Reborn: The Awakening

Nine

The next morning, Elijah and Frician walked me in my designated lecture hall. They were still talking about the death of Peter Windav, the notorious Ministry Officer from Terra City.

I wasn’t really feeling well since I got home yesterday. Vergel and Elijah were right, Detention is hell in this Academia. They torture you with things you couldn’t even talk about to others.

I flinched when Elijah stopped walking and held both my shoulders. “You okay, Lierre?”

I sighed. “My head was about to burst because of your babbling.”

“At least ask your uncle Vergel about the MBO. I’m sure he knows a thing or two about his father’s work,” sambit ni Elijah habang nagniningning ang mga mata, which made my eyes roll.

“Leave her be,” bulyaw ni Frician at hinila siya palayo sa akin. Nagsimula na ulit kaming maglakad.

Bumuntong-hininga ako at bahagyang lumingon kay Frician. “Thanks.”

“Maiba ako, Cian,” pag-iiba ni Elijah ng usapan nila. “Totoo ba yung nabalitaan ko? Na darating ang ilang bagong miyembro ng MBO rito sa Academia upang i-train ang juniors?”

Pansin ko na natigilan si Frician at napasulyap sa akin na tila ba mayroong naalala. “Yeah, it was posted at the bulletin.”

Elijah’s brows furrowed. “Whoa, how unfair! They shamelessly discriminate lower years and wouldn’t even let them join the activity?”

“Maybe because it’s not necessary,” Frician irritatingly said.

Matapos ang usapan nilang iyon, buong umagang nagmukmok si Elijah. He would curse the academia management nonstop, babbling stuff about its maltreatment and discrimination against us, lower years. Sa sobrang inis niya ay naglabas siya ng isang strawbery-flavored lollipop mula sa kanyang bulsa at isinubo iyon nang hindi maipinta ang kanyang mukha.

“Don’t you, Mortals, have any control in the school’s activities?” iritadong tanong ko kay Elijah.

Lumingon siya sa akin na nakasimangot pa rin at inalis ang kendi sa bibig. “Do you think we’re the lowly Student Council?”

Tumaas ang isang kilay ko nang marinig ang sarkastiko nitong tugon. Tuluyan akong lumingon sa kanya nang huminto kami sa tapat ng lecture hall at sarkastikong nangiti. “You’re all useless, then.”

Pumasok na ako sa silid at hindi na lumingon pa sa kanila. I just also found out yesterday that Magus Black Operations (MBO) is headed and controlled by the great Harold Grenvoir. Hindi maganda ang kutob ko sa pagbisita nila rito mamayang hapon. I feel strangely uneasy.

Akmang uupo na ako sa pinakamalapit na upuan sa pintuan nang mayroong humigit sa braso ko. Paglingon ko, hindi ko inaasahan ang seryosong mukha ni Frician. She does not usually smile, yes, but her face was a little darker than usual.

“Go straight home after class,” tila nang-uutos na sambit niya. “Or just.... don’t attend your classes today. Stay at Krymmenos.”

Kinunutan ko siya ng noo habang mariin na pinagmamasdan ang mukha niya. “What’s wrong?”

“The new members of MBO...” Parang hindi pa niya maituloy ang sasabihin. She closed her eyes and heaved a deep sigh. “They were assassins from Terra City.”

Ilang minuto pa bago tuluyang nag-sink in sa akin ang mga sinabi ni Frician. Napaawang ang bibig ko, tila ba gustong kumawala ng mga salita mula rito, ngunit walang boses na lumalabas.

Napabitaw sa braso ko si Frician ngunit nanatili siyang nakatingin nang diretso sa akin. Her eyes glinted with fret and fright. “They are the Lord of the Shadow’s assassins—the new weapons of Magus.”

Pakiramdam ko ay bumagsak ang extension ng Magi Academia sa akin. If they were Master Acius’ assassins, then it’ll get really messy if they ever see me here. I should get out of this place quickly. Tama si Frician, dapat lang na magkulong muna ako sa Krymmenos ngayong araw.

“Cian,” unang salitang lumabas sa bibig ko nang mabawi ko ang boses ko. “You know me, don’t you?” Alangan siyang tumango, pilit na iniiwasan ang mga tingin ko. Ngumiti ako at tinapik ang braso niya. “That’s all I need to know. I’ll go back home.”

Nilagpasan ko siya at lumabas ng lecture hall upang bumalik na sa Krymmenos, ngunit may isang babae na sumalubong sa akin habang pababa ako ng hagdan. May suot siyang malaking salamin at may yakap na mga libro. I was guessing she was a timid nerdy student who just happened to bump onto me, but I was surprised to see her bubbly and brave.

She beamed. “Lierre Kingsley, was it?”

“Do I know you?” mabilis na tugon ko. I was also in a hurry, so I didn’t have time to chit-chat on our lecture building’s stairs.

