Chapter 8

Cassy's Point of View

Cassy's Point of View

JUST as what I thought. Pero papaano napunta ang isang ogre sa lugar na ito? This is too far from their usual habitat. At isa pa, kung may ogre na namamalagi rito, nalaman at nakita na sana ito ng academy. Darn, paano ba talaga napunta rito ang halimaw na 'to? Na-alerto ako nang humakbang ito palapit sa amin. Kaagad kong iniharang ang magkabilang kamay ko para protektahan ang mga kasama ko.

"Stand back, idiots, I'll handle this one."

Alleyn took a step forward and held my wrist. "You're sealed, Cassy, it's too risky. Let's just run and ask for some help."

Inalis ko ang kaniyang kamay. "Run? Where? Where do you want to run, Alleyn? We have nowhere to run, because we are lost in the first place."

"Bahala na kung maligaw tayo, basta ang importante ay makalayo tayo sa ogre na 'yan," sabat naman ni Evagne, na ngayon ay kitang-kita na ang takot sa kaniyang mga naluluhang mga mata.

"We can't run. Kung gusto n'yo talaga, then go, but I will stay here. Haharapin ko ang halimaw na 'yan with or without mana." Hindi ko na sila pinansin at naghanap na ako ng maaaring gamitin para ipanlaban sa halimaw. Pero natigilan ako nang hablutin ni Evagne ang kamay ko.

"C-Cassy, t-tara na!" His voice cracked and beads of water started rolling down from his eyes. "P-Papatayin tayo ng halimaw na 'yan!"

"Shit! May issue nga pala si Evagne sa mga ogre!" sabat ni Sapphire. "Please, Cassy, tara na!"

"I will stay," matigas kong sambit. "Idiots!" kaagad kong pinulot ang sanga ng puno. Puwede na 'to. "Tumakbo kayo kung gusto n'yo, but I will stay here and that's final." Damn you, idiots, bakit ba hindi n'yo makuha ang gusto kong sabihin? I want to buy you some fuckin' time to escape!

"Tara na," sabat ni Cristof. "Naiintindihan ko na kung ano ang gustong ipahiwatig ni Cassy," dagdag niya bago hinila ang iba.

"Ano bang gusto niyang ipahiwatig?" kunot-noong tanong ni Sapphire.

"She wants to buy us enough time to escape," sagot nito. "She's saving us."

Lihim akong napangiti. Sa wakas, may nakakuha rin ng point ko. "Save your ass. Huwag kayong mag-assume. I just want to test kung kaya ko bang patumbahin ang halimaw na iyan kahit na wala akong mana," pagsisinungaling ko. "Now, run, dahil magiging pabigat lang kayo."

The ogre growled and started walking toward us. Napahigpit ang hawak ko sa sanga. "RUN!"

Wala silang nagawa kundi ang tumakbo, dahil hinila nina Cristof at Evagne ang dalawang babae. Nang mawala sila sa paningin ko ay pinagmasdan kong muli ang ogre. Kanina pa ako nagtataka sa ikinikilos nito. Natural na mabagsik ito, pero ngayon, it seems like it's scanning and observing me.

Itinutok ko sa kaniya ang sangang hawak ko nang muli itong umatungal. "Let's see who will fall on the ground." I was about to attack it, when someone popped out in front of me and pushed me away. Darn, I almost kissed the ground! Tiningnan ko kung sino ito at napataas ang kilay ko nang maramdaman ko ang kakaibang lakas nito. I scanned the back of this tall and masculine man standing in front of me who has this pale complexion that compliments his silvery hair.

"I'll handle this," malamig nitong sambit.

"No. I will," I insisted. I was about to take a step forward when a big luminous white magic circle appeared from where he is standing. Naglabas ito ng malakas na aura dahilan para bahagyang humangin sa palibot namin. Who is this man?

Umatungal muli ang ogre nang masilaw ito sa liwanag na inilalabas ng magic circle. Kaagad itong tumakbo sa kinaroroonan ng lalaki. Akmang hahampasin na nito ang huli nang biglang magsilitawan sa ere ang maliliit na puting magic circle na mabilis na umiikot-ikot. A priest, huh?

