The Spirit Martial

Spirit 19

“This school is not bad,” I whispered habang nakatingin sa paligid. Naglalakad kami ngayon sa hallways para puntahan ang area kung saan magaganap ang unang parte ng entrance exam. Medyo kinakabahan ako pero okay lang, hindi naman ako nag-iisa at kung hindi man nga ako papasa, sigurado namang hindi rin ako mag-iisa.

“You look pale,” Nieve suddenly said. Magkatabi kasi kaming naglakad at nauna sina Kali at Kailani. “Don’t tell me you’re nervous. Simple lang naman ang first part,” he said with a smile.

“Well, hindi ako sure na makakaabot ang magic molecules ko sa magic molecules ni Kailani. Baka mababa ang sa akin. I might drag him down,” I said with a nervous smile.

“Impossible. There is no way you’ll be that low kung compatible kayo ni Prince Kailani. He is close to S-class so are you or you might be even stronger than him,” he replied. Yeah, Kailani told me before.

“Paano nila nalaman yan?” I asked.

“Royalties like him are always monitored. He might be disowned by his own father but Prince Kali actually sent some troops to measure his too. The Queen actually felt enrage but that didn’t matter. Sabi nga niya, kapatid niya si Prince Kailani. Sometime he just always act tough in public because that’s how royalties are supposed to be,” he replied.

“I see,” sabi ko. Kali is really soft. “How about Kali? Is he close to S-class too?” I asked.

“Yes but Prince Kailani’s magic molecules is higher.” he replied at tumigil siya kaya napatigil ako. I looked in front at tumigil na rin pala sila.

I peeked through the spaces between Kali and Kailani and I saw students who were lining papunta sa loob. I glanced back at nakatayo sa aming likoran sina Felix. Kumunot ang noo niya at ngumiti lang ako. Ibinalik ko ang tingin ko sa harap and then the line started to dispersed. The students who were lining walked sideward at nakatitig sila sa amin. If I were standing at those sides, I’d feel bad. Pareho lang naman kaming studyante dito, we could’ve wear our uniforms. Discrimination at its finest.

They did not only bow but they knelt down at doon pa kami naglakad ulit papasok. The inside was huge and there was a large purple crystal ball at the center. May mga studyante na rin na nakaupo at tumayo sila para lumuhod. May ibang royalties na rin na nakaupo sa harapan at nakatayo lang sila. We walked down in the small spaces between the chair at nagtungo sa harapang bahagi.

There were chairs in front with our names written on it. Kami talagang apat ang nasa pinakaharap at wala na kaming ibang kasama pa. The others were behind us. Grabe naman ito. Tao lang naman kami lahat- just with different titles.

“Why is he here? I thought he was disowned?” I heard a whisper from my right side at tumigil ako sa paglalakad. Napatigil rin ang nasa likoran ko at pati na sina Kali na halatang nagugulohan.

“What’s wrong, Cygnus?” Kali asked.

Hindi ako umimik at tiningnan ko ang nagsalita. He bit his lower lip when I noticed I was staring at him and he looked away.

“You,” I said coldly at tumingin siya sa akin.

“Y-Yes, Your Highness,” he mumbled. Yeah, even though we’re just a partner of royalties tinatawag pa rin kaming ganon- well, although I’m the pure breed hindi nga lang nila alam.

“Ulitin mo sinabi mo,” I said and he was startled.

“Prince Cygnus,” biglang sabi ni Nieve as he tapped my shoulder. “Calm down, hindi pwede iyan dito,” he said with a smile and I gritted my teeth. He just insulted Kailani. “Sa labas na, okay?” he said with a cold stare towards the guy who insulted Kailani.

“Cygnus,” biglang tawag ni Kali. “What happened? What’s this fuss all about?” he asked with annoyance. “Huwag kang titigil sa kahit saan, look. We are stopping everybody’s way,” reklamo niya.

“Well, this guys asked why Kailani’s here when he dis-” putol kong sabi nang biglang hinarang ni Kali ang kamay niya sa bibig ko. He walked forward to the guy and he smiled.

“I’m sorry about that,” Kali apologized.

“Y-Y-Yes, Your Highness,” he replied with a wide smile.

“From what Family are you?” Kali asked with a smile.

“Estes Family, Your Highness,” he replied cheerfully

“So if I’ll kill your whole family, will you be able to heal them still?” he asked again pero nakangiti pa rin. The guy went pale at napaupo siya. Kali’s smile vanished and he stared at him coldly like he was some kind of pest. “Guess there is only one way to find out then,” he said coldly.

“Kali,” Kailani called. “Come on, hayaan mo na,” he said. Kailani is always like this. I envy his patience. Hindi talaga siya pumapatol sa mga ganito kahit nasasaktan na siya. “He’s just a pest anyway, don’t waste your time,” he added with a smile. Binabawi ko na. Tumatahol rin pala siya.

Nagpatuloy na kami sa paglalakad at umupo na sa hinandang upuan. We waited for a couple of minutes before the lights went out and a man with a masked appeared.

“Welcome to Oak Hills Casters Institute Entrance Exams!” he shouted and we all clapped our hands. “Before we will start, please give a round of applause to our 2 Princes of Agartha with their partners who are here to participate as well,” he added and more applauses were heard at bigla nalang akong hinila ni Nieve patayo at humarap kami sa mga tao. Grabe ang dami. I looked up and saw 4 screens there with each of our faces. Hindi naman sa nagmamayabang pero ang gwapo ko.

