AN: Wala akong maisip na weapon ni Thane na magbabagay sa ability niya eh kaya yan nalang. Well later then.

Another Enemy

"Fighting inside the campus without permission is not allowed. Conducting violence to a weaker student is punishable by the school laws and regulations. And destroying property indicates suspension and deduction of points." That cold and intimidating voice, there's no mistaking it. Siya nga yun.

"At sino ka naman ha?! Don't interfere here Mr. Perfect!" Saad ng lalakeng naghagis sa akin ng fireball.

Suddenly, the temperature changed. Biglang lumamig. Then his eyes eyed him intensely. Wala manlang siyang ginawa pero may lumabas na mga ice spikes papunta sa direksyon ng lalake. Napapikit naman anh kaklase ko at sa pagbukas ng mata niya, nagulat soya nung hindi siya natamaan dahil tumugil ang paglabas ng ice spikes sa harapan niya. He ran away in fear. Then his gazes went back to me, tapos sa lalakeng nasa sahig ngayon, wala ng malay.

"What do you think you're doing?" His voice really is so cold and cool. He's the weirdest person I have ever encountered. Wala manlang akong maramdamang bakas ng emosyon sa kaniya, even his eyes looked so dead to me.

"None of your concerns, I believe." His eyebrow lifted.

"Unfortunately it is my concern." Sino ba talaga siya? "I am the student council president." My eyes widened for a second. He's a ranked student at isa pa siya sa student council.

"I'm just putting a boundary between what people normally call 'weak' and 'strong'." Lumakad siya papunta sa akin. Then he stopped sa unahan ko, inches away from me.

"Then you're saying the violations you made in here is what you call 'putting a boundary'? Then I am sorry to tell you this but, you are coming with me to the student council office."

"Isn't is a bit unfair that I'm the only one being punished?"

"Then what are you suggesting? That we bring an unconscious peron in my office? And what? Waste my time deliberating with him when he wakes up?" Nakakainis din siya ah.

"I do not care about your time."

"Then what about I show you the real way of 'putting a boundary' between what you refer as 'weak' and 'strong'?" He's inviting me to a duel.

"Okay that's enough you two. Wala akong oras para sa away niyo. Ang dami ko pang gagawin, don't add them anymore. Keila, come with him. I'll handle this one." Sabi ng teacher na nakatingin lang sa lalake sa sahig.

"You've been watching the whole time, at wala ka manlang plano pigilan sila." I muttered in annoyance. "So much for being a teacher."

"So much indeed. If I had stop it early, hindi ka makakaganti diba? That's only normal for teachers, letting their students go wild for a while." Yeah, so much for being a teacher indeed.

At sa ngayon, nagalalakad kami sa hallway papuntang SSO, or student council office. Base on what he said earlier, siya ang president. It made me curious a bit, no that's not the right term. He's making me curious about him, about who really is he, and about all of his well-being. My curiousity is again killing me. I need to do something to tone it down.

Nang makarating kami sa office niya, walang tao dito. Pero ang lapad din ng room. May table at swivel chair din, then couches on the ither part, there's also a mini-kitchen. Kulang nalang bedroom, bahay na talaga to eh.

"Sit down on the couch and write the reports about the reason of the fight and the damages. Do it before the ithers arrive. I've got businesses to take care of." Sabi niya at umupo na sa swivel chair and started doing the piles of paperwork. I gulped. Ang dami niya ngang ginagawa.

Ilang minuto ang nakalipas, patapos narin ako sa ginagawa kong report. Nakakinis. Nakakairita. Gusto ko nang umalis dito. I don't hate the silence, I just hate the fact that I have to write these reports when it clearly isn't JUST my fault. Napatingin naman ako sa kay President, another title made by me for him since I do not know his name, na hanggang ngayon nakatambak parin ang mga papeles sa lamesa niya. Ni hindi nga halata na ilang papel narin ang natapos niya eh.

"Provocation often leads to regret later on. Looking at you, didn't seem obvious you're regretting it. Made me wonder what's the point of making you do those reports."

"I'm done." Sabi ko nalang.

"They called you a cheater. I didn't think you're the type of person who would bother what others say."