"Judgement," bulong ng lalaki kasabay ng paglabas ng mga puting hibla ng liwanag mula sa mga maliliit na magic circle. Bumulusok ang mga ito sa kinaroroonan ng ogre at pumulupot hanggang sa tuluyan nang mabalot ang halimaw. At akala ko ay iyon na, pero, muling nagsilitawan ang mga maliliit na magic circle sa palibot ng ogre. "Order." After he said those words, the threads of light became brighter and brighter, and the ogre started screaming in pain. Umalingawngaw sa buong paligid ang sigaw ng halimaw kasabay ng pag-ihip ng hangin mula sa kinatatayuan ng lalaki.

Natakpan ko ang aking mga mata nang tumingkad nang husto ang liwanag. The ogre's scream vanished as the light lost its vibrance. Tiningnan ko ang kinaroroonan ng ogre at tanging ang pamalo na lang nito ang natira. It vanished completely.

"You are saved," malamig na sambit ng lalaki at akmang maglalakad na sana pero kaagad ko siyang hinarangan. Dahil doon ay nakita ko ang kaniyang mukha. Pero hindi lubusan dahil natatabunan ng kaniyang buhok ang kalahati nito. "Move."

Hindi ako nadala sa malamig niyang boses. Sanay na ako sa ganiyan, dahil ako mismo ay ganiyan din. Iniharang ko ang magkabilang kamay ko at matalim siyang tiningnan sa mukha. Damn, I just can't accept the fact that he intervened! "I did not ask for help," malamig kong sambit. "I can handle that weak creature alone."

"Says who?" Tiningnan niya ako mula ulo hanggang paa. "A twig?" hindi makapaniwalang sambit nito. "You think you can defeat that monster using that? Don't be so ridiculous."

Nag-igting ang panga ko sa sinabi niya. Napaghigpit ang hawak ko sa sanga hanggang sa mabali ito. How dare he belittle me! "I can handle that monster, dumbass. I am strong enough to do that."

"You don't appear strong enough. You're weak."

Naikuyom ko ang aking kamay at sinubukang gamitin ang kapangyarihan ko. Napangiwi ako nang maramdaman ko ang nakakapasong pakiramdam sa aking kamay kung nasaan ang seal. Shit! I guess I am left with no choice. I closed my eyes as I tried to awaken my sleeping strength. And as I opened my eyes, the left one turned intense purple. The seal on my hand turned into smoke and vanished in the thin air. I smirked. Tiningnan ko ang lalaki. "I can't just let you insult me, dumbass."

"I am not insulting you. I am just stating the obvious," he answered. "You are the one who is insulting me by calling me a dumbass."

"Really, huh?" I smirked as purple lines appeared on the ground, forming into a big magic circle. Purple mist started coming out, covering the whole place. "Let me, the one you called weak, show you my power."

"Nonsense," he whispered.

"Fuck you."

"That's it. You don't have the rights to curse at me," he answered in a monotonous voice as a luminous magical circle appeared, releasing white mist. "I'll teach you a lesson," he added as small magic circles appeared, surrounding me.

"Teach me a lesson?" I chuckled, mocking him. "I already learnt a lot," I added as small purple magic circle appeared in front of every small magic circle he made.

I can feel the power our colliding auras produced. Halos maduwal na ang mga kahoy sa paligid, at halos maglaho na ang kadiliman dahil sa liwanag na dulot ng aming mga kapangyarihan. White threads of light started coming out from his magic circles. But I cannot let him dominate. Black lightning came out in my magic circle, opposing the power of his trick.

"Bawiin mo ang sinabi mo!" giit ko.

"I won't. You are weak."

"Fuck you!"

"Don't curse at me!"

We are about to release our attacks when a gold magic circle appeared on top of us and released golden chains that immediately coiled around our body, disabling our ability to use our mana. Fuck this seal!

An archangel covered with golden light appeared right between us and diffused our attacks with a single snap of his hand. He glanced at us and slowly shook his head from side to side, making his long golden hair sway in the air. "You're drawing too much attention, kiddos."

"Gabriel," we said in chorus.

"Glad that you both recognized me," he replied with a smile. Pero ilang segundo lang ay naglaho ang ngiting iyon at napalitan ng isang seryosong mukha. "Now, time to get serious."

"What do you want?" malamig na tanong ng lalaki.

"Raven, you and this girl..." he replied pointing me. "...will be tasked to protect something important. A thing that will decide the fate of tomorrow."

