The New World Order

Mas lumakas pa ang pagyanig ng lupa, pero patuloy parin kami sa pagtakbo. Pati ang mga elves ay nagpa-panic na. Pero hanggang ngayon ay wala parin akong alam kung ano ba talaga ang humahabol sa amin. And yes, something, like Cassie said, is out there and is out hunting the elves.

It's troublesome because it seems like we stepped into something we shouldn't need to. I still think it's better if Headmistress placed me on the frontlines though, kung derektahan kong makakalaban ang mga myembro ng Exodus. Yet I'm here, running away.

"Why...why are we even—running away in the first place?" Hinihingal kong tanong. "You can just...fight it." I still have this damn stamina problem.

"At ipahamak si Elder?" Napasinghal si Elyza sa sinabi ko. "Handa kaming ibuwis ang buhay namin pero kailangan naming protektahan si Elder kaya hindi kami maaaring umalis sa tabi niya."

She slowed her pace a bit para mapantayan ang takbo ko dito sa likuran. Ako kasi ang sa may pinakahuli, medyo sa unahan ko naman ay ang tatlo pati si Annelyn. Bakit ba ang bilis naman yata nilang tumakbo? Habang ako dito parang sususko na kahit ilang minuto pa lang naman kami nagsimulang nagsitakbuhan.

"H-hindi ko na k-kaya.." mahina kong sabi habang unti-unti nang tumigil ang nga paa ko. Nakapapit ako sa dibidb kong sumasakit na.

"Hindi ka maaaring tumigil! Maaabutan...tayo." Sinundan ko ang tingin niya sa likuran ko, at medyo nagulat ako makita ang itsura ng halimaw. Nagsitayuan ang bawat balahibo sa katawan ko nang napatingin ito sa direksyon ko.

Nakakatakot ang appearance nito, mas nakakatakot pa sa mukha ni Keila, although I don't know why I'm thinking of her right at this moment, pero alam ko sa sarili ko na dapat nilalabanan ko na ito. But before I was even aware of it, dinala nalang ako ng paa ko palayo sa humahabol sa amin.

Hindi naman mabilis ang takbo nito, sa katunayan nga naglalakad lang ito pero bakit ba pakiramdam ko sa bawat lakad nito ay nakakalimang hakbang na ang mga paa niya? Iisa lang ito, but its body seemed to look like it was made from trees, pero ang buong appearance nito ay parang skeletal system na nakita ko noon sa facility.

Matutulis pa ang mga paa niya at kamay, wala ngang mga mata pero pakiramdam ko naman nawawalan ako ng kaluluwa sa tuwing tinitignan ko ito. So I everted ny gaze from it while my body continued to shiver like crazy!

"Akala ko ba hindi mo na kakayanin pa?" Tanong ng elf.

"I changed my mind!" Pinilit ko ang sarili kong huwag tumigil dahil hindi lang ang baga ko ang sumasakit ngayon, pati narin ang atay ko!

"Captain, nakahanda na kaming labanan—" I interrupted her with a glare at mukhang nagulat si Sandra.

"Don't you even think about it." Seryoso kong sabi at nagkatinginan ang tatlo.

"Bakit ba? Kayang-kaya natin—" hindi na ni Reina naituloy ang gusto niyang sabihin dahil bigla na lamang tumigil sa pagtakbo ang mga elves.

Napapaligiran parin kami ng mga punongkahoy, pero ngayon sa unahan ay may malaking pader na sumalubong sa amin. Sa sobrang taas nito ay hindi ko na makita kung hanggang saan ang abot nito. Habang may ginawa ang Elder Yuis nila para yata mabuksan ito ay mahigpit namang nakabantay sa paligid ang mga elves.

"Nakaabot na ito sa atin. Hey why are we even running away from it?!" Sigaw sa akin ni Reina habang hinablot ang balikat ko para tumingin sa kaniya.

"Our job is to help the elves evacuate! Hindi para labanan ang kahit anong klaseng halimaw na makita natin." Wait, what am I saying?

Ewan ko ba pero natatakot ang harapin ang mga ganoong klaseng halimaw. If Andrea's afraid of the dark, ako naman ay takot sa mga halimaw. Yes, I've fought with multiple ones before without any problems, pero iba ang humahabol sa amin ngayon! The fact that it looks like a skeleton is scary enough. And I won't like it if people finds out. I am known without a weakness, well except for my stamina problem with eveyone is already aware.