"It would bother me. Hindi naman pwedeng hindi. People are JUST people after all."

"You always belittle everything, you know?"

"Huwag kang umastang kilala mo ako."

"My perspectives are what matter."

"I said I'm done. Pwede na abng umalis?" Staying long would lead to arguement eventually. He nodded. Tumayo na ako at bubuksan na sana ang pinto nang tumingin siya sa akin.

"Before that, I had a question."

"Ano na naman yan?"

"Do you think...." he put down the pen and crossed his arms. "We're alike somehow?" We? Alike? I broke a smile and shook my head.

"Fortunately, we're not. We're rather opposite."

"No. We are indeed alike." Binitawan ko ang doorknob ng pinto at tumingin sa kaniya.

"I said we're not."

"I'll bet a kiss we are." Natawa ako. Hindi ko alam kung bakit pero natawa ako. Habang siya naman nakatingin lang sa akin in confusion.

"We are not alike, President. I'll bet a kiss we are opposite." Sabi ko at humarap na sa pinto.

Bubuksan ko na sana ang pinto ng bumukas ito. Natamaan ako sa forehead ko kaya napaupo ako sa sahig habang kinakapa-kapa ang natamaan kong ulo. I bet pumupula ito, pero hindi naman yung mahahalata dahil may mga buhok na nakatakip sa mukha ko. But anyway, sinong hayop ang hindi marunong magdahan-dahan?

I looked up. Katulad niya medyo nagulat din ako but then he smirked. Nakakainis talaga yang mga pang-asar niyang ngiti. Sarap niyang sapakin eh, para mabura yang ngiti niya.

"Oh it's you, little ghost." Tss. Tumayo ako ignoring his current remark. "Anong ginagawa mo dito? And why do I feel like I'm interfering something? Why do I feel good about thinking that I just interrupted you both? At bakit ang daming tanong ang biglang sumulpot sa isipan ko nung makita kita jan sa sahig nakaupo? Are you trying to scare me or what—"

"Thane, please shut the hell up." Tinaas niya ang mga kamay niya.

"Okay, okay, you're the boss." Tss. Last time he was just thrown down to an another dimension, last time he almost died, at base sa mga ginagalaw niya ngayon, parang wala lang yun sa kaniya. I bet he's faced numerous missions which are all more dangerous than the last one.

"Well then excuse me." Lalabas na sana ako nang hinablot niya ang kamay ko. I looked at him, irritated. Ano na naman?

"Thanks." He said looking away then, I watched him let go of my hand.

Lumakad na siya papunta kay President at lumabas na ako, closing th door behind me. I leaned against the door. Is my mind playing tricks with me? Did Thane, the guy who always tease me, just said 'thanks'? I shook my head. Ah bahala na. I should have had recorded that or something, para may pang blackmail ako next time.

Third Person's POV

As soon as Ke'ala left, Thane and the President looked at each other, it took a while for both of them to finally let go each other's gazes. Sighing, the President stood up and headed to the kitchen part of the office. Kumuha siya ng isang baso na may lamang juice.

"So, what do you want? Teleporter."

"You know why I'm here, Pres."

"Headmistress finally let me in in your little game. The Black Clan, the relics, everything, you have been having a problem and you never told me a thing. So much for being a best friend."

"Do not get business get in touch with your personal life, isn't it that it?" Tanong ni Thane habang umupo siya sa couch.

"It already did Thane, it already did."

"Sinabi sa akin ni Headmistress, you and Vlein were already involved. It'll take some time bago malaman ng buong grupo to. I trust you keep your mouth shut about it."

"I'm not like you, I believe."

"Pinapunta ni Headmistress si Vlein sa crime scene, kung saan namatay si Teddy Harson. Just last night, actually. And tomorrow we're being dispatched to Hei Village. Ilang araw din ang magiging byahe. And of course, Keila is coming."

"I find it annoying that girl has to come with us in this mission when she's basically not involve in this. I wonder what's going on in the Headmistress' mind."

"Huwag mong questonin ang desisyon ni Headmistress."

"I mean no disrespect, but the fact that she's involve so suddenly after beating Headmistress' daughter is....not worthy enough."

