Chapter 48: Collision and Collusion

They were waiting outside, waiting to strike. We just know that they come only for the things they want from us. But why the risk?

"Where's the Bureau of Diverlings?" Ken exclaimed. He sounds pissed. Well,  who would not be?

"What's the bureau?" I asked.

"The government of diverlings," Harry replied. "Sa pagkakaalam ko makikialam na sila sa mga ganitong pangyayari sa loob ng school premises."

"Ano ang ibig mong sabihin?" nagtataka ko siyang tinignan.

"Based on an agreement, your ancestors and the bureau agreed to a deal that few people know. Long story short, the diverling government can't overtake or overrule any matter inside the academy premises. Unless being permitted by the academy headmaster or headmistress."

"But why so? Hindi ba sakop ng capital ang paaralan na ito?"

"Hindi. The academy was built way beyond the capital and other realms. It wasn't a school before, it was a common ground beacon for gods and other heavenly beings."

"In short, your ancestors were the protector of this beacon ground and it became the history of the past wars. It just makes sense why this is a hotspot for dark guilds and evildoers. Its name is a beacon for a reason." dagdag ni Gabriel.

"Hindi ko pa rin gets. Why would the bureau wanted to take it? And why would my ancestors fought for it?" nalilitong tanong ko sa kanila.

"Let's just say may pagka-pakialamero talaga ang bureau. They wanted to over-rule it, because of what's inside the premises. They wanted to take or investigate the land of the gods. Some say there are things hidden inside that belong to the heavenly beings, that being passed down to your ancestors." Harry sighed.

"Sa dinami-dami na mga nilalang bakit mga ancestors ko pa?" slightly annoyed, I replied.

"Heavenly beings don't trust anybody. It was because your great-great-grandmother married a god which is a forbidden law. That's why her curse was to guard or let's just say being the protector of this academy." Harry shrug. "Then, the gods also give this place to your ancestors. Permitted and so on, they own it by law."

"The bureau was envied by the favoritism. That's all." Gabriel replied.

"So, ano kinalaman dun sa deal ng bureau?" takang tanong ko.

"The land was divided in two. For the bureau to build a capital for the diverlings, they needed a center ground and this school was in the way. They fought for a way that caused the civil war a long time ago, and the gods were not happy with their greed. And things start to get nasty after that so, mga ancestors mo ang gumawa ng Hiraweian Lake. Part of the deal so the gods could lift the curse upon the war, and that serves as boundary na hindi sakop ng capital."

"Nobody wants to defy anyone from your bloodline. They feared your ancestors because the gods protected them." Harry sighed.

"Hindi ba parang unfair yun?" inis natanong ko.

"Para sa ibang hindi makaintindi, oo. Pero, the curse of your ancestors to protect this place was bind within them. Nobody wants to stay in this place for eternity right?" pagpumilit na ngiti ni Gabriel.

"That doesn't feel right," nalilito kong tingin sa kanya. "Do I need to be worried now?"

"Oh, yours was different." seryosong sabi ni Gabriel. Taka ko naman siyang tinignan.

"Gabriel." masamang tingin sa kanya ni Harry. Anong meron?

"What do you mean?" curious kong tingin sa kanila.

"Guys! Your attention please?" pagputol ni Rey Ann sa namamagitan na tension sakanilang dalawa.

Tinignan ko naman si Harry na parang nagtatanong pero ngumiti lang ito. I just feel there's something he's hiding from me again and I don't think I will ever like it.

"They should notice from now that all the dark guilds are starting to invade the academy. Unless they were being held captive?" pag-aalalang tingin ni Mark sa amin.

"Nobody would try to invade a kingdom. Or has it been like this since then they were hiding inside without anyone noticing." Maynard added.

"It could happen. Anong gagawin natin?" Kim replied.

"If this comes to an end then this really must be stopped! It's not just our realms that will be affected but also the mortal realm too!" panicking Florence exclaimed.

"Calm down, Florence. It's not the end of the worlds," pagbibiro ni Dexter na agad naman nakatanggap ng masasamang tingin. "Yet.."

"Whoa oh oh oh! We gonna live like it's the end of the world!" pag singit ni Earl habang kumakanta. BInatukan naman siya agad ni Akirra at Jerson.

"Come on guys, wala tayong panahon para magbiro. Lives are at stake here." seryosong sabi ni Gerald.

While they were busy of thinking what to do, I felt uneasiness within me. Lumingon ako sa kung saan ko naramdaman ang malakas na enerhiya.

"What's wrong?" pag-bulong ni Harry sa tabi ko. He looks worried.

