/34/
Confrontation

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I CURSED out loud as soon as I was out in the air and away from the cloud of dust that I had conjured.

The skies have turned into a dark, gloomy shade of gray as I rose further into the heavens. Parang nararamdaman ko rin ang biglang pag-lakas at pag-nipis ng ihip ng hangin as the sunlight slowly faded away.

That was a close call.

Kung hindi pa ako kumilos agad ay siguradong natigok na ako ng mga Thalia Mages or whatever potion that Raiden Fletcher, son of King Magnus Fletcher, threw at me.

With heavy breaths, I then controlled my body and readied myself for landing. But with the shakiness that I got from the close call of my death, I tumbled onto the forest ground instead — rolling through the pile of dirt and leaves habang pilit na hinahabol ang aking hininga.

I opened my mouth and took the deepest of breaths as I lied fervently on the forest ground's damp soil. Napahawak agad ako sa aking kwintas as I heaved my chest and closed my eyes for a minute.

For a moment, I felt relieved being alive.

Nang medyo nahabol ko na ang aking sariling hininga, dahan-dahan kong binuksan ang aking dalawang mata. My eyes blinked as I looked up to the darkening sky. Magkakaroon ba ng bagyo?

With a shaky breath, I then turned my head to the side whilst propping both elbows up onto the ground. Mariin kong tinignan ang aking paligid. Mukhang nakalayo naman na ako sa base ng Thalia dahil sa wakas ay nakahanap na ako ng source of water.

I slowly sat up despite the throbbing pain in my head and sighed once more in relief. The rushing and gurgling of the river's mouth that lay before me calmed me down as I finally caught my breath.

Out of instinct, I crawled towards the riverbend as if I was a thirsty wolf and cupped both of my hands together before dipping it in the cool water.

Agad ko itong hinilamos sa aking mukha, feeling the freshness of the water on my cheeks. Hindi pa ako nakuntento at uminom na rin mula sa sapa.

"Oh, thank Luna." I mumbled in gratitude and relief as I continued to quench my thirst.

"Really? You think we're that easy?" An unfamiliar voice said and I almost choked myself with the water.

I then whirled around to see one unfamiliar female Thalia Mage.

I turned my head in confusion. This one was a girl with hair as dark as their battle attire and full bangs that covered her forehead. She had chinky, olive eyes and a grim line for her lips. Her head craned to the left, as if disgusted with me thus why she was avoiding my gaze.

"You're an offense." I say in surprise, realizing that she wasn't any of the two female Thalia Mages back in their base. This girl was a completely different one from the two girls I had battled earlier.

I then alerted my senses and balled my hands into fists as I stood up to ready my stance. Kakatapos palang ng isang laban ay mayroon na ulit akong panibagong opponent.

I wonder how my other friends were doing. Marami na rin ba silang nakalaban katulad ko?

"Yes I am." she replied, and finally turned her head to meet my gaze with her steel, gray irises.

I didn't want to show any signs of weakness or fear, but I was taken aback by the coldness in her gray eyes. She was intimidating and creepy, like a porcelain doll whose eyes pierced right through my soul.

"I saw you take our crown, Luna Mage." She said coolly, a wand on her left hand. Unlike Reed Electró, this one seemed to not know my name.

"And now, you're going to give it back." She added before suddenly lunging towards me and moving her lips rapidly in mumbles and chants.

Panic rose from my chest at her swiftness and agility. I was about to sprung up into the air nang bigla kong naramdaman ang pag-tigil.

Everything seemed to have stopped as I froze into place.

But this one was different. Parang pati ang aking hininga ay kaniyang pinigil.

My eyes gave a glint of terror habang kinakapa niya ako at ang aking kadamitan. "WHERE IS OUR CROWN?!" She raged when she realized that their precious Thalia Crown wasn't anywhere near me.

Hindi ako makasalita, but using my mind, mariin akong nag-focus sa kaniya. Sumang-ayon naman ang aking psychokinetic ability at nagawa kong hagisin ang dalaga sa gilid just by merely using my mind.

I gasped for air as soon as she was on the ground and I had broke free from her enchantment.

Agad akong lumipad sa ere and was quick to hung onto one nearby branch as I eyed her struggling to get up from the ground.

