Attacks and Confrontations III

Iyana's POV

Hindi ko alam kung bakit ako ang pinili nilang maging leader sa team na ito. This team lacks motivation at mukhang wala silang plano sumunod sa mga sinasabi ko. Currently, as the leader of the fourth team group three, we are supposed to be discussing our plans and our formations. Pero hindi manlang ako makapagsalita dahil nag-aaway away sila. Each teams have five members that should be able to handle different positions.

Napaupo ako sa may malaking flat na bato habang tinitignan ko silang nagbabangayan. One from Hanzel's group, another one from Mike's, the other one from Yazmina, and the last one, from Freya's group.

Hays. Sampung minuto lang ang binigay sa amin makipag-usap, wala na kaming oras sa mga problema nila. Why am I even the leader? Wala akong gana maging isang nanay-nanayan sa team na parang mga bata.

Still, the plan unusually changed. Ang sabi sa amin ay may pinaplano silang malaki, but the good thing is that they aren't expecting us. I sighed. Ano na naman ba ang iniisip ng babaeng yun? And seriously leaving Andrea with small fries? Such a waste of manpower. It's almost as if she didn't want her—

"Umm...wala ka bang plano pigilan sila?" A girl caught my attention. She's a first year just like me. Mahaba ang buhok niya hanggang balikat, at may headband siya sa ibabaw ng buhok niya. Judging from her badge, siya yung babaeng nagmula sa White Brigade.

Unlike her, I'm a dull girl who lacks motivation in anything. Natatakpan pa ng ilang strands ng buhok ko ang mga mata ko, my bangs are longer now. Mahaba din ang buhok ko, down to my back. And why am I explaning this? Because she should be the epitome of first years!

Maganda kaya siya, fashionable, and—

Don't get me wrong though! I'm just...hmm envious. I never had any chance to do stuffs like that dahil sa ability ko. I'm always yawning at kahit natutulog naman ako like all the time, ay palagi parin akong pagod at dahil dun wala akong gana sa halos lahat ng bagay. Thanks to these strands of hair that's covering my eyes, hindi masyadong halata ang mga eyebags ko.

I don't even have time to train my body to improve my stamina, not because I'm not motivated, because I'm always too tired. Hays.

"Umm..." mukhang mabait naman siyang tao.

"Naiinis nadin ako. Kaya tapusin na natin 'to." So that I could take my sleep.

I clapped my hands as hard as I can to attract their attentions. The least thing they could do is pay their respects. But after what I did, parang napahiya lang ako dahil wala manlang nakinig. Even the girl beside me, hindi ko alam ang mga pangalan nila, tried doing something pero wala!

Sa inis ko ay nagpalabas ako ng isang submachine gun and started shooting upwards. Wala akong pakealam kung marinig man 'to ng mga kalaban kung meron man diyan sa tabi tabi, ay bahala na. As their leader, I have the responsibility of making sure they do their jobs right, at may responsibilidad din ako sa mga buhay nila. And if they won't even listen to me, what's the point of being a leader?

I continued shooting hanggang sa natahimik na sila. The girl beside was surprised she almost turned white. Napatingin ang lahat sa akin as if ngayon lang nila nalaman na nandito ako.

"Now, can I have your attention?" I asked. Dalawa lang ang first years dito, and the rest are third years.

"Tss. Pasikat." I heard that girl from Yurosian pero di ko siya pinansin.

"Kailangan natin pag-usapan ang formations. Firstly—"

"Huwag mo nang problemahin yan. Wala naman kaming pakealam sa mga mangyayari sa isa't isa, might as well act like we're strangers." I sighed. Are all members of Blacksage Army this arrogant?

"This is the first we agree on something, at least. I'm fine doing nothing at all. Kayang-kaya ko na ang sarili ko. Petty formations won't do a thing." Sabi ng taga-Reapers while pushing up his sliding glasses.

"At sino bang may sabi na isang first year dapat ang leader ng team na 'to? One of the third years should be placed as one, not a first year. At kahit mula ka man sa SC, in terms of individual strength I'm still far more stronger." Sabi ng babae na mula sa Yurosian.

Heh. I heard rumours about how they underestimate SC now, lalong-lalo nang palagi kaming independent even though we're a group. But underestimating us just base on that...if it was the President who heard them, kanina pa siguro sila ngayon nasa yelo.

"P-pero siya parin ang leader kaya dapat natin siyang sundin—" the girl beside me tried doing something again pero pinigilan siya.

"Huh? Who told you to talk back to me? First year ka lang, matuto kang respetohin ang nakakataas sayo. At ano naman ngayon kung nagmula ka sa White Brigade? Don't be so arrogant." That guy from the Blacksage Army is getting on my nerves.

