The Meeting

Ke'ala

"Well then, let's start the meeting." Naalarma ang lahat sa sinabi ni Headmistress. So this is a meeting after all.

"Before that," napatingin kaming lahat kay Hanzel Grim as he raised his hand. "I'm aware of Miss Andrea's situation, but should an outsider be really here?" He's not talking about Andrea. Alam ko dahil nakatingin silang lahat sa akin.

Why indeed. Hindi ako kabilang sa mga grupong ito, nor I am interested in joining one. Napatingin lamang ako kay Headmistress. They shouldn't be looking at me. Pati ako ay walang alam kung bakit ako nandito. Headmistress told me herself last night nang pinuntahan ako ng mga Knights sa Academy. And the way it was last night, nagmumukha akong kriminal na dinakip ng mga knights.

I was walking through the hallway, kakatapos ko lang sa task na pinagawa sa akin ng Dorm Head, as a punishment. But punishment for what? Dapat si Iyana ang sa posisyong ito—

Damn. Knights are waiting in front of my room. Mabilis akong lumiko para hindi nila ako makita. Why are they so desperate to bring me back? And what's going on in Headmistress' mind? Hindi ko alam kung ano ang iniisip ng babaeng yun. She's making it look like na isa ako sa mga sunod-sunuran niya.

"Miss Willar, stop!" Tsk. Naabutan nila ako.

I ran towards the open grounds to loose them. Pumasok ako sa maze para hindi nila ako mahanap. Unlike them, I've memorised every paths in this maze from that time na pumunta ako dito kasama si Genova for that 'test'.

"I suggest you stop running away, Ke'ala." Nagulat ako makita si Headmistress na nakaupo sa may fountain, meters in front of me. Napatigil ako at pumunta sa kaniya ang tingin ko. What is she doing here?

"What's the big idea anyway? You can't just limit—" she interrupted me.

"I'm simply saying stop running around." She reasoned as she strolled her fingers on the water's surface.

"By locking me up in that facility katulad ng ginagawa mo kay Andrea?"

"Confining is the right term, Ke'ala. I'm doing it for your own good." My own good? Why does she loves talking in the most complicated way? "But since you're so persistent in knowing why, pumunta ka sa meeting bukas. Back at my office in the facility. We'll discuss more tomorrow." Tumayo siya at akmang lalakad na.

"Bakit hindi mo nalang sabihin sa akin ngayon?"

"If I did just that, there's no hesitating you'll act on your own." I frowned.

I turned around, and before I knew it, I was surrounded by Knights. Great. Just great.

Now back at the present, they all still continued to stare at me, expecting for an answer. I just crossed my arms and returned my gaze to the woman in front of all of us. She sighed as if remembering an explanation. This woman just hates explanations.

"You all know the current condition in the East, right?" We all nodded. "And you are all aware na ang Black Clan ang nagpasimuno ng lahat nang ito. At the moment, wala pang nakakaalam kung ano talaga ang habol nila. They attacked the small towns at the edges of the North, katulad nang ginawa nila sa East. The only difference was, they failed the attack here in the North and they managed to break into the East."

And how does that explain kung bakit ako nandito?

May pinindot na kung ano sa lamesa niya si Headmistress, then a hologram appeared. It was a map of a whole Magnus Island. But it was narrowed down to the Eastern territories.

Eastern Territories

WWSM
(Witchcrafts and Wizardy School for Mages)

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     AX                                                           DX                                                                        
        1——->                                             <——-3
                                                                  CX
                          BX                  
                                              ^
                                               |
                                               |3

(AN; It might end up really messy kaya refer ka nalang sa pic 😉))

"Ang mga X ay ang mga lugar na nasakop na nila. It seems that they plan on surrounding the whole East para mas maging madali sa kanila pumasok. It also helps them prevent unnecessary reinforcements by blocking our only entrances. The arrow between the AX and BX is our only entrance since ito ang pinakamalapit sa atin." Then I assume the other arrows are for the other reinforcements to enter. Ibig sabihin, tutulong din ang ibang Saints.

"You're letting us know all of these means..." President didn't have to continue, alam na ng lahat.

"That's right. I'm sending you and your best members off." She's taking such a big risks. Sigurado ako na ang Council na naman ang nagdesisyon nito. Pero bakit? Knights will be enough, this is all adults' problems.

