mission I guess.

We stayed silent for a couple of minutes and waited for our principal to talk.

“So,” he said at tumayo siya. He took a black folder sa gilid niya nd he placed it in fron of the table- enough for us to see it. What is it? I glanced at Gin para tanongin sana siya but he went pale. Pati na rin si Tempest ganon rin. Napaitingin ako sa kabila and they all look tensed like the world is ending. Ako lang ba ang walang alam kung ano iyan? Ako lang ba ang bobo dito? “This is your mission,” Our principal added.

“S-Sir, that’s a black folder. That’s not for students,” reklamo ni Gin.

“May kasama po kaming first years,” singit naman ni Hugo.

Why? What the hell is wrong with that folder?!

“I know which is perfect,” our principal said.

“Do you want us to die?” reklamo naman ni Kali kaya mas nagugulohan ako.

“Gusto ko lang naman makita kung sino ang karapatdapat ipadala sa tournament,” ou principal replied and he opened the folder.

“Devuniake, Lake of the Devils,” basa ko at napatingin ako sa principal namin. He’s joking right? This is one of the most contaminated areas of mainland. It has been banned for almost 10 years dahil hindi na tao ang nandon. That lake is abandoned along with its town close to it. Nabasa ko na iyon sa libro dati- a huge Pandora Box opened and closed on it’s own pero ang masaklap doon- an S Class demon appeared and lived there. The school is trying to seal that land for years already.

“May nangyayari ba sa loob, sir?” Hex asked and he looked really angry.

“Hex and Hugo are the only survivors there. It’s one of the West’s area,” Nieve whispered. Survivors?! That’s …

“If you wanna find out so bad,” our principal said and flipped on page. “Sign here,” he added at napalunok ako. Things are going so fast and it’s not even going smoothly. Joke ba ito?

“Sir, with all due respect, this is an S Class Mission sir. I can’t take them with me lalo na ang first years,” reklamo ni Gin.

“Don’t you trust them?” our principal asked at napatigil siya.

“I trust them but -” di matapos na sabi ni Gin because our principal threw a pen on him at nasalo niya.

“Then sign it,” our principal said with a smirk. “Captain,” he added and Gin doesn’t look happy at all. He has to carry this team on his own tapos apat pa kaming first years.

“Can we talk about this on our own, sir?” Gin asked at tumango ang principal namin.

“I’ll go out for you,” he said with a smile at lumabas nga siya ng tuloyan.

Nang makalabas siya, ni-isa sa amin walang nagsalita. Everyone was too tensed. Everyone was out of words. Everyone was in fear.

“Gin, I can take that mission pero kasama ang first years? Hell no!” reklamo ni Hugo. “Hindi nila alam kung anong nandoon at kung malalaman man nila, hindi na sila makakalabas ng buhay.” he added.

Is he underestimating us?

“Gin, think about this. Hindi naman sa sinabi kong mamamatay tayo, let’s just go without the first years. Nangsaganon, may pwede pang sumabak sa Mahika Tournment kung sakaling mangyari,” singit ni Hex.

“Alam ko!!” Gin shouted at bigla niyang tinapon ang pen. “Alam ko kaya tumahimik kayong lahat!” he shouted again at napatigil kami. I’ve never seen him so angry. “I don’t wanna commit the same mistake kaya alam ko kung anong sinasabi niyo.” he added and gritted his teeth.

Mistake? What mistake?

Napatingin sa amin si Gin at nagulat ako. Why is he looking at us like that? Why does he look sad?

“You’re not coming with us, first years,” he said coldly.