"May nararamdaman kaba?" hindi ko sigurado na tanong sa kanya.

"Ang alin?" he replied.

"Something bad?" I crossed my arms as I suddenly felt cold and shivers. "I felt something unusual. It's eerie and cold, Hermano."

"Are you alright?" dali-dali naman niyang nilapat ang palad niya sa noo at mukha ko. "Hindi ka naman mainit."

Pinalo ko naman ang kamay niya at sinamaan siya ng tingin. Ang OA din kasi ni Hermano minsan.

"Never better," pilit kong ngiti. "Ang ibig kong sabihin, may kakaiba akong nararamdaman. It's like eerie energy or whatever."

"Maybe because we're surrounded by the dark guilds?" tumingin din siya sa labas ng barrier kung saan naghihintay lang ang mga ito.

Ang lamig talaga. May leather jacket na ako't lahat pero iba talaga sa pakiramdam.

"You're just sane, I can feel it too." pagsingit ni Mark sa usapan namin.

"Anong meron?" takang tanong ni Ken. Lumingon naman ang lahat sa gawi namin na nagtataka.

"Massive energy," seryosong tingin sa amin ni Wilcox. "May hindi magandang mangyayari."

"Kuya, nilalamig rin ako." pagkiskis ng kamay ni Motchi at humawak sa kamay ni Midnight.

"It's surrounding us, don't you think?" palinga-linga ni Midnight.

Lahat kami na bigla ng biglang lumabas ng malakas na boltahe si Maynard. Nakatayo lang ito na parang estatwa.

"Whoa! Bro? Okay ka lang?" akmang lalapitan sana ni Ken si Maynard ng napa-atras ito dahil sa sakit na dulot ng pag kuryente sa kanya.

"Wala munang lalapit sa kanya! Maynard? Talk to us!" sigaw ni Rey Ann na nag-aalalang tingin nito.

Nagtataka kaming napapalibutan siya. Nakakabiglang bigla na lang siya nag release ng electromagnetic energy niya.

"I-I can't move." pautal-utal na sabi nito.

"He's out of control. Are you doing this on your own?" hingal na sabi ni Ken na tinulungan naman ni Mark tumayo.

"H-Hindi." garagal na sagot nito.

Nakatingin lang kami sa kanya na hindi alam ang gagawin. Hindi naman kami makalapit dahil nakukuryente lang kami tuwing malapit ang distansya namin sa kanya. Naging puti din ang kanyang mga mata at libo-libong boltahe ang dumadaloy palabas sa kanya.

"Guys! This is not good!" sigaw ni Akirra at pagpukaw ng atensyon namin. "He's disrupting the academy defenses!"

Agad naman namin tinanaw ang kalangitan at katulad nung pumasok ang mga Onyx kanina ay parang nag gli-glitch na rin ang barrier.

"What do you mean? How?" sigaw ko.

"It's not just the mountain ash and mix abilities from mages that keep this institution secure. You know, things to make the solid barrier. It's also the electromagnetic energy!" Akirra exclaimed while he touched the ground.

"ASSEA is built on the convergence of telluric currents. Simply called as lay lines." Harry replied.

"It's what allows it to keep certain elemental and supernatural creatures in and certain others out," Gabriel added.

"What's lay lines?" takang tanong ko. All I can do is ask these stupid questions the whole time!

"Telluric current, also called Earth current, is a natural electric current flowing on and beneath the surface of the Earth and generally following a direction parallel to the Earth's surface," Akirra said.

"Ha? I thought this place was in another dimension. So why would the telluric current still work here?" pagtataka kong tanong.

"Dummy, because it's still Earth. Just think of it as a paper with a thin layer. Kung guguhit ka sa harap ng papel, makikita mo pa rin ang ink sa likod nito," Glenn replied.

I just rolled my eyes at him. Dummy talaga? Hindi ba pwede na confused lang ako saglit? Sa dami ba namang sunod-sunod na mangyayari nag fu-function pa ba ang utak ko?

Napasigaw naman kami ng biglang natumba at namilipit sa sakit si Maynard. Humihiyaw ito at natataranta kaming tumingin lang sa kanya.

"We need to help him!" Earl exclaimed, almost crying.

"How?! We can't even get close to him!" Florence replied.

"Something is disrupting his energy. The lay lines are also getting weaker." Akirra stood up from touching the ground.

"Ano?" galit na sigaw ni Rey Ann. "Ken? What should we do? We can't just leave him like this!"

"Plus anytime now, once the barrier is down, the dark guilds will infiltrate this academy." casual na sabi ni Kim.

"Why are you still calm?" naiiyak na sabi ni Florence sa kanya. Inirapan naman siya ni Kim.