"P-pasenya na.." so she didn't fight back huh? Typical—

"White Brigade should just quit. Second year lang ang leader niyo and she isn't capable enough. Ni kahit isang beses ay hindi niya na palabas ang weapons at ability niya, so are you even sure isang ability user siya?" Ah this is turning into something else. "You aren't ready for the war yet. Heh. May posibilidad na mamatay kayong lahat kaya mabuti narin." Dagdag niya. How can he even say that? The others nodded at his remark. I looked back beside me pero nagulat akong wala na siya.

I returned my gaze in front of me at hindi ko nakita ang mga nangyari, but before I knew it, the girl was already stepping on the guy's chest habang tinututok ang weapon niyang isang double-edged blade na gawa sa isang black flame. Mula dito ramdam ko ang init. Black flames huh? What a convenient ability.

"I'm sure you are aware you are picking a fight." Sabi ng lalaki.

"Oh I am." She pointed the blade to his chest and made a slight cut. "Inuubos mo kasi ang pasensya ko. Tandaan mo, wala akong pakealam kung mas matanda man kayo. In my eyes, you're just feigning authority so that lower-year students will respect you even though you're so weak." It's almost as if umiba nalang bigla ang personality niya.

Well may kumakalat na mga sabi-sabi na ang mga first at second years daw ay mas malakas pa kaysa sa karamihang third at fourth years. They say the new generation seems to have more potentials than the latters. Simula middle school nandito na ako nag-aaral kaya may basehan ang sinasabi nila.

"Finally showing your true colours huh? Itatak mo sa utak mong kayang-kaya kita patayin—" the girl stepped her foot with more force than earlier na narinig kong nagpalavas ng malulutomg na salita ang lalaki.

"Weh? Talaga? Sabihin mo yan kung nagawa mo sa akin ang ginagawa ko ngayon sayo." Then she looked at the other two third years.

They summoned their weapons, one a sword and the other is a metal pole carved with dragon linings, and they summoned hm silently. Probabaly they were hoping for a sneak attack. Haaaaays!!! My eyes are already sleepy. Yang feelings na hindi ka na makakatakas kung wala na talagang enerhiya at gustong na talagang matulog.

"Heh! Sa tingin niyo ba talaga matatalo niyo ako niyan? An old-looking sword and a stick? I can kill your lives by setting them aflame." Seryoso niyang salita. The latters looked at each other at sumugod sa kaniya.

"First of all, this is not a stick!"

"Mas lalo nang hindi ko papayagang maliitin mo lang ako ng ganoon!"

Both attack at the same time. The girl created black fires sa unahan niya rason upang tumigil ang dalawa sa pagtakbo papunta sa kaniya. Yung lalaki namang inaapakan niya ay bigla ding sinummon ang weapon niyang warhammer at tatamaan sana ang isa nito pero simple lang tumalon patalikod ang babae.

This is turning into quite a scene at wala akong planong patigilan sila. Why should I? This is the best way to make them get along with each other. That's base on my personal experience though. At isa pa, isang paraan nadin 'to upang malaman ko kung hanggang saan ang makakaya nila para mapag-isipan ko nadin ang formations at ang plano.

Hindi ako si Ke'ala na isang tingin lang marami nang naiisip agad, I'm not a genius, talagang matagal na ako nagmamasid sa mga tao sa paligid ko making me a keen observer kaya magaling ako mag extract ng infos. Pero ang ingay nila. Kung magpapatuloy 'to, may posibilidad na mamamatay nga sila sa labang mangyayari.

"I will freeze you all up if you continue your actions. You are distracting the other nearbye groups." Dinig na dinig ko ang kalmadong litanya ni President kahit alam kong naiinis na siya. I sighed. If there's one person I don't want to deal with, that would be the President. Before I could even reply, he already cut the link off. Ang lamig niya talaga.

"Might as well act as the leader then." I mumbled to myself.

"Itigil na nga natin 'to. Wala tayong makukuha—"

"Ah the girl from Yurosian is backing out. Bakit? Kailan ba kayo naging mabuting mga studyante? If you aren't even one of the top five groups ay matagal na kayong expelled sa pang a-abuso ng kapangyarihan niyo."

"Nagsalita ang nerd sa atin dito. Ano naman ngayon? Sa tingin mo ba papalakpakan na kita sa sinabi mo?"

"Ang kawawa niyo naman. Wala na ba talaga kayong alam kundi away lang?"

"Hoy itim na apoy, ako ang kalaban mo. Hindi ang mga extras sa likod ko!"