"You're a member of Circle of Mages, right?" tanong ko na tinanguan niya. "That means you're one of the strongest creatures on this land. And I am certain that you no longer need us to protect that thing."

Hinarap ako ni Gabriel. "You know, kid, every power has its limitation. It has some borders that must not be crossed. And it happens that task is out of my reach. I can't handle it. We, the Circle of Mages can't handle it. All we can do is to lend you a hand."

"Why?" tanging nasambit ko dahil wala akong maintindihan. Nang tingnan ko si Raven, ay walang emosyon lang itong nakatingin sa arkanghel, pero kita ko sa mata niyang wala rin siyang alam. "Ano ang rason?"

"Due to what we did to the God of Havoc," he answered. "I am begging you."

"It's fine with me," Raven answered as he turned his back away from us. "Just tap me when the day we need to protect it comes," he added as he walked away.

Nang mawala nang tuluyan sa paningin namin si Raven ay naiiling na bumaling sa akin si Gabriel. Kumunot ang noo ko nang seryoso niya akong tiningnan bago siya ngumisi. "I know who you are, kid. I know your origin, your power, and your secret," sambit niya, dahilan para uminit ang aking ulo. Akmang magsasalita na sana ako nang muli siyang nagbitiw ng mga salita, "But, if you will accept my request, I, together with the Circle of Mages, promise to never disclose anything about you." Naikuyom ko ang aking kamao, bago napayuko. Damn this seal! Pinilit kong gamitin ang mana ko pero wala talaga. This archangel's seal is stopping me from using it. Umangat ang sulok ng kaniyang labi. "Seems like that look says yes, am I right?"

"Tss. Fuck off. As if I have a choice."

Umalingawngaw ang kaniyang malutong na tawa. "You and that semideus-I mean Raven, shares the same attitude."

Umangat ang isang kilay ko. So I was wrong to call that man a priest, ey? "Semideus, huh, who's his parent by the way?"

"He is the son-the one and only child of the Divine God, Divinus."

Napatango ako. No wonder why he had the guts to show off. May ibubuga pala talaga siya. Tiningnan ko si Gabriel. "Remove this seal already. I still have to find my friends."

Umiling siya. "Not yet. I still have to do something."

HAWAK-HAWAK ko ang aking ulo habang binabagtas ang masukal na kagubatan, dahil sa hindi pa rin nawawala ang kirot nito. Damn that archangel! Ano bang pumasok sa utak niya at ginawa niya iyon? Tss. Served him right. I guess everyone will be shocked if they'll find out what happened to him.

Matapos ng ilang minutong paglilibot ay sa wakas natagpuan ko na rin ang mga classmate ko. Hindi lang sila, kundi maging ang iba pa naming batchmates. Everyone seems to be searching for us-for me, dahil nang makita nila ako ay bumagsak ang mga balikat nila at nakahinga sila nang maluwag. I even heard some murmurs, saying that I am such a pain in the ass. Well, first of all, I never asked for them to find me. Fuck them!

"Fifth Honor!" Evagne called and rushed towards me together with Alleyn, Sapphire, and Cristof. My eyes widened when they caged me on their arms. "Akala namin nakain ka na ng halimaw na 'yon!" he added.

Hindi ko maipaliwanag ang nararamdaman ko. Why does it feels so warm to be in their arms? Ganito ba ang pakiramdaman ng niyayakap? Umiling ako bago sila itinulak. "Get off me, you weaklings! Ang baho n'yo!"

"Sus, nahihiya ka lang sabihin na nagustuhan mo ang group hug, e!" pang-aasar ni Sapphire.

"Shut the fuck up or I'll stuff your mouth with my full power."

"Scary," sabay na sambit ni Evagne at Sapphire bago sila naghagalpakan ng tawa. Nahagip din ng mga mata ko ang pag-iling at pag-angat ng labi nila Alleyn at Cristof.

"Tss. Whatever," sambit ko at akmang maglalakad na sana palayo sa kanila, pero na-alerto ako nang marinig ko ang tili ng isa sa mga batchmate namin, bago sunud-sunod na nagsilitilian ang iba pa. Explosions were everywhere. Kaagad akong lumapit sa mga classmate ko. Guess I need to protect these weaklings again, huh?

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