"Akirra? Do you mean something or someone?" tumahimik naman kami at napatigil sa pag-iisip. "We felt cold earlier," said Wilcox. "It's possible that someone causes Maynard's ability to go berserk."

"Manipulator?! Then where?" Dexter exclaimed.

"W-What is that?" natataranta kong tanong.

"It's an ability user that can manipulate one's energy," Gerald replied.

"So, basically, you're saying that this person is using Maynard to disrupt the academy defenses?!" sigaw na pag pa-panic ni Florence.

"Exactly." tipid na sagot ni Wilcox.

"What now? The barrier is the only thing that protects us here. The dark guilds are outside!" Florence replied.

"Calm down, Florence. First, we need to figure out how to calm Maynard and find the culprit, they must be close here. Second, let's seek Chief Sigismund's team that was securing the area. We need everyone's help for this," Ken said with authority. We just nodded at him in response.

"Guys? Where's Jerson?" nag-aalalang boses ni Earl habang palinga-linga ito. "He was just here earlier."

"Lorenz and Ghiovanni aren't here either, they're gone!" Dexter replied.

Nagulat naman kami ng may lumitaw na itim na usok sa harap namin. Yung nararamdaman kong lamig ay mas dumoble pa.

"Morgana! Behind me!" sigaw at paghila ni Harry sa akin. Nakatago ako ngayon sa mga bisig nila ni Gabriel.

"Well, well, well, look what we have here." an eerie voice of a man appeared from the smoke.

His eyes are dead as obsidian, and he wears a black robe over his well-needed tuxedo. He has white, silvery hair and a sinister smile. He was smirking at us.

I never felt this eerie energy before. Is this the one we felt earlier?

"Who the hell are you?!" galit na sigaw ni Ken.

Lahat kami ay nakatutok sa bagong dating na tauhan. Nakahanda ang mga katawan namin na parang lulusong na sa laban.

"A royal blood?" nagkunwaring nabigla ang ekspresyon nito at tumawa ito ng mahina. Tawa na parang nang-aasar. "Where are my manners?"

"Allow me to introduce myself, your highness." pag-akto nito na yumuko ang ulo. "I'm Hell," pag-tawa naman nito. "Hello." malumanay na boses nito at pagkulay pula ng mata niya.

Nagulat naman ako ng lahat ng kasama ko ay natumba at namilipit sa sakit. Natataranta ko silang nilapitan.

"What the fuck did you do to my friends?" galit na sigaw ko sa kanya.

"Oh? Akala ko ba nobody could withstand the hell?" pagtataka niyang tingin sa akin na may pagka-kuryusidad.

"M-Morgana... R-Run!" nanghihinang boses ni Harry. Nilapitan ko naman siya.

"What's happening? Anong nangyayari sa inyo?" pag-aalala ko.

"Mom, L-Leave us!" pagpilit at mahinang boses ni Midnight ang pumukaw sa akin.

"No! I can't just leave you guys like this!" natataranta at mangiyak-ngiyak kong sigaw.

"You must be the legacy," the man said, almost sound-like disgusted. "Nagpabaya yata ako. Come out here, young man!" sigaw nito na parang may tinatawag.

Palinga-linga naman ako at hinahanap kung sino ang dumating. Hanggang sa may naglalakad galing sa madilim na punuan. Hindi ko pa klaro kung sino ang bagong dating, pero tiyak napasinghap at nagtataka namin tinignan ito.

"B-Bullshit!" paghuhumiyaw na sigaw sa galit si Akirra.

"Hello." tipid na sabi ni Lorenz.

"The fuck! Ginagago mo ba kami?!" galit na sigaw ko sa kanya.

"L-Let me punch you first, then we should decide whether it's worth saying hello." nanginginig sa galit na sagot ni Gabriel.

Hindi niya kami pinansin at yumuko ito sa lalaking nasa harap namin na parang masayang nanunuod.

"My lord," he said.

"Young man, tell me. Is this the one?" he pointed his finger in my direction.

"Yes, my lord." tipid na sabi ng walang-hiyang si Lorenz.

"She's weak," he replied. "She doesn't deserve the blessings."

"For pete's sake, piss off!" pagpumilit na sigaw ni Harry.

Nagulat naman ako ng biglang lumipad si Hermano at tumilapon palayo sa akin.

"Harry!" sigaw ko. "Anong ginagawa mo?" galit na tingin ko kay Lorenz.

"Masyadong pabida." malamig na tugon nito. "Walang silbi! Anong feeling na maging mahina, Morgana?" a sly smirk plastered across his face.