"Why do you have to involve students?" Tanong ni Mike Thompson. "But since it's exciting hindi ako tutol—"

"Well I am against it." Napatingin kaming lahat kay Freya Leet sa sinabi niya. Naiintindihan naman ng lahat kung bakit tutol siya dito. "I didn't gather around strong students and build White Brigade just to be a pawn in a big game of chess."

"Well said Freya. I'm opposed to it as well. The lives of my group is in my hands, and I won't just give all of those away." Hanzel Grim seconded. A chattering broke out the whole room. Nagdedesisyon sila kung ako ba talaga ang gagawin.

"Admit it that you're just scared. What do you think groups are built for?" Mike Thompson replied sa sinabi ni Hanzel.

"Scared? I'm not scared for my life, I'm scared for the lives I'm holding. I'm not a kind of leader who only thinks for himself and for fame unlike you." Nilapitan ni Mike si Hanzel and grabbed his necktie. He is very pissed.

"If you're a leader, then act like one. Kaya hindi ka pinagkakatiwalaan ng mga myembro mo at isa-isa silang umalis." Biglang tinulak ni Hanzel si Mike, and while he did so, I could feel that anger.

"Itigil niyo na yan. You are in front of the Headmistress!" Pinagalitan sila ni Sahara.

"Ikaw ang tumahimik! Since halos walang myembro ang SC and all of you often act on you own, kampante siguro kayo dahil wala kayong buhay na dindala." Yazmina butted in.

Naiinis din siya dahil halos wala naman talagang pakealam ang SC. Yazmina has a point. Sampu lang ang Sleberian Cross unlike the other groups na marami. So they always act on their own, at isa pa, malalakas ang bawat isa sa SC. So they won't have a problem if they were to go straight to a battle.

Sahara lifted her hand, at biglang may pumalibot na mga buhangin sa leeg ni Yazmina. It was so fast na walang nakakita nito until it wrapped around Yazmina's neck.

"You said something really sensitive there. Careful with your words, I might kill you on a whim." Pati ako nagulat. Buong akala ko palaging kalmado si Sahara, kaya bago yata sa iba dito ang naging reaksyon niya.

"You seriously think you can kill me with such an easy attack?" Yazmima asked. "I can harden my body to the hardest form and anything I touch. You know that, Sahara." Bago pa man mahawakan ni Yazmina ang buhangin na nakapalibot sa leeg niya, Sahara retreated her sands at bumalik ito sa malaking garapon na gawa din sa buhangin sa likuran niya.

"Tapos na ba kayo? If so, listen to what the Headmistress will say." Sabi ni Thane and everyone else did.

"And here I thought you could work together, but the way things are, mukhang imposible. Alam ko na sa una palang na imposible nang magtulong-tulongan kayong lahat." Headmistress sighed. "I fully know the consequences of sending off students. I am a Saint of the North at sa tingin niyo ba wala akong ginawa para lang mabago ang desisyon ng Council?" Everyone was silenced. Kung may isa mang taong nag-aalala, that would be the Headmistress.

"Knights are all graduate students from this Academy, but our forces were reduced greatly sa nangyaring atake sa North noong nakalipas. It was a sudden attack, without preperation at all at marami ang namatay. You really think I don't care if my students die? I'm asking for your help, not forcing you. This is for the well-being of the people living in this island peacefully for years now. This is for the country. Hindi ko kayo masisisi kung ayaw niyo, you have the full rights of rejecting. Now, what will you do?"

This is not my problem. I'm not originally living here in this island, nor do I belong here. But then I am being suddenly asked to take part in a war breaking out in the East. Gods, what a life. Kumg alam kong ganito ang mangyayari sa una palang, sana ay hindi na ako dumalo sa meeting na ito. It doesn't even still explain kung bakit ako nandito.

"I think that convinced everyone then." President said with everyone nodding.

Most agreed to it because of pride, pero ramdam ko ang mga takot at walang kasiguraduhan ng iba sa kanila. Tss, if they don't want to, then they don't have to. But it's because they need to that they're wanting it. Wars don't happen in Arizole, kaya hindi ko alam kung ano ang gagawin kumg sakaling mamgyari ito sa isla. But everyone's on the edge right now.