"Huwag mo namang sahihin na natatakot ka!" Nagagalit na si Reina, palagi naman eh.

"I'm serious." And with that, she returned my gaze with another batch of glares.

I'll fight that monster if I really have to, or I'll just let them fight that monster themselves. But it's not that I don't trust their abilities in battle, iba lang talaga ang halimaw na ito. Hindi ito katulad ng iba, may nararamdaman akong parang bomba ng enerhiya na nakapalibot sa katawan nito. It's as if that any moment from now ay sasabog na ito at tiyak na mapapahamak sila.

"Ano ba ang problema?" Tanong ni Sandra.

"I'm conserving my energy." Totoo naman eh.

"Ano?!" Bulyaw ulit ni Reina. Hindi ba siya napapagod sumigaw? And last time I check, I am older and have a higher authority here. Napasabunot siya ng buhok dahil sa sobrang gigil. "You know what? I'm done with your ridiculous stunts. Wala pa tayong nagagawang matino sa loob ng dalawang araw na tayo dito. You don't want to face that thing because you're conserving energy?!"

"Reina! Bakit ba nagagalit ka?" Sandra tried approaching her friend but the latter pulled away. I only let out a sigh because of this sight. 

"I don't know Sandra. But I am annoyed." Sabi niya while passing by me. Binangga niya pa talaga ang balikat ko. I frowned, patience Iyana.

Bago pa man ako makasabi ng kung ano ay biglang bumukas na ang pader. Nagalak naman ang mga elves ag dali-dali silang pumasok sa loob. Pero hindi gumagalaw si Reina sa kinatatayuan niya, she just stood there along with the other two. And this time, hindi lang isa ang halimaw dahil isa-isa na silang naglabasan mula sa mga puno.

As the wall slowly closes, the mist around started to thicken. I was beginning to hear shrieks at nagiging mahirap nang matunton kung nasaan ang mga halimaw, especially that they're fast. Hindi ko napansin na nasa tabi ko na pala si Annelyn, this kid just shows up without me noticing her.

"Hindi mo ba sila pipigilan?" Inosenteng tanong niya. "Ang dami na ng kalaban ngayon." And as she said those words, I heard clashes of metals as well as the friction glowing along that mist. "They'll die, you know." She sure is straightforward.

"Like I said earlier, I'm conserving energy. Hindi sila mamamatay kung nakinig lang sila sa akin."

"So you don't care about them?" Natahimik ako at pinagmasdan lang sila sa unahan. Pinapalibutan sila but they can somehow manage to assess their situation.

Growing up under a household with many connections, na lahat nalang ng galaw ko ay binabantayan. I got tired of pretending to be someone I don't want to become, got tired of all those formalities, got tired of the aristocratic world, and I got tired being Iyana Klein. Reason why I never really go home that often ever since I got into the Academy noonv middle-schooler pa ako.

Back in the Academy, I can become whoever I want without students judging me. They knew how I act on the outside of the Academy than in the inside, and I guess I'm grateful they don't put much mind to my lazy personality. I never truly cared about people around me, I've stopped caring because I'm tired of having to feel the urge of worrying, protecting someone, concern, I'm tired of all those boring stuffs.

But for some reason, all those changed when I met those two. I felt the joy of excitement, the true happiness, anger, and lots of emotions. Even now, I have this sudden urge to protect these three. I thought just because those two disappeared and left me behind, babalik don sa dati ang personality ko. That kind of person who never cares about anything and just goes with the flow, never doing what I don't have to do.

I can't 'don't care' about them. I am, after all, their Captain. At kung may isang bagay man na hindi ko hinahayaang mangyari simula noon ay kahit ni isa, walang buhay pa ang nasayang sa ilalim ng pamamahala ko. Because I used to feel that's just an obligation of a leader, but why do I feel different now? What I feel isn't an obligation of a leader, but an obligation of a friend.

I sighed. I knew at some point or event this would happen, and I was right, it's troublesome. Nagpalabas ako ng maraming bala sa ibabaw, and with a flick of a finger, all those bullets directly went towards the direction of those scary-looking monsters. Tumataas talaga ang balahibo ko sa tuwing nakikita ko sila.