"She's been involved already, longer than you have expected. At tulad ng sinabi ko, huwag mong—"

"Seems you have grown attached to that cheater." Biglang napatayo si Thane, at biglang nahulog ang picture frame na nasa tabi ng President. Inilabas ni Thane ang mga malalaki niyang nails.

"Next one won't miss kung ipagpipilitan mong cheater siya."

"I knew it. Thane, what's with that girl anyway? I see no reason for you to be attached to her. She's weak. You're strong. You are complete opposite."

"Wala ka nang pakealam dun. I make my own decision."

Galit na lumabas si Thane sa opisina ng SSO at bumalik sa swivel chair ang President. He was starting to wonder what made his very best friend suddenly change.

"Looks like I have to do some experiments myself."

Keila's POV

It was time for our History class to start. Hindi pa nakarating ang teacher kaya kumakain muna ako ng sandwich dito sa upuan ko sa likod, as usual, sa tabi ng bintana. As always, ang ingay-ingay ng classroom, parang mga bata ang mga kasama ko dito. And about what happened this morning, mukhang kinalimutan na nila yun, or maybe they just don't want to talk about it anymore. Pero mabuti narin yun.

Yung lalake kaninang nawalan ng malay wala yatang plano bumalik sa klase, at yung nagtapon sa akin ng fireball wala din dito. Wala kasi akong kilala sa mga kaklase ko maliban lang sa mga taong nag click ng ineteres ko. Other than that, I don't have any plan on making friends with them.

"We will be having a test." Muntik na akong mabilaukan nung biglang sinabi ng Professor namin, nasi Prof Sanchez, isang matandang babae, namay test kami the moment she entered the room. What the hell?

"W-wala naman po ata kayong sinabi nun na may test?" Naga-alamgang taning ng isa.

"Kailangan ko pa bang e remind kayo na may test bago kayo mag study?" Umiling nalang kami. "Well then, take one and pass these test papers, kung tapos ka na pwede ka nang umalis. Remember, each mistakes will redice your points for ten." Bale lung may mali kaming isa, sampung puntos ang ibabawas sa points namin. Grabe.

Then she left. Again. Palagi nalang. Lung may pinapagawa kasi siya sa amin bale hahayaan niya nakang kami dito at aalis ulit. Di ko tuloy alam kung tamad lang talaga siya o talagang marami lang talaga siyang ginagawa. Since ako ang nasa huli, tinanggap ko ang huling test paper at nagsimula nang magbasa. Pero ang problema, wala namang nakasulat. Tinurn ko sa next page pero ganoon parin, walang nakasulat. Blanko lang talaga ang lahat.

I looked around, at mukhang ganoon din ang sitwasyon ng iba. This is weird. Baka nagkamali lang ang matanda? Bigla namang tumayo si Iyana at lumabas ng room dala ang test papers niya. Nagtaka ang lahat but they paid her no mind at nag concentrate nalang sa mga papers. After few minutes, nagtaka din ako nang lumabas din si Andrea. Are they skipping the exam? No. Knowing them parang imposible naman yata, well except for Iyana.

Ilang minuto pa ang nakalipas, ang ibang studyante ang naglabasan na din, hindi ko alam kung kukuha ba talaga sila ng test o kukunin nila ang test. My eyes widened. They're going to get the test. Pero saan naman sila nakakuha ng ganoong paraan? No that sentence seems wrong. They will figure out the test. But how?

Tinignan ko ng mabuti ang blankong sheet papers, at kahit anong tingin ko dito hindi ko talaga malaman kung para saan ba to. Anyway, ayaw kong maubos ang isang oras ng test para lang sa wala. One wrong question is equals to deduction of ten points. At kung mali lahat? Gods. Wala na talagang matitira sa points na naipon ko buong buwan.

Kaya tumayo na ako at lumabas ng classroom. Hindi ko alam kung saan pumunta ang iba, but if the tests are the same, that would mean sa isang lugar lang lahat sila pupunta. But if not, then iba iba ang pinuntahan nila.

"Hindi mo din ba alam kung saan ka pupunta?" Familiar ang boses na nagtanong sa akin pero di ko siya kilala. Pero nung hinarap ko siya, my senses are suddenly telling me to actually ignore this person. She's that same girl, with glasses at mukhang nerd talaga. Yung naka grupo ko sa potionary subject ko noon?

