Athena's POV

Nakaramdam ako ng lambot habang inuunat ko ang mga kamay at paa ko habang nakapikit. Bakit parang kama yung puno na tinulugan ko?

Anlambot naman ng punong ‘to.

Ganto ba talaga pag nasa gubat ka? anlambot, kaya ang sarap matulog eh.

Teka…malambot? Unti-unti kong dinilat ang aking mga matang maganda.

Oo maganda mata ko noh!

Isang puting kisameng mataas, malamig na paligid at lahat ng kagamitan na nasa paligid ko ay puro puti. Katamtaman ang liwanag ng paligid dahil tanging liwanag mula sa labas ng bintana ang pumapasok sa loob ng kwarto kasama ang lampshade na nasa side table ng kama. Nakahiga ako sa isang hospital bed ata ‘to at may blue carpet sa gitna ng kwarto. Hindi masyadong madilim kaya makikita pa naman ang lahat ng nasa paligid, dahil malinaw pa ang mata ko.

Wait.

Hindi ba nasa gubat ako? Patay na ba ako?

Tiningnan ko rin ang damit ko. Anak ng jusko! may nang rape ba sakin?! Bakit iba na yung suot kong damit?!

*eiiiikkkk* A/N:(tunog ng pintong binuksan)

"Oh, gising kana pala Miss," sabi ng babaeng pumasok and I’m shocked to her appearance. 

She has grey hair and eyes. Pinagmasdan ko pa siya from head-to-toe dahil nakakaintimidate yung presensya niya. 

I was stunned.

This girl also wears a crisp white blouse with short sleeves, neatly tucked into a pleated dark purple skirt that falls just above her knees. The uniform is complemented by a dark purple blazer, tailored to fit her form, with a sharp collar and neatly sewn buttons. On the left side of the blazer, a school logo is embroidered, standing out in gold and white thread. The logo depicts a stylized emblem, perhaps a shield or a crest. She pairs her outfit with knee-high white socks and polished black shoes, her hair neatly styled to complete the tidy, polished look of her school uniform.

Grabe, ang ganda niya.

“Hello, girl?” sabi niya while waving her hands para makuha atensyon ko.

Nakakahiya! I was staring at her for too long, omg!

“A-ahhh…ehhh” nautal nalang ako dahil hindi ko na alam sasabihin ko dahil nga sobrang gulat ako. 

“Huwag kang matakot, hindi kami masasamang tao. We saw you in the forest and dinala ka namin sa clinic ng academy para makapagpahinga. We thought of you as a white magians kasi nakalagpas sa barrier sa enchanted forest. Usually kami lang–I mean tayo lang talaga ang nakakalagpas sa barrier” 

Wala akong maintindihan sa mga sinasabi niya, parang blurred lahat sa akin lahat ng mga binitawan niyang salita na hindi familiar sakin. Ano ba mga sinasabe niya? 

Barrier? Enchanted Forest? White Magians?

“A-asan ako?” yan na lang tanging nasabi ko. I was confused lalo na at hindi ko siya kilala at kung sino man ang mga kasama niya sa labas ng kwarto na ‘to. 

Mamaya magandang kidnapper pala siya. 

"Ay di mo ba alam ang lugar na ito? or ‘hindi mo lang alam dahil nasa clinic ka?” sabi niya na may halong kuryosidad at umupo pa sa upuan sa side table ko at binuksan ang lahat ng ilaw. Mas lalo nagliwanag ang kulay ng mata niya, ang ganda.

"Teka nga, asan ba talaga ako?" sabi ko dahil medyo natatakot nako kasi lumapit nga siya. 

Athena, nahahalatang takot ka sa tao, umayos ka jusqo!

"Wala ka ba talagang idea kung nasaan ka, Miss? What's your name and your power?" Sabi niya habang comportableng nakaupo sa mini sofa malapit sa hinihigaan ko.

"I’m Athena Nicole Castro, and anong power? kili-kili power ba yan? " sabi ko pa ng medyo tumatawa sa kanya. Nakita ko naman ng natigilan siya sa sinabi ko at napa kamot sa ulo.

"Nako! sabi na nga ba eh ‘di mo alam na isang kang magian eh. By the way, I’m Kristine Aira Airy, the elementalist of air and the princess of the Air Kingdom. Nice to meet you!" Masayang niyang sinambit sa akin at nakipagkamay kaya naman kinuha ko ito at nakipag kamay din kahit litong-lito pa din sa mga sinasabi niya.