Itinaas niya ang isa sa mga I.D. niya at ipinakita sa akin. Mayroon itong nakalagay na PRESS sa ibabang parte ng card. “I am Chantel. Editor-in-Chief of The Pinnacle, the official publication of Magi Academia.” May kinapa siya sa bulsa ng palda niya at inilabas ang isang nakatuping dyaryo mula roon. “I am planning to write a feature article about the sole survivor of the Kingdom of the Waves.”

I think I know where this is going. Umubo ako nang mahina. “And?”

“It will only be possible if you allow me to interview you.” Muli siyang nangiti sa akin bago inabot ang hawak na newspaper. “I am really hoping for your cooperation.”

“I’m sorry to burst your bubble, but I don’t think I can help you with that.” Muli kong ibinalik sa kanya ang dyaryo at nginitian siya. “I don’t have any memories in that kingdom.”

Akmang lalagpasan ko na siya nang hawakan niya ang braso ko. “I got it, I got it. But there is still one thing that I want to ask of you.”

Nangunot ang noo ko. “What is it?”

Pinaupo ako ni Chantel sa isang malambot na sofa sa loob ng isang malaking silid. Ang kalahating parte nito ay nakaayos na parang isang living room habang ang kabilang parte ay may tatlong magkakahanay na desk na punong-puno ng mga nilukot na papel, mga dyaryo, magasin, at mga nagkalat na panulat. Okupado ng isang lalaki ang gitnang desk habang kaharap ang isang hologram kung saan nakalahad ang mga datos na gusto niyang makita.

“Pasensya ka na sa opisina namin. Sobrang busy kasi ngayon kaya wala kaming oras para maglinis,” nahihiyang sabi ni Chantel nang abutan niya ako ng isang baso ng tubig at naupo sa tapat na sofa.

Inubos ko ang tubig na ibinigay niya sa akin. Ah, replenishing! ”Nagtataka lang ako kung bakit ako. I’m sure there were other students here na gustong makabilang sa publication ninyo.”

Bumuntong-hininga siya. “There weren’t. They would rather spend their whole year training and honing their magaès and battle skills than roam around the Academia and the island to search for a newsworthy story. It’s also bothersome since you could be summoned in the field amid your sleep, or class, or your bath—anytime! When an incident occured, that is.”

“Uh... exactly? I still don’t get why it has to be me? Do I look like I need some kind of nuisance of a task in my stay here?” I tried as hard as I could to suppress my annoyance, trust me. This doesn’t make sense at all. I don’t even have any experience in this field—or do I?

“Because not anyone can become a journalist, Lierre.” Inabot niya ang mga kamay ko at tiningnan ako nang diretso sa mga mata. “But you can.”

I withdrew my hands from her and scoffed in disbelief. “And how would you possibly know that by just looking at me?”

Natigilan siya at biglang natawa na ikinairita ko. Was she even sane? “Of course I wouldn’t know that by just looking at you, silly!”

“Then how-” Naputol ang sasabihin ko nang mapatingin sa I.D. niya rito sa Magi Academia. “You live in Terra City? By any chance, did you-”

Muli niyang pinutol ang sasabihin ko sa pamamagitan ng paghagikgik. “I often see you at the library of Terra. After reading, you would jot down your thoughts on a piece of paper and slide it inside the book. Almost every book in Terra has them.”

“You saw my writings?” I exclaimed.

“I read them!” She beamed in excitement. “Aside from that, you also have the courage to stand on what you believe in. You are so fit to become a journalist!”

Hindi na ako makapagsalita matapos no’n. Ang pagsusulat ko noon ng opinyon ko sa bawat libro na mabasa ko sa silid-aklatan ng Terra ay isang paraan ko lamang ng pagpapalipas ng oras at paglabas ng saloobin at mga ideya. Wala akong ibang pagsasabihan noon kung hindi ang sarili ko, so I started jotting down notes and comments on every book that I read. Another weird habit that I developed due to severe stress, or whatever. It was my escape from reality.

“I really want you to become one of us, Lierre. Help us deliver the truth to every single person here in Magi.” She sounded sincere and desperate that I couldn’t pull out rejection for an answer.

“So when you approached me earlier...” I stopped asking midway and let her complete my question on her own. I rolled my eyes when I noticed a sheepishly smile arched on her lips. “You seriously lied about writing a feature article about me?”

“Forgive me. I couldn’t think of any way to approach you naturally.” Napakamot pa siya sa batok na tila ba nahihiya siya na nabisto siya sa kalokohang ginawa. “But I actually considered writing it! I’m your fan, after all. Right, Damian?” She then turned to the center desk where we could see a man busy fidgeting his pen on a paper.

“Right,” mahinang tugon nito nang hindi tumitingin sa amin.

Muling humarap sa akin si Chantel. “So what do you think?”