Lumapit ito sa akin at marahas na tinayo ako sa panga ko. Nagpipigil naman ako sa sakit ng pagkahawak niya. Hindi ko siya bibigyan ng satisfaction na nasasaktan na ako. Nagtatagisan lang kaming nakatingin sa isa't-isa.

Galit akong tinignan siya. Una pa lang, hindi na maganda pakikitungo niya sa akin sa hindi ko maintindihan na dahilan. Hindi ko naman pinipilit ang sarili ko makisiksik sa tao kung ayaw nila sa akin. Wag mo lang talagang isagad ang pasensya ko dahil hindi mo pa nakikita kung paano ko ibubuhos yun.

"Let her go!" sigaw ni Gabriel at pinupulot ang kamay nito sa paa ni Lorenz. Sinikmuraan naman ito ni Lorenz at agad siya namilipit sa sakit at dumugo ang labi nito.

"Pathetic." galit na sabi ko sa kanya.

Mas diniinan naman niya ang pagkahawak sa panga ko. Alam kong nangangalaiti na ito sa galit dahil parang wala lang sa akin ang paghawak niya. How could he do this? Betraying his friends for what?!

"Let her go." sabi nung lalaki.

Marahas naman niya akong binitawan at napahiga ako sa damuhan. Nalasahan ko naman ang sarili kong dugo dahil sa pagkakadapa ko.

"Alam mo binibini, this will happen to the people who never even considered the consequences," he said. "The higher-ups who decided to reignite a supernatural and elemental force they barely understand."

"Ano ang ibig mong sabihin?"

"Using the stupid youth to solve the cases of mysterious activities? Even the crucial things for keepsakes? Did the worlds have been this down low since I was gone?!" galit na sigaw nito at nagtatangis ang mga bagang.

"Foolish mere-folk! How irony!" lumakad naman ito ng pahina sa gawi ko at umaatras naman ako. "How could someone like you have that?"

"Wala akong alam sa sinasabi mo." casual na sagot ko.

"Of course! Because you're a gullible foolish kid who doesn't know everything," he smirked at me.

"Do you want to know what's your curse?" nalilito ko naman siyang tignan. "Do you want to know the secrets na pilit nilang tinatago sa iyo?"

"A-ano ang ibig mong sabihin?" takang tanong ko.

"Gusto mo bang malaman ang lahat kung bakit iniwan ka ng mga magulang mo?"

"N-No! Don't listen to him, Morgana!" pagpilit na sigaw ni Harry.

"They were dead, I presume?" tumawa naman ito na parang natutuwa sa nakikita niya. "Isa ka ngang hangal na pinaglalaruan lamang."

I just stared at him intently. I want to show him how mad I am feeling right now.

"What if, my dear? You're right all this time?" inikotan naman niya ako at bumulong sa likod ko. "That they were still alive?"

Nagulat naman ako at parang na estatwa sa kinatatayuan ko. I wanted to respond; I wanted to say that he's lying. But what if he's right?

"Oh, there's more!" mahinang pagtawa nito sa harap ko. He's mocking me, and he's enjoying teasing and playing with my emotions.

"What if, you ever had a sibling? You never know, and it was just right here around us right now." a sly smirk smug around his face.

Nanginginig ang bagang at kamay ko sa galit. Ayokong paniwalaan siya dahil wala naman basehan ang pinagsasabi niya.

"You're lying!" galit na sigaw ko sakanya.

"Isn't this exciting?" he merrily said while slowly clapping. "Just look at yourself now, how miserable."

"You see, hindi naman hahantong sa ganito kung hindi lamang sa iyo binigay ng mga stupid na gods ang blessing."

Marahas naman niya akong tinayo at akmang hahawakan sana sa leeg ng mapaso ito. Napahiyaw naman ito sa sakit. Nataranta naman akong napaatras.

"What the fuck did you do to me?" galit na sigaw niya sa akin at napatingin sa kamay niya. Nagulat naman ako ng mapaso ito at parang nasunog ang kamay niya.

"My lord!" sigaw ni Lorenz at lumapit sa kanya.

"Kill her!" galit na sigaw nung lalaki. Dahan-dahan namang lumapit si Lorenz sa akin, pero biglang naging yelo siya.

"Are you okay?" paglapit sa akin ni Gabriel. Mahina at hinihingal pa rin ito na para bang nauubusan ng enerhiya.

"We escaped from his bind, maybe because of what you did to him. Somehow, for a second, his ability stopped manipulating us," Ken explained.

"Foolish people!" nanginginig sa galit nito. "You'll pay for this."

Then suddenly, the ground started to shake making us feel more worried. What's going to happen?