Headmistress wants all of them to work together, pero mukhang imposible nga. Iyana, Andrea, and I had to undergo a lot of dangerous situations just to improve our teamwork, and not to mention it took a long time. And what's happening is in a state of emergency, they don't have time to chat around and become friends with each other.

"You don't have to take everyone in your group, just the best ones. The plan is for you to lead the entrance and failure is not an option. Once you succeed, the Knights will follow."

"So we're the pawns huh?" Andrea stated the obvious. Alam ng lahat yun.

Sila ang susubol right into the enemy. I bet it's to reduce their military forces para makapasok ang mga Knights without most of their lives being taken out bago pa man main battle sa gitna ng East. Basically they're playing the role of a pawn. They're the sacrifices for the officials to settle right into the enemy. Heh, so this is how the Council plans to fight.

Another thing, they are supposed to confine Andrea because she's labelled as a threat to the whole island. But what's this? Sending her into a war? Hindi ko alam sa iba, but it's quite obvious for me that they want to 'pull out a thorn'. Ibig sabihin, wala na silang magiging problema kung sakaling mamatay man si Andrea sa labanan.

On the other hand, if she were to survive, there's a big chance na makokontrol niya ang markang ito for experiences. And the Council might be thinking that if she really were able to control her mark, that would be a great help to their military force if ever na aatake na naman ang Exodus. In other words, they're using her.

Seriously, the way the Council thinks is just too twisted. Howard Callyan huh? That guy must really think base on logic, if I were to say, he's a genius. Pero mali ang mga pinaplano niya. Marami na yata ang nagbago simula nang bumalik siya. Looking back at Headmistress, alam kong alam niya ang iniisip ng Council.

"I don't have time to play the role of a mother, Ke'ala. I've got a people to rule and a country to protect."

Right. Wala siyang oras gumanap bilang isang ina. She acts like she doesn't really care, but her emotions give it away.

"Breaking the silence, what's this got to do with me?" Tanong ko at napatingin na naman ang lahat sa akin, as if agreeing to my question.

"You're participating too." I frowned. So this what she meant for my own good too huh?

"Wait, let's get this clear." I sighed. "You're ordering me to go to war." When simply it's not my problem. "In other words, you're ordering me to die." Which contradicts the fact that this is for my own good. Pinapatawa niya ba ako?! Well I am not laughing!

"Dying is an option. Kung pinipili mong mamatay—" 

"Shut up, Thane." Binalik ko ang tingin ko kay Headmistress, waiting for an explanation.

"Everyone of you knows about the two prisoners locked in the underground of the Academy had escaped." Ah, that Ash and Charles, from the Black Clan. Pero hindi niya parin sinasagot ang gusto kong tanong. "Or to put it simply, someone sneaked them out. Even if the that someone had invinsibility, it still shouldn't work around that area dahil sa Blocking magic. But he was someone the Knights let inside the chambers without a doubt." So what is she trying to say?

"Base on the investigations, it was a boy dressed up as a student in the Academy. Kaya pinapasok nila ito dahil ang mga estudyante lamang mula sa Academy that works directly under me knows that chamber. The Knights cancelled the Blocking magic on the order of that certain boy."

"So that's how he was able to use his invisibility?" Tanong ni Vlein.

"To be precise it's not invinsibility. It's an ability whereas he can create barriers. But it's a bit special kind of barrier. Because if you add more energy to it, you can make everything underneath the barrier be invinsible." Just like how Iyana can make her bullets invinsible.

"I'll explain the specifics later. Make me list of the ones you're bringing with you in the battle. You may leave." What she suddenly said puzzled everyone pero wala din naman silang magawa kundi sumunod nalang at lumabas.

Nanag nakalabas na ang lahat matapos ang ilang minuto, sinarado ni Thane ang pintuan at nilock ito. I sat on the couch as Thane stood beside the door. I have a bad feeling about this all of the sudden.

"It must be really secretive na kailangan mo pa palabasin ang iba." She closed her eyes for few seconds bago ulit magsalita.

"I know you're already aware of what the Council is planning."

"About Andrea? It's pretty obvious." What surprise me is how easily you agree to it. Pero hindi ko na kailangan sabihin sa kaniya yun.

"You're smart, that's why you can say it's obvious."

"I know you're about to say something Headmistress."