“Seriously, wala pa din ako maintindihan sa sinabi mo. But yeah, nice to meet you too” nalilito kong sabi sa kanya at napaupo nalang ako ng maayos at napakapit sa dalawa kong pisngi, dahil ang gulo ng mga nasa isip ko ngayon dahil sa mga nasabi niya na napaka imposible.

"Hays! wala ka ngang alam, basta malalaman mo rin yon pag nakapasok ka sa academy" sabi niya tsaka inabot ang pagkain niyang dala. Sa tagal naming nag uusap ngayon lang niya inabot. Nakita ko naman na natawa siya bahagya pero nawala din ito ng nakita niyang nakatingin ako sa kanya na nakakunot ang noo.

Weird.

Kumain na lang ako at nag-thank you sa food na dala niya at sinabi na babayaran ko yun. Sabi naman niya ay treat niya na sakin yun. At dahil overthinker akong tao, what if treat niya sakin 'yon dahil may lason?

Si what if naman.

Syempre, joke lang! Overthink hits eh.

Sa tagal namin na nasa clinic, nagkwento lang siya ng buhay niya at mga need kong malaman sa loob ng academy. Nalilito at nagugulat pa ako nung una but need ko kumalma dahil sabi nga nila,  may mga bagay na posible kung paniniwalaan natin. Noong oras na ‘yon, gusto ko nalang makakita ng mga bagay na imposible para maniwala ako lalo na sa mga sinasabi niya sakin. 

"Anyway, at Magian Academy, elemental powers are a big deal and are at the heart of the school's tradition. However, they’re really rare. Only four students have the ability to control the elements—Fire, Air, Water, and Earth. Each of these students represents their respective elemental kingdom and is highly respected because their abilities are so unique and powerful."

So, she's one of the four. As far as I remember, sinabi niyang air elementalist siya.

"Most of the students, though, belong to the Enchant Kingdom or the Wizard Kingdom. In the Enchant Kingdom, students are experts at mixing elemental magic with intricate enchantments. They create amazing and complex spells by combining different magical elements, which leads to some pretty cool and innovative magic. But each student here control only one of the sub-elements. Like for example, if you have the power of levitation, then that's the only power you have and you can control.

On the other hand, the Wizard Kingdom is where witches and wizards study a wide range of magical disciplines. They are researching for the ancient spell, paggawa ng potions, pagbabasag ng curse, at iba pang kaalaman sa magic. Even though they don’t directly control the elements, their knowledge and skills are crucial to the academy.

So, while the elemental powers are rare and prestigious, meron pang isang kingdom na talagang hindi mo maiisip na nag eexist, which is the Cele-----"

*BLAGGGGGG* (tunog ng malakas na pagbukas ng pinto)

Hindi natapos ni Kristine yung next niyang sasabihin dahil may bastos na pumasok sa room ng parang pabukas ng pinto pero parang nagdadabog? alam niyo 'yon, yung tunog na ganon.

I saw him.

He’s wearing a white shirt paired with dark purple trousers and a dark purple blazer that's casually unbuttoned. The relaxed blazer gives him a confident and slightly rebellious look, making him appear both handsome and strikingly attractive.

Same with Kristine's uniform, I bet they were schoolmates.

As I look at him, his gaze is incredibly intense, with his red eyes glowing subtly and drawing me in. His vibrant red hair contrasts sharply with his white and dark purple uniform, which adds to his striking and formidable presence. There's an air of quiet power about him that makes him both captivating and imposing.

Yeah, I admit it. He is good-looking man, but with an attitude like that?

No.

A Big NO!

At sino ba naman kasing nagsabing gwapo siya? Hindi ako a! Wala kayong nakita.

"Ralph, ano sabi ni Headmistress pala? any update?" sabi ni Kristine habang inaayos yung mga gamit sa bag niya without looking at him. As if she already knows who is the guy that almost break the door. At parang sanay na sanay siya na ginagawa ng lalaking 'to yung mga gantong bagay. Seriously, Kristine?!

Paano nalang if nagbibihis pala ako? edi kitang-kita niya kaluluwa ko dito, wala na ngang bahay wala pang dignidad.

Umay ha.