"Don't be afraid, I just want a playmate." She snickered sarcastically at agad kong inihampas ang aking kamay sa ere para kontrolin ang kaniyang katawan.

Sa bawat galaw ng aking kamay ay sumasabay ang kaniyang katawan na inihahampas ko sa sahig.

Kada pagtama niya sa sahig ay umuungol ito sa sakit — not until she reached out her hand that held her wand and yelled a spell.

"Impetus!" A large purple spark blasted from her wand's tip and attacked me, hitting my shoulder as I toppled down onto the ground.

"Shit!" I gasped in pain as my sore shoulder hit the cold forest floor.

Napansin ko namang unti-unti nang tumayo ang aking kalaban, her leg limping as she walked towards me.

Terrified, I staggered backwards.

Naramdaman ko ang pag-daplis ng aking palad sa matulis na sanga nang kahoy na nakakalat sa lapag. I let another curse roll out from my tongue as I felt blood seep out from the palm of my hand.

"What's your name?" She demanded as she took a few more steps closer.

Naramdaman ko ang mabilis na tibok ng aking puso as my mind terribly panicked for my next move.

"Skylar." I huffed out loud habang pinapakiramdaman ang kaniyang galaw at iniinda ang sakit ng aking katawan.

"So you're Skylar Eloise." She said through gritted teeth as her hand grasped even more firmly with her wand.

"I'm Avery Locke, but I guess it doesn't matter to you." She snickered. "I on the other hand will be sure to remember that name of yours for putting up a goddamn fight against me."

With a low tremble from my lower lips, I focused my sight on her and used my ability to forcefully push her way.

I was successful. Agad na tumama ang katawan nito sa puno and I was quick to scramble from the ground and run as fast as I can when suddenly, biglang nagkaroon ng madilim na portal sa aking harapan at bumungad mula rito si Avery.

Napasinghap agad ako at saka tumalon pataas sa sanga ng punong malapit sa akin, ngunit pagkalingon ko sa ibaba ay nawala agad ang aking kalaban.

"Looking for me?" My head turned sharply to the right as I almost lost my balance.

Avery was now crouching on the same branch as I am at nasa likuran niya ulit ang madilim na portal.

Agad na kumunot ang noo ko as the dark portal behind her shut to a close and disappeared. She had a teasing smile on her face na tila ba nanghahamon at natutuwa sa pagkagulat ko.

Nararamdaman ko na ang pag-tulo ng mga butil ng aking pawis. Because of this, my blouse clung awkwardly as my sweat pooled my back.

Bakit ganon, ang hirap talunin nito? I frustratingly said in my mind as I cowered backwards, hanging on for dear life.

A voice then suddenly spoke, as if entering and trespassing my mind. Dark Magic is powerful. Sabi ng boses, at agad na nanlaki ang dalawa kong mata when I realized that it was Avery's voice.

The most creepy and cunning smirk crept upon her face when she saw the troubled and surprised look in my eyes; sending chills down my spine.

I pursed my lips in determination.

"STOP READING MY MIND!" I yelled and pushed her down to the forest floor where she started laughing as her boots scratched and screeched against the dirt.

Her cackle was violent to my ears and she was really starting to scare me. Ganun talaga siguro ang vibe and factor ng mga Thalia Mage Weavers.

"But it's fun!" She playfully replied to my frustrated yell before pointing her wand once more towards me.

Tatakbo na sana ako para tumakas nang bigla kong naramdaman ang aking katawan na tumilapon sa ere, forcefully crashing onto the river's rushing water and hitting my skull on one of its large rocks.

She must have controlled my body using her wand.

"Fuck," I managed to groan out in pain, turning my gaze to see that Avery Locke was a few meters away and had her wand still at the ready — pointing aggravatingly at me.

Bigla akong nakaramdam ng pagod at hilo sa pagkakatama ng ulo ko sa bato.

My fingers suddenly felt numb at naramdaman ko naman ang pagtulo ng kung ano sa likuran ng aking ulo. Shit, was it my own blood?

At that moment, my vision started blurring in freckles and dots at unti-unti nang lumabo ang aking paligid.

Before I knew it, I had blacked out.