We sat down and this time, the masked man gave us instructions.

“This first part of entrance exam is simple. You just have to put your hand in this crystal ball and then your magic molecules amount will appear, along with your ranks. Hindi naman ito basihan talaga na pwede kang mapunta sa Classroom of the Elites. Kahit C class ka, pwede kang maging parte sa mga Elites if you do well in other parts of the exam.” he said and number ranges appeared on the screen.

100,000-250,000  C CLASS

260,000-550,000  B CLASS

560,000- 950,000 A CLASS

960,000- 1,200,000  S CLASS

1,210,000-2,150,000  SS CLASS

Now that’s some high numbers but I don’t see any D Class.

“If the magic molecules belongs to D-class or lower than 100,000- you are not qualified which means you cannot attend this school,” he added and I whispers are heard everywhere. Mas kinakabahan na ako kahit alam kong hindi ako D Class pero what if D Class nga. “Let us now begin!!” the man shouted an again, the whole room were filled applause.

Akala ko kami ang mauuna pero hindi pala. This time, royalties will go last. I stared at the students who came first and some of them are happy about the result. Hindi naman talaga natin mapipigilan na mayroon ngang mga D Class at hindi sila pasok kaya pinapalabas kaagad sila. Some were close to A Class at meron din na nakaabot talaga and every time na mag makakaabot ng A Class, nagpapalakpakan talaga sila. Sa daming studyanteng dumaan, dalawang A Class lang ang napansin ko and they have 565,000 and 566,687 magic molecules. It’s not bad actually- sana ako rin ganon.

An hour have passed and it’s the royalties’ turn at parang ito talaga ang inaabangan ng mga tao. Medyo marami kaing royalties pero mas marami talaga ang mga commoners. The first royalty had 690,000 magic molecules at siya ang nakahawak sa pinakamataas na marka sa ngayon. The others followed at pataas ng pataas ang magic molecules nila. Malapit na kami at wala ang magic molecules na nakuha ng iba ay umabot na sa 800,000.

Tumayo si Felix dahil siya na at hinawakan ang crystal. Napalunok ako dahil malapit na talaga kami. He got 890,000 and the crowd cheered. Even if his spirit is 5th in rank, malakas pa rin talaga siya. As expected. His brother, Flin, was next and he had 889,653. His is a bit lower pero malaki pa rin iyon. Kaming apat na lang ang natitira at kinakabahan na ako. Lahat ng royalties A Class- sana naman hindi ako B Class pababa.

“Next we have our true royalties with their partners. We will have first Prince Kali and Nieve,” the masked man announced at naging kabado ang lahat.

Tumayo silang dalawa at naunang humawak si Kali. The crystal ball shined and after a few minutes, the number appeared.

“The first 900,000!!” the man shouted when he saw Kali’s magic molecules- 920,652. Anong klaseng kapangyarihan yan?! The crowd wowed and the whole room was filled with applause and cheers. If ganon kataas ang kay Kali at mas mataas pa raw kay Kailani, GAANO KALAKAS SI KAILANI?

Kali moved backward and Nieve moved forward. He don’t look nervous at all at napahawak siya sa crystal ball.

Muntik na akong napatayo nang makita ko ang resulta. 918,325?!! ANG LAPIT LANG. Anong klaseng mga halimaw ba ito?! Napangiti si Kali and he started nodding like a proud lover. Nieve was happy about the result and he smiled warmly. Lumapit si Kali sa kanya and he tapped his head. Napatingin si Kali sa amin and I gave him two thumbs up and he did the same. The room were filled with cheers kasi nga sinong mag-aakala na halos pareho lang sila ng magic molecules?!

“What a surprise!! As expected fromt hese true royalties!” the masked man shouted at bumaba na sina Kali. It’s our turn.

“Lastly, we have Prince Kailani and his partner from Gambier Island, Cygnus,” the man shouted and we did not here any applause at all but we only heard whispers. Nakakakaba na talaga ito. I think I’m gonna faint.

Kailani moved forward and he touched the crystal ball. The crystal ball shined the number appeared, Agad akong napahawak sa dibdib ko nang makita ito. The whispers from crowd went silent and after a few minutes, I just heard Kali’s laugh.

“Ah- I thought I could beat you already!” he shouted and he started laughing again.

Beat him? KAILANI IS TOO STRONG!

“959,968!! KONTI NALANG AND S CLASS NA!!” the masked man shouted at napatawa na rin ako. This is guy is really something else. Kailani smiled and he moved backward and he tapped my back.

“I’m sure you’re stronger,” he said with a smile.

“Oh hell no!” I shouted at naglakad ako papunta sa crystal ball. I touched it at rinig na rinig ko talaga ang t***k ng puso ko.

The crystal ball shined and stopped after a couple of minutes. The room were filled with silence at napatingin ako kay Kali na nagulat. Hindi ko makikita ang magic molecules ko sa angle na ito!! D CLASS BA?

Kali started laughing and Nieve smiled.

“959,965!!” the masked man shouted.

ME? JUST THREE POINTS BEHIND KAILANI?!!

Is this a joke?