"I guess that answers your question earlier." Sabi ko nalang kay Annelyn at ngumiti siya.

"I understand why you're conserving energy, see?" Tinuro niya ang mga halimaw na kahit ilang bala pa ang sunod sunod na bumaon sa katawan nila ay parang nagre-regenerate parin sila. I may seem relaxed, but on the inside I'm not so sure what to do. "Why don't I help you? Hindi man halata pero isang nagaling na alchemist ako nu!" Napailing nalang ako.

"Things are getting troublesome, so I'll accept your help." Kayang-kaya ko ang mga halimaw na ito mag-isa, it's just that getting them caught up in what I'll do later on is dangerous.

Tinaas ni Annelyn ang kamay niya at may biglang lumabas na staff na lumampas na sa height niya ang taas. Mages and alchemists sometimes need to chant to release powerful magic spells, but there are some rare instances kung saan hindi na nila ito kayang gawin dahail sanay na ang katawan nila or it's just that they're in control enough.

Unlike mages though, alchemists need staffs or some kind of a medium to channel their energy. While powerful mages have what they 'Sacred Arms' which is like a weapon, pero hindi katulad ng mga ability users, once their weapons are broken, their lives slowly fade away as well.

Because these Sacred Arms are parts of their souls, at para mapalabas ito, pinapalabas din nila ang kalahati ng kaluluwa nila at pinapasa sa weapon. That's why mages these days don't use weapons, it's too dangerous.

The skies darkened once again, lumakas ang hangin, at umiba ang direksyon nito. Theair was moist, at sa kalangitan ay may nabubuong bilog, as if some kind of energy building up. Napangiti si Annelyn habang pinagmamasdan ko kung ano ang gagawin niya. Malakas ang enerhiyang bumabalot ngayon sa paligid, napatigil nga ang tatlo sa unahan sa ginagawa nila.

May lumabas na malaking nakakasilaw na lightning mula sa itim na bumubuong bilog sa kalangitan. Since it was as fast as a light, hindi ko ito makita ng maayos at napapikit dahil sa liwanag. Before I knew it, the ground shook, harder than it was before. Nakakarinig din ako ng nga sigaw mula sa mga halimaw as if they're in crucial pain.

Nang buksan ko ang nga mata ko, nagulat akong malaman na kahit isang halimaw mula kanina ay wala na akong makita kundi abo sa bawat parte ng lupa. Humalakhak naman si Annelyn sa reaksyon ng tatlo, nagulat din sila. Mabuti nalang at tinaas ni Reina ang higanteng sheild niya para maprotektahan sila, the lightning reflected on the sheild sending the shockwaves all around them, reason why wala na talagang natira.

"Nababaliw ka na ba?! Paano kung natamaan kami?!" Galit na bulyaw sa kaniya ni Reina.

Hindi maipinta sa mukha niya ngayon kung gaano talaga siya kagalit. Although I do know sinadya talag iyon ni Annelyn para kumalat ang lightning sa paligid, hiting two birds with one stone kung baga. Lalapit na sana ako sa tatlo para kamustahin sila nang bigla akonb tumigil. Lahat sila nakatingin sa akin.

The energy which suddenly disappeared is starting to build up again, and the mist is slowly fading away. Nang tumingin ako sa likuran ko ay nakita kong nakapasok na ang lahat ng elves at kami nalang ang hinihintay.

"Let's go." Sabi ni Sandra at hinila na ang dalawa paounta sa pader, ganoon din si Annelyn na tuwang-tuwa magpakitan-gilas. But I didn't move a foot.

"Miss Iyana, what are you waiting for?" Tanong ni Annelyn which made me frown. Have I ever told her my name?

"Susunod nalang ako." I said urging them to go on, and they did.

Hindi pa sumasara ng tuluyan ang pader at pumasok na sila dito. Elyza was there all along, waiting for me. I showed my usual bored expression while tucking my hands inside my purple cloak's pockets. Tumango ako sa kaniya at pumasok na siya. Ilamg segundo ang nakalips ay binalik ko ang tingin ko sa lupa na ngayon ay wala nang natitirang abo.