"The boy who sneaked in has a barrier ability." And so? "The moment the attacks started on the edges of the North, he was reported missing. I have no idea what happened, but I know he's not supposed to be...waking. And I know you have a clue on who we're talking about." I frowned.

"Sabihin mo nalang—"

"It's your friend, Ke'ala." Si Thane ang sumagot.

My eyes widened. My hands began shaking. My heart raced nervously. Barrier making ability...not supposed to be waking...No. There's no way that's possible.

"Don't make assumptions."

"You know I don't jump to conclusions. I invesigated every possible flaws in that story, but all of the clues and facts point to him. When you were battling in that main event, a small group of the clan was sighted entering the hospital. Also, your friend woke up around that time. Then there was that attack, and his timing of disappearance, it all made sense Ke'ala." I clenched my fists amd glared at my clemching hands to think.

"Hindi niya magagawa yun." Was all I could say.

I have no proof to deny their theory na tumatama sa kung ano mang sinasabi nila. So this was the reason kung bakit ayaw niya akong palabasin sa facility. She didn't want me to act rashly. Wait, ibig bang sabihin...umalis na siya? Wala na siya dito? And what's worse...matagal nanag nangyari ang lahat ng ito and I all did that time was sleep for a month.

"The Council is doubting you now Ke'ala. Any moment from now they might lock you up. Kasama mo siya papunta dito. The security regarding the island was leaked to the Black Clan and then you managed to get inside the island with him. That was also around the time Black Clan started their moves."

"You're saying...that he's a bad guy from the start?"

"Yes, and unless you tell everything starting from where you came from, may posibilidad ma matutulongan pa kita." I gritted my teeth looking down.

"I can't...tell you." She sighed. "All I can say is that hindi siya masamang tao. He took the first entrance exam to enter the Academy but failed. He had a dying father living around here and her mother dead when they were living in another island."

"There's no such person Ke'ala. Magnus Island has never been open to any immigrants. And first entrance exam? If he did take one, matagal na nating nalaman ang totoong pangalan niya. And I assume you only know him a few weeks, one factor was hindi mo alam ang panagalan niya. Kaya hindi mo rin masasabi na mabait siyang tao." What she's saying are all facts that I can't deny every possibilities. Ayaw kong maniwala. But every single thing...it all points to him. Napatingin ako kay Headmistress.

"He's clearly lying to you." My heart almost skipped a beat aa sinabi niya.

Lies. It was all lies. I didn't know shattered beliefs can be...very painful. I experienced it firsthand nang malaman kong adopted lang pala ako, but what I'm feeling right now is much more painful. I want to cry. But to tears won't let out. Masakit. But I feel numb. He said...he might be faaling in love with me. I believed his words because it was the first time someone ever did say those to me. But it turned out it was all lies.

"When he arrived at the island, someone placed a magic in his body, to stay in a coma. That magic can only be lifted by the one who placed it in the first place. Kaya hindi siya gumigising and seems dead kahit buhay pa siya. It was a high-level magic kaya nahihirapan kami sa imbestigasyon." Thane said.

"Someone also placed a memory-making magic in his mind. It means all the story and thoughts he shared with you, are all fake was only created. But doing so, it erased his past real memories. So that's also a factor kung bakit hindi mo alam kung nagsisinungaling ba talaga siya o hindi." Dagdag pa ni Thane.

Hindi ko alam kung nao ba itong nararamdaman ko. I'm angry, hurt, but also scared. Natatakot akong malaman na baka totoo nga ang lanat ng sinabi nila tungkol kay Hoy. I can't accept it. I need to hear it from him directly. My shaking hands finally stopped. I have calmed down. Pero nagagalit ako.

"The Council is taking a close look to you. It means, hindi ka nila pinagkakatiwalaan." Of course, with what happened with Hoy, I can't blame them. "The only way to prove yourself innocent is to join that war. You battling with the Black Clan is enough for them to know you're innocent."

"He's in that battlefield then." She nodded. I see...magkikita din naman pala kami.

Sisiguraduhin kong pasasalitain ko siya ng puro katotohanan lang. I want to know the truth. All of those memories we had together... lahat nang iyon...puro kasinungalingan lang. I'm tired of it. I'm tired of people making a fool out of me.

"If I'm going to a war, might as well do it right."