Unang araw palang pero may uniform na agad ang freshman. Luel looked at the mirror before taking the exit of the bathroom.

Nakaskinny black pants parehas ang babae at lalaki. May puting long-sleeves na polo sa loob at mayroon din iyong necktie. Napatungan iyon ng long-sleeves na sweater. The color of sweater depended on the element that one belongs to. Red for Fire, Blue for Water, Green for Earth, and Silver for Air.

Inatasan na silang isuot ang uniform nila para sa first assembly, which is the dinner.

Inayos ni Luel ang maikli niyang buhok, at nang tingnan niya ang mata niya'y napansin niyang mas naging mapula ito. Every time na magfu-full moon ay napapansin niyang mas nagiging mapula at makinang ang mata niya.

Sumakit din ang likod niya, at tila nakaramdam ng paso. Binalewala niya nalang iyon, at tiningnan si Elara. She looked professional, but approachable at the same time. She tried to start a conversation with Luel as they walk their way out of the Air Village.

"Ano nga pala ang kapangyarihan mo?" tanong niya. Nagkibit-balikat si Luel, dahil hindi naman niya talaga alam ang tunay niyang kapangyarihan.

"Ikaw ba?" maikling tanong niya pabalik.

Elara smiled as it was the first time that Luel spoke to her, "maybe anything connected to the air. Pero ang pinaka-gusto kong abilidad ko ay I become one with air."

Tinaas naman niya ang kamay niya na nagmukhang almost invisible. It was a rare ability, but since Elara is a pure air elemental, nagagawa niya iyon. Now, Luel got more curious on Elara's ability.

"If you become one with air, then you become invincible?" Tanong ni Luel, at sinubukang hawakan ang naka-taas na kamay ni Elara. She didn't catch it, so she waited for Elara's answer.

"Yes, but it also has disadvantages," wika niya at muling binalik sa normal form ang kaniyang kamay.

"Maaaring para sa iba ay mahirap akong talunin dahil nagiging invincible ako, pero sa iba naman ay mas nadadalian sila dahil i-pollute lang nila ang air ay mabilis na akong matatalo," dagdag ni Elara kaya't napakunot noo si Luel.

How can one possibly pollute air? Isip niya.

"Mahirap rin kontrolin ang abilidad na iyon. If I fail to manage and control it completely, I would forever lose my physical form, and become air," iyan ang huling sinabi ni Elara bago malungkot na ningitian si Luel.

Tumango naman si Luel, at naisip na mahirap ang kakayahan ni Elara. She thought, great power grants either win or complete loss.

"My sphinx is a sylph. Iyon ang gagamitin ko para makapunta sa Aeria, or the main dining hall. Since wala ka pang sphinx, pwede mong gamitin ang mga roc na naroon sa tabi ng park," wika ni Elara at napatingin sa may parke.

Napanguso siya at napansing naubos na ang mga roc. Naubos na ang mga roc at napansin din iyon ni Luel. She knows inside na pwede naman siyang mag-summon ng kung ano mang flying creature na magdadala sa kaniya roon. But then, she needs to keep it a secret. She needs to hide that she can summon creatures and souls.

"I'll just use my abilities to go there, and then I will summon my sylph to send you to Aeria," sabi ni Elara at ngumiti. "My sphinx, sylph, is actually invisible to other's eyes. May ilan na nakakakita nito like the Berseker Family and the bloodline of Lady Anika."

Sinummon ni Elara ang sylph mula sa soul niya, at nakita naman ni Luel ang isang fairy-like creature na kamukha ni Elara. Nang mapansin naman ni Elara na nakadiretsong tingin si Luel sa sphinx niya ay nagulat siya, "You can see my sylph?"

The sylph had wings, and it looked more or a ballerina. Her hair was gold, and her eyes were gray. It was like Elara's higher and more magical form.

Tumango naman si Luel as she watched her sylph. The sylph might know my secret, isip ni Luel at biglang umiling kay Elara, "I'm sorry, Elara. I think I forgot my spatial ring inside the cabin. Mauna na kayo, at hihintayin ko nalang bumalik ang mga roc."

Ngayon ay ang slyph ni Elara ang nagsalita, "Vampire."

Nanlaki naman ang mata ni Luel, at marahas na tiningnan ang sylph. Mukha namang hindi iyon narinig ni Elara, kaya't nagsimula nang tumakbo palayo si Luel.

Elara looked at Luel's back in confusion. Her sylph spoke to her, "She's secretive, Elara. Don't trust that vampire so much."

"Vampire?" nanlaki ang mata ni Elara habang nakatingin sa sylph niya. It was odd that Luel saw the form of her sylph, but it was more odd that her sylph recognized her as a vampire. It was a rare being in the whole Aerilon. There were less than ten vampires in the whole existence of Aerilon. They were noted to live in the outskirts of Helevetik.

"She has vampire blood. I can sense it," wika muli ng sylph ni Elara. Napatingin naman si Elara sa buwan, so Luel is a child of the moon? She thought before her feet leaves the ground. If it was true, then did Lady Sinclair have vampire blood? Or was it her dead father?

Vampires in Aerilon were considered one of the darkest creatures. They feed on the blood of sphinxs, and for the mean time, they would absorb the abilities of sphinxs. They are also called children of moon because their abilities only come out during nighttime.

Natandaan naman ni Elara ang nangyari sa test ni Luel kanina. She was able to kill all sphinxs in the daytime. That was impossible for vampires. Unang araw palang ngunit mukhang may bago na namang personal mission si Elara: to find out Luel's true identity.

Nahawi ang mga ulap sa tuwing dadaan si Elara. She landed at the grounds of Aeria, and noticed that almost everyone was there. Hinanap ng kaniyang mata si Krystal Liraia, ang matalik na kaibigan ni Luel.

Hinila niya si Krystal sa isang pwesto, at kaagaran siyang tinanong. "Do you know that your friend has vampire's blood?" tanong niya, at mas mariin na hinawakan ang kamay ni Krystal.

Pinalamig naman ni Krystal ang kamay niya kaya't bumitaw na si Elara. She looked at Elara with question in her eyes, vampire's blood?

"My sylph has recognized it. Alam mong ang mga sylph ay ang pinaka-matalino sa mga sphinxs. I'm sure my sylph was correct," tumaas pa ng bahagya ang boses ni Elara. As a faithful student of Aerilon Academy, her goal is to prevent any danger for the academy. Luel's vampire blood meant danger.

Umiling naman si Krystal at matigas na nagsalita, "I have known Luel for all my life. Kung totoo man ang sinasabi mong mayroon siyang vampire blood, then be it, Elara. Luel is not dangerous."

"Don't dig more, Elara. You might accidentally dig your own grave," malamig na wika ni Krystal bago iniwan si Elara.

Huminga siya nang malalim kahit siya ay nagtataka kung bakit may dugo ng bampira ang kaniyang kaibigan. Gayunpaman, hindi nawala ang tiwala niya sa kaibigan. She knew that she needs to protect her at this moment.

Lumingon siya kay Elara na ngayon ay kausap si Zach, isa sa mga trusted students ni Sinclair Rofocale. She's sure that Zacharias will also protect Luel.

Elara needs to shut up, isip ni Krystal.

Aerilon Academy
By lostmortals
Plagiarism is a crime.

Thank you for reading!