"Who are you again?" Natawa siya ng konti.

"As expected of you Keila. Hindi mo naman talaga kilala ang mga kaklase mo, at wala ka naman talagang balak kilalanin kami. Pero ako si Genova Leet." Leet? Kaano-ano ba siya ni Freya Leet? The leader of the White Brigade, the rank two group. I gazed at her from top to bottom. The same eyes. The same nose. Other than that, wala na akong nakitang resembalnce noya sa kaniya.

I looked away and continued walking. Wala na akong oras para mag-usap dito. Plus, I don't plan on making friends.

"Wait, sabay nalang tayo." Bakit ba bigla siyang maging clingy sa akin? Eh noon palagi niya akong tinitignan naparang we weirdohan siya.

"Okay spill it. Why would you choose to come with me again?"

"Huwag mong masamain. Gusto ko lang magpasalamat about yesterday. Actually, that guy has been bullying me since the first day. At nung sinipa mo siya, medyo naging okay na ako."

"Hindi ko yun ginawa para sayo. Don't be grateful." Tapos naglakad na ulit ako pero nakasunod parin siya. Hays. Bahala na.

But something is wrong with her. Kakaiba talaga ng energy na pumapaligid sa kaniya. Can't say I'm not used to it, pero hindi ito katulad ng energy na pumapalibot sa iba na nakilala ko or happened to pass by, dito. Like I said before when I met her sister, their energies resemble those from the island. Like what I was told, at nabasa ko din sa alamat ng isla, people from the island have more advantage than the rest of the world, more power, more energy, and especially because of our unique blood that runs through pur veins. But that's only a legend, pero nang makapunta ako dito sa outside world, nararamdaman ko nga na iba kami sa iba.

My feet suddenly dragged me to the lobby. Kung saan sa itaas namin ay may malaking crystal na chandelier. At saan may malaking double doors sa umahan that leads to the outside, which is the courtyard.

"Ano ang gagawin natin dito?" Exactly. Ano ang gagawin namin dito?

"Can you hand me your sheets?" Tumango siya at binigay naman sa akin. Kinumpara ko ang sa akin sa kaniya, pero qala namang pinagkaiba.

"The light!" She suddenly exclaimed. Light? Agad niyang kinuha ang sheets niya sa akin at tinuon sa may chandelier. Then the light reflected through the sheets and as soon as nakuha ko na ang ibig niyang sabihin, I did the same.

War was inevitable. The tree was cut in half. Near the fountain where the future lies, another one would grow once again.

Okay yan ang nakasulat. Pero di ko gets. Tree? Fountain? War? Promise, di ko talaga alam to.

"Parehas lang tayo. Pero may tatlong fountain dito sa buong Academy, one in the garden, one in the end of the artificial Blackveil Forest, at ang isa naman sa may courtyard."

"Ano naman ang kinalaman ng mga fountains sa kahoy na putol?" Tanong ko. I saw her smile. "What are you smiling at?"

"Minsan lang kasi kita naririnig mag tagalog, naisip ko tuloy minsan bala hindi ka lumaki dito." Well hindi naman talaga. "In the courtyard, in the middle of the maze sa labas, may isang malaking fountain dun. Since yun ang pinakamalapit, yun muna ang pupuntahan natin." I nodded. Wala masyado akong akam sa Academy, so siya na ang bahala.

And so sinundan ko lang siya lumabas. As I open the giant double doors, nakalimutan ko na may isang-daang hagdan pala ang naghihintay sa akin pababa. Tss. Bakit pa ba kasi may ganito eh?

"Kailangan nating magmadali. Ayaw kong maunahan tayo ng iba." Sabi niya. Mula dito sa itaas makikita mo na ang buong maze, at sa gitna nito ay may isang malaking fountain nga. Ano naman ba ang gagawin namin jan kung sakali ngang makapunta kami dun?