The ashes are slowly dancing on the air, forming into figures of human-like monsters like earlier, but this time, they are slightly bigger and have more energy. Their regeneration skills are amazing, but slow. I frowned when they all stopped and encircled me, pero wala silang ginagawa, they're just staring at me na para bang binabantayan ako.

Unti-unti ko nang naririnig ang pagsara ng pader sa likuran ko, and few moments later, t finally did. Mahihirapan na ako nitong makapasok mamaya, but it's fine, I can manage. Now let's divert my attention to what exactly is happening right now.

It doesn't make sense really. Exodus went to this place to get the resources from all the tribes. Dalawang araw na kami dito at wala pa akong nakukuhang impormasyon tungkol sa nangyayari doon sa frontlines where other teams are set to fighting Exodus members. I don't know kung aling tribu na ang nakuha ng kalaban at kung nandito ba sila ngayon sa paligid.

What's the purpose of Exodus getting all those resources for? Pinapahalata pa talaga nila sa buong mundo na nandito sila, as if they're directing all our attention to this place. Not to mention Enchant Woods have an odd number of existing monsters which weild dark energy. But my current problem is, why does it feel like Exodus is just playing a stupid game on us? There's some sort of a missing piece. But even if I find that missing piece, I can't connect it. How I wish I have Keila's mind.

"Thinking of an escape plan?" I looked up to see something my eyes would want to look at forever. She's floating on the air like she's standing on a solid ground. Ngumiti lang siya sa reaksyon ko.

She's beautiful, and I admit that. She has purple eyes which is uncommon, mahabang puting buhok, kakaibang one-piece na damit which looks like a thin armour. May dalawang sungay siya sa ibabaw ng ulo niya, and along with her horns, there are intricate designs as well. Sa gitna ng forehead niya ay may isang purple na gem.

"Done checking me out?" Natatawa niyang tanong, at tumango ako na hindi ko alam kung bakit. "You're blunt."

"Now let's get down to business. Who in the world are you?" Seryoso kong tanong, preparing myself.

"No need to look so serious, Iyana Klein."

"Should I be flattered I'm getting popular in these woods?"

"You're free to do so." I sighed. This is really getting troublesome, at naiirita na ako. I was never a patient person, pinipilit ko lang talaga ang sarili ko. "Enough for a greeting." That was a greeting?

"So again, who are you?" Bumaba siya sa harapan ko, ahe sure is tall.

"I am the Titania." She bowed as a gesture though like I said, I hate formalities.

"For the last time, My Queen, you should call yourself The Fairy Queen Titania." May isang boses pa ang nanggaling sa hindi malayo kung nasaan kami. And things are just getting weirder and weirder.

Looking at him, I don't really understand his origin. Mas mataas pa siya kay Titania ng isang metro, yung para bang kaya niya pa akong ipaupo sa balikat niya. He is made put of trees but at the same time he has his furs and long ears like an animal. Ang mga dahon sa likuran niya ay nagsisilbing parang cloak. His eyes are so black that it's, err creepy. Lumiliwanag pa ang kaloob-looban ng katawan nito, as if he's a ball of light.

"That title hardly matters these days." She said, at bakas sa mukha niya ang lungkot. "Meet Geru, he has been by my side for last century, even before my birth."

"I didn't know you're a Queen, should I offer a bow or something?" Bored kong tanong. She shook her head giggling.

"You are funny, but that is not necessary." I didn't mean to be funny though.

"Bakit mo kami inatake? You don't look like someone who'd do it without a reason."

"I didn't attack you." My eyebrow lifted. Really? "I am The Fairy Queen Titania of Enchant Woods, I have eyes and ears everywhere, I manipulate everything I want inside. Although there were some other things that happened which caused the dark energy to scatter among these woods, kaya nagkakaganito ang nangyayari. Monsters hunting down elves, destroying nature, a lot of it."

"What do you mean?"

"There was a huge disturbance in our space a few days ago, like a spatial dimension of some sort kung saan bigla nalang may bumukas na space dito sa Enchant Woods at pumasok ang malalaking masamang enerhiya. I was already too late when I closed the space myself, causing the dark energy to scatter around. The Enchant Woods is dying, Iyana." Dark energy literally kills everything, kasama na ang mga buhay ng kagubatan dito.

"That makes sense except for one thing, bakit naman may bubukas na space dito?"