"Hey, weakling,” he said with a sharp, irritated tone. “The headmistress wants to see you.” With a look of disdain, he turned and walked away quickly, leaving an air of tension behind.

What the heck did he say?! My jaw clenched tightly as I took a deep breath, trying to keep my composure at dahil nandito pa din si Kristine na umiiling-iling nalang sa sinabi nung lalaking 'yon.

"Hay nako ang lalaking 'yon talaga. I'm really sorry Athena, ganon talaga siya" sabi nito at nanghihingi talaga ng sincere na sorry na parang no choice dahil talagang ugali na 'yon nung lalaking 'yon.

"What a rude guy, ganon talaga ugali niya? di kumakatok?" sabi ko pa na parang naiirita kaya umupo siya ng maayos at napatingin sa pinto.

" Yes, Athena, walang bago sakanya. He’s the Fire Prince, and he’s incredibly powerful—probably the strongest student here. He controls the fire element with unmatched skill. But, to be honest, he’s also known for being quite hardheaded and distant. He doesn't really get close to anyone and can come off as quite rude. Just keep that in mind when you interact with him, Athena."

So, one of the four elements too. Fire Prince.....

Humanda siya talaga pag nagkita kami ulit. Playing a mysterious guy huh?

Habang nagpapalit ulit ng damit ko na suot kanina, nagliligpit na din Kristine ng mga foods na hindi ko nakain at sabi ko nalang na kakainin ko 'yon mamaya kasi   naman. Treat 'yun e, I feel na mabait and magiging kasundo ko si Kristine kahit na mas OA siya sakin.

Oo, grabe kasi siya magkwento parang walang epilogue. May book 2 at 3 pa ata.

Lumabas na kami ng clinic at naisip ko na agad yung pagpunta sa Headmistress daw nila?

The thought of meeting the headmistress only added to my nervousness. Kristine’s reminder about the academy’s offer—be a student in Magian Academy and a place to stay—kept replaying in my mind. This opportunity felt like my last chance to get back on track. Despite my frustration about sa guy na pumasok kanina, I knew I couldn’t let this chance slip away. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves and focus on making the most of this important opportunity.

Stepping out of the clinic, I was immediately entranced by the surroundings. It felt as if I had entered a magical world where every tall wall sparkled with light. The scene resembled a palace adorned in white, lilac, and gold. Each wall shimmered from every angle, as if stardust played in the air.

Arches and pillars bore intricate carvings that glowed softly. In every corner, lilac flowers emitted a gentle fragrance, while golden filigree on the windows reflected sunlight, casting enchanting patterns on the lilac and white floors. The entire area seemed to breathe magic, with every step I took leaving a trail of sparkling light in my wake.

It feels so unreal.

Is this really real?

Eto ata yung need kong kasagutan para maniwala na totoong may magic. How come, there's a place like this na ngayon ko lang nalaman? I love reading books and it feels like nasa loob na ako ng mga libro na binabasa ko noon.

We walked through a vast meadow adorned with graceful fountains. Around us, numerous students were dressed in the same attire as Kristine, their outfits blending harmoniously with the academy's colors. I noticed their curious glances but was too mesmerized by my surroundings to pay them much mind.

"Are they looking at me?" I wondered, feeling a mixture of curiosity and self-consciousness.

It seemed we were in the heart of the academy, and as I looked up, I was amazed by the towering structures. From where I stood, I could see the academy's pinnacle, a grand sight that resembled a palace. The elegance and sheer scale of the place left me in awe.

"This place is incredible. It's like something out of a fairy tale," I thought, feeling a sense of wonder and excitement. The elegance and sheer scale of the place left me in awe.

Ang ganda.

Eto yung eskwelahang gaganahan ka mag aral and straight uno makukuha mo. Sa gantong kagandang academy parang hindi ka na tatamadin gumising araw-araw e.

"Welcome to Magian Academy!" masayang nakangiti sakin si Kristine while nakaturo yung mga kamay niya sa direksyon na tinitignan ko which is yung pinakatuktok ng academy. I slowly smiled at her and nilibot pa ang paningin ko.

I wonder ano pa madidiscover ko and maoobserve ko sa mga susunod na araw ko dito. I feel like I'm so happy and lucky to be here at the same time.

It feels like I belong here.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lovelots!
Thanks guys! especially to my silent readers! I hope you comment and vote this chapter <3

-AeloriaNightwhisper