No, kalimutan niyo na ang tinanong ko. Eh hindi nga kami makapunta dun! After going down a hundred steps, dumeretso kami sa may entrance ng maze, and I never thought it was this hard to reach the middle when clearly lookng at it before parang madali lang naman. Lumiko kami sa may kanan at lumiko ulit, hanggang sa may malking pader na gawa sa mga halaman na ang nakaharang sa amin. Kahit man lumusot kami dito ay masusugatan kang kami dahil sa mga tunok.

"Another dead end." Sabi niya at napaupo sa lupa. Pagod na yata. Well she's not alone in that case. "Forget it, hinding hindi tayo makakarating sa fountain. Tama nga pala ang rumours."

"Rumours?" Tanong ko. She looked at me.

"Hindi mo ba talaga alam yun?" My eyebrow lifted. Hindi ko naman siguro itatanong kung alam ko. "Na kahit anong gawin mo, hinding hindi ka makakaabot sa gitna ng maze dahil palaging may haharang at pipigil sayo. They even say that students who enter the maze can never go out again." Weh? Di nga? I looked at her as if asking that and she nodded as if alam niya ang ibig kong sabihin.

"Then let's go and prove that stupid rumour wrong."

Lumakad na ako pabalik kung saan kami lumiko kanina, kahit pagod, napa buntong hininga lang siya at sumunod. Honestly, wala talaga akong alam kung saan kami pupunta, I just go wherever my mind would tell me to go. Not a single plan in mind at all. Hanggang sa makarating nga kami sa middle part ng maze. Sa 30 minutes ngayon palang kami nakarating dito.

Natanaw ko ang isang malaking fountain malapit lang sa amin. On top of the fountain kung saan ang isang statue ng isang malaking eagle, ay may puting envelope. Sa sobrang taas nito, mukhang parang imposible kunin ito. Or kung yan nga ang dapat naming kunin in order to figure out what's the next thing to do.

"Keila, may naisip ako. But I need your help." Napatingin lamang ako sa kaniya, and was already havibg a bad feeling about this.

Biglang lumiwanag ang kaniyang mga kamay at may lumabas na mga chains dito. Tinapon niya ang isang dulo ng chain sa ulo ng higanteng statue na agila then looked back at me again. Don't tell I'm the one getting that envelope? She nodded again, as if alam niya ang mga pinpahiwatig ng tingin ko.

"Can't you just get the envelope?" With the chains of course. But she shook her head.

"Ikaw ang kumuha. I got my hands full here." And who does she thinks she is to order me again? Hays bahala na.

Sighing, maingat kong hinawakan ang chain at nagsimula nang umakyat papunta sa itaas kung saan ang envelope. Habang nasa itaas na ako at medyo malapit nalang sa agila, bigla namang humangin ng malakas at muntik ko nang mabitawan ang chain na hawak ko. I looked down. I gulped. Heights. Since when did I get this fear of heights?

"Mag-ingat ka Keila!" Narinig kong sigaw ni Genova mula sa ibaba. "May iba pa yatang may gusto ng enevelope na yan!"

I looked around. Since nandito ako sa itaas siguradong makikita ko ang mga papalapit ng mga studyante. Maliban sa dalawang tao na malapit nang makadating dito sa fountain at sa isa pang babae na may hawak na fan na nakatingin sa akin, wala na. I blinked. Nakatingin sa akin? Tinignan ko siya ulit. Kaklase ko nga siya pero di ko naman alam ang pangalan niya. Then I saw her smirked.

Bigla niyang winave ang fan niya at biglang dumaan ang malakas na hangin papunta sa akin. Muntik ko nang mabitawan ang chain dahil pati ito ay nadadala din patungo sa direksyon ng hangin. Dahil sa hangin nayun, nahulog ang envelope at agad ko naman itong kinuha dahil muntik na itong madala ng hangin.

Medyo nagulat ako ng walang laman ang envelope. Bigla na namang lumakas ang hangin but this time, I lost my gripped pn the chains and before I knew it, my back hit the water. Ang tubig sa fountain. I expected the water to be shallow, pero nagkamali ako. I tried to swim up pero di ko magawa dahil sa sobrang lalim.

"Ke'ala......"

Looking below, parang hinuhugot ako ng tubig pailalim and there's no escaping it. Na para bang may tumatawag sa akin, and that voice, it was so familiar that I can't resist it.