The girl from White Brigade immediately let out a fire toward all three of them. Mabilis ang mga pangyayari na hindi na nila kayang umilgad dito, at kahit umilag man sila ay tiyak na maabot parin sila.

I stood up and closed my eyes then opened it again. May pakiramdam ako na marami ang mangyayari sa gabing ito, it's already darker than earlier.

Mabilis akong tumakbo papunta sa kanila and used my ability. I warped a little space on my palm at sinangga ang paparating na black flames. My hand, where that small space is, was sucking the black flames at matapos ang ilang segundo ay sinara ko na ito, and the flames were all gone, not leaving a single trace. Ramdam ko ang pagod sa buong katawan ko, at mukhang nasurpreasa silang labat na wala silang masabi.

I'm sure they all felt that huge energy I let out just now. Malaki kasi ang enerhiyang kinakailangan ng ability na ito kahit maliit lang na space ang iwa-warp ko, because of that, it results a huge amount of energy being released na nararamdaman ito ng mga tao sa paligid ko. But this is only one of the several things I can do.

"Y-you...blocked my flames with your bare palm?!" Parang hindi siya makapaniwala sa nakita niya. Then they all made their weapons disappeared.

"Tsk. Pa—" I interrupted that Yurosian girl.

"Hindi ako pasikat. Kung hindi ko ginawa yun, sa tingin niyo ba hindi kayo ngayon masusugatan? At kung magiging malala lang ang lahat, magiging pabigat lang kayo sa misyong ito." Hindi naman sa obsess ako sa mga missions, but when SC takes a job, we make sure it is executed perfectly well.

"Sino ka sa tingin—" and again, I interrupted the Army's guy.

"Ako si Iyana Klein, ranked seven sa buong Academy, and one of the Sleberian Cross. I came from a noble family, and have a many assets. Hindi lang yan, sikat din ang ability ko at wala pang ni isang taong natalo ako." I smirked. "Kayo ba, sino ba kayo sa tingin mo?" He gritted his teeth in annoyance pero wala din namang sinabi, ganoon din ang iba.

"Are you threatening us wih your status? We can file you to the Headmistress for discrimation, you know." Yung feeling matalino ang nagsabi nun. He even fixed his glasses before looking at me. I'm irritated by people like him.

Hays. Now they are relying to the Headmistress.

"I've known Headmistress for so long now. Sino kaya ang paniniwalaan niya? You? Ni hindi niya nga siguro alam ang pangalan mo. Might as well say you're just a small insect pretending to be a full-grown animal and in the end, isang pitik lang pala sayo." He clenched his fists in anger. I shall be grateful for Andrea's behaviours about these things. Marami din ang natutunan ko sa babaeng yun.

"What?! I came from a family of nobles too! Ako si Daniel Hearts, the only son and heir of the Hearts Business Incorporation!"

"Ah!" I clapped my hands because of that sudden memory. "Hearts huh? Tatay mo siguro yung matabang lalaki na palaging may kasamang sampung bodyguards." He nodded na para bang mag so-sorry ako sa kaniya.

"Hindi mo ba alam? May utang sa aming ilang milyong ginto ang pamilya mo ilang taon na ngayon ang nakalipas at wala ni isang ginto kaming natanggap. Still, my family is being considerate. Pero kapag sinabi ko bang mali ang pag trato sa akin ng tagapag-mana ng business na iyon, sa tingin mo ba may hinaharap ka pa?" I added. He might just end up as one of my servants in the future.

Again, natahimik siya na parang hindi makapaniwala. Ilang taon narin simula nang pinayagang umuwi ang nga studyante kaya hindi na ako nagulat na hindi niya alam.

"S-sinungaling..." I can tell much from his looks na parang may alam siya dito.

"Kung mabubuhay ka pa, tawagan mo nalang ang pamilya mo." I sighed. "Look, wala akong pakealam sa mangyayari sa inyo, why should I? At alam kong ganoon din kayo. Pero misyon 'to. Kung hindi kayo susunod ay para nading inabanduna niyo ang misyong pinagkatiwala sa inyo. Ganito ba ang mga grupo niyo? If you all fail, para nading sinasabi niyong walamg kwenta ang grupo niyo." They were all silenced. Ang haba ng litanya ko at nakakapagod. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang pinagsassabi ko, pero ito lang ang paraan para matahimik sila at magtulong-tulongan.

"I'm not saying you should be friends. I'm saying that you should not fail. Otherwise, I will kill you myself." I'm just threatening them. Pero mukhang gumagana din naman.

"Now! Enough with the serious stuffs. Time for introduction." Bumalik ako sa flat na batong inuupuan ko and my gaze went back at them. They all looked at each other and gave up.