"Let me explain that," tawag ni Geru sa atensyon ko. "These spaces opening up often happened long time ago, sa panahon kung saan magkalaban ang mundo at ang mga Leos." Oh the Fallen Kingdom of Leomer, that Kingdom Denaricus himself battled against alongside the Cursed Bloods which he later fought against as well.

"So you mean it's a natural phenomenon?"

"It only happened because because the energy of this world is becoming too much for our dimensional space to handle. Imagine a river flowing fast endlessly then it met a dead end, the flowing waters will find another way to go around that dead end. As a result of too much force given by the water, this dead end will break letting all the water continue flowing again."

"So you mean, automatiko nang bumubukas ang mga spaces na ito para makalabas ang umaapaw na enerhiya ng mundo natin?" He nodded. "Saan naman napupunta ang mga enerhiya na ito?"

"Naniniwala kaming dumadaan ito sa ibang dimension, flowing there endlessly until it turns into dark energy because once an energy ends in a place where there is no life and death, it becomes a wave of dark enegy. Once another hole opens up, it immediately goes through in there appearing in another world. At ang enerhiya naman ng mundong iyon ay pumupunta din dito. It's like a repeating cycle again and again."

"Then why did it happen again? Why now?"

"Because energy is staring to overfill this world like it did in the past." Titania answered.

"Like it did in the past?"

"We Fairies and other life origins, helped Denaricus in his goal to achieve peace, he used to call it The New World Order. We helped him fought the irregularities, the Leos, then eventually the Cursed Bloods."

"So it's your fault why those 'irregularies' were drove into an extinction." Well not quite, alam kong marami pa ang natitira. Hanggang ngayon nga may mga Cursed Blood akong kilala.

"As The Fairy Queen of the Enchant Woods, I value lives more than anyhing else. I have lived for over a century and that will never change. That is why I was forced into a decision to help Denaricus."

"I don't understand."

"Those irregularities have too much power to give off energy, because of their existence, the world was overflowing of energy that it's suffocating. You know how too much energy could kill those people with bodies that cannot manipulate them. And Denaricus was right, soon the world will change, kung hahayaan lang namin magapatuloy ang nangyayari, mamamatay ang mga mahihina and only the strong ones will remain. He didn't like that. Neither does the world."

"That's why the world came together to fight the Leos and the Cursed Bloods." Tumango si Titania sa sinabi ko.

"The New World Order proposed a world where anyone can have the equal ability to become strong, to give people a choice to become what they want to be, and that's the piece we wanted to achieve alongside Denaricus." Lumakas siya papunta sa mga punongahoy at sumunod naman kami ni Geru. "Leos and Cursed Bloods are called irregularities because they were already born with huge amounts of exploding talents, and they don't even get to work hard go achieve it. It's like a blessing but at the same time it isn't."

"They were killed just because of the way the world chose them to be born?" Their lives are screaming of agony, how unfair, pero naiintindihan ko kung bakit nagawa ng mundo na kalabanin sila, but it wasn't even their faults to begin with.

"We had to do it. We had to end their lineage there. We had to resort to being monsters just to make sure they are all killed, without a trace. But now, things are beginning to happen again Iyana. And I'm afraid that time, we have nothing to counter against the destruction of our world."

Dahil sa napupuno na naman ang enerhiya ng mundo namin, spaces are opening up then letting inside dark energy. Sa ngayon sa Enchant Woods palang ito dito sa Magnus, but what about the cases in other countries? What if the dark energy scatters all around the world and what? We'll just watch and sit tight as the world slolwy fades into a ruin? What would I have chosen if I was born a century earlier? Gagawin ko din ba ang ginawa ni Denaricus?

"Why are you telling me this?" Tanong ko habang naglalakad parin kamo. Medyo malayo na ang narating namin.

"Because you are Denaricus' descendant."

"I'm not the only one."

"Yes, but you are the only one who have the energy amount close to Denaricus. You do know how powerful that man is in terms of raw energy, he was like a different being. He worked hard to achieve that power, he trained like no other to become a great leader. When he served his purpose, he just suddenly disappeared. Some said he died in an unknown illness, some said he was killed, but who knows."

"Ano ba ang gusto mong gawin ko?"

"I want you to finish the things Denaricus failed to do so."

"What? You can't be possibly telling me to exterminate every living irregularities in this world!" Nagbibiro ba siya?