Ilang minuto akong nanatiling tahimik. Honestly, I was tempted to accept the offer. Bukod sa gusto ko ang trabahong iyon, tingin ko ay makakatulong din sa akin na magkaroon ako ng ganitong klaseng koneksyon upang mas madali akong makagalaw at makakuha ng impormasyon, lalo na kapag may misyon na galing kay Master Acius. Kailangan kong mag-ingat dahil hindi ko pa kabisado ang loob at labas ng isla.

I came to this decision because I was still a bit embarassed on how poor I carried out my mission yesterday. It was a total mess compared to how I usually execute my tasks!

Ito ang unang beses kong makakita ng isang malaking bahay na pinaliligiran ng mga guwardiya. Sa dami ng mga ito, mare-realize mo kung gaano ka-importante ang taong nakatira rito.

Nakaupo ako sa sanga ng isang malaking puno na katabi lamang ng bahay ni Peter Windav. Malamig ang simoy ng hangin, ngunit hindi ko halos maramdaman ito sa kapal ng tela ng pyjamas na suot ko. I wanted to slap myself for being too excited in finally having received a mission that I forgot to dress up.

I don’t exactly have a plan on how I could enter this property with a ridiculously high security, but I would have to do it in my own hasty way. Malaki ang bahay ni Windav, ngunit gawa lamang ang kabuuan nito sa punong-kahoy. Makaluma pa ang istilo nito at sigurado akong walang kandado ang mga pinto at bintana rito, kung kaya’t madali itong mapapasok.

I positioned myself where I could clearly see the guards, so I could create an opening. I readied my right hand, which was more reliable in using magaè than the left, and formed it into a gun. I literally looked like an idiot who holds an invisible gun, but you’ll soon know how convenient this technique is at times like this.

Nakamasid lamang ako sa lagpas sampung guwardiya na nakabantay sa kaliwang parte ng bahay. Matikas na nakasandal ang mga ito sa pader, walang bakas na antok sa kanilang mga mukha.

“Okay,” bulong ko matapos tantiyahin ang nararapat na bilis ng kamay ko. Itinutok ko ang hintuturo ko sa ulo ng pinaka-unang guwardiya sa hanay at binaril iyon gamit ang water bullets na lumalabas sa dulo ng daliri ko. Without wasting a second after the first shot, I continuously threw more bullets to the other guards of different position until they finally fell on the ground, totally unconscious.

Don’t worry, they were just asleep. I could produce different types of water bullets and these ones that I used only contain sleeping potion fluids. I do not kill anyone who weren’t mentioned on the mission. The target was Peter Windav alone.

Tumalon ako sa mataas na pader na nagkukulong sa bahay ni Windav at dali-daling tumalon sa baba. I’d managed to enter his land without breaking a sweat, but I didn’t expect an alarm to went off the moment I stepped foot inside the property. Nagkagulo ang mga tao sa loob at labas, which totally ruined my plan.

Napapamura ako nang maraming beses habang tumatakbo papunta sa likod ng bahay. My clothes weren’t exactly dark in color, so it was hard to move carelessly, especially when the people and the guards around were aware that there was an intruder. Mahahanap at mahahanap nila ako.

Then an idea stumbled in my mind. Dali-dali akong umakyat sa pader ng mismong bahay hanggang sa makarating ako sa bubong. It was pretty easy since it was the most basic skill that I learned from Master Acius when I was ten.

Dumapa ako at gumapang hanggang sa makuha ko ang tamang posisyon upang masilip ko ang mga pangyayari sa ibaba. Kitang-kita ko mula rito ang mga tao na nagtatakbuhan palabas at papasok at ang mga guwardiya na halos halughugin ang bawat sulok ng lugar.

Sandali akong naupo at paluhod na gumapang patungo sa dulong parte ng bubong. Habang pinagmamasdan ko ang kabuuan ng bahay kanina, napansin ko na ang parteng ito ang mayroong pinaka-malaking silid. Ito lang din ang parte ng bahay na hindi pinapasukan ng mga tao.

Napangisi ako. “I heard Windav liked being alone.”

Since it already got a little messier, I wanted to finish the mission as soon as possible. So I calmed myself and focused on summoning my spiritual weapon. When I felt it the cold metal in the grip of my right palm, I used it to dug and break the roof.

Tumalon ako pababa sa silid ni Windav. Nadatnan ko siya na nakaupo sa harap ng kanyang mesa habang tahimik na nagbabasa ng libro. He wasn’t even surprised that I was here.

“You’ve finally come,” he said without even throwing a glance at me.

“Yeah. I hope you don’t mind,” I responded casually before I wielded my spear and reaped his ready soul.

Ha, how embarassing! I would never wish for someone to witness an assassination executed so poorly. It will never happen again; not if I’ll use my withered brain and accept Chantel’s offer.

I cleared my throat and stared at Chantel for a second. “Well... I can manage that much.”

She beamed happily. “Nice! Hindi ka nagkamali ng desisyon!”