"Daniel Hearts. My ability is to give life to anything I draw." No wonder may dala siyang maliit na bag sa waist niya.

"Mine is Jane Goods. I excel more in medicine but my ability allows me to drain someone's energy when I touch them."

"Conor Mayne, from the Blacksage Army. May ability akong makita ang kahit anong bagay."

"Shanelle Borez is my name. Tulad ng nakita niyo kanina, I can produce black flames and surround my blade with it."

"Alam niyo na siguro ang pangalan ko pero ako si Iyana Klein."

"Hindi mo ba sasabihin ang ability mo? Normal students may not know it, pero alam ng mga groups na iba ang ability mo." Ang bikis naman yata kumalat ng balita. Since when did they notice?

"Does that even matter? Si Shanelle ang main vanguard natin, Jane and I will support, and then Daniel will be the rear as well as Conor." Hindi na naman yata sila nagreklamo kaya mabuti narin.

After some time later, nagtipon-tipon ulit ang mga teams sa ikatatlong grupo. We were told to go straight ahead when the wall has been destroyed. Kaya ngayon ay nagtatago kami dito sa likod ng mga puno. Despite the darkness, makikita parin namin ang malaking pader mula dito thanks to the glowing moon and twinklimg stars.

The first group is already moving around the town. In other words, doon sila sa likuran dadaan. Almost all towns or cities are surrounded by walls or bridges that destinguish their lands from others, pero hindi lahat ay ganoon. Ang sinasabi ko lang ay, iikot sila palikod and that would usually take few hours pero si Thane na ang bahala dun.

Unlike other rich towns, walang back gate ang lugar na ito making the entrance to be purely on the front. Forested areas din ang nasa paligid ng lugar na ito, dahil narin sa malapait ito sa borders ng North at East.

The third group is required to go to the C, D and F areas respectively. Habang ang ikalawang grupo naman ay kakalat sa ibang areas. Hindi ko alam kung bakit in-emphasize talaga ang mga areas na iyan, pero mukhang may nangyayari sa mga areas na ito na kinakailangang siguraduhin. Then the first group, dadaan sila sa daanan ng reinforcements ng kalaban.

They might come in contact with the enemies, at kailangang mapigilan nila ang mga kalabang ito then head straight to the battle. In other words, parang pinapalibutan lang namin ang buong lugar to secure the enemies in. My only concerned are those lacrimas.

"Magsisimula na. Humanda na ang lahat." We all nodded hearing what Thane said on the other line. Ibig sabihin ay nateleport niya na ang ibang teams. He must he really exhausted, pero marami pang energy reserves si Thane. I know because I've been with him before.

"Iyana, may sasabihin ako." Nasurpresa ako marinig ang boses ni Keila sa kabilang linya. Nagsisimula na ang lahat, nasaan siya ngayon? Specifically, ano ang ginagawa niya?

"Keila, is something wrong?" Mukhang pagod na pagod kasi siya.

"May nangyari at hundi muna makakarinig si Lillia—I mean Keila," that voice....huwag mong sabihin kasama niya ngayon si Harlington! I would never forget the voice of the man who gave off such energy. "May nakatagong isa pang relic sa mga areas C, D and F. Hindi pa kami sigurado dito pero nalaman na ng kalaban na naputol ang komunikasyon nila kaya mas dumami ang ipapadala nila ngayon sa front gates at mas marami ang mga blacks na nakakalat sa buong lugar, especially those areas." Mukhang nagtatago sila ngayon.

"Teka, relics? Anong relics?" It's the first I heard of such thing.

"Mamaya ko na ipapaliwanag. Nacontact ko na si Thane kanina pa, pero iba ang areas niya kaya pinasabi niya na ikaw nalang ang bahala."

"Ako ang bahala? Eh hindi ko nga lama kung—"

"You will know because of its energy. You must have it at all cost, o sasabog ang buong lugar. Nandito ang dalawang relics, those blacks don't know na kung magsama ang mga relics na yun ay may posibidad na mamamatay ang buong tao sa islang ito."

Is it that dangerous? Hays....madadagdagan na nanaman ang mga responsibilidad ko. How can I ignore it when he says things like that?

Bigla ko nalamg narinig ang malakas na tunog sa unahan. I looked up and saw how the wall slowly crumbled into pieces na pati ang mga bitwin ay natatakpan ng alikabok at ang mga ibon ay nagsiliparan. My heart started racing. It's an unusual feeling. I'm excited, but there's another emotion inside of me that I can't seem to know why I feel it. Fear.

Basta ang alam ko lang ay, magiging mahaba ang gabing ito.