"That's exactly what I'm telling you. Exodus, Cursed Bloods, and other organizations, everything, end it. Not now, at least, but I want you to prepare. I want to end it in this generation. I want you to end it Iyana Klein."

"I won't do it. I never will." Madiin kong sabi habang iniiwasan ko ang mapagtanong niyang tingin.

"You don't want our world to fall into darkness of having no life, do you? You are still a child, I know, I was just telling you for you to prepare yourself. Be strong. Denaricus' blood is flowing through your veins—" I interrupted her with a glare.

"I said I won't do it." Natahimik sila sa sinabi ko. I can't possibly do it. Hindi dahil bata pa ako, hindi dahil sa tingin ko hindi ko kaya, at mas lalong hindi dahil iniisip kong mapapagod ako.

"Respect, child." Geru reprimanded, but I don't care. Tinaas lang ni Titania ang kamay niya para tigilan ako ni Geru.

"You will not do it alone, do not worry. We will gather the world's forces altogether to end it in this generation, just like before and this time we will have you, Denaricus' descendant, to lead the world as your ancestor did long ago." Napayukom ako ng mga kamao ko. Nagagalit ako. Ilang beses ko ba kailangan sabihin sa mukha niya na hindi ko nga gagawin?!

"Darn it, which part of what I said you don't understand?! I won't do it! And that's final. Humanap ka nalang ng iba mong kandidata." She's probabaly thinking it'll be easier to unite the world against those irregularities if they have a Klein to lead them like before. Pero hindi ko talaga nakikita ang sarili kong gumagawa ng ganoon.

"Why?" And that's another stupid question. I turned myself around, walking back to where we walked passed earlier. Hindi ko na obligasyon na sagutin ang tanong na iyan. "Is it because of those 'friends' of yours?" Bigla akong napatigil sa inis.

"So what?"

"You're choosing your friendship than this world? Why? Are they even worth sacrifcing our world for? The lives of many? The lives of innocent people? The future? Tell me Iyana Klein, are they worth it?" Hinarap ko siya na ang sama sama na ng timpla ng mukha ko. Hindi ko gusto ang pananalita niya.

"You don't even deserve to know my answer!" Sigaw ko sa kaniya, at lalapit na sana si Geru sa direksyon ko but she stepped forward to block him.

She's a Queen, but to my eyes, she's just a stranger who wants to resort to being unfair. She values lives, she said, but is depriving those irregularities of the chance to live not considered as a form of 'life'? Are they not valuable just because the world chose them to be that way?

Kasalanan ba nila yun?! Kasalanan ba nilang nagising nalang sila mundong ito na ganoon na ang pamamaraan ng buhay? Instead of thinking how to murder each of them, why doesn't she just think of another plan to save this world?! Damn it!

"No matter, I already know your answer anyway." Really? Is she a mind reader now? "And I'm telling you in advance, they aren't worth it. You will realize that soon Iyana." Sa galit ko ay sa iglap, nahati na ang nakalinyadang puno paikot kung nasaan kami. All of their bodies were cut into two at bigla nakang nawala as if they were already cut in the first place.

"Then I will fail your damn expectations."

"Having a high-ranked Exodus and a Cursed Blood for friends, don't you feel left out?" Her qiestion was like a dagger found its way to my heart.

And I do.

"With such a powerful ability, you can cut through any spaces you want if only you pursue strength like your friends did. You're a Klein, and a Klein would want power and dominion over the rest. Tell me the truth, you do want to become powerful, am I right?"

She's trying to make me like I'm one of those people greedy for power, she's making me think things I don't really think. She's trying to make me a perfect candidate and I hate it. I hate the fact that I really feel left our dahil iniwan lang nila ako, that I'm the only one thinking that the three of us were really friends, that I'm the only one caring. Kaya niya sinasabi that they aren't worth it, and soon I will realize that.

I clenched my fists.

I don't want to ever realize it.

But at the same time, I think I already did.

"What will it be, Iyana Klein? Will you help me achieve The New World Order?"

AN; I'm grateful for those who have reached this far and especially for those who patiently waited for every chapters lols! Kaninang hapon lang talaga ako nakasulat, nagpa-panic ako because I thought I won't be able to update. Ang bilis naman talaga ng oras haha. Well happy reading!